The ongoing controversy surrounding actors Terry Crews and Gabrielle Union on their opposing takes of the “toxic culture” of NBC’s America’s Got Talent has now lead to a public apology.
Last week, Union responded to Crews’ praise of the diversity of the competition show she judged before her firing in November 2019 after bringing light to the sexist and racial discrimination on set. Union felt Crews’ insistence of diversity was an attempt to throw her “under the bus” and undermined her claims.
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The AGT host expressed his apologies in a series of tweets. He claimed a recent conversation with comedian Kevin Hart to “acknowledge the pain of other people,” and it made him now want to practice what he preached. “I realize there are a lot of Black women hurt and let down by what I said and also by what I didn’t say,” he tweeted.
I hear you, I respect you and understand you. I am sorry and I am here to support you. I spoke from my own personal point of view without first taking into consideration someone else’s experience.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) January 31, 2020
@itsgabrielleu, I want you to know it was never my intention to invalidate your experience— but that is what I did. I apologize. You have been through a lot in this business, and with that I empathize with the struggle toward fairness and equality in the workplace.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) January 31, 2020
In now-deleted tweets that were captured by the Daily Mail UK, Crews had a much different response to initial criticism of invalidating Union’s claims. On January 27, Crews cryptically tweeted, “‘I’m a hog. You’re a chicken. Just ‘cuz you gave me eggs – Don’t mean I owe you bacon.”
He followed up in another deleted tweet, saying, “There is only one woman on earth I have to please. Her name is Rebecca. Not my mother, my sister, my daughters or co-workers. I will let their husbands/boyfriends/partners take care of them. Rebecca gives me wings.”
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Many people online reacted to Crews in anger, reminding the AGT host of Union’s support and that of other black women in 2017 when he shared allegations of sexual assault. He accused former WME agent Adam Venit of inappropriately touching him at a party in 2016.
Wait… not after all those Black women, Gabby included, stuck their necks out for you? This is beyond foul, not to mention nonsensical – is it only women w/ partners deserving of protection? Really should have just sat there and ate your tootsie rolls.
— Angela (@TheKitchenista) January 27, 2020
Others such as television host and professor Marc Lamont Hill weighed in with doubt of the sincerity of the apology.
People make mistakes. Apologies are important. Terry Crews’ response, however, feels like damage control rather than contrition. It’s hard to believe he just had an epiphany after a week of doubling down on his initial remarks. This feels like a publicist rather then a principle.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) February 1, 2020
Union’s husband, NBA legend Dwyane Wade did not seem convinced.
“Someone please take @terrycrews phone” Wade wrote and retweeted a comment calling Crews’ statements into question.
‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ https://t.co/caBqjd493a
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 1, 2020
Union has yet to respond to his apology.
The post Terry Crews apologizes to Gabrielle Union following ‘AGT’ backlash appeared first on TheGrio.
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