Tiffany Haddish is now speaking out, days after she and Aries Spears were named in a lawsuit alleging child sex abuse. Two individuals only known as Jane and John Doe have accused Tiffany and Aries of sexual battery, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse of a minor.
Drawings, including one titled Through A Pedophiles Eyes, are the subject of the complaint. Social media erupted with requests for the comedians to respond to the accusations. Tiffany announced her silence on Monday morning. She apologized in a statement, but it was only so much she could say.
“I know people have a bunch of questions. I get it. I’m right there with you,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, because there is an ongoing legal case, there’s very little that I can say right now.”
Tiffany Haddish, according to the siblings, was friends with their mother before the abuse occurred. According to the lawsuit, Jane claims Tiffany pressured her when she was 14 to record a sexually explicit video. According to USA Today, Tiffany allegedly took Jane to a commercial shoot in the summer of 2013 and trained her to imitate fellatio.
Jane stated the interaction caused lasting trauma that leaked into her dating life. She added that she’s “scared she will be taken advantage of” and “led done a path of false trust like the path that Haddish led her down.”
According to the lawsuit, Tiffany proposed helping John Doe, who was seven years old, record footage for a Nickelodeon audition reel the following summer. As opposed to this, Tiffany is said to have taken John to Aries’ house where they “stripped the child down to his underwear” for the pedophile-themed sketch. In the sketch, a mother (played by Aries) constantly leaves her son at home with an older guy who harbors feelings for him.
According to the lawsuit, both siblings claim they have social difficulties. John Doe has a paranoid fear of being observed or recorded. According to reports, he covers his devices’ cameras with bandages.
For days folks on social media debated whether the intention of Through A Pedophiles Eyes was to solicit laughs or bring awareness. The end of the sketch reportedly flashes a message about being mindful with choosing babysitters. In her statement, Tiffany confirmed comedy was part of the video’s intention but admitted it missed the mark.
“But, clearly, while this sketch was intended to be comedic, it wasn’t funny at all–and I deeply regret having agreed to act in it. I really look forward to being able to share a lot more about this situation as soon as I can,” Haddish wrote.
Though Tiffany Haddish seemed to address John Doe’s claims, there didn’t seem to mention Jane’s alleged fellatio lesson.
Last week, Tiffany’s lawyer Andrew Brettler shot back at the suit’s allegations, dubbing them “extortion.”