He Called My Black Employee The N Word | Financial Audit

Financial Audit - Caleb Hammer

A controversial episode of Financial Audit features a heated exchange over racial language, with host Caleb Hammer confronting guest Jerome about using the N-word, sparking debate on free speech, context, and racial sensitivity. The discussion spirals into broader cultural commentary on identity, privilege, and accountability.

Key takeaways

• Language intent overrides inherent offensiveness
• Context and power dynamics shape impact of words
• Free speech doesn't excuse harm

Transcript preview

To watch episodes of Financial Audit a week earlier, check us out on YouTube. You're actually the most pathetic person I've ever met. But you guys, on probation, has the blow into a breathalyzer, can't drive, lives with mother, vetoingly racist. And other people on the internet, they're too afraid to say it to say what needs to be said. If you're not afraid to say it, then say it. Say what? N. N's? What the shit? What the shit? What the shit? What the fah-a. What the fah-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a crappy as hell. You want to find out? We can find out. I just launched the brand new Hammer Elite app available on every major platform. To celebrate the app launch, I'm offering 30% off the annual plan in the month of June only. Plus, I have an exclusive offer just for you. But I'll only have a thousand available to purchase. You'll get lifetime access to the entire Hammer Elite catalog and my Hammer for Life box packed with limited edition merch. Download the Hammer Elite comment down below. This is the best membership you'll ever join and that's a promise. Hello my name is Jerome. I'm 42 I live in San Antonio Texas and this is financial audit. We gave you the blackest name possible when you're from a town where not even a single black person exists and it's all Mexicans it makes no sense yet you are white. I think. Maybe yeah. Okay. Well welcome to Austin. ancestry says a few things so I know I probably we're all That's just called over the ages. I think we all come from Africa, right? Well sure at some point, yeah, over 250,000 years, right? Oprah said it's a And Oprah is black She's from Chicago where I identify as to where the other blacks are exactly like you. Yep No, okay. What do you do in San Antonio for a living? You live in San Antonio? Yeah, I? High school and some college. Okay. I asked what you're doing for a living. Oh, I'm an associate at a big Walmart. Oh, okay. Yeah. Bake for a second right into the actual place. Yeah. Okay. Wow. Um, wait. Uh-huh. I mean, okay. What's wrong with you? Like, okay, you're not like an assistant manager, you're not really doing anything. You're kind of doing like the, I'm not sure I'm not sure I'm in retail, it's not, but like 42 not really, you're the dude walking around that I try to find for help. Yeah, basically. Why 42 is that what you're doing? Well here's the deal I I decided one day I quit my real job a few years ago an engineer for the railroad what the that's money yes it is and I at that time it's so today pay taxes and do the insurance purposes. So I also do the side hustle games. So I do a lot more on the side. Well, actually part of it is games, but there's extra stuff. You'll see. There's extra stuff. You'll see. Oh, I'll see. That's good. Let's talk about Walmart first. The 42, you're a little associate. Very good. What do you make? How many hours. What is it. is $15 an hour and I think they're the... What? Is it not? Okay, 14. Whoops me! That's pretty good though. I mean Texas is 725 minimum wage so it's almost double. Yeah no one makes minimum wage not even in Texas is like less than 1% of the workforce in the country. Well then they do make minimum wage it's just less right. Less than you yourself just debunked yourself so you said nobody does and now you're saying this less than 1% so you said nobody does and now you're saying this less than Sean or what they're calling Jerome okay very good yeah you got me buddy what do you make you make 14 yes okay so you're a failure at 42 not real how many hours a week do you work for that 14 too many too many that's that a number Jerome they hired me part-time but they schedule me 35 to 40 and I'm trying to do less isn't that good no why you're trying to do less you pathetic failure oh yeah because my legs hurt my knees hurt this concrete like 80 yet. focus on other endeavors. Are you working associated retail if you're a broken bodied individual? insurance. That's main reason. What? You can get insurance in a lot of different places if you're low income on the affordable health. Well actually the subsidies have gone down dramatically. Yeah and then also if you're 1099 you're doing your own thing it's a little harder to get that. Yeah I didn't say go be a contractor did I suggest that? Well I don't. Well what else would you do other than get another job? Yeah the chance to be in a career path to be in a career path at this. I already was yeah there you go you then have you a health insurance there oh yeah oh yeah yeah then I use the mental health side apparently but on the name Jerome I'm being told because you hate the idea of people always using race as an excuse so you made it a point to name yourself Jerome and you could identify as black if you wanted because all the race gender nonsense is a matter I don't even understand what the fuck you're talking about okay I thought it was weird that we named you Jerome you're not a lie but now I am you can name your child whatever you want there was a Gwenet child's apple there's X for Elon or whatever I forget the child names north west My whole point is, yeah, that is, I heard prior guests and other people on the internet, they're too afraid to say what needs to be said or that they say that. Oh, Jerome, what needs to be said? Anything and whatever, whatever anybody wants, but if you, too afraid to say what needs to be said. No, if you need to be said, Jerome. The end word. Language is a social construct that is warped by people and context and intent matters. No, no fear to say it. I have no fear to say anything with the considering intent and context. The word itself is not bad. It's dependent on how you use it. Just like. Very good. Well, why did you say, not the R word and why did you call the N word? The N word then. Oh, that's, oh, I'll say it, okay, let's call him Tyler. Yeah. He's my brother. He's from Chicago. He's from Chicago. Well, he. Hosta, too. If he knows my wife, he knows. That's not. I was from south side Chicago that's a little different north side is all the white people so yeah I mean tell me I'm not right you know that I mean Detroit I mean come on yes there's black people in Detroit I mean the ones that are still not victims of gun violence but yeah what point are you trying to make I'm just trying to make that if you're gonna say something And I'm tired of everybody coming on shows doing stuff and they actually apologize for the first time that I was life for what's about to happen But please you don't to apologize. Come lean here. I will do whatever I want and what I want to do is apologize There you go if you're not afraid to say it and say it Say what? Tactical nuke incoming nich word, nothing behind it, no sentence with it, no meaning behind it, it is what it is. Why did you run with it, buddy? I didn't call you my, you know. What the fuck is up with that? Why the hard R though? Why the hard R? Why not? Why not? Why not? Why not? Why not? Is an A at the end make it better? Yeah, but not you saying it regardless? to my face, er, it's crazy. Well, I mean, it's better to your face than behind your back, isn't it? But it's not about you, it's about the word. There's that big difference, so it's not directed towards you, though. You look me in my eyes. Well, he told me, too. And I'm going to talk about not calling me that. Well, I said the word. I didn't. He directly in my eyes. And. Yeah, towards you, yes. But I'll say it to him directly as a white man. I'll say that word. I don't care. Because it does the meaning doesn't mean it's a That it's taken way out of context from language and where it derived from That's the reason why social people in society has made it a bad word you go in Spanish You use to use the word Negro all the time to say black so Negro Negro that, who cares? Negro. Yeah, how is the different meaning? It means black in Spanish. Negro is different. Negro is different. N I, G, G, E, or is different. Okay, what about just one G-G-E-R- is different? Say it to Caleb then, say it to Caleb then. Say it to Caleb then. Say it to Caleb then. Look him in his eyes and call Caleb that. Say it to Caleb then. Say it to Caleb that. Say it. Say it to call Caleb that. Say it. Call Caleb that. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it What? What? It doesn't feel good. So I don't like this. I, Tyler. So let me ask you this. As the least, as someone that doesn't find anything offensive in this world, I think I'm offended. I think I'm offended on your behalf. You can't be offended. That's cultural appropriation. That is racist. Who can't be racist. Whoa. You can't be racist. I don't call people racist. No, it's the same as I saw a previous guest too. about any kind of fatigue, black fatigue, gay fatigue, liberal women fatigue, that's a real thing and all they're trying to say is this, we don't care about your problems or your past and all this shit. Think about right now what's going on and we don't owe nobody nothing. That's what we're talking about. Guess what? There's also white Karen fatigue. Like we don't like that energy. Wait a point to be made. Yeah, am I supposed to pay reparations everybody that has a disagreement with the past? know. What about my Jewish friends that, you know... I'm just saying, man, we're going to go down that road where one section of society gets reparations and we need to go down every section. You know, just going to be honest, black people sold black people. You want to go get reparation from Africa? No. And I don't... I'm just saying... Oh, by the way, happy Pride month. Okay, I got a question for you. I love the Jersey too. Marion Hosa. We're brothers, man. Come on, we're brothers. If I may, if I may, the point I wanted to make is, okay, maybe there's a nuanced conversation that can be made on history and are we gonna cry about things forever. It's not really nuanced. I'm not talking about that. That wasn't what you said. You just came here, look the black man in the eyes and said the end word that is very different. Why. Why is it's why is it's it's it's it's why is it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's. Why, why is What is the meaning to you? Please explain what the meaning is to you. How the fuck you compare Negro to NIGG R? What the fuck you're talking about? I'm not saying it, that's crazy. What the fuck you're talking about? I'm not saying it, well. I said n-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-g-a. Well, I said n-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a, that. That's. That The language itself has no meaning unless you give it the damn angie. It's like up to the individual though that's language. No it's up to society that created it. That's like a hundred years ago. That word wasn't offensive. Like it just. What the fuck? Like I said it again. No, you did say it again. Negro. No, you did say. Hey, please have a water. I'm just. So there's a way. Does it feel right. I'm not trying to convince you, I'm just saying. The word has no bad connotation. Would it be better? Would it be better to call you boy? What? That, I'm just making a point that. Mama bless me, Lord her mercy, forgive me for whatever, no, the hell, I'm about saying. Amen. No. That, I'm just making a point that. That, I'm just making a point that. I mean tell me tell me is wrong with you wrong what is wrong with you like literally what is wrong truth that's what's wrong that's what's wrong that's wrong there is no truth bro do you know the history behind that word at all yes for somebody what's the history we weren't we were in property do you like comedy You're not a comedian. No, I'm not a comedian. No, I exactly. But my point is nobody's laughing. My point is my point is it doesn't matter if you use that word or not it depends on context and intent. Use the word the way you see fit and me just saying the word has no meaning other than that it's the word. I didn't call you that in a sense or derogatory way. But you said it. Yeah I said it just like the you said it here is like it's like it's like it's like you said because like the boy thing you specifically said and in front of him because you knew it had meaning to him yeah to me I don't care I don't care about him I don't care about people's feelings it's not about feelings it's about facts and the reality facts over feelings I agree with that but that's when we're debating economics that's when we're debating reality and a lot of different things is literally just sitting here in front of a black guy and just saying something because it's offensive and you find it he ha ha. No, I'm just it's not only that it's I'm not funny because I wouldn't do it if I if there's negative connotations and the way things are I don't care because I'm I'm making a point you say what you want to say say what you want to say say what people aren't willing to say what's the point with one intent I'm willing to say things that people aren't willing to be positive intent trying to actually fix it can be positive. force into the world. Are we all going to become by him and be positive all the time? That's ridiculous. But if you're here for a limited time, I try to do it. Like, here, I say things people aren't willing to say on the show all the time, but it is still in the end with financial literacy in mind. Fine. But it doesn't mean that what you, it doesn't mean that negative things can't be said or shouldn't be said. It's not with the positive. Why should negative intent? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why? Why should negative? Why should negative? Why shouldn't. Why shouldn't? Why shouldn't? Why shouldn't? Why shouldn't? Why shouldn't? Why shouldn't. Why? Why should negative positive. It's neutral. And even if you want to call it negative, the whole point is how would you, it's like anything, how do you know it's negative without having negativity? Like if everything's positive. It did hurt him. Like I'm not someone who gets offended on behalf people who are not offended, but if he's offended he's offended. I could also be a half-ass apology and just be like, oh, I'm sorry, you feel that way. I'm not asking for you to apologize. I'm trying to understand your intent. I know. I know. I know. I know. I know. I'm and I'm and I'm and I'm and I'm and I'm and I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would not. I would I'm sorry you feel a certain way but it is what it is you know but if you so okay here's the thing like do I think do I agree with all the transition shit that's happening all the time anyway okay no because like the kid shit and stuff I don't like that but guess what if someone were asked me to use their pronouns I just say it you know why you know why because if I'm gonna be in front of someone what is the point of intentionally being rude to the person but no I'm not going to even if I agree with something to disagree with it I'm not person in the end we have a limited time on this earth. Yeah but then you also you're if you're calling them what they want to be called doing I crap then you're lying and you're not you're yourself. Who cares if I'm lying to someone for 30 seconds and they feel good then I'm okay but that's why I also made distinction between the end word. Oh no now you want to censor. Oh you're so nice now. No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no you said the n-word on national television. Wah! The same boy. And context with also being at the casino and saying you need a monkey, monkey, monkey, and also looking at you and saying monkey. There's a big difference between all words and connotations. Intent, context and everything else matters. That's what I'm saying. The words themselves don't hold meeting unless you give them meeting. But you are because you know who you're saying it to. Yeah. That's. That doesn't. So there you go. doesn't mean anything one way or the other. I could say it's it's how you take it in. That's what's... I disconnected with the logic here. I don't understand. I'm not someone who I'm like on the edge of edgy and every way. What's the whatever? You use the word a lot. I use it to mention it. Do you know the meaning behind it? I don't go to a mentally disabled person and call the... You can't, just like you go to him. You can't. You can't, but why would I would I would I'd I'd I'd Now, seriously, here's a thing. So you're going to a mentally disabled person and call them a. If they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, if they are, or they are doing that, then, if they are, if they are the polar opposite in every way whatsoever, whatsoever, and, what, you're, they are just it just mean slow slow down if somebody's slow and they're mentally slow they're that's just the way it is well that was the clinical word that was used those the original intent but I mean it's not used anymore and even still like you can't use psycho anymore like come on look peeking that has different either way it's like I have no problem with the word okay I have no problem with that but the reality is when the reality is when I go to a mentally disabled person call them to their face no I mean absolutely no because what's Because it's the point the only thing you're doing is hurting someone's feelings to make a point that all the main point was because people say they will and they do it and when they're on the spot they don't say the word I don't go out to call calling black people you know I just you want me in my eyes yeah yeah and said ha ha ha ha ha you went to me and said that to prove a point to prove a point to prove a point other than meeting behind it in texture context. Wow, look at the reaction of everybody. I'm just saying. You're not woke here. Where's so far from woke? And you're getting negative reaction about that. Some of the most like offensive people you've ever met. Someone by best friends were black. So. Oh, here the f- We go. The same bullshit. Oh my best friends. They still are black. But you know. Only I can pull that trope. No, no. Working. No, no. Working on South side Chicago. Oh, man. I was the. I was the. I was the. I was the only. I was the only. I was the. I was the. I was the only. I was the. I was the. I was the. I was the. I used to actually call the that I can't keep saying it all show because then it's just be a bunch of bleeps but oh we're not bleeping it oh okay don't well I don't mind if you don't but I'm just saying you're out there buddy you can't play ball with in the South Side of Chicago without having culture so like you so like you tell them it's cold the end word but you won't call them the F word so it's just like I don't okay yeah I'll say that's a cigarette back in the old days and it's also gay people so what okay like you know it's if you know it hurts his feelings why I mean what's worth I don't even know but like depending on what the way you take it either we're gonna go anti-walk. I don't even agree with this but let me just devil advocate like say it's scenes. Say that we're behind the scenes. Even say that we're behind the scenes. I fully agree with that, not necessarily. But like, again, I, I can't believe you're making me like, Caleb woke camera right now. This makes no sense. But why go to the person and use the word that hurts their feelings to adjust it. When you know it does. Do you get. I understand what you're saying. Yeah, so then you know I'm not doing that intentionally or not. If you know it does. Do? Do. Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you know it does? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you know it does? five seconds until that person leaves. Well, because you're presenting the opportunity and it's a safe space. And you're so excited for it. Safe space. You're safe space. This is just a space that exists. No, not my safe space. Apparently his safe space because he's offended. This is everyone's a what? Oh, buddy, I don't, come on. I mean, I feel safe. I don't care. So you shouldn't. 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