
Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish Turned Down A $10 Million Deal Because It Didn't Align With Her Values
With what seems like a meteoric rise to fame, Tiffany Haddish has had to learn how to operate from a place where her childhood didn’t dictate her spending habits. The L.A. native grew up in the foster care system and was a struggling comedian until she got her big break in Girls Trip. In her interview with Cosmopolitan, Tiffany admitted that her broke days sometimes come back to haunt her and ultimately influence her money decisions.
“...So immediately when I started making a little bit of money doing things like Tyler Perry’s If Loving You Is Wrong and The Carmichael Show, I started trying to figure out how to create generational wealth. The fastest way to do it and the first way you should go about doing it is buy some land,” she said. “So before we even got into season 2 of The Carmichael Show, I bought a house. Everybody told me I should wait, but I didn’t care. I just knew I was going to have to always make enough money to take care of me and the house, and that’s what I did.”
“Between that show’s next season, the Keanu movie, and making sure I can live comfortably off of $500 a month, I was able to pay off half the house. The Girls Trip check was the final check. People told me to spend it in other ways, but I used it to pay off the house because I was always afraid of being homeless again. Now I have a surplus of money, but I’m still afraid of being poor again. Every movie I made, I would just buy another piece of land or a house.”
Later on in the interview, she revealed that she finally discovered her power while taking The Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports class at Harvard and is learning the value of her worth. No longer operating in a scarcity mindset, she has made better decisions for herself and her career, even if that means turning down deals.
Tiffany Haddish on Turning Down $10 Million To Represent a Brand
“I’ve turned down, sh-t, I’ve turned down $10 million just to do a post because it didn’t represent my brand. I turned down $10 million because my soul is worth more than that to me. My spirit, my integrity, how I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror every day…I’d rather be flat broke than get money to do something that makes me feel like sh-t,” she explained.
“At first with acting roles, I used to just be like, what seems like fun? Now it’s, what seems like fun and what resonates with my soul? Then I ask, who else is working on it? Will it be my friends?” She continued. “What I’ve noticed lately, though, is that casting has been coming to me first. So I’ve learned how to fight better too. Because it’s a battle getting the people that you want, because everybody still looks at you as talent, when they fail to realize I’ve produced things, got nominated for awards, won trophies…I kind of know what I’m doing. Give me an opportunity to make you richer, sir. I might not know how to keep a man, but I know how to make some money.”
There are several other celebrities who have also turned down millions of dollars for similar reasons that Tiffany shared. Check them out below:
1. Laurence Fishburne Turned Down ‘Pulp Fiction’ Because of the Glamorization of Drug Use
Legendary actor Laurence Fishburne turned down Pulp Fiction, even though the film’s director Quentin Tarantino wrote the script with him in mind. “I just had a problem with the way the heroin use was dealt with,” Laurence said in an interview with Vulture. “I just felt it was a little cavalier, and it was a little loose. I felt like it made heroin use attractive. For me, it’s not just my character. It’s, ‘What is the whole thing saying?’…It wasn’t about my character in Pulp Fiction. It was about the way in which the heroin thing was delivered. And the whole fucking thing with the hypodermic and the adrenaline shot? No.”
2. Rihanna Turned Down the Super Bowl Halftime Show: 'I Couldn't Be an Enabler'
Billionaire songstress and businesswoman Rihanna confirmed reports that she turned down the NFL's offer to perform during the Super Bowl halftime show in a 2019 interview with Vogue. She explained that she turned it down in support of Colin Kaepernick. “I couldn’t dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people,” she said. “I just couldn’t be a sellout. I couldn’t be an enabler. There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.”
3. Will Smith Turned Down the Lead in ‘Django Unchained’ Because of the Movie’s Violence
Will Smith passed on Django Unchained all in the name of love. "I had said yes to Django, but it was more about the creative direction of the story," he said in a roundtable discussion with The Hollywood Reporter. "To me, it's as perfect a story as you could ever want. A guy that learns how to kill to retrieve his wife that has been taken as a slave."
"When I choose movies, I'm choosing the arc. I read the first 35 pages and I read the ending. And to me that idea is perfect. And it was just that Quentin and I couldn't see [eye to eye]. I wanted to make the greatest love story that African-Americans had ever seen from American cinema.” He ultimately said no to the film because of the violence. "Violence begets violence. For me, I just couldn't connect to violence being the answer. Love had to be the answer."
4. Alicia Keys Turned Down Millions To Perform a Gig Because She Was With Her Husband
In an interview with Million Dollarz Worth of Game podcast, Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys revealed that the singer once turned down $9 million after being asked to perform at a gig for nine minutes. “It was integrity involved with it,” Swizz said. “You remember when they came with the blank check and they wanted you to sing on somebody’s boat and she couldn’t fill out the check and she was like nah, I’m here with my husband. Move through the proper channels and we’ll talk about that later. He’s like nah, we need it now. I never seen no sh-t like that. It was the integrity part. She’s not for sale.”
5. Cardi B Turned Down Seven Figures for the First Photos of Kulture
After Cardi B had her first child, Kulture Kiari Cephus, with Offset, she kept her out of the spotlight. But that didn’t stop outlets from approaching her to get the first photos of the newborn. "I got offered seven figures, not even 500,000, over a million, Cardi said to Ebro Darden on his Apple Music Beats 1 show. "I'm just not ready yet. I'm not even ready yet to have a damn babysitter."
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Tiffany Haddish Is Putting Motherhood On The Back Burner For A While
After previously saying that she was in the process of adopting children, Tiffany Haddish is putting motherhood on "pause." The beloved comedian grew up in the foster care system and originally wanted to be a foster mom, but with advice from her lawyers, she decided that adoption would be best. However, it looks like we won't see her with a child anytime soon.
"I had to put a pause on that [adoption] process because my business has picked up, and I feel when you take a child [in], you really need to be able to focus on them," she toldUs Weekly.
While she may now have the money to take care of a child, her busy schedule says otherwise. "I want to raise it. I want to raise the child. I want to give the child my knowledge and my love," she said.
"So I want to finish up a few more things so that I can really focus. It's one thing to have a dog and a garden and take care of that. But to have another human being that needs me and that I'm responsible for. I want to be present. I want to be all the way present. I don't want somebody else doing that work."
The Last Black Unicorn author was placed in foster care at the age of 12 following a car accident her mom was involved in that affected her brain.
During her 2019 appearance on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, the actress described what it was like to be a foster child.
"You're dropped in these strangers' houses, you don't know these people, these people don't know you, you don't know if they're gonna hurt you, if they're gonna be kind, you don't have a clue what's going on," she said.
Because of her rough experience in the foster care system, Tiffany wanted to help kids who were in similar predicaments. In June 2021, the Girls Trip star revealed to Entertainment Tonight that she was taking parenting classes for adoption.
"First of all, especially after this pandemic, there are so many children left without their parents. There are a lot of people that need to be loved," she said.
"I want to get somebody that's five and up. You know, already knows how to use the restroom, already knows how to talk, already knows how to communicate. All I want to do is pour knowledge in … get them ready for the big, bad world. That's what I want to do."
Although her journey to parenthood has taken a backseat, she is still looking forward to adopting.
"Sharing everything that I know and pouring it into them and watching it manifest through their actions and their abilities," she said to Us Weekly when discussing what she is looking forward to when having kids.
"Also having somebody to watch TV with and laugh with that thinks I'm cool. Even if it's only for a few years, kids are thinking for just a little while. Also, somebody to teach all my recipes to and to be able to share this life, share this journey, with. [Somebody I can] be a beacon for and a safe place," she concluded.
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Tiffany Haddish Shares The Best Financial Advice She's Ever Received
Tiffany Haddish has never shied away from sharing her truth with the world. From her upbringing as a foster child to her love life with rapper Common, the comedian always lays it all out on the table. So, when it comes to her finances, why would it be any different? The Girls Trip breakout star recently spoke with Business Insider about building wealth, budgeting and how she was able to pay down debt.
Going in and out of foster care and experiencing homelessness, Tiffany wasn't always financially secure and she eventually fell into the trap that millions of Americans have: credit card debt. In 2020, CNBC reported that almost half of Americans have credit card debt. That's 120 million people. Many people fall victim to credit card debt due to the lack of financial literacy, something that Tiffany relates to.
"Getting a credit card and not knowing how credit cards work, buying stuff I couldn't afford and not having enough money to pay it back, thinking overdraft protection was like they're looking out for me—that's bad moves," she said.
The comedian urges people not to "spend more than what you've got," stating that she learned "the hard way."
Now that she's a successful comedian and actress, The Last Black Unicorn author has been working to clean up her finances. While doing so, she received a piece of advice that helped her get on the right track.
"If you spend money, write it down. Every time you spend some money, write it down. And then you'll be like, 'Oh, wait.'
"You'll be more conservative. When I received that advice from someone older, they were like, 'Every time you spend money for the next three days or the next week, just write it down, and then you'll see how much money you spend. Then you can start re-budgeting.' It helps a lot."
With her newfound knowledge, the Night School actress has teamed up with mobile banking company Chime and media company ATTN to co-produce Hotline Cha-Ching, a video series that focuses on financial literacy for the younger generation. She hopes to teach the up and coming generation how to grow and save their money.
"I wish I would have known that you could use other people's money and both of you grow in the process, like when you make investments and stuff," she said during the Insider interview. "I wish I would have known that no matter how old you are, you can buy a house."
Tiffany isn't playing games when it comes to investing and building generational wealth. During her appearance on the SmartLess podcast, the Nobody's Fool star revealed that if she were to get engaged to boyfriend Common, she wants him to propose with "the deed to a duplex or a 36-plex" instead of a ring "because a marriage is a union of two businesses, and the whole point of coming together is to grow yourselves, but also grow a family and make sure they have something to inherit."
She continued, "So this ring, they can inherit the ring, but what's that, $2,000, $3,000? Maybe $10,000? What is that? But if you get an apartment building that will increase in value, the children will always be able to go to school, we'll always have something. If we get sick or something, we'll have something to cash out and be able to take care of ourselves."
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Tiffany Haddish Says Common Can Keep The Wedding Ring, She Wants Something Else
Like many, I was introduced to Tiffany Haddish when I went to see the hilarious film Girls Trip. I came into the theatre expecting to chuckle a bit and just enjoy a movie night. But little did I know, this was a film I'd be watching so many more times and that would put Tiffany on the map as a breakout star. From start to finish, I laughed hysterically and even spent the evening with one of my girlfriends, sharing and reflecting on our own college memories. Fast forward to today, Tiffany Haddish is an Emmy- and Grammy-winning household name.
Currently, she's promoting her latest film, The Card Counter, and appeared as a guest on The SmartLess Podcast. During the episode, she discussed how comedy affected her childhood, past struggles, entrepreneurial efforts, and life with her boo, artist, and actor Common.
At the start of the interview, she mentioned how she enjoys Netflix and chilling with him, traveling, and spending weekends networking. It all sounded so normal, you'd never guess she overcame some of the trials she has or lives the life she does. But from chasing her dreams while battling homelessness to the present, where she is planning to open a line of grocery stores, Tiffany Haddish really doesn't do anything "normal."
And that includes her relationship.
When asked if she and Common were going to get married, she said:
"I have no idea. I would love for him to always be my friend. If he decides he wants to marry me, cool. But, I don't want a ring. I want an apartment building. You know how they are like, present me with a ring. I want him to present me with the deed to a duplex."
She explained her reasoning further saying that if they were to get sick or some type of problem occurred, the duplex would always provide income.
"A marriage is a union of two businesses and the whole point of coming together is to grow yourselves, grow a family, and make sure they have something to inherit."
Well, while I can't help kind of still wanting a ring, it does make you think, would something else be the better choice? As times change, some people's expectations and views of marriage have shifted while others stay the same. I think ultimately it's just about knowing yourself and your partner and what will bring you both happiness.
For Tiffany Haddish, that's eventually growing her family and providing opportunities to people who need it. She shares:
"I also want to adopt. Because I wish somebody would have adopted me and taught me better. Everything I wish people would have done for me is what I'm trying to give to others."
Listen to the SmartLess podcast episode featuring Tiffany Haddish below:
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Climaxing 101: Tiffany Haddish Says It's Important To Manifest And To Talk To God During Orgasms
Tiffany Haddish has never been one to shy away from what she has, or wants, to say. She's an open book, with a long-term career of somehow managing to bring comedy and realism to the forefront. Lately for Haddish, orgasms have been the topic of her conversation, as just recently she revealed to actor Nicolas Cage that she actually had her first orgasm while watching him terrorize John Travolta in the 1997 action flick, Face/Off. She told NPR:
"It was my first big O."
The two star opposite each other in the forthcoming feature The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Initially hesitant, the comedienne ultimately decided to tell Cage of her euphoria.
"It was a debate. Should I tell Nicolas Cage this? This is inappropriate. I don't want him to hit me with a sexual-harassment [claim], but I gotta tell him.'
Well now, thanks to Haddish's unfiltered honesty, it turns out that she feels orgasms are just as much of a spiritual guide, as it is sexual.
On a recent appearance on Garcelle Beauvais' podcast, Going to Bed With Garcelle, Haddish revealed we should in fact be using them to manifest what we envision for our lives. While speaking with Garcelle and other guest Sheree Zampino (Will Smith's ex-wife), she explained how the practice works:
"When you are intimate, when you re being intimate, when you're having sex, you be like, 'Oh God, Oh God, Oh God.' And God be like, 'what's up?! You called me? What's going on?! Whatchu need? Hello? You just called me to watch this, like what's up?' And that's when you're supposed to make a wish. That's how I'm am where I'm at right now in life."
This spiritual practice, is one that sex healers and doulas have been preaching for centuries.
Physically, an orgasm causes a man to release seminal fluid and a woman's uterus and vagina to contract. In both genders, breathing ramps up, the pulse quickens as well as blood pressure. Our brains shut down and we are in a state of total surrender. At the point of climax, you are aligned with your higher consciousness, which is why no one can really describe the feeling. Sex and climax has been used for centuries as method by which one can experience enlightenment--or what we more commonly know as tantra.
This means, that during an orgasm, you can channel the released accumulated energy towards your goals for manifestation. Come through!
Haddish is a strong believer in the art of manifesting, as in the past she has said she is not one bit surprised by her success.
"People always say, 'Are you surprised?' No, I'm not surprised. I manifested this. This is part of my list of goals. I'm grateful I've accomplished this much so far, but there's so much more I want to do."
She has also shared on social media various outlets and resources for getting in tune with your higher self.
This was so helpful to me. Hidden MIND POWERS and How to Use Them! (Law Of Attraction The Secret) M... https://youtu.be/9m6z9dnCVUk\u00a0 via @YouTube— Tiffany Haddish (@Tiffany Haddish) 1554480994
For now, Haddish is in full press mode as she is busy promoting upcoming projects. But it certainly is refreshing to see her openly speak about the power of energy. Listen to Tiffany and the Going to Bed With Garcelle podcast discuss everything from knowing your hot spots, to butt massages, here.
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You may know her as the funny girl, but during the pandemic, our good sis Tiffany Haddish has shed an impressive 40 pounds (which we didn't even know that she could lose), making her go from our resident comedian, to the fitness inspo that we didn't know we needed!
In a recent Instagram video, Haddish revealed that last year on her birthday, she topped 182 pounds. But throughout the past several months, the comedian has worked hard, and that work has paid off in an inspiring way. Haddish, who recently turned 41 (Dec. 3), said she was inspired to lose the weight by a unlikely heroine, the late Olympian Florence Griffith Joyner. She said:
"I had this thought in my mind that I want the body of Flo-Jo!"
And from there, she made her mind up and went in full throttle. Recently, she disclosed what steps she took to drop the pounds.
Here's everything Tiffany Haddish did to lose 40 pounds to drop the weight and live a healthier lifestyle:
She quit smoking. #hallelu
Haddish decided to quit smoking in July 2018, which was a journey within itself. This caused her to actually gain a few pounds, as the nicotine typically tends to speed up your metabolism. She told Ellen:
"I've been eating like it ain't nobody's business. To counteract that, I started working out on the fourth of July."
And she hasn't looked back. And she actually credits YouTube and hypnosis to helping her quit smoking.
"YouTube videos is how I stopped smoking. I watched YouTube videos like Easy Ways to Stop Smoking and We Can Hypnotize You In Eight Hours To Stop Smoking."
Haddish says that she played the videos while she slept, and after five days she "didn't want to smoke no more."
She followed a personalized fitness program.
Haddish posted on her Instagram, a mirror pic saying that she started Luther Freeman's 30 Day Transformation program, as a means to get personalized fitness and nutrition plans for long term, practical changes. This program reviews your body mass index (BMI) and current lifestyle, assess the results, and then makes a custom plan featuring nutrition tips and workouts including lots of cardio, and strength training.
"Started my @30daytransformationteam program three days ago and look I think I see ABS and my bra getting lose."
She modified her diet and now overhauls on protein and veggies.
Eating a healthy, and attainable, diet was key to Haddish's 40-pound weight loss. She tells People:
"I've been eating differently, eating way more vegetables, definitely eating directly out of my garden and just really putting in the work, making sure I sweat every single day and staying up on nutrition. Nutrition is everything."
More impressively, Haddish has her own garden and grows strawberries, kale, Swiss chard, celery, and more. For breakfast, she tells Harper Bazaar, that she often juices in the mornings, using all foods from her garden. She also adds turmeric and ginger tea to her regimen while traveling, or she'll "load up on eggs with avocado for a more filling breakfast."
For snacks, she usually reaches for fruits, nuts, or pickles (sis loves her pickles). For lunch and dinner, Haddish prefers "to get tons of protein with chicken breast and fish, veggie-rich soups, and nutrient-rich salads."
She hits the gym and makes it fun!
Haddish now exercises every single day.
"I exercise anywhere from 15 minutes to sometimes two hours [a day]. And I try to dance every day for like five to ten minutes. I think that's really important, too. Make it fun!"
We agree! She continued:
"I prefer to do stairs, like if I'm in a tall building I like to go up and down the stairs."
For extra motivation, she invested in a home gym with equipment, like kettlebells and a Peloton bike, to ensure she can maintain her fitness routine, which she revealed on Instagram.
So, to lose 40 pounds, all Tiffany did was *checks notes* stopped smoking, changed her diet, and hit the gym? Let's do this, ladies!
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