Tiffany Haddish won praise for her performance in “Girls Trip.” (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
“Girls Trip” star Tiffany Haddish says her remarks about drinking “the juice” to work with Bill Cosby were just a joke, but that doesn’t mean she’s afraid to take professional chances.
“What I said was a joke,” the actress said Thursday, July 27, on a panel for Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, according to Variety. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been interviewed before. You do 27 interviews and you’re supposed to be humorous all that time. You’re gonna say some bad jokes.
“I was trying to make it seem like I’m not afraid to do anything,” Haddish added. “I’m not afraid of any kind of job, I’m not afraid to play any kind of role, as long as it doesn’t compromise my morals.”
The controversy began with an interview last week where the actress implied she’d be willing to work with Cosby even if it meant being drugged.
“I still want to work with Bill Cosby,” Haddish told the Los Angeles Times in a Thursday, July 20, article. “I don’t care, I’ll drink the juice. I’ll drink the juice. I’ll take a nap. I don’t give a damn,” she added with a laugh.
Along with Cosby, Haddish named Richard Pryor as one of her comedic inspirations and said, on a serious note, that she would enjoy Cosby playing her grandfather on a project.
The remarks led Twitter users to drill into Haddish’s comments, considering Cosby had more than 60 women who accused him of sexually assaulting them. (After six days of deliberating in the trial in which Cosby was charged with three counts of sexual assault for allegedly drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, the jury deadlocked. The case ended in a mistrial and a retrial is set for Nov. 6.)
I've been rooting hard for Tiffany Haddish but I find nothing funny about her making light of Bill Cosby drugging women
— Stephanie. (@qsteph) July 26, 2017
Wait. Tiffany Haddish said she still wants to work w/ Bill Cosby? Girl…. pic.twitter.com/ClfLrAo3eq
— Abbott Elementary’s Teacher of The Year (@nickythetee_) July 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/rosechocglam/status/890418323665543170
Twitter: "We loved Tiffany Haddish in #GirlsTrip. Sweetie is doing amazing!"
Tiffany Haddish: "I'd love to work with Bill Cosby."
Twitter: pic.twitter.com/X23DQWb2wi
— hellresidentNY 🖤 (@hellresidentNY) July 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/An_dre_C/status/890373753330429952
