Rickey Smiley called out the culture of hazing, which allegedly led to the recent death of Caleb Wilson, who was pledging Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
The comedian and TV host spoke out about the issue in an appearance on Jemele Hill’s “Spolitics” podcast.
Smiley, who has been an active member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity since 2000 and joined the org through the Psi Rho graduate chapter, has used his platform to call out the incident that led to Wilson’s death in March.
He said he was personally touched by the issue as he is a member of the fraternity in addition to dealing with his own son’s death in January 2023.
Rickey Smiley offered support to Caleb Wilson’s family
“I called Caleb Wilson’s dad and offered my condolences because I’m a dad that also lost his son,” Smiley told Hill, according to The Grio. “You know what he said? You are the first member of your fraternity to call and offer your condolences.”
Wilson died after being repeatedly punched in the chest during an off-campus fraternity ritual.
Rickey Smiley is calling out hazing culture
Smiley said hazing culture went against the founding principles of Omega Psi Phi.
“I don’t think Bishop Edgar A. Love would have punched anybody in the chest. Just, Love, Cooper and Coleman founded Omega Psi Phi at Howard University in 1911,” he said. “A lot of these guys that started this culture, I don’t care if it started in the 80s, I don’t care when it started. It is wrong. In 25 years in the frat, I have never put my hands on anybody.”
“I’m not throwing my frat under the bus because everything the founders founded it on, I still believe it…I understand the culture of [traditions] but that don’t make [all traditions] right,” Smiley added.
He shared that one of his nephews who crossed Omega Psi Phi went through a similar hazing ritual to Wilson’s and his ribs had been bruised at the time.
“I [joined] Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, because of what it was founded on, not the culture that was created,” Smiley said. “Culture starts with cult. It’s gang activity…the last physical altercations that I’ve gotten into as a man was with Ques. Why? Why I leave the conclave wondering ‘what am I a part of? Why is it always some issues with my fraternity? With my bruhz?’ Because there’s a culture giving people access to be disrespectful. It’s gang-like mentality and mindset.”
“You don’t know what somebody went through to get to where they are. You are already a man if you make it out of the projects to make it to college. Who are you to put your hands on someone?” he added. “Hazing has to stop. It’s wrong; stop putting your hands on people. People come to these organizations looking for something they never had. [Hazing] is not what the organization was founded on.”
