Kevin Nash is catching heat after comments he made about Je’Von Evans have led to accusations of racial stereotyping.
While speaking on his podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer praised Evans’ athleticism but said he wished the young star had “a little bit more urban” edge and referred to him as “Mr. Bojangles.”
“He’s an incredible athlete. He’s a little bit too Mr. Bojangles for me, I wish he was a little bit more urban. I understand it’s Netflix, and I understand there’s a big world out there besides the one that 66-year-old Detroit boy Kevin Nash wants. But I just want him to have a little bit of an edge. He can strike, he throws a good punch. Take your time and throw a good punch. Maybe put two or three together. Something where you tell me, ‘if this sh*t was real, all this athleticism I have, I can use.’ Not, ‘if this was real, I would cartwheel off your body like you would never see.’ He sells good. I mean, he does everything good.”
The remarks didn’t sit well with many fans — especially given that they surfaced during Black History Month. After the clip began circulating, several fans took to Twitter to call Nash out directly. One user questioned what Nash meant by his wording, saying, “What do you mean by ‘Bojangles’? And what do you mean by ‘More Urban’?”
Another fan connected “Bojangles” to the well-known fried chicken chain and pointed out the timing of the comment, making it clear it felt tone-deaf given the month: “Mr. Bojanles?? The fried chicken place??? During black history month???”
A separate tweet pointed out how the comparison came across to them: “Of all the things he could have said ? This was the thing he chose ? Comparing a black guy to a chicken spot” Others were more direct, accusing Nash of racism outright and defending Evans as a talented performer who didn’t deserve that kind of framing.
“hes a f****** racist the man has motion amazing wrestler and he has to say shit like this”
The controversy is all about how phrases like “Mr. Bojangles” and “more urban” can carry racial undertones, particularly when directed at a Black wrestler. While Nash seemed to be criticizing Evans’ presentation and in-ring style, many fans felt his choice of words overshadowed whatever point he was trying to make. As of now, Nash has not publicly responded to the backlash.
Do you think Kevin Nash’s comments were taken out of context, or do you understand why fans reacted the way they did? Share your thoughts below.