Sarah Silverman Gets Political With New Hulu Show I Love You, America
“I love you, America, and everyone in you,” starts singing comedian Sarah Silverman in the 5-minute-long promotional video for her upcoming show called I Love You America, which will soon premiere on Hulu.
But what began as a love song quickly turns into a personal outcry when Silverman, after declaring her affection for people from all horizons (“I love you, men. I love you women. I love straights and I love gays. […] I love you if you’re Asian, or Korean, or Irish. I love that you’re Mexican […] I love Latinos, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and the Jews.”) realizes that all she’s doing is “categorizing human beings and putting them into little, individual boxes.”
“Whether I mean it or not, I’m part of the problem,” she concludes, as she continues to chant the tune titled I Love You, America: The Song, amending her wording as she goes.
Setting the tone for her new half-hour weekly Hulu show by calling out stereotyping, Sarah Silverman then addresses white privilege and understanding of the Black Lives Matter movement as she comes across Retta (Marietta Sirleaf) from Parks and Recreation, who makes it clear, after being asked how the comedian can be a good ally, that it’s not just because she’s Black that she can speak for everyone. “Seriously, take a class or something. I’m busy. I’m not all Black people. I’m just me. I’m just Retta.”
Ending the video on a serious note, Silverman makes an emotional declaration to all Americans who’ve been criticizing her for her political views and recent opinions, explaining that all she ever wanted was the best for them.
“Sometimes I get really, really mad at you and the stupid shit that you do, and how you vote for these rich f*cks that lie to your faces and then systematically rape you of your rights and your job and your healthcare,” she starts. “And you call me Hollywood elite? Dude, I’m from f***ing New Hampshire! And you’re mad at me for wanting the best for you, and for getting pissed when you vote against your own best interest? I’m caring about you. I’m condescending to you.”
With I Love You, America, Silverman wants to connect with people who may not agree with her via honesty, humor, genuine interest in others, and not taking herself too seriously, as she feels it’s crucial, now more than ever, to connect with the un-like-minded.
“I’m a people person. I find that people’s porcupine needles go down with that first hug hello, as long as it’s sincere,” she said during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “It’s very easy to get divided when you don’t see people’s faces and you don’t feel the warmth of their skin.”
I Love You, America will air every Thursday on Hulu, starting from October 12.