Netflix Host Nicole Byer Opens up About Racist Comedy Club Experience
Byer ended up canceling a meet-and-greet due to the 'bad vibes' from the incident.
In a recent episode of Jesse Tyler Ferguson's podcast Dinner's on Me, comedian and Netflix personality Nicole Byer shared a disturbing encounter with racism during a comedy performance in Appleton, Wisconsin. The incident, which occurred in an undisclosed venue, left Byer shaken and vowing never to return to the city.
Byer, best known for hosting the popular Netflix baking competition Nailed It!, recounted the unsettling experience that unfolded during her set. "I did shows in Appleton, Wisconsin, which I talk about in my special, and I really hated it there. The vibes f—g sucked," she said. The comedian went on to describe an atmosphere of unrest among the audience members, culminating in a shocking racist remark directed at her opening act.
"During my show, I had a white host, a Black featurer [introductory act], and the crowds were so unruly," Byer explained. The situation took a turn for the worse when an audience member shouted a blatantly racist comment at her Black opening act. "A guy in the crowd was like, 'Smile, we can't see you.' I was like, 'What the f—?'" she recalled.
Stunned by the audacity of the remark, Byer sought acknowledgment from the venue staff. "I walked out on the floor and I, like, looked at a server. I was like, 'You're not going to say anything?' And she was like, 'What?' I was like, 'Oh my god,'" she shared. The lack of response from the staff only compounded her frustration and discomfort.
The incident left such a bitter taste that Byer made the decision to forgo the meet-and-greets that had been sold with the tickets. "I told my agent, 'I'm just not meeting these people. I'm sure that there's nice people in this crowd, but overall garbage. Bad people, bad vibes,'" she stated. "I couldn't believe that man said that," Byer added.
What struck Byer most about the experience was the complete absence of consequences for the racist behavior. "No repercussions...it just blew my mind," she said, describing the incident as "scary" and solidifying her resolve never to return to Appleton. "I will never go back to Appleton, Wisconsin," she declared.
The comedian's experience in Appleton wasn't an isolated incident in her career. Byer has previously spoken out about the challenges faced by Black performers in the entertainment industry. In a 2018 Twitter (now X) thread, she shared a litany of discriminatory experiences under the heading "Being Black in America." These ranged from being told she didn't belong on set to having to do her own hair due to hairstylists' lack of expertise with Black hair.
In her 2021 Netflix special Nicole Byer: BBW (Big Beautiful Weirdo), she also referenced her experience in Appleton, saying, "I also got to go to Appleton, Wisconsin. Oh boy, what a cute name for a town – Appleton, Wisconsin. And then you get there and they're like, 'We tricked you. We're trash.'" She clarified that she wasn't suggesting everyone at her show was bad, but that a lot of people were on their "worst" behavior.
While Byer did not say at which venue the experience took place, or when, she sold out five shows in Appleton over Memorial Day weekend in May 2019 at Skyline Comedy Club, according to Adam Norwest of Bark Entertainment, which operates the club. Norwest told Post Crescent he wasn't there during Byer's shows, and no staff member he's spoken to since the interview emerged remembers Byer's interaction, though staff do recall people shouting "Nailed It!" in reference to her TV show.
Norwest expressed regret over Byer's experience. "I think it is very sad and unfortunate that Nicole was made to feel uncomfortable in Appleton," he stated. "Racism is not welcome at Skyline, and I hope that if we have an incident in the future it is handled immediately."
Despite these challenges, Byer's career continues to flourish. In addition to hosting Nailed It! since 2018, she co-hosts Wipeout with John Cena on TBS, voices characters in animated series, and has appeared in several films. Byer is also set to feature in upcoming series such as DINKS and the Flintstones-inspired Bedrock.
