For KeKe Palmer (and many viewers) watching Surviving R. Kelly was "eye-opening, painful, sad, disappointing and heartbreaking."
While on Watch What Happens Live earlier this week, the 25-year-old actress spoke about being "surprised" to find out that the man who had mentored her throughout her career, R. Kelly, was being accused of heinous crimes. "That's not the side I knew," she admitted, referencing the numerous accusations of sexual and physical abuse against Kelly. "That's not the person that I worked with. That's not the experience I had. So, just imagine if you're having a great experience with someone and then you're hearing all this stuff it's like, ‘Why didn't you show them what you showed me?' That's the feeling I had."
"I hated talking about it because I felt like, man, you were a friend to me but then I'm seeing you as a foe to others and I'm hurt for them," she continued. "How do I feel about it? How do I put myself in this position now? It was very sad. I think that anybody that loved him as a person probably feels that way. That's not something you want to hear about somebody that you cared for. "
Back in January, KeKe shared an emotional Instagram post after watching the heart-wrenching docuseries, detailing her disappointment in Kelly and sharing her belief in the women accusing him of abuse.
"Just finished Surviving R. Kelly and I have spent the last hour crying," she wrote. "As a student of R. Kelly’s for the time I was and having been around his light and understanding the obstacles he overcame as a child to actually be birthed into the musical genius he is today... All to put others through the same darkness he was running from is the most disheartening thing to accept. Many people experience hardships and do not allow themselves to find freedom through their passion enough to shine a light. R. Kelly received that grace from God. God blessed him to vindicate his childhood shortcomings and yet still he has slapped God in the face by his actions towards these women."
"I am hurt and saddened because he could have been a blessing to these women but instead he repeatedly took advantage and that I can not accept," she added. "I will stand by my sisters because that’s simply what’s right and what I hope discontinues this behavior in anyone. We have to be good to eachother, not all of us accept the light but those of us that do must be responsible!!!! We can not take advantage of each other or accept when someone else does. 💔"
As previously reported, the disgraced singer has continued to deny all claims against him. In June, Kelly, who was already facing 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, was charged with 11 additional felony counts of sexual abuse. He pled not guilty to all of the charges.
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