Hannah Berner found herself in hot water after a seemingly casual remark during a star-studded Vanity Fair Oscars Party chat with rapper Megan Thee Stallion and her Giggly Squad podcast co-host Paige DeSorbo on March 2.
What began as a celebration of Hollywood’s elite took an unexpected twist when Berner playfully admitted to the “Hot Girl Summer” rapper that she blasts Megan’s tracks whenever she feels the urge to “fight someone.”
Berner said that Megan’s music motivates her to fight when people are “talking s###.”
Megan humorously replied, “Because you want to throw that fighting s### out the window, and you want to get cute and be a bad b####.”
The comedian’s off-the-cuff statement quickly ignited social media outrage, with numerous critics branding her words as insensitive and labeling them a “microaggression.”
As backlash mounted across digital platforms, Berner responded swiftly, addressing the controversy head-on through her Instagram Stories on Thursday.
Expressing regret over her choice of words, the 33-year-old comedian didn’t hold back in her heartfelt apology to Megan.
“Interviewing Megan Thee Stallion was a dream of mine,” Berner wrote candidly. “I love her music and it’s my go to whenever I need to boost my confidence before a show. Looking back at the interview, I wish I used any other word except ‘fight’ to describe how her songs impact me.”
Berner further emphasized her intention to learn from the incident and vowed to choose her words more thoughtfully moving forward.
“It was a careless choice of words and there was no ill intent,” she continued. “I recognize and acknowledge that what I said has a deeper meaning and I am so sorry to Megan. I appreciate everyone who brought this to my attention.”
While Megan Thee Stallion has not responded publicly to Berner’s apology, the rapper appeared unfazed and even amused during the original interview exchange.