A doctor told Joy Reid Friday that the recent Michelle Obama joke made at the UFC White House fight was giving her heart palpitations.
Dr. Frita Fisher, a quadruple-board-certified nephrologist and former Fox News guest, went on ex-MSNBC host Joy Reid’s YouTube show to discuss the medical threats facing black women.
When Dr. Frita first saw the viral clip of UFC fighter Josh Hockit shouting, “And lastly, Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?” after his match, she told Reid that she was “personally humiliated.” (RELATED: Michelle Obama Says Illegals Are ‘The Beating Heart’ Of America)
“I felt my heart having palpitations. I felt my chest tighten. I felt personally humiliated as a black woman, as First Lady Michelle Obama is,” the Meharry Medical College-educated doctor told Reid.
Dr. Frita says that Michelle Obama jokes are causing increased heart disease for blacks pic.twitter.com/WfH7ZOstEA
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Dr. Fisher has appeared on Fox News in recent years as a medical commentator on COVID, Ozempic, and safety tips, among others. Reid pulled Dr. Fisher on her show to discuss the medical implications of derogatory comments made towards black women.
“It took me immediately, Joy, to the data that we have,” Dr. Fisher said. “We literally have data that systemic racism, chronic discrimination, and also public humiliation, we have data that these things increase cardiovascular negative outcomes. And as I sat there experiencing those emotions — I know I’m not alone — I realized, this is what happens.”
“This is why so many black people and black women specifically have poorer cardiovascular outcomes when compared to other ethnic groups,” Dr. Fisher continued. “This is why so many of us have increased strokes. It actually is real!”
The doctor then went on to list data from the American Heart Association, which recognizes that, in Dr. Fisher’s words, “chronic discrimination and systemic racism are associated with increased cardiovascular risks, like strokes.”
“All of this goes toward the stress that is felt when black women, I’ll talk about black women specifically, experience this systemic racism and oppression and just dehumanization,” Dr. Fisher said.
“What happens, Joy, is that when you experience public humiliation and systemic racism and things of that nature, it causes cortisol to spike,” the doctor added. (RELATED: Ex-MSNBC Host Joy Reid Renounces New York Giants After Learning QB Jaxson Dart Supports Trump)
Heart disease is the primary cause of death in black women in the United States, and nearly 60 percent of black women over 20 have some form of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Causes for this vary and include high blood pressure rates, obesity conditions, and nutritional deficiencies.
The two women also protested the praise several black ESPN sports commentators gave to the UFC fight, including Stephen Smith. After Reid expressed astonishment that anyone could appreciate the UFC fight, Dr. Fisher added, “You’re looking at the people who are supposed to support us — people within our community — black men who unfortunately sometimes seem to care more about power and money as opposed to really standing up for what is proper.”
Stephen Smith slammed Hokit’s comment about Michelle Obama on his Thursday radio show, saying, “It was a disgusting thing to say. It was inexcusable.”
Dr. Fisher ended the interview by giving medical advice to black women in America: “If you’re someone who is hearing these words and they’re causing these different situations, and they’re causing you to be extremely stressed and depressed, make sure you consult with your doctor, […] and certainly don’t be afraid to go and get mental help.”