Sometimes you just need your dad to tell it like it is.
Christopher Pearman, father of the actress and “The View” co-host Raven-Symoné, is not impressed with his daughter’s remarks about “black-sounding” names, which she made on a segment of “The View” titled “Are You Judged By Your Name?” The segment was prompted by new research suggesting people are biased against stereotypically black names.
“I’m not going to hire you if your name is Watermelondrea,” said the former “That’s So Raven” star. “That’s just not going to happen. I’m not going to hire you.”
“I’m not about to hire you if your name is ‘Watermelondrea’. It’s just not gon happen!” —Raven-Symoné pic.twitter.com/dE4CSlQ0ym
— Ron. (@RonnieSnark) October 9, 2015
The backlash began immediately, as people noted that not only were her comments offensive, they were a bit hypocritical given her own name.
Pearman, a motivational speaker and author, said in a Friday night Facebook post that so many people had been questioning him about his daughter’s remarks, he had to make a statement.
“A woman wrote to me tonight and said she couldn’t support my book because of the words of my daughter,” Pearman wrote. “What she fails to realize is that my book is about teaching your child to believe and achieve. Raven has achieved incredible success, and this cannot be denied!”
He went on to say that he can’t be held responsible for every thing that comes out of his adult daughter’s mouth. “Children grow up and become influenced by many things, situations and people. I certainly don’t agree with what she said….but she is damn near thirty years old,” he wrote.
He concluded by noting that he loves his daughter and will always support her, even if sometimes “she says some dumb S#%T!”
Read the whole statement:
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