American comedian Hannibal Buress told talk show host Seth Meyers on NBC Late Night he was nearly thrown out of a Toronto taxi for mentioning Uber, during a ride last week at NBA All-Star Weekend.
Buress got into the cab with this cousin and were a few blocks away from where they were staying. The cabbie said it would be a “$20 flat rate” since it was a “van-cab”, but Buress said no and asked for the meter to be turned on.
The taxi driver relented and said he was having a good week, and offered to give Buress a free ride in a “condescending” way, because “I’ve had a good week and a good day, and I’m not going to let you ruin it.”
That’s when the comedian refused and said “I don’t want your free ride—that’s why Uber is crushing you guys,” which caused the taxi driver to snap and tell them both to “get out of my taxi right now.”
Check out the clip below:
Toronto taxis originally planned a major strike during NBA All-Star Weekend, but canceled at the last minute, after city councillors got involved to cool things off.
[via CBC News]
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Cabbies representing Toronto the only way they know how… Being rude people we wish went elsewhere.
Hmmm… I’m wondering what you mean by that? They should go elsewhere? Where do you want them to go? Statements like that sound pretty racist to me.
Also seems kinda strange that people are siding with a rich celebrity over an average worker who’s being put out of business. I thought we were supposed to root for the underdogs? Personally I think Burress is the rude one here, mocking a cab driver who’s in real danger of losing his career overnight.
Of course I agree that the cab driver’s actions were bad too, but what’s our economy going to look like when we have thousands of cab drivers on welfare?
when cab drivers are out of business, they simply transition to become uber drivers. “if you cant beat them, join them”
Yes but what about the thousands of dollars they spent on taxi licenses. They paid for those licenses because they expected to earn a certain amount of income.
I agree that cabs are expensive and can be rude, but let’s not ignore the fact that people are getting screwed out of their careers here.
I don’t know if that statement sounds racist, more of a general comment against some rude taxi drivers it seems.
Maybe Buress egged on the driver (another pun, damn!) for his upcoming interview with Seth to make a good story, who knows. #conspiracytheory
The cab driver sounds uber angry! 🙂
I had a Montreal taxi try and do the same thing recently. Also had a taxi tell me I couldn’t pay with debit (now legally required). When I mentioned it was illegal and said something similar about Uber, he flipped out, refused to take my money…probably because he was liable for a fine at that point. I avoid cabs entirely, unless the Uber surge rate makes it financially stupid to take one.