A few of those reasons were, “a nigga’s need to shine, Air Jordan release dates, and Tyler Perry’s typewriter. Another one of those reasons could easily be, Black people don’t support works of art that help advance the culture. Instead, we run out to support movies like Madea.” The last three Madea movies pulled in a combined $66 million during their opening weekends alone, according to Box Office Mojo.
That’s one of the reasons I’m so disappointed that Nate Parker‘s The Birth Of A Nationonly made $7 million at the box office this week. I completely understand the controversy surrounding his past. Rape is a serious crime, but he was acquitted. If you still have doubts about how he handled things, fine. Feel however you like, but as he told me on my show Extra Butter, “400 plus people worked on this film. It ain’t the work of just one person.”
This movie is a major conversation starter to have a real discussion about race. In my opinion, as a father of two daughters, I’ve seen remorse in Nate’s eyes, and I heard it in his voice. Sure, I’ve never heard an apology from him, but I believe he feels he doesn’t have anything to apologize for.
I respect that, because Donald Trump apologized and now I have 40 percent of the nation telling me to forget that he said he sexually assaults women by kissing them without asking and grabbing them by the pussy.
The people who didn’t go support The Birth of A Nation because of Nate Parker’s past are the same ones who want an insincere apology from Nate, rather than the real remorse and regret he feels for putting a young woman (and himself) in that situation when he was just a young 19-year-old boy. A boy by Ryan Lochte standards, according to pussy grabbing cosigner Billy Bush.
So if you’ve hurt people, you can put your pain aside and go out and support The Birth Of A Nation this week; it would be a great conversation starter and an even better example of another type of American hero.
1. Bill Cosby: Since 2005, over a dozen women have alleged that Bill Cosby drugged and then sexually assaulted them. With the allegations getting media attention again, the first supermodel ever, Janice Dickinson, has also come forward to reveal the "Cosby Show" actor raped her in 1982.
1 of 9
2. Michael Jackson: Throughout his career, the King of Pop was accused of molesting young boys several times. After he died, it was discovered that Michael spent over $35 million covering up the alleged molestation of 24 boys.
2 of 9
3. Martin Lawrence: Leading man in one of the best comedy series ever, Martin's co-star Tisha Campbell left the show "Martin" in 1997, citing sexual harassment, sexual battery, verbal abuse, and threats from Martin. To make matters worse, Tisha recently revealed she was a victim of rape at just 3-years-old.
3 of 9
4. Terry Richardson: The man on the other side of the lens has been labeled a sexual predator by more than a few women. Multiple models have claimed Richardson requested sexual favors during shoots, and the heinous accusations stretch all the way back to 2005.
4 of 9
5. Woody Allen: The famed director reportedly sexually abused his 7-year-old adopted daughter Dylan Farrow. Allen refused to take a polygraph test administered by state police, and the young girl's claims were found to be consistent with the testimony of three adults who were around the same day the abuse happened.
5 of 9
6. James Brown: James Brown has not only been arrested for armed robbery, in the early 2000s he was sued by a woman who claimed it was Brown's fault she suffered from Graves' disease, as he allegedly raped her at gunpoint in 1988.
6 of 9
7. Kobe Bryant: The LA Laker was the center of a lot of negative attention in 2003, when a 19-year-old hotel employee accused the basketball player of raping her. Though Kobe admitted to having sex with her - and remember, he was married at the time - he denies it was rape.
7 of 9
8. Sean Penn: The famed actor is not only known for his ability to meaningfully portray a character, he's also known for tying up ex-wife Madonna and beating her bloody. She escaped when she told her husband of the time she had to use the bathroom.
8 of 9
9. Marv Albert: In 1997, the beloved Sportscaster plead guilty to sexual assault and battery of a longtime lover, who claimed that he repeatedly bit her and forced her to perform oral sex on him. She claimed she was only able to escape after ripping his toupee off of his head.
9 of 9
Continue reading 13 Celebrity Men Who’ve Been Accused Of Heinous Crimes But Are Still Idolized
13 Celebrity Men Who've Been Accused Of Heinous Crimes But Are Still Idolized