Aries Spears is never one to bite his tongue, but his latest comments on “The Art of Dialogue” podcast with host Deon have sparked a massive wave of backlash from the Deep South.
During the interview, the veteran comedian made it clear that he avoids certain southern territories, specifically calling out Mississippi in a way that many are calling blatant disrespect.
“I don’t perform in the Deep South, Debra. I don’t! There’s certain places like I outperform Charlotte because it feels like a major metropolis. They’re a little more… you know what I’m saying? Outperforming Alpharetta, Georgia at The New Punchline which is phenomenal. But Mississippi?! Where niggas can’t read!? Nah man, I’mma keep it a buck. Niggas can’t read in Mississippi dawg.”
Spears went on to describe an encounter at a comedy club in Memphis to justify his stance on southern “articulation.
“Let me tell you something. I did a club in Memphis called Chuckles less of an time ago. You ever been to Chuckles? Yeah, I’ve been to Chuckles. And uh… I was selling my CDs at that point and one lady bought the CD. Her girlfriend said to her, ‘Girl how much dat cd wuz?’ Another dude’s looking for his family — ‘Where they ears at!?’ Nigga! My jokes come with some shit when you gotta match based on how you talk. This shit ain’t gon’ fly with you. But dawg, that’s the lingo down there.”
Despite the host pointing out that it might just be the local lingo, Spears doubled down on his critique.
“Lingo! No no… I understand the difference. Lingo is one thing. Articulation is something else. We gotta be able to articulate. ‘Where they ears? How much dat cd wuz?’ Nah… that ain’t lingo, nigga. That’s uh, ‘go back to school.’ You silly as hell. And listen, we all know as Black people culturally we wear the two faces. We know how to go from street around each other vernacular to corporate if you need to. So yeah, I’ll find myself slipping and saying some shit. But you didn’t get me to say ‘where they ears’ or ‘how much dat cd wuz.’ Not ‘how much dat cd wuz.’ Nah nigga, I’m out.”
Spears’ critique of southern articulation and literacy didn’t sit well with many, especially those who feel the South is often unfairly targeted by Northern comedians. It didn’t take long for Kountry Wayne, a comedian who wears his Southern roots like a badge of honor, to step in and defend his home turf. Wayne didn’t hold back, calling out Spears for looking down on the people who help drive the culture.
“Let me address this real quick. Aries Spears, you got a lot of nerve talking about the Deep South and how people talk down here. You saying you don’t perform in Mississippi because people can’t read? That’s crazy, bro. You from New Jersey, right? Y’all got your own problems up there. But you wanna come at the South like we some dumb country folks.”
Wayne emphasized that the region Spears is mocking is actually the foundation of the very culture they both profit from.
“Man, the South been holding it down. We created the culture, the music, the swag, everything. And you got the nerve to disrespect us? You better be careful with them jokes, man. People from the South don’t play that. We support comedy too, but when you start coming at us like that, it’s a problem. Keep that same energy when you in these streets, bro. Real talk.”
The tension between regional styles and the respect for Southern vernacular continues to be a hot topic in the comedy world. While Aries claims it’s about articulation and the ability to digest his specific brand of humor, Kountry Wayne is reminding him that the South is the backbone of the culture and they don’t take kindly to being called illiterate.
DISGUSTING: Aries Spears disrespects people from the Deep South and the way they talk.
“I don’t perform in the Deep South… Mississippi? Where people can’t read.” pic.twitter.com/u0MgHiApHL
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) May 10, 2026
Comedian Kountry Wayne calls out Aries Spears for disrespecting people from the Deep South. pic.twitter.com/qgvTg5fbi5
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) May 10, 2026
