WACO, TX — The great nephew of Waco-native Doris Miller is calling out the writers of Saturday Night Live for making a "mockery" of the World War II hero on their show.
During the "Weekend Update" segment on Jan. 25, host Michael Che spoke about the U.S Navy naming an aircraft in honor of Miller.
"The U.S Navy has for the first time ever named an aircraft carrier in honor of an African American sailor," said Che. "He must've been pretty brave joining the Navy not knowing how to swim...the ship will be called the U.S.S. guy from the Village People."
Thomas Bledsoe, Miller's great nephew, said "we watched in horror and disbelief at the level of insensitivity and racist undertones, in addition, to have a black American doing the segment does not provide a pass to the inappropriateness of the segment."
"Sadly, the writers and producers are most likely not aware of the historical actions of a national Hero, that could have been googled."
Bledsoe says SNL decided to "take a story that united many and make a mockery of a National War Hero that died for this country."
The Navy named the carrier after Doris Miller on Jan. 20 to honor his bravery during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
