Van Lathan
Van Lathan
Fired From TMZ
Van Lathan (born April 16, 1980 Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a former correspondent at TMZ and host of The Red Pill Podcast. [5] [10]
On May 1, 2018 he gained notoriety for getting into an altercation with rapper Kanye West after West said slavery was a "choice" in a TMZ Live interview.[27]
Altercation with Kanye West
On May 1, 2018 Kanye West visited TMZ's headquarters. While being interviewed by Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere, he addressed his endorsement of Donald Trump, as well as his opinion of black people suffering through 400 years of slavery in the United States being a "choice." [9]
Later in the interview, after talking about the idea of being mentally imprisoned, Kanye West asked the people in the TMZ newsroom if they felt he was being and thinking free.
Van Lathan stood up and told West that he believes what West is doing is "the absence of thought."
After Van Lathan's expressed himself to Kanye West, he provided additional thoughts later that day on The Red Pill Podcast.
He mentioned that he was disturbed and disappointed in Kanye West, particularly because he admires West's musical artistry but he believes that he supports people who are "hate mongers."
Departure From TMZ
Kanye West Stirs Up TMZ Newsroom Over Trump, Slavery, Free Thought (via TMZ); he says 400 years of slavery sounding like a "choice" around the 1:14 mark
The confrontation led to Lathan meeting with TMZ attorneys, being suspended and ultimately being fired. The decision to fire Lathan was seen as controversial because TMZ founder Harvey Levin is famously conservative and supports Babcock's political views.
Personal Life
Van Lathan was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. [15] He currently resides in Los Angeles.
He graduated from college in 2003.
Everipedia
Everipedia editor Matthew E. O'Neil contacted Latham in 2022. Latham authored Fat, Crazy, and Tired: Tales from the Trenches of Transformation. It was published by Amazon.com on April 26, 2022. It is available in audiobook, kindle, and hardcover format. The following is a description of the book on Amazon.com:
Podcaster and former TMZ host Van Lathan Jr. writes a sharp, funny, and brutally honest, cultural critique of the unspoken obstacles and extreme anxiety that keep us from maintaining good health in America’s “wellness waistland,” explored through vignettes about his mental health and weight loss journey as a Black man.