After being dragged on social media earlier this month for dismissing Gabrielle Union’s claims of racial insensitivity on the set of America’s Got Talent, Terry Crews—the show’s host—has issued an apology.
On Thursday afternoon (Jan. 31), Crews issued a personal apology to Union for invalidating her AGT experience, which was supported by other sources.
He wrote in part:
@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.
“You are a role model to the entire black community,” he added. “I should have at the very least understood you just needed my support.”
@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
@itsgabrielleu You are a role model to the entire black community and In my desire to be professionally neutral as your co-worker, I should have at the very least understood you just needed my support.
Sincerely, Terry Crews
— terry crews (@terrycrews) January 31, 2020
Crews’ apology to union was part of a longer thread in which the actor and host addressed the backlash he received after he dismissed Union’s claims in several interviews simply because it was not his experience.
He even went as far as to say that AGT was the most diverse production he’s been a part of in entertainment.
Union clapped back at his comments and he also received much criticism from black women, especially since Union and black women, in particular, were the main ones to support him when became one of the few men to reveal he’d been sexually harassed in Hollywood and joined the #MeToo movement.
He retaliated by tweeting that the only woman he needed to please was his wife, and not the women who had supported him.
“There is only one woman one earth I have to please. Her name is Rebecca,” he wrote in a now-deleted tweet. “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.”
Either from clarity or the need to do some damage control, he is now apologizing for how his cavalier words hurt many.
“I told @KevinHart4real a while ago, he needed 2 ‘acknowledge the pain of other people.’ Right now I have to do the same thing,” he began.
I told @KevinHart4real a while ago, he needed 2 “acknowledge the pain of other people.” Right now I have to do the same thing. I want to apologize for the comments I made. 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.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) January 31, 2020
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
I allowed disrespectful comments directed at me and my family to cause me to react angrily instead of responding thoughtfully. This certainly caused more harm, and it is my hope that I can amend any pain I have caused to those who were hurt by my words.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) January 31, 2020
