Have you seen this blowing up your instagram feed?

Sometimes a comedy sketch doesn’t just make you laugh.

It makes you exhale. Like someone finally said the thing you’ve been thinking for twenty years but couldn’t articulate without sounding bitter.

That’s exactly what happened when This Hour Has 22 Minutes dropped “The Problem With Black Oscar Movies” , and the internet hasn’t stopped talking about it since.

The comments say it all:

“Oh my Lord? Is this Canadian? We are realllllly levelling up our television game.”

“I’m SO shocked this is a Canadian skit.”

“I love Canada.”

Let’s break down why this sketch hit so hard , and why it matters that it came from a Canadian show most people outside the country have never heard of.

What the Sketch Actually Said

The premise is deceptively simple: two Black characters are enjoying sundaes in a diner during Jim Crow-era America. A white couple walks in. Tension builds.

Then one character realizes what’s happening.

“Oh no. We’re in a Black Oscar bait movie.”

What follows is a masterclass in satirical precision. The characters clock every trope in real time:

• The “first Black [insert profession] who uses their genius to convince coworkers they’re a person”
• The Black maid who’s “really good at math”
• The white actor who’s “Shakespearean trained and very good at hitting the hard R”
• The film titled They Stood Up, directed by “some white guy” and produced by Brad Pitt

The punchline? “All that’s gonna happen is your legacy is gonna be forgotten, and then your favourite white actor is gonna call you the n-word for ninety minutes and get nominated for an Oscar.”

Then the solution: “It’s time we write our own movies with no white saviours that don’t depend on Black trauma. For us, by us.”

And scene.

Why This Sketch Broke the Internet

Here’s the thing , none of this is new information.

Black audiences have been side-eyeing Green Book, The Help, and Hidden Figures for years. The critique of “Black trauma as prestige content” isn’t groundbreaking.

So why did this particular sketch travel so far, so fast?

1. It Named a Shared Feeling

A lot of Black viewers have felt this discomfort forever:

• “Why do Black movies only get awards when we’re suffering?”
• “Why does a white character always need to learn a lesson through us?”
• “Why does our pain feel like prestige content?”

The sketch gave people the words: “Movies about Black people, but actually for white people to feel good about themselves.”

Once something is named, it spreads. That’s resonance.

2. Satire Lowered Defenses

If this had been a lecture, it wouldn’t have travelled as far.

Instead, the sketch used absurdity (“We’re gonna die in this”), meta-awareness (characters realizing they’re in Oscar bait), and comedy as a Trojan horse to smuggle in critique.

People laughed , and then felt exposed.

That emotional one-two punch is extremely shareable.

3. It Broke the “Respectability” Rule

Black critique is often expected to be calm, grateful, polite, educational.

This clip said: No. We’re joking, clocking it, and moving on.

That freedom feels refreshing : especially online, where people are tired of performing explanations for non-Black audiences.

4. It Flipped the Gaze

Notice what the sketch didn’t do:

• No “not all white filmmakers”
• No hedging
• No softening the point

Instead, it flipped the perspective: “You exist so a white actor can say the n-word for 90 minutes and get nominated.”

That single line explains decades of awards culture in one joke.

5. It Collapsed Decades of Film Tropes Into One Scene

People instantly recognized Green Book, The Help, Hidden Figures, the “Civil Rights but make it inspirational” genre.

Recognition creates collective memory. Collective memory fuels comments, tags, and shares.

6. Perfect Cultural Timing

Right now, audiences are fatigued by trauma-based storytelling. Creators are demanding ownership, authorship, and joy. People are questioning awards, gatekeepers, and “prestige.”

This wasn’t new information. It was perfect timing.

7. The Canadian Surprise

The comments clocked it immediately: “Wait… this is Canadian??”

That added surprise, pride, and a sense of “we’re doing something different here.” Being from This Hour Has 22 Minutes gave it cultural permission to punch up.

8. It Validated Exhaustion

Underneath the jokes was this feeling: “We are tired of being reduced to lessons.”

People didn’t just laugh. They felt seen. And when people feel seen, they comment, tag friends, and hit share.

About the Show (And Why I’ve Been Watching for Years)

Let me be honest: I’ve been following This Hour Has 22 Minutes since the Rick Mercer days.

For those unfamiliar, here’s the quick background:

This Hour Has 22 Minutes is a Canadian weekly comedy show that launched on CBC Television in 1993 : during Canada’s 35th federal election. The title references the 22 minutes of actual content in a 30-minute broadcast once commercials are removed.

The format? Mock newscasts, sketches, parody commercials, and man-on-the-street interviews. The focus? Sharp political and social satire, targeting Canadian federal and provincial politics, public policy debates, and international stories : often aired within days of actual news.

The original cast included Cathy Jones, Rick Mercer, Greg Thomey, and Mary Walsh, who established the show’s iconic style.

Here’s my hot take: This show is what inspired The Daily Show.

The Daily Show launched three years later, on July 22, 1996, on Comedy Central. The satirical news format, the desk segments, the sharp political commentary : the blueprint was already running on CBC.

Canada doesn’t always get credit for its cultural exports. But this one deserves the flowers.

The New Generation: Trent McClellan and Aba Amuquandoh

The current cast includes Mark Critch (since 2003), Stacey McGunnigle, Chris Wilson, and two Black Canadian comedians who are bringing fresh energy to the show.

Trent McClellan

Trent joined 22 Minutes in 2017 and has become a standout presence. Originally from Calgary with Newfoundland roots, he’s a stand-up comedian known for his sharp timing and ability to deliver uncomfortable truths with a smile.

Before joining the show, Trent built his reputation on the Canadian comedy circuit, performing at festivals and clubs across the country. His style is direct, observational, and unapologetically Canadian : which makes him perfect for a show that’s been holding politicians accountable for over three decades.

Aba Amuquandoh

Aba joined in 2021 and represents the new generation of sharp, cultural critique on Canadian television. Her presence on the show has brought fresh perspectives, particularly around race, identity, and the absurdities of modern life.

She’s part of the wave of Black Canadian talent pushing the boundaries of what “Canadian comedy” looks like : and who it’s for.

Together, Trent and Aba represent what happens when a legacy show makes room for new voices. The sketch about Black Oscar bait movies isn’t an accident. It’s the result of having writers and performers who live these experiences.

Why This Matters for Black Canadian Creators

The final line of the sketch says it all: “It’s time we write our own movies with no white saviours that don’t depend on Black trauma. For us, by us.”

That’s the whole mission.

At Black Canadian Creators, we’re building a community around that exact principle : authentic, empowering stories created by and for Black Canadians.

Not trauma porn. Not lessons for other audiences. Not suffering as entertainment.

Joy. Ownership. Authorship.

The fact that this sketch came from a Canadian show, featuring Black Canadian talent, calling out an international industry : that’s the energy we need more of.

Want to be part of the movement? Submit your story or spotlight your channel with Black Canadian Creators.

Because the best response to Oscar bait? Making our own films, our own content, our own platforms.

For us. By us.