Top Stories

John Legend Responds to Being Called a Monkey by Paparazzo

John Legend Responds to Being Called a Monkey by Paparazzo

John Legend is speaking out after he was called a monkey by a paparazzo while walking through the airport with his wife Chrissy Teigen.

Chrissy has already tweeted about the experience and John talked about what happened during a visit to the Variety Studio presented by Orville Redenbacher’s at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival on Saturday (January 21) in Park City, Utah.

“We were right next to each other and we looked at each other like, ‘Did he really just say that?’” John said. “And he really said it. He basically called me a monkey.”

“Black folks have had to deal with being called monkeys for a long time and dehumanization has always been a method of racism and subjugation of black people,” John added. “That’s just part of American history and it’s part of the present, apparently. We saw it with the former president, Obama, whenever people wanted to discount him or discount his wife, they compared them to apes. And we’ve seen that frequently.”

“You know, I’m not hurt by someone saying that to me because I’m smarter, I’m stronger,” John said. “I look down on that person that would say something like that, but it’s a shame that still exists.”

Pictured inside: John, the producer of WGN America’s Underground, attending a season two panel event at the festival with stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Aldis Hodge, as well as director Anthony Hemingway and writer Misha Green. The event was held on Saturday night at the Blackhouse Foundation.

Just Jared on Facebook
john legend responds to being called a monkey 01
john legend responds to being called a monkey 02
john legend responds to being called a monkey 03
john legend responds to being called a monkey 04
john legend responds to being called a monkey 05
john legend responds to being called a monkey 06
john legend responds to being called a monkey 07