Jamie Foxx was under fire over an Instagram post using a Black reference about Jesus’ death, and Jennifer Aniston caught strays for “throwing him under the bus” about it.
Source: Lester Cohen / Getty
After Jamie made the controversial post on Friday, his intent became lost in translation. Some perceived his text-only meme perpetuated the anti-Semitic belief that Jewish people organized the murder of Jesus Christ.
The since-deleted post read, “They killed this dude name Jesus… what do you think they’ll do to you?” the 55-year-old wrote on the post accompanied by the tags #fakefriends and #fakelove.
The Friends alum “liked” the photo before the singer deleted it. Fans unfamiliar with the Black reference to betrayal by a friend like Judas fired shots at her for the “horrifically antisemitic message.”
“This really makes me sick,” Jen wrote on her InstaStory. “I did not ‘like’ this post on purpose or by accident.”
Jennifer Aniston owes Jamie Foxx an apology because this is just silly pic.twitter.com/2JztPYgSIB
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 5, 2023
“And more importantly, I want to be clear to my friends and anyone hurt by this showing up in their feeds — I do NOT support any form of antisemitism,” she firmly stated. “And I truly don’t tolerate HATE of any kind. Period.”
It wasn’t even her though she just was so quick to make a post backing away after someone accused her of liking it. And left him right out to dry. That’s as old as time
— Chels ? (@ChelsIsRight) August 5, 2023
The actress did not explain how her name appeared in the “like” counter if she didn’t accidentally or intentionally like the post. Although, an internet troll could have doctored a screenshot to include her name.
Jamie immediately issued an apology message to Instagram on Saturday for the cultural misunderstanding and unintended offense. The Beat Shazam host said he wanted to “apologize to everyone who was offended by my post.”
The Oscar winner clarified the post was not rooted in hate but simply referred to a “fake friend” who “betrayed” his trust.
I’m confused how this was interpreted as anti-Semitic in the first place. It’s a common phrase among Black people esp in the south and he even hash-tagged “fake friends”
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) August 5, 2023
Check out the social media reaction to Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Foxx’s post after the flip!
Twitter Reacted To The Jamie Foxx Post And The Controversial Cultural Clash
Source: Amy Sussman / Getty
Serious issues like hate speech, religion, and false accusations got everyone passionately debating Jamie Foxx’s post. Soon Twitter users shared their personal experiences with antisemitism.
“I am a Jewish advocate who fights antisemitism. Jamie Foxx’s post was a horrifically antisemitic message rooted in classic blood libel and anti-Jewish conspiracy theory,” one person tweeted. “He has 16.7 million followers. I’m not waiting on him to further expand.”
I am a Jewish advocate who fights antisemitism. Jamie Foxx’s post was a horrifically antisemitic message rooted in classic blood libel and anti Jewish conspiracy theory. He has 16.7 million followers. I’m not waiting on him to further expand.
— Eve Barlow (@Eve_Barlow) August 5, 2023
Another user added, “People should understand too that one of the biggest reasons Jews get harassed is because some people think we killed Jesus, most of the antisemitism I’ve faced in my life has been by Christians who think Jews killed Jesus.”
People should understand too that one of the biggest reasons Jews get harassed is because some people think we killed Jesus, most of the antisemitism I’ve faced in my life has been by Christians who think Jews killed Jesus
— Fearless Dave and the Tsunamis (@FDAT901) August 5, 2023
Some users however came to the They Cloned Tyrone actor’s defense.
“How did Jamie Foxx’s post read as antisemitic? (Rhetorical question). It’s so easy to think from your own experiences ..but literally as a Black person raised Christian in Texas as well I know for a fact he was talking about friends and followers betraying you not Jews.”
How did Jamie Foxx’s post read as antisemitic? (Rhetorical question) It’s so easy to think from your own experiences ..but literally as a Black person raised Christian in Texas as well I know for a fact he was talking about friends and followers betraying you not Jews ?? pic.twitter.com/6g2s4FyY6N
— Tymbriá (@TymbriaLashae) August 5, 2023
Many claimed this was a case of those who aren’t in community with Black people, assuming the worst.
“I don’t think there’s any need to acknowledge a non-issue. He used a common Black idiom and it was misinterpreted. This episode of white delusion should not be an entry point to larger discussion of antisemitism because it wasn’t antisemitic,” one comment said.
I don’t think there’s any need to acknowledge a non-issue. He used a common Black idiom and it was misinterpreted. This episode of white delusion should not be an entry point to larger discussion of antisemitism because it wasn’t antisemitic
— Zion (@feelmyhelpcomin) August 5, 2023
“I wonder if people realize that when we say “Black people referencing the persecution of Jesus isn’t about Jewish people,” and you respond “but you have to realize it’s common antisemitic language,” you’re really asking us to center whiteness,” another post pointed out.
I wonder if people realize that when we say “Black people referencing the persecution of Jesus isn’t about Jewish people,” and you respond “but you have to realize it’s common antisemitic language,” you’re really asking us to center whiteness.
— GNCordova (@GNCordova) August 5, 2023
The Grammy winner’s remarks follow a brush with death. An undisclosed health scare hospitalized Foxx for months. In July, he spoke out publicly for the first time since the ordeal.
“I went through something I thought I would never, ever go through,” Foxx shared at the time.
“I know a lot of people were waiting or wanting to hear an update, but to be honest with you, I didn’t want you to see me like that, man,” he said explaining that he only wanted fans to see him “laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie or television show.”
“I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was going to make it through,” he confessed.
One thing about Jewish people — they don’t play about disrespect.
One thing about Black people — their cultural sayings confuse people who get all up in the Kool-Aid but don’t even know the flavor.
Jennifer Ainston sticking her nose into Black People’s business, misinterpreting a Black phrase and then trying to throw Jamie Foxx under a bus to distance herself from the situation she put herself in unprovoked is PEAK Karen behaviour.
— The Jobfather™️ ?????? (@TheJobfather__) August 5, 2023
Jamie Foxx was talking about fake Friends, so it’s only ironic that he gets heat from someone that was on the fake Living Single.
— Melech. (@MelechThomas) August 5, 2023
We should keep a running list of the times non-blacks tried to tell us OUR idioms were about them without even understanding WTF we’re saying
— Genie Lauren (@MoreAndAgain) August 5, 2023
