Whoopi Goldberg asks for 'a little grace' for Janet Jackson after Kamala Harris comments

Whoopi Goldberg is offering a mea culpa for her friend Janet Jackson after the pop icon stirred controversy with her recent remarks on Vice President Kamala Harris.

During an interview with The Guardian published Saturday, Jackson cast doubt on Harris’ biracial identity when asked about the prospect of the U.S. having its "first female Black president," alleging that Harris is not Black.

The Democratic presidential nominee’s father, Donald Harris, is from Jamaica, while her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was Indian. Jackson claimed in the interview that Donald Harris was "discovered" to be white.

Jackson's comments quickly led to backlash online. Goldberg, who co-starred with Jackson in the 2010 Tyler Perry drama "For Colored Girls," addressed the fallout during a panel discussion on "The View" Monday.

"Sometimes people get it wrong and they’re wrong! They made a mistake; they were wrong. It happens," Goldberg said, adding that Jackson is not a "political animal."

"Anybody who says it doesn't happen to every one of us, multiracial or not, we all do it. So OK, a little grace for the girl. A little grace for the girl," Goldberg said.

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However, Goldberg's co-host, political commentator Ana Navarro, wasn't so quick to let bygones be bygones.

"Look, I think Janet Jackson — like every other American, whether you're a celebrity or not — has a right to endorse, support or not support whomever they want," Navarro said. "She's got every right to not like Kamala Harris if she doesn't want to. What she did was spread misinformation.

"And I think it's very irresponsible, when you have a platform the way Janet Jackson does, to use that platform carelessly to spread misinformation based on a racist allegation by Donald Trump."

Jackson's remarks on Harris' race echo those of former President Donald Trump. During a July appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, the Republican presidential nominee said he "didn't know (Harris) was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black."

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Shortly after the publication of Jackson's comments, an apology was issued on the singer's behalf to Buzzfeed by Mo Elmasri, an Egyptian filmmaker who has allegedly worked as a creative consultant for Jackson.

Elmasri, who claimed to be Jackson's manager, reportedly told the outlet that the popstar's remarks on Harris' racial identity were "based on misinformation."

Jackson's current manager is her brother, Randy Jackson, representatives for Jackson confirmed to USA TODAY on Sunday. Elmasri was not authorized to make the statement to Buzzfeed, the singer's reps added, nor has he ever worked on Jackson's team.

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USA TODAY has reached out to Randy Jackson for comment.

Elmasri is listed as an executive producer on the upcoming TV documentary series "Janet Jackson: Family First," which is currently in production, according to Elmasri's IMDb page.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Whoopi Goldberg defends Janet Jackson after Kamala Harris controversy