LONDON: Egyptian comedian and media critic Bassem Youssef has accused US comedian-turned-actor Kevin Hart and the Afrocentric movement of “continuous cultural appropriation and falsification of history.”
Appearing on TalkTV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored on Monday to speak about the new Netflix docudrama “Queen Cleopatra,” Youssef was responding to an alleged claim made by African-American Hart that his ancestors built the pyramids.
“I’m sorry, your ancestors had their own wonderful civilization in West Africa,” said Youssef.
However, Egyptian Street website reported that it was “unclear when and where Hart made these comments.”
Netflix’s recent release of the trailer for the four-part docudrama, which is set to launch worldwide on the platform on May 10, sparked cross-national debates over the race of the ancient queen, who is portrayed by Black actress Adele James.
Egyptian archaeologist and former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass wrote in an Arab News column published on April 21 that Cleopatra, who was born in Alexandria in 69 B.C. into the Ptolemaic dynasty, “was the descendant of a Macedonian Greek general who was a contemporary of Alexander the Great,” and all evidence uncovered thus far points to her being white.
Youssef said the Afrocentric movement was “appropriating my culture, calling the people of Egypt of today — despite their skin tone — they call us ... invaders.”
Afrocentrism is an academic theory and cultural and political movement that, lead by people of African descent, promotes the contributions of Black people to Western civilizations, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
Formerly the host of popular TV show AlBernameg, Youssef stressed it was not about “black and white.”
“It is about the continuous cultural appropriation and falsification of history that has been done by the so-called Afrocentric movement,” he continued.
“The Afrocentric movement started this last century as a way - in a good intention - to teach African Americans about their rich history of West Africa, the Great Empire of Benin, of Ghana, of Songali, the great empire of Mali.”
Youssef added: “But the thing is, that is why you find people like Kevin Hart, who subscribes to these theories, who claimed that his ancestors built the pyramids.
“They call us as intruders, and they (the pyramids) are being erased by from our own history.”
In February, Hart’s first standup performance in Egypt was canceled following backlash over an alleged joke about the racial composition of ancient Egyptians.
The West African-descended comedian said ancient Egyptians were Black, sparking outrage among Egyptians, who called for his Cairo show to be canceled.
According to a report on Feb. 27 by AllAfrica.com, Hart allegedly said: “We must teach our children the true history of Black Africans when they were kings in Egypt and not just the era of slavery that is cemented by education in America. Do you remember the time when we were kings?”
However, it was unclear when and where he had made these comments.
