Mo Elmasri, who issued a statement on Janet Jackson’s behalf walking back a statement the singer made questioning Kamala Harris’ race before her management disavowed the statement as unauthorized, tells TheWrap, “There was a previous dispute between me and Janet Jackson over her unbalanced statements, and I was fired. This is what I can say.”
Her representatives told TheWrap that Elmasri was not authorized to share an apology on the singer’s behalf. Elmasri is a filmmaker who is credited as a producer on a forthcoming documentary about the singer’s recent “Together Again” tour, alongside Jackson’s longtime manager, her brother Randy. Elmasri has issued multiple statements on Jackson’s behalf in the past, including promoting a forthcoming residency in Las Vegas.
The singer and her brother/manager Randy were unavailable for comment Sunday due to being in mourning for their brother Tito, according to her representatives.
Let’s back up for a moment. Janet Jackson, in a story published in the Guardian on Saturday, in which she repeated a conservative talking point questioning the Democratic presidential candidate’s racial background.
“Well, you know what they supposedly said?” Jackson told The Guardian. “She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.”
After The Guardian’s reporter told Jackson that Harris was both Black and Indian, Jackson said:
“Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days,” before adding, “I was told that they discovered her father was white.”
The next day, Elmasri, who is listed as an executive producer on the upcoming “Janet Jackson: Family First” tour film, shared an apology with Buzzfeed on the singer’s behalf.
“She deeply respects Vice President Kamala Harris and her accomplishments as a Black and Indian woman. Janet apologizes for any confusion caused and acknowledges the importance of accurate representation in public discourse,” Elmasri told Buzzfeed. “We appreciate the opportunity to address this and will remain committed to promoting unity.”
That apology was unauthorized, Jackson’s reps told TheWrap. Buzzfeed did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment on how the initial manager mixup and apology happened in the first place.
Jackson’s comments come after Donald Trump said in July that he was unaware of Harris’ background “until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now wants to be known as Black.” He then said, “she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden, she made a turn.”
Earlier this month, Trump said “I don’t care” when ABC’s moderators pressed him on the comment during the presidential debate.
“I couldn’t care less, whatever she wants to be is OK with me,” Trump said.
