As controversies have erupted throughout the year, there have been ongoing conversations about comedy etiquette. This debate reached new heights after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards months ago, with one side arguing that Rock was, and has been, out of line, while another retorts that in comedy, anything goes.
It seems that Tiffany Haddish has chosen to err on the side of caution because she recently revealed that she decided to ask Usher for permission before delivering a joke.
Haddish caught up with Cosmopolitan for their Travel Issue and during her feature, she mentioned that she makes it a habit to "check and verify with people" before she performs jokes. As a person with several famous friends, Haddish wants to make people laugh while also giving others respect.
"If I can't say it to your face, I shouldn't be able to say it," she said. "Period. That's how I draw the line." Cosmopolitan wanted to know if she had any examples, and she told them that she made sure to test out a joke about Usher with the singer, himself.
"I got this joke, 'I curse you out with joy. I hope that you spread it. I hope you spread it like Usher spreads herpes.' I have said that in front of Usher," Haddish claimed, also stating that Usher simply replied, "Your ass is crazy." She added that she also told him, "I said, 'Yeah, well, there's a rumor out there saying you got herpes. I don't know if you do or don't, but that sh*t is funny.'" He apparently agreed.
"If he had said, 'Tiff, don't say that no more. I don't like it. I'm not comfortable with you saying that,' I would stop saying it."
For years, Usher has been tacked with rumors that he has a sexually transmitted disease after several women came forward with lawsuits against him. One case was allegedly settled out of court while the others were later dropped. The ordeal has placed Usher at the center of memes and jokes, but Haddish made it clear that it is important for her to check in whether other comedians do so or not.
Check out more from her feature below.