Daniel Kaluuya and Tyriq Withers go viral after 'unhinged' airport interview

Both actors' reaction to FAA flight cancellations sparked laughter and meme references during local news interview

Actors Daniel Kaluuya and Tyriq Withers have gone viral after an interview with Oregon broadcaster KVAL News, in which Withers referenced a popular internet meme while discussing nationwide flight disruptions.

The pair were interviewed at Eugene Airport on Friday, November 13, after their flight to Los Angeles was affected by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ground stop.

The four-hour stoppage, which affected hundreds of thousands of travellers, followed reported radar and communications problems at air traffic control centres.

Withers explained that they had boarded their flight before being asked to leave the aircraft. He then joked about the disruption, saying, "I just want to thank God for FAA really protecting us, you know, post-blue wave as well."

The actor subsequently referenced a 2015 interview connected to a shooting at the Bella Noche nightclub in Louisiana. In the original footage, a woman famously said, "If you can't go to Bella Noche, where the hell can you go?"

Adapting the line to their situation, Withers said, "But I feel like it's really upsetting me and my home girl 'cause if you can't go to the airport, where the hell can you go?"

His delivery left Kaluuya laughing before the Get Out actor offered his own response. "I feel grateful," he said, adding that the decision could have saved lives. Withers later encouraged the pair to celebrate Oregon, prompting Kaluuya to join in.

Clips of the interview circulated online, with viewers describing the exchange as comedy and comparing it to an SNL sketch.  

Several users praised Withers' delivery of the Bella Noche reference, with one writing, "Screaming. Who put these two together in the same vicinity of a camera?"

The reporter's reaction also became a talking point, with viewers commenting on how quickly she pulled the microphone away from Withers. 

 

 

 

 

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