Josh Gates, in promotion of his new special on the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, stopped by the The Today Show to show off a newly completed bust of Nefertiti based on the DNA remains of the HBIC. Unfortunately for Mr. Gates and The Today Show, their Twitter mentions were flooded when Black Twitter saw a clip of the unveiling and something seemed a little…off. Why would Black Twitter roast someone for highlighting Black history? Well have a look for yourself.
Josh was so excited to debut his surprise on The Today Show.
Please note that Hoda Kotb, an Egyptian American, even did a double take.
The big reveal! A first look at the bust of King Tut’s mother pic.twitter.com/fHdHH2QafB
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 5, 2018
The timing was less than ideal.
They gon try to tell us that Nefertiti was white during the blackest month of the year.
Cool. https://t.co/HiC3c3wXH3
— Ty Hobson-Powell, M.A. (@TyHobsonPowell) February 5, 2018
Let’s be clear, it’s not her face structure that has people up in arms.
Melanin Deficient Queen Nefertiti Bust Revealed!
Full Video: https://t.co/f4udj8W4qk#StayWoke Queen Nefertiti, part of Egypt's 18th Dynasty, right after the Asiatic Hyksos invasion. The DNA structure of the Mummy's face can't be argued, but the #melanin pic.twitter.com/6MUL19C27C— WOKEVIDEO (@wokevideo) February 6, 2018
Twitter provided a plethora of examples. From Iman in Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time” video.
To images from the deep cuts of actual Egyptian history.
This is literally Nefertiti (pic 1)… and Her daughter with her half brother and husband King Tut… do they look white or related to Europeans? pic.twitter.com/jmkUFf5Klz
— Aesthetics (@BlackBecky_) February 6, 2018
I mean, seriously…
One of my white friends said, “…so Kristin Wiig is Nefertiti?!” pic.twitter.com/WBP02UjsZt
— Issa Bae. ⚡️ (@IamMaserati) February 6, 2018
They made a replica bust of what they think queen Nefertiti looked like and they made her a white woman. pic.twitter.com/G4HjXxQeFp
— kelsey (@billnihilism69) February 5, 2018