Emmy-winning comedian Tiffany Haddish revealed she once went on dates solely for meals during her financial struggles.
During a recent livestream, Haddish expressed frustration about the current cost of living after paying $18 for a fast food chicken wing meal. The “Girls Trip” star’s candid admission about using men for survival sparked mixed reactions online.
While some applauded her honesty, others were disgusted and criticized her for her past actions.
The comic said, “Somebody was telling me the other day, ‘You care too much about other people you can’t touch, about other people.’ And I’m like, ‘I guess that’s because I felt like nobody cared about me when I didn’t have.’ I was just trying to figure it out.”
“Do you know how horrible it is to have to go on a date with a guy because you need a meal?” Haddish stated during the livestream, captured by The Jasmine Brand.
She added, “And it’s like, ‘I don’t even want to be nice to this person or even get to know him. I’m hungry.’”
Haddish, who has an estimated net worth of $6 million, connected her past experiences to today’s economic challenges in the nation, warning her followers that rising food prices could lead to widespread hunger.
The Jasmine Brand’s sharing of Haddish’s dating-for-meals comments generated mixed social media reactions. Some followers related to her experiences, with one person commenting, “Honestly, how many of us HAVE NOT DONE THAT A TIME OR TWO?!?”
Another supporter wrote, “Me too! I would choose all the nice restaurants in Manhattan on my ‘hot spot’ list. It was fun.”
Critics were equally vocal toward the “Night School” actress’ remarks.
“Just because you can say it doesn’t mean you should & that’s why so many black men think this way about women,” one person argued.
A more severe criticism came from a parent concerned about the message, “I’m a boy Mom I teach my boys against women just like her and fellas stop letting these 304s use and abuse you.”
Others questioned her public persona, with one comment suggesting, “Again trying to be ‘relatable’ and it being cringe idk who is advising her atp but she needs professional guidance.”
Haddish’s comments highlight the stark contrast between her current success and her previous financial hardships. Though, her path to fame was marked by significant obstacles.
Born in South Central Los Angeles in 1979, her childhood took a traumatic turn when her mother suffered a severe brain injury in a car accident, reportedly caused by her stepfather tampering with the brakes.
The injury drastically changed her mother’s behavior, leading to abuse. At 13, Haddish entered the foster care system after her mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and institutionalized.
Tiffany Haddish on the burden of raising her entire family at the age of 9 after realizing her step-dad tried to kill all of them (Part 2) pic.twitter.com/f2qWoBiaWK
— GOLDICOX 📿 (@jstcwarrior) July 25, 2017
Her challenges continued with periods of homelessness while pursuing comedy.
Fellow comedian Kevin Hart once noticed her living situation and gave her $300 for temporary housing, also encouraging her to document her goals — a gesture she credits with changing her life’s direction.
Education was another struggle for Haddish, who dealt with undiagnosed dyslexia that prevented her from reading properly until high school. One drama teacher actually stepped in and helped her learn to read, spotting that she must have had some issues going on at home.
At 17, when her social worker presented her with a choice between psychiatric therapy or the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp, she chose comedy — a decision that eventually led to her successful career, according to TampaBay.com.
How Tiffany Haddish met Kevin Hart ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Al5KynJdKp
— King Dayo (@OlaAhmedDayo) September 10, 2024
Haddish ended her Instagram Live with a stark prediction about current economic conditions.
“I have a strong feeling that we are going to have a lot more thinner people out here with the price of everything,” she said. “And like, you know, in this past election we were told that the price of food would come down, but it seems like it’s just going up. So we’re about to learn how amazing the human body can be when you don’t eat.”
From foster care to homelessness to Hollywood, Haddish’s journey demonstrates remarkable resilience.
Her willingness to share difficult truths about her past continues to connect with audiences who have faced similar struggles, cementing her reputation as a comedian who transforms hardship into relatable content that she spills out almost whenever she goes live.
