An Intimate Conversation with Coast Observer
If Tiffany Haddish were ever just visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast for fun, no shows, no cameras, she already knows how she’d spend the day. “I do love fishing,” she laughed, “but I super love a good crawfish boil.” She described it like a true Southern gathering: friends around a long plank table set on stilts, a hole cut in the middle for the scraps; laughter spilling out as the shells pile high. “We do them all the time in L.A.,” she said. “We throw all the crawfish on the table, and when it’s over, everything goes right into the box under the table. That’s my kind of day.”
When asked about her go-to comfort food, Tiffany didn’t hesitate, plums. “If it’s not plum season, bring on the apricots and almonds,” she said. She actually grows a bunch of plum trees herself, which is why I convinced her she needed to try making plum jelly with her own fruit, something she’s never done before.
Haddish’s road from foster care to Hollywood is one she’s proud of. When I asked what moment made her stop and think Wow, I really did that, she smiled and said it was the day she walked onto The Arsenio Hall Show. “I grew up watching Arsenio. When it came back in 2014 and they invited me on, I was like, ‘That’s it. I made it.’ They kept having me back, and Arsenio knew who I was. He even let me lick his face on national TV,” she laughed. “He tasted like Ovaltine.”
These days, Tiffany’s success comes with plenty of lessons. “I’ve never met anyone successful who hasn’t been through tragedy or hardship,” she said. “Success taught me that I can’t be weak. If you are, go get strong. And stop hanging with people who got credit scores under 700, they always got problems!” she joked. But then she got serious again. “The first thing on your mind should be, ‘Woo, I woke up. Another chance to be better,’ instead of worrying about money. Gratitude changes everything.”
Her new single Woman Up, written with powerhouse songwriter Diane Warren, carries that same energy. “It’s okay to be down for a little bit, but you gotta pull yourself out of your bull-stress, put your big-girl panties on, and get back to work,” she said. “If you don’t like how things are, change it. Evolve. It’s scary, but you gotta move through it. That’s when you really start living.”
When I asked what advice she’d give to our readers and other dreamers, Tiffany lit up. “Do something every day toward your goal. Just one thing,” she said. “Watch a video, read a book, make a call, whatever it is. Even write down what you’ve done each day. After 50 or 60 days, look back and see how far you’ve come.”
She compared her growth and career to the show Hoarders. “You can’t clean a whole house in one day. You start with one corner, then another. Before you know it, the place is spotless. That’s how I treat my emotions, my career, just keep working through it.” Her favorite part of what she does, she said, is hearing from people who found laughter and healing through her work. “That’s the whole purpose of being here, to make other people’s lives better.”
As for who she’d love to work with next, Tiffany didn’t hesitate: “Meryl Streep, Eddie Murphy, Viola Davis.” She also believes it’s vital to speak your mind. “Don’t be scared of being canceled. A belief isn’t a fact, it’s just what you feel or think. And you’re allowed to share that.”
Before we wrapped up, I asked what fans can expect from a Tiffany Haddish show. She laughed. “When you leave, you’re gonna have something to talk about!” She loves seeing bachelorette parties and groups of girlfriends in the crowd—especially the ones cheering up a friend who just got dumped. “Those girls always end up having the most fun,” she said.
Right before our call ended, Tiffany flipped her camera on to show me her hip-hop dance rehearsal. “I’m cultivating the body of a swimsuit model,” she grinned. “That’s my 2025 birthday goal.”
And then came the moment that tied it all together. She told me someone once called her an “industry plant.” Instead of taking offense, she owned it. “You’re damn right I’m a plant,” she said. “I was a seed in the dirt for years, nobody even saw me. But I kept getting my sunshine, my water, my nutrients, and now I’m bearing fruit. My roots are strong and that’s exactly how I feel about my career.”
Before hanging up, she smiled and told me, “I can see it in your eyes, you’re going to do amazing things.”
From crawfish boils to comedy clubs, Tiffany Haddish proves that the sweetest fruit really does take time to grow. Gulf Coast fans won’t have to wait long to see that sunshine in person, she will be performing live at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on November 8th, bringing her signature humor and heart to the coast.
Tiffany will be bringing her Funny & Fearless Tour to Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Biloxi on November 8, 2025. at 8pm. You Must be 18+ to attend. Tickets can be purchased through Beau Rivage Box Office by calling 888.566.7469 or visit beaurivage.com.
