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Here's what you need to understand: Diamond & Silk were paid by the Trump campaign to exist. They were "field consultants" -- which is loose language that means almost nothing.
When confronted about this in front of Congress, they committed perjury. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/04/26/did-diamond-and-silk-commit-perjury-or-is-campaign-finance-language-often-confusing/
When confronted about this in front of Congress, they committed perjury. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/04/26/did-diamond-and-silk-commit-perjury-or-is-campaign-finance-language-often-confusing/
For some reason (*GOP reps in Congress who don't give a shit about facts), Diamond & Silk became centerpieces in a conversation about censorship on social media.
They claim they were censored on Facebook.
They have no proof this happened.
They claim they were censored on Facebook.
They have no proof this happened.
The real problem with Diamond & Silk is honestly just how lazily and cliche they slapped together their entire routine. If the GOP wasn't already a clown show, I would almost have to assume it was satirical performance art.
But it's not. They are genuine in their grift.
But it's not. They are genuine in their grift.
Diamond and Silk exist as a profitable vehicle for scared, racist old white people to pretend black people are included.
That's why "Dummycrats", their 2018 documentary, even exists. It was funded entirely by far-right producers, and was sold to scared old white people over 60.
That's why "Dummycrats", their 2018 documentary, even exists. It was funded entirely by far-right producers, and was sold to scared old white people over 60.
Diamond & Silk are caricatures of what racist white people assume middle aged black women are: Sassy.
Every overdone catch-phrase, the ad-libbing, finger waving, etc. It's all meant to sell the characters, and those characters are profitable.
This brand SELLS.
Every overdone catch-phrase, the ad-libbing, finger waving, etc. It's all meant to sell the characters, and those characters are profitable.
This brand SELLS.
Before Diamond & Silk were on the payroll, being backed by the same people who fund The American Mirror, they were making Black Lives Matter videos. (Which are still on their channel.)
Diamond & Silk, before disavowing Black Lives Matter, were making videos advocating for Sandra Bland.
The problem is... they weren't getting any viewers. Their shtick wasn't selling with black people. So they shifted gears, and changed their message.
The problem is... they weren't getting any viewers. Their shtick wasn't selling with black people. So they shifted gears, and changed their message.
One day, Diamond & Silk switched their message. I mean, there's a line you can actually draw, when they went from... "moderate centrist black lives matter" to... "holy shit Breitbart cocaine."
It was their immigration video.
It was their immigration video.
Before they shifted to making flagrant "sassy black woman and her hype woman" routine, they would barely get 10,000 views on a video.
Moving their message to the right, they could easily rack up over a million.
This was a business decision for them.
But WHY does this work?
Moving their message to the right, they could easily rack up over a million.
This was a business decision for them.
But WHY does this work?
The reason Diamond & Silk can exist is the same reason Candace Owens can exist: It pays to be the lone chocolate chips in a bowl of oatmeal.
They're all playing a role, of course. It's character acting. Right wing media is journalism cosplay.
They're all playing a role, of course. It's character acting. Right wing media is journalism cosplay.
Tomi Lahren was a liberal writer at her student paper at the University of Nevada. She even wrote a tribute to one of her classmates who was a stripper, paying for school, in an article about the power of feminism. (Yes, really.)
This was covered here:
This was covered here:
The problem is, real journalism, and real media -- it's hard to get into. It also pays like shit.
That's why outlets like The Blaze, Breitbart, Fox News, OANN, etc can exist, and pay their talent more than anyone else.
You shift right when you can't make money on the left.
That's why outlets like The Blaze, Breitbart, Fox News, OANN, etc can exist, and pay their talent more than anyone else.
You shift right when you can't make money on the left.
Places like Turning Point USA? That's fully funded by Foster Friess. Prager U is funded by Dan and Farris Wilks -- who make their money from the oil and natural gas business.
These are right-wing vanity projects that need talent to fill their videos and podcasts.
These are right-wing vanity projects that need talent to fill their videos and podcasts.
If you're a black person, who is reasonably educated and has the ability to make surface level arguments that could sound remotely true to a scared, old white person... you have a seat waiting for you in right wing media.
And you will be paid handsomely.
And you will be paid handsomely.
All of these black voices are funded by outside forces.
Colion Noir is the black voice of "Second Amendment rights" -- and his biggest funding source is the NRA. He even had his own show on NRA TV. His YouTube channel has over 1 million subscribers.
Colion Noir is the black voice of "Second Amendment rights" -- and his biggest funding source is the NRA. He even had his own show on NRA TV. His YouTube channel has over 1 million subscribers.
The reason we don't see more black voices in right wing media is simple: The vast majority of black people are unwilling to sell out their race for money.
The modern GOP is the voice of scared old white people, and they use black people are bit characters to fill out the plot.
The modern GOP is the voice of scared old white people, and they use black people are bit characters to fill out the plot.
Diamond & Silk failed to monetize being liberal voices. So they sold out.
Just like current GOP-darling Candace Owens. She once got help from the NAACP after she was "racially harassed" by a group of young white men. She got a $37,500 check with the help of NAACP lawyers.
Just like current GOP-darling Candace Owens. She once got help from the NAACP after she was "racially harassed" by a group of young white men. She got a $37,500 check with the help of NAACP lawyers.
Just one year before she switched over to Turning Point USA, Candace Owns was running Degree180 -- a Trump bashing website. (Buzzfeed covered this.)
They move right when they can't make money on the left.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/the-newest-star-of-the-trump-movement-ran-a-trump-bashing
They move right when they can't make money on the left.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/the-newest-star-of-the-trump-movement-ran-a-trump-bashing
Diamond & Silk are actors -- and not particularly good actors. But you don't have to be good at acting to make money. Just look at Brendon Fraser. He ran the late 90s, and we just sorta... let him pretend he could act.
TL;DR -- You don't have to be a good actor to get paid.
TL;DR -- You don't have to be a good actor to get paid.
Addendum: Lots of Brendan Fraser fans here, huh? I guess I underestimated how much y'all loved The Mummy.
I do however, appreciate the plot allegory about raiding another person's culture in order to make money, and putting people around you in danger in order to do it.
I do however, appreciate the plot allegory about raiding another person's culture in order to make money, and putting people around you in danger in order to do it.
Since this took off: Please sign up to remove Fox News from standard cable subscriptions. Even if you never watch Fox News, you're funding them.
We have the power to stop funding far-right propaganda. https://unfoxmycablebox.com/
We have the power to stop funding far-right propaganda. https://unfoxmycablebox.com/
