Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
A lot of people think Ziwe was wrong to invite Nicki Minaj to do a YouTube interview with her, but I think the idea that the media can’t interview certain people is really dangerous. I also think judging an interviewer for whom they choose to interview is dangerous. And the idea that certain people just can’t be interviewed — because we should starve them of attention — is very troubling. Problematic people should be heard. One of the core points of media is that we try to get at the truth and sometimes that means talking to unsavory people.
The backlash against Ziwe asking Minaj for an interview has been loud. She did not interview Minaj. Ziwe just asked for it and got crushed online. This is not a step toward a fair and open media that’s free to try to unearth the truth wherever it can be found.
In general, we should avoid judging interviewers for who they interview. Interviewing someone, aka platforming them, does not mean agreeing with them. And ignoring them, or not giving them attention, does not usually solve anything.
Yes, Ziwe aspires to revel in the spectacle of interviewing Minaj, she wants to create another chapter in the saga of the spiraling of the Harajuku Barbie, but that doesn’t mean Ziwe is absolving Minaj of her, uh, “crimes.” Wait a minute, when did Minaj become so untouchable that we can’t even talk to her? I’ve been as critical as anyone of Minaj for “Bigfoot,” a blatantly sexist song, but she’s not a murderer.
If we were talking about platforming someone who was a killer or a rapist, I could totally understand the idea of not giving them a chance to lie about what happened. I would agree that we could do without interviewing someone like Torey Lanez, but that’s because he’s already had his chance to present his side and a jury has decided. Even if…
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