When a Houston-based interviewer aims to ask his opinion on the racial controversy surrounding 'Django Unchained', Jackson refuses to answer the question unless the reporter says the N-word.
- Jan 3, 2013
AceShowbiz - Samuel L. Jackson once again raises people's eyebrows with his antics. This time around, the 64-year-old actor, who is famed for his striking comments, shocked a TV interviewer when the reporter intended to ask the actor's opinion on the controversy surrounding the repeated use of the N-word in Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained".
The Stephen the "House Nigga" depicter in the slavery era film turned the tables on a Houston-based reporter who wanted to discuss the issue, challenging the interviewer to drop the N-bomb. "Say the N-word, and I'll answer you question," so the actor told Jake Hamilton, the interviewer who works for Houston's Fox TV affiliate.
Hamilton said to Jackson, "There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the usage of the N-word in this movie," to which the thesp interrupted, "No. Nobody. None. The word would be?..." He went on pushing the reporter, "We're not going to have this conversation unless you say it."
A shocked Hamilton responded, "I don't want to say it," before asking if Jackson would say the word. "No, f*** no," said the actor. The interviewer eventually gave up on the topic, but managed to tell Jackson that it was a great question. "It wasn't a great question if you can't say the word," the actor casually replied.
The "Django" controversy sparked after director Spike Lee dissed the movie and claimed he wouldn't watch a film that insulted his ancestors. "I can't speak on it 'cause I'm not gonna see it," he said.
"All I'm going to say is that it's disrespectful to my ancestors, to see that film. That's the only thing I'm gonna say. I can't disrespect my ancestors. I can't do it. Now, that's me, I'm not speaking on behalf of anybody but myself."
Since then, some African-American filmmakers and stars also weighed in on the subject, including Antoine Fuqua and Katt Williams. Fuqua defended Tarantino, claiming, "I don't think Quentin Tarantino has a racist bone in his body. Besides, I'm good friends with ['Django' star] Jamie Foxx and he wouldn't have anything to do with a film that had anything racist to it."
On the other hand, Williams was left upset by the movie as stating, "Quentin Tarantino thinks he can say the N-word. But I checked with all of Ni**adom and nobody knows where he got his pass from. I hope he didn't get it from Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx cause they aren't going to help you when I see you."
Tarantino himself chimed in on the issue, defending his film, "Personally, I find [the criticism] ridiculous. Because it would be one thing if people are out there saying, 'You use it much more excessively in this movie than it was used in 1858 in Mississippi'."
