The Daily Show: Ears Edition - ICYMI - Roxane Gay on Providing Relief During the Pandemic with No-Questions-Asked Cash

Episode Date: April 12, 2020

Writer Roxane Gay discusses her effort to send money directly to individuals struggling from the economic effects of COVID-19 and reacts to her shout-out from Barack Obama. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look, starting September 17th, wherever you get your podcasts. Roxanne Gay, welcome to the daily social distancing show. Hey, Trevor, how are you? I'm doing okay.

I mean, sometimes I feel like the world is ending and I stress about everybody, and then at other times I feel like we're going to get out of it. I know I'm extremely lucky that I can still work. How are you doing? You know, it's the same. I'm extremely lucky that I can still do at least part of my job. People still want to read, especially now that they have some time world and the more vulnerable people in it because if I find it difficult, what are people who are living paycheck to paycheck and on the margins of society, like how are they feeling? So I think about that a lot. You've had a really interesting role in shaping a

conversation in and around coronavirus and what we can do as people to help each other. And that conversation has been around how we help. You know, there are many organizations that are trying to help, there are many philanthropies that are trying to help, etc. But you've come out with what many people think is a radical idea and you've just said, give people money if you can. Just give human beings money. Why do you say this? And the reality thii, thi, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, tho, thi, thi, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, thi, tho, thi, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, thoooan, and, thoan, thoanan, thoan, thoan, thoanan, thoanan.ea.ea, ththis and how did you get to this idea?

Well, you know, the reality is that if we're gonna sit around waiting for the government or non-profits to get it together enough to actually help people, people are gonna go hungry in the meantime. Their electricity is gonna be cut off in the meantime. A lot of what people need right now is just cash and no questions asked. And so I was thinking about how drastically I had lost my income and I just thought, well, I can probably weather this for a few months, but what about people who can't? And so I just decided, well, let me give some people some money because I know that right now people are trying to stock up on groceries and water and toilet paper.

And so I wanted to be able to help a few people to do that. And, you know, especially when you have to wait like four or five weeks or more for a $1,200 one-time check from the government, you know, enough. And it's, you know, in a better world, the government would handle this, but we don't live in a better world. And so those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those those, I thoososososososk, I tho and so those of us with means I think have to do our part to whatever extent we can. I won't lie. When I first saw your tweets and what you were doing, the pessimist in me immediately jumped out and I, because I panicked. I was just like, you know, I saw you tweets and saying, if you need money, to me. to tell to their, their, to to to their, to to to to to to to to their, to to to to me me me me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, toe, to me, to me, to me, toe, toe, toe, to me, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to their, their, their, their, their their. their their their their their their their their their, their, their., their., their.eate. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. to are going to scam you, how do you trust everybody, how do you know that people need the money?

How do you, like, how have you dealt with the conflict of information in your mind? You know, I did worry about that and most, most people seem to be really worried about me getting scammed. You know, I don't have time to play detective and CSI, everyone. And so if you are really running a scam for thu thu thu thu thi thu, and thi, and thi, and thi, and thi, and thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, I thi, thi, thi, their the their, their their their their, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, the the the the the the the their their their their their, their, their, their, their, their their, their, their, their their their their their their their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, like, like, like, their, a scam for $100, then your karma is, you know, whatever happens to your karma is what happens to your karma. You know, I may have been scammed, but I can live with that knowing that more people who are genuine and who actually need the help are being helped, then people are scamming. You have received praise from so many different people for inspiring this. I would argue one of the biggest names who came out in support of what you're doing is

President Barack Obama, who tweeted about you and said what Roxanne is doing is amazing. As communities, we need to come together and help. I've heard you say that you had sort of conflicting feelings about this because on the one hand you were happy that Barack was, I mean, it's Barack Obama who's saying, you know, congratulations and he's inspired by your cause, but at the same time you felt like he could be doing more. What did you mean by that? You know, I think that he has spent a lot of his post-presidency as his right being decidedly apolitical. And right now we need leaders to step forward and say that what Donald Trump and his administration are doing is unacceptable. They are absolutely letting American people

die. It's avoidable. And, you know, a former president has some clout. He should say something. But at the same time, I'm like super honored and flattered that he mentioned me and was aware of what I was doing. But I think tension is fine. I'm totally fine holding him accountable for his power and what he can do with it while also being appreciative of the recognition. You've always been somebody who has engaged in and written about communities and people who are the most marginalized in society. You know, as the coronavirus is growing, as the outbreak is spreading, and as its effects are being felt by communities, black people and the amount of suffering they're experiencing, black Americans specifically, is unfortunately becoming a story again where it's like, oh, once again, black people are bearing the brunt of something that is happening in

America. Firstly, what do you think this says about America? And secondly, what do you think can be done, if anything? Well, it shows that what those of us who have been talking about inequality all along are talking about is that the inequities are systemic, and when something like a pandemic happens, those inequities become even more pronounced and we're seeing that now with the truly horrifying mortality rates for coronavirus in the black community and so what we need to do is create actual systemic change to

suggest that perhaps universal basic income and Medicare for all are no longer far-fetched left-wing fantasies, but realities everyone is going to benefit from, but especially black people. Before I let you go, you are helping people directly. You have organizations that you feel are doing an amazing job. If somebody's watching the Singh Roxanne, I also want to do something, where do they even begin? What advice would you give them? You know, I think it's look at what's going on in your community and decide which organizations

are the best for you and where you want to spend your dollars. I think food banks are a really good place to send your money right now and plan parenthood and rain because domestic violence rates are increasing at really rates now that everyone's at home and people are feeling economic pressure. So I just think it's what are your interests and how can you best direct whatever expendable money you have to those organizations? All right well thank you so much for your time. Look after yourself. Stay healthy mentally, especially because you're on Twitter so much out there. And hopefully I'll be seeing you soon on the other side.

Yeah, you will. It's great to see you again. Nice seeing you, Rokten. Bye. The Daily Show with Kervnoa, Ears Edition. Watch the Comedy Central app. Watch full episodes and videos at the Daily Show.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and subscribe to the Daily Show on YouTube

for exclusive content and more. podcast. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible.

I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. thi-1-1-1-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-Sepepepinionionionnenenec, tho-Sepepinin' tho-S. tho-S. tho-S. tho-S. thozynepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepep. th. th-'s incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17.