Tiffany Haddish reveals she turned down the pre-Grammys telecast hosting gig because she would have to pay to do it
Tiffany Haddish’s hilarious personality would have made her a popular choice to host the Grammy Awards’ pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony when the show returns in January.
But her fans won’t see her on it, as she turned down an invitation to host the program, which will air on January 31, 2021.
The 41-year-old comedienne and actress revealed Wednesday that the hosting gig was a no-go because she would have been forced to pay for all her expense, according to Variety.
No thanks: Tiffany Haddish, 41, turned down the hosting gig at the Grammys pre-show because they refused to pay her or cover expenses, Variety reported Wednesday; seen in February
Haddish confirmed that the Grammys had asked her to host the three-hour pre-show, which was to be live-streamed.
But when it came to reasonable requests like covering her hairstyling, makeup and wardrobe, they balked.
‘All of that would have to come out of my pocket,’ Haddish explained.
‘I don’t know if this might mean I might not get nominated ever again, but I think it’s disrespectful.’
Thrifty: But when it came to reasonable requests like covering her hairstyling, makeup and wardrobe, Tiffany said the Grammys wouldn’t pay for it; pictured November 15
Slighted: ‘All of that would have to come out of my pocket,’ she said. ‘I don’t know if this might mean I might not get nominated ever again, but I think it’s disrespectful’; seen November 15
Tiffany earned her first Grammy nomination last year for her performance of her memoir The Last Black Unicorn, and she was nominated at the upcoming ceremony for best comedy album for her Netflix special Black Mitzvah.
A representative for the Recording Academy clarified that the pre-show isn’t put on by CBS, which is broadcasting the Grammys, but by the Academy, which is a non-profit.
According to them, the lack of any payment isn’t a new trend, and pre-show hosts have been doing it for free for years.
They also claimed that Haddish wouldn’t be retaliated against for refusing to host and going public with her concerns.
Not worth it: ‘I was like, “The exposure is amazing but I think I have enough. I appreciate you guys asking,”‘ she said. ‘And as much as I appreciate the honor of being nominated, that’s not okay’; seen in January
‘I was like, “The exposure is amazing but I think I have enough. I appreciate you guys asking,”‘ she said. ‘And as much as I appreciate the honor of being nominated, that’s not okay.
‘This is something that needs to be addressed,’ she continued. ‘How many other people have they done that to? It’s like a guy asking you on a date but telling you that you have to pay for it.’
Although it comes before the main broadcast, the pre-show is far from glorified fluff, as dozens of awards are announced before the main show even begins.
Tiffany will next appear on-screen in the May–September romantic comedy Here Today, directed and written by her costar Billy Crystal.
Concerns: Haddish worried that the Grammys would retaliate and not nominate her in the future, but a rep denied she would be punished for going public about refusing to host; seen in November