[MUSIC]
At IKEA in Atlanta wanted to
recognize Juneteenth.
And so they decided to put together
a menu to commemorate foods that
they thought would accomplish that.
What they did was put
together a menu,
which the store told employees was
intended to honor the perseverance
of Black Americans, which includes
dishes like fried chicken,
watermelon, and mac and cheese.
And JR, I feel like we've done
this story nine times.
[LAUGH] >> I don't know why this is
always the go-to for
schools that want to show that they
know what's going on.
Employees said 33 people
called out from work as
a response to that menu.
It sparked an internal email
response from a store manager who
said, I truly apologize if the menu
came off as subjective.
I think that means offensive.
It was created with the best of
intentions by a few of our
coworkers who believed they were
representing their culture and
traditions with these foods of
celebration.
One employee told The Hill, you
cannot say serving watermelon on
Juneteenth is a soul food menu when
you don't even know the history.
They used to feed slaves
watermelon during the slave time.
Also says, none of the coworkers
who sat down to create the menu,
nobody was black.
>> Crazy, I thought they just said
that it was believed they were
observing their culture and
tradition with these foods of
celebration.
>> Yes, they said that.
>> So if none of them were black,
which culture and tradition and
theirs are we talking about?
I don't know.
Maybe they misspoke when they said
it was theirs, and they know what
they're talking about and doing.
This is one of those things where
it's happening when it's pride
month as well, right?
And then we just got Juneteenth
recognized as a federal holiday.
And now companies, corporations,
people in general,
just want to make themselves look
better by saying, I'm on board too.
I got a rainbow flag.
As you guys see, I wore red,
orange, and
yellow all at the same time.
It's part of it, but it's okay.
It doesn't endear you to
anyone else because of your menu.
Even if it was accurate, and
you have some actual food that you
see as black culture, right?
Even if that was accurate and
no one had an issue with it,
is that going to increase sales?
What are you doing this for?
What's the idea here?
>> I'm assuming, if you dig into
that, there's some kernel of
wanting to do a good thing,
but- >> This is the thing.
>> You didn't.
>> Okay, this is all part of it.
I feel like I said this ironically
on the Juneteenth,
the half hour that I had there.
What's the point of diversity?
We're just going to have diversity
for the sake of diversity.
So when politicians, thereby,
make sure they have a diverse group
on them, they have a diverse staff.
That they have a chief of staff
that maybe isn't from the same
background that they're from.
And that they have something that
has a robust all-inclusive nature
to the way that they'll make
decisions.
It's so that you can be represented
by people who know what the hell
they're talking about and
know where they're coming from.
So that your message to the rest of
the folks who came from most
communities can connect to them.
So why would you assume that
people that aren't from that
community can make the decisions
about that community?
And if you do have diversity here,
make sure that people
that are there know what the hell
they're talking about.
It's crazy.
You don't just throw people
in there for
the sake of throwing them in there.
You have black employees.
Why weren't they a part of this?
You know what? They'd have told
you this before, John, on TV,
when I was talking about it.
They'd have said, hey, you guys,
you might want to shut this dumb
idea down.
This is hilarious.
>> And it's funny because this
came up, obviously,
over the course of the weekend.
But I saw a lot of tweets to
the effect of when it was
recognized as a holiday.
It was tweets like,
Bed Bath & Beyond,
don't even think about it.
[LAUGH] >> But it's like, God,
all these corporations,
they're going to do stuff that it's
going to be so bad.
IHOP is going to become IHodge, or
Juneteenth, or something.
No, you don't.
Anyway, yeah.
>> Yeah, they digging up like,
at some restaurants are going to
have a reparations sale.
Yeah, all black folks, come in.
And it's stuff like that they think
people are going to clamor for.
Hey, relax, take a deep breath, and
listen.
because the easiest way is
to listen. >> Well- >> As you
still lack a degree of respect for
the people that you say
you're celebrating.
>> It's just internal.
You don't have enough respect for
them to actually talk to them.
It's the simplest form of learning,
talk.
Instead you got, I know it all.
I still know it.
Let me tell them what they're
about.
>> Yep, now, I think you're right.
You gotta talk to learn.
Unfortunately, sometimes it's not
enough.
Because they heard the concerns,
they revised the menu, and
now includes collard greens,
cornbread, and mashed potatoes.
Which I think they might have had
mashed potatoes before.
Honestly, I'm not sure.
Come on, IKEA.
Man, I love you.
[LAUGH] >> Let's just let it go.
Just let it go.
Forget about it.
>> Just apologize and move on, and
hope that now people don't see it.
because-- >> Be proud of your
meatballs.
>> [LAUGH] Yeah, those are good.
>> And cranberry jam.
>> Those are good.
>> Dollar hot dogs [CROSSTALK].
>> Because by the way,
cornbread and mashed potatoes,
I mean, that's on everybody's
plate on Thanksgiving.
>> That's true, yeah.
[MUSIC]