Not to Be Racist: Video of White Brides Friend Goes Viral After She Makes An Awkward Toast

May 2024 · 4 minute read

A mixed-race couple’s big day was hijacked by one of the guests who gave a “cringe-worthy” toast. The groom’s sister captured the speech on her cellphone and posted it on TikTok, allowing the world to see just how awkward the guest, who identified herself as Shannon, made everyone in the room.

The video started with Shannon, a white woman, walking up to the mic in a blue thigh-length skater dress and brown chunky high-heel sandals. She takes the mic and states that she and the bride, also a white woman named Tracy, have been friends for a long time.

After her brief introduction, she tells the crowd that she didn’t know the groom, a Black man named Anthony, “that well,” but informed the other guests that her friend talked about him to her a lot. While talking about how much Tracy talks about Anthony, she imitates her friend’s continuous conversations with “yapping fingers” and rolling her eyes.

“She be like … ‘Anthony this … Anthony that …’ and I be like I don’t care… Just kidding,” she joked.

Shannon then commented, “You guys are so cute together. You guys are hope. Like death do us part.”

This is when the video started to go from just wedding-toast-cheesy to bizarre. Shannon says, “You better take care of my girl, ’cause if you don’t I know where you live.”

The playful joke was done in a stereotypical sister-girl snap, complete with the back of the throat articulation, semi-fierce neck roll, and buoyant finger point, that seemed to imitate teenage Black girls on the playground.

The little girl in front of the camera nervously looks to the side and then back at the person with the mic.

She continued, “Just kidding. But you guys are so cute. You are a part of the family now.”

“I’m not going to be racist, you guys … I’m just saying … I’m not going to be racist … just kidding … just kidding,” Shannon remarked as someone from the audience gasped loudly, “Oh my God.”

“Of course, you guys are going to get ‘Oh my God, an interracial couple,’ But, no you guys are outstepping the stereotype,” she added.

The little girl in the front’s face changed from a nervous grin to a downcast countenance, refusing to return her gaze toward the speaker.

Perhaps sensing she was losing the crowd, Shannon said, “But you guys, seriously, I love Black people, because you guys are the best.”

“My own daughter’s great-aunt is like the best,” she said, dropping to the mixed audience that she has a Black person in her not-so-immediate family.

At that comment, the little girl in the front turned her head to look at who she was talking about, and never regained the smile she once had.

Shannon abruptly ends her speech once people start clapping but not before saying, “You guys are amazing,” talking to people on the side, and then turning back to the couple and saying, “I love you, Bless you.”

TikTokers could not wait to jump in the comments to drag her for her toast.

One person wrote, “Omg is this real?”

Quite a few asked if she was impersonating the comedian Amy Schumer.

Many of the comments came from other white women, who wrote things like “Is there a more severe form of second hand embarrassment? cuz I have it,” “This went way worse than I thought it ever could have,” or “I was like “aw, it’s not that bad. She’s just nervous and THEN SHE SAID ‘RACIST.’”

Some said they had to take breaks to watch it because it was just too much to bear.

Others thought this could be an “SNL” or “Key & Peele” skit.

A few Black women commented with commentary, like “Why did she want to tell everyone this?” and what the most astute of the bunch noticed when watching, “The shoes told [you] everything before she spoke a word.”

The bride also chimed in on the toast.  

After the wedding, she texted the sister that posted the video and said, “When she started going there, I kind of froze up and I was holding Anthony’s hand. Once she got to the mixing part, I dug my nails into his palm and immediately looked toward the family and gave Ty that (like) get her look.” 

Unfortunately, Ty did not get her.

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