Janet Jackson's misinformation about Kamala Harris resembled MAGA's lies

Jackson, the youngest child in a family of entertainers, cemented her public image as a social justice champion when she lamented the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and became a vocal advocate for Black Lives Matter. She has repeatedly used her social media platforms and live performances to speak out against sexism, racism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination, including xenophobic attacks on immigrants. Even though her advocacy is mostly coupled with heartfelt appeals during acceptance speeches at awards shows and concerts, the soft-spoken icon has left no doubt about what outrages and troubles her. And none of it seems to align with the far political right.

At this point, it's difficult to view any questioning of Harris' race as anything other than an unwarranted personal attack, and it's disappointing that Jackson, who has herself been mistreated, doesn't make that connection.

After the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” during halftime of the 2004 Super Bowl – Justin Timberlake ripped off part of her clothing and exposed her breasts – her songs were taken off the radio and she was disinvited from that year's Grammy Awards. Timberlake faced no consequences and was given a solo show during halftime of the Super Bowl in 2018.

Even as Jackson's career faltered, Jackson's black fans largely stood behind her, rightly seeing her as the victim of a double standard. Perhaps that's why her reluctance to support the black candidate running against Trump – whose racist language and racist policies are well known – is so puzzling. Not only did she question Harris' background, but she also warned that social chaos would ensue regardless of who was elected, without citing any preferences. (It's probably important to note here that Janet Jackson was raised by a mother, Katherine Jackson, who is a devout Jehovah's Witness, and Witnesses do not participate in politics. In the past, Janet Jackson has said that her religious upbringing was very important to her, but that she did not identify as a Witness.)

But politics aside, Janet Jackson's comments disparaging Harris' race shed light on how isolated celebrities are from the rest of us. There's no reason to doubt Jackson's past social commitments, but it does lead one to wonder how deeply those commitments are felt when the same person unwittingly plays into what Harris aptly called “the same old, hackneyed script” about blacks in leadership positions. It's troubling when blacks seem to be flipping through the same book for information about each other. While there are some black Trump supporters, it's hard to imagine Jackson among them, given their past social positions.

Instead, she seems to have fallen down the kind of internet rabbit hole that makes wild conspiracies seem plausible. In fact, during the Guardian interview, Jackson said she was told the information she revealed about Harris and “they found out” that Harris' father was white. As we know very well from her late brother Michael, life as a celebrity can be deeply isolating. It's not unlike social alienation in that it can cause celebrities to become disconnected from social institutions like the government and the media and worryingly distrustful.

Celebrities like Jackson are among the super-rich whose lives bear no resemblance to our own. Yet we are eager to know what they think about political and social issues, and sometimes assume that they can change people's hearts and minds in ways we cannot. Such endorsements can have a mobilizing effect on followers, even if the long-term effects are unclear.