*Cedric the Entertainer isn’t laughing at the wave of food stamp jokes circulating after news of the government shutdown. The comedy legend made it clear that humor about hunger isn’t something to take lightly — unless the joke truly lands.
“No, that’s not a joke. There’s so many people living with food insecurity in the United States,” he told TMZ when asked about the online chatter surrounding the U.S. government’s potential halt to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Nov. 1. SNAP supports roughly 42 million Americans and is projected to run out of funds amid the shutdown.
“The fact that the government is willing to let its own citizens starve and not eat is ridiculous,” Cedric continued, adding, “All of us are one paycheck away from being dead broke in this country.”
When asked if jokes about the situation were off-limits, he said, “Well you know … if they’re funny…” before adding, “I do understand that we’re going to joke about everything.”
Scroll to continue reading
Federal food assistance is set to stop on November 1 after the USDA declined to use roughly $5 billion in backup funds to sustain benefits, the Trump administration confirmed. According to a department memo reviewed by Newsweek, the contingency funds “are only available to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for,” and are meant for programs offering disaster relief.
The USDA added that redirecting those funds would drain resources from other initiatives, such as WIC, the National School Lunch Program, and various Child Nutrition Programs. “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” a USDA spokesperson told Newsweek. “Continue to hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments.”
Although SNAP is a mandatory program, its funding depends on congressional appropriations, which have been frozen during the shutdown. In response, 24 states and the District of Columbia have joined a lawsuit challenging the suspension. Attorneys general from states including California, New York, Illinois, and Washington, along with the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, are among those taking legal action.
The filing warns, “Shutting off SNAP benefits will cause deterioration of public health and well-being,” and that ending assistance could lead to “food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition,” especially among children.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Taraji P. Henson and Cedric the Entertainer to Lead Broadway Revival of August Wilson’s ‘Joe Turner’s Come and Gone’
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
