Warning: This news story references claims of sexual abuse which may be triggering. Please read with caution.
Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish recently saw her career enter a state of crisis when news broke of two anonymous siblings suing her and comedian Aries Spears over sexually charged sketches they were allegedly duped into as children. The self-represented Jane Doe first filed in court last month, and, via Instagram, Haddish says the Through a Pedophile’s Eyes bit at the center of the claims was wrong.
The 42-year-old posted the above statement on Instagram earlier today, and news of the response was picked up by The Hollywood Reporter. An earlier article from TMZ details claims Haddish and Spears taught the older of the siblings to mimic fellatio for a skit. As well, the younger John Doe was purportedly stripped down to his underwear for the video Haddish has now denounced. It supposedly featured him being leered at when it was up on the Funny or Die site. Funny or Die has since said the piece was user-generate content they would never endorse, called the concept disgusting and say they wiped it immediately in 2018 after seeing it.
Unverified videos are circulating online of what appears to be the sketch in question, and Spears does not yet appear to have commented on his role in the case. Haddish has signed on crisis communications specialists to help her get through this crisis in her career. Attorney Andrew Brettler told The Hollywood Reporter the claims are false, and the pair’s mother has tried to sue prior but apparently could not find representation. As per Hollywood Reporter:
“Every attorney who has initially taken on her case — and there were several — ultimately dropped the matter once it became clear that the claims were meritless and Ms. Haddish would not be shaken down. Now, [her] adult daughter representing herself in this lawsuit. The two of them will together face the consequences of pursuing this frivolous action.”
More to come as we learn it. If you or someone you know is suffering from sexual abuse, contact RAINN or the National Sexual Abuse Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. It is never too late to talk, and you can remain totally anonymous when reaching out.