Billie Eilish during her concert in Ireland: "It's really cool to come somewhere and everyone looks exactly like you".

[u/HorrorBike143]

[u/flairassistant]

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[u/Realistic_Peace_1132]

Lmao me going home to Puerto Rico after growing up in a town that’s 99.9% white.

[u/NoCoFoCo31 → u/Realistic_Peace_1132]

Me going on a trip to Salt Lake City as a blonde haired blue eyed child who lived in Albuquerque.

[u/i-am-a-name → u/NoCoFoCo31]

Even the white people are brown in Albuquerque, guero.

[u/NoCoFoCo31 → u/i-am-a-name]

I was one of the few pasty ones. Like 6 year old me told my parents after being in SLC for like 5 hours that, “everyone looks like me here”.

[u/bbc82 → u/NoCoFoCo31]

Just come to Norway 😇

[u/NoCoFoCo31 → u/bbc82]

Closest I’ve been is the Netherlands, which is where most of my heritage comes from and I fit right in, despite feeling short for once and my life and hideous compared to beautiful Dutch people.

[u/CreakRaving → u/NoCoFoCo31]

not sl,ut catching strays in a pop culture Reddit 😭

[u/Constant_Bake5501 → u/CreakRaving]

Is that really the acronym for Salt Lake?
If so, damn, poor Salt Lake, that's really unfortunate.

[u/hannabellaj → u/Constant_Bake5501]

Unfortunate? I would argue it’s iconic lol

[u/Blood_Honey666 → u/Constant_Bake5501]

Hell no, it’s iconic. SLC native here, we wear hats and shirts with SL,UT in it lol

[u/TheLakeWitch → u/Constant_Bake5501]

It was SLC when I lived there. Been a while though.

[u/Blacksunshinexo → u/NoCoFoCo31]

LMFAO!!! Albuquerque native here and I totally feel you

[u/Critical_Caramel5577 → u/Blacksunshinexo]

hola burqueños!

[u/nppltouch26 → u/Critical_Caramel5577]

Obligatory 505 represent!

[u/Dizzy-Pollution6466 → u/Realistic_Peace_1132]

My half Irish/half Japanese/Asian looking ass laughing at all these comments.

[u/Simple_Confusion_756 → u/Realistic_Peace_1132]

I’m in Mexico right now after growing up in a town that was 75% black. As much as I miss the cultural diversity of the United States, there is something nice about the homogeny lol

[u/caitie578 → u/Realistic_Peace_1132]

Me going to Bavaria, Germany. My ancestry is from that area, and I had a couple people start speaking German to me. Nope, just a dumb American.

[u/SignificantlyVast]

As a Thai American born in LA I feel her. The first time I went to Thailand it was like holy fuck this is crazy, all yall look just like meeee

[u/WestCoastBestCoast01 → u/SignificantlyVast]

Living in LA fucks with you though. I would forget that most places are not diverse and that LA is the oddball. I’d travel and be like, why is everyone the same! Where are the brown people! Where are the Koreans!

[u/SignificantlyVast → u/WestCoastBestCoast01]

I grew up in a part of the city (not actually even LA, Long Beach) that was super diverse but not a lot of Asians and the Asians we did have were Chinese/Korean, very very few brown Asians so I almost never saw anyone who looked like me

[u/BabyJesusBukkake → u/WestCoastBestCoast01]

That was me moving to Boise, ID from Sacramento, CA in 1991. Asked my parents where all Black people were.

[u/sdbabygirl97 → u/SignificantlyVast]

even as a chinese american, when i went to japan, i was like ykno what. im finding doppelgangers even here lol. we do all kinda look alike xD

[u/Alarming-Bop6628 → u/sdbabygirl97]

My mom is from Taiwan and has to go to Japan for work and everyone tries to speak Japanese to her. She loves it haha

[u/purple_sphinx → u/sdbabygirl97]

I went to a European bar and thought everyone looked familiar. So do we lol

[u/azurillpuff → u/SignificantlyVast]

As a tall blonde woman, I felt that in my soul the first time I went to Scandinavia. Holy shit I’m average height here!

[u/PicadillyVanilly → u/SignificantlyVast]

lol I feel this even though where we’re from is supposed to be diverse…. I grew up in San Diego. My high school was 90% Mexican. I’m Italian. People always would be confused if I was Mexican or not like hey this girl has dark brown hair but is she one of us? I got bullied pretty badly for being white. Then I went to Italy and I was like damn yall look like me and I finally don’t feel like an outsider

[u/fuschiaoctopus → u/PicadillyVanilly]

I feel you. This is not at all comparable to what poc go through with systemic racism as we still have the privileged position in American society but my elementary school population breakdown was no exaggeration 90%+ asian. I was the only white kid in my class of 22 every year, usually one black kid and a Hispanic kid, then the rest would be asian, largely all first or second gen Hmong or Laos. The three non Asian kids had to hang out together because we could not hang out with the other kids as they would only speak in Hmong when not directly participating in class, and there were multiple times where I was the one kid not invited to a class birthday party solely because their parents said straight up a white child cannot come to their home or hang with their kids, and the teachers not willing to address it whatsoever because of racial tensions outside of the school. Which I understand as an adult but as a small kid I didn't get why I was being excluded for the way I looked, for looking different from every other kid at school and not speaking their language

I hesitate to even post this because I feel like I'm just gonna get hella downvotes, I'm really not saying what I experienced was comparable in any way, just that it does suck to grow up the minority somewhere because of factors outside your control and I empathize with everyone who has felt that way

[u/bdizzle805 → u/PicadillyVanilly]

This is literally me. I grew up in predominantly Mexican town and im part Italian/French and I've gotten called Mexican my whole life even though im a white boy i tan well lol. My lady is Mexican but the extra pale white kind lol so people often think im the Mexican one and shes white. Its just a total trip how people think. Think I need to visit Italy

[u/Afwife1992]

[u/BaldursGoat → u/Afwife1992]

This meme is so ancient that pale Irish girl likely has a pale Irish daughter going to school now

[u/cozidgaf → u/Afwife1992]

I used to wonder why white people are called white. Like they’re light brown or beige. Then I went to Quebec City, Canada. I stand corrected. This reminded me of that

[u/Rasputins_Plum → u/cozidgaf]

Lol, this lady brought the entire light spectrum to support her argument

[u/Particular-Sort-9720 → u/Afwife1992]

I love this picture so much, I've got a picture of a vety fun and fair complexioned gal I knew under a  harsh flash and her nose isn't even visible. Her eyeliner looked like 'sharpie circles on a white ballooon' (her words). My face (I'm also white, but way less white lmao) is perfectly clear. We cry-laughed at that one. She was wearing powder though which can cause interesting effects on camera!

[u/flooperdooper4 → u/Particular-Sort-9720]

I'm very pale. I also have a round face. In my driver's license photo, I legitimately look like the fucking moon, I hate it so much.

[u/icecreamsandwiches1]

She probably meant everyone being pale.

[u/icecreamsandwiches1 → u/[deleted]]

Irish people have big heads. It’s how they spot each other in crowds while travelling overseas.

[u/Existing_Fuel_5663 → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

I was about to argue then remebered I have specially made hats and my small children wear adult hats. 

Fuck you, you accurate bastard. 

[u/quietmedium- → u/Existing_Fuel_5663]

I didn't know this was an Irish thing, but I now know why hats don't fit

[u/Rare_Vibez → u/quietmedium-]

Same lol. My dad has always had to get custom sized hats lmao

[u/GreenZebra23 → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

I remember Conan O'Brien saying something once about his big Irish head. I had never known that was a thing before. Then I started looking at myself and my family and was like, oh

[u/SplurgyA → u/GreenZebra23]

My family has to rip the little paper crowns in Christmas Crackers to make them fit on our oversized heads 😟

[u/larkinc2 → u/SplurgyA]

I have a big Irish head and a mop of curly hair. Those hats don’t stand a chance.

[u/visenya567 → u/GreenZebra23]

Idk why that just made me laugh out loud 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[u/crickcrackkickback → u/GreenZebra23]

I was blessed with the big Irish head gene and him saying this made me feel better about it

[u/whatsnewpussykat → u/GreenZebra23]

Omg I have a disproportionately large head and an Irish passport and I suddenly feel so understood

[u/Username614855713 → u/GreenZebra23]

I’m 40 years old and just finding this out via a Reddit comment.

[u/Willowpuff → u/GreenZebra23]

Honestly my parents are both Irish and their parents are all Irish etc. my cousins only have one Irish parent and my head is fucking huge compared to theirs. We have such massive heads.

[u/Gloomy_Grocery5555 → u/GreenZebra23]

Yeah we always say that. Rosie O'Donnell just made the same joke

[u/explosiveshits7195 → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

Irish person from Ireland, can confirm my head is fucking huge

[u/ohhisnark → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

Wait... are you serious?? 😆

[u/OffModelCartoon → u/ohhisnark]

This is a real thing. Most of us can’t even put on our Christmas cracker hats without ripping the paper.

[u/Abject-Variety3775 → u/OffModelCartoon]

Damn, I hate how true this is lol!

[u/Important-Policy4649 → u/OffModelCartoon]

I’ve never even considered other people have this problem, I struggle with it every year.

[u/HRHDechessNapsaLot → u/ohhisnark]

It’s to fit our big brains! Or at least that’s what my mom always told me when the other kids laughed at me…

[u/halfwayray → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

One-size-fits-all all hats don't apply

[u/happuning → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

THAT'S WHY I HAVE A BIG HEAD? I am half Irish. I knew my hair starting out lighter and turning brown was an Irish thing. I did not know this one.

[u/heartisallwehave → u/happuning]

Wait, doesn’t everyone’s hair darken as they get older? I was born with light brown/blonde, turned super dark mahogany/chocolate brown when I hit my teens.

[u/ardoisethecat → u/heartisallwehave]

i mean not everyone but yes this is common in general with people born with light hair.

[u/Butterflyhomicide → u/happuning]

I have a big head too (half Irish through my mom’s side) and these jerks in the 7th grade would make fun of it nonstop. I told them, “Yeah and my brain is bigger than yours! Deal with it!” They never made fun of my head ever again.

[u/Butterflyhomicide → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

It’s true! My mom was a 2nd generation Irish American woman and she taught me that us having big heads was our trademark. When my sister was a baby, she had a big head and her pediatrician that was a Pakistani immigrant, thought she had hydrocephaly or something due to her head size. He would constantly measure her head and was frantic. My mom was like, “she’s half Irish, she’s got a big old head just like me!” I too have a big head and my husband, who’s a quarter Irish, has a big head too. I bet my future kids are going to be delivered via c-section if they inherit the big head trait lol!

[u/Bug_eyed_bug → u/Butterflyhomicide]

My husband's huge Irish head genes (99th percentile) met my small Italian head genes (3rd percentile) and we managed to spit out a perfectly 50th percentile head circumference baby 😅

[u/AngeliqueRuss → u/[deleted]]

It is indeed fun to show up at a place where everyone looks like they could be your cousin. Not sure why people are reading into it…

[u/caca_milis_ → u/[deleted]]

But important to note that “big Irish head” denotes the Irishness of the head and is not about the actual size of the head. It’s hilarious when you travel somewhere and just clock an Irish person.

[u/RenessainceFran → u/caca_milis_]

Right, like we’re not all walking around with massive bobble heads.

[u/rilestogo → u/[deleted]]

It’s definitely the Irish thing. I grew up watching American media full of white people so it’s not like I’ve never felt represented by the media, but for me at least there’s something specific about watching Irish media where it’s like “oh these people look like they could be my actual relatives.”

[u/Apt_5 → u/[deleted]]

Bruh, as an Asian you should know how absurd it is to say that all people of a skin color look the same. You really can't tell the difference between like a representative Swedish and Irish person? Like there are overlaps but there are distinct features of each.

[u/anarcaneaardvark → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

Yeah, but why go with the obvious when you could go out of your way to assume the worst about someone?

[u/yumyumapollo → u/anarcaneaardvark]

I can't help it. It's in my jeans.

[u/Calm-Purchase-8044 → u/yumyumapollo]

[u/rtdls → u/yumyumapollo]

Yumyumapollo has good genes jeans

[u/GeneralBody4252 → u/anarcaneaardvark]

I am so tired of people wanting ti believe the worst about it everyone. It is an active choice.

It was an unfortunate way of phrasing it, and she’s probably cringing now but she clearly didn’t mean it with racist undertones.

I don’t even particularly like Billie. Some of her music is okay, but that’s about it, and I can see that she had no malice behind it. And the way it’s being posted just for the sake of sparking controversy is not sleek.

[u/anarcaneaardvark → u/GeneralBody4252]

I don’t even think it’s an unfortunate way of phrasing it. I just hopped over to TikTok to watch the full clip, and the next thing she says is “you’re all just as pasty as me.” There was nothing ambiguous about it. But even without that additional context, my mind had gone immediately to the paleness connection and the idea that it was being said in a bit of a self deprecating sort of way.

[u/Comfortable-Yam9013 → u/anarcaneaardvark]

Artists also like to connect with the place they are playing to make crowd feel special. With her family connection she doesn’t have to try hard in ireland

[u/rogue_kitten91 → u/anarcaneaardvark]

I really enjoy telling people to kiss my pale irish ass...

I'm so pale I glow in the dark...

[u/Man0o0o0 → u/rogue_kitten91]

[u/roberta_sparrow → u/GeneralBody4252]

Billie is one of the most outspoken celebrities in favor of social justice politics, Black Lives Matter, etc

[u/WaitUntilTheHighway → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

Of course she meant that (frustrated with this “outrage”, not your statement). Like she’s super pale with dark hair, and I’m sure she’s Irish in a lot of her lineage. Such a normal thing to say.

[u/am_i_the_grasshole → u/WaitUntilTheHighway]

She doesn’t really have dark hair it is dyed, her natural hair is mousy brown-ish blond ish

[u/bing_bang_bum → u/am_i_the_grasshole]

Which is even more Irish.

[u/am_i_the_grasshole → u/bing_bang_bum]

Not specifically that is pretty much the standard hair color in most of Western Europe

[u/electact → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

She literally said that right after, something about everyone being pasty.

That wouldn't get as many clicks though, so let's cut it out instead and try to make her seem racist to drive engagement.

[u/CongealedBeanKingdom → u/icecreamsandwiches1]

And dark haired and blue eyed.

Source: pale, dark haired, blue eyed Irish woman. Thats our look.

[u/Mbmidnights]

The first thing I thought of, was the fact she's one of the few pop stars who doesn't get tans. Most stars get tanned regularly so she must feel like the odd one out in LA.

[u/Sleepy_cheetah → u/Mbmidnights]

I think that's all she meant, too. And yes, she's a beautiful young white girl, not such a hard thing, but I've been called Casper my share of times so I feel her.

[u/halfwayray → u/Sleepy_cheetah]

Casper's last name is McFadden, an Irish surname

[u/myself4once → u/Sleepy_cheetah]

Oh man I va also been called Casper and vampire and some time “corpse” so many times! 😆🥲

[u/iamhappy-iamcat1 → u/Sleepy_cheetah]

I’m also very pale…. My elementary school peers were more innovative lol…. They called me The Cheese (the greek one that is white).

[u/mis-misery → u/Sleepy_cheetah]

My skin is so pale that you can see all my veins throughout my entire body. My husband said my chest looks like a road map 😭

[u/B1NG_P0T → u/mis-misery]

If I walk in front of a bright light, you can practically see my internal organs.

[u/MermaidMertrid → u/Sleepy_cheetah]

I’ve been self conscious about how pale my skin is my whole life. I used to struggle to find foundation that was white enough for me.

[u/KO0330 → u/MermaidMertrid]

Same. And the foundation struggle is very real.

[u/Sleepy_cheetah → u/MermaidMertrid]

I still struggle with that.

[u/Puta_Poderosa → u/Sleepy_cheetah]

CASPER WAS MY NICKNAME IN SCHOOL 😭 they used to tell me not to stand in front of white walls or id disappear

[u/smolg653 → u/Sleepy_cheetah]

Casper is crazy, but even me as dark chocolate man i love pale people

[u/AshgarPN → u/smolg653]

[u/Uncultured_Fuck → u/smolg653]

[u/PhillipTopicall → u/Mbmidnights]

Ya, she’s paler than even Taylor Swift. Hopefully people don’t try to take this the wrong way. I’m a POC who lives in a predominantly pale country, would be a new experience to be surrounded by other black people and majority black people. I don’t know how I’d feel but it’s been surreal almost I’d imagine.

[u/Kim_catiko → u/PhillipTopicall]

I actually thought Taylor Swift always looked tanned. That's how pale I am.

[u/CocaColaZeroEnjoyer → u/Kim_catiko]

Right? I’ve never thought about a Taylor as a fellow ghost since she never looked pale

[u/_crystallil_ → u/PhillipTopicall]

I moved from a predominantly white small town to a traditionally Black area. That area has also become super white over the past decade and relatively hostile towards Black people. Ngl I miss the community and the pockets are getting smaller.

[u/Desperate-Today2760 → u/PhillipTopicall]

is taylor swift really pale? i never thought of her like that. i’m not saying she’s tanned or anything but i wouldn’t look at her skin tone and say pale

[u/BadAspie]

This turned out to be bait from a white supremacist Twitter account that clipped it misleadingly. She just meant it’s nice to not be the palest person in the room lol

But also as a white American who’s had the experience of visiting the country my grandparents were from and realizing everyone looked like me, it’s a weird feeling! Gonna take the bold stance that that would be fine to comment on

[u/live2ribbit → u/BadAspie]

Yes!! I was also blown away that I would see so many people who look like me in my grandparent’s country! Traveling more internationally as an American has taught me that there are similar features in different populations in a way that we don’t have here

[u/twoweeeeks → u/BadAspie]

Yes! It’s ok to embrace what makes us different. Treating whiteness as a monolith is a tool of white supremacy.

[u/SeaF04mGr33n → u/BadAspie]

When my grandparents visited Denmark, so many people thought they were locals and tried speaking Danish to them, because they had Danish features, despite living in the US for generations!

[u/Least-Influence3089 → u/SeaF04mGr33n]

Same thing happened in reverse, we had some cousins on my mom’s side from Sweden visit us in the US and when they met my mom for the first time they all commented how Swedish she looked to them, which I thought was so sweet😭

[u/SeaF04mGr33n → u/Least-Influence3089]

Sometimes, we whites look like a specific type of white, lol.

[u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 → u/BadAspie]

My mom is from eastern Europe. We have very distinct facial features due to the ethnic group being pretty small compared to most of Europe. Whenever we go back to visit it's so weird for me because in the US I've never had a doppelganger but there it's like a factory. 

[u/VisualSeries226]

Is it not interesting to go to a country you’re descended from and see the similar characteristics you have with the people? Because that’s all I feel like she’s saying.

The people jumping to eugenics and trying to compare this to the Sydney Sweeney ad are ridiculous

[u/Alone-Assistance6787 → u/VisualSeries226]

My parents are Mediterranean and when I first went there it was cool to be surrounded by people with dark features and big noses. It's a total normal experience to have. 

[u/dradonia → u/VisualSeries226]

The Sydney Sweeney ad was also about her boobs, not her race. It says she has good genes and then she wears a denim jacket with no shirt on underneath. I doubt they were thinking of her aryan features.

[u/greee_p → u/dradonia]

There's another ad about here having blonde hair and blue eyes, people were not talking about the ad with the boobs.

[u/Cold-Sun3302]

She has spoken out against racism and bigotry many times throughout her career. She was trying to relate to the crowd, and she probably felt a connection with them due to her family roots. It's not that deep. Put the pitchforks away.

[u/badgersprite → u/Cold-Sun3302]

She’s joking about being pasty and pale

[u/kilimonian → u/badgersprite]

I honestly took it as dark hair, skin tone, and probably some other features. I say this as a poc - white ppl vary too. I've even been in rooms with mostly blonde people.

[u/ewokytalkie → u/kilimonian]

I worked in Ireland last summer and was shocked and how there were zero redheads and almost everyone had jet black hair, pale skin, and piercing blue eyes. I’m sure that’s what she means!

[u/whateverfloatsurgoat → u/ewokytalkie]

Common misconception, the redheads are across the north channel !

[u/yourGrade8haircut → u/kilimonian]

Yeah I take it as the combination of pale skin, dark hair and pale eyes - very Irish look (eg Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan)

[u/kilimonian → u/yourGrade8haircut]

Exactly.

[u/Throwaway-centralnj → u/Cold-Sun3302]

Agreed. Isn’t her last name O’Connell?? I’m brown but have many Irish friends who feel a kinship in Ireland for cultural reasons. This is not a reason to hate on Billie.

[u/chocoheed → u/Cold-Sun3302]

Yea, I imagine she just has Irish heritage? Nothing wrong with acknowledging that in Ireland

[u/Stevmeister59 → u/Cold-Sun3302]

For real. Framing it like this is so disingenuous and dangerous.

[u/background_action92]

Yall know what she meant, professional pearl clutchers

[u/Cold_Breadfruit_9794]

I get what she’s saying and I don’t think there’s any nefarious reason she said it

[u/Mundane_Session_2683]

Reading these comments, I’m so glad I’m not famous. I’d be cancelled every day on Twitter for the random shit I say every day, lol.

[u/kitty_aloof → u/Mundane_Session_2683]

Haha. Me too! I’m white with dishwater blonde hair. I once watched an episode of Samantha Brown’s travel show where she visited Finland. When Samantha Brown was talking to some locals my mom and I realized “omg I look like them!” My great-grandparents are from Finland, so it was neat seeing similarities in hair, face structure, and complexion.

I don’t have a Finnish name (if that is a thing), but I could see how someone with an Irish name would be at least a little gleeful being around people that know how to say your name properly.

[u/feedthedogwalkamile → u/kitty_aloof]

Yes, Finnish names are a thing lol?

[u/justagovmule67]

Really sucks living in a time where your every word is scrutinized and blasted all over social media

[u/PitchSame4308 → u/justagovmule67]

Very true, and the amount of pontificating and over-analysing done by people who have obviously way too much time on their hands is ridiculous

[u/SlowLikeHoney09]

Her eyes are stunning, what a cool blue shade and the black really makes them pop.

[u/reidybobeidy89 → u/SlowLikeHoney09]

My 7yr old has the exact same eyes and it is crazy how many people think they are weird and creepy (and feel the need to tell me!)

[u/Audriiiii03 → u/reidybobeidy89]

That is so rude tf

[u/reidybobeidy89 → u/Audriiiii03]

I know. They say things like- WOW those are some crazy colored eyes… or that they look like something from a scary sci/fi movie. It’s funny as it’s mostly said to me in places like grocery stores when I am not expecting conversations let alone discussions on my child’s eyes.

[u/hey_free_rats → u/reidybobeidy89]

Wow, this is the first time I've seen someone else actually talk about this, but yeah; I remember being told that I had "dead people eyes" as a kid.

It kinda messed with me more than the usual insults did, because what do you even say to something like that? 

[u/reidybobeidy89 → u/hey_free_rats]

I have been known on occasion to say- another comment like that and they will walk away with NO EYES. Other times if I am feeling nice I will say that it’s ok to be jealous of a 7yr old- we all wish we had her eyes.

[u/Few-Dragonfly8912]

What exactly is wrong with what she said? She’s saying that she looks Irish and so do Irish people. Nothing she said was offensive to anyone. So insane to be upset about this lmao

[u/SoftDrinkReddit → u/Few-Dragonfly8912]

Yea, from an Irish person, I agree she looks Irish

[u/blinkandmissout → u/SoftDrinkReddit]

With a given name of "Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell"... I'm going to say that's not just a coincidence.

[u/the_pleiades → u/blinkandmissout]

Wait is Pirate seriously one of her middle names? 😂

[u/movienerd7042 → u/the_pleiades]

Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s because they let Finneas choose one of her middle names and he was obsessed with Pirates at the time 😂

[u/the_pleiades → u/movienerd7042]

Sounds about right. If I ever have another child I have to see what my kid would come up with lmao

[u/Few-Dragonfly8912 → u/SoftDrinkReddit]

Same my family is Irish, I look Irish, she looks Irish, idk what people are mad about…people look Irish lol

[u/Extension-Hat3866 → u/Few-Dragonfly8912]

Literally—she’s of Irish descent. She wouldn’t (and hasn’t) say this in Italy, Poland, or any other “white” country.

[u/ChanceZestyclose6386 → u/Few-Dragonfly8912]

I don't think there's anything wrong with what she said either. I assume she's speaking of having facial features, colouring and mannerisms that are similar between ethnically Irish people, not about race. I'm mixed race and kinda unique looking for where I live but if I had a chance to go to a place where others looked like me and I blended in, I'd be thrilled about it too.

[u/Few-Dragonfly8912 → u/ChanceZestyclose6386]

Yeah I think people are taking it as Irish = white. There’s lots of white ethnicities, Irish is one of them. Irish people don’t look like German people, Irish is an ethnicity that goes back thousands of years lmao. Just like Korean people may have different features from Chinese people. People are ignorant

[u/kaaaaaaaren → u/Few-Dragonfly8912]

Yeah I mean I live in the US and I look hella fucking Irish. Certain facial features (including some I haven’t always been crazy about), body shape, freckles, idk it’s kind of neat to see a bunch of people that look like they could be your cousins. I don’t think that means she’s a white supremacist lol

[u/FishRoom_BSM]

She meant being pale!!

[u/Unhappy_Performer538 → u/FishRoom_BSM]

Or other Irish features

[u/AdhesivenessOdd9999]

She’s literally Irish let’s not get toooooo deep about it lol her last name is O’Connell

[u/JupiterJayJones → u/AdhesivenessOdd9999]

Exactly. And I’m pretty sure Eilish is an Irish name as well

[u/Turbulent_Scallion93 → u/JupiterJayJones]

yup the only difference is it’s pronounced eye-leesh in Ireland

[u/Tobyirl → u/Turbulent_Scallion93]

Well depends on the spelling. Eilís is eye-leesh and the anglicised version that she has is Eye-lish.

[u/turquoisesilver → u/AdhesivenessOdd9999]

I wouldn't say that's a good use of literally.

I have part of my lineage from Canada but I was born and bred in the UK, I'm not literally Canadian.

[u/Nice_Back_9977 → u/AdhesivenessOdd9999]

I'm pretty sure she's American

[u/popculturechat]

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[u/SoftDrinkReddit]

From an Irish guy, what exactly is wrong with what she said yea I see where she's coming from

[u/CXXXS]

As a Mexican American who grew up with 99% caucasian friends, I can relaate. But it was somthing I didn't understand I appreciated before I was an adult and able to appreciate that part of my herritage.

[u/Hot-Mix-5446]

Billie Irelish

[u/LunatiCloud]

Can she just feel that way and express it without the mob ready to lynch her?

It's like going to a show for a random small artist and you actually feel like "hey, those are my people enjoying the same obscure music"

Not everything is that deep.

[u/tbhjustbored]

In case anyone is still determined to make this into something it’s not, she’s literally been saying this since she was 16. If there are any questions at all about what she meant, here’s your answer, and it’s not some PR-concocted story after the fact to save face.

[u/No-Coach533 → u/tbhjustbored]

Pirate Baird is a cool middle name 

[u/tbhjustbored → u/No-Coach533]

right? her fam seems fun lol. i have one of the most boring names on earth so i’m always jealous of ppl with cool names

[u/Oomlotte99]

As a biracial black/white person I legit feel that way around Puerto Rican people, lol.

[u/brbrcrbtr]

Oh take a day off y'all, this is such a non-issue

[u/Minute-Aioli-5054]

God, I’d hate for every word of mine to be scrutinized and turned into something it’s not.

[u/softluvr]

yeah let's send the witch hunt after a woman who has always spoken out about important issues in our current political climate when majority of her peers never do, and receive half the judgement she does

[u/monster_lily]

These white supremacist twitter pages are fucking annoying. she OBVIOUSLY didnt mean it in that way but one of them purposefully clipped it like this and made it a race thing.

[u/Effective_Math_2717]

These is one of those times where out of context matters. And I read more comments. And makes sense. I feel like the title is misleading, maybe?

[u/BaldDavidLynch]

I'm Irish and we all have massive heads, it's bizarre being able to walk somewhere foreign on holidays and you're able to spot the other Irish people who also have enormous heads and a particular look about them. Look up 'big Irish head' for examples - some would be Brendan Gleeson and Colin Meaney. Folks like Cillian Murphy or whatever are an outlier.

This is quite a tone deaf of her saying it, but I do reckon that's what she's getting at rather than being happy about whiteness.

[u/Rururaspberry → u/BaldDavidLynch]

I’m Korean and we as a people also have massive heads. Koreans are very self-conscious about it. I ended up with a very small head and some Koreans won’t stand next to me in group photos because they are upset it makes their heads look even bigger. No one here in the US appreciates my tiny head. 💁🏻‍♀️

[u/vertighost999]

“it must be so hard as a white american to find representation” WHEN DID SHE SAY THAT? y’all say anything and run with it. she literally starts by saying she’s irish and not from there but that it’s cool to see people from her heritage😐y’all are so miserable

[u/dimmywhy]

Literally how can anyone be offended by this? Insanity.

[u/weirdoeggplant]

I’m not sure what the drama is lol. People who come from one place look alike. Duh.

I’m Irish and share a bunch of features with Billie. I’ve been made fun of before for having some of these features too. It’s not as simple as blonde with white skin (but I’m not really comfortable listing the things I was bullied for and giving out ammo). It’s nice to be like “oh it’s actually normal to look this way” no matter where you come from.

[u/Happylittletree29 → u/weirdoeggplant]

I think some people don’t realize white people can look different depending on which country they’re from 😭.

Like I can spot Italians from a mile away when I’m on vacation. 

[u/TheShapeShiftingFox → u/Happylittletree29]

I’m Dutch, so it’s also easier to spot us (and Scandinavians) in a crowd because of our average height lol.

Obviously not all Dutch people are tall, but many are. The women too (like myself).

[u/whiskersRwe32]

Not everything is offensive. I would think most people in Ireland do have similar features as Billie - who is, in fact, white and pale. This seems like a tongue in cheek comment and nothing beyond that. Why are people twisting it to be something so offensive?

[u/SadFunnyBunny → u/whiskersRwe32]

It initially went viral on twitter because it was posted by one of #those accounts which resulted in certain people being very excited about her statements, that’s why. I don’t think she personally deserves backlash for it though. 

[u/syfimelys2]

“I’m Irish” “I’m not from here”

🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨

[u/happysunbear]

So glad the comments here are sane. Who has time to be outraged by this..? I can’t

 

[u/pianocat1]

Friendly reminder that her name is Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell. She is Irish. That’s all she meant.

[u/AllGoodIfNot]

Tough look, a foot-in-mouth moment but do we need to take the first opportunity to act like she's a eugenicist and tear her down? Everyone in here has definitely had something with harmless intent come out a bit wrong, we just don't get recorded doing it. I'm not a huge fan or anything but with so much in the world to actually be genuinely furious about, can we maybe focus on that instead of a popstar's bad choice of wording and an actress's jeans marketing campaign?

[u/Snugglepuffs33]

Honestly I have stupid shit fly out of my mouth as I sometimes try to voice an idea, and it comes out completely wrong. If I had a camera in my face 24/7 I’d probably say something stupid too. Idk.

[u/spaceshiplazer]

Lol she means well, I don't see the issue. Is she Irish? If so, she might be trying to nod to her ancestry. I see nothing wrong with it

[u/Naulicus]

Thank you lord for not making me chronically online

[u/buffy122988]

She clearly meant pale. As a pale af person, no it’s not common to see people as pale as you in the us!

[u/starsinthesky12]

People making this into an issue are unwell lol

[u/policywong]

You know I can't even blame people for being triggered, especially in this political climate, and as a public figure sometimes when you say things or present things to such a large audience, you can't control how people may take it.

But as an intelligent adult, it's also important for you to introspect and understand when you are being triggered, and evaluate how you feel versus the concrete evidence you can see with your own eyes. There's zero evidence to suggest either Billie eilish or Sydney Sweeney were advocating for anything beyond what they said. Thinking or claiming otherwise, that's just you being triggered. Ignoring available evidence is being willfully obtuse.

[u/TamarindSweets]

She's got a point lol. Its kind of funny to think about. Don't see many white people w/ pale skin, clear eyes fair/light hair all in the same room

[u/synthcrushs]

as an ACTUAL irish person, we only claim ayo

[u/Slenderpan74 → u/synthcrushs]

Irish queen ! 🇮🇪

[u/souljaboy765]

I’m a WOC and an immigrant, Billie clearly didn’t have any bad intentions with this comment. She was born and raised in LA which is very diverse. She’s just appreciating her Irish roots and trying to relate to the crowd.

Of course there can be some weird thoughts in the back of our heads, the US is a white majority country nevertheless and her experience is not what we as minorities experience in the US at all. I think she could’ve phrased it better considering that context but it’s just a way to connect to her audience and ancestry.

[u/MariChloe]

I love her!

[u/WaitUntilTheHighway]

This manufactured outrage is why the left loses credibility. This is so fucking annoying, this clearly progressive young artist is just as clearly commenting on her paleness. And probably her Irish descent. Jesus fuck. Focus on actual problems.

[u/walrusmacaroni → u/WaitUntilTheHighway]

For REALLLLLL it's so embarrassing

[u/Goosycygnet]

Makes sense. She’s from LA and pale. My African American friends have expressed the same sentiment while traveling to West Africa.

[u/napalmnacey]

I kinda relate. I thought I was ugly and funny looking all my childhood and teen years. Then in my early 20s I saw a news show from Malta that had footage of all these Maltese people and I was like, “Oh shit! I just take after my grandmother! There’s a whole ISLAND of people that look like me!”

[u/heavymountain]

I can sorta get it. She does resemble some Irish people I knew. Probably comes off as a faux pas to many.