DONKEY: Benny Johnson Faces Backlash After Challenging Black Women’s Contributions To America

Summary

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The Breakfast Club: Donkey of the Day – Benny Johnson Faces Backlash After Challenging Black Women’s Contributions to America

Date: July 7, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Produced by: The Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around Charlamagne Tha God's "Donkey of the Day" segment, targeting conservative influencer Benny Johnson for his inflammatory and dismissive comments questioning the significance of Black women's contributions to America’s founding. The hosts break down the controversy, challenge Johnson’s narrative, highlight historic Black women’s achievements, and reflect on both the erasure of these contributions and the ongoing necessity of meaningful representation and acknowledgment.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Who is Benny Johnson?

• DJ Envy introduces Benny Johnson, explaining:
  “[He] is the host of the Benny show, which is described as an independent conservative news commentary and broadcast... Right leaning political commentary.” (02:57)
• Johnson’s offense? Responding to Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s assertion that “America owes Black women everything” by claiming Black women played no meaningful role in America’s founding, his only example referencing their exploitation by Thomas Jefferson.
• DJ Envy highlights: "Yesterday I saw a headline that said, MAGA influencer Benny Johnson says black women's only contribution to America's founding was getting raped by Thomas Jefferson." (03:12)

2. Contextualizing Jasmine Crockett’s Statement

• The show plays Crockett’s statement emphasizing Black women as vital to America's history:
  • “When it comes to answering the question of what America owes black women, the answer is everything. … Black women are always the ones that are doing the labor, but we are also the ones that are always the first targets. ... Whether it's an invention that she made or whether it's the very democracy that still hangs by a thread, right now, there is a black woman to thank for her contributions.” (04:10–04:52)
• DJ Envy and Charlamagne affirm: "Jasmine's statement in his full context, makes perfect sense... Black women have historically contributed significantly to American society and democracy.” (04:53)

3. Charlamagne's Challenge to Johnson’s Viewpoint

• Emphasizes the difference between formal political power and historical contribution, criticizing Johnson’s limited perspective:
  • “Too many people confuse having political power with creating value. …Enslaved black people, including black women, performed labor that helped build the economy, okay? … They had no political rights, but they absolutely contributed to the nation's development.” (05:40–06:15)
• Drives home that patriotism should not be about erasing uncomfortable truths:
  • “If your version of patriotism requires deleting people’s contributions because acknowledging them makes you uncomfortable, that’s not patriotism. That’s insecurity.” (07:08)

4. Naming Black Women in History & Their Inventions

• The hosts counter Johnson’s challenge to “name an invention by a Black woman":

  • Tamar: “Dr. Gladys West invented the GPS. Dr. Shirley Jackson, she invented caller ID. ... Valerie Thomas, a NASA scientist who invented the illusion transmitter in 1980.” (10:03–10:20)
  • DJ Envy: "It was a black woman who invented the home security system... I think it was Marie Brown." (10:20–10:24)
  • Tamar: “Judy W. Reed in 1884... invented the dough kneader and roller.” (12:02)
  • Madam C.J. Walker and her revolutionizing of Black hair care is also cited.

• Charlamagne: “Countries are not built by politicians alone… they’re built by millions of people whose names never make the history books, even though there are black women's names in these history books who helped to build this country.” (08:07)

5. Expanding the Historical Record

• Charlamagne shouts out Right Wing Watch on Instagram for spotlighting Black women like:
  • Phyllis Wheatley—poet, first African American woman to publish a book in the colonies, honored by George Washington.
  • Elizabeth Freeman—sued for her freedom; her case helped end slavery in Massachusetts. (08:27–09:14)
• “A nation's foundation isn't just the people who signed the papers. It's also the people whose labor made the nation possible.” (09:19)

6. Personal Reflections & Cultural Debates

• Side conversation about etiquette in social spaces (inspired by the ESSENCE Festival). The hosts discuss whether to acknowledge or speak to someone you dislike.
  • Charlamagne: "If I don’t like you in Queens, I ain’t gonna like you in New Orleans.” (13:26)
  • DJ Envy: "Most of the time, people don't have that same energy... There's only a couple people on this planet I really, truly don't like." (13:45–14:02)

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• DJ Envy (recounting headline):
  • “MAGA influencer Benny Johnson says black women's only contribution to America’s founding was getting raped by Thomas Jefferson.” (03:12)
• Charlamagne Tha God:
  • “Too many people confuse having political power with creating value… Enslaved black people, including black women, performed labor that helped build the economy.” (05:40–06:15)
• Charlamagne Tha God:
  • “If your version of patriotism requires deleting people’s contributions… that’s not patriotism. That’s insecurity.” (07:08)
• Charlamagne Tha God:
  • “Countries are not built by politicians alone… they’re built by millions of people whose names never make the history books.” (08:07)
• Tamar:
  • “Dr. Gladys West invented the GPS. Dr. Shirley Jackson, she invented caller ID. …Valerie Thomas…illusion transmitter… home security system, Marie Brown… Madam C.J. Walker Hair Care.” (10:03–10:36)

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Memorable Moments

• Donkey of the Day delivery: Charlamagne’s trademark callout of “You are the donkey of the day!” after his thorough takedown. (09:30)
• "Do your Googles!": A humorous moment calling out the ignorance inherent to Johnson’s challenge: “You just had to Google do your Googles, that's it.” (10:41)
• Rapid-fire listing of Black women’s inventions—a definitive rebuke to the idea Black women haven’t contributed. (10:03–10:36)
• Personal etiquette discussion: Hosts debate why some people speak to their rivals or keep it moving, using the ESSENCE Festival clip as a springboard. (12:41–14:22)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Donkey of the Day Intro: 02:32
• Benny Johnson headline/clip: 02:57–03:51
• Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s statement: 04:10–04:52
• Charlamagne’s main rebuttal: 05:40–09:19
• Salute to historical Black women: 08:27–09:19
• Name an invention debate: 09:52–10:36
• First Black woman inventor mention: 12:02
• ESSENCE Festival/etiquette segment: 11:46–14:22

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Conclusion

This episode of The Breakfast Club delivers a sharp, insightful, and at times humorous defense of Black women’s undeniable contributions to America. Using both historic and contemporary examples, the hosts challenge erasure, correct the record, and mock anyone too lazy to “do their Googles.” The dynamic between the co-hosts keeps the conversation lively, but the underlying message remains clear: you cannot tell the story of America without Black women front and center.

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Transcript

[Angela Rye]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

it it's time for Donkey of the Day.

[DJ Envy]

There's a bunch of donkeys out here in these streets Ought to make Donkey of the Day Called Donkey of the Day. It really caught me off guard. We live a life where we bite our tongue based off who we may offend. We never would say anything.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Charlamagne.

[Kel Penn]

Give it to him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Give it to him.

[DJ Envy]

You are a donkey.

[Tamar]

That is why Charlemagne is here.

[DJ Envy]

Some donkey today just saw themselves on the Breakfast Club.

[Unidentified Caller or Guest]

Okay, Charlamagne, who you giving Donkey of

[DJ Envy]

the Day to today? What donkey? Today for Tuesday, July 7th goes the MAGA influencer Benny Johnson. Benny Johnson is the host of the Benny show, which is described as an independent conservative news commentary and broadcast. Okay. It focuses on right link. Right leaning political commentary. Okay? And yesterday I saw a headline that said, MAGA influencer Benny Johnson says black women's only contribution to America's founding was getting raped by Thomas Jefferson.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Jesus.

[DJ Envy]

Let's listen.

[Reese Witherspoon (Advertisement)]

Name.

[Unidentified Caller or Guest]

I want a name, okay? I ain't a name of a single black woman that had something to do with America's founding. Go. I can think of, like, didn't Thomas Jefferson have, like, like half his family, like, with. Out of wedlock with the slaves? I think. Isn't that. Isn't that historic? Anyway, that's like, as close as I can get.

[DJ Envy]

Right wing. Watch y' all put some more sauce on that headline. I mean, Jesus Christ. What Benny actually said was, didn't Thomas Jefferson have, like, half his family out of wedlock? And he said that no black woman was a founding father. Okay? That was in reply to Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett's statement that America owes black women everything. Can we hear what Sister Jasmine had to say?

[Unidentified Speaker]

So when it comes to answering the question of what America owes black women, the answer is everything. When we think about the sacrifices that black women have made from the moment that we were stolen from our homelands and. And transported into this country to the fact that black women continue to stand as the backbone, specifically of the Democratic Party. We know that black women are always the ones that are doing the labor, but we are also the ones that are always the first targets. This Fourth of July, I say celebrate a black woman that you know. Because whether it's an invention that she made or whether it's the very democracy that still hangs by a thread, right now, there is a black woman to thank for her contributions.

[DJ Envy]

Drop on the clues, monster. Jasmine Crockett. This is why I hate the Internet. Jasmine's statement in his full context, makes perfect sense. And that headline compressed what she actually said into just a provocative sound bite. Okay? Something to get the people going. Jasmine is correct. Black women have made extraordinary sacrifices since slavery. Black women have historically contributed significantly to American society and democracy. Black women have been the key voting block, okay? In organizing force within the Democratic party. Therefore, America owes black women a great debt. Okay, all right. You can say everything because of those contributions. Whether somebody agrees, you know, depends largely on how they interpret the word everything. But America definitely owes black women a great debt. Now, Benny Johnson, why did that statement prompt that headline? Okay, that type of headline that, you know, black women's only contribution to America's founding was getting raped by Thomas Jefferson? Well, that's because. And that, you know, likes provocative headlines, okay? It's what gets the people going. All right? Benny said, didn't Thomas Jefferson have, like, half his family out of wedlock? The answer is yes, okay? There was a 16 year old enslaved girl who was his property and I'm sure didn't give consent. So that's how that headline could be crafted. Benny, in case you're wondering. But I want to talk about what you said in regard to the black women having no meaningful role in the founding of the United States of America or that it's inaccurate to say that they were foundational to the country being built. Well, I think it's the difference between formal political power, like being a founding father, and historical contribution. Okay? You don't have to agree with somebody saying America owes black women everything. That's a rhetorical statement. We can debate whether it's an exaggeration, but when you respond by acting like black women had no role in America's founding, our development, that's when you earn your he haws. Okay? See, too many people confuse having political power with creating value. Yes, the founding fathers wrote the documents, that's true. But the country was built by more than just the people who signed the founding documents, okay? Enslaved black people, including black women, performed labor that helped build the economy, okay? Gamecock, suckers. All right. And federal infrastructure, all right? They had no political rights, but they absolutely contributed to the nation's development. As my sister Angela Raya said, for years we built this joint for free, okay? Who was growing the tobacco? Who was picking the cotton? Who was raising generations of children, both their own and often white peoples? Okay? Yes, you were sucking off the titty of black women, all right? Black women were keeping communities together while being denied basic human rights. Nobody is saying black women signed the Declaration of Independence or drafted the Constitution. What people are saying is that you cannot tell the story of America honestly while pretending the labor, resilience and sacrifices of black women weren't essential to what this country became. Okay? And let's be clear. If your version of patriotism requires deleting people's contributions because acknowledging them makes you uncomfortable, that's not patriotism. That's insecurity. And a good therapist is going to always tell you to address your insecurities, Benny, okay? Explore their root causes so you can replace harsh self critical thoughts with healthier emotional patterns. Okay? Listen, Benny, and you know everybody out there that feels like him. America is a complicated story. The founders, I guess, deserve recognition, but so do the soldiers and the immigrants and the farmers and the factory workers, the Native Americans, the enslaved Africans, and yes, black women, okay? Because countries are not built by politicians alone, all right? They're built by millions of people whose names never make the history books, even though there are black women's names in these history books who helped to build this country. Salute to right wing watch on Instagram. They, you know, pointed out figures like Phyllis Wheatley, the first African American woman and one of the first women in the colonies to publish a book of poetry. Okay? George Washington personally corresponded with her and invited her to visit him after she wrote a poem honoring him. Her work was used by abolitionists as evidence of black intellectual equality. Also, Elizabeth Freeman, who sued for her freedom in 1781, arguing that the state's new constitutional language, all men are born free and equal, applied to her, too. She won, and the case helped to end slavery in Massachusetts. So, Benny, a nation's foundation isn't just the people who signed the papers. It's also the people whose labor made the nation possible. Please give Benny Johnson the sweet sounds in the hammer tones.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, now you are the donkey of the day.

[DJ Envy]

You are the donkey of the day. It was another part, too, where he said. What was the part about. I couldn't understand what he was saying,

[Tamar]

but he was saying, name an invention without a black woman.

[Unidentified Caller or Guest]

Yeah, Right now. Name of invention from black woman.

[DJ Envy]

Go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, he said, name it.

[Unidentified Caller or Guest]

If you want to watch your head explode, name an event, go.

[DJ Envy]

What's wrong with this Google?

[Tamar]

No idea. Because, like, I'm looking at so many inventions from black women. Dr. Gladys west invented the GPS. Dr. Shirley Jackson, she invented caller ID Valley. Valerie Thomas, a NASA scientist who invented the illusion transmitter in 1980.

[DJ Envy]

It was a black woman who invented the home security system.

[Tamar]

Yes. That is.

[DJ Envy]

I think it was Marie Brown.

[Tamar]

Yep.

[DJ Envy]

Doctor, I think she was a nurse.

[Tamar]

Nurse Marie Brown. Yep, yep, yep. She did, but it's something. Madam C.J. walker Hair Care. We got black women who invented.

[DJ Envy]

I don't understand Home in Everyday Life,

[Tamar]

Medicine and science Like, I don't understand.

[DJ Envy]

You just had to Google do your Googles. That's it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right, well, thank you for that donkey today. Now let's open up the phone lines. 800-585-1051. Where's Lauren at? We were talking behind the scenes about something that allegedly happened during ESSENCE Conference or ESSENCE Talk.

[DJ Envy]

Where the hell is Lauren?

[Tamar]

He comment. But look real quick. The first black woman to invent something was Judy W. Reed in 1884. She invented the dough kneader and roller, designed to mix and roll dough more evenly. Okay, handle that.

[DJ Envy]

You said donor doneader.

[Tamar]

Yeah. What I say?

[DJ Envy]

I don't know. Sound like you were saying donator. No, Donator and ruler Donator.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So the question is. 800-585-1.

[DJ Envy]

I forgot this exact. This is why Benny don't think black women had anything. Oh, my God. You knew you were supposed to be here, but you know you were supposed to be here. You see?

[Tamar]

Sorry.

[Angela Rye]

What have y' all done so far?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Allegedly, with Tamar.

[Angela Rye]

And so on Sunday, to close out the Essence Festival, they did, like, they honored, like, black women in music.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes.

[Angela Rye]

And there was a line of people taking a photo at the event. You had Monica, Anthony Anderson, Brandy, Candy burst. And you see Tamar walk up to, like, get in that line of the photo. But as she does that, she stops and she speaks to Candy briefly. And Candy doesn't really give her much at all. And then you saw all this.

[Unidentified Caller or Guest]

Yes.

[Angela Rye]

In the video.

[Tamar]

It was.

[DJ Envy]

It was very, like, I like this.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah, it was.

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It was very.

[DJ Envy]

I like, up close and personal.

[Angela Rye]

No, I wasn't there. I'd already left. I saw the video. But I have spoken to people that were there, though. So. Yeah. So she speaks, she says something to Candy. Candy keeps it very brief. And then she tries to get in the line of the photos. Like, they're holding hands. So she tries to, like, either open Monica's hand and get in the line or, like, just taps it. Just also acknowledge her as well, too. Monica keeps it very brief and cute as well, too. So people are, you know, just talking about the fact that they basically paid her dust as she was trying to just be nice. Of course, you know, Tamar has been on that. Like, I don't want any issues in my life right now. I'm restarting. I don't.

[Tamar]

You know what I mean?

[Angela Rye]

They've had past things.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So this came out of this question. We were talking behind the scenes. 800-585-1-051. Right. If you don't, like A person, right? Or this a feeling of. Of. I don't f with you. Why speak to them, Right? And the reason is, why do you speak to them? Yo, I don't speak to them if I don't f with you. You know, you. You can feel it. I don't talk to you. Don't look at me. Don't even come past my way. Don't. Don't reach your hand out because you did some f ish to me. I don't want you. I don't want your energy around me. It's middle finger till you die, Charlemagne.

[Angela Rye]

But essence was so much love. Black women in music. You got Missy being honored.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

If I don't like you in Queens, if I don't like you in Queens, I ain't gonna like you in New Orleans.

[Tamar]

It don't matter where we at.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But the reason the question came up is because Charlemagne. If somebody doesn't like Charlemagne and he's in a room, Charlamagne still speaks.

[DJ Envy]

Hey, how you doing?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, God bless you. Yeah, that's not me.

[Angela Rye]

But to be fair, Candy parents, like, Candy spoke. She kept it cute. Go ahead.

[DJ Envy]

First of all, there's only a few people I really, really, truly don't like. And if I'm in the room with them, then I probably don't really have an issue. You nod your head, you say hello, you say. Because it's just like most of the time, people don't be having that same energy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nobody ever has that same energy.

[DJ Envy]

But there's nobody. There's only a couple of people on this planet I really, truly don't like.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, but I don't even want that energy, like, if.

[DJ Envy]

And if I'm in same room with them. My life has gotten very terrible, guys. I just want y. Oh, my God. I mean, man, there's no reason for any of my to be in a room with me. Why would you ever be in a room with me?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

800-585-1051. If you're in a room with somebody, do you. You don't like it. Everybody's being called you. Do you speak? I don't simple. But let's discuss. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[DJ Envy]

Donkey of the day is sponsored by renowned personal injury attorney Michael the Bull Laminsoft. Don't be a donkey when you need a fighter on your side. If you're ever injured, go to michaelthebull.com. that's michaelthebull.com and when you mess with the bull, you get the horns.

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[DJ Envy]

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[DJ Envy]

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[DJ Envy]

Bonjour. Bonjour.

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[Unidentified Speaker]

Phew.

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[Unidentified Speaker]

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[DJ Envy]

Visit Wells Fargo.com autographjourney Terms apply.

[Kel Penn]

Hey, everyone, it's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Hearsay The Audible, and iHeart Aud Book Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Angela Rye]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.