Octavia Spencer, the Academy Award-winning actress notable for her roles in The Help, Fruitvale Station, and Hidden Figures, has had a history of taking jabs at ongoing global issues — from The Shack’s racial controversy in 2017 to Apple’s eco-friendly campaign in 2023. In more recent news, Spencer mocked the employees of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) by referencing her infamous chocolate pie scene from the 2011 film, The Help.
For those unaware, DOGE was established as an initiative of the second Trump administration, with Elon Musk serving as its de-facto leader. Even though it’s only been a month since it was formed, it has already become the focus of controversy, and Spencer wasted no time voicing her disapproval through a stinging social media post. On her official Instagram account, Spencer shared a picture of Minny Jackson deviously offering the infamous “poop pie” from The Help.
She wrote the following caption specifically aimed at DOGE employees and supporters:
Bake sale for Washington to ALL DOGE employees and supporters. I need good vanilla from MEXICO and some CANADIAN maple syrup. #limitedEdition pies. Corn and chocolate. Need lots of donations for the “special ingredient.” Eat looooooooots of corn. one time sale.”
Set in the 1960s in Mississippi, The Help revolves around the lives of African American maids who endure numerous hardships as they try to navigate their days in a society where racism is prevalent. In the film, Spencer plays Minny Jackson, a maid who works for Aibileen Clark (Bryce Dallas Howard), a mean and racist boss who has no regard for her employees. After being fired by her boss, Minny gets revenge by baking a chocolate cake laced with her own feces. Naturally, the scene became a phenomenon in pop culture, turning into one of the film’s most unforgettable — and memeable — moments.
Spencer’s Post Takes a Bold Swipe at Elon Musk
In January 2025, Donald Trump announced the formation of the Department of Government Efficiency, with tech billionaire Elon Musk leading it, ostensibly to implement policies on federal spending and deregulation. Since then, the department has managed to strip millions of funds from various sectors, including the Department of Education. The whole thing may have been a non-issue… if the department had a different name and Musk wasn’t associated with it.
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But given what has transpired in the weeks since its inception, and that Musk is overseeing it (to say nothing of the fact that it was named after a crypto meme coin Musk is heavily invested in succeeding, Doge), it’s no surprise people are skeptical about what the group is doing and why Musk — an un-elected private citizen who was not born in America — gets to have so much power over the machinations of the United States government. As a result, many lawsuits have been filed against DOGE, and protests are happening across the country lambasting Trump and Musk for the loss of tens of thousands of jobs.
The White House has refuted these claims by stating that Musk is merely a Senior Advisor with no decision-making authority.
“In his role as a Senior Advisor to the President, Mr. Musk has no greater authority than other senior White House advisors.”
Spencer is among those who seem dissatisfied with DOGE, and given the department’s influence over major government decisions, its meme-inspired name is bound to get reactions from individuals like her. So, what’s your take on Spencer’s response to DOGE’s formation? And are you going to help her bake her pies?
Release Date
August 10, 2011
Runtime
146minutes
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