• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Sound-Off: Abuse Isn't Funny, D.L. Hughley

This week D.L. Hughley has come under fire for comments he made last week on the radio about actor Columbus Short’s wife and her reported allegations of abuse.
Sound-Off: Abuse Isn’t Funny, D.L. Hughley
Michael Schwartz/WireImage
By Abby West · Updated October 27, 2020
We’ve always loved the ability of comedians to say irreverent things and push boundaries. From Richard Pryor to Eddie Murphy and beyond, we’ve cracked up on jokes that articulated things we’d never say in our normal lives. But what about when we think comedians go too far? That’s their job, right? To push the boundaries? Sure it is, but we get to push back and assert our boundaries too. This week D.L. Hughley has come under fire for comments he made last week on the radio about actor Columbus Short’s wife and her reported allegations of abuse, which were made in her legal petition for divorce and a restraining order. I won’t repeat here the words that Hughley used to describe Tanee McCall-Short because, to me, no matter what lens we look at it through, they feel way too hateful. (All previously available audio has been pulled.) But suffice it to say that he called into question not only the veracity of her claims but also her character and worth. All in comparison to Short, who seemingly got the benefit of the doubt because (a) he was male and (b) he had been on a successful show (Scandal). Therefore she must be scrambling to tear him apart. Hughley issued an apology today: “Last week during an after-show segment of my radio show, The D.L. Hughley Show, I unintentionally offended some people. “In regards to Columbus Short’s legal issues, I jumped to a conclusion and blamed Tanee McCall-Short; and I’m sorry. My intent was not to quiet victims. “When I did speak of the topic on air, I repeatedly emphasized then, and as I do now, that anyone who is convicted of domestic violence, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law; and that is what I believe.” It definitely behooved him to clarify that he does not, in fact, espouse domestic violence in any form. I could argue that the apology doesn’t jibe with some of the statements said to have aired on the show, in which he seemed not to care if the allegations were true. (“I think that broad shouldn’t be telling all his business if she gone take him to court,” said Hughley.) But why don’t we just talk about the extremely disparaging language used against this woman? A woman who has given no reason for anyone to doubt her legal claim and as such, could potentially be a victim. No need to apologize for the vicious characterization there? In our fast-paced social media world, many of us have gotten used to “taking sides” when celebrity relationship drama hits the news, bringing our own world views and personal histories to our opinions of who is in the right. But can’t we all agree that it’s distasteful or just plain wrong to risk possibly re-victimizing someone who has suffered an abuse? Hughley’s apology would have been easier to accept and move on from if he didn’t have a history of coming hard against women. Black women in particular. From piggybacking on the Don Imus/Rutgers women’s basketball team controversy to make a joke about Black women while defending Imus’ freedom of speech to saying that he’d “never met an angrier group of people” in reference to Black women. We could have a whole “art shouldn’t be policed” argument and I’m there for you. That’s completely fair. We do have freedom of speech. He can say whatever he likes. But so can we. We as women, as Black women, have a right to say Enough already! We’re not okay with our sisters being verbally dismantled or having our pain marginalized. And we’re not going to stay silent about it. Abby West (@AbbyWestNYC) is the executive editor of ESSENCE.com.
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now