"They didn't not watch Serena Williams because she was Black, right?" - Bill Maher challenges Charlamagne tha God's take on Caitlin Clark's popularity
Serena Williams was recently brought up by American comedian and television host Bill Maher in a debate with radio host Charlamagne tha God. Maher referenced Williams to challenge Charlamagne's take on the apparent racial dynamics at play influencing Caitlin Clark's popularity in the WNBA compared to her peers.
Clark rose to prominence with her impressive performance for the Iowa Hawkeyes, becoming the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division-1 history. Unsurprisingly, she was the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, playing as the point guard for the Indiana Fever.
While the 22-year-old is widely credited as the driving force behind the rise in popularity of women's basketball, she has been subjected to heavy scrutiny over the acclaim. In particular, Caitlin Clark's popularity over her fellow rookies like Angel Reese has fueled discourse about racial bias, with Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson also highlighting the issue.
In May, Wilson expressed her belief that Clark's popularity stems from racial prejudice, asserting that Black athletes are not viewed as "marketable," causing them to be swept under the rug in favor of white athletes.
"They don’t see it as marketable, so it doesn’t matter how hard I work. It doesn’t matter what we all do as Black women, we’re still going to be swept underneath the rug. That’s why it boils my blood when people say it’s not about race because it is," Wilson said.
Charlamagne tha God recently threw his support behind A'ja Wilson's statement in an appearance on Bill Maher's show Real Time. He argued that Wilson did not receive the same level of treatment as Caitlin Clark, despite being a breakout star after her college career.
"A'ja Wilson was the biggest thing when she came out of South Carolina, No. 1 draft pick and she didn't get all of that," Charlamagne said, comparing Wilson's treatment to Clark's. "So what do you attribute that to?"
When Maher asked whether Charlamagne was suggesting that this was due to racism, the radio host clarified that he wasn't labeling it racist but emphasized that the concerns of Black women should be acknowledged.
"No. I'm not saying it's racist. I'm just saying that I think A'ja Wilson has a point. I think sometimes when Black women say certain things, we should listen. Especically her, because I'm not in her shoes," he said.
However, Bill Maher promptly challenged Charlamagne tha God's take, questioning why Serena Williams became a major star if racial bias was a factor.
"Why was Serena Williams such a big star? Because people like that. They didn't not watch her because she was Black, right?" Maher said.
Charlamagne was left without an answer to Maher's rebuttal, admitting that he didn't have a counterargument.
Serena Williams offers valuable advice to Caitlin Clark: "If people are negative, it's because they can't do what you do"
Amid the negative scrutiny surrounding Caitlin Clark, Serena Williams recently shared her support for the 22-year-old. While at the Tribeca film festival premiere of her docuseries 'In the Arena: Serena Williams,' the 23-time Grand Slam champion expressed her admiration for Clark's efforts to stay grounded.
Williams praised the Indiana Fever star for steering clear of the comments on social media, disclosing that she herself takes a similar approach to avoid the negativity.
"I just love that she tries to stay grounded. She said she doesn't look at her social [media], I get it, I don't either. I think it's so important to just continue doing what she's doing, no matter what other people do," Serena Williams said.
Serena Williams also offered sage advice to her compatriot, encouraging her to continue on the same path and not let the criticism affect her, as it likely stemmed from envy.
"If people are negative, it's because they can't do what you do, basically. And hopefully she'll continue to do what she's doing," she added.