Julianne Hough apologizes after she receives backlash over new show The Activist & past blackface costume
JULIANNE Hough has issued an apology following backlash about her new project The Activist.
After announcing her involvement in the CBS competition show, Julianne was slammed by critics who reminded her of her 2013 blackface incident.
The former Dancing With The Stars judge was also criticized for being a part of a show exploiting those who don’t have a voice or platform and making needy people fight for resources.
Julianne, 33, posted a long message to Instagram as she explained she understood the backlash.
“The last few days have been a powerful demonstration of real-time activism,” she began.
“Thank you for using your voices, calling me in, your accountability, and your candor. I am deeply listening with an open heart and mind.”
She continued, “And because of this, there is a feeling of insult, dehumanization, insensitivity and hurt that is being rightfully felt.
‘NOT QUALIFIED TO JUDGE’
“I do not claim to be an activist and wholeheartedly agree that the judging aspect of the show missed the mark and furthermore, that I am not qualified to act as a judge.”
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Julianne also addressed the controversy surrounding her 2013 Halloween outfit where she dressed as Crazy Eyes from Orange Is The New Black, complete with blackface.
“Wearing blackface was a poor choice based on my own white privilege and my own white body bias that hurt people and is something I regret doing to this day,” she wrote.
“However, the regret that I live with pales in comparison to the lived experiences of so many. My commitment has been to reflect and act differently. Not perfectly, but hopefully with a more developed understanding that racism and white supremacy is harmful to ALL people.”
‘STILL LISTENING’
The actress stated, “I am still listening because this is a messy and uncomfortable conversation, and I’m committed to being here for all of it.”
“It feels important for me to share that the original reason I signed on to this show was because I was really excited to be a part of something that highlights, and is centered around sharing activists’ work on a larger platform,” she added.
“In doing so, I felt it would help educate, mobilize, and inspire people around the world to get involved in activism because many worthy causes need attention, funding, and most importantly the power to effect real change.”
Julianne ended her note by explaining that she passed on some of the feedback to producers of the show.
WHAT IS ‘THE ACTIVIST’?
CBS’ new five-week series, The Activist, will launch on Friday, October 22.
In The Activist, six activists worldwide work “to bring meaningful change to one of three urgent universal causes: health, education and the environment.
“The activists will compete in missions, media stunts, digital campaigns and community events aimed at garnering the attention of the world’s most powerful decision-makers, demanding action now.”
The contestants’ success will be measured not by impacting real-world changes or raising money from the public for noble causes, instead by online engagement, social metrics, and input from hosts – singer Usher and actresses Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Hough.
The show’s winners will attend the G20 Summit in Rome to meet with world leaders and raise money and attention for their cause.
The show will be available on CBS via live stream and on-demand on Paramount+.
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