Robin DiAngelo, the author of White Fragility, has criticized conservative podcaster Matt Walsh for deceiving her into participating in a mockumentary that culminated in an uncomfortable reparations scene. DiAngelo claimed Walsh posed as an anti-racist activist and tricked her into giving reparations to a Black producer during the filming of the upcoming documentary, Am I Racist?, which she referred to as a “Borat-style mockumentary.”
In a statement released on Thursday, DiAngelo expressed her dismay at the film, accusing it of being designed to discredit and embarrass anti-racist educators and activists. She also clarified that she has no intention of watching the movie, calling it an attempt to undermine the anti-racist movement. The incident in question occurred when Walsh, who works for the conservative media outlet The Daily Wire, conducted an interview with DiAngelo under the pretense of discussing anti-racist efforts in the U.S.
During the interview, Walsh, posing as a supporter of anti-racism, invited his Black producer, Ben, to join the conversation. He then persuaded DiAngelo to offer Ben reparations in the form of cash after Walsh himself made a similar gesture. DiAngelo, visibly uncomfortable, went along with the situation.
DiAngelo explained that when she was first contacted about the project in 2023, it was pitched as a documentary titled Shades of Justice, focusing on efforts to combat racism in the United States. She was paid $15,000 for her participation, which she later donated. However, once she arrived for the interview, she noticed some oddities, including Walsh’s poorly disguised wig. Despite these red flags, she said Walsh appeared genuinely interested in anti-racism until the unexpected reparations request at the end.
After the interview, DiAngelo contacted a representative of the project, “Lee Hampton,” expressing her concerns that the reparations scene could mislead viewers. She requested that the footage not be used in the final cut and provided resources on legitimate reparations efforts. Despite assurances that her concerns were heard, she never received a response and later realized she had been manipulated.
“It is not titled Shades of Justice, nor is it meant to support the anti-racist cause,” DiAngelo said in her statement. “It is a Borat-style mockumentary titled Am I Racist? and is intended to humiliate and discredit anti-racist educators and activists.”
DiAngelo rose to fame with the release of her New York Times best-selling book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, in 2018.
In response to DiAngelo’s statement, Walsh mockingly acknowledged her criticism on Twitter, saying, “Robin DiAngelo has issued a statement denouncing our film. She claims that the movie is ‘designed to humiliate and discredit anti-racist educators and activists.’ She couldn’t be more correct in that assessment. Thank you, Robin!”
Walsh’s documentary Am I Racist? is scheduled to hit theaters on September 13, marking The Daily Wire’s first release on the big screen.
