Whoopi Goldberg requests ‘a bit of forgiveness’ for Janet Jackson following comments about Kamala Harris
Whoopi Goldberg is expressing regret on behalf of her friend Janet Jackson after the pop superstar sparked controversy with her comments regarding Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, published on Saturday, Jackson questioned Harris’ identity as a biracial individual when discussing the possibility of the U.S. having its “first female Black president,” suggesting that Harris is not African American.
The father of the Democratic presidential nominee, Donald Harris, hails from Jamaica, while her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan was of Indian descent. Jackson claimed during the interview that Donald Harris was later identified as “white.”
These remarks from Jackson prompted significant backlash on social media. Goldberg, who appeared alongside Jackson in the 2010 Tyler Perry film “For Colored Girls,” addressed the controversy during a panel on “The View” on Monday.
“People misstep sometimes, and it’s natural! Mistakes occur; it’s part of life,” Goldberg stated, emphasizing that Jackson is not engaged in politics.
“Anyone who suggests that this doesn’t happen to everyone, regardless of their mixed heritage, is mistaken. So let’s show a little forgiveness for her,” Goldberg added.
Ana Navarro criticizes Janet Jackson for ‘spreading misinformation’
In contrast, Goldberg’s co-host, political commentator Ana Navarro, was less forgiving of Jackson’s comments.
“Janet Jackson, like every American, has the freedom to support or criticize whomever she chooses,” Navarro noted. “However, she has a responsibility not to spread misinformation.”
“It’s frankly reckless for someone with Jackson’s platform to propagate falsehoods based on a racially charged allegation from Donald Trump,” Navarro added.
Jackson’s remarks about Harris’s race mimic statements made by former President Donald Trump, who commented during a July event at the National Association of Black Journalists convention that he wasn’t aware of Harris being Black until a few years ago when she “happened to turn Black.”
Janet Jackson’s apology for Kamala Harris comments deemed unauthorized, reps state
After Jackson’s original comments surfaced, an apology was allegedly made on her behalf to Buzzfeed by Mo Elmasri, an Egyptian filmmaker who claimed to have been a creative consultant for Jackson.
Elmasri, who claimed the title of Jackson’s manager, informed the outlet that the singer’s remarks about Harris’s racial identity were “based on incorrect information.”
However, Jackson’s current manager is identified as her brother, Randy Jackson, who confirmed to YSL News that Elmasri was not authorized to speak for her, and he has reportedly never been part of Jackson’s team.
YSL News has contacted Randy Jackson for a statement.
Elmasri is noted as an executive producer for the upcoming documentary series “Janet Jackson: Family First,” which is currently being developed, as per his IMDb profile.