Comedian Bill Burr has reignited his feud with conservative podcaster Ben Shapiro, accusing him of misunderstanding the term 'woke' and exploiting division for profit. In a recent interview with Vulture, Burr claimed Shapiro does not know what the word means and suggested he attended Burr's show specifically to be offended and generate content.
Burr also condemned those who send racist abuse to him and his wife, Nia Renée Hill, including images of monkeys. He labelled such critics as 'racists' and 'cowards', and criticised the current climate where hateful views can find a platform on certain podcasts.
The dispute began earlier this year when Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, described Burr as 'woke' and panned his comedy show in Florida. Shapiro has now responded in a column and on his podcast, defending his definition of wokeness as rooted in critical race theory and reiterating his belief that Burr is indeed woke.
Burr, who says he criticises both political sides in his performances, described both CNN and Fox News as a 'disease'. The exchange highlights the ongoing culture war in the US, with both figures drawing sharp lines over the meaning and merits of 'woke' ideology.
