Tiffany Haddish Talks Not Knowing How To Read Until She Was In Her Teens

BYErika Marie9.4K Views
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Tiffany Haddish, Reading, VladTV
She explained that her family would always tell her she was stupid so she believed them.

Two comedy queens united for VladTV as Luenell interviewed Tiffany Haddish. The role usually held by DJ Vlad was handed over to Luenell as she pelted a bald-headed Haddish with questions about her upbringing. The Night School star talked about being Eritrean and what it was like visiting her father's home country. She bragged about the kindness of the citizens and how wonderful the food was before speaking about what it was like being nominated for a Grammy. The actress received a nod in the Best Spoken Word category for the audio version of her book The Last Black Unicorn.

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"That was kinda cool to be nominated fr a Grammy for reading out loud when I couldn't read at one point in time in my life when I was in my teens," Tiffany Haddish revealed. "And that drama teacher grabbed me and said, 'You're gonna learn how to read!'" The actress added that she struggled with reading "Because I thought I was stupid."

"Everybody would say to me, 'You're stupid, you're stupid, you so stupid.' At that time in my life, I took things literally," she added. "So if everybody's telling me you're stupid, my stepdad, my mom, grandma, everybody used to say, 'You so stupid.' So, I believed I was stupid and I can't read and I can't do these things because I'm stupid."

When she was 18, a girl she worked with at LAX told her she was "stupid" so Haddish got upset and threatened to beat her up. The girl clarified and said that she meant she thought Tiffany Haddish was funny, and it was a revelation that changed the comedian's perspective. Watch Tiffany talk about her life below.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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