Whoopi Goldberg defends Janet Jackson amid outrage over her 'irresponsible' remarks on Harris' heritage
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Janet Jackson is facing backlash for her comments regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ ethnicity, echoing claims originally made by Donald Trump.
The singer’s statements also made 'The View' hosts question Jackson for spreading misinformation about Harris' heritage.
Despite the controversy, Whoopi Goldberg came forward in support of Jackson, urging fans to show compassion and understanding.
Janet Jackson slammed for saying Kamala Harris is 'not Black'
Janet Jackson’s remarks, made during an interview with The Guardian, sparked outrage over the weekend.
She echoed claims that Harris, who identifies as a Black woman, is not Black.
“She’s not Black,” Jackson said during the interview. “That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian. Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days. I was told that they discovered her father was white.”
'The View' co-host Ana Navarro criticized Jackson’s comments, labeling them “irresponsible,” given her influence as a public figure.
"What she doesn’t know what she did was spread misinformation. And I think it’s very irresponsible, when you have a platform the way Janet Jackson does, to use that platform carelessly to spread misinformation based on a racist allegation by Donald Trump," Navarro said.
'The View's Sunny Hostin offers a different perspective on Janet Jackson's comments
While some expressed concern over the impact of Janet Jackson’s statements, 'The View' co-host Sunny Hostin advised taking the high road, just as Kamala Harris has done.
"I would handle this the way Kamala Harris has, and that is to give it no air," Hostin said, adding, "Now, she has identified herself as a Black woman. She has also said that her mother is Asian. She didn’t just become Black."
She continued, "It’s unfortunate that Janet Jackson — an icon — admittedly said, 'I don’t know. I haven’t been reading the news these past few days.' So, I don’t know if it comes from misinformation. I don’t know if it comes from a lack of information. But all I know is that I don’t want to give it this much air," Mediaite noted.
Whoopi Goldberg urges fans to not be hateful towards Janet Jackson
Despite the mounting criticism, Janet Jackson has not yet publicly admitted to making a mistake. Reports suggest she fired a representative who issued an apology on her behalf as per the Daily Beast.
Goldberg defended Jackson as the conversation was coming to an end, arguing that the singer should be given credit for her talent.
Jackson's primary occupation is music, and Goldberg pointed out that it's possible she didn't fully comprehend the circumstances before speaking.
"No matter how you feel about celebs speaking out politically, is it OK for somebody to say, you know, I made a mistake?" Goldberg stated.
“Janet Jackson is not a political animal,” she added. “She’s a musician, her life is doing this, and she’s mourning her brother," referring to Tito Jackson, who recently passed away at the age of 70.
Goldberg also noted that everyone makes mistakes from time to time.
“I sometimes have said stuff and you know, I was wrong! But people want you to say stuff right away. When people are coming at you, saying ‘Hey, you’re dumb, you don’t know,’ you don’t want to answer people," she said.
Offering a final thought on the matter, Goldberg urged fans to extend some understanding toward Jackson.
"So sometimes yeah, people get it wrong and they’re wrong. They made a mistake, they were wrong. It happens. Anybody who says it doesn’t happen to every one of us, we all do it. So okay, a little grace for the girl," she added.
