Queen Latifah Isn’t Taking Sides On ‘American Idol’ Feud, But Says ‘You Gotta Respect Your Elders’

Queen Latifah has sounded off on the American Idol feud between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, and while the singer and actress is reluctant to take sides, she did advise Minaj to remember to respect her elders.

Some history: Everyone important denied it for a long time, but we all knew it was happening. Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj of the newly-minted American Idol judges panel have been at each others throats since they became colleagues on the talent competition program, with a leaked video confirming our suspicions. Things got worse when the producers tried to downplay the video. Mariah confided to Barbara Walters that she had begun to fear for her safety and had picked up a few extra bodies for her security detail. Minaj responded with a heated Twitter tirade, neutral judge Keith Urban said he was enjoying the drama, and former judge Steven Tyler alleged that the entire feud was a publicity stunt.

Now, everyone has an opinion on the feud, which is turning out to be good for American Idol if they indeed manufactured the whole thing. Hashtags #teamNicki and #teamMinaj have flooded social media, and many have taken a side, except for Queen Latifah.

Latifah dropped by Anderson Cooper to promote her role in the all-black version of Steel Magnolias, and was asked about the famous Idol feud. Her opinion?

“I would definitely not take sides in ignorance, but that’s really not about them. At the end of the day they are both blessed to be in the position that they are. It’s about giving a leg up to the new people who want to be a Nicki or be a Mariah,” she said. Still, Mariah’s legendary caliber is to be respected. “But Mariah? C’mon now. We’re talking about a hundred million right there. You gotta respect your elders to a point. That’s a grand diva, but I love Nicki too.”

Check out the video below, via VH1:

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