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It’s not the same, explained Al Roker.
The “Today” show mainstay found himself having to defend his choice of Halloween costume — Emmett “Doc” Brown from the “Back to the Future” movies, a white character — after the blackface flap that led to the firing of his former co-host Megyn Kelly from the show.
Viewers went on social media and called Roker, who is African-American, a hypocrite for dressing as the iconic film scientist as part of the morning show’s 1980s-themed Halloween broadcast. Fellow meteorologist Dylan Dreyer teamed with Roker by going as Marty McFly, another character from the movie.
“@alroker: @megynkelly is a terrible person to even suggest that it is Ok for a white person to go as a black character for Halloween,” said one Twitter user. “Also @alroker: Goes as Doc brown, a white character from a movie for halloween. #Hypocrites #Whiteface”
@alroker: @megynkelly is a terrible person to even suggest that it is Ok for a white person to go as a black character for Halloween. Also @alroker: Goes as Doc brown, a white character from a movie for halloween. #Hypocrites #Whiteface
— Mimi320 (@Mimi3202) November 1, 2018
“Al Roker in whiteface, but Megyn Kelly got fired for merely talking about it,” tweet another.
Al Roker in whiteface, but Megyn Kelly got fired for merely talking about it. pic.twitter.com/mMri0ynoWO
— American So Woke ?? (@AmericanSoWoke) October 31, 2018
Some even dug up an old picture of Roker dressed as Grandpa Munster — you know, an undead vampire — and wearing what could be best described as “grayface.”
“White face. Hypocrisy at its best,” went one tweet that accompanied the picture.
But Roker didn’t actually wear whiteface to portray Doc Brown. He donned the character’s work overalls and a wig of white hair, but not whiteface.
Roker responded to his critics via Twitter, and he seemed a little perturbed that he had to explain the difference between Kelly’s blackface opinion and the way he chose to portray Brown, a character made famous by Christopher Lloyd.
“I’m going to say this one last time, but the folks who get it, understand and the ones who DON’T, won’t,” he started the tweet.
“I can be Doc Brown, and I wear the outfit and wig and not change my skin color(.) (If) you’re white , you can be President Obama if you want. Just don’t color your skin!”
I’m going to say this one last time, but the folks who get it, understand and the ones who DON’T, won’t. I can be Doc Brown, and I wear the outfit and wig and not change my skin color if you’re white , you can be President Obama if you want. Just don’t color your skin!
— Al Roker (@alroker) October 31, 2018
Roker, 64, was one of Kelly’s most vocal critics after the controversial host questioned why the wearing of blackface for Halloween was considered racist.
The negative backlash against Kelly, including from Roker, came quickly.
“The fact is, she owes a bigger apology to folks of color around the county,” Roker said during a “Today” broadcast later in the week. “This is a history, going back to the 1830s (with) minstrel shows. To demean and denigrate a race wasn’t right. I’m old enough to have lived through ‘Amos ‘n Andy’ where you had white people in blackface playing two black characters just magnifying the stereotypes about black people. And that’s what the big problem is. … No good comes from it. It’s just not right.”
Kelly apologized for her comment, but NBC decided to cancel her show and cut all ties with her.
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