Spike Lee To “Punk-Ass” Jared Kushner: “Come to Harlem Talking That Mess” About Black People – Audio

Jared Kushner raised eyebrows this week when he said on Fox News that Black people must “want to be successful.” Spike Lee took exception to the First Son-in-Law’s comments and made his feelings clear in a radio interview today.

“Look, I am so tired of white folks telling us what we need to do,” the Oscar-winning filmmaker said in an interview on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s The Joe Madison Show. “How could this guy, how could this punk ass say what black folks need to do? It’s like there wasn’t 400 years of slavery, systematic racism. We can go on list, list, list, list up. We want everything that all Americans want, but this thing has been set up so we can’t get there. And that’s what this election is about. So for this guy to say that black people that we don’t want to succeed? Hey, let him come to Brooklyn talking that. Let him come to Harlem talking that mess.”

Host Joe Madison then said: “I’m certain what drove you to succeed is what drives me to succeed and people we know. We didn’t all … take an elevator to the top. Did you?”

Lee replied: “No. … Look, here’s another thing, though — we can’t get sidetracked. They’re trying to … take our eyes off the prize. … First of all, that guy’s a punk. Second of all … the United States of America was built by the stealing of the land from the native Americans and the genocide Americans coupled with slavery. So we built this country! So what the hell is he talking about? We don’t want to succeed? He’s nuts!”

Listen to the Da Five Bloods and BlackKklansman filmmaker’s comments here.

And here is video of Kushner making his comments Tuesday on Fox News, via NBC’s Today.

More from Deadline

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.