Yikes.
During an appearance on MSNBC Wednesday, Ebony magazine senior editor Jamilah Lemieux suggested that country music is about killing Muslims.
The “Now with Alex Wagner” guest was specifically discussing Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s recent comment that he didn’t start listening to country music until after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
“Nothing says ‘let’s go kill some Muslims’ like country music, fresh from Lynchburg, Virginia,” said Lemieux, provoking nervous laughter from the rest of the panel.
“Someone who obviously does not want to be a polarizing candidate, wants to bring people together,” she continued sarcastically. “I mean, really? That’s absurd.”
MSNBC host Ari Melber was quick to push back — albeit nicely — on her comment.
“Well, but I mean there’s plenty of country music that doesn’t have that message, right?” he said.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. Melber had to apologize on-air minutes later.
“We have a programming note,” he explained. “A few minutes ago on this show, a guest made a comment about country music. That comment was not appropriate, and we want to be clear this network does not condone it.”
This certainly isn’t the first instance where Lemieux has gotten in trouble for her quick tongue. Ebony magazine was forced to apologize to the Republican National Committee last spring after Lemieux assumed on Twitter that black RNC staffer Raffi Williams was a “white dude” and told him to shut up.
After announcing his presidential campaign, Ted Cruz appeared on “CBS This Morning” and explained how his music taste changed after 9/11.
“I actually intellectually find this very curious, but on 9/11, I didn’t like how rock music responded,” revealed Cruz. “And country music, collectively, the way they responded, it resonated with me.”
Watch the clip of Lemieux on MSNBC below, via the Daily Caller.
