“Racist Pure And Simple”: Kelly Rowland Calls Out Mistreatment at Cannes

The red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival is supposed to be a glamorous affair, but for Kelly Rowland it turned into an uncomfortable confrontation exposing some ugly truths.

As the Destiny’s Child singer arrived for the premiere of the film “Marcello Mio” on Tuesday, she took a moment to wave to fans lining the prestigious Palais des Festivals staircase. That simple gesture of greeting her supporters didn’t sit well with one of the event’s ushers.

Video footage shows the staff member getting handsy with Rowland, touching her shoulders and trying to shove her along, seemingly demanding she quit waving and get inside already. The Grammy winner was having none of it though, shooting the usher a stern look and pointing her finger as if to say “Don’t you dare treat me that way.”

The heated exchange quickly went viral, with fans rushing to Rowland’s defense. Many accused the overzealous worker of being a “racist Karen” who clearly profiled and mistreated the Black celebrity.

“This was RACIST, pure & simple! This French Karen, who is a NOBODY, kept rushing @KELLYROWLAND up the stairs. NO WHITE WOMEN were being rushed & worse, repeatedly TOUCHED!” one enraged viewer tweeted.

Others made sure to note Rowland’s place as music royalty from her time in one of the best-selling girl groups ever. “Even the iconic Kelly Rowland isn’t safe from these jealous, bitter, and incredibly racist Karens,” a fan commented.

In the days following, Rowland broke her silence in an Associated Press interview. She made it clear she felt the usher’s behavior stemmed from racial prejudice.

@melle_cess #kellyrowland #film #redcarpet #cannes #fif2024 #celebrity #fy #festival #securityguard #security #festivaldecannes #destinyschild #embrouille #security #securité ♬ Motivation – Kelly Rowland

“There were other women who attended that carpet who did not quite look like me, and they didn’t get scolded, pushed off, or told to get off,” the Atlanta native explained. “The woman knows what happened. I know what happened. “I have boundaries, and I firmly uphold them.”

Rowland’s longtime friend and former mother-in-law Tina Knowles had her back too. Sharing a video of the singer gracefully posing on another Cannes red carpet, Knowles praised Rowland for rising above the “silly monkey” who couldn’t shake her poise and beauty.

The incident struck a nerve, reigniting the conversation around the everyday indignities and micro-aggressions still faced by Black women, even those as accomplished and admired as Kelly Rowland. It was a harsh reminder that for some, no amount of fame, success or simple human decency can override their racist instincts.

Source: boredpanda