Lisa Kudrow had one heck of a speech on "Scandal" last night.


With the help of Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), Kudrow's character, Congresswoman Josie Marcus, got super fired up about her place in the presidential race. While speaking with journalist James Novak (Kudrow's real-life producing partner Dan Bucatinsky), the character goes off on him, media, the other presidential hopefuls and basically the world regarding sexism.


When asked about the charges that she doesn't have enough experience to be president, Josie responded:


"There's something my grandmother used to do whenever I'd start dating someone. I would tell her his name and she would say, 'Oh, what part of town does he live in?' That was her way of asking if my boyfriend was white. Oh yeah, my grandmother was an out and out racist, so I know what prejudice looks like. It's not about experience, James, it's about gender. Reston's saying I don't have the balls to be president and he means that literally. It's offensive. It's offensive to me and to all the women and to all the women whose votes he's asking for."


She didn't stop there. The character called the interviewer sexist and accused him of keeping the bias alive.


"The only reason we're doing this interview in my house is because you requested it. This was your idea and yet here you are, thanking me for inviting you into my "lovely home." That's what you say to the neighbor lady who baked you chocolate chip cookies. This pitcher of iced tea isn't even mine, it's what your producer sent here. Why? Same reason you called me a "real-life Cinderella story," it reminds people that I'm a woman without using the word. For you it's an angle, I get that and I'm sure you think it's innocuous, but guess what? It's not."


Check out the full speech above.


Kudrow told The Hollywood Reporter her character will continue going on the offensive. "I really loved Josie's rant tonight because I've noticed that when there's a formidable woman candidate or politician and she's being interviewed by a guy who doesn't agree with what she's saying and he's losing the argument, they seem to fall back on, 'You look pretty today,' or something like that, which you'd never say to Joe Biden," she said.


"Scandal" airs Thursdays, 10 p.m. EST on ABC.



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  • The "Scandal" cast, Season 3




  • Tony Goldwyn (President Fitzgerald Grant)




  • Bellamy Young (Mellie Grant)




  • Jeff Perry (Cyrus Beene)




  • Scott Foley (Jake Ballard)




  • Guillermo Diaz (Huck)




  • Darby Stanchfield (Abby Whelan)




  • Joshua Malina (David Rosen)




  • Columbus Short (Harrison Wright)




  • Katie Lowes (Quinn Perkins)




  • Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope)