*A courtside moment meant for family quickly turned into an online controversy.
Patti LaBelle attended a Philadelphia Sixers game with her three grandchildren, expecting a simple, joyful outing. But after a photo circulated online, the conversation shifted away from the moment itself and toward the children’s Afghan heritage, sparking a wave of racially charged commentary.
What Commenters Said
Among the reactions:
“They look like Indians — BWAH! I’M HOWLING!! LMFAO!”
“I was like, ‘where the heck did she get these 1 little, 2 little, 3 little Indians from?’”
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“Bruh black people have ZERO pride. Kids, grandkids look nothing like them but whole other races and they mostly brag about it.”
“If you look at all the old famous black people, mostly none of their grandchildren look black. It’s to be expected at this point.”
Some commenters pushed back, noting: “Her son married an Afghan woman.” Others continued with remarks comparing the grandchildren to celebrities or making assumptions about whether they enjoy “their grandma’s pies and mac and cheese.”
The Problem with the Commentary
These comments reveal several troubling layers.
1. Racial Gatekeeping
The underlying assumption in many of the comments is that Black celebrities’ grandchildren “should” look Black. This expectation ignores the reality of blended families, intermarriage, and adoption. It also implies that a family’s racial identity is somehow diminished when relatives don’t fit a narrow phenotypic mold.
2. Mockery of Afghan and South Asian Features
The jokes about “Indians” and the reference to the racist children’s rhyme “One little, two little, three little Indians” are dehumanizing. Reducing children to a punchline based on their ethnicity is never acceptable—regardless of whether the target is a public figure’s family.
3. Children Are Off-Limits
Celebrities choose public life. Their children and grandchildren do not. These three young people attended a basketball game with their grandmother, yet found themselves subjected to public ridicule about their appearance and ethnic background. That is not gossip; it is harassment.
4. The “Pies and Mac and Cheese” Trope
The comment questioning whether the grandchildren love “their grandma’s pies and mac and cheese” reduces Black culture to stereotypes while simultaneously questioning whether these children are “really” part of the family. Love is not determined by what’s on a dinner plate.
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The Larger Context: Colorism and Blended Families in the Black Community
This situation did not emerge in a vacuum. For decades, Black celebrities have faced intense scrutiny over interracial relationships and the appearance of their children. Colorism—the preference for lighter skin within communities of color—often fuels these conversations, as does a painful history of families being torn apart by slavery and segregation.
There is also a broader cultural anxiety about what Blackness “looks like.” As families become increasingly blended across racial and ethnic lines, some cling to an outdated notion that identity must be tied to a specific physical presentation.
But Black identity has never been monolithic. It never has been.
Why This Matters
When we allow commenters to mock children for their ethnicity, it sends a message that certain families are less valid. When we suggest that pride requires grandchildren to “look” a certain way, we reinforce the same narrow thinking that has divided communities for generations.
Patti LaBelle has spoken proudly of her family. Her son married an Afghan woman, and together they have built a family. The children are loved. They are part of that family—not because of how they look, but because they belong.
Moving Forward
Gossip forums have long been spaces where people say things they wouldn’t dare say in person. But there is a difference between commentary and cruelty.
As consumers of media, we can choose not to amplify harmful narratives. We can recognize that families come in many forms—and that love, not appearance, defines them.
Most importantly, we can remember this: those weren’t talking points. They were children—simply trying to enjoy a night out with their grandmother.
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