The 57th NAACP Image Awards opened off Saturday night with host Deon Cole blending sharp political humor with pointed cultural commentary, including a censored jab referencing immigration enforcement and a nod to the recent awards-season disruption involving Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo at the British Academy Film Awards.
Cole’s monologue at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium drew loud reactions from the crowd as he joked about removing anything associated with “ICE” from the guest list before shifting into a comedic prayer segment that touched on celebrities and current headlines. The comedian then referenced the BAFTA disruption, which occurred Feb. 21 when a racial slur was shouted from the audience by Tourette syndrome advocate John Davidson while Jordan and Lindo were presenting during a ceremony that had been prerecorded earlier in the day.
