STORY BY Daphne Moon
When a Hollywood actor makes an appearance on “The View,” it’s usually a safe bet that the hosts will steer the conversation towards identity politics. But on Tuesday, the ladies interviewed one legendary actor who refused to play along with their left-wing talking points: Billy Dee Williams, best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in the original “Star Wars” trilogy.
One of the hosts, Sunny Hostin, who made headlines recently for discovering that some of her ancestors were slave owners, began the conversation by asking Williams about his early career. However, before she could continue, Williams interjected, “Everybody is a ‘people of color.’” When Hostin clarified by saying “a black man,” Williams further corrected her by asking, “A brown-skinned man?” This already made the interview more intriguing than the usual episode of “The View,” as Williams was clearly not going to conform to their race-based narrative.
Hostin continued, asking about his struggles to find work in the industry due to the lack of roles for people of color. She asked if he ever thought about quitting, and what kept him going. To this, Williams responded, “You just live from moment to moment, and do what you have to do and expect things to not always go your way. You find ways to be innovative and counter whatever you’re up against, and move forward.” This response was a clear representation of Williams’ attitude towards hard work and determination, rather than relying on victimhood and entitlement.
In a later part of the interview, Williams made a somewhat politically incorrect joke, asking the hosts, “What’s that phrase, the gender phrase?” After some awkward guesses, Joy Behar landed on “gender-fluid,” to which Williams responded with a humorous tone, “My daughter got very excited about that.” When asked why, Williams quipped that it was “because she’s a liberal.” This joke not only poked fun at one of the new sacred tenets of liberalism, but it also showed Williams’ unwillingness to be drawn into the left’s gender ideology.
What is remarkable about this interview is Williams’ refusal to conform to the victimhood narrative that is often pushed by modern liberals. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of hard work and adaptability, rather than expecting things to be handed to him based on his race. In a time where some actors cry racism when their movies fail, Williams advocates for taking responsibility for one’s own success or failure, rather than blaming “systemic injustices.”
While Hostin and others love to spread the idea that everything in the world is about race, Williams downplays this mindset and instead focuses on the hard work and perseverance that are essential for success in any career. He refuses to be a victim, instead highlighting the importance of taking control of one’s own destiny. This is a message that we should be championing, rather than perpetuating the victimhood narrative.
Williams’ bravery in not only pushing back on the race-based narrative but also making light of the absurdity of gender ideology made for one of the most engaging and thought-provoking interviews on “The View” in recent times.
His refusal to conform to the left’s agenda and instead promote hard work and individual responsibility is a refreshing and much-needed perspective in today’s society. As Williams himself said in the interview, “You just live from moment to moment and do what you have to do.” This attitude is what has helped him achieve success in his career, and it is a lesson that we could all learn from.
