@`keresa halstead I so wanted to say that, but being pasty, I decided not. I always tease my friend about that as she is now 80 and still just fabulous
As a woman with naturally blonde hair and blue eyes, whose mom was dark skinned and was always asked if she was my nanny, I thank you for saying what you said. It's insulting, it's derogatory,and quite honestly, it's nobody's freaking business!!!
I only have white children but my daughter is 5'2 and she has blonde hair and blue eyes. She's got huge breasts and and the cutest butt. I'm 5'7" brown hair and brown eyes flat chested and no butt. When you look at us side by side we look nothing alike yet my other daughter looks exactly like me so I think it's extremely amazing how our genes work...
WHY THESE BLKS CONSTANTLY TALKINC BOUT RCE???? YALL KNOW THEM PEEPS WHO QUESTIONED HER WERE PROB BLK....LETS ALL KEEP IT REAL WITH THE COLORISM WITH BLK PEEPS.
Yes, ignorant people will stay ignorant always. My boys are blonde hair and blue eyes and I am a POC. When they were little and walking next to me, I would observe people looking at them nervously as if they were lost and obviously not walking right next to their mom. Got used to just saying , “don’t worry, I’m mom”!
I was just passing through on TH-cam and could not stop watching this interview. Glad I stopped and learned these things about Eartha Kitt. What a beautiful woman, inside and out.
I can't imagine being attacked for claiming YOUR OWN MOTHER. Some people behave in ways that are bizarre and downright deranged when it comes to biracial black people - especially biracial black women. Thank God this woman was born to such a strong Queen. Eartha Kitt spoke truth to power and was willing to pay the price. This woman can speak truth to the idiots and the trolls and keep being HERSELF.
How are those extremely hurtful comments??? They are normal questions. Her image just sparked natural curiosity. It sounds like extreme sensitivity to human nature...
@@flo-dd5sw She's been passing for White all her life. Not many people even knew about her when her Mom was Alive. Glad she's now this late in life standing up and owning her Blackness.
@@sarai373 *_That's the Problem she is JUST NOW claiming her Mother all over Social Media now that she's gone. She's been passing for White all her life._* None of those comments are Hurtful. People are Curious. She needs to tell them the truth that she's 25% Black with a Mixed Mon & White dad and that's why she looks so White.
Love this interview! My mother and I met Madame Eartha Kitt in Paris at the hôtel George the V. She was sitting in the lobby we were the only 3 blacks there. She waved to us and asked please sit with me. We were so excited She was so kind, and gracious to us. I still smile when I think about my mother asking her to come for dinner tomorrow? She held my mother's hands and said I would love to but I am waiting for my car to take me to the airport. I am leaving Paris for New York. We were so happy about meeting her that 40 years later I mention our meeting in a book. She was a true Queen. You look like your dear mother beautiful lady. Peace!
@@sharonlee4773 In fact, if you look at the eyes and much of the facial structure --- yes, it is apparent! I also see the Irish. For those of you who don't know, this is called hybridization, and it almost always improves. . .
What an inspiring story. To hear the encouraging words her mother spoke to her in the midst of difficult times, is a testimony of love, faith and the spirit of an overcomer. So proud of you Kitt!
I'm mixed. Light skinned with red hair. I identify as Black. It throws people off. I think people wonder why I would choose to be Black but it's the largest part of my identity. My white mother didn't raise me, my Black grandmother and Auntie did along with my Dad. I identify with what I know. The people who shaped me and helped me grow.
God Bless You.... That happens all the time ! There was a Black Woman in her 40s on Judge Milian... she was still BEGGING her Iranian Grandmother to accept her ! In 2019 ! She wouldn't budge off her Racism against her own Grand Daughter !
Myself, even though I mever met my White nor Native American relatives, I still identify as Mixed. Some things about me gets me in touch with Black, some things gets me in touch with Native American, especially my love of wearing my hair straight, and there are things that gets me in touch with White, especially most my boyfriends I ever dated are White.
Hmm so yte women can make black kids? I didn’t know blk women weren’t needed to make themselves. Being mixed is not about choosing a side. You just happen to be both.
Ms. Eartha was one of those icons I looked up to growing up. What a legacy she left behind. Thank you, Kitt for sharing more of your Mother with the world! Rest in eternal peace, Ms. Eartha. ❤
@@blackmagic6 Hush up. Stop creating division in the Negro community. Her mother was a grown woman. She gave birth to a mulotta daughter. During Slavery many of the female ancestors gave birth to mulotta boy's and daughters. Know the history of our people. 🌑⚫🖤🤎💛
She does look like her mom… stunning. Don’t let any one get to you. At the end of the day, no one can take away your heritage. Eartha as a kitten in Emperor’s New Groove is one of my favorite movie clips. So adorable.
As a jaded person, I watched this with reservation and ended up in tears because I understand everything Kitt is saying and I respect the fact that Eartha Kitt showed up as a mother and lived her life unapologetically! This was lovely.
@@shable1436 Thank you so much for that definition of 'Jaded" as it relates to people. I guess that we are all "JADED" people when it comes to understanding of racist practices..😂
I heard her say he was a German man,they tend to 've strong features,, she did pick cotton in the south Just bzz u thought slavery official ended in 1865 did not mean compliance...Texas, Kentucky were resistant di mot when want to tell blk fks they were free ..ho study Juneteen
Earth Kitt was on the soundwaves during my London 50’s childhood. I just remember the “slurp, slurp, slurp of oil wells.” Earths was stunning and SO talented. Good to learn that she has a long life, and wonderful to see her daughter.
Ms. Kitty showered her child with so much love and affirmations, every parent needs to do this for their children. It’s important because once you walk out into the world people will project all their ignorance on you.
Ok but at the end of the day this daughter is WHITE! This lady is primarily white with a tiny black DNA part! Genetics are a mixed bag especially concerning mixed people. I'll explain - black people in the US are unfortunately mixed with white because of the atrocious history of slavery and that's why black people in the US in general are a bit lighter than people from Africa. And Eartha clearly had a lot of white genes mixed in as was evidenced by light/mid tone skin color. And when a baby is made genes aren't passed down 50-50 it is literally random for example let's say one parent is from Africa/Egyptian ancestry and the other parent is from Native American and Japanese ancestry, you might think that the baby would get DNA from all of those! And they might get a bit from each, BUT it could also be random where they get a lot of African ancestry, a lot of Native American ancestry a little Japanese ancestry and zero Egyptian ancestry, and then a sibling with the same parents might get the Egyptian ancestry but zero Japanese ancestry even though they have the same parents! It also depends on how much ancestry the parents have themselves. If a person has 50 % African DNA and 50% Native American DNA then their child can have any percentage of those ancestries that add up to 50% from that parent but no more than 50% and Eartha clearly is not 100% black and is mixed with white and then this woman on the show clearly got the white genes and that's totally fine and whatever but she can't go around claiming that she's black - at least not by DNA. She can do a DNA test and figure out the actual small percentage of black DNA she got from Eartha and the white DNA she got from Eartha and her white father and the fact is she's mainly white with a bit of black DNA. She might be culturally African American but she's definitely not primarily black in regards to DNA. She clearly has white features and she needs to stop trying to erase actual black people with black features by trying to demand that her primarily white DNA genes be "recognized" as "black" 🙄
I could listen to her speak all day long. She is so entertaining and I bet she lived a very interesting life with her mother. "Santa Baby" is my favorite modern Christmas song and nobody sings it like Eartha Kitt! It is a classic.
Thank you for this interview! Eartha Kitt was my favorite heroine as a child! I fell in love with her all over again in Boomerang! I can still hear her saying “Marcuuuus!”😂 She will be forever loved and missed!
Like when she visited south Africa and did shows, her and her daughter went to amusement park and the white only signs were up and they told Eartha she couldn't get on ride with her daughter. Her daughter started flipping out, and Eartha said now's not the time, you will know when it's the time. So later on there was a school opening ceremony ribbon cutting and Eartha had done benefit for it, and the press was there, crowd was there and the donators we're there one being that park owner, and when Eartha found out, she nodded at her daughter like this is the time. So she got on the mic and told the story of what happened, and he got so embarrassed and promised that it would never happen again, so Eartha said so you promise, and he said he would do anything he could, so she said how about doubling your donation and opening up another school in twice the time, and he said of course anything he could do to make up for what happened. This teaching Kitt about not screaming and reacting in public but choosing the correct most effective for change time to bring up things. Btw he insisted they come back to park next day, and all the white only signs were gone, and the park was open to everyone all rides equal
If you don't believe she is Eartha Kitt's Biological Daughter with your eyes, just listen with your ears. She is her mothers' daughter. Rest In Power, Queen Eartha Kitt!
Agreed . I wasn't surprised it was people in this new Tik Tok age who questioned her because Kitt was always with her mom . Nothing new that she looks like this .
One of the greatest privileges that I have ever had was when I saw Eartha Kitt starring in Timbuktu in New Orleans back in 1977 or 78, Everyone in the audience understood that we were in the presence of a STAR. Not only was Ms. Kitt gorgeous but she was truly a star's star. I'll never forget how she stood perfectly still on the stage and mesmerized the audience simply by moving her eyes! I've never seen another singer or actress since that night who could do what she did on stage. And she was also a leader in social issues such as when she stood up for her beliefs against the Vietnam War and the Johnson White House. Bravissimi Ms. Kitt!!!
@Randy Watts Same as you I had one of the greatest privileges to see Eartha Kitt starring in the musical stage play in "TIMBUKTU" on New Years Eve December 31st 1978 at the "Pantages Theater" on Hollywood Blvd, in Hollywood, California, approximately one month before I was promoted to (Permanent Deputy Probation officer in Los Angeles County) after being a "As Needed" non permanent officer for the previous year.. My beautiful ex-wife and I were sitting in the audience approximately 10 rows from the stage when the curtains opened, and out came Ms. Kitt being carried high on some type of decorative board by several strongly built Black males as if she was a a great queen. After they lowered the board down so that she could get off, that was when she stood up very boldly, and said in a very sexy manner "WELCOME TO, TIMBUCTOO", and the crowd started this enormous clapping for several seconds before the show began to continue. That moment still seem just like yesterday to me because I was only in my 20's, desperately in need of a permanent job career to start my young life as a professional adult.. By the way, I am originally from a small Northeast Louisiana town in Madison Parish just across the Mississippi River from Vicksburg.. later bro 🙏
@@Muhdah1972 Yes. I had the privilege of witnessing Eartha Kitt's star quality talents. I've carried that special experience with me since 1977, And I'm so appreciative of her talents and her sharing those talents with the world....and with me. I never met her personally...but I experienced one of the greatest stars of the 20th century stage and screen! An experience I will carry with me forever!
@@etruscancivilization When I saw Ms. Kitt in Timbuktu she started off stage ( stage right ) with her purring, " I..........m ' You could not see her. She was carried ON stage to the front center...on the shoulder of the BIGGEST black body builder I have ever seen in my life. The man was the size of an adult Bigfoot on steroids! As she arrived on Center Stage, the man carrying her knelt down and several more black body builders knelt before Ms. Kitt and she stepped off of the shoulder of the huge man, and the successive males each lowered her as she stepped onto their backs one at a time ...and all the while she was purring her, "Im...........HEAR" as she stepped off of the back of the last "slave." The woman KNEW how to make an entrance!!! Ms. Kitt simply stood motionless in front of HER audience and did not move a muscle. She held the audience captive with her EYES! Eartha Kitt's eyes must have been the size of dinner plates. ONLY a star of her magnitude can stand on a stage and control the entire audience with her eyes. That ability cannot be taught. It cannot be learned. It simply IS. And Ms. Kitt WAS a mega star and her light will forever shine brightly in the sky. And I am one of the most fortunate people in the world....as were YOU...to have had the opportunity to have been in her presence and to have experienced her persona. Thank YOU for sharing your experience!
Kitt’s Mother was not only an amazing actress, singer/performer, but she was a beautiful and shining example of motherhood to her daughter….not just as a mother, but as a person. My own Mom is gone 8 years and the pain of loss is often unbearable. I’m so sorry for Kitt’s loss, but I’m so glad that she can share these deeply personal stories with us and keep her mother’s memories alive!
Hi I’m from the Philippines and people of my generation loved Eartha not only because she was my favorite cat woman to this day but because she made the Filipino novelty song Waray Waray famous. She came to Manila in the late 1950s, took on a liking to the song which literally sings about the Waray Waray women from the Visayan Islands “whose kisses are as sweet as wine but if their men should wrong them, they have her fists to deal with.” The women of Waray Waray bring home the bacon and she made their song and their story popular. Her concert titled Live at The Plaza has that song in its cd. Note the song was not translated to English, Eartha’s mastery of phonetics enabled her to sing it in the Waray Waray dialect complete with the proper inflections and pronunciations.
Thanks for sharing. I did not know this! she's known for popularising a classing song in France but I did not know that even Filipino song she'd do as well!
Drop the mic! Best comment of ALL times. You damn right she don't owe No One an explanation! We all should find better things to do with our time than to be poking at this woman as some lab experiment! People are just people, people!!!
I understand her pain. I’m biracial and grew up in the south. The comments and stares from other people can be overwhelming at times. But I finally had to realize I am who I am and I’m not apologizing for being me.
You were stared at and given drama because you were black you could have been anybody else but because that part of you of being black was so in people's face that is where the time I came in and for black people it was a part of them that they could access for a better life in society or at least a potential better life in society that they thought that you could access.
I'm African American. One of my children is fair skinned and has hazel eyes. When people see us together they stare trying to figure out our connection. People are too invested in the sickness of WS and colorism. I love this woman's stories of how her mother navigated her daughter's identity by telling her how wonderful she was just as God created her. See the film Imitation of Life.
I’m a fair skinned black woman with a dark skin mother and ginger dad, my entire life other black people have tried to tell me what I am and what I am not. It’s frustrating and hurtful
Unless your parents came directly from Africa, you're an American. Try going to Africa, or any country when someone puts "xxxx American" and they will laugh at you and call you an American.
I feel her pain. People think I can't be my moms child bc she's light skinned and I'm dark skinned but we share the same facial features. People are so ignorant and refuse to acknowledge that genetics will vary.
I relate to this so much. My dad is Black and I look more like him and that side of my family, but I also look more white to a lot of people. Up to the point that a cop once tried to take me from my father when I was 11, thinking he kidnapped me. It got to the point where my dad wouldn’t go out with me alone. We missed so much time together while he was alive, because of people’s bigotry. Who do people think it was that used to “pass” back in the day? I’m 45 and the BS is still happening and we catch it from every side. It’s exhausting.
I'm biracial & my daughter is 3/4 with beautiful skin & 4C hair. Due to illness my skin turned white & I lost my beautiful curls. People think we're either friends or girlfriends, never that I'm her mom. Its funny watching people backtrack & try to say how much we look alike.Nope, shes her dads total clone, its freaky😆
Hella people ‘passed’ back in the day and have even kept those mindsets and efforts to have their families remain that way even today. My brother in law and his siblings are biracial. Some of their spouses are black and others white, so all of their kids phenotypes range anywhere from looking mixed to looking white.
Ok but at the end of the day this daughter is WHITE! This lady is primarily white with a tiny black DNA part! Genetics are a mixed bag especially concerning mixed people. I'll explain - black people in the US are unfortunately mixed with white because of the atrocious history of slavery and that's why black people in the US in general are a bit lighter than people from Africa. And Eartha clearly had a lot of white genes mixed in as was evidenced by light/mid tone skin color. And when a baby is made genes aren't passed down 50-50 it is literally random for example let's say one parent is from Africa/Egyptian ancestry and the other parent is from Native American and Japanese ancestry, you might think that the baby would get DNA from all of those! And they might get a bit from each, BUT it could also be random where they get a lot of African ancestry, a lot of Native American ancestry a little Japanese ancestry and zero Egyptian ancestry, and then a sibling with the same parents might get the Egyptian ancestry but zero Japanese ancestry even though they have the same parents! It also depends on how much ancestry the parents have themselves. If a person has 50 % African DNA and 50% Native American DNA then their child can have any percentage of those ancestries that add up to 50% from that parent but no more than 50% and Eartha clearly is not 100% black and is mixed with white and then this woman on the show clearly got the white genes and that's totally fine and whatever but she can't go around claiming that she's black - at least not by DNA. She can do a DNA test and figure out the actual small percentage of black DNA she got from Eartha and the white DNA she got from Eartha and her white father and the fact is she's mainly white with a bit of black DNA. She might be culturally African American but she's definitely not primarily black in regards to DNA. She clearly has white features and she needs to stop trying to erase actual black people with black features by trying to demand that her primarily white DNA genes be "recognized" as "black" 🙄
Very inspirational and Eartha Kitts daughter is an example of how remarkable her mother was and how well she raised her. Wow, we can all learn a lot from her life.
Eartha Kitt was the BEST Catwoman in history! She was beautiful and multi-talented. Her Daughter is as gorgeous as she was. Love that she goes by the name Kitt in honor of her late Mother. No one should be judged by the color of their skin. One day humanity will look back and be embarrassed that skin color was even a topic of discussion. Tamron Hall is a favorite journalist and talk show host. So much natural class & intelligence.
Having known Kitt for over a decade, she’s been a source of humor, friendship, and kindness. As the mother of a biracial daughter, Kitt has also shown us a way to navigate in the world. Love her!
Ms Kitt was a beautiful and strong woman that overcame adversity and raised a very talented daughter who was very much loved by her mother! Such a legacy ✨️ 👏🏽
I love this interview in large part because of the story about their incident at a South African amusement park. “She made a greater statement than if she had made a scene in the moment.” Eartha Kitt was greatness personified. Kudos to her daughter.
I will never forget seeing Eartha Kitt on an elevator in Washington, D.C. in the 70's. She was visiting the 1st Black Mayor of Washington, D.C., Mayor Washington. It was also the day she went to the White House when Lyndon Johnson was President and she and "Lady Bird" Johnson (the First Lady) had a dispute and Lady Bird "blackballed" Eartha. As a result, Eartha had to leave the U.S. for many years. By the way, my Great Grandfather was the son of a slave and a plantation owner in S.C. and was considered a White man until the day he married a dark skinned black woman. He was a land owner and when the neighboring farmers saw his wife they were determined that she would not inherit his property and saw to it that he could not get the full price for the crops he sold. It got to the point that he could not pay taxes on his property. Rather than go to "debtors prison," he moved his family to Baltimore. He said he never tried to pass for White, but if no one asked he did not tell them. There were and are many Americans of mixed heritage who don't look like the world thinks they should look.
My sons are mixed race and I have been asked my whole life “how long have you looked after these kids?” Kinda rude but Looking past stereotypes is still challenging for people. As my sons got older, they retorted “Of course she is my mom!”😊Thank you for sharing your story. It was nice to know that I am not alone in this experience
Thank you for speaking about this! In 1957 my parents (a white Hispanic mother, and a black/multiracial Hispanic father) were at Bellevue Hospital, NYC because my mother was in labor with me. When the staff saw that they were a biracial couple they told my father that they were out of beds. Fortunately, my father was wearing his Korean war army uniform and he angrily told them, "You'll find a bed NOW for my wife! I fought in this war for all of you!" Needless to say, a bed suddenly became available and I was born. I'm 65 years old and I'm still racially/ethnically profiled.
Eartha Kitt wrote a book as well, “Thursday Child”. Learned of this by watching Eartha on Sally 1990 show. Please watch! Be inspired, she’s a conqueror. We’re SO strong!
It is a beautiful story and memories, and I always love Ms. Earth Kitt, a gentle giant and an amazing woman of her time. Gone but not forgotten. May she Rest In Paradise, thank you for sharing, Ms. Kitt life journey, much love always. 😇🙏🙏🙏👑❤️
@@truezladye1893 it’s funny, for me it was the opposite! Was born and grew up in Europe at a time when there were not many blacks, let alone biracial people. People would always ask me why I didn’t look more white or even sometimes question if I was telling the truth. 🙄
@@truezladye1893 exactly 💯. By the way. Circulate petition's to have the stolen Diamonds and Artifact's removed from the British museum 🖼️💎. #starofafrica 🇿🇦 . There are petition's currently in circulation. 8k signatures.
How said it is to learn that some people are still so small minded. Bless Eartha, she did a wonderful job raising her daughter to be the wonderful human being she is...
Thank you for highlighting this. As a biracial person, I’ve had very similar experiences and it is hurtful and disrespectful. I love that we are in a time that we can do a deep dive on topics like this 💖
It's very frustrating in now 2023 this is still going on 😔 I saw on Tik Tok a fair skinned Filipino being basically called a liar because she didn't look what people thought she should look like. It was really sad. No one should have to prove who they are to anyone. My daughter is biracial we have had to deal with this her whole life
Yes, I agree with you and light should also shine on the fact that millions of AA/Black people are biracial from Slavery(rape) and various unions also and multi-ethnic regardless of their skin tone. Dr. Henry Louis Gates is 50% white even though his parents and grandparents were considered AA/Black. The majority of Black Americans have 10-50% or more white ancestry and it can be seen in their appearance and with DNA tests. Biracial only means that someone is of two different ethnic groups and there are many AA/Black people with some Native American and or Asian ancestors as well.
@@sharnab3032 Your first problem is looking to Tik Tok. Your second problem is giving power to a bunch of random people. Being biracial is nothing special. The media only made it special when Obama was made President and that was on purpose. Why? Because the Black population among Black Americans were growing, while the White population was shrinking. So to tailor it for the 2010 census, that made "biracial/multiracial" into some new race at the stroke of a pen. It's called "divide and conquer." The same way they boost the white population to 70%, they include everyone non-Black from Latin America as "white" to give the appearance of numerical superiority. If they showed the real numbers, you would see drastic changes. It would be like a pit bull realizing they are stronger than their owner. Overall, they don't want children with a Black parent identifying as Black anymore. They are trying to build a "mixed" community that will act as surrogates. And here's the kicker: To deny Black people, White society will prop you up out of spite, so even though someone is Black and (fill in the blank), you (assuming you have a Black parent) is only Black in their (White) eyes when it's politically and economically convenient to say so. (First Black President, First Black Vice President, etc). They are using you and even my own kids (Black/White) as social props.
It has to be harder for her daughter Rachel to also say Eartha Kitt is her grandmother because her father is white as well so her features are really fair skin
Same. I'm happy to be biracial. I'd hate to see what will happen to my future kids if I marry someone who's not a minority. At least in other people's minds, they'll lose their connection to their Latino heritage and family. Everyone will say they're white alone. It's wonderful to be mixed!
I had no idea Eartha kitt passed away 14 years ago! She wasn't just talented, she was so smart and wise. I probably could have learned something from her. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE 💐
Anyone who knows of Eartha Kitt would know that she was so real and outspoken that if her daughter was adopted she would not have lied about it. Moreover, Kitt really does look like her mom. Bless this woman! 🙏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽
She doesn't look black she looks white like her father her mother isn't black she's biracial be reported mainly not black stop putting his people as black when they're not
It does not make her black, she is biracial. Biracial people are not black peoples, no matter how you all sliced and diced it. Why aren’t white people claiming them as white? No no grab and worship anything that is not black🙄🙄
I was born in 1971 to a blond haired , blue eyes Swiss mom and a southern black man. I have always been told I look Mexican but since I didn’t speak Spanish I was shunned by the Latinos, not black enough or too dark to be white. I am so glad that there is more diversity now. Eartha Kitt was an amazing woman! Sounds like she raised another amazing woman. This interview is so uplifting!!!
The way Kitt lights up when Tamaron starts talking about how wonderful Eartha was, is really telling to how wonderful she was as a mother and role model to her daughter
I saw a interview her mother did with Whoopi back in 1993 and both her and her mother had to deal with the same issues with race over a span of 2 generations. Just shows how times have not changed.
I knew about her years ago from a biography about Eartha Kitt. I love Eartha Kitt. She was beautiful and talented. I loved her voice. Kitt is beautiful
MOST people never heard of her. She stayed under the radar passing as White her entire life. If she was out there and outspoken no one would be in Shock. Kitt is *JUST NOW claiming her Mother all over Social Media now that Eartha's gone* so a lot of people are just getting to know her and are curious. Many are amazed. Nothing wrong with that. *_Most of those comments are NOT Hurtful._* People are Curious. Only the comment stating she's not her mother's daughter is hurtful. She needs to tell them the truth that *she's 25% Black with a Mixed Mon & White dad* and that's why she looks so White.
Class.. Class... Class... I'm always moved listening to Kitt and her fond memories of her Mum. Eartha Kitt was a class act (personally and professionally). My earliest recollection of her was that of grace and elegance. As for her appearance, Kitt is a wonderful example of confidence and beauty radiating from within. She was immensely loved and filled with life long lessons. That's how it's done!
I saw Ertha Kitt many years ago. She was a very stunning woman, fantastic entertainer, her skin colour wasn't even a thing, she was absolutely beautiful full stop.
This brought me to tears and clapping at the same time with the story about her mom turning things around in South Africa amusement park. Ms. Kitt was a strong woman of wisdom, intelligence and grit. The whiners and screamers today could really learn from her wisdom and emotional intelligence. She was an immensely talented woman and loved by many. Her sadness and strength always touched me. She will never be forgotten. Now is the time to make a movie on her life. She was so right about "timing."
Agreed on the movie part. On a side note. I'm South African, and one look at the photo, told me exactly which part of my country that amusement park was. Kitt referenced it when she said, "the next day my mom brought two coloured, and black kids along" In South Africa you have for distinct racial groups, deviced by the apartheid government back in the day, which people still identify till this day. You have Black, White, Indian (brought over as cheap labour/slaves), and Coloured. The coloured community which I fall under, has the original inhabitants of this land, the Strandlooper (Dutch for strand walker) and Koi (Bushmen) as their baseline. Their territory spanned what today we call the Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape Provinces. Their skin tone was already slightly lighter than your Xhosa peoples found on the Eastern half of the Eastern Cape, and the Zulu's of Natal. Now add to that, the white settlers arriving in Cape Town up to 150yrs before venturing east through the rest of what is now known as the Republic of South Africa, the amount of mixing that went on makes for some of the faces you saw in that amusement park. What an amazing photo, in what looks like Cape Town at the beginning of the 70's. Heavy apartheid days
I'm multiracial and I know exactly the way Ms. Eartha and Kitt feel. My mother is Cherokee, Powhatan and my father was black and dark skinned. It's REALLY sad that mixed people have to put up with this mess. I'm almost 50 years old and I still feel the pain, the hurtful remarks, and the stares.
@Cherone Davenport, you say your mom was Cherokee and your father was dark skinned..what does that mean? How does this make you mixed race? Was your father dark skinned black man or dark skinned Asian or dark skinned Caucasian? “Dark skinned” is very a vague description of someone.
I agree. That's pretty vague. What you described is pretty much the ancestry of the "West" followed by more European descentness over the years. To your pain, that's not fair to be questioned in that manner. Especially when most of US come from the same ancestry.
Eartha Kitt’s greatest legacy is her daughter. You know you’ve been successful in life when your children continue to rejoice and celebrate your life even long after you are gone. ❤
I feel for you. As a kid I'd always say I'm black but it would raise a lot of questions. Now I say I'm "mixed with a lot of stuff" and leave it at that. I dont give a s__t what anyone thinks anymore.
Their smiles look very similar, they both have wide mouths with pronounced smile lines and sharp cheek bones, it's not obvious but she clearly has stuff from her mom
Not only does she look like her Mama (both beautiful women!) she sounds just like her! Eartha had such a unique voice & it seems her daughter inherited that also. While I’m sorry her Mom is no longer with us, & I am old enough to remember her as cat woman, as well as her other roles, and her singing appearances on TV shows (My Dad had one of her record albums), I am glad she was able to instill her love, strength & wonderful character into Kit. I’m sorry she has to deal with rude keyboard bullies/cowards.
Eartha Kitt was mixed race perhaps half white so her daughter has only 25% African ancestry and the dice of genetics rolled to give her mainly Caucasian features. Why is that so hard for some people to understand and accept.
Eartha Kitt was half white, American Indian and Black. But in this world an ounce of black, means you're black. Eartha dealt with the same racism and plight as other black women of her day. My mother's parents were only black because society one drop rule made them black, which is the story of the majority of black Americans in this country. Black Americans aren't Africans. We can't donate bone marrow to each other because we're genetically different, but that doesn't stop the world from viewing and treating us as black.
I get what you’re saying but Eartha Kitt’s Father has never been confirmed. She didn’t know if she’s half black or not. However, phenotype (skin color) is not an indicator of how African someone is genetically. There are darker phenotype who are biracial too and light skinned people who are not as admixed at all.
Eartha Kitt father was black Earth Kitt isn't really that light, she was just lighter than the rest of her siblings. She said, she was called high yellow and was treated differently. Whatever. Just like Prince, both of his parents were black. His mother was portrait as Italian in Purple Rain. His biological sister even said it on television that their parents was black and people still don't believe it. As long as I know who I am. To each it's own.
This was a great interview! Kitt is so profound and gorgeous, just like her iconic mother. She is such a Queen and was raised by a legendary Queen. I will be buying her book!
😩 I'm white and my husband's black. Our kids range from "white passing" to "ethnically ambiguous".. so we've been told. People are so rude. Who asks a kid, "What are you?" or asks them if their siblings have different dads? Way more people than you would think!
Well if you have children and they happen to be biracial and one of them marry a white person they will look like this a white woman she is not biracial neither will be your grandchildren they'll be either one or the other or multiracial depending on their choice of partner
I dealt with the same thing with my mom growing up too they asked if we're together even though we're following right behind her just because we don't look exactly like her.
The way Eartha Kitt handled the expulsion from the theme park was courageous and thoughtful. I am saddened that she died from colon cancer. I've appreciated her singing over the years, and am grateful to have seen this account by her daughter.
Thank you for interviewing her, this resonated deeply with me. My mother is dark skinned Native American and my father is white. Both my brothers are tawny with brown hair and eyes, but I was born blonde and blue eyed and very pale. If you add my mother's coloration to my face, you can see I actually look just like her, only a pale version. My mom has told me that her own doctor suggested I was not hers, he asked her "Where did you get a white baby?" This is by far an isolated occurrence, and has happened to us both throughout my life (I am 49 now). My eldest brother married a lovely woman from Guatemala and when on family outings people automatically assumed that she is my mother's daughter and that I am just a family friend. It's not a good feeling when you have to regularly defend or explain your own genetics/biology to claim your heritage to strangers.
I’m so lucky to have been able to wish Kitty’s Mommy a Happy Birthday on the stage with the cast of Cinderella in Chicago starring Eartha Kit and Debbie Gibson. I was blessed enough to speak with her mommy and Debbie. I was so honored to have the opportunity in a moment in time. I still have my signed Play Bill. I saw Kitt when the door were opened. And Kitt is so stunning in person.
We had the opportunity to meet Miss Kitt and her daughter after a concert in 2008. They both showed immense compassion and love for our adopted teen daughter, who shared life experiences with Miss Kitt. They had an amazing connection. I am glad to see the conversation continue but sad to see the racism that sent Miss Kitt out of the US continues to plague her daughter.
Ms. Kitt was and is an icon of monumental stature. She is one of my heroes in life and has had a profound effect on my life. I was privileged to see her perform more than a dozen times and to meet her twice. Ms. Kitt remains a role model and hero to many.
As a Mediterranean kid of mixed Arab, European and African and Hun and who knows what, this means so much. We started mixing long time ago but people still practice racists thoughts in some areas. This gave me a new perspective on how I should carry myself, and live in my brown/olive skinned features 💕💕 Each one of my grandparents looked sooo different, they looked like 4 different races. I'm from the Adriatic sea, the Balkan side of it, modern day Croatia, and our area mixed throughout the history a lot. A lot of wars, nomadic tribes, different empires and regimes. No wonder people don't think neither one of my sisters or me look the same. But, that's beautiful 😍 when our physicality stops to matter as much, our personalities start to shine ✨💖✨
Such a beautiful & enlightening post. I love the way you express yourself in the telling of your story. It's actually rather poetic & very on point. Thank you for sharing this.
Social media has really encouraged people to say the most ignorant and hurtful things to strangers..just to get their opinions out. I've always been a fan of Ms.Kitt since I can remember, coming from a multi ethnic family, I never questioned Ms.Shapiro's relationship to her. Many people who say such things have never expanded their lives and who they're around..many haven't really read a book. The memoir is awesome
Education From The Creator Is Key!!! Just to be clear, everyone who LOOKS NEGROID is not. Scripture says over and over that (we are the seed of our FATHER.) Example: Maria Carey looks white, but is not because her father is SO-CALLED BLACK. Likewise, Tia and Tamara Mowry look black and are not, because their father is SO-CALLED WHITE. Whatever your father is, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE/GOD ALMIGHTY. Men carry the seed/sperm, while women only carry the egg. So, if you take an orange "seed" from the United States and plant it in China, you can still expect an ORANGE TREE...the genetic does NOT change. So, whatever your (FATHER) is, that's what you are... regardless of what your mother is, she's only the carrier.
She does look like her mom. I don’t find her race unbelievable, I find her age unbelievable. She is 61 - looks amazing.
I agree
She looks NOTHING like her 'Mom'! Different height,bone structure,hair,facial features-Nothing!
@@keresahalstead1306 What? She is white
Eartha kitt was bi racial that’s why her daughter is so fair skinned she’s only 1/4 black
@`keresa halstead I so wanted to say that, but being pasty, I decided not. I always tease my friend about that as she is now 80 and still just fabulous
Why hasn't a movie been made about Eartha Kitt yet? This needs to be done ASAP!!!
Who would play her?
@@stephaniepeebles8142 Adrienne Warren!! 😊
@@Designinganewme oh wow! You are so right!!! I say we petition this!!!
Maybe her family don't want her life exposed like that. You see how her daughter is being treated. Ppl want a movie about her life to have comments
@@stephaniepeebles8142 Thandie Newton. Hands down
As a woman with naturally blonde hair and blue eyes, whose mom was dark skinned and was always asked if she was my nanny, I thank you for saying what you said. It's insulting, it's derogatory,and quite honestly, it's nobody's freaking business!!!
I only have white children but my daughter is 5'2 and she has blonde hair and blue eyes. She's got huge breasts and and the cutest butt. I'm 5'7" brown hair and brown eyes flat chested and no butt. When you look at us side by side we look nothing alike yet my other daughter looks exactly like me so I think it's extremely amazing how our genes work...
In my family . We all look the same.
@@amandarickert7789 maybe daughter on dads side family
WHY THESE BLKS CONSTANTLY TALKINC BOUT RCE???? YALL KNOW THEM PEEPS WHO QUESTIONED HER WERE PROB BLK....LETS ALL KEEP IT REAL WITH THE COLORISM WITH BLK PEEPS.
Yes, ignorant people will stay ignorant always. My boys are blonde hair and blue eyes and I am a POC. When they were little and walking next to me, I would observe people looking at them nervously as if they were lost and obviously not walking right next to their mom. Got used to just saying , “don’t worry, I’m mom”!
I was just passing through on TH-cam and could not stop watching this interview.
Glad I stopped and learned these things about Eartha Kitt. What a beautiful woman, inside and out.
Me too, very good interview.
I can't imagine being attacked for claiming YOUR OWN MOTHER. Some people behave in ways that are bizarre and downright deranged when it comes to biracial black people - especially biracial black women. Thank God this woman was born to such a strong Queen. Eartha Kitt spoke truth to power and was willing to pay the price. This woman can speak truth to the idiots and the trolls and keep being HERSELF.
And if she wasn't claiming her that would be another story. You just can't win with human beings.
How are those extremely hurtful comments??? They are normal questions. Her image just sparked natural curiosity. It sounds like extreme sensitivity to human nature...
Some people are amazingly ignorant.
@@flo-dd5sw She's been passing for White all her life. Not many people even knew about her when her Mom was Alive. Glad she's now this late in life standing up and owning her Blackness.
@@sarai373 *_That's the Problem she is JUST NOW claiming her Mother all over Social Media now that she's gone. She's been passing for White all her life._* None of those comments are Hurtful. People are Curious. She needs to tell them the truth that she's 25% Black with a Mixed Mon & White dad and that's why she looks so White.
Love this interview! My mother and I met Madame Eartha Kitt in Paris at the hôtel George the V. She was sitting in the lobby we were the only 3 blacks there. She waved to us and asked please sit with me. We were so excited She was so kind, and gracious to us. I still smile when I think about my mother asking her to come for dinner tomorrow? She held my mother's hands and said I would love to but I am waiting for my car to take me to the airport. I am leaving Paris for New York. We were so happy about meeting her that 40 years later I mention our meeting in a book. She was a true Queen. You look like your dear mother beautiful lady. Peace!
What book?
And? Did anybody care about your skin tone in Paris? I don't think so. Except yourselves, maybe.
Beautiful story❤❤ n phuck these haters
Oh my goodness. What an honor!
@@hermanubis7046Be quiet
Her mother raised her to be such an intelligent and whole person. That’s where the beauty radiates.
Absolutely ❤
She has always looked like her mom to me
@@donnawilliams3872 Nah
@@sharonlee4773 In fact, if you look at the eyes and much of the facial structure --- yes, it is apparent! I also see the Irish. For those of you who don't know, this is called hybridization, and it almost always improves. . .
Absolutely. Kitt could have easily just stayed quiet and blended in but she chose to speak up
What an inspiring story. To hear the encouraging words her mother spoke to her in the midst of difficult times, is a testimony of love, faith and the spirit of an overcomer. So proud of you Kitt!
Eartha Kitt’s version of Santa Baby is the best and greatest version of that song.
I have a cd of hers; now I must play it again. But I also like her rendition of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes".
She was truly a class act and she taught her daughter well !!! God Bless her!!!
I can’t believe how young she looks. She’s one year younger than me, and wow she makes me look bad. I thought she was in her 40 s.
I'm mixed. Light skinned with red hair. I identify as Black. It throws people off. I think people wonder why I would choose to be Black but it's the largest part of my identity. My white mother didn't raise me, my Black grandmother and Auntie did along with my Dad. I identify with what I know. The people who shaped me and helped me grow.
Black people have two black parents. Mixed people do not. You can identify as an alien from outer space but that doesn’t make you one.
God Bless You.... That happens all the time ! There was a Black Woman in her 40s on Judge Milian... she was still BEGGING her Iranian Grandmother to accept her ! In 2019 ! She wouldn't budge off her Racism against her own Grand Daughter !
You are not black, you are biracial
Myself, even though I mever met my White nor Native American relatives, I still identify as Mixed. Some things about me gets me in touch with Black, some things gets me in touch with Native American, especially my love of wearing my hair straight, and there are things that gets me in touch with White, especially most my boyfriends I ever dated are White.
Hmm so yte women can make black kids? I didn’t know blk women weren’t needed to make themselves. Being mixed is not about choosing a side. You just happen to be both.
Ms. Eartha was one of those icons I looked up to growing up. What a legacy she left behind. Thank you, Kitt for sharing more of your Mother with the world! Rest in eternal peace, Ms. Eartha. ❤
Eartha Kitt was a Classey lady, and she did an excellent job with her daughter.
@@blackmagic6 Hush up. Stop creating division in the Negro community. Her mother was a grown woman. She gave birth to a mulotta daughter. During Slavery many of the female ancestors gave birth to mulotta boy's and daughters. Know the history of our people. 🌑⚫🖤🤎💛
Classy?
Amen
She looks just like her mom to me.
@@moniquewrites9046 I agree! She does look like her!
What an inspiring interview with Kitt Shapiro. Loved her mother’s wonderful attitude towards life.. Rest In Peace Eartha Kitt.
I feel the same.
💖🏆🕊
Watch Eartha and her daughter on Sally R. in 1990. Be inspired by her past. She’s a conqueror!
@@tyfdh9 Thanks🏆
yawn...she is a "suburbanite" doormat too...
She does look like her mom… stunning. Don’t let any one get to you. At the end of the day, no one can take away your heritage. Eartha as a kitten in Emperor’s New Groove is one of my favorite movie clips. So adorable.
She does. Same facial features.
@@shay5839 no, she looks like her dad! She hardly resembles Eartha but there's nothing wrong with that!
@@gloriaortiz1227 I think the cheeks are Eartha’s. Her mannerisms are definitely Eartha’s.
@@shay5839 Especially the eyes.
Eartha herself is biracial
Her mom was a CLASS ACT.
RIP EK 🎶💚🎶
Eartha Kitt was an amazing person and humanitarian. She was wise in her words, her action, and her reactions. What a way to make a change.
Yes
💯💯💯
Her daughter has the exact same voice almost,but I hear Eartha Kitt
As a jaded person, I watched this with reservation and ended up in tears because I understand everything Kitt is saying and I respect the fact that Eartha Kitt showed up as a mother and lived her life unapologetically! This was lovely.
What is a jaded person
@@andreajones6613 understanding the topic all too well because of personal experiences
@@shable1436 ok
@@shable1436 Thank you so much for that definition of 'Jaded" as it relates to people. I guess that we are all "JADED" people when it comes to understanding of racist practices..😂
@@andreajones6613 have you never heard of Google??? Look it up
Uneducated people make life so difficult sometimes....what a beautiful mother and daughter 🥰 Rest in peace, the legend, Eartha Kitt 🕊️🙏🏾
It's not "uneducated" they are educated alright, educated in racism, it's a learned behavior.
Very Well Said! 😊💜
Uhhhhh...that's a Caucasian woman - nothing wrong with that, but Kitt Shapiro is basically white. Embrace it!!
I heard her say he was a German man,they tend to 've strong features,, she did pick cotton in the south
Just bzz u thought slavery official ended in 1865 did not mean compliance...Texas, Kentucky were resistant di mot when want to tell blk fks they were free
..ho study Juneteen
Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. Eartha was no beauty queen and neither is that daughter.
Earth Kitt was on the soundwaves during my London 50’s childhood.
I just remember the “slurp, slurp, slurp of oil wells.”
Earths was stunning and SO talented. Good to learn that she has a long life, and wonderful to see her daughter.
Ms. Kitty showered her child with so much love and affirmations, every parent needs to do this for their children. It’s important because once you walk out into the world people will project all their ignorance on you.
Yes,blacks will
@@bullet5596 Agreed!!!
@Saga
Yes, some will definitely try.
Ok but at the end of the day this daughter is WHITE! This lady is primarily white with a tiny black DNA part! Genetics are a mixed bag especially concerning mixed people. I'll explain - black people in the US are unfortunately mixed with white because of the atrocious history of slavery and that's why black people in the US in general are a bit lighter than people from Africa. And Eartha clearly had a lot of white genes mixed in as was evidenced by light/mid tone skin color. And when a baby is made genes aren't passed down 50-50 it is literally random for example let's say one parent is from Africa/Egyptian ancestry and the other parent is from Native American and Japanese ancestry, you might think that the baby would get DNA from all of those! And they might get a bit from each, BUT it could also be random where they get a lot of African ancestry, a lot of Native American ancestry a little Japanese ancestry and zero Egyptian ancestry, and then a sibling with the same parents might get the Egyptian ancestry but zero Japanese ancestry even though they have the same parents! It also depends on how much ancestry the parents have themselves. If a person has 50 % African DNA and 50% Native American DNA then their child can have any percentage of those ancestries that add up to 50% from that parent but no more than 50% and Eartha clearly is not 100% black and is mixed with white and then this woman on the show clearly got the white genes and that's totally fine and whatever but she can't go around claiming that she's black - at least not by DNA. She can do a DNA test and figure out the actual small percentage of black DNA she got from Eartha and the white DNA she got from Eartha and her white father and the fact is she's mainly white with a bit of black DNA. She might be culturally African American but she's definitely not primarily black in regards to DNA. She clearly has white features and she needs to stop trying to erase actual black people with black features by trying to demand that her primarily white DNA genes be "recognized" as "black" 🙄
Oh well. She is white passing by society and y’all need to accept that.
She's absolutely amazing. Has her mom's Fire. Those Cheekbones, her gorgeous smile . Her Mom treasured her ❣️
I could listen to her speak all day long. She is so entertaining and I bet she lived a very interesting life with her mother. "Santa Baby" is my favorite modern Christmas song and nobody sings it like Eartha Kitt! It is a classic.
It's not December until I hear "...Tonight"
I think she sounds a lot like her mom....
It came out in Christmas 1953😋
I'd like a 54 convertible light blue
I absolutely see Eartha in her daughter. Even in her voice. Very beautiful lady.
Thank you for this interview! Eartha Kitt was my favorite heroine as a child! I fell in love with her all over again in Boomerang! I can still hear her saying “Marcuuuus!”😂 She will be forever loved and missed!
Lol, I was like I knew that was her lol.
Leans in to Eddie Murphys ear: "I'm not wearing any panties" lol.
@@brittneyfinch5990 😂
I know., right?
😂😂😂
Earths Kitt was AMAZING! She understood how to handle the nonsense. No drama no losing self control. LOVE HER!
I like when she played in boomerang with Eddie Murphy and Grace Jones... Eartha Kitt you can tell that her daughter looks just like her mom
Like when she visited south Africa and did shows, her and her daughter went to amusement park and the white only signs were up and they told Eartha she couldn't get on ride with her daughter. Her daughter started flipping out, and Eartha said now's not the time, you will know when it's the time. So later on there was a school opening ceremony ribbon cutting and Eartha had done benefit for it, and the press was there, crowd was there and the donators we're there one being that park owner, and when Eartha found out, she nodded at her daughter like this is the time. So she got on the mic and told the story of what happened, and he got so embarrassed and promised that it would never happen again, so Eartha said so you promise, and he said he would do anything he could, so she said how about doubling your donation and opening up another school in twice the time, and he said of course anything he could do to make up for what happened. This teaching Kitt about not screaming and reacting in public but choosing the correct most effective for change time to bring up things. Btw he insisted they come back to park next day, and all the white only signs were gone, and the park was open to everyone all rides equal
@@shable1436 Yes! And she invited students from the schools who were not white to join in the fun at that park. Love her!
If you don't believe she is Eartha Kitt's Biological Daughter with your eyes, just listen with your ears. She is her mothers' daughter. Rest In Power, Queen Eartha Kitt!
She looks like her too! The more I look at her I see Eartha
Absolutely she looks fantastic and definitely has her mother’s eyes
Agreed . I wasn't surprised it was people in this new Tik Tok age who questioned her because Kitt was always with her mom . Nothing new that she looks like this .
Right their faces are practically identical
She looks mixed
I’m 56 now and when I was a kid, and saw her I thought She was beautiful! And you Kitt Shapiro are just as beautiful!
One of the greatest privileges that I have ever had was when I saw Eartha Kitt starring in Timbuktu in New Orleans back in 1977 or 78, Everyone in the audience understood that we were in the presence of a STAR. Not only was Ms. Kitt gorgeous but she was truly a star's star. I'll never forget how she stood perfectly still on the stage and mesmerized the audience simply by moving her eyes! I've never seen another singer or actress since that night who could do what she did on stage. And she was also a leader in social issues such as when she stood up for her beliefs against the Vietnam War and the Johnson White House. Bravissimi Ms. Kitt!!!
@Randy Watts Same as you I had one of the greatest privileges to see Eartha Kitt starring in the musical stage play in "TIMBUKTU" on New Years Eve December 31st 1978 at the "Pantages Theater" on Hollywood Blvd, in Hollywood, California, approximately one month before I was promoted to (Permanent Deputy Probation officer in Los Angeles County) after being a "As Needed" non permanent officer for the previous year.. My beautiful ex-wife and I were sitting in the audience approximately 10 rows from the stage when the curtains opened, and out came Ms. Kitt being carried high on some type of decorative board by several strongly built Black males as if she was a a great queen. After they lowered the board down so that she could get off, that was when she stood up very boldly, and said in a very sexy manner "WELCOME TO, TIMBUCTOO", and the crowd started this enormous clapping for several seconds before the show began to continue. That moment still seem just like yesterday to me because I was only in my 20's, desperately in need of a permanent job career to start my young life as a professional adult.. By the way, I am originally from a small Northeast Louisiana town in Madison Parish just across the Mississippi River from Vicksburg.. later bro 🙏
Lucky you. Ms. Kitt was a unique, talented & strong artist/humanitarian.
@@Muhdah1972 Yes. I had the privilege of witnessing Eartha Kitt's star quality talents. I've carried that special experience with me since 1977, And I'm so appreciative of her talents and her sharing those talents with the world....and with me. I never met her personally...but I experienced one of the greatest stars of the 20th century stage and screen! An experience I will carry with me forever!
@@etruscancivilization When I saw Ms. Kitt in Timbuktu she started off stage ( stage right ) with her purring, " I..........m ' You could not see her. She was carried ON stage to the front center...on the shoulder of the BIGGEST black body builder I have ever seen in my life. The man was the size of an adult Bigfoot on steroids! As she arrived on Center Stage, the man carrying her knelt down and several more black body builders knelt before Ms. Kitt and she stepped off of the shoulder of the huge man, and the successive males each lowered her as she stepped onto their backs one at a time ...and all the while she was purring her, "Im...........HEAR" as she stepped off of the back of the last "slave." The woman KNEW how to make an entrance!!! Ms. Kitt simply stood motionless in front of HER audience and did not move a muscle. She held the audience captive with her EYES! Eartha Kitt's eyes must have been the size of dinner plates. ONLY a star of her magnitude can stand on a stage and control the entire audience with her eyes. That ability cannot be taught. It cannot be learned. It simply IS. And Ms. Kitt WAS a mega star and her light will forever shine brightly in the sky. And I am one of the most fortunate people in the world....as were YOU...to have had the opportunity to have been in her presence and to have experienced her persona.
Thank YOU for sharing your experience!
@@rwatts2155 Thank you too, and what an everlasting experience to remember..
She has Eartha's face!
Can't deny her.
Beauty runs in that family!
Regardless of her skin tone, it's crazy that people don't see that Eartha and Kitt have the same face. I am glad that she's standing up for herself!
Same face is a major stretch
Yeah, similar bone structure in the face...
She's still not black tho.
@@Xara_K1 And to a Black African, you ain't Black either...
@@Xara_K1 You missed the point, but that's okay. 🤦👌🏿
The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. 🤩 Beauty, grace, compassion, patience. A virtuous woman. 🙏🏿
Earths kitt was a extraordinary woman. She had endured a difficult life but what a beautiful soul she was.
Kitt’s Mother was not only an amazing actress, singer/performer, but she was a beautiful and shining example of motherhood to her daughter….not just as a mother, but as a person. My own Mom is gone 8 years and the pain of loss is often unbearable. I’m so sorry for Kitt’s loss, but I’m so glad that she can share these deeply personal stories with us and keep her mother’s memories alive!
1
Go Kitt!!! What an honor to be the daughter of such an iconic woman.
Hi I’m from the Philippines and people of my generation loved Eartha not only because she was my favorite cat woman to this day but because she made the Filipino novelty song Waray Waray famous. She came to Manila in the late 1950s, took on a liking to the song which literally sings about the Waray Waray women from the Visayan Islands “whose kisses are as sweet as wine but if their men should wrong them, they have her fists to deal with.” The women of Waray Waray bring home the bacon and she made their song and their story popular. Her concert titled Live at The Plaza has that song in its cd.
Note the song was not translated to English, Eartha’s mastery of phonetics enabled her to sing it in the Waray Waray dialect complete with the proper inflections and pronunciations.
Cool story!!❤
My favorite too spoken from one cat to another!
Thank U for that, didn't know this detail. Wondering if it's possible to translate the song Waray Waray today with accuracy.
Thanks for sharing. I did not know this! she's known for popularising a classing song in France but I did not know that even Filipino song she'd do as well!
Her mother was one of the most fascinating women in all of history. How amazing!
Absolutely 💯 facts.
They call Eartha interesting. Same people who called Sammy Davis and Quincy Jones 'sellouts'. Funny how that works.
Agreed
She doesn't owe anyone an explanation!
Drop the mic! Best comment of ALL times. You damn right she don't owe No One an explanation! We all should find better things to do with our time than to be poking at this woman as some lab experiment! People are just people, people!!!
You got that right.
Amen!
You go Kitt!!! Your mom was phenomenal!!! Continue to keep her legacy alive! May God continue to bless you!
Awesome - enlightening interview....thank you....
Tamron: love - love - love the hair.....
I adore Eartha Kitt and everything she stood for. Her daughter is blessed to have been raised by such a strong and beautiful woman ❤️
I understand her pain. I’m biracial and grew up in the south. The comments and stares from other people can be overwhelming at times. But I finally had to realize I am who I am and I’m not apologizing for being me.
🙏🏽
You were stared at and given drama because you were black you could have been anybody else but because that part of you of being black was so in people's face that is where the time I came in and for black people it was a part of them that they could access for a better life in society or at least a potential better life in society that they thought that you could access.
@s.o.s. diy repair everyone’s life experience is different. I’m glad you didn’t have to go through the things I did. God bless
good for you.. don't let ignorant attitudes get you down.. stick with the winners - positive uplifting loving supportive fun & open-minded people!
Maybe they stare because you are so beautiful..
I'm African American. One of my children is fair skinned and has hazel eyes. When people see us together they stare trying to figure out our connection. People are too invested in the sickness of WS and colorism. I love this woman's stories of how her mother navigated her daughter's identity by telling her how wonderful she was just as God created her.
See the film Imitation of Life.
Well said
Beautiful but very sad film.
I’m a fair skinned black woman with a dark skin mother and ginger dad, my entire life other black people have tried to tell me what I am and what I am not. It’s frustrating and hurtful
Unless your parents came directly from Africa, you're an American. Try going to Africa, or any country when someone puts "xxxx American" and they will laugh at you and call you an American.
One of my favorite movies 🥲❤️
I feel embarrassed by what happened to them. I am South African and i always thought she too was South African. Thank you for this information. ❤❤❤
I feel her pain. People think I can't be my moms child bc she's light skinned and I'm dark skinned but we share the same facial features. People are so ignorant and refuse to acknowledge that genetics will vary.
@@chelelinda6062 And some People are just plain foolish 🙄 just stay true to who you are and you will be OK 🙂
This happens with my 10 year old daughter! And then I have to remind people 52 percent of my own DNA comes straight outta Afrika.
@@MelissaLaura8989 in other words you are biracial
I relate to this so much. My dad is Black and I look more like him and that side of my family, but I also look more white to a lot of people. Up to the point that a cop once tried to take me from my father when I was 11, thinking he kidnapped me. It got to the point where my dad wouldn’t go out with me alone. We missed so much time together while he was alive, because of people’s bigotry. Who do people think it was that used to “pass” back in the day? I’m 45 and the BS is still happening and we catch it from every side. It’s exhausting.
I'm biracial & my daughter is 3/4 with beautiful skin & 4C hair. Due to illness my skin turned white & I lost my beautiful curls. People think we're either friends or girlfriends, never that I'm her mom. Its funny watching people backtrack & try to say how much we look alike.Nope, shes her dads total clone, its freaky😆
I feel ya. Colorism is real.
Hella people ‘passed’ back in the day and have even kept those mindsets and efforts to have their families remain that way even today. My brother in law and his siblings are biracial. Some of their spouses are black and others white, so all of their kids phenotypes range anywhere from looking mixed to looking white.
It's very annoying, people are very ignorant.
Ok but at the end of the day this daughter is WHITE! This lady is primarily white with a tiny black DNA part! Genetics are a mixed bag especially concerning mixed people. I'll explain - black people in the US are unfortunately mixed with white because of the atrocious history of slavery and that's why black people in the US in general are a bit lighter than people from Africa. And Eartha clearly had a lot of white genes mixed in as was evidenced by light/mid tone skin color. And when a baby is made genes aren't passed down 50-50 it is literally random for example let's say one parent is from Africa/Egyptian ancestry and the other parent is from Native American and Japanese ancestry, you might think that the baby would get DNA from all of those! And they might get a bit from each, BUT it could also be random where they get a lot of African ancestry, a lot of Native American ancestry a little Japanese ancestry and zero Egyptian ancestry, and then a sibling with the same parents might get the Egyptian ancestry but zero Japanese ancestry even though they have the same parents! It also depends on how much ancestry the parents have themselves. If a person has 50 % African DNA and 50% Native American DNA then their child can have any percentage of those ancestries that add up to 50% from that parent but no more than 50% and Eartha clearly is not 100% black and is mixed with white and then this woman on the show clearly got the white genes and that's totally fine and whatever but she can't go around claiming that she's black - at least not by DNA. She can do a DNA test and figure out the actual small percentage of black DNA she got from Eartha and the white DNA she got from Eartha and her white father and the fact is she's mainly white with a bit of black DNA. She might be culturally African American but she's definitely not primarily black in regards to DNA. She clearly has white features and she needs to stop trying to erase actual black people with black features by trying to demand that her primarily white DNA genes be "recognized" as "black" 🙄
Very inspirational and Eartha Kitts daughter is an example of how remarkable her mother was and how well she raised her. Wow, we can all learn a lot from her life.
Eartha Kitt was the BEST Catwoman in history! She was beautiful and multi-talented. Her Daughter is as gorgeous as she was. Love that she goes by the name Kitt in honor of her late Mother. No one should be judged by the color of their skin. One day humanity will look back and be embarrassed that skin color was even a topic of discussion. Tamron Hall is a favorite journalist and talk show host. So much natural class & intelligence.
Having known Kitt for over a decade, she’s been a source of humor, friendship, and kindness. As the mother of a biracial daughter, Kitt has also shown us a way to navigate in the world. Love her!
Ms Kitt was a beautiful and strong woman that overcame adversity and raised a very talented daughter who was very much loved by her mother! Such a legacy ✨️ 👏🏽
I love this interview in large part because of the story about their incident at a South African amusement park. “She made a greater statement than if she had made a scene in the moment.” Eartha Kitt was greatness personified. Kudos to her daughter.
I will never forget seeing Eartha Kitt on an elevator in Washington, D.C. in the 70's. She was visiting the 1st Black Mayor of Washington, D.C., Mayor Washington. It was also the day she went to the White House when Lyndon Johnson was President and she and "Lady Bird" Johnson (the First Lady) had a dispute and Lady Bird "blackballed" Eartha. As a result, Eartha had to leave the U.S. for many years. By the way, my Great Grandfather was the son of a slave and a plantation owner in S.C. and was considered a White man until the day he married a dark skinned black woman. He was a land owner and when the neighboring farmers saw his wife they were determined that she would not inherit his property and saw to it that he could not get the full price for the crops he sold. It got to the point that he could not pay taxes on his property. Rather than go to "debtors prison," he moved his family to Baltimore. He said he never tried to pass for White, but if no one asked he did not tell them. There were and are many Americans of mixed heritage who don't look like the world thinks they should look.
It's about eartha not you
My sons are mixed race and I have been asked my whole life “how long have you looked after these kids?” Kinda rude but Looking past stereotypes is still challenging for people. As my sons got older, they retorted “Of course she is my mom!”😊Thank you for sharing your story. It was nice to know that I am not alone in this experience
So rude
This is nothing new...especially in the south. Ignorant people just want to get a rise out of u sometimes. Don't answer them.
What? They said that to your face? 😲🙁😑
My mother went through this in the 1960s and 70s as well with us.
That must get annoying
Thank you for speaking about this! In 1957 my parents (a white Hispanic mother, and a black/multiracial Hispanic father) were at Bellevue Hospital, NYC because my mother was in labor with me. When the staff saw that they were a biracial couple they told my father that they were out of beds. Fortunately, my father was wearing his Korean war army uniform and he angrily told them, "You'll find a bed NOW for my wife! I fought in this war for all of you!" Needless to say, a bed suddenly became available and I was born. I'm 65 years old and I'm still racially/ethnically profiled.
You had a wonderful stand up Father ! :)
You are beautiful just as your mom ❤️ Thanks for sharing and teaching us love has no color. God is love
It's because, of the Spanish ancestry
Possibly.
If your mom was a German with platinum blonde hair, you could present lighter, and have white children
NYC wasn't the south
👏 damn right
This was a beautiful show. Miss Eartha Kitt was a class act, and her daughter continues to carry that class. I'm buying her book now.
Eartha Kitt wrote a book as well, “Thursday Child”. Learned of this by watching Eartha on Sally 1990 show. Please watch! Be inspired, she’s a conqueror. We’re SO strong!
It is a beautiful story and memories, and I always love Ms. Earth Kitt, a gentle giant and an amazing woman of her time. Gone but not forgotten. May she Rest In Paradise, thank you for sharing, Ms. Kitt life journey, much love always. 😇🙏🙏🙏👑❤️
I love her! She is definitely her mothers child. She is bold and beautiful. She looks like her mom.❤
I'm mixed race, grew up in S Africa.
I was teased bc of my fair skin tone, my siblings are darker. People are quite judgmental.
@@truezladye1893 it’s funny, for me it was the opposite! Was born and grew up in Europe at a time when there were not many blacks, let alone biracial people. People would always ask me why I didn’t look more white or even sometimes question if I was telling the truth. 🙄
@@truezladye1893 exactly 💯. By the way. Circulate petition's to have the stolen Diamonds and Artifact's removed from the British museum 🖼️💎. #starofafrica 🇿🇦 . There are petition's currently in circulation. 8k signatures.
Amen..It does not matter what color she is.
How said it is to learn that some people are still so small minded. Bless Eartha, she did a wonderful job raising her daughter to be the wonderful human being she is...
You can tell Kitt is getting it from both sides! She's very gracious and sweet. Seems like a daughter who loved her mother.
THIS!!
You're a beautiful lady, Miss Kitt! And so are you, Miss Tamron. God bless you both! Thank you for sharing your stories.
Thank you for highlighting this. As a biracial person, I’ve had very similar experiences and it is hurtful and disrespectful. I love that we are in a time that we can do a deep dive on topics like this 💖
It's very frustrating in now 2023 this is still going on 😔
I saw on Tik Tok a fair skinned Filipino being basically called a liar because she didn't look what people thought she should look like. It was really sad. No one should have to prove who they are to anyone.
My daughter is biracial we have had to deal with this her whole life
Yes, I agree with you and light should also shine on the fact that millions of AA/Black people are biracial from Slavery(rape) and various unions also and multi-ethnic regardless of their skin tone. Dr. Henry Louis Gates is 50% white even though his parents and grandparents were considered AA/Black. The majority of Black Americans have 10-50% or more white ancestry and it can be seen in their appearance and with DNA tests. Biracial only means that someone is of two different ethnic groups and there are many AA/Black people with some Native American and or Asian ancestors as well.
@@sharnab3032 Your first problem is looking to Tik Tok. Your second problem is giving power to a bunch of random people. Being biracial is nothing special. The media only made it special when Obama was made President and that was on purpose. Why? Because the Black population among Black Americans were growing, while the White population was shrinking. So to tailor it for the 2010 census, that made "biracial/multiracial" into some new race at the stroke of a pen. It's called "divide and conquer." The same way they boost the white population to 70%, they include everyone non-Black from Latin America as "white" to give the appearance of numerical superiority. If they showed the real numbers, you would see drastic changes. It would be like a pit bull realizing they are stronger than their owner. Overall, they don't want children with a Black parent identifying as Black anymore. They are trying to build a "mixed" community that will act as surrogates. And here's the kicker: To deny Black people, White society will prop you up out of spite, so even though someone is Black and (fill in the blank), you (assuming you have a Black parent) is only Black in their (White) eyes when it's politically and economically convenient to say so. (First Black President, First Black Vice President, etc). They are using you and even my own kids (Black/White) as social props.
It has to be harder for her daughter Rachel to also say Eartha Kitt is her grandmother because her father is white as well so her features are really fair skin
Same. I'm happy to be biracial. I'd hate to see what will happen to my future kids if I marry someone who's not a minority. At least in other people's minds, they'll lose their connection to their Latino heritage and family. Everyone will say they're white alone. It's wonderful to be mixed!
What a wonderful woman. I had never hear of her but she sounds like she left such a legacy of wisdom through her daughter.
Hi Sarah. Eartha Kitt played the voice of Yzma in the emperor's new groove movie and TV show. Maybe you remember her that way.
I had no idea Eartha kitt passed away 14 years ago! She wasn't just talented, she was so smart and wise. I probably could have learned something from her. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE 💐
Well dang!
@Laurie Tijerina Time really does seem to fly..
She does look like her mother and more specifically, she sounds like her mother, a very lovely and powerful voice!
Anyone who knows of Eartha Kitt would know that she was so real and outspoken that if her daughter was adopted she would not have lied about it. Moreover, Kitt really does look like her mom. Bless this woman! 🙏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽
Yes, she never held back!
She’s my fourth cousin I’m related to eartha kitt
That’s why you shouldn’t mix races, it fucks up the kids
She looks part black you can see it ..
She doesn't look black she looks white like her father her mother isn't black she's biracial be reported mainly not black stop putting his people as black when they're not
As black people, we have to pick our battles. Eartha's amusement story is familiar to so many of us.
It does not make her black, she is biracial. Biracial people are not black peoples, no matter how you all sliced and diced it. Why aren’t white people claiming them as white? No no grab and worship anything that is not black🙄🙄
Facts🙌🏽
You ain't lying
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Thank you!
I was born in 1971 to a blond haired , blue eyes Swiss mom and a southern black man. I have always been told I look Mexican but since I didn’t speak Spanish I was shunned by the Latinos, not black enough or too dark to be white. I am so glad that there is more diversity now. Eartha Kitt was an amazing woman! Sounds like she raised another amazing woman. This interview is so uplifting!!!
What an extraordinary program and post, about a remarkable lady! Thank you for sharing!
The way Kitt lights up when Tamaron starts talking about how wonderful Eartha was, is really telling to how wonderful she was as a mother and role model to her daughter
❤❤❤❤
I remember my mom just loved Eartha Kitt and so did I! Now hearing this interview I’m absolutely so impressed with her wisdom.
She turned out so cultured and elegant. Kudos Eartha. You did well 😊
Eartha was a classy lady.
I saw a interview her mother did with Whoopi back in 1993 and both her and her mother had to deal with the same issues with race over a span of 2 generations. Just shows how times have not changed.
I knew about her years ago from a biography about Eartha Kitt. I love Eartha Kitt. She was beautiful and talented. I loved her voice. Kitt is beautiful
MOST people never heard of her. She stayed under the radar passing as White her entire life. If she was out there and outspoken no one would be in Shock. Kitt is *JUST NOW claiming her Mother all over Social Media now that Eartha's gone* so a lot of people are just getting to know her and are curious. Many are amazed. Nothing wrong with that. *_Most of those comments are NOT Hurtful._* People are Curious. Only the comment stating she's not her mother's daughter is hurtful. She needs to tell them the truth that *she's 25% Black with a Mixed Mon & White dad* and that's why she looks so White.
What a delightful, gorgeous woman. Just as classy as her legendary mother. Could listen to her talk all day.
Class.. Class... Class...
I'm always moved listening to Kitt and her fond memories of her Mum. Eartha Kitt was a class act (personally and professionally). My earliest recollection of her was that of grace and elegance. As for her appearance, Kitt is a wonderful example of confidence and beauty radiating from within. She was immensely loved and filled with life long lessons.
That's how it's done!
You are right From the moment I saw her speak about her life I realized she was a kindred spirit and family!
I saw Ertha Kitt many years ago. She was a very stunning woman, fantastic entertainer, her skin colour wasn't even a thing, she was absolutely beautiful full stop.
This brought me to tears and clapping at the same time with the story about her mom turning things around in South Africa amusement park. Ms. Kitt was a strong woman of wisdom, intelligence and grit.
The whiners and screamers today could really learn from her wisdom and emotional intelligence. She was an immensely talented woman and loved by many. Her sadness and strength always touched me. She will never be forgotten. Now is the time to make a movie on her life. She was so right about "timing."
Agreed on the movie part.
On a side note. I'm South African, and one look at the photo, told me exactly which part of my country that amusement park was. Kitt referenced it when she said, "the next day my mom brought two coloured, and black kids along"
In South Africa you have for distinct racial groups, deviced by the apartheid government back in the day, which people still identify till this day.
You have Black, White, Indian (brought over as cheap labour/slaves), and Coloured.
The coloured community which I fall under, has the original inhabitants of this land, the Strandlooper (Dutch for strand walker) and Koi (Bushmen) as their baseline. Their territory spanned what today we call the Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape Provinces. Their skin tone was already slightly lighter than your Xhosa peoples found on the Eastern half of the Eastern Cape, and the Zulu's of Natal.
Now add to that, the white settlers arriving in Cape Town up to 150yrs before venturing east through the rest of what is now known as the Republic of South Africa, the amount of mixing that went on makes for some of the faces you saw in that amusement park.
What an amazing photo, in what looks like Cape Town at the beginning of the 70's. Heavy apartheid days
I'm multiracial and I know exactly the way Ms. Eartha and Kitt feel. My mother is Cherokee, Powhatan and my father was black and dark skinned. It's REALLY sad that mixed people have to put up with this mess. I'm almost 50 years old and I still feel the pain, the hurtful remarks, and the stares.
@Cherone Davenport, you say your mom was Cherokee and your father was dark skinned..what does that mean? How does this make you mixed race? Was your father dark skinned black man or dark skinned Asian or dark skinned Caucasian? “Dark skinned” is very a vague description of someone.
🤍
I agree. That's pretty vague. What you described is pretty much the ancestry of the "West" followed by more European descentness over the years.
To your pain, that's not fair to be questioned in that manner. Especially when most of US come from the same ancestry.
I wonder why black folks don't like to see a mixed black and white person that resembles almost totally the white parent? Is it jelousy?
@@donyutejamaica631 why do you people always have to question someone’s experience WTH!!!! That’s the whole point to what Ms Eartha said !!!
Eartha Kitt’s greatest legacy is her daughter. You know you’ve been successful in life when your children continue to rejoice and celebrate your life even long after you are gone. ❤
Exceptional Comment 🏆🥰
🥰
Amen to that 🙏
This could not have been stated any better!
OMG, she is 61 years old here. She looks amazing!
If you listen to Kitt's vocal tone you can absolutely hear she's her mother's daughter!
I FELT this so deep. As a kid my brother and I endured mental, emotional, & physical abuse because we're biracial. So sad😞
So sorry you had to endure that!💔💞
i am black and that's it.. i never identify as biracial.. this is how i was raised and this is where i stand
Sorry you had to go through this …I to am half Italian and after the war I went through abuse
I feel for you. As a kid I'd always say I'm black but it would raise a lot of questions. Now I say I'm "mixed with a lot of stuff" and leave it at that. I dont give a s__t what anyone thinks anymore.
I am so sorry that happened to your brother and you.
Her mom is smiling on her to see her baby speak so profoundly of her... And she does indeed look like her
No she not
Their smiles look very similar, they both have wide mouths with pronounced smile lines and sharp cheek bones, it's not obvious but she clearly has stuff from her mom
I can only imagine what The Legendary Eartha Kitt went through, at those times. May Eartha Kitt Rip ❤❤
I can hear her mother's voice in her. She is a beautiful woman!
Not only does she look like her Mama (both beautiful women!) she sounds just like her! Eartha had such a unique voice & it seems her daughter inherited that also.
While I’m sorry her Mom is no longer with us, & I am old enough to remember her as cat woman, as well as her other roles, and her singing appearances on TV shows (My Dad had one of her record albums), I am glad she was able to instill her love, strength & wonderful character into Kit. I’m sorry she has to deal with rude keyboard bullies/cowards.
I think it's the hair.
Eartha Kitt was mixed race perhaps half white so her daughter has only 25% African ancestry and the dice of genetics rolled to give her mainly Caucasian features. Why is that so hard for some people to understand and accept.
Eartha Kitt was half white, American Indian and Black. But in this world an ounce of black, means you're black. Eartha dealt with the same racism and plight as other black women of her day. My mother's parents were only black because society one drop rule made them black, which is the story of the majority of black Americans in this country. Black Americans aren't Africans. We can't donate bone marrow to each other because we're genetically different, but that doesn't stop the world from viewing and treating us as black.
Who cares? Mixed race, biracial, black/white ect doesn’t mean a damn thing!
Just imagine Iman's daughter!!!
I get what you’re saying but Eartha Kitt’s Father has never been confirmed. She didn’t know if she’s half black or not. However, phenotype (skin color) is not an indicator of how African someone is genetically. There are darker phenotype who are biracial too and light skinned people who are not as admixed at all.
Eartha Kitt father was black
Earth Kitt isn't really that light, she was just lighter than the rest of her siblings. She said, she was called high yellow and was treated differently. Whatever. Just like Prince, both of his parents were black. His mother was portrait as Italian in Purple Rain. His biological sister even said it on television that their parents was black and people still don't believe it. As long as I know who I am. To each it's own.
In Puerto Rico is very normal to have blended families. Nobody gets surprised when things like this happen
Most Americans are mixed. They just like to pretend that they're not.
This was a great interview! Kitt is so profound and gorgeous, just like her iconic mother. She is such a Queen and was raised by a legendary Queen. I will be buying her book!
😩 I'm white and my husband's black. Our kids range from "white passing" to "ethnically ambiguous".. so we've been told. People are so rude. Who asks a kid, "What are you?" or asks them if their siblings have different dads? Way more people than you would think!
Well if you have children and they happen to be biracial and one of them marry a white person they will look like this a white woman she is not biracial neither will be your grandchildren they'll be either one or the other or multiracial depending on their choice of partner
No, they DONT
my moms family has a broad range as well
@@kathleenking47 That what happens high mix genes families.
I dealt with the same thing with my mom growing up too they asked if we're together even though we're following right behind her just because we don't look exactly like her.
This IS America. The land of white folk living in denial and black folk pretending Love is Blind! So tell us, When did Love lose her ability to SEE?
What an incredibly powerful woman Eartha was and clearly an amazing mother.
The way Eartha Kitt handled the expulsion from the theme park was courageous and thoughtful. I am saddened that she died from colon cancer. I've appreciated her singing over the years, and am grateful to have seen this account by her daughter.
Thank you for interviewing her, this resonated deeply with me. My mother is dark skinned Native American and my father is white. Both my brothers are tawny with brown hair and eyes, but I was born blonde and blue eyed and very pale. If you add my mother's coloration to my face, you can see I actually look just like her, only a pale version.
My mom has told me that her own doctor suggested I was not hers, he asked her "Where did you get a white baby?" This is by far an isolated occurrence, and has happened to us both throughout my life (I am 49 now). My eldest brother married a lovely woman from Guatemala and when on family outings people automatically assumed that she is my mother's daughter and that I am just a family friend. It's not a good feeling when you have to regularly defend or explain your own genetics/biology to claim your heritage to strangers.
I’m so lucky to have been able to wish Kitty’s Mommy a Happy Birthday on the stage with the cast of Cinderella in Chicago starring Eartha Kit and Debbie Gibson. I was blessed enough to speak with her mommy and Debbie. I was so honored to have the opportunity in a moment in time. I still have my signed Play Bill. I saw Kitt when the door were opened. And Kitt is so stunning in person.
We had the opportunity to meet Miss Kitt and her daughter after a concert in 2008. They both showed immense compassion and love for our adopted teen daughter, who shared life experiences with Miss Kitt. They had an amazing connection. I am glad to see the conversation continue but sad to see the racism that sent Miss Kitt out of the US continues to plague her daughter.
How can anyone not see the resemblance between them? 2 beautiful ladies !
Ms. Kitt was and is an icon of monumental stature. She is one of my heroes in life and has had a profound effect on my life. I was privileged to see her perform more than a dozen times and to meet her twice. Ms. Kitt remains a role model and hero to many.
As a Mediterranean kid of mixed Arab, European and African and Hun and who knows what, this means so much. We started mixing long time ago but people still practice racists thoughts in some areas. This gave me a new perspective on how I should carry myself, and live in my brown/olive skinned features 💕💕
Each one of my grandparents looked sooo different, they looked like 4 different races. I'm from the Adriatic sea, the Balkan side of it, modern day Croatia, and our area mixed throughout the history a lot. A lot of wars, nomadic tribes, different empires and regimes.
No wonder people don't think neither one of my sisters or me look the same. But, that's beautiful 😍 when our physicality stops to matter as much, our personalities start to shine ✨💖✨
Such a beautiful & enlightening post. I love the way you express yourself in the telling of your story. It's actually rather poetic & very on point. Thank you for sharing this.
@@qj5887 oh thank you so much, it came from my 💖✨
Just tell people you're from Louisiana.😉
@@TheSocratease 😂😂😂
Very interesting post. I never knew there was that much diversity in the Balkans. Which cities in Croatia did Africans and Arabs live?
Social media has really encouraged people to say the most ignorant and hurtful things to strangers..just to get their opinions out. I've always been a fan of Ms.Kitt since I can remember, coming from a multi ethnic family, I never questioned Ms.Shapiro's relationship to her. Many people who say such things have never expanded their lives and who they're around..many haven't really read a book. The memoir is awesome
Well said.
Ditto
Education From The Creator Is Key!!!
Just to be clear, everyone who LOOKS NEGROID is not. Scripture says over and over that (we are the seed of our FATHER.)
Example: Maria Carey looks white, but is not because her father is SO-CALLED BLACK. Likewise, Tia and Tamara Mowry look black and are not, because their father is SO-CALLED WHITE.
Whatever your father is, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE/GOD ALMIGHTY.
Men carry the seed/sperm, while women only carry the egg.
So, if you take an orange "seed" from the United States and plant it in China, you can still expect an ORANGE TREE...the genetic does NOT change. So, whatever your (FATHER) is, that's what you are... regardless of what your mother is, she's only the carrier.
@sdmuldrew777 Wrong
@@sdmuldrew777 LMAO!!!! But women are also supposed to represent NATIONS?!!! Okay "Brew-lite". "Agent"!!!!
Not everyone looks like their ethnicity. That’s why we should never assume someone’s ethnicity. Kitt is one prime reason.