Facing backlash. Less than a month after defending America’s Got Talent, Heidi Klum is speaking out about the hate she got following her comments.
“A lot of people got mad at me. I was called, for example, ‘a white woman,'” Klum, 46, told Page Six at the amfAR gala on Wednesday, February 5. “I think it is important for everyone to speak their truth. I think that when there is a story, it should be told. I had a different story. … I can only speak to what I saw — it has nothing to do with what color I am. I am a human so I just looked at what I saw.”
In January, the Making the Cut host told Us Weekly and other reporters that she “only had an amazing experience” on AGT and couldn’t speak for what Gabrielle Union went through. “To me, everyone treats you with the utmost respect. I’ve never seen anything that was weird or hurtful.”
Union, 47, was allegedly fired from the competition series in November. Following the news that she would not be returning, reports surfaced claiming that the actress urged staffers to report racist comments made on set to human resources. She also allegedly received complaints from staff that her hairstyles were “too black” and reportedly did not get along with judge and executive producer Simon Cowell.
Klum sat on the judging panel from season 8 until season 13. When she and Mel B exited, Union and Julianne Hough were brought on for one season. The supermodel is now a judge on America’s Got Talent: Champions.
Terry Crews, who hosts the series, also recently spoke out about his experience at AGT, echoing Klum’s comments. “It was the best experience I ever had in my life,” Crews, 51, told Us Weekly exclusively last month. “When they talk about diversity, there was every bit of diversity on set, everywhere. I have never been in a more diverse place in 20 years of entertainment, so what can I say?”
Union, in turn, seemingly responded with a slew of tweets.
“Truth telling, wanting change & having MULTIPLE witnesses who bravely came forward to let EVERYONE know I didn’t lie or exaggerate, really exposes those who enthusiastically will throw you under the bus, forgetting quickly who stepped up 4 THEIR truth,” the Being Mary Jane alum wrote the following day. “Can someone please ask abt what happens to all that diversity folks are talking about BEHIND THE SCENES. Like, legit… where the hell is all that diversity in the production though homie? In the decision making ranks who control the fate of the diversity in front of the camera?”
She later added: “Let’s also talk about where the diversity is in the hair & makeup dept for contestants that DOES NOT reflect all that diversity that hits the stage. Let’s Google the exec’s that run the show & ask follow up ?? about THAT egregious lack of diversity. Let’s discuss the facts.”
NBC, production company Fremantle and Cowell’s company Syco are currently investigating all allegations made.
