Comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish recently addressed criticism over a TikTok video she posted, showcasing her surprise at a grocery store in Zimbabwe.
The nearly five-minute video, shared on Sunday, features Haddish exploring a supermarket in Harare, expressing her amazement at the various products available.
In the video, Haddish excitedly points out items such as organic strawberries, meat, frozen foods, sanitary products, trash bags, cornflakes, pet food, and even a “Caution: wet floor” sign.
“Look at this grocery store. It’s huge! It’s absolutely humongous. In Africa, baby. Yeah. Believe it, believe it, believe it, believe it. Africa. Zimbabwe. Uh-huh,” she exclaims.
Haddish’s enthusiasm was met with mixed reactions online, with some social media users interpreting her surprise as ignorance.
One user on X commented:
“Tiffany Haddish is surprised that there are grocery stores in Africa..? What’s wrong with these people?”
Haddish responded to this criticism, stating:
“We have been lied to that what’s wrong.”
Another user remarked:
“Tiffany this ain’t the time to be a comedian.”
To which Haddish replied:
“None (of) it. Just showing my hood they was wrong.”
Zimbabwean influencer and arts administrator Plot Mhako defended Haddish, suggesting that her video might have contained a layer of dark humor.
He explained to CNN:
“As a comedian, her portrayal reflects a widely held negative perception about some African countries, providing a satirical take on the reality.”
Mhako further noted that Haddish’s reaction could spark discussions about the misconceptions and limited knowledge many Westerners have about Africa.
Additionally, a user named Tinashe M supported Haddish, citing data from the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and research from Boston Consulting Group.
He pointed out that the informal economy in Zimbabwe makes up a significant portion of GDP and that large-format retail stores are not as prevalent, making Haddish’s surprise more understandable.
Haddish’s video has ignited a broader conversation about how Africa is portrayed in the media and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the continent.
