Kolter Bouchard, a content creator from Toronto, Canada, is no stranger to online criticism about his interracial marriage. But instead of ignoring the remarks, he is using humor to highlight their absurdity.
An Instagram reel posted by Bouchard (@koltertalks) has gone viral after he responded to a comment condemning him for not being able to “attract a white woman.” Bouchard’s biting response to the comment—and to racist comments as a whole on his account—struck a chord with over 156,000 viewers who liked the video. He told Newsweek why it is important for him to tackle these comments head-on.
“I think about this unserious, unseasoned comment and the guy who made it every single day,” Bouchard began in the video. “First off, hilarious coming from a guy who couldn’t attract wind in a hurricane, and second, imagine seeing a couple this fine and aligned and thinking, ‘I better wipe my Cheeto-dusted fingers on my shirt, so I can type this foolishness.'”
He continued: “I get comments like this every single day, and it’s like, what is the point? I mean, aside from just like doing a racism, what is the goal?”
Bouchard told Newsweek that he frequently shares videos celebrating his wife, Dominique, and their daughter. He describes his online community of 1.5 million as “funny, kind and supportive,” often rallying against negativity before he even has to step in.
“When I spot racist comments, I typically see multiple responses condemning them—my community often beats me to the proverbial punch,” Bouchard said.
His content is rooted in love, but also in advocacy.
“My wife, Dominique, is Black, and she experiences racism and sexism—and the intersection of the two—inside and outside the comment section,” Bouchard said. “I use that platform—and my privilege as a white man—to show people how hair-pullingly stupid these comments are.”
“I use humor to conduct these conversations because first, I’m very funny, and second, it’s a far more engaging tactic than sternly wagging a finger at folks,” he said.
Bouchard and Dominique met as 18-year-old freshmen in broadcasting school and recently celebrated 10 years of marriage. Their journey together has taken them across the world, from living and working in Dubai to launching their own marketing and production company. But not all of it has been easy, and they have been through more than online hate.
“We’ve weathered COVID and cancer—I’ve been in remission from Hodgkin’s for almost four years—quit our jobs to launch our marketing and production company, and just celebrated our daughter’s fifth birthday,” Bouchard said.
The couple also cohost a podcast, Playing House, where they discuss keeping relationships “sexy and secure.”
Through humor and candid conversations, Bouchard continues to challenge stereotypes while uplifting his wife and their love story. And, as he made clear in his video, no amount of negativity will change that.
“The reality is I do not care about anybody’s opinion but hers. That is it,” Bouchard said in the video. “I may like a game of Monopoly, but I do not play when it comes to my wife.”
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