In a video that has been circulating online for several weeks, Hasan Piker uttered the N word during a segment on The Young Turks, the progressive news network founded by his uncle Cenk Uygur. The clip, which was posted to social‑media accounts linked to the show, captures Piker speaking about a 2016 Department of Justice report that accused the Baltimore Police Department of down‑playing at least 60 complaints in which officers allegedly used the racial slur.
"Then the 60 instances of citizen complaints that alleged Baltimore officers' use of the racial slur 'N, ' were misclassified as a lesser offense," Piker said, looking directly into the camera with a slight grin. The remark was made while he and Uygur were discussing the findings of the DOJ investigation, a topic that has been a recurring focus for the network's commentary on policing and criminal‑justice reform.
Uygur, who hosts the flagship program, also used the slur several times in the same recording, as did regular contributors Ana Kasparian and Jimmy Dore, both of whom are white. Their use of the word was framed as quoting racist language, a practice the show once defended but later abandoned after criticism from civil‑rights groups and advertisers.
The clip also includes a brief exchange in which former Young Turks chief business officer Steve Oh asked, "White crackers? Does that mean now we can say black n, ?" Oh left the program in July 2021 to launch the Okiboru Group, a hospitality brand focused on Japanese noodle concepts, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Other moments in the video feature Uygur mocking the way some listeners use the slur, saying, "N, this or n, that, they're like, 'you cover that Jerry Rice‑looking n, .'" The language was interspersed with references to a Texas ranch owned by the family of former Governor Rick Perry, a topic that resurfaced in 2012 when the ranch's name sparked a separate controversy.
Uygur's history of using the N word dates back to his 2019 congressional campaign in California, a race that ended in defeat and contributed to Senator Bernie Sanders withdrawing his endorsement. At the time, Uygur defended the practice by saying the show quoted the word in full when reproducing racist statements. The policy was later dropped after a wave of criticism from viewers and sponsors.
In 2020, a viral video showed Uygur berating Black airline employees over a delayed flight. He said, "If we just sit here and take it, they'd have us here until six in the morning and then they'd f, k us even harder." A Black female employee responded, "I'm sorry, I am not going to answer your questions." The incident was cited by several media watchdogs as evidence of a hostile work environment on the network.
Hasan Piker has faced his own controversies. Last month, CNN contributor Scott Jennings released a clip in which Piker described himself as a "racist" and claimed "it was a better time when lynchings were happening." He added, "I don't give a f, k what Black people care about." The video was amplified by the National Republican Senatorial Committee and sparked a flurry of calls for accountability.
Piker's team responded by labeling the release as defamatory and threatened legal action against Jennings. In a statement, they said the remarks were delivered in a sarcastic tone and taken out of context. The dispute highlights the broader tension between left‑leaning influencers who rely on shock value and the political establishments that monitor their rhetoric.
Beyond the personal fallout, the incident raises questions about the influence of The Young Turks on Democratic‑Socialist politics in the United States. Piker, who began his career as a Twitch streamer and self‑described "pick‑up artist," has become a prominent surrogate for progressive candidates. He campaigned with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El‑Sayed, and he has been praised publicly by William Lawrence, a Democratic Socialists of America candidate who won a primary in Michigan's 7th congressional district.
In a Rolling Stone interview, Piker said he receives "requests from hundreds of political campaigns," underscoring his role as a digital mobilizer for left‑leaning races. Critics argue that his incendiary language undermines the credibility of the progressive movement, especially as the Democratic Party grapples with how to address systemic racism while courting a diverse electorate.
The controversy also has relevance for Canadian observers. The Young Turks' audience includes a sizable number of viewers in Canada who follow U.S. progressive commentary for insight into American policy debates. Canadian broadcasters operate under stricter language guidelines enforced by the Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission, and the repeated use of the N word on a high‑profile platform could prompt discussions about cross‑border media standards.
Legal experts note that while the First Amendment protects the broadcast of offensive language in the United States, private platforms and advertisers retain the right to withdraw support. Several advertisers have already paused spending on The Young Turks after the resurfaced clips, a move that could affect the network's revenue model, which relies heavily on sponsorships and viewer donations.
In the United States, the episode arrives at a moment when the Democratic Party is wrestling with internal debates over language, representation, and the limits of political humor. Progressive lawmakers in Congress have introduced bills to strengthen hate‑crime reporting, and the public's reaction to high‑profile uses of racial slurs may influence how those proposals are debated.
For Canadian policymakers, the incident offers a case study in how digital media can amplify controversial speech across borders. The Canadian government has recently introduced legislation aimed at curbing online hate speech, and the cross‑border nature of platforms like The Young Turks could test the effectiveness of those measures.
Looking ahead, The Young Turks has not issued a formal apology for the recent clip, but the network's leadership has previously pledged to review its editorial standards. Whether that review will result in concrete policy changes remains uncertain, as the show balances its brand of unfiltered commentary with the financial realities of a media market that is increasingly sensitive to issues of race and inclusion.
Meanwhile, Piker's future in political advocacy may hinge on how he navigates the fallout. If the legal threats against Jennings proceed, the case could set a precedent for how influencers defend themselves against edited footage. At the same time, his continued involvement in campaign work suggests that he will remain a fixture in the progressive media ecosystem, for better or for worse.