Lena Dunham Goes on The Howard Stern Show, Buries Hatchet
Calling Lena Dunham a “little fat chick” might have been the smartest move Howard Stern’s made in the last several years. Not only did his remarks get repeated by Ms. Dunham while she was on Letterman on Friday, but his very public apology on Monday gave him some extra leverage to pull the Girls creator and star (and recent two-time Golden Globe winner) onto his program today.
Here’s what went down.
Stern lavished her with praise: “I realize: not only am I addicted, but I totally get you. I’m in love with you and your character.”
… but refused to “apologize” for his weight comments: “It’s not about apologizing, although I want to say I’m a fan of yours … I love you and I think you’re terrific.”
Lena insisted she supported Howard, despite the negative comments: “I’m a big fan of your particular brand of free speech.”
There was a little scuffle over word choice when describing her body:
Dunham: “I’m not super thin, but I’m thin for, like, Detroit.”
Stern replied that she wasn’t “obese or anything,” then realized his terrible choice of words.
Dunham: (laughing) “Howard Stern says I’m ‘not obese or anything’ … I appreciate it and I appreciate your effort to rectify [this], but whether you’d done that or not, I’d have remained a [Howard Stern] enthusiast.”
Now it’s time to talk about Donald Glover and race!
Dunham: “Donald was an actor we always wanted to work with. On HBO, you have 10 episodes. You start with 10 episodes. And it takes you a while to set up your world, to set up your main characters … While I understand the criticism, I felt like we had had only 10 episodes to dig in.”
As for the idea that her show was “too white”? “[Diversity on television is] a conversation that needs to happen. I’m glad to take one for the team.”
Mr. Stern admitted that he hadn’t watched enough episodes of Girls when he made that initial comment. But even last week he had begun changing his mind…specifically once he started a man-crushing on Adam Driver’s character.
Interview Audio:
Source
"Just hoping you're not part of the school of thinking that just as long as white people don't actively hate people of color and aren't calling them slurs they aren't racist?"
well you can stop hoping for me, I know what racism is. but thanks for your concern. I was only sharing my personal history to showcase I know the GENUINE DIFFERENCE between ignorance and sheltered lifestyle and racism. she's just ignorant, and unfortunately she is in a lifestyle that perpetuates it (she lives and works amongst other sheltered, upper class individuals). seriously, SMH at you for seeing a few comments assigning myself as having a sheltered youth and you assigning a latent thought process to my psyche from it. and ya, I am rolling my eyes pretty fucking hard.
and btw, I wasnt using her evidence of being "sheltered and ignorant" and as a way to DISQUALIFY her from being racist. I was sharing my opinion that she *individually* is not racist, just sheltered. hence why I SAID there is a difference between the two in this case. I never said one disqualifies the other.
You're welcome and good for you for believing you know the difference :) I'm not where or how I assigned latent thought process to your sheltered youth? If you're referring to comment about how being sheltered, ignorant, and racism can go together, I said "often," not all the time in person in every situation. That's on you. And much like you're using your personal history to showcase your beliefs about racism, I am using my personal history and experiences with racism to explain my beliefs about racism.
I'm not really sure what you believe is racist or what words and actions are racist, but it seems like we might disagree? It's clear you don't think she's racist and I disagree. For example, I think Lena's choice to act like it was unfathomable that her characters have peers that are people of color while only showcasing people of color on her show as homeless, nannies, or secretaries is racist. So yes, where I believe that is racist, it appeared me that you're excusing what I perceive to be racism by talking about how she's sheltered and ignorant.