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Comedy
"If it's Christmas Eve, between 4:30 and 4:49 am, and you're in line at the toy store to buy the latest Transformers toy for your kid, and a black man hits you in the back of the head with a brick, beats your ass, Riverdances on you, takes your money, and then takes a piss on you and runs away, you can scream 'SOMEBODY CATCH THAT NIGGA!' Hell, if that happens, you can say 'nigga' for a whole month, but you better have the police report in your pocket in case someone wants to see your papers."
What are the Dr. Dre rules of your crew? What are the rules when a Dr. Dre song comes on the radio or plays at a club? What is the procedure that goes into effect? Cause sometimes I'm with my white friends and a Dr. Dre song will come on. And there's a lot of "nigger"s in a Dr. Dre song. And they wanna enjoy it, but they can't really enjoy it around me. So they start taking out the "nigger"s or mumbling the "nigger"s and it's just a sad sight to see. It's just sad to see some white person trying to do some "nigger"-less rendition of a Dr. Dre song, it's just fucking depressing.
[I don't care for] these new Nazis, "oh, Jews are the worst, and Jews ruin everything, and Jews try to take over your life". Well, you know what, motherfucker? My wife is Jewish. I know all that, how do you know all that? I'm allowed to make fun of my wife, I asked her, and she said yes.
Film — Live-Action
Randal: Well, I still don't think "porch monkey" should be considered a racial term. I mean, I've always used it to describe lazy people, not lazy black people. I think if we really tried, we could reclaim "porch monkey" and save it.
Dante: It can't be saved, Randal! The sole purpose for its creation, the only reason it exists in the first place, is to disparage an entire race! And even if it could be saved, you can't save it, because you're not black!
Randal: Well, listen to you. Telling me I can't do something because of the color of my skin? You're the racist!
Dante: It can't be saved, Randal! The sole purpose for its creation, the only reason it exists in the first place, is to disparage an entire race! And even if it could be saved, you can't save it, because you're not black!
Randal: Well, listen to you. Telling me I can't do something because of the color of my skin? You're the racist!
"'Nigger' is a derogatory term used to insult our ancestors. See, if a white man used it, you'd be ready to fight. Your using it teaches him to use it. You're saying it's cool. Well, it's not cool, and when you're around me, I don't wanna hear that shit! We clear?"
— Ken Carter deconstructing and defying the trope, Coach Carter
Alpa Chino: You know what, fuck that, I'm sick of this koala-hunting nigga- [Kirk slaps Alpa. Alpa tries to punch Kirk but -Kirk grabs his fist and pulls him in and embraces him.]
Kirk Lazarus: For 400 years, that word has kept our people down.
Chino: ...what the fuck!?
Lazarus: Took a whole lot of tryin, just to get up that hill, but now we up in the big leagues...
Chino: [Breaks away from Kirk] That's the theme song from The Jeffersons.
Lazarus: Just cause it's a theme song doesn't mean it's not true.
Kirk Lazarus: For 400 years, that word has kept our people down.
Chino: ...what the fuck!?
Lazarus: Took a whole lot of tryin, just to get up that hill, but now we up in the big leagues...
Chino: [Breaks away from Kirk] That's the theme song from The Jeffersons.
Lazarus: Just cause it's a theme song doesn't mean it's not true.
Comic Books
"No. You absolutely can't."
—Black superheroine Vixen responding to Brown Bombernote asking if he can use the N-Word, Justice League of Americanote
Live-Action TV
Daphne, a black woman: You are not allowed to use that word! Only we're allowed to use that word!
Marshall: I am so sorry. I will never call you or anyone else a Trekkie again.
Marshall: I am so sorry. I will never call you or anyone else a Trekkie again.
Matthew: What are you going to do, send me to Military School? Would West Point take a cripple?
Nora: DO NOT call yourself that!
Matthew: If I said "physically challenged" or "disabled", would it make you feel any better? I'm just being honest!
Nora: DO NOT call yourself that!
Matthew: If I said "physically challenged" or "disabled", would it make you feel any better? I'm just being honest!
Maggie: You had time to make cookies?
Arizona: They're lesbian gratitude cookies.
Maggie: What? [...] Mmm, lesbian gratitude cookies are delicious.
Arizona: Now, I can call them that, not so sure about you.
Arizona: They're lesbian gratitude cookies.
Maggie: What? [...] Mmm, lesbian gratitude cookies are delicious.
Arizona: Now, I can call them that, not so sure about you.
— Grey's Anatomy, "Judgement Day"
"Don't you see what Whatley is after? Total joke-telling immunity! He's already got two big religions covered! If he ever gets Polish citizenship, there'll be no stopping him!"
— Jerry, Seinfeld, "The Yada-Yada"
"You see Toofer, the African-American community has adopted that word for everyday use, in an attempt to rob it of its meaning."
— Jack, 30 Rock
Jack: What do I call you?
Elisa: I'm Puerto Rican.
Jack: No, I know that's what you call you, but what do I call you?
Elisa: I'm Puerto Rican.
Jack: No, I know that's what you call you, but what do I call you?
— 30 Rock
Frank: Let's make one thing perfectly clear, I'm gonna say some words down here, I haven't had the chance to say before!
Dee: Where are you going with this, Frank?
Frank: I'm gonna say "homie!"
Dee: Oh, come on.
Frank: I'm gonna say "bro!"
Dee: You serious?
Frank: I'm gonna say "my man!"
Dee: Now you're just stereotyp-
Frank: I'm gonna say "fo'sho!"
Dee: Okay...
Frank: I'm gonna say the N-woooooord-
Dee: Nonononono, stop! Stop! Stoooooop! Thank you. Noooo!
Frank: Why?
Dee: No, we are not going to say that.
Frank: But I'm black now! It's probably the only chance I get to say it!
Dee: Why are you looking for a chance to say it?!
Frank: A lot of black guys say it, why should they get a pass?
Dee: It's just not the same, okay?
—It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, "The Gang Turns Black"
Bill Bailey: I'm Dave... I'm [what]!
Jack Whitehall: ... saying whatever I like now because I've got a black friend.
Jack Whitehall: ... saying whatever I like now because I've got a black friend.
— Have I Got News for You, during a Missing Words round.
Music
"And it's important that we all respect that if these people should happen to choose to reclaim the word as their own it doesn't mean the rest of you have a right to its use."
— Tim Minchin, "Prejudice" (talking about the word ginger)
Video Games
"I'm a zombie now. That's right, I can say that shit with impunity now. Zombie, zombie, zombie, motherfucker!"
Steven Randall, New Vegas Bounties
Web Animation
"I'm Dr. Robotnik! I say what I want! I say penis,note I say pussy,note I say butt,note I say crud and sludge, I say ni—[beep]!note "
— Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Robotnik Says the N-Word
Webcomics
Kerchak: [an uplifted ape] If you make me slow down to explain my orders, I'll be on top of you like ugly on an ape.
Corpsman: Oh, sure. Minorities get to talk racist.
Corpsman: Oh, sure. Minorities get to talk racist.
Web Original
i love calling my self a Bitch but if a man calls me a bitch im gonna step on his throat an snap his neck
— redroseclub, Tumblr
"When a n—– can use the word n—– and it not be considered racist, that’s the utmost racism in the world, and it’s hypocrisy"
"When Spike Lee and other well-known cultural commentators began to pile on Quentin Tarantino for his liberal use of the N-word in his blaxploitation western masterpiece Django Unchained, I wrote a story for this very outlet insisting that Tarantino had tapped a proud history in creating modern Hollywood’s first black superhero... Clearly Ms. Lampanelli was paying attention. And for that, I must apologize."
— Eric Deggans
, Salon
, Salon"I've called gay friends of mine 'fag,' Jewish friends 'kike,' and some black friends 'ni—' well, no, I've never done that. That would be insane. (Even with an 'A' on the end.)"
Speaking of Franklin, this game was written by a bunch of white people in the UK. Should he really be saying the N-word this much? I swear he once said it six times in two sentences. In my life, the only time I ever heard six N-words in two sentences was when my grandparents helped each other remember Sammy Sosa's name. Was there an outside consultant brought in to write this character? If not, that's fucked up. If so, that's more fucked up. Does the black community even have a term for a person who goes into an office and gives white people permission to say the N-word? And is it expensive? Because there are some really terrific rap songs I've always wanted to sing.
As I often do in African-American matters, I asked my black girlfriend for help. Was Power Man speaking a forgotten dialect of her people's tongue? Or was it meaningless gibberish from a mental breakdown that transcended racial differences? This is a word-for-word transcript of our meeting.
Seanbaby: Sweetie, could you read a page of this Luke Cage comic? I want to verify that he's talking nonsense, or jive.
Girlfriend: What's Luke Cage's power?
Seanbaby: He's just tough. He lifts like 40 tons and is kind of bulletproof.
Girlfriend: Just tough? They can't give a nigga' a freeze ray?
Girlfriend: What's Luke Cage's power?
Seanbaby: He's just tough. He lifts like 40 tons and is kind of bulletproof.
Girlfriend: Just tough? They can't give a nigga' a freeze ray?
She never answered my question. I think she may have been covering; embarrassed that she didn't know what the fuck he was talking about either. I didn't press the issue because I immediately knew I was going to quote her, and was trying to figure out a polite way to ask her where the apostrophe goes in the n-word.
Web Video
Bobby Mercer (as played by Mark Wahlberg): Angel tells me you're one of Victor Sweet's boys now. Hear he's running shit like his uncle used to, treating you like a house nigger!
Primm: Ohh, all right, I don't like that. Um, I mean...if John Singleton is cool with it, it's his movie. Still, though, if you grew up with black brothers, you should know better. That's like the number one rule of black people, what's wrong with you?
"It's that T-O-double-dizzle, in the shizzle fo' rizzle, givin' up for that Snoop D-O-double-gizzle, my... nizzle. Am I allowed to say nizzle?"
It turns out, if you want to have homophobic jokes in your movie, you can just have a fictional gay man say them and then nobody gets to complain.
Barack Obama: As a token of my gratitude, I'd like to give you the N-Word Pass.
Skipper: Mr. Obama, it is an honor to call you my nigga.
Jimmy Neutron vs. Jimmy Negatron, watch how you say that.
Western Animation
"I resent you people using that word! That's our word for making fun of you! We need it!"
— Homer Simpson on gay people calling themselves "queer", The Simpsons
Mr Garrison:...and so you see, because I'm gay, I'm free to say the word "fag".
Randy: Really? So we can't say "f[Bleep]"?
Mr Garrison: No, see? You got beeped.
Barfly: You mean you have to be a f[Bleep] to say "f[Bleep]"?
Jimbo: Well that's not fair, I should be able to say "fag"!
Randy: Hey Jimbo, you didn't get beeped.
Jimbo: Uh oh!
Randy: Really? So we can't say "f[Bleep]"?
Mr Garrison: No, see? You got beeped.
Barfly: You mean you have to be a f[Bleep] to say "f[Bleep]"?
Jimbo: Well that's not fair, I should be able to say "fag"!
Randy: Hey Jimbo, you didn't get beeped.
Jimbo: Uh oh!
— South Park discussing a variant, "It Hits the Fan"
Foxxy: Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!
Clara: Oh, so it's okay when you say it?
Clara: Oh, so it's okay when you say it?
— Drawn Together, "Clum Babies"
Riley: (to Huey) Hey... what's "class"?
Huey: It means, "don't act like niggas".
Granddad: S-s-s-see? That's what I'm talkin' about right there! We don't use the "n-word" in this house!
Huey: Granddad, you said the word "nigga" 46 times yesterday. I counted!
Granddad: Nigga, hush!
Huey: It means, "don't act like niggas".
Granddad: S-s-s-see? That's what I'm talkin' about right there! We don't use the "n-word" in this house!
Huey: Granddad, you said the word "nigga" 46 times yesterday. I counted!
Granddad: Nigga, hush!
"But being a magic super hero that keeps chasing the same guy? It’s completely gay. That is coming from a guy that voluntarily has sex with men!"
— The Alchemist, The Venture Bros. "Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part I)"
Real Life
"When little people hang out together, you know they're all like 'MIDGET, PLEASE!!!!'"
"Why can black people go up to each other and say, ‘nigger’, but when a white guy does it all of a sudden it’s a big putdown? I don’t like boundaries of any kind. I don’t like being told what I can and what I can’t say. I used the word ‘nigger’ because it’s a word to describe somebody that is basically a pain in your life, a problem. The word ‘nigger’ doesn’t necessarily mean black... I was pissed off about some black people that were trying to rob me. I wanted to insult those particular black people."
— Axl Rose, explaining the lyrics to his band Guns N' Roses' song "One in a Million"
"But, Jewish comics can kid Jews, Hispanic comics, Josh Lopez, kids Hispanics all the time. Gay comics kid the gay situation. It's OK, isn't it? But not OK when the non-N-person uses it."
— Larry King, August 17, 2010
"I think there’s a lot of guys out there who cross the line, because they a little too familiar or they think they too familiar or it’s guys that, you know, had a black girlfriend or two who made them some Kool-aid every now and then, and they think they can cross the line. And they can’t. You know, it’s a word that has been used against us. It’s like a knife, man, and you can use it as a weapon or you can use it as a tool. It’s been used as a weapon against us by white people, and we not goin’ let that happen again by nobody, because it’s not cool. Now, I know you heard—it’s in the lexicon, everybody talking. But that’s our word now. That’s our word now, and you can’t have it back. They trying to get it back, and I’m not talking bout you, Bill, I’m not talking bout you. But I’m talking bout guys who cross the line everyday, cuz they got some black homies, they got some friends, they think it’s cool. It’s not cool, cuz when I hear my homies say it, it don’t feel like venom; when I hear a white person saying it, it feels like that knife stabbing me, even if they don’t mean it."
