Bachelorette star Hannah Brown has issued an apology after being dragged online for
using racial remarks in a video, but it seems the rest of Bachelor Nation isn’t letting
her down easy.
What’s up it’s Emile Ennis Jr. with Clevver News!
Alright, so we’ve been over this time and time again, but it seems that some celebrities
with a multi-million follower platform don’t seem to realize that what happens on the internet
will ALWAYS make its way back to bite you within a matter of minutes.
On Saturday night, Hannah Brown conducted an Instagram Live with her followers where,
at one point, she was attempting to remember the lyrics to DaBaby’s “Rockstar.”
She began by singing a few lines out loud, and hesitates when she gets to the line that
includes the n-word, but doesn’t exactly skip over it.
After she said it out loud to her 3-million follower fanbase, Hannah continued to go about
her business as if she didn’t just say a racial slur out loud on a livestream.
Take a look:
The Instagram Live kept rolling when Hannah noticed that many fans began calling her out
for blatantly using the n-word, when she acted confused and didn’t think she actually said
it.
We also have to point out that in those lyrics she was singing, she omitted the F-word, but
said the N-word easily.
Hannah then suggested it might’ve been her brother who actually said the word, to which
she initially claimed she “never” used it.
The livestream continued when both Hannah and her friend went back and forth about thinking
they didn’t actually say it.
Hannah said QUOTE, “I really don’t think I said that word.
I don’t think I said that word, but now I’m like, ‘...oh god.’
I’ve never used that word.
I’ve never called anybody that.
We don’t say that word!
So you know what?
I’m gonna stay here, and y’all can think I said whatever I did, or think I’m something
I’m not, but I’m not that!”
This response seemed to infuriate fans to no extent, as they began sending messages
to Hannah via all forms of social media.
The backlash became so intense that shortly after her livestream ended, Hannah was forced
to issue an official apology, and not an apology that put blame on her brother, her friend
or anyone else sitting in the room while she popped off with the inappropriate lyrics.
She wrote, “I owe you all a major apology.
There is no excuse and I will not justify what I said.
I have read your messages and seen the hurt I have caused.
I own it all.
I am terribly sorry and know that whether in public or private, this language is unacceptable.
I promise to do better.”
Fans have continued to weigh in and are not as forgiving, mostly due to the fact that
this has happened time and time again, and likely won’t be the last.
Some also pointed out that both Hannah and her friend decided to throw someone else under
the bus who wasn’t even present, like this user who wrote, “so just watched that “apology”
and the friend next to her rly threw out another friend’s name and the name of Hannah’s
brother.
like girl wth you were the ONLY visible and audible person in that video.
honestly sounds like her entire friend circle are comfortable w the n word.”
Hundreds of people also noted that somehow Hannah decided to bleep out the F-word, but
continue to go about saying the N-word like it was nothing.
One user wrote, “I love Hannah Brown.
But she fucked up royally.
It's not up to me to forgive her.
I'm white.
I hope this is a teaching moment.
Stop singing the N word in a song.
I always see people pause not to say the F word...
So we can do it.
It's not hard.”
Not only have fans been weighing in all weekend, but many Bachelor contestants are also sharing
their thoughts on the matter.
Hannah’s ex-boyfriend Tyler Cameron weighed in defending her and hoping that people would
build her up instead of tear her down during this time.
He wrote, “In these moments, you have the opportunity to bury someone or lift them up.
We need to lift HB up from this.
She is learning and growing just like every single one of us.
Love rids hate.
Hate only makes more hate.
Let’s learn and lift each other up with love.”
This didn’t sit well with many, including Bekah Martinez who spoke straight FACTS when
she posted her thoughts to her Instagram story, writing, “How are people still gonna defend
CELEBS with access to SOOO much privilege, knowledge, and education saying the N-word...even
if it's 'just the lyrics to a song'...especially when that person had the wherewithal to skip
over the F-word lyrics first.”
She went on to add, “We've GOT to hold people accountable to do better otherwise we're continuing
to prioritize the feelings of white people (and someone we 'stan') over ending our country's
loooong history of casual racism and flippant anti-blackness.
So no, it's not cool to just sing it along the lyrics of a song.
Especially not ON YOUR PLATFORM WITH MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS?!!
smh. it's 2020."
Sydney Hightower, who was also open about the racial criticism she’d received on the
show and her entire life, wrote, “To have millions and millions of people watching you,
having a platform people dream of, then use it that way, and laugh it off like it’s
funny is just not ok.
We have to do better, take responsibility, be better.
The times we are living in this is unbelievable.”
When Nick Viall was asked his thoughts on the matter, he said QUOTE, “Getting a lot
of questions about this.
More quick thoughts…
There is no excuse.
Period.
Super sad and disappointing to see.
Rachel Lindsay is doing an IG Live shortly to share her thoughts.
I think her POV is more important for people to hear.
I’ll be watching.”
Rachel Lindsay has always been one to speak out on important issues, especially surrounding
racism and bullying as seen during a Bachelor taping when she tackled what it feels like
to receive such hate messages from people.
She went on Instagram Live to weigh in on the issue as so many people are looking to
her to respond.
Rachel started out by saying that she didn’t want to have to speak on this, but felt compelled,
especially after doing something different and reaching out to Hannah personally, telling
fans that she told Hannah that she was offended by her actions, but wanted to challenge her
to use her platform in a “better way.”
However, Rachel goes on to say that she is personally hurt by the fact that she gave
Hannah the opportunity to do so, and it wasn’t done.
Rachel went on to add that QUOTE, “If you’re bold enough to use the n-word on camera, on
your platform, then be bold enough to use your face on camera and apologize the same
way that you said the word.”
She also pointed out that she feels especially hurt by the people in her comments telling
her to “take it easy” or “brush it off.”
So let Hannah’s mistake, along with every other celebrity who has made the same mistake
in the past, be a lesson moving forward that it is under NO circumstances OK to use the
word in any way, shape or form.
Hannah has yet to respond to Bachelor contestants, so the verdict is out whether she will make
another appearance on camera to address the issue.
Right now, I wanna hear your thoughts on Hannah, as well as the responses sent in by fans and
fellow Bachelor contestants.
For more on The Bachelor, click to the right for some of the craziest moments in the show’s
history.
Thanks for watching Clevver News, see you next time.