The Conversation (0)
Liam O'Dell
Jun 04, 2023
TalkTV presenter Andre Walker clashes with TikTok prankster Mizzy
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Just over a week since his appearance on Piers Morgan: Uncensored and a day after an interview with BBC Newsnight, a TikTok creator who attracted controversy for entering strangers houses uninvited and stealing someone’s dog in a park has had another tense interview with a mainstream broadcaster in the form of TalkTV.
Sitting down for a chat with Andre Walker and Danielle Nicholls of Saturday Night Talkaway, 18-year-old ‘Mizzy’ – real name Bacari-Bronze O’Garro – read out a statement in which he said he doesn’t “condone what I do or tell anyone to repeat my actions” and that “people need to understand and learn to detach social media from real life”.
He continued: “Mizzy, this online persona I created, is literally social proof that society is weak and that the public is manipulated by media and swayed away from the truth so easily.
“Attention is seen as the purest form of generosity, and Mizzy is exactly what is wrong with this new online modern-day society.
“The only reason I’ve been making news and headlines for so long is because I’m young, Black and doing something different, and the mainstream media think they can use me as an example, put me on TV so I can make a fool of myself and appeal to the stereotype.
O’Garro went on to add it is a “simple distraction technique” from the mainstream media to “divert attention from the real problems in this country”, saying “it’s all propaganda at the end of the day”.
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Several minutes later, guest Reem Ibrahim – a political commentator and communications officer for the free market think-tank the Institute of Economic Affairs – asked Mizzy a question of her own.
She said: “You’re all about social media and how that’s impacted you and that you want to get all of this attention on social media. Do you think that you doing this on social media will encourage other people to commit crimes that potentially could cause a lot of damage?
“By damage, I mean it could cause somebody to be incredibly injured or something like that. Do you think you encourage that kind of behaviour?”
Seconds after asking the question, Ibrahim said he’s “not answering” as Mizzy stared at her, which prompted Walker to jump in.
He said: “You can do that to me, you’re not doing it to a guest. You scold another guest again, and I’m going to personally remove you.
“I’m not taking the mick. You glared at her in a threatening fashion."
As Mizzy stared back in shock with his mouth open, Walker continued: “You do that, and I drag you out by the hair, and you can be as hard as you pretend you are. You apologise for it right now.”
The teenager responded by turning to Ibrahim and saying “you know I respect you”, before getting up and leaving the studio.
This didn’t stop Walker continuing to hurl comments at him, as he fumed: “Good riddance to bad rubbish. Threatening guests does not happen on my show under any circumstances.
“Reem, I’m very sorry, but the way he glared at you is not acceptable. We never should have had him on the show, I didn’t even want him here, I think the guy is a complete and total fool.
“The fact that I attempted to have a sensible interview with an idiot like that is absolutely disgusting. Get the security from downstairs and get rid of him!
“Get rid of him, for Christ’s sake. Get rid of him,” Walker raged, appearing to throw pieces of paper at someone off-screen.
However, Walker’s outburst has since been criticised online, with the presenter accused of enforcing “racial stereotypes” and making comments with “racial undertones”:
\u201cIs this blatant racial stereotyping? \nAndre Walker accused 'Mizzy' of threatening a guest: 18-year-old was sat in silence, calmly with his hands together- he isn't a lion stalking prey.\n@andrejpwalker threatened to physically remove ie assault Mizzy.\nWhat do you think of this?\u201d— Antoine Allen (@Antoine Allen) 1685881157
\u201cBlack boys being perceived as threatening even in non-verbal situations is the sort of things Black boys & girls have had to deal with through much of education. A Black kid\u2019s assertiveness is deemed as \u201cattitude\u201d. Mizzy was of course supposed to look at his feet apologetically\ud83d\ude43\u201d— Funk Butcher (@Funk Butcher) 1685868681
\u201cInteresting that Mizzy\u2019s threatening behaviour isn\u2019t included in that viral clip. Why\u2019s that?\n\nThis is what he did. \n\nThis is threatening?\u201d— Richard Amofa (@Richard Amofa) 1685862161
\u201cI\u2019ve never defended Mizzy as I don\u2019t condone his pranks but this right right isn\u2019t it. \n\nThis Andre geezer took the opportunity to vent every frustration he had with the BLM movement & Black ppl on Mizzy. The racial undertones were prevalent. \n\nMizzy is not your moment!\u201d— Dr Tru Powell (@Dr Tru Powell) 1685867639
\u201cPeople are using this guy to project their racism, I do no endorse Mizzy\u2019s actions at all but it is so blatant atp\u201d— Danzy\ud83e\udd85 (@Danzy\ud83e\udd85) 1685838056
\u201cThe irony of this playing out exactly as Mizzy says he is trying to highlight. The threatening behaviour was the host pointing and shouting at an 18 year old. And then the rage at the end? If Mizzy had behaved like that?! Andre Walker - this is privileged behaviour at best.\u201d— michelle gayle (@michelle gayle) 1685876369
O’Garro has since commented on the incident on Twitter, writing: “It’s all part of the game. Look at how calm Reema Ibrahim was, even smiling whilst I was giving her eye contact.
“The only guy that overreacted was Mr Andre Walker, and [co-presenter Danielle Nicholls] next to him was just looking confused like she didn’t know what was going on. It’s all scripted.”
indy100 has approached Andre Walker via TalkTV for comment.
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