Druski faces backlash after posting a controversial “white face” video in a NASCAR prank. Read his response and the public reactions to the skit.
Comedian and content creator Druski (real name Drew Desbordes) is facing significant backlash after a recent skit in which he appears to perform “white face” while attending a NASCAR event. The skit, which was uploaded to his social media accounts, has ignited debates over race, humor, and cultural sensitivity, leaving many social media users divided.
In the video, Druski transforms himself into a character embodying a stereotypical, patriotic, deep-South man. With the use of makeup, he alters his appearance to appear as a white man, complete with a beard, light hair, tattoos of the American flag, a cowboy hat, and denim overalls. The character he portrays seems to represent the “proud American” stereotype, and he sings Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” while drinking beers, sharing a cigarette with a woman he claims to be his ‘wife,’ and posing with a “fake family.”
The video takes a controversial turn when Druski, while leaning against a car, spits in front of a Black man, suggesting he dislikes Black people. He later stops his car when seeing another Black man at the event, asking if he’s “lost” and spitting at him twice. While some viewers were impressed with his makeup transformation, others found the entire skit problematic, accusing him of racial insensitivity.
Critics of the video have called out Druski for “whitefacing,” drawing comparisons to Robert Downey Jr.’s infamous blackface portrayal in Tropic Thunder (2008). One user wrote, “This is some of the best makeup I’ve ever seen honestly lol, this is higher quality than RDJ in Tropic Thunder.”
Despite the backlash, Druski remained unfazed, responding with a follow-up video to Instagram where he playfully asked, “AM I CANCELLED ?????” The video showed him walking through a studio in a suit, cigarette in hand, with James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” playing in the background. He also posted on his Instagram Stories, jokingly asking, “Why is this on the news?” after news outlets picked up the story.
While some have defended the skit as a harmless joke or as Druski simply playing with US stereotypes, others feel that the video crosses a line, reinforcing negative racial stereotypes and potentially perpetuating harmful imagery.
