Whoopi Goldberg is standing by her friend Janet Jackson after the legendary singer caused a stir with her recent comments about Vice President Kamala Harris.
In an interview with The Guardian, Jackson questioned Harris’s biracial heritage when asked about the idea of Harris being the first female Black president. Jackson suggested that Harris is not Black, leading to immediate backlash online.
Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, has a Jamaican father, Donald Harris, and an Indian mother, Shyamala Gopalan. Jackson claimed in her interview that Donald Harris was “discovered” to be white.
The comments quickly drew outrage, and Goldberg, who worked with Jackson in the 2010 Tyler Perry film “For Colored Girls,” addressed the issue on “The View.”
“People can make mistakes. Sometimes they just get it wrong,” Goldberg said. “Janet is not a political person.”
Goldberg emphasized that everyone makes errors, regardless of their racial background. “So, OK, a little grace for the girl. A little grace for the girl,” she added.
However, not everyone on the show was willing to give Jackson a pass. Co-host Ana Navarro pointed out the serious nature of Jackson’s comments.
Ana Navarro says Janet Jackson ‘spread misinformation’
“Janet Jackson or any American, celebrity or not, has a right to their opinions,” Navarro said. “But spreading misinformation irresponsibly, especially with such a large platform, is not OK.”
Navarro highlighted that Jackson’s comments seemed to echo former President Donald Trump’s remarks. Trump had previously questioned Harris’s Black heritage.
Navarro stressed the importance of responsible speech, especially when it involves racial issues.
Janet Jackson’s apology for Kamala Harris comments was unauthorized, reps say
Shortly after Jackson’s comments were published, an apology appeared on Buzzfeed. This apology was issued by Mo Elmasri, an Egyptian filmmaker claiming to be Jackson’s manager.
Elmasri told Buzzfeed that Jackson’s comments were due to misinformation. However, Jackson’s representatives clarified that Randy Jackson, Janet’s brother, is her actual manager. Elmasri was not authorized to speak on her behalf and has never been part of her team.
Elmasri is involved in producing a documentary series titled “Janet Jackson: Family First,” according to his IMDb page.
