So, on Friday, Virginia's Democratic governor,
Ralph Northam, admitted to being one of the people
in this old yearbook photo, right?
But he wouldn't say which person he was,
and I don't blame him,
because neither option is good.
Yeah. It's like you're taking a trip
and your only choices are the Titanic and Spirit Airlines,
you know?
Yeah, I mean, at least, on the Titanic,
you might get to (bleep) Leo, but, I mean...
Although, I will say, I suppose admitting
to blackface is actually worse.
Yeah, because then everyone's mad at you.
But if you say you're a Klan member,
now you're part of a community.
There's-there's an upside!
You know what the real shame is,
is that if these weren't costumes
and it was a black guy and a Klan member
having a drink together,
this would be a huge step forward.
Racial harmony. We did it, folks.
But because it was costumes,
it's extremely offensive.
And to his credit, Governor Northam came out
and he apologized for being in the photo.
To his un-credit,
he took it back the next day.
REPORTER: Northam now backtracking.
The governor saying that, after a closer look,
it's not him.
But he does admit to wearing blackface
at one point in the past.
My belief that I did not wear that costume
or attend that party stems,
in part, from my clear memory
of other mistakes I made in the same period of my life.
That same year,
I did participate in a dance contest in San Antonio
in which I darkened my face
as part of a Michael Jackson costume.
(laughter)
Yo, this guy's a legend.
I'm sorry. His new defense
is that he knows he didn't do this blackface
because he clearly remembers doing a different blackface.
Although it does make it more believable
that it wasn't him in the photo,
because who would defend themselves
by admitting to a different crime?
"Your Honor, I couldn't be the Boston Strangler,
"because I'm the Philadelphia Strangler!
Go, Eagles!" (mimics eagle cry)
(applause)
Although...
Although what's-what's especially strange
is that it took Northam a day to remember
that he wasn't in this photo.
Like, if someone asks you if you were ever in blackface
or dressed as the KKK,
it's never a good sign if your answer starts with,
"Uh..."
And, still, and, still,
credit to Governor Northam for coming out, you know,
clean about a different time that he did blackface
for a Michael Jackson impression.
Although, again, un-credit
once he started sharing the details.
I'll tell you exactly what I did.
I had, uh, the shoes. I had a-a glove.
Uh, and I used just a little bit of shoe polish
to put under my-- or on my cheeks.
And the reason I used a very little bit
is because-- I don't know if anybody's ever tried that,
but you cannot get shoe polish off.
But-but it was a-- it was a-a dance contest.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
I'm-I'm sorry,
how did he already know
it's hard to get the shoe polish off your face?
Because, at first, it sounded like he made a mistake.
Now it sounds like he's a blackface connoisseur.
"Now, some might prefer charcoal,
"but I've always been a shoe polish kind of guy,
with just a hint of soot for texture."
Oh, and, also, uh, just a little tip
for anyone planning on doing a Michael Jackson impression.
Uh, if you're wearing the sparkly shoes
and the gloves and you're doing the moonwalk,
that's good enough.
We get who you are.
No one's gonna be like, "Is he Lady Gaga?
Who is that?"
So whether or not Governor Northam
was in that yearbook photo or not,
we do know he definitely did blackface at some point.
We also know he should definitely hire someone
to speak for him.
Yes.
That's right.
Um...
My wife says "Inappropriate circumstances."
(laughter, applause)
Yo, wait, wait.
Wait. (laughs)
Wait. Oh, wait.
Hold up, hold up, hold up.
This guy was about to moonwalk.
(laughter)
No, because he was looking around like,
"Well, I normally need, like, five feet to get momentum.
I, uh... You know?"
I can't believe this guy was actually gonna do the moonwalk
in the middle of his blackface apology.
(laughter)
That is the wrong time for dance moves, okay?
That would be like if Bill Clinton said,
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
(laughter)
And also, props to Northam's wife,
because clearly, that's not the first time she's had to stop him
from showing his moonwalking skills off, right?
He probably does this all the time.
He's probably at funerals, like, "How about now?"
"No, no, not appropriate."
"And now?" "Not appropriate!"
He's like the Groot of moonwalks. That really...
"Moonwalk?" "No! No moonwalk!"
"Moonwalk?" "No moonwalk!"
And look, and look, Governor Northam seems
to be showing genuine remorse
about this weird racist phase of his life.
But many are saying it isn't enough to be sorry now.
You should have known it was a problem all along.
MAN: Do you think as a grown adult
that it's problematic that you need to have it explained
to you that blackface is offensive?
No, I... You know, I'm not a person of color,
and-and people of color, uh, experience different things.
Uh, it affects them different ways.
(Southern accent): That's right. I'm not a person of color.
But if you gave me two minutes...
(laughter)
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover... ♪
(laughter)