Tiffany Haddish took to Instagram to say she “deeply” regrets exploiting two minor children in inappropriate comedy sketches.
Haddish and fellow stand-up comic Aries Spears are named in a lawsuit filed by a 22-year-old woman on behalf of her minor brother.
The lawsuit stated the two siblings were exploited by Haddish and Spears in “comedy skits” that subjected the children to inappropriate adult situations in 2013 and 2014.
Haddish and Spears allegedly preyed upon the children of a friend of Haddish’s — a single mom who did not accompany her children to the video shoots. The mother later said she thought Haddish was a friend and she trusted her with the children.
Haddish, 42, finally apologized after one of the videos went viral last week. The video, titled “Through A Pedophile’s Eyes,” features Haddish as a single mom who leaves her 7-year-old son with her pedophile brother who molests the child.
The lawsuit stated the boy was subjected to even worse abuse off camera.
In most of the scenes, the boy is clad only in his underwear, according to the lawsuit.
“I know people have a bunch of questions. I get it. I’m right there with you,” Haddish wrote in an IG post on Monday.
“Unfortunately, because there is an ongoing legal case, there’s very little that I can say right now. But, clearly, while the sketch was intended to be comedic, it wasn’t funny at all — and I deeply regret having agreed to act in it,” the comedian and “Girls Trip” actor added. “I really look forward to being able to share a lot more about this situation as soon as I can.”
Haddish’s attorney, Andrew Brettler, initially called the lawsuit a “shakedown”, “frivolous” and “bogus”.
“[The plaintiff’s mother] has been trying to assert these bogus claims against Ms. Haddish for several years… Now, [the mother] has her adult daughter representing herself in this lawsuit. The two of them will together face the consequences of pursuing this frivolous action.”
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last Tuesday by a woman identified as Jane Doe on behalf of her minor brother John Doe, now 15. Jane Doe is John’s legal guardian.
Debra Opri, an attorney for Spears, said the comedian “isn’t going to fall for any shakedown.”
Spears, 47, settled a lawsuit with the mother over the video in 2019. But Haddish refused to settle. The settlement reportedly was not split with the children.
The settlement does not bind Jane or John from pursuing legal action against Haddish.
