"Ignorant racist": Ben Stein Aunt Jemima syrup controversy explained as Ferris Bueller star comes under fire

Lawyer and actor Ben Stein has landed himself in a pickle after going on a racist rant about Aunt Jemima's pancake syrup. In a video shared on Twitter by Ron Filipkowski on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off actor is seen lamenting the old days when the syrup brand famously had a caricature of a &quot;large African-American woman&quot; on its bottle.Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.78941006Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjThe image was removed from the brand's logo in 2021 by the company after the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement.Listening to the lawyer's tirade, Twitterati were left fuming. They promptly took to the micro-blogging site to criticize him. One user @realitychk_1, stated:Robert_A.@realitychk_1Ignorant racist Trump boot licker Ben Stein misses Aunt Jemima image on the syrup bottle. Happy BHM. twitter.com/RonFilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.2988Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjIgnorant racist Trump boot licker Ben Stein misses Aunt Jemima image on the syrup bottle. Happy BHM. twitter.com/RonFilipkowski…Aunt Jemima was rebranded as Pearl Milling Company in June 2021After stating that he was making &quot;breakfast for dinner,&quot; Stein was seen holding an old bottle of Aunt Jemima pancake syrup. He then expressed his dissatisfaction at its recent rebranding, stating:&quot;Because of the inherent racism of America’s corporate culture, they decided to make it a white person or maybe no person at all.&quot;Declaring his preference for the original logo design, Stein controversially added:&quot;But I prefer it when it was a Black person showing their incredible skill making pancakes.&quot;Following years of public criticism that the caricature on the syrup bottles promoted racist stereotypes and with a larger racial reckoning happening in 2020 after George Floyd's murder, Pepsi Co. decided to put a stop to using Aunt Jemima's well-known image. They also rebranded it as Pearl Milling Company, named after the company where the original Aunt Jemima brand was created.&quot;Why make this video?&quot;: Exasperated internet users call out Ben Stein for his racist remarksNetizens were horrified and shocked at Ben Stein's questionable statements. They accused him of being &quot;wilfully ignorant.&quot; Many pointed out that the actor prefers the old days as people could be openly racist back then. Others commented that it was the 78-year-old himself who fell for the brand's &quot;racist propaganda.&quot; User @AmirMW commented:Amir M. Webb, M. A.@AmirMWJust a reminder that Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben were introduced at the Chicago Worlds Fair as former slaves that missed cooking for white people during slavery. So Ben Stein is literally falling for racist propaganda twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.21012Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjJust a reminder that Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben were introduced at the Chicago Worlds Fair as former slaves that missed cooking for white people during slavery. So Ben Stein is literally falling for racist propaganda twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Another disappointed Twitter user, Anita Warren, remarked that:&quot;Actor Ben Stein used to be smart, entertaining, and funny... Now he's just a racist Creep!&quot;Anita Warren@AnitaWa42867213@RonFilipkowski Actor Ben Stein used to be smart, entertaining, and funny.....Now he's just a racist Creep!@RonFilipkowski Actor Ben Stein used to be smart, entertaining, and funny.....Now he's just a racist Creep!After listening to the 78-year-old's recent comments, one user, @chipgoines, sarcastically joked that he now understands why the protagonist from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ignored Stein's character.chip goines@chipgoinesNow I get why Ferris Bueller tuned out Ben Stein when he taught him in high school twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein takes a quick break from pan-searing salmon to let his fans on Truth Social know that we have become a “racial dictatorship.”3537Actor Ben Stein takes a quick break from pan-searing salmon to let his fans on Truth Social know that we have become a “racial dictatorship.” https://t.co/V8ldEANQjoNow I get why Ferris Bueller tuned out Ben Stein when he taught him in high school twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Here are some more reactions and comments seen on Twitter following Stein's rant:Ryan Shead@RyanSheadWhen the bigots stand up and say ‘here I am’…This is a cringe video of Ben Stein saying he preferred the “large Black lady” showing her skills making pancakes on his syrup bottle. Why make this video? 🙄36252When the bigots stand up and say ‘here I am’…This is a cringe video of Ben Stein saying he preferred the “large Black lady” showing her skills making pancakes on his syrup bottle. 😬Why make this video? 🙄 https://t.co/IZc9HgxHEyRon Beardly@RadimirGuerrero@RexChapman Wokeism makes Ben stein look racist. Of course he misses the good old days.@RexChapman Wokeism makes Ben stein look racist. Of course he misses the good old days.The Astute Galoot ™️➿@TheAstuteGalootSorry, Ben Stein can’t have any of Aunt Jemima’s wokeness syrup 🤑 twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.6211Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjSorry, Ben Stein can’t have any of Aunt Jemima’s wokeness syrup 🤑 twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Malka🌈@Three3sMalkaMy fellow Jewish people, when our people act racist, we MUST call it out. Ben Stein out here acting like a fool with his corn syrup. He does not represent THIS Jewish woman.4110My fellow Jewish people, when our people act racist, we MUST call it out. Ben Stein out here acting like a fool with his corn syrup. He does not represent THIS Jewish woman.Dastardly Democrat 😈@LifeLongWanderRSure Ben Stein, if by “chef” you meant “slave cook” on a plantation or an underpaid black woman cooking for white families. Yeah, I’m sure you do miss the idea of “Aunt Jemima”You can change the image, but the implication remains. twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.21Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjSure Ben Stein, if by “chef” you meant “slave cook” on a plantation or an underpaid black woman cooking for white families. Yeah, I’m sure you do miss the idea of “Aunt Jemima”You can change the image, but the implication remains. twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…DrRamblings@DrRamblingsJust as cringe as expected when I saw Ben Stein was trending with “Aunt Jemima”. He is the perfect example of the difference between intelligence &amp; ignorance. He is intelligent, but also willfully ignorant. twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.79581014Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjJust as cringe as expected when I saw Ben Stein was trending with “Aunt Jemima”. He is the perfect example of the difference between intelligence &amp; ignorance. He is intelligent, but also willfully ignorant. twitter.com/ronfilipkowski…Wookieeluvin(He/Him)@Dave_Jones1971@HNTurtledove Ben Stein: I miss the good ol’days when you could be casually racist and nobody called you on it.8@HNTurtledove Ben Stein: I miss the good ol’days when you could be casually racist and nobody called you on it.Azathoth's Daddy@AquaVelvaBoyBen Stein: &quot;I sure miss those days when America was openly racist.&quot; twitter.com/RonFilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.71Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjBen Stein: &quot;I sure miss those days when America was openly racist.&quot; twitter.com/RonFilipkowski…🇺🇦 Mark Janes 🇺🇦@inkedpenguinWow.I knew Ben Stein was somewhat conservative, but didn't know he was this overtly racist and hate-filled. If being not-woke=being-racist, I'd MUCH rather be 'woke.' twitter.com/RonFilipkowski…Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦@RonFilipkowskiActor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything.11017Actor Ben Stein says he misses the good old days when “a large African-American woman” was on his syrup bottle, but woke corporate culture ruins everything. https://t.co/WkSXUDbRIjWow.I knew Ben Stein was somewhat conservative, but didn't know he was this overtly racist and hate-filled. If being not-woke=being-racist, I'd MUCH rather be 'woke.' twitter.com/RonFilipkowski…isn’t anything@loosenyourholdBen Stein and Aunt Jemima: the Twitter bingo card none of us expected… but all of us should have expected.3Ben Stein and Aunt Jemima: the Twitter bingo card none of us expected… but all of us should have expected. https://t.co/3er7q4ra4OWho is Ben Stein?Stein is a lawyer and actor known for his conservative commentaries on political and economic issues. He worked as an economist at the Department of Commerce in Washington D.C. and was a trial lawyer at the Federal Trade Commission. He later moved to the west coast, where he taught politics and civil rights at the University of California.Ben Stein (Image via Getty Images)Following his successfully published editorials, the 78-year-old became a speechwriter for President Richard Nixon and President Gerald Ford.His work led him to consult on Hollywood movies, helping &quot;liberal writers portray conservative families.&quot; The lawyer was soon offered roles in many commercials and movies. His peculiar stone-faced and deadpan line delivery landed him roles with bland and unemotional characters.The speechwriter is famous for his role in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and for hosting the show Win Ben Stein's Money.

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