'It Is What It Is': Keith Lee Addresses Controversy Around Viral Taraji P Henson Moment From BET Awards 2024

Keith Lee addressed the BET Awards mix-up in a TikTok video on Monday, where he praised Taraji P. Henson, and clarified the viral rose incident, emphasizing he harbored no hate toward the actress.

Published on Jul 03, 2024  |  03:42 PM IST |  286.9K
Getty Images / Instagram
Taraji P. Henson (L) Keith Lee (R) (Getty Images / Instagram)

Keith Lee holds no grudges against Taraji P. Henson for the embarrassing BET Awards moment that went down between him and her on Sunday, June 30.

For those unversed, the Oscar-winning actress, who returned to host the coveted awards night for the third time this year, ended up mixing Lee with fellow influencer Jordan Howlett. In a segment where she was handing out roses to the attendees, Henson gave latter the flower when they should have been handed out to Lee, per the script.

'A colossal blunder', netizens labeled the incident on the internet. What acted as fuel to the fire was a video shared by Keith Lee, a significantly well-known TikToker, in which he was seen throwing the rose he received from Henson on the ground after she corrected her mistake.

In his justification video issued on Monday, July 1, however, Keith Lee cleared the air surrounding the controversy while justifying his above-mentioned action. Read on to know what he said!

Keith Lee harbors no resentment against Taraji P. Henson; praises her hosting 


“I am not upset at Taraji P. Henson by any stretch of the imagination,” Lee, 27, said in a video he shared on Monday, a day following the event. “And not only that, in my opinion, she smoked it last night,” he added.

Applauded as a reliable food critic on the internet, Lee added that he didn't think Taraji had any ill intention behind the situation, which happened the way it did. “It is what it is,” he nonchalantly remarked.

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As for the video of him letting the rose given to him fall on the floor, Lee said he did it not because he was angry but because he thought he didn't deserve it. As explained earlier, Taraji just offered Lee the rose as a consolation prize after singing all the praises meant for him to Howlett. “It was given to me, but it wasn't mine,” Lee explained, adding he doesn't want things that weren't meant for him.

For the record, the clip that showed Lee discarding the rose was accompanied by a note from him. The influencer, in a tone harsh enough to send a chill down a person’s spine, wrote that his name will be known in every room “It's supposed to be, when it's supposed to be, how it's supposed to be.”

Keith Lee clears up comments on wife’s reaction to Henson

As Taraji P. Henson flirted with Howlett, supposing he was Lee, Ronni, the latter's wife, was seated between the two influencers involved in the mix-up. The camera, without intending to, ended up catching Ronni Lee’s not-so-impressed expression on air, and netizens, in their quintessential manner, jumped to comment on her reaction.

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Keith, however, made it clear in his Monday video that neither he nor his wife were at all offended by the improv flirting and understood it was something Henson made on the fly. He did, however, acknowledge that it was not an easy situation to be in for either of them.

Before entering the event hall on Sunday, Lee spoke to ET on the red carpet, where he humbly said he wouldn't in his wildest dream have imagined he’d be attending the soiree with his wife, but he was grateful for the opportunity.

ALSO READ: BET Awards 2024: Taraji P Henson Disappoints Netizens As She Mispronounces Halle Bailey's Name And Confuses Keith Lee With Jordan Howlett

FAQ

What happened at the BET Awards with Keith Lee and Taraji P. Henson?
Taraji P. Henson gave a rose meant for Keith Lee to Jordan Howlett by mistake, which was seen as a blunder by netizens.

Why did Keith Lee throw the rose?
He threw the rose because he felt it wasn’t meant for him after the mix-up.

What was the public reaction to the BET Awards mix-up?
People on social media viewed it as a major blunder and discussed the viral video of the incident.

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