HBO’s Ballers continued their political, race-baiting and pro-Kaepernick storyline Sunday night, with fictional L.A. Rams General Manager Charles (Omar Benson Miller) saying of fans who are angry over the National Anthem kneeler protests, “Fuck ‘em,” and equating such protests with the fight for equal rights for blacks in the ‘60s.
In Sunday’s episode, “The Devil You Know,” Charles is handling the fallout from a controversial tweet sent out last week by new Rams recruit Ricky Jerret (John David Washington), who has just come back from retirement. The tweet read, “Fuck Trump AND FUCK THE WHITES! #ImWithKaep.” Ricky sent the tweet out after a heated argument with his neighbors, the Whites, over NFL kneeler protests during the National Anthem, which his white neighbors were against, as well President Trump’s performance, which his neighbors supported.
While it wasn’t clear last week whether Ricky meant to include all white people in his tweet, or just his neighbors, a discussion with Charles made it clear that he meant his neighbors the Whites and that he was going to smooth it over because they’re “lovely people.” The two commiserate over having rough childhoods, growing up in poverty (I have a few stories of my own that could top theirs, but what good does it do to play, “Who’s the bigger victim?”)
Ricky: Look at what you got. What we earned. And we earned that shit, Chuck. People out there hatin' on us speaking out. Like we should be grateful that we making millions. Like we ain't? Like they don't complain about their lives or jobs. Bullshit. And we can't complain about injustice? And these same people... Actin' like they just gave us this shit. Like my dreams, life, house, were just given to my black ass. And my talent, my hard fuckin' work and savvy, ain't have shit to do with it. That shit ain't right.
Charles: No, it ain't right. But this tweet, Rick. Man, you really got people riled up this time. I'm getting' pressure from my higher-ups to make some kind of-
Ricky: That tweet wasn't even about white people. It was about my neighbors, it's their names. The Whites.
Charles: Ohh.
Ricky: I'm gonna straighten that out, though, 'cause they cool as hell, lovely people. Really. But more importantly, I want to have the freedom to say what I want to say, man. Not just for me, but for our children, man. For our kids. I wanna play for a team that ain't gonna try to muzzle me.
Charles: Well, you can do that, you just gotta finesse it in a way--
Ricky: Where the white folks approve.
Charles: No, that your bosses approve of, fool. Regardless of their color. Everybody out here just trying to get his paper, right? Everybody's about the green?
Ricky: Don't try me like that. I don't believe that, and neither do you. Look... Do what you gotta do, man. I understand, Yo. Fine me, whatever. I get it. But know that when you're lookin' at your life and the man you want to be, ask yourself the question-- what are we doing out here?
Though Charles was supposed to cut Ricky from the team following his Tweet, his conversation with Ricky has a deep effect on him, despite Charles making common-sense arguments that the NFL is a business where you have to answer to your bosses, “regardless of color.”
Charles later calls his wife to talk about how he wasn’t able to tell Ricky he was cut and his wife tries to assure him that Ricky will understand because “he always makes business-first decisions.” Charles implores, “This is different. There’s something happening in the league. In sports. In the country.” He then asks what his daughter will think of him when she’s older and “looks back on this movement.”
His wife says, “She’s gonna think that he did everything he could to make her life better.” Charles retorts, “Better how, though? Like, ‘Gucci hoops’ better? Or ‘She didn’t get killed during a traffic stop’ better?”
Finally, Charles meets with the executive with the L.A. Rams who wanted Ricky fired and tells him they’re not only going to keep Ricky, but they’re going to back his right to speak up for his beliefs. And if NFL fans don’t like it? “Fuck ‘em.”
Charles: I'll be brief. It's about Ricky Jarret.
L.A. Rams Exec: Went that bad, huh?
Charles: No, actually it went great.
Exec: Really?
Charles: Yeah! Yeah, we're not gonna cut him.
Exec: That's a joke, right?
Charles: No. And not only are we gonna keep him, but we're gonna back him and his right to speak up for his beliefs.
Exec: Charles, you know that this is a business, right? It's not a not-for-profit.
Charles: Yeah. Where's the new stadium again?
Exec: Inglewood.
Charles: And who lives in Inglewood?
Exec: People.
Charles: Black people. Black people live in Inglewood. It's ok, you can say it. And those same people would probably love to see the team that represents them on the field represent them in their real lives.
Exec: Great. Maybe we can get the Black Panthers to sponsor us. Come on, Charles.
Charles: We should be so lucky. There's a tide happening in this country, sir, and we can either ride on top of it or get swept up under it. This is L.A.! This city has been at the center of the struggle for equal rights since the sixties. I'm not saying that we have to endorse everything that Ricky or any of the other players are saying politically—
Exec: Charles, what are you saying?
Charles: We set up a team-sponsored fund that fights social inequality and injustice right here in Los Angeles, and we make Ricky the face of the whole thing.
Exec: But what about the pissed-off football fans, Charles?
Charles: Fuck 'em.
Exec: Fuck 'em.
Charles: Respectfully, sir.
Exec: You're gonna fuck 'em respectfully?
Charles: You want this team to have an identity? You want 'em to have a soul? Then this is where it starts. We have to win over our city, our fans. I promise you, this is important to them. Maybe even as important as winning. Maybe even more. So, it's not only good business, it's what's right.
Charles ends up getting his way, but not before being told that he’ll be held responsible if “this blows up in any way.” Charles is more than happy to take on that responsibility.
Next week is the season finale, thankfully. And judging from the vast amount of displeased viewers on Twitter who are upset that the show has taken a political turn, there might be a lot fewer watchers tuning in for it.
