KeKe Palmer is being criticized after she shared the trailer for her new web series, “Southern Fried Rice”, about an Asian girl who gets accepted to an HBCU.
The trailer was not well received.
Coco, who was raised by a Black family, immediately stands out like a sore thumb on the HBCU campus.
“For a lot of people, this is hard to understand, but Black culture is the only culture I know,” Coco says in the trailer.
The web series is executive produced by KeKe, directed by Shayla Racquel and created/written by Nakia Stephens.
But only Keke is catching heat for the trailer’s messaging.
Critics say KeKe is tone deaf for not uplifting her own race.
KeKe responded to the backlash after premiering the trailer on her Instagram page. She noted that all of the professionals behind the scenes are people of color.
KeKe wrote:
“As a professional tap dancer and court jester for most of my life
NOT COMPLAINING! I can tell you that it’s imperative people of color have jobs outside of just being the talent or the player on the team. It’s my mission with @keytvnetwork to help fund and support the creators of color behind the scenes, giving them a chance to tell their own story.
There is a common complaint about there not being a lot of black people in the hair and makeup union. The lack of black creators in high positions is a big source of this. It’s KeyTV’s mission to democratize the industry and support black people in business positions that don’t always include us performing. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there is so much more we can do and have to offer!”
One person wrote on Instagram, “In this current climate where they’re snatching funding & literally trying to erase our schools? We have a responsibility to amplify our OWN stories & perspectives, now more than ever.”
Another person wrote: “I wish I could admire your inability to read the room.”
A third person commented: “Is there gonna be an episode where Asian ppl begin demanding the destruction of affirmative action bc there are ‘too many black ppl’ at IVY league schools and she defends them?”
