It’s 2025, and somehow, we are still watching white media personalities fumble their way through interviews with Black celebrities. The latest example? Vanity Fair’s red carpet correspondent Hannah Berner’s tone-deaf question to Megan Thee Stallion at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar’s Party.
Quick, tell me right now—what song of Meg’s makes you want to fight? Right, exactly, because Berner proudly said that Meg’s music makes her want to fight as if she was getting ready for a UFC match instead of speaking to an artist whose music is about empowerment, confidence and reclaiming space.
@vanityfair Reminder: #MeganTheeStallion is that girl. #VFOscarParty ♬ original sound – Vanity Fair
Now, let’s pause for a second. Imagine hearing this question as Megan Thee Stallion, a Black woman who survived violence at the hands of a man, public scrutiny and the relentless invalidation of her trauma. Imagine standing there, draped in high fashion, at the biggest music night of the year, only to have someone reduce your artistry to a soundtrack for physical altercations.
Nobody had a song to offer up. Because, let’s be real, that’s not what Megan’s music is about. Her music makes people feel strong, sexy and in control—not reckless and violent.
This wasn’t just an awkward moment. It was yet another reminder of why white reporters who have no common sense or cultural relevant background should not be leading conversations with Black artists.
Same Playbook, Different Year
If this déjà vu is hitting hard, that’s because we’ve been here before. Just a few weeks earlier, an AP red carpet correspondent rudely interrupted an interview with Babyface to flag down another star she deemed more important. The blatant disregard for a Black legend’s time was both disrespectful and unsurprising.
In 2020, we told media outlets we were done with white writers mishandling Black stories. In 2025, we’re saying it again: We don’t need white correspondents talking to us on the red carpet either if they’re not going to do their research on our cultural and experiences and above all know how to read the room.
Black artists deserve interviewers who understand their music, their journey and their impact—not clueless reporters fishing for viral soundbites.
Why Do These Mistakes Keep Happening?
Let’s be honest: these incidents aren’t just about “not reading the room” or accidental microaggressions. They reflect a fundamental failure of cultural competence in mainstream media.
Would a Black correspondent have asked Megan that question? Highly unlikely. A Black journalist would know that Megan’s music is about survival and self-love, not physical aggression. Would a Black journalist have cut off Babyface mid-sentence? No, because we respect our icons.
But when white media personalities are given control over these conversations, they expose their lack of understanding—again and again.
The Solution? Hire Black Media Professionals.
It’s time for media outlets to stop treating Black artists as props for content and start hiring Black professionals who actually respect and understand them.
There are plenty of Black journalists, content creators, and on-air personalities who could have handled those red carpet interviews with nuance and respect. There is no shortage of Black media talent—only a shortage of effort from mainstream outlets to hire them. If major publications and networks are truly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, they need to reflect that in their hiring decisions.
Because in 2025, there’s no excuse for this level of cultural incompetence.
Berner apologized in an Instagram story that will disappear in 24 hours, so there’s that. Check it out below and roll your eyes like I did.
