Comedian Michael Blackson did not understand the phrase “read the room” when he launched a tweet about Brittney Griner that was wholly inappropriate. The man who has made a fortune from parodying African culture aimed at the WNBA star wrongfully detained in Russia.
When Brittany Griner get out I want to be the first one to give her some deek
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) August 12, 2022
“When Brittany Griner get out I want to be the first one to give her some deek,” he tweeted.
Social media exploded at the inference that he could even get Brittney Griner, who is a proud member of the LGBTQ community. She has been married twice. Her first was to WNBA player Glory Johnson in 2015, and they were only hitched for three months. Griner is now wed to Cherrelle Griner, who has held the line vigilantly in the States for the Phoenix Mercury center’s release.
Blackson’s comments come when Griner has just filed an appeal to her nine-year sentence for drug trafficking in Russia. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was convicted on August 4 after being arrested in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport when Russian authorities found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.
Like many WNBA players, Griner plays overseas during the WNBA offseason providing her services to UMMC Ekaterinburg, a women’s basketball team in Yekaterinburg, Russia. She has claimed that she packed hurriedly to get to the country and did not remember that her medicinal cannabis was in the bag.
Griner’s detention has sparked outrage worldwide and shed light on wrongful U.S. detainees in the country. Her appeal was expected as her defense team plans to continue pushing the U.S. government for a potential prisoner release. Under Russian law, Griner had to file the appeal within the past ten days.
Russia funny as shit, these neegas wants to trade Britney Griner for a weapons of mass destruction killer, that’s like trading Scarface for PeeWee Herman Modasucka
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) August 11, 2022
In July, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the U.S. had made a “substantial proposal” to get Griner home. They are also negotiating to bring home fellow American Paul Whelan, serving a 16-year sentence in Russia for espionage. Reports are that the U.S. has offered to free notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. He is known as the “Merchant of Death” for his exploits in the 1990s and early 2000s.
On Sunday, a senior Russian diplomat confirmed that the prisoner exchange talks had been conducted.
“This quite sensitive issue of the swap of convicted Russian and U.S. citizens is being discussed through the channels defined by our presidents,” said Alexander Darchiev, head of the foreign ministry’s North America department, to state news agency Tass.
“These individuals are, indeed, being discussed. The Russian side has long been seeking the release of Viktor Bout. The details should be left to professionals, proceeding from the ‘do not harm’ principle.”
https://twitter.com/MichaelBlackson/status/1558178274555170818?s=20&t=nCwQSQYGZj69az22hvGheg
International prisoner swaps and wrongful detainment are no laughing matter, but to Blackson, who claims he is close friends with Griner, her potential release is a time to let some air out of the room.
“BG is my homie and she has a great sense of humor, met her 5 yrs ago, and we’ve been cool since. I know she’s getting out soon that’s why I’m joking so ya need to stfu Modasuckas,” he tweeted.
Read the room, Michael. Just read the room.
