When it comes to his thoughts on Spike Lee, Clifton Powell would like everyone to do their research.
During a recent episode of “The Art of Dialogue” podcast, the 69-year-old actor addressed previous comments about the “Highest 2 Lowest” director and what he believes are his unsavory business practices.
“I’m not gonna comment about Spike Lee. I said what I said and I stand by what I said. Go ahead and read about it,” declared the “Next Friday” star. “A lot of y’all don’t have the facts.”
He added, “But if you go ask some actors the kind of business that he did, you’ll be able to make a determination for yourself.”
Powell—who admits he has not actually worked with Lee but knows those who have—first publicly criticized the filmmaker in 2011.
During an appearance on the Russ Par Morning Show, Powell infamously said, “I have never said it publicly, but Spike is a hater. He was doing all these movies, Sam (Samuel L. Jackson) and all these guys know he’s a hater. He kept all the money, there was lawsuits against him.”
He was reacting to Lee’s 2009 comments about fellow director Tyler Perry describing his work as “coonery” and “buffonery.”
While on “The Art of Dialogue,” the “Saints and Sinners” star reiterated his thoughts about Lee’s business dealings while maintaining respect for him as a creator.
“I think him and Denzel working together is amazing,” he stated. “It’s certain things that African American producers do, or white producers do that I’m never going to agree with.”
He explained that his 2011 comments earned him a considerable amount of flack and even led someone to call in on during the radio show and heckle him by referring to him as a “C-list actor.”
“The problem is people talk a lot of stuff and don’t do their research,” he summed up. “I do my research, and I’m never going to accept a Black man doing to us what the man has been doing for the last 70,000 years. And so go do your research. Listen to what Charles Dutton said. He said ‘Clifton Powell wasn’t wrong.’ He knows.”
Powell added, “I never threatened him, but I don’t appreciate how he did business with us back in the day—not [with] me, but my friends, because I’ve never worked with him.”
“Just do your research,” he continued. “Black folks do your research before you comment and condemn somebody. You know we gotta be better than the man to each other. I know y’all understand that.”
Despite his position on Lee not changing, he did admit that the entire thing had taught him something. He was most upset with Lee because he didn’t call Perry or reach out personally to express how he felt. He realized he should have also done the same.
“I should have called him. I was just playing around. I was in the studio, I was playing around, making a joke, and then it went viral,” he explained. “I should have called him and told him that, or I should have saw him out and pulled him aside. So I learned something from that.”
He reiterated that he wasn’t there to condem anyone while urging everyone to try and be kinder and careful of how other Black creators critique one another “in public.”
He said, “We got to support each other in public and if we have some grievances, let’s sit down, have dinner, and talk about it. So if Spike ever wanted to sit down and have dinner with me, I’d tell him exactly how I feel, and maybe, as a Pisces like I am, he might take it in and try to do better.”
