“Duck Dynasty” stars Willie and Korie Robertson launched their new web series “At Home with the Robertsons” with a frank conversation about raising their biracial son.
The reality show alumni joined “Love and Hip Hop” cast members Yandy Smith-Harris and her husband Mendeecees Harris, who are black. Joining the conversation was the Robertsons’ son, Will, who they adopted when he was just five weeks old. Will’s biological father is black and his biological mother is white.
Starting the chat, Yandy asked the Robertsons how they dealt with questions about their son’s skin color after receiving him into his family years ago.
“I remember my grandmother had a black friend who told her that she thought whites shouldn’t adopt black children. I think she thought blacks should adopt blacks and whites should adopt whites,” said Korie. . “But I just don’t think it helps.”
WILLIE AND KORIE ROBERTSON ANNOUNCE NEW ‘DUCK DYNASTY’ SHOW
Willie recalled that an adoption agency said that biracial children are “the most difficult to put here in the south”. He remembered the two of them having no qualms about adopting a biracial child, and Korie recalled that Will’s adoption was “all the love and all the excitement and just gratitude for this beautiful boy we had.”
Korie revealed that the pair was not concerned about being asked about Will’s skin color until questions began to arise when her family’s reality show on A&E took off.
“We didn’t think about it until the show happened and people were like, ‘Wait, who’s the Black boy? Who does it belong to? ‘”, Remembers Korie.
Yandy, who shares two children with Menceedees, said her son had a hard time realizing that he looks different from his colleagues because of the color of his skin. She wondered if Will faced a similar struggle when he was younger.
SADIE ROBERTSON SHARES MATERNITY SHOOT PHOTOS: ‘ANIMATED BY THIS’
“I was one of the only black boys in my series,” said Will. “My friends were white, so I didn’t realize it was [different]. I would look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘Oh, I’m just a little bit more tan.’ My hair was short … I didn’t have all that texture that I have now, so I thought, ‘I’m kind of just one of them.’ As I grew up, I started to realize: ‘My God, I am very different. “
Willie also talked about “all kinds of ugly comments” that the family received about Will.
“It was weird for us because now he can see that,” said Willie of the critical comment. “We didn’t see that and we had people doing all kinds of ugly things.”
STEPHEN BALDWIN, ‘DUCK DYNASTY’ STAR KORIE ROBERTSON SHARING PRAYERS BETWEEN THE OPENING OF BIDEN
The Robertson family from the former “Duck Dynasty” of A&E.
(A&E)
In terms of tackling racism, Korie said it was “always shocking”.
“I remember when the Charlottesville thing happened. It’s so sad for me, and you know, to have a child who is black and biracial, just to, you know, have to explain it to him, you mean, ‘Oh, no, no, no, no … that’s past. But whenever it’s right in your face, you’re like, ‘No, it’s not in the past,’ “said the mother of six.
Yandy discussed the importance of talking to your children about racial tension in today’s society. She spoke specifically about the importance of teaching her black children how to react if they are stopped by the police. Asked if they had already sat down with Will to discuss what to do in this type of situation, Willie admitted that he and his wife did not.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“I never worried about that. I think I taught them to respect any kind of authority, with teachers, with everyone,” said Willie.
Korie Robertson and Willie Robertson of the reality show “Duck Dynasty” share six children.
(Paul Morigi / Getty Images for Capitol File Magazine)
“You didn’t have to think about it, but those are the types of conversations that [Mendeecees] have to do with your kids, “said Yandy.” We can cut the beard. We cannot get tattoos and we can prevent these things from happening, but you cannot wash your skin. “
Willie felt that the contribution of Yandy and Mendeecees was beneficial, as they brought “a different perspective”.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“Your heritage is mixed, so you can’t die because you were raised in a different place or, you know, with a different group of people who love you,” Yandy informed Will, “because you have to be able to pass on your inheritance too . “
Korie concluded that she hopes that one day we can all live in a world where “racism just doesn’t exist, where no one is judged by their skin color”.
Korie and Willie share six children. “At Home with the Robertsons” is the new Facebook Watch series that will follow the couple inviting celebrities to their home in Louisiana.