Janet Jackson Rips Kamala, Fires Rep For Issuing Unauthorized Apology

The saga around what Janet Jackson said or didn’t say about Vice President Kamala Harris continued into its latest chapter on Monday as the pop singer lambasted her spokesman for issuing an “unauthorized” apology walking back her criticism.

One day after issuing a statement from Jackson apologizing for suggesting that Harris is “not Black,” spokesman Mo Elmasri said he was shown the door by the singer and her brother Randy, according to the Daily Beast. “Janet Jackson fired me due to disagreements between me, her, and Randy, after her meeting with the Guardian and her unbalanced statements,” Elmasri confirmed in a statement. “That’s all I can say,” he added when pressed for details, saying he could not “receive phone calls due to the large number of calls” from angry people calling to “support… Kamala Harris.”

(POLL: Who Do YOU Think Won The Debate? VOTE NOW)

The walk-back came after Jackson, 58, told the Guardian that she “heard” from others that Vice President Harris is not actually Black. “That’s what I heard,” Jackson said last week. “That she’s Indian. Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days. I was told that they discovered her father was white.” Her comments echoed those made by former President Donald Trump last month. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now she wants to be known as Black,” he told the National Association of Black Journalists. Harris was born to Shyamala Gopalan, who was born in India, and her father Donald J. Harris, who was born in Jamaica.

Elmasri’s apology on Janet’s behalf was first reported by Buzzfeed where he said, “Janet Jackson would like to clarify her recent comments. She recognizes that her statements regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity were based on misinformation. Janet respects Harris’ dual heritage as both Black and Indian and apologizes for any confusion caused. She values the diversity Harris represents and understands the importance of celebrating that in today’s society. Janet remains committed to promoting unity and understanding.”

Jackson is close with her brother Randy, currently her manager, Variety reported. Both are said to be grieving over the recent death of their brother Tito. Other reps confirmed to TMZ that Elmasri is no longer associated with Jackson, who has yet to weigh in on his dismissal.

The debate around Harris’s race and ethnicity has also echoed that of former President Barack Obama who was falsely alleged to have been born in Kenya and was therefore ineligible to serve as America’s leader. Harris has fired back that Trump’s criticism of her background is not credible while some Republicans have pleaded with him to focus on her record and tie her with the deeply unpopular President Joe Biden.

(VOTE: Are You Supporting TRUMP Or KAMALA In November?)