Harriet Tubman S#x Tape: Russell Simmons Pulls Comedy Bit From YouTube, Says 'Sorry,' Shanna Malcolm Defends Clip on Twitter [VIDEO]
Def Jam magnate Russell Simmons recently started a YouTube channel called All Def Digital intended to show comedy sketches and music videos geared toward a black audience. However, one of his first posts, "Harriet Tubman Sex Tape", already has the channel in hot water. Simmons pulled the clip-, which depicts Tubman filming a sex tape with her slave owner and then using it as blackmail- and issued an apology on Global Grind after a public outcry.
His full statement is below:
In the whole history of Def Comedy Jam, I've never taken down a controversial comedian. When my buddies from the NAACP called and asked me to take down the Harriet Tubman video from the All Def Digital YouTube channel and apologize, I agreed.
I'm a very liberal person with thick skin. My first impression of the Harriet Tubman piece was that it was about what one of [the] actors said in the video, that 162 years later, there's still tremendous injustice. And with Harriet Tubman outwitting the slave master? I thought it was politically correct. Silly me. I can now understand why so many people are upset. I have taken down the video. Lastly, I would never condone violence against women in any form, and for all of those I offended, I am sincerely sorry.
For the curious, here is the video in question:
The Kansas-City Star says that the video was meant to be "the first in a series of history-themed comedy sketches planned on the channel" and Shanna Malcolm, who played Tubman, seems to have confirmed that the sketches would serve as a sort of comedic alt-history while defending herself via Twitter.
@Shugah thank u. i dont say I hold no accountability as an actor in a project but I know that the idea was to turn history on its head & as
— Shanna Malcolm (@shannamalcolm) August 15, 2013
@Shugah such the manipulation/ exploitation of the "white man" character instead of a historically accurate reenactment. it failed but the
— Shanna Malcolm (@shannamalcolm) August 15, 2013
@Shugah majority of the response has been name calling & character assassination & im just not ok with feeding that with responses.
— Shanna Malcolm (@shannamalcolm) August 15, 2013
What do you think of Simmons pulling "Harriet Tubman Sex Tape"?