Columbia University professor and author John McWhorter voiced criticism of Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) for remarks she made about Texas Governor Greg Abbott during a recent event.
McWhorter, speaking during the Overtime segment of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday, responded to Crockett’s use of the nickname “Hot Wheels” to refer to Abbott, who is paralyzed from the waist down.
The comment was made by Crockett at a Human Rights Campaign dinner held in Los Angeles. The event drew national attention after video and quotes surfaced in which Crockett used the term to mock Abbott’s disability.
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McWhorter, who joined Maher on the panel, said he found the joke inappropriate and said Crockett crossed a line. While Maher, a comedian, said he viewed it in the context of edgy comedy, McWhorter said the comment lacked the tone or delivery of a joke and instead sounded hostile.
“She was saying it with dismissive hostility.”
He further commented on the way Crockett presents herself publicly, accusing her of bringing a particular kind of confrontational style into public discourse.
“She’s trying to inject the ‘ghetto cat fight’ element into the party, the discourse, and on Capitol Hill."
McWhorter also pushed back on any justification for the comment based on racial identity or personality.
“If she thinks that being black and fabulous gives her a pass on that, then she's got a really unfortunate sense of what black is."
The discussion then shifted to college campus politics, where McWhorter expressed concern about the growing influence of radical ideology in higher education.
Although he noted that he doesn’t interact with students regularly, he referenced his own experience at Columbia University, where he is currently on sabbatical.
He acknowledged that the school has taken steps to address incidents of antisemitism, including increased security measures such as requiring card access to enter campus.
McWhorter noted that three administrators had been fired over antisemitic writings, and the university has tried to prevent harassment of Jewish students.
While skeptical that the Trump administration had taken a serious stance on the issue, McWhorter emphasized that extreme political activism on the far left remains a real concern.
“Wokeness is a serious problem on college campuses,” he said, adding that Columbia has not been immune to the broader climate of radical political activism.
Columbia Professor describes Jasmine Crockett as 'ghetto' and scolds Crockett for her 'Hot Wheels' joke: Maher: "What did the panel think of Democrat congresswoman Jasmine Crockett calling him 'Governor Hot Wheels'" John McWhorter: "Congressperson Crockett is part of the new… pic.twitter.com/Eb4m12iDIu
— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) March 29, 2025
McWhorter is known for his writings and commentary on race, language, and cultural politics.
His appearance alongside Maher highlighted the increasing tension within the Democratic Party and among academics regarding the tone and style of public discourse, both in politics and on college campuses.
Crockett has not responded publicly to McWhorter’s comments. Governor Abbott also has not issued a formal response to the remark.
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