Tiffany Haddish defends Africa mall gaffe; cites war misconception about Africa

Tiffany Haddish has defended her controversial TikTok video filmed during her visit to a supermarket in Zimbabwe, aiming to challenge the stereotype that Africa is constantly in a state of war.

The video, which has amassed over 200,000 views, shows Haddish expressing amazement at the size and variety of goods available in a supermarket in Harare. In the video, she remarks, "Look at this grocery store. It's humungous, in Africa," while scanning shelves stocked with a variety of products.

Her comments sparked a backlash from some Zimbabweans on social media. Critics questioned her perception, with one user on X asking, "Did she think that Africans shop from rocks?"

In response, Haddish took to X to clarify her intentions. She explained that, as an American, she had been taught a "false narrative" about Africa, filled with images of war and poverty.

"I am an American, a Black one at that, and told for years that people are starving in Africa, showed pictures of babies with flies on them," she wrote. Haddish shared that her visit to Zimbabwe was enlightening and helped her see the reality of the continent, countering the stereotypes she had grown up with.

While the video drew criticism, Haddish also received support. One supporter commented, "We like that you like our grocery store and all the products that shocked you are just basics here as well."

Haddish, who is half-Eritrean, previously visited Eritrea in 2018 and expressed admiration for its long-time ruler Isaias Afwerki, despite his critics labeling him a "dictator." Her rebuttal doesn't still sit with critics who believe she should have known better.

Accordingly, some fans have been asking Miss Haddish for an unqualified apology to which she later came to say "I believe most of the bad things that have happened in my life are My fault."

"I choose to be friends with people that weren’t actually my friends. That truly didn’t care about me, they wanted to use me and I let them. Shame on me for not trusting my instincts. Lessons learned," she concluded.