Trevor Noah under fire for stand-up routine: ‘You owe Aboriginal women an apology’

A MONTH before he tours Australia, footage of comedian Trevor Noah making derogatory jokes about Aboriginal women has resurfaced online.

COMEDIAN Trevor Noah is under fire after footage from a 2013 stand-up special resurfaced, showing the comic making crude and derogatory jokes about Aboriginal women.

The backlash comes one month before South African-born, US Daily Show host Noah, 34, embarks on a full-scale Australian comedy tour.

“There’s no such thing as the most beautiful race. All women of every race can be beautiful,” Noah says in the routine, which originally aired in his 2013 stand-up special “It’s My Culture”.

Comedian Trevor Noah. Picture: Getty

“And I know some of you are sitting there now going, ‘Oh Trevor, yeah, but I’ve never seen a beautiful Aborigine’. Yeah, but you know what you say? You say ‘yet’, that’s what you say; ‘yet’. Because you haven’t seen all of them, right?”

“Plus it’s not always about looks, maybe Aboriginal women do special things, maybe they’ll just like, jump on top of you and be like,” he continues, before cupping his hands to his lips and imitating the sound of a didgeridoo. “All women of every race can be beautiful.”

Indigenous former NRL player Joe Williams appears to have first shared the video over the weekend, leading several more prominent Indigenous Australians to voice their upset at Noah’s routine:

Hey @Trevornoah, your comments about Aboriginal @IndigenousX in this clip are utterly unacceptable! As a man of colour, you are usually in point with racism & divide - here you are perpetrating & encouraging racial abuse!! #boycotttrevornoahinoz https://t.co/UNXE8TlBtq RT

— Joe Williams - TEW (@joewilliams_tew) July 22, 2018

Yo @Trevornoah,
Im Beautiful BECAUSE Im Aboriginal. Im Strong BECAUSE Im Aboriginal.
Im Loved BECAUSE Im Aboriginal.
Im Smart BECAUSE Im Aboriginal.
I am surrounded by Beautiful Aboriginal women who arent punchlines, theyre Warrior Goddesses #BeautifulBECAUSEImAboriginal

— Nakkiah Lui (@nakkiahlui) July 22, 2018

I am so disgusted and appalled by the comments by @Trevornoah and his attempted humour that denigrates Aboriginal women I hope Australians boycott his shows in #Brisbane #Sydney #Melbourne #Perth #Australia That kind of ‘humour’ is not funny and does damage! #racismitstopswithme https://t.co/yplwK2CtI7

— Dr Anita Heiss (@AnitaHeiss) July 22, 2018

Noah himself responded to Williams’ original tweet today, saying, “You’re right. After visiting Australia’s Bunjilaka Museum and learning about Aboriginal history first-hand, I vowed never to make a joke like that again. And I haven’t. I’ll make sure the clip from 2013 is not promoted in any way.”

The YouTube clip of the routine has since been taken down, but many were disappointed that Noah’s response did not include an apology.

Wait so he has to go to a museum and learn about history before he knows not to be racist?????

— Sarah Maddison (@madd_sarah) July 22, 2018

Beauty is misogyny and judging women in such ways demonstrates your feelings of entitlement as a man. To then overlay racism as a way to get laughs - punching down to more vulnerable women - is a disgrace. I hope you're beyond both your racism and misogyny now.

— Celeste Liddle (@Utopiana) July 23, 2018

Seriously that’s it? That’s all we get for a response? No apology? This man needs to see our community up close

— Jarin (@jarinstreet) July 22, 2018

Is that supposed to be an apology. You owe Aboriginal women an apology.

— Ashley Warren (@AshleyWarren75) July 22, 2018

It’s the second time this week Noah’s made headlines over accusations of racism. Last week the comedian was in hot water after calling France’s winning World Cup side a team from Africa — because most of its players were black.