Daily Show Forces Showdown Between Redskins Fans and Native Americans
The four diehard Washington Redskins fans who had signed-up to defend their team's name on the Daily Show surely knew that they were in for some jesting, but they were not prepared for the ambush that awaited them.
During the Sept. 13 taping of the a yet-to-air episode, the four fans were confronted by Native American activist and sketch comedy group the 1491s– a surprise prearranged by the Daily Show to up the ante on the "fun panel." But, things got tense, and fast.
According to the Washington Post, the Native Americans prodded the fans by saying, "You sound like an alcoholic, someone who's in denial and who doesn't want to believe what they're doing is not right." And quickly, the staged confrontation got a little too real for some to handle.
One of the fans, Kelli O'Dell, left the taping in tears. "I felt in danger. I didn't consent to that," O'Dell told the Post, "I am going to be defamed." (She later attempted to file a police report, but authorities told her no crime had been committed)
Amanda Blackhorse, the lead plaintiff in the case that stripped the Redskins of their trademark protections, meanwhile reported that she found the experience to be dehumanizing: "They don't see anything wrong with it. . . . That's what the owner [Dan Snyder] is feeding their fans."
The segment was bumped for Bill Clinton but will air this week.