By John Q. Hosedrinker 
During a recent segment on Fox News’ “The Five,” Greg Gutfeld suggested conservatives should reclaim the term “Nazi” in a similar manner to how Black people have reclaimed the “n-word.” Gutfeld’s remarks, which included the co-hosts jokingly using the word, immediately sparked widespread outrage, with critics accusing him of normalizing Nazism and being “beneath contempt.” This is due to the highly insensitive analogy used to deflect criticisms. The segment drew comparisons to past instances of Gutfeld’s increasingly extreme rhetoric, which has included calls for civil war and inflammatory comments against transgender healthcare providers.
Read the original article here
Fox News host proudly declares himself a Nazi, jokes about saying the word in place of N-word. This is where we are now, isn’t it? A prominent figure on a major news network, essentially proclaiming allegiance to an ideology that brought about unimaginable suffering, and trying to pass it off as some kind of edgy comedy bit. The gall of it! It’s like someone took the playbook on how *not* to handle sensitive topics and decided to follow it to the letter, perhaps hoping to stir up controversy for ratings or some other nefarious purpose. This is beyond tasteless. It’s a slap in the face to the victims of Nazism and their descendants, and it’s a worrying sign of the times.
Gutfeld, the supposed comedian, attempts to draw a parallel between the Black community reclaiming the N-word and his desire to “reclaim” the word “Nazi.” The problem is, the analogy is fundamentally flawed and deeply offensive. The N-word was used to dehumanize and oppress an entire group of people based on their inherent characteristics—their skin color. Being called a Nazi is a judgment based on a person’s chosen political beliefs and actions. It’s a condemnation of a hateful ideology. You don’t become a Nazi by accident of birth. You actively choose to align yourself with a system that advocates for hate, discrimination, and violence.
The claim of reclaiming the word is a pathetic attempt at normalization. It’s a deliberate tactic to desensitize the public to the horrors of Nazism. This type of “comedy” isn’t meant to make people laugh; it’s designed to shock, to provoke, and ultimately, to chip away at the moral boundaries that keep dangerous ideologies in check. The idea of a Fox News host trying to “own the libs” by casually adopting the label of a group responsible for mass genocide is simply appalling. The fact that he’s trying to frame this as humor further underscores the cynicism and intellectual bankruptcy of such a stance.
The underlying agenda is clear. By making light of Nazism, this is an attempt to undermine the gravity of the historical atrocities associated with the ideology. This is not just a bad joke; it’s a calculated move to normalize hateful views, to make them palatable to a wider audience. The intent is to push the boundaries of acceptable discourse and to create a space where far-right ideologies can thrive.
The commentary surrounding Gutfeld’s remarks also brings up the issue of “conservatives” and their humor. The assertion is that their humor, if one can even call it that, often relies on being deliberately provocative. The punchline is often, “Look at me, I’m being naughty, I’m saying something I’m not supposed to.” This form of humor might get attention, but it rarely does anything truly constructive, and it certainly isn’t funny. The point isn’t to be clever, insightful, or witty, it’s just about saying something controversial.
The comparison to Jon Stewart is particularly apt. Stewart, a true satirist, used humor to expose hypocrisy and hold power accountable. Gutfeld, on the other hand, seems to be content with being a provocateur, a court jester for the right, simply aiming to generate controversy and, by extension, maintain a viewership. This isn’t comedy; it’s a form of political theater. The fact that Gutfeld is framed as the “equivalent of Jon Stewart” is deeply laughable.
What we’re seeing here is a deliberate, orchestrated attempt to push the boundaries of what’s considered acceptable. This is not an isolated incident; it’s part of a larger pattern, a strategy to normalize hate speech and far-right ideologies. It’s about creating a climate where people feel comfortable expressing hateful views, where the victims of these views are made to feel that they are overreacting.
The comparison of the N-word to the word “Nazi” is ludicrous on many levels. Black people were, and still are, targeted for simply existing. They didn’t choose their skin color. Their ancestors were enslaved. Nazism, on the other hand, is a belief system. It’s a choice. You cannot compare something that is inflicted on a person for something they can’t control to something that is a chosen ideology.
The fact that anyone would even try to make this comparison is a testament to their ignorance, their lack of empathy, and their willingness to exploit the pain of others for their own amusement.
The assertion that this is a joke underscores the audacity of the situation. It’s a demonstration of how little they truly care about the implications of the words they use, about the history they reference, and about the very real pain and suffering that Nazism inflicted.
This entire episode is a blatant example of the dangers of allowing hate speech to go unchallenged. When those in positions of power normalize hateful rhetoric, it opens the door for more extremism, for more discrimination, and ultimately, for more violence. It is a chilling reminder of the power of language and the importance of speaking out against hate.