Hockey star P.K. Subban is taking some intense heat for an ill-advised joke during a Tuesday playoff broadcast, with the subject being pop superstar Lizzo. Subban is being labeled a “fatphobe” after his poor choice of words.
During the postgame broadcast of the Florida Panthers’ 4-2 defeat of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the former star was asked what he thought the Maple Leafs needed to do to be better prepared for the next game. Subban replied and the internet exploded. According to the Daily Caller, Subban said: “Maybe they need to pack a Lizzo-sized lunch,” Subban said. “They weren’t prepared, in my opinion.”
Considering the sensitive times we live in and Lizzo’s stature as the biggest star in pop music, perhaps Subban should have chosen his words more judiciously. Social media responded in the way only social media could, and Subban was roasted up to and including being called a racist, even though Subban himself is black. The Daily Caller continued:
“Sis Pk Subban really just say ‘Lizzo sized lunch?’ That’s… not acceptable. That’s fatphobic,” said one Twitter user.
“Gross comment by PK Subban,” said another Twitter user.
However, the most ridiculous comments were the ones accusing a black man of somehow being racist to a black woman because he made a fat joke.
Some commentators accused Subban of anti-black racism, despite Subban being black himself.
“There’s something to be said about how comfortable these Black men feel using their platforms in this way to harass Lizzo and Black women in general,” said another Twitter user.
“I gotta say I’m not surprised that this man chose to dunk on a beloved Black woman for clout,” said another Twitter user.
Subban played 13 seasons in the NHL as a defenseman and joined ESPN as an analyst last fall. He played seven years with the Montreal Canadiens, three years with the Nashville Predators, and three years with the New Jersey Devils. Now, Subban is back on the defense for his unfortunate wisecrack.
“Maybe they need to pack a @lizzo sized lunch” a PK Subban 💀
Will there be blow back ? I say yes! pic.twitter.com/JTuDjFWCE0
— Chris Mancuso (@SeltzerKing_) May 3, 2023
Accusing Subban, a black man, of being racist against Lizzo is ridiculous, as well as calling him a fatphobe. The man simply made a mistake. Excoriating him and calling him names on Twitter is no better than what he said. In fact, it might be worse.
Subban was making an off-the-cuff joke live on television. Blowing him up on social media requires time and thought, which is worse because it is premeditated. Anyone can let slip an off-color joke and immediately realize it was a mistake. Sitting down to run Subban down is just mean and pointless.
It is pointless because Lizzo doesn’t need people coming to her defense. She seems to be pretty happy in her own body and is a hugely successful pop star. Perhaps the biggest one in the world not named Taylor Swift.
Why would she need keyboard warriors rushing to her defense to call a former black hockey player a racist? She doesn’t. Subban made a mistake, and an apology probably should be made, but then it is over. Move on. Keyboard warriors need to remember that people on television are human and make mistakes, and calm down.
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