Jada Pinkett Smith is tackling the R. Kelly controversy head-on.
Jada Pinkett Smith is tackling the R. Kelly controversy head-on.
The 47-year-old actress is airing a special two-part episode of her hit Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk, on Friday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan, 14, in which she and her regular guests -- her 18-year-old daughter, Willow, and her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris -- will give their thoughts on the aftermath of the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries.
Singer R. Kelly has recently reappeared in headlines after Lifetime aired the docuseries, which featured interviews with several women who claim they were the subject of abuse and predatory behavior from him, while other interviewees claim to have witnessed inappropriate behavior between him and his then-underaged protege, the late Aaliyah.
Kelly has long denied all allegations against him.
The Red Table Talk special will feature one of Kelly's accusers, Lisa Van Allen, as well as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago School of Medicine, Dr. Candice Norcott. Norcott will discuss the public's reaction, warning signs we all should know, survivor stories and different paths to healing.
Judging by the preview, the special already looks to be an emotional one, with Willow looking especially horrified at one point.
Pinkett Smith recently made her thoughts on Kelly known, when she Instagrammed a video on Sunday that asked her followers to explain the singer's popularity despite the multiple accusations against him.
“So, I got an article this morning that R. Kelly streams have spiked substantially since the release of Surviving R. Kelly docuseries and I’m having a really difficult time understanding why,” she said. “But I think it’s important that I understand why. I really would like for you guys to help me understand what I’m missing, even if I’m missing something that I don’t necessarily agree with. I just want to understand what I’m missing.”
" ... I really don't want to believe that it's because black girls don't matter enough," she continued. "Or is that the reason? So, let me know."
Despite multiple celebrities like Lady Gaga and Chance the Rapper apologizing for working with Kelly, the singer clearly still has plenty of fans. Kelly was spotted at V75 -- a Chicago, Illinois, nightclub -- on Wednesday where he performed several of his songs to a packed room.
A concertgoer tells ET, “R. Kelly was there for his birthday and the club was packed. More packed than usual. Everyone was having a good time, drama aside. [People] still have love for R. Kelly.”
Watch the video below for more:
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