Conan O’Brien says he ‘doesn’t feel right’ discussing his feelings over George Floyd’s death and explains that now is the time ‘not to speak but to listen’
Conan O’Brien addressed the killing of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis police officer by handing the mic over to and choosing ‘not to speak but to listen.’
The 57-year-old host released a video statement on Monday about Floyd and the subsequent nation-wide protests over his death that erupted in the last week.
O’Brien admitted in the statement that he didn’t feel that it was ‘right’ for him to talk about his feelings over the fraught matter and, instead, invited CNN’s Van Jones on to take the reigns.
Time to listen: Conan O’Brien released a video statement on Monday about the killing of George Floyd and turned the microphone over to CNN’s Van Jones because now is ‘a time to listen’
‘We have a ritual now in America whenever something terrible happens our nation goes into shock and hundreds of people like myself go on television and try to make sense of it all,’ Conan began.
The late-night host said it used to be news anchors and reporters who had the job of speaking to the nation about these issues but it had ‘inexplicably expanded to included celebrities and comedians.
Conan explained that far too often he’d been put in this position following acts of terrorism or school shootings, but the death of George Floyd was different.
‘Today feels very different,’ O’Brien said. ‘We’re rightfully sickened by the needless killing of a black man named George Floyd.’
‘It doesn’t feel right to talk about my feelings of sadness and anger. To do that today feels inadequate and even somehow wrong,’ Conan said in his statement. ‘Our national crisis is that a large and vital community in our country is in real pain ― pain because they do not feel safe, or dignified or seen. And most important of all, they do not feel heard’
Floyd died on May 25, after Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he cried out that he couldn’t breathe.
Chauvin was later fired and charged with third-degree murder and second degree manslaughter in the killing of Floyd. The three other officers on the scene have not been charged.
‘It doesn’t feel right to talk about my feelings of sadness and anger. To do that today feels inadequate and even somehow wrong,’ Conan said in his statement.
‘Our national crisis is that a large and vital community in our country is in real pain ― pain because they do not feel safe, or dignified or seen. And most important of all, they do not feel heard,’ he continued.
Sparking outrage: George Floyd died on May 25, after Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he cried out that he couldn’t breathe – his death catalyzed a week of nationwide protests
‘So I’d like to use my very small piece of television today not to speak but to listen to someone who knows what it’s like to be black in America in 2020.’
Conan invited CNN political commentator and the CEO of Reform Alliance Van Jones to lead a 30 minute conversation about the death of George Floyd, systemic racism and the road forward.
‘Lynchings were designed to humiliate and intimidate the whole community. When it’s law enforcement, you really feel helpless,’ Van said. ‘That’s why, I think, you see this real despair in the black community.’
Issues that matter: Conan invited CNN political commentator and the CEO of Reform Alliance Van Jones to lead a 30 minute conversation about the death of George Floyd, systemic racism and the road forward
Since Floyd’s killing, thousands of people poured into the streets of major cities across the U.S. demanding justice for senselessly slain black Americans and an end to police brutality and racist practices.
Some of the protests got out of hand, turning violent – videos showed officers driving directly into crowds of protesters with their SUVs and firing rubber bullets and tear gas at peaceful demonstrators. Meanwhile, agitators disrupted the peaceful protest with violence, looting and arson.
‘We need to come together,’ Van said. ‘If we don’t come together, we’re going to end up where we’re headed, and where we’re headed is not good.’
‘We need to come together,’ Van said. ‘If we don’t come together, we’re going to end up where we’re headed, and where we’re headed is not good.’