Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Pop icon Janet Jackson raised eyebrows when she told an interviewer that she heard Vice President Kamala Harris was “not Black,” echoing a false claim pushed by former President Donald Trump. Someone claiming to be her spokesperson issued an apology — but reps for Jackson now say that wasn’t authorized to speak for her.
When asked about Harris possibly making history as the first Black woman to become President, Jackson told The Guardian‘s Nosheen Iqbal: “Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.” When told that Harris was both Black and Indian, Jackson added: “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.”
Iqbal noted in her piece that it was “well known that Harris’s father is a Jamaican economist, a Stanford professor who split from her Indian mother when she was five.”
Trump has pushed the false claim, which originated when he was interviewed by the National Association of Black Journalists in July, that Harris “turn[ed] Black” after saying she was Indian.
After Jackson’s interview made headlines, Buzzfeed reported that Mo Elmasri, who claimed to be Jackson’s manager, issued a statement on Jackson’s behalf apologizing for the comments:
Janet Jackson would like to clarify her recent comments. She recognizes that her statements regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity were based on misinformation. Janet respects Harris’ 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 today’s society. Janet remains committed to promoting unity and understanding.
However, Jackson’s reps told Variety on Sunday that Elmasri was not authorized to speak for Jackson. No further comment was given to Variety. The outlet also noted that Jackson has been managed by her brother Randy Jackson for “years,” and that the Jackson siblings were currently mourning the recent loss of Tito Jackson and were “unavailable for comment.”
Variety reached out to Elmasri for comment and he confirmed that he “no longer worked for [Janet Jackson]. I was fired by Janet and Randy, after attempts to improve her image in front of public opinion and her fans, and this is something I do not deserve.” Sources close to Jackson’s team also denied to Variety that Elmasri was ever “directly associated” with the singer.
