Gabrielle Union Mocks ‘Crazy Lady’ Stacey Dash Over Her Controversial Comments
Actress Gabrielle Union apparently did not bite her tongue when she was recently asked about Stacey Dash.
The Being Mary Jane star was asked to express her thoughts about Stacey’s controversial comments about the BET Network.
According to Rolling Out, Gabrielle essentially approached the question as if she did not even know who Stacey Dash was in the first place at an event held during the Sundance Festival.
“Who’s that? Who’s Stacey Dash? Is she like related to Dame Dash? Was she on Roc-A-Fella? I heard of a crazy lady once, but I don’t know what her name is.”
Stacey Dash made headlines with her comments about the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network, claiming that the mere existence of the network is racist. Since it promotes “black entertainment,” Dash argued that the network essentially promoted segregation.
Dash further claimed that “BET lies to American black people by telling them that the rest of America is racist so stick close to your own kind.” She went on to say that “anything that promotes segregation is bad,” referring to herself as an “independent-thinking black woman” that dares to “call their bluff.”Gabrielle Union presented a different perspective that focused on the overall representation of black people in mainstream media.
“If you don’t see yourself reflected in mainstream awards, you tend to create your own. Until there is no longer a need for that, I celebrate the ALMAs, the same way I celebrate the Country Music Awards, and the same way I celebrate the BET Awards and the Image Awards.”
The Think Like a Man Too actress further drove her point home by shifting the attention back on Stacey Dash with yet another verbal blow.
“The more that we focus on inclusion and a true representation of this country, I think that crazy lady will have less to say.”
Stacey Dash’s initial remarks were specifically targeting the controversial slate of Oscar nominations this year. For the second year in a row, there were only Caucasian actors and actresses that received Oscar nominations – leading to the reemergence of the popular hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.
The Clueless actress could have commented on the need for diversity in the Oscar race the same way that numerous other celebrities have come forward recently – including Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Spike Lee. However, Dash apparently decided to take a very different approach.
In addition to targeting the existence of BET, she also suggested that there is not a need for Black History Month.
However, it seems as if Gabrielle Union is not the only person that has taken shots of criticism at Stacey Dash for her comments. Even though the 49-year-old actress made negative remarks about BET, fans and critics used social media to remind her that she once made a living from acting roles featured on the network.
#Shade: BET comes for Stacey Dash & Her Pay Check?!? https://t.co/0y55qAaGe1 https://t.co/GkmPTWySIn
— Power 107.5 (@Power1075) January 21, 2016
Cause stacey dash is so dumb better pay back BET for being on a BET show and also the money she made from being on black magazines fool
— Omarion (@OmarKareemAnton) January 23, 2016
If Stacey Trash really feel that way…its only fair she pay back BET, those movies & magazines their money back! She’s a sad case #TheView
— ?I?? O? ? ?O?? (@LipzOnACone) January 21, 2016
By responding the way that she did to Stacey Dash’s comments, Gabrielle Union made sure that she separated herself from the overall controversy. Since the hit TV series Being Mary Jane first debuted on BET back in 2013, Gabrielle has starred on the cast in the leading role of Mary Jane Paul.
[Image Credit: Jason Carter Rinaldi & Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]