Donna Brazile was accused of racism by comedian and political commentator Bill Maher after she repeatedly and deliberately mispronounced Vivek Ramaswamy’s name in the name of comedy and hatred of 2024 hopefuls.
The millionaire biotech entrepreneur wondered how the two-time Democratic National Committee chairwoman’s comments would be interpreted if she were white and Republican after she demanded he “go home.”
Ramaswamy, who is Indian-American, has explained that his first name rhymes with “cake” and is pronounced “Vi-vake” after most thought it was said as “Vi-veck” after the political newcomer took office in February race participated.
Brazile, a longtime Democratic strategist, made a light-hearted joke of Maher correcting her pronunciation and continued to make fun of Ramaswamy’s name as the Real Time with Bill Maher audience laughed.
“Reverse racism is racism,” Ramaswamy’s communications director and senior advisor Tricia McLaughlin told DailyMail.com about the recent back-and-forth.
“If that was a white Republican, they would be fired and torn to shreds on cable TV,” she added of the hypocrisy. “Donna will probably get an ‘atta boy’ from her coworkers. Disgusting.’
Democrat strategist Donna Brazile repeatedly rejected comedian Bill Maher’s correction on the correct pronunciation of 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s name
“I wonder what they would do if a white Republican deliberately mispronounced Donna’s name and then told her to return ‘home,'” Ramaswamy posted on X with a clip from the show
Brazile, along with former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), said during an appearance on Maher’s show, while mispronouncing Ramaswamy’s name several times, “Vivek should just shut up and go home.”
“We all hate Vivek, okay? It’s Vi-vake,” Maher said, correcting Brazile on the pronunciation of the 2024 Republican candidate’s name after Ramaswamy explained how to say it properly earlier this year.
“Well, whatever. Vi-Vake,” she waved away, pronouncing his name correctly this time.
“Would you say that about other…” Maher started, but was interrupted by Brazile.
‘Donna, I’m Donna. Vi-vake, it is Vie-veck Ramaswama. Ramaswamy,” she said laughing after saying his first name in a different, incorrect way and also mispronouncing his last name this time.
“Vi-vake Ramaswamy,” Maher said.
‘Thank you so much. I learn so much when I come to this show,” she said, repeating, “Vi-vake needs to go home.”
“I agree,” Maher admitted. “I just feel like there’s something wrong with everyone refusing to learn to say their name. I just feel like there’s a bit of racism going on. Just a little -‘
“Vi-vake, Vi-vake, I say so,” Kinzinger finally intervened, after the ruling debate.
“I’m just saying – I know we don’t like him, but just say his name right,” Maher said.
He continued, “I heard him do a rap and he said it rhymes with cake. Here’s what the CNN audience needs to know.”
Maher, who said he “hates” Ramaswamy, told Brazile that there is some “racism” among those who refuse to pronounce Ramaswamy’s name correctly, after explaining how to say it properly earlier this year
Brazile appeared with former Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Maher’s show, where she said Ramaswamy ‘needs to go home’
Ramaswamy posted the clip to his account on
Since entering the race, Ramaswamy has been a dark horse in the field, trailing former President Donald Trump by dozens of points.
The candidate got a big boost in the polls after the first two presidential debates, but isn’t seeing the same surge after the third in Miami, Florida earlier this month. He remains behind Trump in the top three of the field.
Ramaswamy participates in many campaign events every week, often traveling with his surgeon wife Apoorva and their two young sons Karthik and Arjun.
“I love being out and about with my wife Apoorva and our two boys,” Ramaswamy wrote to X on Sunday as he plans a week of events in Iowa – the first state of the primaries.