Over the holiday season, a strangely dark trend started popping up on social media outlets like TikTok, where kids would jokingly tell their parents that their favorite celebrity died, and film the reaction. Eventually Angela Bassett’s son participated, telling her that actor-director Michael B. Jordan had passed. The clip quickly went viral, and now 16 year-old Slater Vance has issued a TikTok apology apologizing for the insensitive video.
Countless TikTok users participated in the fake death challenge over the holidays, filming their parents’ reaction and quickly going viral online. But things felt a little too real when Slater Vance pulled the prank on his mother Angela Bassett, scaring her into thinking her Black Panther co-star Michael B. Jordan had passed away. This is especially true considering the continued feelings of mourning surrounding Chadwick Boseman’s death. It sounds like Vance learned his lesson, deleting the clip and posting a tear-filled apology on TikTok. Check out below:
@slater.vance ♬ original sound - Slater
Well, that certainly sounds like a sincere apology. While the public isn’t privy to the conversations that happened between Slater and his parents Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance, smart money says they had a long talk about the power of social media. And that’s why he took the time to issue this apology to both the public and those who know Michael B. Jordan personally.
The above clip of Slater Vance has quickly started making the rounds online, and shows just how much Angela Bassett’s 16 year-old son has reflected on the prank involving Michael B. Jordan. On top of scaring her at the moment, the clip itself seemingly offended a ton of fans out there as well. While he didn’t mention Chadwick Boseman by name in this apology, one can’t help but make the connection between the real life tragedy that occurred just a few years ago.
While Slater Vance deleted the TikTok that featured his mother and name dropped Michael B. Jordan, it still managed to get ripped and distributed on various social media outlets. That includes Twitter, where one user posted the clip featuring Angela Bassett’s emotional reaction. Check it out below,
Now this is different cause your parents personally know these damn ppl. 💀 That’s like us telling our parents their best friend died. Oh my- #angelabassett #courtneyvance pic.twitter.com/bQTG3E4hsTDecember 31, 2022
These types of viral pranks have already been getting backlash online for being insensitive, but the Angela Bassett one is all the more emotional. Namely because Michael B. Jordan isn’t just a celebrity, but a colleague and friend. And as such, it seems all the more cruel, especially when you see the emotional reaction the Black Panther actress had to the “news.” Although clearly Slater Vance regrets going through with the prank at all, as well as putting it online.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is still in theaters now, and Angela Bassett is getting a ton of Awards Season attention for her performance as Queen Ramonda (including a Golden Globe nom). While we wait to see how it all shakes out, be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
