Yesterday’s Netflix walkout was overshadowed a bit by a counter-protester who showed up with a sign that read “Jokes are funny.” That counter-protester is a comedian named Vito Gesualdi who makes videos and has a podcast. While he was there supporting Dave Chappelle’s right to make jokes, Vito was photographed by an Associated Press photographer named Damian Dovarganes. The shot Dovarganes got of him is really pretty great, but the caption that went along with it is another matter. It read, “Comedian and videographer Vito Gesualdi screams profanities as he engages with peaceful protesters begging him to leave…” Vito took issue with that description last night.

"Comedian and videographer Vito Gesualdi screams profanities as he engages with peaceful protesters begging him to leave."

Screams profanities? 🤔

Dude, I just yelled "I love Dave Chappelle!"

The media sucks! 😡 pic.twitter.com/74nkAFMFZp

— YOUTUBE.COM / VITO (@VitoGesualdi) October 21, 2021

Oh great, it's a stock Associated Press photo caption so that lie is on dozens of news sites now.

Any lawyers in the house? This is BS. pic.twitter.com/BfKIBXcduE

— YOUTUBE.COM / VITO (@VitoGesualdi) October 21, 2021

This afternoon, Jesse Singal pointed out that it’s possible to identify the exact moment when this photo was taken and because we can do that, we can also tell that the caption is absolutely false.

1/ This AP photo caption reads "Comedian and videographer Vito Gesualdi screams profanities as he engages with peaceful protesters begging him to leave." A damaging claim about @VitoGesualdi, circulated globally.

It never happened. Join me on some basic photo-trutherism. pic.twitter.com/olZDOtuZTw

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 21, 2021

3/ Anyone who has been too online the last day-plus already recognizes the tambourine from the protester who has a "REPENT, MOTHERFUCKER!!!" meltdown after protesters destroy Gesualdi's sign in this viral video.https://t.co/tBFkoEqgXK

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 21, 2021

5/ Is Gesualdi "scream[ing] profanit[ies]?

"I'm just here to say that jokes are funny, people. Dave Chappelle's a funny guy. I love Dave! I don't know why all the violence, I don't know why all the hate. I just LOVE DAVE CHAPPELLE! DAAAAAVE CHAPPEEEELLE! WOOOOO!"

No, he is not!

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 21, 2021

7/ I did reach out to the photographer via Twitter DM and to the AP itself, but I decided to go ahead with the tweetstorm because that is 100% the moment in question and everything Gesualdi says is audible enough to know, with certainly, that the caption is inaccurate.

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 21, 2021

9/ As a final point, with trust in media at an all-time low you should probably invest most of your savings in independent media and podcast subscriptions, is my objective opinion.

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 21, 2021

The caption isn’t even the only lie being told about this moment. Here’s a tweet from Variety which makes Vito the aggressor:

This is such an insanely dishonest tweet if you watch the video version. At no point did the dude instigate anything physically — this is after his sign was taken and destroyed and he was muscled out.https://t.co/PcOpnDqRZB https://t.co/GMjqrASCoL

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 21, 2021

In case you missed it yesterday, here’s the video of Vito Gesualdi from the moment both of these photos were taken. The AP is literally reporting he was screaming profanities when he a) didn’t use a single one and b) the woman holding the tambourine in front of him is shouting “Repent motherf***er!” over and over. How do you manage to get it this wrong?

Wait, I’m remembering something…an image from a public confrontation that gets taken out of context…the media runs with the false narrative that suits them. Gee, where have I seen this all before? Oh, right.

CNN's coverage of their Covington Catholic settlement was really… somethinghttps://t.co/L5FpKpQyHe pic.twitter.com/F3ocoHqZrR

— Jazz Shaw (@JazzShaw) January 8, 2020

The media hasn’t learned anything it seems. The AP needs to issue a speedy correction and an apology.

Update: Vito just posted the retraction/correction issued by the AP. It reads in part, “Corrects caption to remove reference to Gesualdi using profanities, which he did not do at the moment the image was made. Also removes reference to protesters being peaceful because one protester destroyed his sign.” So the new caption reads (in part):

Comedian and videographer Vito Gesualdi shouts at people protesting against Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special outside the Netflix building in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles…

Not mentioned are that Gesualdi’s co-host who was also there had his head shoved into a concrete planter or that the woman holding the tambourine in the photo was shouting “Repent motherf***er!” If profanities were worth mentioning when Vito allegedly said them why aren’t they worth mentioning when they were directed at him? Here’s what an accurate caption would sound like.

Comedian and videographer Vito Gesualdi says he loves Dave Chappelle as protesters shout profanities at him outside the Netflix building in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles…

Worth noting that my co-host Dick Masterson is currently at the hospital getting a CT scan after having his head bounced against a concrete planter by these "peaceful protestors"https://t.co/AOzMEuIEkM

— YOUTUBE.COM / VITO (@VitoGesualdi) October 21, 2021