Famous American comedian Tiffany Haddish has reacted to the backlash that followed the controversial TikTok video she made in Zimbabwe. Tiffany Haddish drew angry reactions from social media users over a video that many believe was a mockery of the Southern African nation.
However, she hasn’t backed down and has gone ahead to defend the video.
The Tiffany Haddish Zimbabwe Video
Tiffany Haddish drew wide criticism after she posted a five-minute video of herself entering a supermarket in Zimbabwe on Sunday, July 28th, 2024.
“Hey, y’all. So, I’m out here in Zimbabwe in Harare and looking at the grocery store. They got a grocery store. It’s beautiful,” she said, appearing surprised. The video looked like a mockery of the continent and sparked condemnation on social media.
More About Tiffany Haddish’s Video
In the video, Tiffany Haddish took her TikTok followers on a tour of the supermarket. She strolled through its aisles, showing the various items on sale. The video showed soft drinks, meat, frozen food, organic strawberries, cornflakes, and even trash bags.
“Look at this grocery store. It’s huge! It’s absolutely humongous. In Africa, baby. Yeah. Believe it, believe it, believe it, believe it. Africa. Zimbabwe. Uh-huh,” she later said.
Pushback From Social Media
The video quickly spread across multiple social media platforms, drawing thousands of protests and millions of views.
A South Africa-based X (formerly Twitter) influencer, @unclescrooch, posted the video the same day with the caption, “Tiffany Haddish is surprised that there’s a grocery store in Africa..? What’s wrong with these people?” The video has attracted over 19 million views in less than five days.
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The X Post Attracted Loads of Angry Comments
Under the post, many people, mostly Africans, expressed outrage at the comedian’s video. “They think they are visiting the jungle with hunters and gatherers when they come to Africa!” one user remarked.
“I don’t know what they are teaching them in America,” said another X user. Another user, presumably American-based, replied to this comment, saying, “They don’t teach us about Africa… apart from the apartheid in South Africa… we don’t know nothing.”
More Angry Comments
Some users suspected that the actress and comedian could have been trying to make a joke. One comment read, “This has to be satire, right?”
Another such user wrote, “Ima need black folks to get a clue. Travel more. Stop believing half of what you see on TV. And if she was being funny, it’s not funny.”
Tiffany Haddish Enjoyed Some Support
Amidst the criticisms were a number of users who took her side. One user defended her by saying “Honestly, looks like she was doing the opposite. Trying to show the world that they’re not just chasing lions in Africa.”
“Looks like she was trying to stop stereotypes and was excited,” the comment ended. A few other users agreed with the comment.
Tiffany Haddish Defends Herself
While fans were expecting an apology from the Hollywood star, she instead doubled down on her remarks in the viral video. In comments she made under the X posts of her controversial video, she explained herself.
In response to a comment that asked her, “Which part [of the video] was meant to be funny?” she replied by saying, “None of it. Just showing my hood they was wrong.”
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Tiffany Haddish is Proud of Zimbabwe
In response to another X post criticizing her video, Tiffany Haddish gave more insight into her behavior in the video. “Zimbabwe has been growing in strength after getting there [sic] independence,” she began.
“I was told to bring food with me because don’t have any so imagine my joy when I witness to the truth. The Devil is a lie. I am proud of you, Zimbabwe,” she concluded.
Tiffany Haddish Said the Trip Opened Her Eyes
In another X response, the comedian said she had been a victim of a false narrative about Africa. Her video attempted to debunk the false views about the continent.
“I am an American, a Black one at that, and told for years that people are starving in Africa,” she stated. However, the trip to Zimbabwe has helped her see the truth.
“Crazy Stories”
According to Tiffany Haddish, she heard “crazy stories” about Africans killing each other. Also, she heard that there was “war every day” on the continent.
This and many more negative news about Africa spurred her to make the Zimbabwe video. “I thought I would share ’cause I know people in the USA that believe Africans don’t have anything,” she explained.
A Zimbabwean Influencer Came to Her Defense
In what would be a huge relief to the actress, a Zimbabwean influencer has defended her remarks in the video. Using his X account with username Tinashe M, he wrote that she “was right to be surprised by the grocery store in Zimbabwe.”
He cited research from Boston Consulting Group that said over 70% of the food and beverages an average African consumer buys come from smaller shops.
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