Tiffany Haddish says she “lost everything” after child sex abuse lawsuit
The suit filed against her and Aries Spears has since been dismissed
Aux News Tiffany Haddish
Comedian Tiffany Haddish says she’s “lost everything” in the wake of sexual abuse case filed against her, and is unsure its dismissal will improve her job prospects.
“Oh, I lost everything. All my gigs, gone,” she tells TMZ at LAX. When asked if the suit’s dismissal may turn things around for her, she replies, “I don’t know, bro. I don’t have no job. I don’t have no job, bro.”
Earlier this month, Haddish and fellow comedian Aries Spears were sued for “intentional infliction of emotional distress, gross negligence, sexual battery, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse of a minor” by the plaintiffs identified as Jane Doe. The suit focused on two sketch videos filmed seven and eight years ago, including “Through A Pedophile’s Eyes.”
Following the announcement of the lawsuit, Haddish took to Instagram, writing:
“I know people have a bunch of questions. I get it. I’m right there with you. Unfortunately, because there is an ongoing legal case, there’s very little that I can say right now. But, clearly, while this sketch was intended to be comedic, it wasn’t funny at all—and I deeply regret having agreed to act in it. I really look forward to being able to share a lot more about this situation as soon as I can.”
On September 20, the plaintiffs filed a notice of dismissal with prejudice, meaning the suit cannot be refiled. In a shared statement, the two plaintiffs only address Haddish, and say they wish her the best.
“My family and I have known Tiffany Haddish for many years—and we now know that she would never harm me or my brother or help anyone else do anything that could harm us,” the statement reads. “We wish Tiffany the best and are glad that we can all put this behind us.”
In another video shared by TMZ, Haddish says that her main concern throughout the ordeal was “about the kids and making sure they were OK.” The actor also makes it clear she is no longer in contact with Spears.
If you or someone you know is suffering from sexual abuse, contact the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
76 Comments
The dismissal is confusing. Everything about the sketch seemed designed with ulterior motives.
“Everything about the sketch seemed designed with ulterior motives.”
Yeah, based on not knowing literally anything about the actual sketch, that’s a completely reasonable response.
Jesus, people are so fucking stupid.
…ulterior motives?
That statement from the Does reads like the kind of thing someone would say in a video where they were holding up a copy of that day’s newspaper while surrounded by armed men in balaclavas with AK-47s.
“That statement from the Does reads like the kind of thing someone would say in a video where they were holding up a copy of that day’s newspaper while surrounded by armed men in balaclavas with AK-47s.”
Pretty impressive that you’re able to read inflection on the printed word. Doesn’t sound at all like you’re full of shit and up your own ass.
I’m so confused about the skit. Like maybe it’s one of those “it wasn’t funny on paper but it was in the execution” things, but it sounds like it was literally just adults leering at half-naked children. Isn’t that just… less comedy and more literal child porn? (Child porn-adjacent, anyway.) 2013 wasn’t THAT long ago, I can’t believe any of the adults involved thought it was even remotely a good idea.
“Isn’t that just… less comedy and more literal child porn?
So, if I may, your assumption is that the children were naked? Or you just don’t understand what porn is? Either way, give your head a shake, stupid.
It would be tough to make any sketch with that subject matter funny, but it can be done.Darrell Hammond’s priest was the funniest thing about Scary Movie 3.
From what detailed descriptions I read of it, that sounds precisely like what it is. Though apparently the video still exists somewhere online, I’ll be damned if I ever search for or watch it. Fuck that.
I’m in my 30s and I had a room mate in her 20s when the whole Trudeau brownface thing came out and she kept saying that it was so long ago and I’m like “uhhhh no it wasn’t” but I figure her concept of time is just different than mine because she hasn’t been alive as long but I was like “ummmm no I was in grade school at that time” it wasn’t like…. I owned a slave or something. These kids seem to think the 1990s were like slavery times or something?? I mean there have been some big changes in my lifetime obviously but I wouldn’t say north american culture has changed in a significant way during my lifetime in the sense that things that were accepted when I was a kid are wildly unacceptable now.
With one exception. When I was a kid I was in the chorus for what was an all-white cast performance of The King and I. It was difficult for me to understand how wrong it was when a bunch of giggling racist adults were encouraging us kids. We even had yellowface makeup it was horrible. I re-visisted that town recently and they have all these posters from musicals they’ve done on the theatre wall but they omit The King and I from the wall lol. I reminded my parents recently and they were like “oh yeah that happened omg that was bad” but no one batted an eye at the time. This was in a very rural country town with few visible minorities. Just nobody said a word about it being wrong. I later came to the conclusion myself lol.
“but I wouldn’t say north americanculture has changed in a significant way during my lifetime in the sense that things that were accepted when I was a kid are wildly unacceptable now.” If you really believe this you’re delusional
Yeah, I guess it is a long time ago for someone in their 20s. Regardless, when Trudeau did that back in 2001, it was still wildly unacceptable.
I wouldn’t say north american culture has changed in a significant way during my lifetime in the sense that things that were accepted when I was a kid are wildly unacceptable now.We’re about the same age, really the only major changes I’ve seen between acceptance and thing that are unacceptable, comes down to social standards in general. When I was in grade school/middle school in the late 90’s-early aughts, calling someone a “retard” was acceptable if they did something dumb. Saying things like “that’s gay” when someone did or said something you didn’t like was also relatively normal. Of course, I’m not saying it was right to do so and clearly, we’ve progressed beyond that (well, most of us). I don’t ever recall blackface ever being considered acceptable.Also, if she was in her 20’s at the time, then she was born in the 90’s…
so something racist you did in the ‘90s is just “kids being kids” lolz, but everyone else back then knew what they were doing and should have their lives destroyed?
Funny how these moments of self reflection people have always end being about how much better they were than everyone else
It sounds like the intent was a 2edgy4u variant on kids saying the darndest things, where a child does something innocuous that has a different or extra meaning for an adult, except cranked to 11 for maximum shock value.It’s the kind of thing that might have worked if they’d used an obvious adult dressed as a stereotypical moppet (think Beck Bennett in overalls with exaggerated freckles drawn on his face), but even then it’s intentionally-offensive comedy that’s never going to work for a lot of people and would require some serious tightrope-walking for the rest, while it sounds like their comedic approach was more of a belly flop. And using actual children was a terrible fucking idea for a whole variety of reasons before we even get into how they were treated.
Maybe something like what Buck Henry used to do in the 70’s on SNL, but that was with adult cast members playing children. I’m not sure even that would fly these days.
My initial thought when I heard the title would be that it would cut from a child playing through a normal person’s eyes to the view of the pedophile and have a hot adult doing overtly/comically over-the-top sexy things; or maybe have the kids do the sexy stuff for the “pedo view” but that is really getting close to the line. Idk, I’m no comedy writer but that’s what popped into my head. But yeah reading the actual description sounds very much like just borderline porn.
feels like a pedophile wrote it, and then tried to pass it off as comedy. Not the same thing at all, but you hear about rising comedians putting in the script that their character feels up the female lead, or ogles her in the shower, or accidentally strips her while falling, etc.I’m not surprised that some asshole wrote it. I am surprised that noone on the set felt it crossed the line.
This was the era that gave us that “Bro Rape” sketch – there was something about the internet between like 2006 and 2014 that made people’s brains not work.
See also: The Nostalgia Critic
I remember genuinely believing that stuff was cheaper on Amazon because the internet magically made it cheaper, not because they were operating off of VC speculation and underpaying their workers.
Never forget how Ellie Kemper got her career start in that era with the “Blowjob Girl” sketch—from the same Donald Glover comedy group as the “Bro Rape” and the “Ni**er Fa**ot” sketch. Those were some wild times.
The blowjob sketch at least had a comedic premise – the character doesn’t understand blowjobs. You could even say that it highlighted Ellie Kemper’s talent for enthusiastic, off-center characters. But yeah, it was also a sketch where a talented comedian had to simulate POV porn.
That sketch did help launch the career of Donald Glover, and I know some of the other guys in that troupe are pretty prolific and active comedy writers, so I think it’s less people’s brains didn’t work and more that everyone was just happy not considering the implications of what they were doing. Also obviously there is a difference between sketches done by a bunch of college kids and ones enlisting actual children to be leered at.
It’s a rehash on the old Uncle Roy skit on SNL featuring Buck Henry as the pedo uncle.
So, I work in law enforcement and I’ve been trying to get people to stop using the phrase “child porn”. I understand it is still an outdated legal phrase in the US, but “porn” denotes consent, and children cannot consent. If you could try to use child exploitation materials (CEM) or similar, it will make a little bit of a difference. Because it really isn’t a type of porn.
Sounded like there was a settlement out of court right? Which, good for the family for getting recompense. Sounds like part of the settlement was to issue that statement, which is such a strange statement.
Wish all child abusers did
She or Spear didn’t even write the sketch, nor did they produce it.
Low hanging fruit is easier to pick I guess.
Nor did they say “Good lord, NO, we’re not doing this! Are y’all insane?!”
They performed it and (crucially) recruited the children.
You’re sooooooooo brave
This article is curiously devoid of any snark! Not even a single smug pronouncement about how “cancel culture is a myth”. Have you not had your morning coffee yet or what?
Spears is playing a local comedy club this week, they’re advertising 50% off tickets for his set.
To be fair, I’d expect that even without a child abuse lawsuit hovering over him. Until recently, I hadn’t heard his name mentioned — good or bad — since his MADtv days…
I think the only notice I’ve taken beyond that is that he used to team up with Frank Caliendo to do skits on FOX NFL Sunday, back a decade-plus ago. Here’s an example, with Frank donning blackface (and a reasonable imitation of the voice) to portray Sir Charles Barkley, and Aries Spears crossing his eyes to portray Shaq:
If you watch Vlad TV on youtube, Vlad interviews him quite a bit on his show. He showed up at a local comedy club here a couple of months ago, I almost went, but didn’t get around to it. I wasn’t a regular MADTV watcher, so I really only know him from the Vlad interviews.
Kids get in for free?I’m sorry, I’ll leave now…
It’s hard to feel sorry for her when in the end, she ultimately went through with the obviously disgusting sketch.
Almost tried to write about understanding the context that could lead to saying yes, but I’ve deleted that comment. Not going down that road.
I can’t imagine either performer was intentionally trying to do anything wrong. I would certainly hope not…but wrong is wrong and this was pretty effing wrong. Since Spears seems to be staying mum on the subject, I think Haddish’s best bet is to be REALLY apologetic, donate to some charities, maybe do a PSA or two, and pick a quality project to do next. If she acts aggrieved, she’s going to kill her career.
where did you see it? been curious on viewing it before making an informed opinion.
Random comments on AVclub. People have posted a synopsis of it and links to the show itself for context.
ah gotcha, so no one has seen it.
That’s not what I said…
oh good, so you have seen it. do you have the link?
Do you really want to do this?
watch something before I pass judgement on it, yes? not sure why you’re gatekeeping it from us, we’re all adults here.
not sure why you’re gatekeeping it from usLmfao, I’m not sure how I can possibly gatekeep something from you that I don’t have. we’re all adults here.In that case, act like an adult, put in the work, and scan the comment sections, you’ll eventually find what you’re looking for.
This is all very strange and unsettling. Suffice it to say, some things aren’t ripe for parody. Like child porn.
It’s Always Sunny took it about as far as it can (and should) be taken in Frank’s Little Beauties.
Yes agreed.More importantly: we have almost the same profile picture.
Google Images does it again!
Now I’m imagining a workplace conversation between two nuclear explosions, and the avclub doesn’t seem that bad.
Or: Tiffany Haddish took the justified goodwill from Girls Trip, and then said yes to nearly everything she was offered over the next five years. None of it really hit. This was just the final nail in the coffin.
Tuca & Bertie is awesome, though
So was S1 of The Afterparty.
and to an extent, I enjoyed The Oath.
Is there going to be another season of the After Party? Feels perfect as a one and done.
Yeah, a second season was announced and seems like it has been filmed already, with Haddish, Sam Richardson, and Zoe Chao returning. https://www.slashfilm.com/902018/the-afterparty-season-2-everything-we-know-so-far/
Based on what imdb has, it looks like the new cast members are great too!
She was also very good in The Last O.G.
I loved The Last O.G. and she was also really good in Night School and The After Party.
They could totally replace her voice with another constantly shouting girl.
I mean, maybe she could’ve been more strategic or choosy, but I don’t really blame someone who’s in such a fickle business for agreeing to bunch of work while they’re getting offers, especially coming from a comedy background and since her big break was relatively late. It’s not like it’s been straight bombs since then, she’s done mostly alright for herself. To add to the other commenters listing stuff they liked her in, she was great in Bad Trip.
I thought she was really good in Keanu, though the film itself was so-so and did okay critically but not great at the box office.
Haddish still shows 11 upcoming credits on IMDB. That’s a hell of a lot of work for someone who’s “lost everything”
ya, cmon people get to work! there’s a black woman trying to make it in the comedy world, we won’t rest until she has NO CAREER LEFT!
Not making a value judgment on Haddish or even saying she doesn’t deserve work…I mean, people have done worse stuff and have never stopped working (Hi, Woody Allen), I’m just saying objectively she still has a hell of a lot on her plate looking at IMDB
Which imdb are you looking at? Because on the actual one, she only has two acting gigs for 2023 and they’re both in post-production so they were filmed this or last year, so she doesn’t really have anything going on for 2023.
The IMDB app shows in production or in development stuff where it doesn’t show it on the site for some reason.And, yes, because some of this stuff is in development it may mean she has already been dropped or the project will never come around anyway, but she still has a lot of stuff attached to her name for someone who has ‘lost everything’
Except that she’s not talking about past or current stuff, but future gigs. Both the IMDB app and website only show two things she has going for 2023 and they’re in post-production which means they’re already completed filming. What you should be looking at is anything in pre production, or currently filming for 2023 and beyond, and she’s got nothing. To go from 14 acting credits from 2021-22 to zero for 2023/24 is a huge deal and shows that she did in fact get canceled and lose everything. Makes one wonder if the holdup with the Tuca and Bertie renewal is because of her and Netflix debating dropping her in favor of someone else.
So has she been fired from Tuca and Bertie?
I was wondering about that too. I don’t think a new season has been announced so maybe it’s not a job that’s active enough to be lost. Haven’t seen anything from Lisa Hanawalt about Tiffany Haddish or a new season.
I hope they both lost everything and end living out of their cars. That will give them time to think about what they did. Idiots!!!