Reshona Landfair, the R. Kelly survivor who appeared in the singer’s infamous sex tape, has been speaking out. Now, she is opening up about the emotional toll of seeing her trauma turned into comedy. After decades of being publicly known only as “Jane Doe,” Landfair revealed her identity this month while promoting her debut memoir, Who’s Watching Shorty? The book revisits her past relationship with Kelly, the fallout from his early 2000s child pornography case, and her later testimony in his 2022 federal trial involving child exploitation and enticement charges.
Landfair was just 14 years old when she was filmed in the tape that would later become central to Kelly’s legal battles. Now 41, the former member of child R&B group 4 the Cause is speaking more candidly about the long-term impact the scandal had on her life.
During a recent appearance on The Joy Reid Show, Landfair reflected on watching the controversy play out publicly. Including the moment it was parodied in a 2003 episode of Chappelle’s Show. The sketch featured Dave Chappelle portraying Kelly in the now-infamous “Piss On You” musical spoof. It was a segment that became one of the most widely circulated comedy bits of the era.
For viewers, the skit was seen as satire aimed at Kelly. For Landfair, it felt very different.
“I felt terrified," she said. "I felt very embarrassed and very confused because something that was so vulnerable for me was humorous and a mockery to the world. And it really just exposed me and made me feel humiliated."
Reshona Landfair Speaks Out
Her comments add another layer to the cultural reexamination of how media and entertainment handled allegations surrounding Kelly at the time. Landfair’s perspective highlights how survivors connected to the case could feel retraumatized by public ridicule surrounding the scandal.
Although it's likely that Chappelle didn't intend to traumatize her, Landfair said it made her feel "pretty empty inside," and "ashamed."
With her memoir rollout underway, Landfair says her goal is to reclaim her voice and tell her story on her own terms after years of anonymity and legal proceedings.
Just last week, R&B singer Sparkle publicly addressed claims made by Landfair that linked her to the early stages of the situation with R. Kelly. Landfair alleged that Sparkle played a part in facilitating their introduction in a way she felt crossed personal boundaries. Sparkle has strongly denied those accusations. However, she's still voicing support for her niece’s decision to come forward and share her story.
