Am I Racist? 2024

Over a steaming cup of coffee, comedian Matt Walsh reflects on the omnipresent issue of racism in contemporary society. This moment of contemplation ignites a quest for self-discovery: he aims to uncover whether he himself possesses any latent racist sentiments. After an unceremonious exit from a “white guilt” support group, Walsh adopts a persona reminiscent of a gender studies professor encountered during his previous project, What is a Woman?. With a freshly minted DEI certification, he takes on the role of a self-styled “DEI expert”.

His mission to “do the work” leads him down a series of unforeseen avenues. In a daring move, he convinces unsuspecting members of the public to sign a petition calling for the Washington Monument to be renamed as the “George Floyd Monument”, with an added height of 30% and its exterior painted black. In his quest to expose the alleged racism within the “white hillbilly” demographic, Walsh bravely steps into a biker bar. Along his journey, he strikes up conversations with Black Americans who propose a fundamentally simple yet powerful antidote to racism: love.

The apex of Walsh’s endeavor takes the shape of a workshop intriguingly named the Do the Work Workshop. It is here that he confronts an audience of white participants with the heavy claim of their inherent racism. As a part of this demonstration, he publicly denounces his uncle Frank for a distasteful joke made two decades earlier, illustrating the act of taking a stand against racism. To remedy white guilt, Walsh controversially suggests acts of self-flagellation.

However, a surprising twist alters the course of events; Walsh undergoes a sudden change in perspective and brings the workshop to an abrupt halt, revealing the entire undertaking to be a calculated ruse. The film closes with Walsh envisioning the moment he will share these realizations with the broader public, ultimately ending with a relaxed coffee date alongside his uncle Frank.