Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty
Damnit, Damita Jo!
Janet Jacksonโs team has denied that she issued an apology for comments she made leaning into right wing and QAnon conspiracy theories that Vice President Kamala Harris is not Black.ย According to Jacksonโs representatives, someone purporting to be her manager released an unauthorized statement on her behalf saying her words were based on โmisinformation.โ
The statement picked up by BuzzFeed and other outlets was attributed to a man named Mo Elmasri and it read:
โJanet Jackson would like to clarify her recent comments. She recognizes that her statements regarding Vice President Kamala Harrisโ racial identity were based on misinformation. Janet respects Harrisโ dual heritage as both Black and Indian and apologizes for any confusion caused. She values the diversity Harris represents and understands the importance of celebrating that in todayโs society.โ
On Monday, Jacksonโs team clarified to Variety that Elmasri is not associated with the singer. Elmasri, an Egyptian filmmaker and founder of 24 East Agency, identified himself as a now-former manager of Jackson, and claimed to have been dismissed by Jackson and her brother, Randy, after efforts to โimprove her image.โ
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โJanet Jackson fired me due to disagreements between me, her, and Randy, after her meeting with the Guardian and her unbalanced statements,โ The Daily Beast reports Mo Elmasri told them in an emailed statement.
โThatโs all I can say,โ he added. When asked for further comment, he said he could not โreceive phone calls due to the large number of calls,โ while adding, โAll support to Kamala Harris.โ
Variety reports that Jacksonโs actual management team has been led by her brother Randy Jackson for many years, and the siblings are currently mourning the recent passing of their brother Tito, making them unavailable for comment at the time of the incident.
What Did Janet Jackson Say About Kamala Harris?
Over the weekend, an interview with Janet was published by The Guardian in which she kookily questioned the accuracy of Kamala Harrisโ racial background.
โโWell, you know what they supposedly said?โโ Jackson told the news outlet. โโSheโs not Black. Thatโs what I heard. That sheโs Indian.โโ
โHer fatherโs white. Thatโs what I was told. I mean, I havenโt watched the news in a few days,โ she said. โI was told that they discovered her father was white.โ
Her comments sparked backlash from fans disappointed to hear that Damita Jo was mirroring conspiracy theory right-wing talking points comments made by Sunkist Stalin who alleged that Harris โturned Black.โ
Source: Robert Gauthier / Getty
Harrisโ father has been confirmed to be a Jamaican immigrant who came to the U.S. to pursue a PhD in economics. Madame VPโs mom, who died in 2009, was an Indian immigrant.
What do YOU think about Janet Jackson not taking back her comments about Kamala Harrisโ racial identity?
