Tyrese Gibson Claims Rights To Teddy Pendergrass’ Biopic, Sues Legendary Singer’s Widow

by Ann Brown

September 30, 2023

Tyrese Gibson Claims Rights To Teddy Pendergrass’ Biopic, Sues Legendary Singer’s Widow

Fresh from suing Home Depot over alleged racial discrimination, Tyrese Gibson went to social media to announce he is suing the widow of R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass. Gibson’s production company, Voltron Entertainment, is suing Joan Pendergrass over the rights to late singer’s biopic.

In documents obtained by TMZ, Tyrese claims that his company secured the exclusive rights to Teddy Pendergrass’s life story back in 2011, with Joan’s approval. The agreement involved Voltron’s investment in the biopic and using Tyrese’s celebrity status for promotion. According to the lawsuit, Tyrese and Voltron have invested approximately $450,000 in the project, TMZ reported.

But things took a turn in 2022 when Joan allegedly changed her mind and refused to extend the option for the rights to Teddy’s life story. Tyrese contends that this sudden decision resulted in financial harm to Voltron. So now he’s suing Joan, both in her individual capacity and as the executor of Teddy’s estate, seeking damages of at least $1 million.

In an emotional Instagram post, Tyrese shared that Teddy Pendergrass himself had chosen him for the role. He emphasized his determination to honor both Teddy and his mother, a devoted Teddy Pendergrass fan, by ensuring the movie’s realization.

Tyrese says Joan agreed to give him the rights to a book and movie about Teddy in exchange for Tyrese’s company agreeing to invest in the projects and use his celeb status to promote them and Teddy’s legacy.

Pendergrass first came to fame in the early 1970s as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and became a super success as an R&B solo artist with five consecutive platinum albums. In a 1982 traffic accident, he suffered a spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic. He had to learn how to sing again, and not only he do so but he also performed live after the accident.

Pendergrass continued his solo career until his retirement in 2007. He died of cancer in 2010.

Gibson announced he would produce the bio-pic with his Voltron Pictures with “Empire” co-creator and executive producer Lee Daniels and Donald De Line through De Line Pictures. Warner Bros. has hired Little Marvin (creator of Amazon’s upcoming “Them”) to write the screenplay. Joan Pendergrass, was to have been an executive producer.

“I am honored to take this journey… this is the role that I feel I was born to play,” Gibson told Variety back in 2019 when the project was first announced.. “Teddy Pendergrass embraced me and before he passed put the responsibility on my shoulders to tell his story. Being here in this time and in this space and moment with Lee Daniels, Donald De Line, Little Marvin and Warner Bros. is an answered prayer. Teddy, I just hope we make you, your wife and family proud… Here we go!!”

In a long Instagram post, Tyrese said that the late singer himself wanted Tyrese to play him in his biopic.

“This has been 13 years+ years in the makin this man embraced me when he was on this earth and shared to me ‘No one can play me in my biopic but you Tyrese I’m sure of it’…. -TP,” Tyrece wrote.

“Hearing those words coming from him as one could imagine put me in under an unbearable amount of pressure but I knew that I was BORN to play Teddy Pendergrass,” the post continued.

“I’m very very sure this will all be figured out… Everyone in Hollywood will tell you bio-pics are some of the MOST challenging films to try and make because there are so many “Narratives” and nuances that go into creating magic…. Really no surprises here… I owe it to my mother and Teddy to get this done!! Whatever it takes this Teddy Movie will happen.”

by Daniel Johnson

September 30, 2023

Steph Curry Or Magic Johnson: Basketball’s Great Debate Heats Up As Legends Battle For GOAT Status

The debate over the greatest basketball player continues to fuel debates, evident in the response of Earvin “Magic” Johnson to Stephen Curry’s self-assessment as the greatest point guard in basketball history.

During an episode of Gilbert Arenas’ podcast Gil’s Arena, Arenas asked Curry about his position among point guards, prompting a nuanced response from Curry compared to his earlier remarks on the overall GOAT in August. Curry acknowledged his own standing in the conversation, alongside Magic Johnson, recognizing the latter’s remarkable career achievements.

Curry said, “Yes, it’s me and Magic [Johnson]. Is that the conversation? Obviously I have to answer myself. But to your point, Magic Johnson’s résumé is ridiculous. So the fact that we’re even having that conversation is a place that I never thought I’d be in.”

Johnson heard Curry’s comments and responded on his appearance on the Zach Gelb Show. Even though Gelb was careful to note that Curry was respectful of Magic, the elder statesman listed off all of his accomplishments.

“Well, do the numbers say that, Zach?” Johnson asked pointedly. “If he got more than five [NBA Finals] championships, if he got more than three Finals MVPs and three league MVPs, then he’s the greatest. Is he? If he got more than number one in assists all-time in the Finals, number two in double-doubles, number one in triple-doubles… If he got more than all those things, then he’s the best. But the last time I checked, he doesn’t. But everybody has to decide for themselves who the best is.”

Michael Jordan chimed into the debate of Magic versus Curry that First Take had back in August 2023.

Jordan sent a text message to Stephen A. Smith at 5:54 a.m., discussing what he believes to be the criteria for the greatest point guard to ever play in the NBA.

“Good morning, sir. Although greatest of anything is always a debate, I beg to differ on greatest point guard of all-time and what you said,” Jordan texted. “Magic Johnson is easily the best point guard of all-time. Steph Curry is very close, but not in front of Magic. You must define point guard to really have a serious debate. Steph Curry is by far the best shooter of all time.”

For context, Smith said previously that he believes that Curry is the greatest point guard to ever play the game and His Airness wanted to let him know that there are indeed levels to this.

The GOAT conversation extended to the WNBA in 2021 as the league celebrated its 25th season. The fans who voted crowned Diana Taurausi as the greatest player the league has ever seen. That decision and the choice by the league to give her an actual award has caused some fans to bristle. Players of the past, like Cynthia Cooper, who both paved the way for the WNBA and achieved basketball’s rarest feat, the 4-peat (four consecutive championships), do not often receive their just due because of recency bias. Similar to the debate in men’s professional basketball about the GOAT or even just positional GOAT’s, the debate about who the greatest basketball player is to ever touch the hardwood will probably still be raging another hundred years from now.

by Daniel Johnson

September 30, 2023

With New Arrest, Jada Pinkett Smith Hopes For Closure In Tupac Murder Case

After nearly 30 years since the murder of rap icon Tupac Shakur, there may finally be some closure for those left devastated by his passing.

As BLACK ENTERPRISE reported, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Duane “Keffe D” Davis and charged him with murder for his role in the Sept. 13, 1996, shooting death of Shakur and he is expected to face indictment. As People Magazine reports, Jada Pinkett Smith enjoyed a close personal relationship with the late entertainer; they attended the Baltimore School of the Arts as high schoolers.

In a 2009 interview, Pinkett Smith described Shakur’s magnetism: “It was the first day, and he came over to me and introduced himself. Definitely from looking at him, (he) wasn’t necessarily the type of cat that I would even like, deal with. But as soon as he approached me, he was like a magnet.”

Pinkett Smith continued, “Once you paid attention to him he kind of sucked you in. And we hit it off from that moment on.”

Using Instagram’s Stories feature, Pinkett Smith posted a black image with white lettering that read, “Now I hope we can get some answers and have some closure.”

Smith closed the statement with “R.I.P. Pac,” and a dove emoji.

Here’s the indictment for Duane “Keffe D” Davis in Tupac’s murder, via Clark County DA.

It names the South Side Compton Crips and says Davis got the gun used in the murder “for the purpose of seeking retribution against Tupac Amaru Shakur and/or Marion Knight aka “Suge”….” pic.twitter.com/BY1BEQt4ul

— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) September 29, 2023

After news that Davis had been arrested for his role in the murder of Shakur broke, many users on Twitter/X called attention to the fact that Davis had admitted several times on camera that he drove the killer to the intersection where Tupac was killed.

Court reporter Meghann Cuniff shared the indictment, which also names the South Side Compton Crips and indicates that Davis procured the gun used in the murder in order to get revenge on Shakur and Death Row Records owner Marion “Suge” Knight. Davis discussed his role in the shooting of Tupac on the popular platform Vlad TV, and said it was actually his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who pulled the trigger. Davis is the only surviving member of the group who coordinated the murder of Shakur in 1996.

Only took a decade of video interview confessions to make this happen. RIP Tupac. pic.twitter.com/mRpinmG1VJ

— Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive) September 29, 2023

In a press conference on Sept. 29, the Las Vegas Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill reassured the public that the department never stopped being dedicated to finding the people responsible for killing Shakur, saying, “There’s been many people who did not believe that the murder of Tupac Shakur was important to this police department. I am here to tell you that that was simply not the case.”

According to Nevada state law, a person can be charged with a crime, even murder, though your only involvement is assisting them in it.

As ABC 30 reported, police homicide Lt. Jason Johansson holds Davis as responsible as his nephew who pulled the trigger, saying “Duane Davis was the shot caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime,” Johansson said. “and he orchestrated the plan that was carried out.”

Keefe has willingly and openly been talking about his involvement for 27 years. I knew they were eventually going to arrest and charge him. Even though it was his nephew, Orlando, who later passed in 1998, that took Tupac’s life, Keefe was one of the accomplices in the car. https://t.co/cIuVNmbgdJ

— 𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚌𝚊 (@MJFINESSELOVER) September 29, 2023

mel tucker, sexual harassment, michigan state

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 30, 2023

Former Football Coach Mel Tucker Threatens To File Lawsuit Against Michigan State

According to a report by the Detroit Free Press, former football coach Mel Tucker has conveyed his intention to file a wrongful termination lawsuit against Michigan State University potentially.

The outlet reveals a letter has been issued to Michigan State’s legal counsel by Tucker’s attorney, Jennifer Belveal. The letter urges the preservation of all electronic and paper records about athletic department members and other personnel in anticipation of prospective litigation.

Sports Illustrated reported that the university discharged Tucker following admissions made during an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment raised by Brenda Tracy, a prominent sexual assault activist. The allegations center around a phone call on April 28, 2022, just 12 days after the former coach designated Tracy an honorary captain. While Tracy maintains that the act was non-consensual, Tucker argues it was consensual.

SI reports Michigan State decided to terminate Tucker’s employment before the conclusion of the ongoing university investigation, which is scheduled to conclude on Oct. 6 following a two-day hearing involving Tracy, the former coach, and a third-party investigator. The university cited Tucker’s admissions of sexual comments and acts concerning Tracy, a former vendor for the school, as violations of his contract terms.

MSU claims that Tucker’s conduct breached the moral turpitude clause and the stipulation to conduct himself “professionally and ethically, with integrity and sportsmanship at all times,” as his contract outlines.

In response to these accusations, Belveal reiterated Tucker’s perspective, particularly the claim that the university exceeded its jurisdiction by delving into Tucker’s private life. A prospective lawsuit could offer him a means to pursue the compensation he was entitled to under his terminated contract.

Before his dismissal, Tucker was owed $79 million through 2032. He had previously inked a 10-year, $95 million extension with MSU in 2021 following a successful 11-2 season, which included a Peach Bowl victory, in his second year in East Lansing.

This post was written by Black Enterprise contributor Rafael Pena.

by Nancy E Williams

September 30, 2023

Creating A Knockout: Antonio Compton Shares Journey From Personal Struggles To Owning Rumble Boxing Franchise In Nashville

Gyms and fitness centers can be intimidating spaces because people feel judged about the condition of their bodies.

Antonio Compton, co-owner of Rumble Boxing Gulch in Nashville, knows all about feeling judged. Compton grew up in Evansville, IN, and attended a private, Christian college in Chattanooga, TN. During college, he married his high school sweetheart, moved back to Evansville, and had a child. As life unfolded, he began a journey of self-reflection and discovering who his authentic self was. This journey led to divorce and eventually feeling comfortable enough to come out of the closet. In the quest to live a more open and free life, Compton moved to Nashville, met his life partner Blake Baskin, and together, they now own the first Rumble Boxing franchise in the city. Compton shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE what led him to fitness, franchising, and financial freedom.

Antonio Compton and Blake Baskin – Co=owners of Rumble Boxing Franchise Nashville, TN

Black Enterprise: There are countless fitness franchise brands. Why did you choose Rumble Boxing?

Antonio Compton: Health and fitness have always been a passion of mine, and I was the first franchisee for another fitness brand, where I met Noah Neiman, who is one of the founders of Rumble. After seven successful years of owning and operating, we were presented with an opportunity to exit with a corporate buyout and decided to look for a new franchise to invest in. We heard about Rumble being acquired by Xponential Fitness brands, which is what led us to buy the Nashville market. We signed on to open six studios, five of which will be in the Nashville area and one in my hometown of Evansville, IN.

BE: What has your experience with Rumble Boxing been as a franchisor?

Compton: Boxing, in general, is a very accepting and diverse sport, and we feel that Rumble has done a great job of emulating that. Their values really align with who Blake and I are. We are always asking members and instructors, “What are you fighting for?” in the studio. For us, that is inclusion, diversity, and empowerment, and I feel the Rumble leadership team is also fighting for those things as they grow the brand and introduce more people to boxing for fitness. Xponential Fitness also has pretty diverse ownership across its brands, so we felt good about taking the leap with Rumble.

BE: Why is it important to empower the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities in Nashville through group fitness, and how are you achieving that?

Compton: I grew up in the urban area of Evansville with a mother who constantly battled her weight; trying to find balance in her life. Unfortunately, there were not many opportunities or resources to get into fitness, and it would have been easy to give into an unhealthy lifestyle. As I grew up, I wanted to change that narrative and bring about a safe space and opportunity for people to work on their health. I started with myself, getting into fitness and trying different workouts. Then I had the opportunity to franchise with a fitness brand, and now it’s Rumble.

As we continue opening more Rumble studios, we are very intentional about what we want our community to look like. We are always seeking out diverse trainers and staff – different colors, sizes, genders, etc. – because we want our studios to accurately represent the communities we serve. Since there can be a stigma that boutique fitness is for white, upper-class women, we work really hard to dig into and connect to all communities, especially having a presence in the Black community. That includes hiring, marketing, events, and more, and we’re hopeful to continue that with our second studio in Evansville, IN. Julien, one of our incredible Black trainers at Rumble Gulch in Nashville, is now our top trainer, showing that boxing is truly for everybody, and especially the Black community.

BE: What steps have you taken to be so successful in growing your studio to 500 members and profitability in just a few months of business?

Compton: We opened our first Rumble studio in June 2022. On top of seeking diverse trainers and members, we dive deep into our clients’ and members’ lives. That has helped us grow our membership and maintain it. People leave gyms, not relationships, we prioritize the personal connection with everyone who walks through our doors. Those people who feel seen and loved in our community end up referring other members and continue to help us grow. It might sound corny, but we really are a family – community first!

BE: One piece of advice you can give readers who are looking to start a business or a franchise but are afraid to make the leap for fear of rejection or failure?

Compton: Just do it! It’s always going to be a risk. Specifically, if you’re first to market, it’s a huge risk. However, if you have a passion, can envision it, and see it working, you can achieve it. You also must work hard. I grew up with nothing and all odds against me. Despite those odds and lots of dysfunction in my upbringing, I kept my sights set on more. And while I may not always be #1, success doesn’t necessarily mean you’re #1. You just have to be better than the person you were yesterday. Success for me is being able to change and impact people’s lives every day at the studio.

brooklyn, state trooper, girl's death, murder charges

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 30, 2023

Residents In Historic Black SC Town Takes Legal Action To Halt Luxury Oceanfront Hotel Development

In historically Black town Atlantic Beach, SC, a group of concerned landowners has initiated a lawsuit to halt the development of a 21-story oceanfront condo-hotel known as “The Black Pearl of the Atlantic.”

According to a report by The Post and Courier, this ambitious project, situated near 30th Avenue South and South Ocean Boulevard, has raised fears of irreversible change within the tight-knit community. The lawsuit, spearheaded by the Supporters for Tyson’s Ancestral Restrictions on the Deeds (STARD), centers around the claim that the proposed project violates existing deed restrictions, originally imposed by the town’s founder, George Tyson. These restrictions explicitly forbid non-residential uses and hotels on the oceanfront property.

Atlantic Beach, often referred to as “The Black Pearl,” holds deep historical significance, having once been a popular vacation destination for Black families along the East Coast during the era of segregation. With its nightclubs, restaurants, and shops, the town provided a safe haven for people to congregate and socialize without fear of discrimination. In recent years, it’s been known as the home of the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage Festival, also known as Atlantic Beach Bikefest.

The legal dispute surrounding the condo-hotel project highlights a clash between potential economic gains and the preservation of the town’s rich heritage. While the developers argue that the project could boost tourism, increase property values, generate employment opportunities, and bring in significant tax revenue, the concerned landowners maintain that these advantages could come at the cost of their community’s history and culture.

The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 26, names several defendants, including the town itself, 9 Thru 11+1 LLC (the current landowner of the project site) and Morant Properties LLC, the New York-based company behind the proposal. In response to the lawsuit, Atlantic Beach Town Manager Benjamin Quattlebaum declined to comment. Efforts by The Post and Courier to reach Morant Properties and 9 Thru 11+1 LLC for comment were unsuccessful.

While the development plans propose a $80 million complex with numerous amenities, the lawsuit underscores several deed restrictions that forbid the land’s use for hotels or other non-residential purposes. These restrictions have been a point of contention, with the concerned landowners insisting that they remain in effect.

The plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the town from permitting the property to be developed in a way that violates the deed restrictions. However, it’s worth noting that the town’s planning commission, responsible for overseeing planning and zoning, has already stipulated that the building should not exceed 20 stories to meet zoning requirements.

The oceanfront property currently designated for the project is surrounded by abandoned buildings, smaller beach homes, and a few hotels, closer to neighboring North Myrtle Beach. As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of “The Black Pearl of the Atlantic” remains uncertain, with the town’s cultural and historical significance hanging in the balance.

This story was written by Black Enterprise contributor Rafael Pena.

by Stacy Jackson

September 30, 2023

Late Actress Hattie McDaniel’s Missing Oscar Will Be Replaced By The Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will honor late actress Hattie McDaniel with a replacement award for her Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1940.

In 1952, McDaniel’s plaque was left to Howard University following her death, according to HuffPost. The award reportedly went missing sometime in the late ’60s.

The Academy announced plans to replace the award on September 26. The organization presented McDaniel with a plaque, which was the tradition at the time. Her honor named her as the first Black person to receive an Oscar after winning for her role in “Gone With the Wind.”

“Hattie McDaniel was a groundbreaking artist who changed the course of cinema and impacted generations of performers who followed her,” Stewart and Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement.

“We are thrilled to present a replacement of Hattie McDaniel’s Academy Award to Howard University. This momentous occasion will celebrate Hattie McDaniel’s remarkable craft and historic win,” he continued, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science[s], fellow members of the motion picture industry and honored guests,” McDaniel said during her acceptance speech at the 12th Academy Awards in 1940.

“This is one of the happiest moments of my life, and I want to thank each one of you who had a part in selecting me for one of the awards for your kindness. It has made me feel very, very humble and I shall always hold it as a beacon for anything I may be able to do in the future. I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry. My heart is too full to tell you just how I feel. And may I say thank you and God bless you.”

The actresses’ plaque will be replaced with one of the iconic gold statuettes during Howard University’s “Hattie’s Come Home” ceremony to celebrate her life and legacy at the Ira Aldridge Theater on Oct. 1.

Phylicia Rashad will be present to give remarks at Monday’s event, which will include an excerpt of LaDarrion Williams’ Boulevard of Bold Dreams. Representatives from the Academy and the Academy Museum will also be present to celebrate McDaniel.

Dayjia Blackwell ,Philadelphia police department,

by Stacy Jackson

September 30, 2023

Philly Riot: Influencer Dayjia Blackwell Posts Bail For Looting, Asks Followers For Money

Influencer Dayjia Blackwell, who goes by the name “Meatball,” has posted bail after her arrest for her involvement in the recent Philly looting she live-streamed from her Instagram account.

The looting occurred at City Center shopping area, leading to an Apple Store and Lululemon shutting down for a few days to undergo repairs, according to The New York Post.

Blackwell is requesting money from her hefty following of 200,000 users as a “welcome home gift” and to hire a lawyer. “All I want to do is go treat myself,” Blackwell said.

“Meatball” described her experience of being in a holding cell as traumatizing. The 21-year-old influencer said,

“I’m traumatized, I would never go back in my life,” she told her fans. “They’re trying to make somebody I wasn’t. They really did me dirty because of who I was. That was corny, that was corny.”

The social media star told NBC10 she regrets her looting decision and never wants to go to jail again.

According to law enforcement, Blackwell was charged with causing a catastrophe, criminal mischief, riot, aiding consummation, access to communication, and disorderly conduct.

Blackwell wants the record “expunged” from her record. She said, “I’m a good person. I’m a businesswoman. I don’t like it,” she said. “I didn’t know this s–t would go this far.” She told her followers she is “not a trouble person.”

The influencer has expressed the situation is overwhelming and has stressed her out. “I’m young, I don’t know what’s going on,” she said. “I’m a comedian, this is what I do… This s–t is gonna reflect on my life.”

Since the situation, “Meatball” has changed her profile picture to her mugshot showing tears running down her face.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dayjia Blackwell (@theycallmedayjia)

In a video uploaded to her Instagram story she said, “I’ve never been through nothing like that in my life. I don’t even know what happened, like I need some sleep. I’m scared, I’m traumatized. Never again in my life, like seriously.”

On Tuesday, protestors rallied together in the city regarding the case of a judge dismissing the charges for a police shooting that killed 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry. However, Interim Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Stanford said the events were unrelated as the riots took place in a different part of the city. He described the looting Blackwell was involved in as the act of “criminal opportunists” and said they were taking advantage of the situation.

Almost 50 adults and three juveniles were taken into custody for the looting.

On Blackwell’s livestream, she was heard shouting, “Free iPhones! Free iPhones!” and “This is what happens when we don’t get justice in this city.”

Most people involved in the looting were young, including two 14-year-olds. The individuals are looking at charges of riot, burglary, and theft. According to law enforcement, 2 guns were found at the crime scene.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 30, 2023

Las Vegas Raiders’ Chandler Jones Arrested In Las Vegas

Las Vegas Raiders player Chandler Jones has been arrested after several incidents that have occurred in the last week.

According to NFL.com, the defensive end was arrested and charged on Thursday, Sept. 28, with two counts of violation of a domestic violence protection order, according to a Clark County (Nevada) Detention Center inmate status report. The 33-year-old was expected to be released on Sept. 29 and is scheduled for arraignment on Dec. 4.

The Raiders released a statement pertaining to his arrest.

“The Raiders are hopeful that Chandler Jones receives the care that he needs. He, his family, and all those involved are in our thoughts. As this is now a legal, we will not be providing further comment,” the statement read.

It was recently reported that Jones alleges he was taken to a mental health hospital against his will by the Las Vegas Fire Department and he claims he was injected with an “unknown substance.”

He posted about the incident, claiming he “don’t know what” he was injected with on his Twitter/X account on Sept. 25. He then claims that he didn’t do anything wrong and that the police officers who took him told him that “people were concerned about” him because of recent online posts.

The Daily Mail reported that the week before this occurred, Jones took to his social media to accuse Raiders owner Mark Davis of protecting the identity of someone who allegedly molested his goddaughter. Before the latest incident, the NFL team placed him on the non-football illness list last week, ruling him out for the team indefinitely.

“It’s a personal situation and a private matter,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels stated. “We have dealt with it, and I am not going to talk about it.’”

Jones has not played a game this season and is not allowed in the Raiders facility.

On Sept. 28, Jones posted a troubling video to his Twitter/X account making unsubstantiated claims against McDaniels. He was reportedly arrested soon after the video was posted to the social media platform.

by Daniel Johnson

September 30, 2023

Tiffany Haddish Pushes For Private Arbitration Of Former Friend’s $1 Million Lawsuit

Tiffany Haddish is back in the news; this time she is seeking to have the defamation case filed by a former friend be held by an arbitrator.

The $1 million defamation lawsuit was filed by her former friend Trizah Morris. Morris is the same person whose children filed and later dismissed a lawsuit against Haddish and comedian Aries Spears over a pair of skits, which depicted pedophilic behavior. According to the defamation suit, which was obtained by Radar Online, Spears, who also participated in the skits, was sued by Morris as well. Now, Haddish wants the suit to be settled by an arbitrator, outside of the public eye because she claims she had Morris sign an NDA.

The lawsuit stems from statements Haddish and Spears made publicly, which attempted to establish that Morris was an extortionist looking to gain money from the pair. Haddish says that her former friend signed an agreement containing a non-specific confidentiality clause. Still, a judge has not ruled on her motion to have evidence presented to an arbitrator.

Haddish’s attorney, Shawn Holley, described Morris previously as someone who has been attempting to besmirch Haddish’s name, saying, “Trizah Morris has been trying to assert these bogus claims against Ms. Haddish for several years. Every attorney who has initially taken on her case — and there were several — ultimately dropped the matter once it became clear that the claims were meritless and Ms. Haddish would not be shaken down. Now, Ms. Morris has her adult daughter representing herself in this lawsuit. The two of them will together face the consequences of pursuing this frivolous action.”

Morris’s lawsuit says that she has had her reputation ruined and that she has suffered damages as a result of Haddish’s public statements about her. Following the dismissal of her children’s lawsuit against Haddish and Spears in 2022, Morris’s daughter released the following statement, “My family and I have known Tiffany Haddish for many years – and we now know that she would never harm me or my brother or help anyone else do anything that could harm us. We wish Tiffany the best and are glad that we can all put this behind us.”

According to Morris’s lawsuit, Haddish used her personal history with the children–they called her Auntie Tiffany at one point–to rope them into being groomed for sexual abuse.

Haddish is no stranger to defamation lawsuits over the past few years. As Essence reported, in 2018, her ex-husband William Stewart filed a lawsuit alleging he was the victim of defamation of character when she said he abused her in her 2017 memoir The Last Black Unicorn. Stewart was never named in the book, and similar to Morris, Stewart sought $1 million in damages. The pair had a lengthy court battle that ended in 2021 after Haddish motioned Karin Crump, the Travis County judge presiding over the case, to dismiss her appeal.