Comedian Adam Carolla believes he has the solutions for the socioeconomic disparities that leave Blacks and Latinos often at a disadvantage in America.

He invited California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom onto his radio program Friday (Feb. 28) to discuss Newsom's new book Citizenville: How to Take the Town Square Digital and Reinvent Government. But the conversation turned into a heated debate about minimum wage, economic inequality and poverty.

Newsom was reluctant to have the discussion. But Carolla continued his spiel by asking if Blacks and Latinos were flawed and by comparing their progress to that of Jews and Asians, in which he asked, "Who had it worse?" and "Why do some groups do so much better?"

The Huffington Post reports: 

"I want everyone to plan. Look down the road six months," said Carolla. "Yes they foreclosed on your home. That's why you need to have a network, a community, friends, family members, money put away. Don't have the kids."

"Think about it, Adam," challenged Newsom. "Half of African Americans in the state of California, and roughly half of Latino families, have no access to a checking account or an ATM."

And that's when things got hairy.

"What's wrong with them?" asked Carolla. "I want to know why those two groups don't have access. Are they flawed?"

Newsom quickly attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere. "I don't want to have a sociological debate," he said.

"I want to know why [Blacks and Latinos] are struggling," Carolla continued. "Do Asians have this problem? Why do so many [Blacks and Latinos]? Blacks have been here longer than we have. What about Asians--they were put in internment camps. Are they at the check cashing places?"

"Why are [these problems] concentrated in the African American community?" Newsom responded. "Look at the history. It's naïve to suggest that those things don't matter."

Read the full story here. 
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(Photos from left: David Livingston/Getty Images, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)