Adam Carolla: Colin Kaepernick grew Afro to look more Black, is ‘race hustler’

Comedian and podcast host Adam Carolla accused Colin Kaepernick of growing an oversized afro to appear more Black than his mixed-race background would otherwise suggest, calling the former NFL quarterback a “race hustler” during a segment of his show this week.

Mr. Carolla argued on Monday’s episode that Mr. Kaepernick, who was raised by White adoptive parents, has let his hair grow out to reinforce his image as a racial-justice activist a decade after he first knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality.

“You don’t present as Black; the reason you have a 26-foot Afro now is you’re trying to present as Black,” Mr. Carolla said. 

He went on to say photographs of a younger Mr. Kaepernick looked more Middle Eastern than Black and that he would have guessed the former quarterback was Mexican, Armenian or Jewish had he not already known his racial background. Mr. Carolla drew the same comparison to other prominent biracial figures, including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris, arguing all three have emphasized their Black heritage while downplaying their other ancestry.

The remarks land as Mr. Kaepernick marks the 10th anniversary of his decision to kneel during the anthem, a protest he has said targeted police brutality and what he called the country’s racist treatment of Black Americans. In a recent appearance on The Ringer’s “Higher Learning” podcast, Mr. Kaepernick said he is at peace with the decision itself but not with the outcome, citing the fact that police departments nationwide have not been defunded.

“At peace with the outcomes? No,” Mr. Kaepernick said.

Mr. Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season. He later accused the league and its teams of colluding to keep him out because of his activism; the NFL disputed that allegation, and the sides reached a confidential settlement in 2019 without a ruling on the merits.