Tiffany Haddish Rejects Grammy’s Hosting Gig Because They Didn’t Want To Pay Her

Tiffany Haddish just turned down an offer to host the Grammy’s pre-show because they wanted her to do it for free.

Haddish told Variety she was offered the hosting gig for the Recording Academy’s 3-hour pre-telecast but said no after she was told she wouldn’t get paid. To make make matters worse they also told her they wouldn’t cover hair, makeup or wardrobe for the three-hour event.

“All of that would have to come out of my pocket,” she said, adding, “I don’t know if this might mean I might not get nominated ever again, but I think it’s disrespectful.”

Tiffany is, in fact, up for a Grammy this year for her Netflix comedy special, ‘Black Mitzvah’ … she was nominated last year too for spoken word for “The Last Black Unicorn.”

Apparently the gig is always pro bono. A rep for the Recording Academy said the Premiere Ceremony is not a CBS program and is hosted by the Academy — a not-for-profit organization — and that all hosts, presenters, and performers have traditionally performed gratis, including this year. The rep also noted that the situation would have no impact on any future nominations for Haddish.

“I was like, ‘The exposure is amazing but I think I have enough. I appreciate you guys asking,’” Haddish said. “And as much as I appreciate the honor of being nominated, that’s not okay.”

Still the move and subsequent backlash now has folks at the Grammys issuing Tiff an apology. Recording Academy interim chief Harvey Mason, jr. addressed the issue on social media and said Tiff should have been paid.

 

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“Thankfully, Ms. Haddish was gracious enough to allow me to have a conversation with her”  he said. “I apologized to her personally, I apologized from the Academy, and I expressed to her my regret and my displeasure about how this went down and how it was handled. And I will say,” he concluded, “Tiffany, we are sorry and thank you for allowing me to speak on it.”

The 63rd Grammys will take place Jan. 31, 2021.