Andrew Schulz’s problematic behaviour started long before the ShxtsNGigs controversy

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Published Oct 10, 2024 at 11:21 AM

Reading time: 8 minutes

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Image by andrewshulz from IG

Self-proclaimed comedian Andrew Schulz recently made headlines—yep, once again. As usual, his appearance in news publications across the internet had a lot less to do with his jokes and much more to do with his blatant lack of respect. At 40 years old, Schulz has built a brand on racially-charged jokes, pushing every boundary imaginable to try and seek out a cheap laugh. I’d argue his real skill lies in making people uncomfortable.

Today, we’re diving deep into Andrew Schulz’s catalogue of cringe-worthy remarks. From his racist commentary about dating Black women to his half-hearted attempts at apologies (which often end up sounding more like deflections), we’re going to cover it all. Let’s unpack why this ‘comic’ should probably stop calling himself one and why his brand of so-called humour is nothing more than poorly disguised racism and misogyny.

Andrew Cameron Schulz was born in October 1983 and is currently 40 years old. He hails from New York City, East Village, where he was raised by his parents, Sandra and Larry, alongside his brother, Greg.

Andrew Schulz’s current net worth is estimated to be around $4 million with an estimated $1 million+ annual salary, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth.

In a December 2021 Instagram post, the comedian shared the news of his marriage to Emma Turner, declaring: “DETHRONED, Harry and Meghan, your time in the spotlight is done. Montecito isn’t big enough for two power couples living off the generosity of their in-laws!”

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A post shared by Andrew Schulz (@andrewschulz)

Since tying the knot, the couple have remained a high-profile romantic pairing. While Schulz continues to attempt to cement himself as one of the worst comedians in history, Emma has since made a name for herself in the culinary world with her blog, Blistered Peppers.

Emma’s journey began with a degree in Fashion and Fiction from the prestigious NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. According to her LinkedIn, she later gained experience interning at notable companies such as Marie Claire, Penguin Random House, and Balenciaga. Mrs Schulz eventually became an associate buyer for Barneys but made the bold decision to pursue her MBA at NYU Stern in 2020. By this time, she was already in a relationship with Andrew, whom she met during their college years.

Andrew Schultz first kickstarted his career alongside Charlamagne tha God on the TV series Guy Code and later the podcast The Brilliant Idiots. This gave him the credentials of American “stand-up comedian,” television producer, and podcaster. He then gained widespread fame through his appearances on various MTV shows. Schulz is also known for hosting the Flagrant 2. The media personality’s first Netflix special, Schulz Saves America, premiered on 17 December 2020.

Though Schulz was born and raised in a predominantly white neighbourhood, his comedic voice often clashes with the experiences he tries to exploit for laughs. From racist remarks about Black women to homophobic jabs, his material often lands as one of the most cliché, nonsensical, and obnoxious forms of comedy.

Despite this, he has carved a niche with an on-stage persona that feels like a throwback to old shock value comedy days. And the question remains: what gives him the right to joke about communities he is not a part of? His collaborations with figures like Charlamagne tha God have made some wonder whether this has given him a false sense of permission to explore racially charged subjects.

Remember when Andrew Schulz appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and triggered yet another wave of backlash, showcasing exactly why his brand of comedy continues to divide opinions? Well, during the episode, Schulz ran to Rogan’s defence over the racism controversy surrounding the UFC commentator, dismissing it as nothing more than a “hit job.”

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Andrew Schulz is undeniably racist. It’s not clever satire and it’s not boundary-pushing comedy, it’s pure racism dressed up as jokes. Schulz’s entire comedic shtick seems to rely on insulting marginalised groups, from Black women to Native Americans. The personality’s signature brand is to make audiences feel uncomfortable in a way that’s not even brave or insightful, just obnoxious. Every single overplayed racist trope in the book finds itself integrated into a Schulz set.

In fact, one of Schulz’s most recent controversies occurred during a podcast episode with guests ShxtsNGigs. During the group’s conversation, Schulz took the opportunity to joke about the so-called “Black girlfriend effect,” spewing derogatory remarks about Black women.

Schulz’s bit involved a really disgusting rant, claiming that men who date Black women shave their heads because they’re “stressed” from constant complaints and grow beards to soften the blows from being slapped. It wasn’t just wildly inaccurate and offensive, it was the kind of low-hanging fruit that requires zero effort. And what’s worse, everyone in the room laughed, not realising (or ignoring) the fact that the punchline was, once again, Black women.

Following this recent controversy, many users began sharing resurfaced videos highlighting the comedian’s long history of offensive and racist jokes. Some even went as far as to label him “G-Eazy Hitler.”

Schulz has also taken shots at Native Americans, using equally cringe-worthy material during his Australian tour. In 2023, he made disgusting remarks about Indigenous Australians, mocking their accents and referencing fuel-sniffing, a known issue in certain marginalised communities: “All these white Australians out there, (saying) ‘give them back their land’, just all these Aboriginals on the grass (would be) like ‘what the?… Give who back their land? We don’t even want the land, we want you to increase Centrelink’.”

And let’s not forget his Netflix special, where he took a swing at the Asian community by calling COVID-19 the “Asian parasite.” Schulz’s ignorance shone through when he quipped, “Don’t tell America to wear masks, tell China to stop infecting us.” This kind of commentary is not only racist but also harmful, especially during a time when Asian communities were already facing a spike in hate crimes.

And I could go on. Remember the discussion he had with Indian comedian Akaash Singh on his podcast? Schulz suggested that there was no evidence to support the idea that both India and Africa could have been wealthy countries in the past. His remarks brushed over the complexities of colonisation, failing to recognise the devastating impact it had on nations across the globe.

Just to give you a little history lesson Schulz, it’s crucial to understand that there’s a vast difference between colonisation and immigration. Immigrants voluntarily bring their culture to a new land, while colonisers force their will through violence and oppression. Colonial powers invaded nations like India, extracting resources, imprisoning people, and erasing indigenous cultures to impose their own. All Schulz did in that podcast episode was demonstrate the fact that he has clearly never cracked open a single book.

Even other comedians, such as Shane Gillis, have called Schulz out for being unfunny. When a fellow comic who was cancelled for his own controversial comments says you’ve crossed the line, maybe it’s time to rethink your material.

In fact, in the face of mounting backlash, Schulz released a so-called “apology” video that left many viewers feeling disgusted. And once again, the personality proved that there’s no limit to how tone-deaf he can be. In this video, Schulz brazenly declared that he was “not sorry” for his offensive remarks, dismissing the outrage from critics with a wave of indifference. “For all the people getting offended, you can remain upset,” he noted, making it clear he had no intention of reflecting on the harm caused.

Another X user also chimed in to the conversation, shocked by Schulz’s lack of accountability: “I think Andrew Schulz cackling at James and Fuhad’s apology for not checking him for his comments on Black women is actually insane. Like, he said some nasty shit to them and laughed at them for apologising about how they responded. I’m flabbered & gasted, honestly.”

And just when you thought things couldn’t get weirder, on Wednesday 9 October 2024, Schulz released a new episode with none other than… Donald Trump. At first, I thought it was AI, but nope, it’s real. And let’s not forget, Trump is just weeks away from the election and turned down a 60 Minutes interview for Flagrant. Let that sink in.

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Schulz remains a class clown who is perpetually stuck on the same tasteless joke. One that’s not only outdated but legitimately dangerous. The wannabe comedian’s unapologetic stance doesn’t make him bold or boundary-pushing; it’s cringe, out of touch, and, frankly, unfunny. It’s high time we stop confusing racism for comedy and hold people like Schulz accountable for the damage they continue to inflict.