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Mariah Carey clarifies 'I don't know her' comment she made about Jennifer Lopez

She is aware of the existence of JLo

Olivia Blair
Wednesday 18 May 2016 14:20 BST
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Mariah Carey has addressed whether she knows who Jennifer Lopez is.

When asked in an interview about Lopez many years ago, Carey responded simply with: “I don’t know her”.

The moment became an internet sensation and many were left questioning whether Carey meant she didn’t know her personally as an acquaintance or whether she actually knew who she was. The latter was a source of confusion for many given they are two leading female singers who have both been in the business for roughly the same amount of time. The comment fuelled rumours the two were involved in an ongoing feud.

Appearing on Watch What Happens Live on Tuesday evening, Carey seemed irritated at being asked once again about the comment. “That was so long ago, I can’t believe people still make such a big deal about it.”

Carey confirmed that she doesn’t know the "Jenny from the Block" singer personally, which contrasts with what Lopez has said before saying they've met "many times". Asked by Cohen if Lopez seems “cool”, she repeated herself again.

“I don’t know her. What am I supposed to say? I’m not gonna put on a thing like ‘oh we’re all Hollywood, let’s all pretend we’re best friends because we’re in that land.”

She did, however, clarify that she is aware of her existence.

Carey was also asked to say three nice things about her former fellow American Idol judge Nicki Minaj (who she is also rumoured to have feuded with), a request she didn't seem keen to comply with and didn’t end up doing.

After attempting to deflect the question to Cohen, Carey said she didn't want to accept the game's fate and "plead the fifth", instead saying: "You know I always felt it was more important with that situation to not plead the fifth, but stay above the fray because you don't want to be déclassé, you just want to move it along."

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