Tiffany Haddish defends Zimbabwe video after backlash

Tiffany Haddish has responded to backlash after posting a video of her visit to a supermarket in Zimbabwe, addressing comments that she was patronizing Africans.

The "Girl’s Trip" star and comedian, 44, shared a TikTok video from Harare, showing shelves filled with produce and expressing her surprise, saying, “They got a grocery store! It’s beautiful.” She highlighted items such as organic strawberries, sugarcane, and dates.

Some social media users found the video condescending. One comment read, “They think we’re chasing lions and zebras.” Another user posted the video on Twitter with the caption: “Tiffany Haddish is surprised that there’s a grocery store in Africa..? What’s wrong with these people?”

Haddish replied, explaining that she, as a Black American, had been told for years that people in Africa were starving, with images of babies with flies shown to her. She shared that she was warned about violence and war in Africa and her friends were scared to join her on the trip. On arriving in Zimbabwe, Haddish said she was moved to tears by the reality, contrasting it with the negative portrayal she had been exposed to in the US.

Some users supported Haddish, acknowledging the misconceptions about Africa. One user commented, “Thanks Tiffany Haddish, some Zimbabweans like us understand where you are coming from.”

This incident is not the first time Haddish has faced criticism during her travels. Earlier this year, she defended her trip to Israel, saying she wanted to understand the situation firsthand following recent conflicts.

Haddish's recent trip aimed to challenge the stereotypes and misinformation about Africa prevalent in the media.