Stacey Dash might not see the worth of networks that cater to racial minorities, but Gabrielle Union, who stars on BET’s hit series “Being Mary Jane,” seemingly disagrees.
When asked about her fellow actress’ recent comments suggesting there should be no BET because its very existence is segregation, Union responded as though she’d hardly even heard of Dash before.
“Who’s that? Who’s Stacey Dash? Is she like related to Dame Dash? Was she on Roc-A-Fella? I heard of a crazy lady once, but I don’t know what her name is,” Union said during an event at the Sundance Festival.
Union continued to explain why awards shows and networks that recognize minorities are necessary.
“If you don’t see yourself reflected in mainstream awards, you tend to create your own. Until there is no longer a need for that, I celebrate the ALMAs, the same way I celebrate the Country Music Awards, and the same way I celebrate the BET Awards and the Image Awards, which we’ll all be at in a couple of weeks,” said Union. “The more that we focus on inclusion and a true representation of this country, I think that crazy lady will have less to say.”
Dash’s initial remarks were made in response to the #OscarSoWhite controversy that addresses the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ failure to nominate the year’s high-profile and successful Black movies and actors. She also suggested there’s no need for Black History Month.
Dash, whose controversial perspectives on racial issues have made her a go-to resource on Fox News, has received a lot of criticism about her most recent commentary, including a clap back from BET. Via the network’s social media platforms, she was reminded that she starred in a BET series and collected a check from the same entity she’s now discrediting.
Despite the backlash, the Clueless star hasn’t backed down and even reiterated her earlier comments.
“BET lies to American black people by telling them that the rest of America is racist, so stick close to your own kind. Anything that promotes segregation is bad! And they’re absolutely mortified that someone like me — an independent-thinking black woman — dares call their bluff,” Dash wrote via social media.
Dash’s comments haven’t just drawn the attention of those in the media. Presidential hopeful Ben Carson also reacted to her comments during a recent appearance on BET.
“If we didn’t have a Black History Month, there are a lot of things we wouldn’t talk about,” he said. “Everybody needs to understand that the greatness of America has a lot to do with contributions from everybody…Our ethnic diversity is not a problem unless we make it a problem.”
