Pop singer John Legend clapped back at social media users who criticized him for appearing in Lifetime’s much-hyped docu-series Surviving R. Kelly, which documents sexual misconduct allegations against the 51-year-old singer.
Social media users dug up old photos of Legend, right, and his wife, former swimsuit model Chrissy Teigen, posing with disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, left.
Weinstein is accused of sexually harassing dozens of women who were seeking roles in his movies.
Fans challenged Legend to explain why he remained silent on the Weinstein allegations, while publicly criticizing Kelly — who has never been charged with any wrongdoing.
Legend responded to the criticism, tweeting:
“I took a photo with and worked with Harvey on several occasions before his abuse was known to me and the rest of the world. Since his being exposed, his company and career have rightfully been destroyed and he’s been indicted. Sounds like something that should happen to R Kelly. If y’all wanna cape for R and discount all these women’s stories, just say it. Don’t bring up some old pics of me and somebody else.”
Legend, 40, was the only high-profile celebrity willing to insert himself into the drama surrounding R. Kelly (pictured above with a young friend in Atlanta).
Legend appears briefly in the six-part documentary, saying, “Time’s up for R. Kelly. [He] has brought so much pain to so many people.”
The pop singer wasn’t concerned about risking his career by alienating R. Kelly fans.
He tweeted, “It didn’t feel risky at all. I believe these women and don’t give a f–k about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision.”
The fallout continues for Kelly who promises to file lawsuits against those who produced and appeared in the documentary.
Hip-hop chieftain Master P low-key blamed parents and the victims — all consenting adults — for putting themselves in the position to be violated by a known predator.
“Ain’t nobody gonna play with my kids. Straight up,” he said in a video on Instagram. “You shouldn’t have even been on TV. I don’t know if R. Kelly did it or not, that ain’t any of my business, I ain’t judging, but I’m just saying those parents shouldn’t have let that go that far. If my kid in there, it’s gonna be all-out war.”
The docu-series broke records for Lifetime Network, becoming the most-viewed unscripted program in the network’s history.
The first two-hour episode, which aired on Thursday, garnered 1.9 million total viewers. Friday’s two-hour episode won the 1st and 2nd spots on the chart with 2 million and 2.1 million viewers respectively.
The final two-hour episode, which aired on Saturday, beat Thursday and Friday’s ratings. 2.26 million viewers tuned in for the 1st hour on Saturday. The second hour drew 2.29 million viewers.
In related news, on Monday, Facebook snatched down a fanpage, Surviving the Lies, which threatened to expose R. Kelly’s accusers.
Photos by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Samsung, Prince Williams/ATLPics.Net
