SHERYL UNDERWOOD
Sheryl Underwood Apologizes For Comments About 'Nappy,'
'Nasty' Natural Black Hair
The Huffington Post | By Cavan Sieczkowski
Posted: 09/05/2013 12:47 pm EDT
On Friday, Aug. 31, a re-run episode of CBS' "The Talk" featured the ladies discussing what supermodel Heidi Klum does with her biracial sons' shorn hair, Mediate first reported. (In a previous interview with Your Tango, Klum had detailed how she kept sons Henry's and Johan's hair after shaving their afros and made art out of the pieces.)
Underwood, apparently, couldn't understand.
"OK, I'm sorry, but why would you save afro hair?" Underwood asked. “You can’t weave afro hair. You never see us at the hair place going ‘Look, here, what I need here is, I need those curly, nappy beads.' That just seems nasty.”
When Sara Gilbert admitted to keeping some of her own son's hair, Underwood interjected saying, "Which is probably some beautiful, long, silky stuff."
Twitter exploded with critics blasting Underwood for her insensitive comments, The Root noted.
On Wednesday morning, Underwood called into Steve Harvey's radio show to apologize.Harvey
I want to apologize for my recent attempt at humor that missed the target and hit my people squarely in the heart. To all of you I say, I’m very sorry for my failed attempt at humor surrounding something that’s very sensitive to us: our hair. I could use this time to try to explain the intent of what I said, but misunderstanding aside, the way the joke came out offended my people and my community, which was not my intent.
Underwood thanked those who called her out on her comments and asked for forgiveness.
Prior to this apology, she spoke with natural hair blogger Curly Nikki about the incident, saying she was "misunderstood." She said it was a "bad choice of words" to juxtapose descriptions about the "nappy" afro hair of a black boy with the "silky" hair of a white boy. She admitted it was a mistake.
"I am going to make mistakes, because I’m human," she added. "And I’m sorry for what my words inferred, but it doesn’t call my Blackness into question. My Blackness comes out in other ways, subtle ways. On the show, when they refer to him as simply, ‘Obama’, I straighten them up and remind them that he ain’t your boy, he’s the president. President Obama. I’m learning lessons, and I cannot evolve if I’m not allowed to be empowering."
Comments 12 Pending Comments 14
68 Fans
34 seconds ago ( 2:35 PM)
How can black women who try and promote natural hair accept the apology of a woman that has spent thousands of dollar straightening her to rid of those "nasty" ..... "curly, nappy beads"
510 Fans
4 minutes ago (2:32 PM )
Sheryl Underwood is really too crass to be on television, let alone broadcast tv, everyday.
Her job is to embarrass herself and then to apologize. CBS needs the ratings attention.
154 Fans
5 minutes ago (2:30 PM )
I appreciate the apology but she needs to be honest with herself. There is some self-hatred in that comment she made. Clearly she has been influenced by other people's standard of beauty and deep down inside she really does have a problem with natural Black hair.
214 Fans
6 minutes ago (2:30 PM )
Every black in this country suffers from self hatred...some more than others
4737 Fans
18 minutes ago (2:17 PM )
Sorry, the old "I was attempting humor" trick will NOT work. Underwood's comments were infused with ignorance and self-loathing. I pity her.
4 Fans
27 minutes ago (2:08 PM )
This is BulllllShiiiittt!! This woman makes a derogatory comment about black woman's hair and all she does is apologize.
A white guy a few years ago made a similar comment and he gets fired.
And they say there is no racism in this country?
The Huffington Post | By Cavan Sieczkowski
Posted: 09/05/2013 12:47 pm EDT
On Friday, Aug. 31, a re-run episode of CBS' "The Talk" featured the ladies discussing what supermodel Heidi Klum does with her biracial sons' shorn hair, Mediate first reported. (In a previous interview with Your Tango, Klum had detailed how she kept sons Henry's and Johan's hair after shaving their afros and made art out of the pieces.)
Underwood, apparently, couldn't understand.
"OK, I'm sorry, but why would you save afro hair?" Underwood asked. “You can’t weave afro hair. You never see us at the hair place going ‘Look, here, what I need here is, I need those curly, nappy beads.' That just seems nasty.”
When Sara Gilbert admitted to keeping some of her own son's hair, Underwood interjected saying, "Which is probably some beautiful, long, silky stuff."
Twitter exploded with critics blasting Underwood for her insensitive comments, The Root noted.
On Wednesday morning, Underwood called into Steve Harvey's radio show to apologize.
I want to apologize for my recent attempt at humor that missed the target and hit my people squarely in the heart. To all of you I say, I’m very sorry for my failed attempt at humor surrounding something that’s very sensitive to us: our hair. I could use this time to try to explain the intent of what I said, but misunderstanding aside, the way the joke came out offended my people and my community, which was not my intent.
Underwood thanked those who called her out on her comments and asked for forgiveness.
Prior to this apology, she spoke with natural hair blogger Curly Nikki about the incident, saying she was "misunderstood." She said it was a "bad choice of words" to juxtapose descriptions about the "nappy" afro hair of a black boy with the "silky" hair of a white boy. She admitted it was a mistake.
"I am going to make mistakes, because I’m human," she added. "And I’m sorry for what my words inferred, but it doesn’t call my Blackness into question. My Blackness comes out in other ways, subtle ways. On the show, when they refer to him as simply, ‘Obama’, I straighten them up and remind them that he ain’t your boy, he’s the president. President Obama. I’m learning lessons, and I cannot evolve if I’m not allowed to be empowering."
Comments 12 Pending Comments 14
68 Fans
34 seconds ago ( 2:35 PM)
How can black women who try and promote natural hair accept the apology of a woman that has spent thousands of dollar straightening her to rid of those "nasty" ..... "curly, nappy beads"
510 Fans
4 minutes ago (
Sheryl Underwood is really too crass to be on television, let alone broadcast tv, everyday.
Her job is to embarrass herself and then to apologize. CBS needs the ratings attention.
154 Fans
5 minutes ago (
I appreciate the apology but she needs to be honest with herself. There is some self-hatred in that comment she made. Clearly she has been influenced by other people's standard of beauty and deep down inside she really does have a problem with natural Black hair.
214 Fans
6 minutes ago (
Every black in this country suffers from self hatred...some more than others
4737 Fans
18 minutes ago (
Sorry, the old "I was attempting humor" trick will NOT work. Underwood's comments were infused with ignorance and self-loathing. I pity her.
4 Fans
27 minutes ago (
This is BulllllShiiiittt!! This woman makes a derogatory comment about black woman's hair and all she does is apologize.
A white guy a few years ago made a similar comment and he gets fired.
And they say there is no racism in this country?
56 Fans
29 minutes ago (2:06 PM )
Well, I am glad she apologized and I hope it was sincere. If she said it was a joke that was misunderstood.....cool. No need to read more into it more than that.
32 Fans
32 minutes ago (2:04 PM )
While you're at it Sheryl, you should apologize for subjecting us to those gums of yours.
214 Fans
7 minutes ago ( 2:29 PM)
she does have a mule look kind of like a mule....lol
84 Fans
40 minutes ago ( 1:55 PM)
Good for you Sheryl. I didn't hear the "joke" but girl you had to know once those words flew out of your mouth you were in trouble with the sista-hood.
16 Fans
15 minutes ago (2:21 PM )
" you were in trouble with the sista-hood." ??
She was in trouble with Blacks, Period!
84 Fans
8 minutes ago (2:27 PM )
Don't take it so personal. My goodness.
All Rights Are Reserved By Their Respective Owners c)2013
29 minutes ago (
Well, I am glad she apologized and I hope it was sincere. If she said it was a joke that was misunderstood.....cool. No need to read more into it more than that.
32 Fans
32 minutes ago (
While you're at it Sheryl, you should apologize for subjecting us to those gums of yours.
214 Fans
7 minutes ago ( 2:29 PM)
she does have a mule look kind of like a mule....lol
84 Fans
40 minutes ago ( 1:55 PM)
Good for you Sheryl. I didn't hear the "joke" but girl you had to know once those words flew out of your mouth you were in trouble with the sista-hood.
16 Fans
15 minutes ago (
" you were in trouble with the sista-hood." ??
She was in trouble with Blacks, Period!
84 Fans
8 minutes ago (
Don't take it so personal. My goodness.
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