Tiffany Haddish says she deeply regrets acting in an old sketch with Aries Spears that has sparked a wave of criticism following a lawsuit from an anonymous woman who accused the comedians of exploiting her and her brother in videos sexually charged when they were children.
“I know people have a ton of questions. I get it. I’m right there with you. Unfortunately, since there’s an ongoing legal case, there’s very little I can say right now,” she posted on social media. “But of course, while this sketch was meant to be comedic, it wasn’t funny at all, and I deeply regret agreeing to act in it. I look forward to sharing much more about this situation as soon as I can.”
Haddish and Spears were sued on August 30 by self-represented Jane Doe. The complaint alleges that the woman and her younger brother were tricked into participating in the skits when they were children. The video of the brother, who the complaint says was 7 years old at the time and was filmed in his underwear, was called “Through the Eyes of a Pedophile.” The clip featured Spears’ character lusting after the boy to the soundtrack of R. Kelly’s “Bump and Grind” and ends with the boy showing interest in the man and the warning “watch who you leave your kids with.” Haddish appears as the mother who repeatedly leaves her son alone with Spears for various reasons. Funny or Die, where the comics’ video had been posted, said it was taken down in 2018 and called it “absolutely disgusting”.
In response to the lawsuit, Haddish’s attorney, Andrew Brettler, called the claims “false” and said Doe’s mother had been trying to bring them for years.
“All of the attorneys who initially took on her case, and there were several, eventually dropped the matter once it became clear that the claims were futile and that Ms. Haddish would not be depressed,” Brettler said. . “Now, [her] adult daughter who is represented in this lawsuit. They will both face the consequences of taking this frivolous action together.”
The news comes as Haddish, a longtime comedian whose career exploded with the release of Girls Trip in 2017, remains an in-demand star. He stars in Apple’s The Afterparty, which has been renewed for a second season, and the animated series Tuca & Bertie for Adult Swim. His next film project is Haunted Mansion for family Disney; he is expected to promote it at the company’s upcoming D23 fan expo. Whether and how Haddish’s current and future projects will be affected remains to be seen.