There’s ALWAYS someone, isn’t there?
Last night Viola Davis became the FIRST African American woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series!
After Davis won, she gave an incredibly moving and touching speech in which she mentioned the sometimes lacking opportunities for “women of color” in entertainment.
Video: Taraji P. Henson, Kerry Washington, & Mary J. Blige Have A Dance Party In Apple Music Commercial!
Several celebrities took to Twitter to commend the How to Get Away with Murder actress, but one of her Hollywood peers didn’t agree.
Nancy Lee Grahn, a 57-year-old actress best known for her role on General Hospital, took to Twitter to share her opinion saying:
I wish I loved #ViolaDavis Speech, but I thought she should have let @shondarhimes write it. #Emmys
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
She then went on to tweet (and later delete):
“Im a f**king actress for 40 yrs. None of us get respect or opportunity we deserve. Emmy not venue 4 racial opportunity. ALL women belittled.”
It was around this point that the soap opera actress received a TON of backlash online! Obvi….
She wrote a long series of tweets attempting to clarify and apologize and claim that she worded things poorly. She tweeted:
Viola Davis winning lead actress Emmy’s historic. My upset is acting awards dont fix racial injustice. As an actor I see how irrelevant we r
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
I never mean to diminish her accomplishment. I wish I could get her roles. She is a goddess. I want equality 4 ALL women, not just actors.
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
I apologize 2 anyone who I offended. I’m women advocate since I became one. After reading responses, I hear u and my tweet was badly phrased
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
Even in the middle of apologizing, she responded to another tweet by saying:
@nxssy I do 2. I think she’s the bees knees but she’s elite of TV performers. Brilliant as she is. She has never been discriminated against
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
We don’t know about you, but we’re guessing Miz Grahn doesn’t personally know Davis’ story and this tweet, much like her original comes off VERY ignorant.
Regardless though, Nancy continues her damage control by saying:
Schooled. As surrogate 2 last democratic presidents I thought I needed no lesson in equality. I was wrong. Please accept my apology.
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
Then in a TwitLonger, she wrote:
“I apologize for my earlier tweets and now realize I need to check my own privilege. My intention was not to take this historic and important moment from Viola Davis or other women of color but I realize that my intention doesn’t matter here because that is what I ended up doing. I learned a lot tonight and I admit that there are still some things I don’t understand but I am trying to and will let this be a learning experience for me “
She polished her night off by saying:
I’ve taking a whoopin 2night and as u can see will rightfully stay up all night to talk to you.
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
3am.Tried 2 respond 2 u with love as I should, Gotten mostly condescension & vitriol.Tomorrow, new day. Wont begin it with anything but love
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
30 yrs an advocate 4 human rights & now i’m a racist. Color me heartbroken. Twitter can bring out the best & sadly tonight the worst of us.
— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
Wow.
Well we can’t say we agree with what Nancy was saying as we absolutely LOVED Davis’ win and her epically emotional speech!
We’ll leave this one at letting haters hate and knowing that Twitter is an unforgiving place!
What do you think? Has Grahn apologized sufficiently, or does she deserve to receive more backlash??
[Image via Apega/Nikki Nelson/WENN.]
-
Categories
