Leslie Jones has never been the type to hold back, and her latest interview gave the internet plenty to chew on. 

During a recent conversation with Ziwe, the comedian responded to questions about the rise of the “tradwife” trend and made it clear she has no interest in that lifestyle. Jones said, “I’m not submissive,” explaining that her father did not raise her to be “somebody’s wife.” 

From there, Jones took her comments even further. She said that many of the people she knows who got married are now divorced and bluntly added, “I think marriage is legalized slavery.” When Ziwe reacted to the remark, Jones doubled down, tying her criticism to the way women can be expected to give up their independence in traditional relationships. She also said a man expecting a “trad wife” might as well “pull out a whip and a chain.” 

Jones also told young women not to treat marriage like a goal. When asked directly whether she would recommend marriage to young girls, she said no, adding that she does not think it is beneficial for women. The exchange fit Jones’ longtime public persona: sharp, funny, and willing to say the quiet part out loud, even when it is likely to set off a firestorm (and it did).

This is not the first time Jones has used provocative slavery references in a joke about dating and relationships. In a resurfaced 2014 bit, she joked that her love life would have looked better during slavery times and said, “See, I'm single right now. But back in the slave days, I would've never been single. I'm 6 feet tall, and I'm strong — college strong. I mean, look at me. I'm a Mandingo.”

The controversial joke is a reminder that Jones’ comedy has long mixed raw conversational style and shock value. Whether people read her latest comments as a serious critique or an exaggerated comic take, Jones clearly knows how to get the people going.