Comedians Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers are backpedaling after facing backlash over their comments about Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
The Las Culturistas podcast hosts had discussed various politicians on an episode of their show published on Jan. 8. During a segment of “I Don’t Think So Honey,” which features a one-minute rant about culture, Rogers had ripped into California Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying that he needed to get vocal surgery if he wanted to run for president.
The co-host said that he was turned off “anytime a politician is making it too obviously about themselves.” This remark led into his discussion about Crockett, who is running for Senate in Texas.
Two days after the podcast episode aired, the podcasters issued apologies. Yang promised to use his platform “more responsibly,” and Rogers vowed to “be more thoughtful.”
The duo had urged Las Culturistas listeners not to donate to Crockett’s U.S. Senate campaign, which launched in December.
“And don’t waste your money sending to Jasmine Crockett,” Rogers said. “Do not do it. Don’t do it. You’re going to waste your money.”
Yang agreed, saying money was “hard enough to come by” these days. Rogers then pivoted the conversation back to Newsom, expressing doubt over his viability as a potential presidential candidate.
The podcasters received criticism from fans, a number of whom felt like they were putting down a Black woman in an already hostile political environment. One top comment described their discussion as “super disappointing” and “not helpful” in getting Texas voters to engage with the election.
Both Yang and Rogers shared apologies for their comments on their respective Instagram Stories. Rogers posted first, saying he was taking the critical responses to heart.
“Transparency and candor matter to me, especially on the podcast,” he wrote. “I’m a very progressive person who cares deeply about winning these elections, but my phrasing was not right. I will be more thoughtful! I really do promise. I have great respect and admiration for Rep. Crockett, and I regret that my words suggested otherwise.”
Yang reposted Rogers’ story and added a few words of his own. He said he “should not have cursorily weighed in on this.” The Saturday Night Live alum also said he would use his platform “more responsibly” moving forward.
Crockett, who currently serves as a congresswoman for Texas’s 30th District, has made a name for herself for going toe-to-toe with Trump and his MAGA acolytes. She is vying for the Democratic nomination against Texas State Rep. James Talarico in the state’s Senate race. While early polls show her in the lead, she has received doubts about her candidacy beyond the realm of podcasts.
Famed Democratic strategist James Carville had a similar opinion to Rogers when he discussed Crockett’s campaign last month. The consultant said Crockett “violates the first rule of politics,” which is that “you always make it about the voters and never about yourself.”
Crockett has not responded to the Las Culturistas hosts’ remarks about her. The Daily Beast reached out to her office for further comment.
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