Ellie Kemper released an apology for her participation in controversial pageant. Fans discovered last week that the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was crowned queen at the Veiled Prophet Ball.
Ellie Kemper by JJ Duncan / Cropped from Original / CC BY 2.0
Last week, The Office actress Ellie Kemper came under fire. Fans discovered that she was Queen at racist pageant the Veiled Prophet Ball.
The Veiled Prophet Organization was originally co-founded in the late 1800s by former Confederate officer Charles Slayback and other prominent white St. Louisans. The organization only permitted white people to participate up until 1979.
After the fans discovered the fact that she was queen of the controversial pageant, the hashtag #KKKQueen started trending. But things aren’t so black and white (literally).
So was no one gonna tell me Ellie kemper aka kimmy Schmidt was crowned KKK queen in 1999 pic.twitter.com/QdHJ6wGZGv
— charlie (@dianahungerr) May 31, 2021
It’s been 22 years since Ellie’s participation in the pageant. Ellie Kemper, now 41, wrote an apology over her participation in the pageant.
Ellie wrote: “Hi guys, when I was 19 years old, I decided to participate in a debutante ball in my hometown. The century-old organization that hosted the debutante ball had an unquestionably racist, sexist and elitist past. I was not aware of the history at the time, but ignorance is no excuse. I was old enough to have educated myself before getting involved.”
“I unequivocally deplore, denounce, and reject white supremacy. At the same time, I acknowledge that because of my race and my privilege, I am the beneficiary of a system that has dispensed unequal justice and unequal rewards.”
“There is a very natural temptation when you become the subject of internet criticism, to tell yourself that your detractors are getting it all wrong. But at some point last week, I realized that a lot of the forces behind the criticism are forces that I’ve spent my life supporting and agreeing with.”
“I believe strongly in the values of kindness, integrity and inclusiveness. I try to live my life in accordance with these values. If my experience is an indication that organizations and institutions with pasts that fall short of these beliefs should be held to account, then I have to see this experience in a positive light.”
“I want to apologize to the people I’ve disappointed, and I promise that moving forward I will listen, continue to educate myself, and use my privilege in support of the better society I think we’re capable of becoming. Thanks for reading this.”
