D.L. Hughley Insults Caitlyn Jenner and Criticizes Decision to Give Her ESPYs Award, Internet Reacts

The comedian made his comments in an on-air interview with TMZ a day after the Olympian and reality star accepted the Arthur Ashe Award

By Corinne Heller Jul 18, 2015 6:52 PMTags
Caitlyn Jenner, ESPY Awards, D.L. HughleyGetty Images

Comedian and TV actor D.L. Hughley is not a fan of Caitlyn Jenner.

In an on-air interview with TMZ, posted on Friday, the 52-year-old, known for his work on The Original Kings of Comedy, insulted the 65-year-old Olympian and reality star over her appearance, more than a month after she revealed her female name and look on the cover of Vanity Fair, and criticized the decision to give her the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2015 ESPYs.

(With the release of the Vanity Fair story, Caitlyn has chosen to identify publicly as a woman and E! News will refer to her using female pronouns. In stories published before that article, she was referred to as Bruce Jenner and male pronouns were used.)

"She is a beautiful woman, isn't she?" the TMZ cameraman asked Hughley.

"No," he replied quickly, before launching into comedy shtick. Many standup comedians, especially in Los Angeles, have joked about Jenner onstage since she revealed her female identity.

"In a Miss Doubtfire kind of way. Stop it," Hughley said, adding that Jenner "looks like very P.E. teacher I've ever had."

Jenner has not commented on his insulting remarks. And Hughley is standing by them. On Saturday, he posted on Twitter a photo showing Jenner at the ESPYs and a picture of Robin Williams as his title character in Mrs. Doubtfire.

"Somebody tell me I'm wrong #TeamDL," Hughley tweeted.

Some found his comment funny, while others slammed him for his remarks and called him a bully.

"Wooow you are seriously so irresponsible to use your fame to ruthlessly bully this woman," one person replied. "What did Jenner do to u?? pathetic."

"I've now unfollowed on FB & Twitter," another user said. "I don't get your bullying. Always thought you'd support people living their true selves." 

Sporting a white Atelier Versace gown, Jenner made her first major public appearance as a transgender woman at the awards, which were held on Wednesday, and gave an inspirational speech.

Ashe, the first and only black man to win the singles title at Wimbledon, died at age 49 in 1993 after battling AIDS. Hughley told TMZ he was a "symbol of courage."

"He fought AIDS with dignity and honor and Caitlyn Jenner put on a dress," he said. "I don't think it's the same thing."

Reactions to Jenner's speech were mixed. Many said on social media that the Arthur Ashe Courage Award should have gone to Lauren Hill, a Mount St. Joseph women's basketball player who raised more than $1.5 million for cancer research before she died of the brain cancer at age 19 last April. During the ESPYs, her parents accepted another honor, the Best Moment Award, on her behalf.

"I think that Lauren Hill was courage in the name of sports," Hughley told TMZ. "I think Arthur Ashe and Caitlyn Jenner have very little in common."

Watch the premiere of Caitlyn Jenner's new docu-series I Am Cait on July 26 at 8 p.m. on E!