Actor-comedian Tommy Davidson claimed he began avoiding his former In Living Color castmate Jennifer Lopez after feeling disrespected by her on multiple occasions.
In an interview with Shannon Sharpe on his Club Shay Shay podcast that premiered on YouTube on Oct. 11, Davidson talked about how some of his castmates from In Living Color (1990) stopped keeping in touch with him, especially ones like Jamie Fox and Jim Carey, who would go on to be mainstream superstars.
And although the 59-year-old comedian would’ve liked to remain in contact with them, it wasn’t a big deal. But what buttered his biscuits was when he ran into Lopez, an unknown dancer during her time on the show, and the Nuyorican entertainer treated him like he was inferior to her.
“I remember seeing her, and this ain’t no JLo bashing ’cause she’s crazy talented. Come one! And she’s a great actress, too,” he explained. “We used to hang out with me, her, my ex. We used to go to dinner together. I met her with Keenan in Strictly Business.”
Davidson said he witnessed Lopez working hard to advance her career in the entertainment business and knew the former “Fly Girl” would become someone.
However, he alleged she acted brand new in public.
“So, I saw her at the Upfront,” he stated. “It’s me and Danny DeVito. And he’s like, ‘That’s Jennifer Lopez over there. You know her, right?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I know her.’ So, I go over there, and I’m like, ‘What’s up, girl? Man, you blew up. What is going on?'”
Instead of Lopez acknowledging her old homie or castmate, she played him to the left and continued eating.
“She was like, ‘Hi.’ I said, ‘What’s going on?’…’ Oh, you know, just living life.'”
“What’s in that carrot dip? She’s sure dippin’ my ass.”
Despite Davidson not appreciating how she acted toward him, he didn’t make a fuss and avoided her altogether.
“I just avoided her because you never know what someone is going through that day. I could be misreading it,” he declared.
Sharpe interjected, talking about how it may have been the comedian’s experience but didn’t mean the Monster-in-Law actress was an entirely horrible person, and Davidson agreed.
However, the two stars had another interaction because they had the same manager, who encouraged the Booty Call actor to visit Lopez on her “Jenny From the Block” music video set following his first reunion with her.
Initially hesitant, Davidson caved and went to see the singer. When he approached her on set, Lopez turned her back, watching her backing dancers from a screen.
“I go, ‘Jennifer, what’s up?'” Davidson recalled.
Lopez turned around when she heard her name, said “hey” to her former castmate and returned to focusing on the shoot. Davidson said he doesn’t know how the “On the Floor” singer would treat him the next time they talk but will continue avoiding her.
“I don’t like feeling that way. I don’t want to be around anybody who makes me feel like I’m not important.
Davidson isn’t the only In Living Color castmate who thought Lopez was on one.
Rosie Perez, In Living Color’s choreographer for The Fly Girls, recalled Lopez having diva moments while on the show.
Davidson didn’t slam Lopez; he only pointed out a couple of diva moments he experienced. On the other hand, Perez spilled tea regarding Lopez’s behavior on the show in her 2014 memoir, Handbook for an Unpredictable Life.
Perez said other dancers warned her about Lopez and how she manipulated her, the wardrobe and the makeup team. The Do The Right Thing star didn’t believe them until the Second Act actress went off on her, “screaming and pounding her chest.”
“You pick on me, me and only me, every fucking day! Every fucking day! I work my ass off, deliver, and you keep pushing me aside, treating me like shit! I know I’m good! I’m better than any of these girls, and you know it,” Perez alleged Lopez shouted. The irony of JLo’s rant was the choreographer reportedly convinced In Living Color creator Keenan Ivory Wayans to hire the Bronx native.
Despite their “beef” and Lopez shading Perez with her stating she wanted to avoid the “Rosie Perez-type roles,” Perez maintained there’s no hate for the “No Me Ames” singer.
