Anonymous ASK & we ANSWER #1: Addressing the Recent Noah Grossman Controversy
With the ongoing discussion surrounding Noah Grossman's recent comments in the Spud Hut episode, weâre taking time to respond to two anonymous messages regarding the situation.
"I just want to say, about the cut Spud Hut moment from the most recent episodeâwhile 'lesbo' is pretty rude and insensitive, itâs not a slur... Itâs being blown way out of proportion. Besides, heâs playing a characterâget a grip."
Our team has researched the term "lesbo," which is widely regarded as a slur or derogatory term used to describe lesbians. Historically, it has been employed to demean, sexualize, or stereotype women who love womenâparticularly in media portrayals. While some within the LGBTQ+ community may reclaim the term in self-referential or humorous contexts, this usage does not negate its harmful connotations when used inappropriately.
In this instance, Noah Grossman referred to two sapphic charactersâportrayed by Amanda Lehan-Canto and Angela Giarratanaâas âlesbos.â This usage is disrespectful to sapphic fans and should not have been permitted. Although Noah was playing a character, itâs important to note that Spud Hut episodes are entirely improvised, as confirmed by Smosh. Therefore, the decision to use that word was unscripted and personally made, which makes the situation more concerning.
âSo, as people have pointed outâNoah said something in Spud Hut thatâs considered a slur against lesbians. HOWEVER... I genuinely didnât know that word was a slur. Iâve heard it used by a lot of people, and not always in a negative way.
If it wasnât cut from the video originally, that might be because the editors didnât recognize it as a slur either. (Smosh hire more lesbians challenge?)
I obviously know the major slurs, but this shows that some terms arenât as widely recognized, and maybe Noah didnât know either? (Not defending him, just acknowledging the possibility.)
And letâs be realâpeople have every right to be upset. But I also think part of the backlash is because Noah is already a controversial figure. If Ian or someone else had said it, I feel like people wouldâve just laughed it off.â
You raise valid points about how language can be nuanced and how not everyone may recognize certain terms as slurs, particularly when they've heard them used casually or without malicious intent. Language evolves and circulates in different communities, and some terms donât immediately register as offensive to everyone.
That said, âlesboâ has a long-standing history of being used in derogatory and objectifying ways. Even if someone is unaware of its connotations, the impact on those who are hurt by it remains significantâespecially when the term is used publicly by someone outside the affected community. Intent does matter, but so does being willing to listen and learn when harm is pointed out.
Regarding the backlash, you may be right that perceptions of a person can influence public response. However, that doesnât invalidate the criticism itself. This situation underlines the importance of greater sensitivity and awarenessâparticularly from public figures and editorial teams responsible for what makes it to air.
Thank you to both anonymous contributors for sharing your perspectives. Weâll continue to follow and update you on any developments related to this controversy.