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Zach Braff apologises for 'racist' Grammys 2015 tweet about Pharrell Williams

The Scrubs actor voiced the part of Finley in the Oz The Great And Powerful

Jenn Selby
Wednesday 11 February 2015 11:34 GMT
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Zach Braff has apologised to his followers for posting a tweet at the Grammys in which he appeared to compare Pharrell Williams to a flying monkey.

“Grammys are time-delayed in LA (?!) but someone just sent me this: #IWoreItBetter,” he captioned it.

Actor and director Zach Braff
Actor and director Zach Braff (Getty Images)

It didn’t take long for followers to point out that comparing a mixed race American to a monkey – even one wearing a very similar outfit – might be construed as racist:

Williams, who went home with two Grammys for Best Solo Performance and Best Video on the night, also drew comparisons to The Grand Budapest Hotel.

 

His performance also featured a number of dancers in black hoodies, who stopped mid-performance to strike a “hands up, don't shoot” pose in reference to the slogans used by protestors after shooting dead of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, the killing of Eric Garner in New York City, and the death of Trayvon Martin.

Martin was shot dead by George Zimmerman in 2012.

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