W. Kamau Bell Implores JD Vance to Fire His Team After Painfully Awkward Donut Shop Visit: ‘They Clearly Hate You’

Screenshot via CSPAN

CNN host and stand-up comic W. Kamau Bell believes vice presidential candidate and Ohio Sen. JD Vance should fire everyone involved in his awkward donut shop photo op.

Vance on Thursday visited Holt’s Sweet Shot in Valdosta, Georgia, before heading to Donald Trump’s campaign headquarters in town. The clip was widely roasted on social media thanks to the uncomfortable interactions between Vance and the employees. They also explicitly requested not to be filmed, further complicating the shoot.

Hours later, Bell — who hosts the CNN documentary series United Shades of America — explained why he believed the situation was grounds for cleaning house.

“Fire your whole team,” Bell tweeted Thursday night. “They clearly hate you. This is TV production 101, and they failed it.

“Someone is supposed to scout ahead and make sure everyone there is interested in being on camera AND excited to talk to you. And if your team finds out that no one at the place is interested in talking to you and some don’t even want to be on camera with you — situations that I’m sure you are used to by now — then your team needs to find another establishment.”

Bell then insisted that someone should have prepped Vance on small talk because, in his words, the senator is “horrible” at it.

“Someone is supposed to prep you with names and talking points,” Bell continued. “This is especially true because, as you know, you are horrible at small talk. Your team must even know this by now. Your team has to give you follow-up questions so you are ready to go. ‘What is your bestselling donut?’ ‘What’s your favorite?’ ‘What do you recommend?’ ‘What’s your favorite part of your job?’ ‘Do you eat too many donuts because you work here.’ This is simple stuff. But again, I get that it is extremely hard for you to speak to humans. That’s why you need a better team.”