Reading her background, she wouldn't have struck me as the type to make such a comment. Especially since lots of HBCU graduates go on to get graduate degrees from Ivies. She was certainly accomplished so I won't take that away from her. Also, interesting considering she received the Lorraine Hansberry Playwrighting Award, who was a member of the black elite.
Speaking of, Lorraine Hansberry has a niece that is an actress that could be tapped - Taye Hansberry. Taye is also a cousin of Issa Raye.
What she said was disrespectful. Fact that she said this to a Black man in a lunch meeting with two white men is downright bizarre.
I am always shocked by people implying that other people should apologize for existing. Not apologize for expressing views or actions they've taken, but for breathing air.
During the various origin and class "wars" that have taken place here, people have run with the notion of "them" looking down on "us". I've tried to point out that prejudice flows in all directions. The writer's comments are an example of a person judging/questioning a member of the Black elite.....in fact looking down on him. Questioning his Blackness. And having no problem doing it in the presence of white colleagues.
Cringeworthy. Again, members here get a lot of mileage out of "(insert scapegoat) talking down to us", but in my experience prejudice flows in all directions. I wrote in your Powerful Black Families thread that groups of Black people have been fed stereotypes about other Blacks from media gatekeepers for centuries, to the point where we are in some ways ventriloquist dummies for white racism. The caricaturing of wealthy/well educated Blacks comes straight out of minstrel plays and vaudeville.
Woodrow Wilson raved about Birth of A Nation, partly because it depicted Black politicians in Reconstruction in ugly stereotypes. He and other racists resented the fact that a class of educated Blacks existed in this country. Despite every law, rule,working AGAINST them, communities of African Americans emerged who had acquired education, property, and political position. Wilson did everything in his power to neutralize them.
Anyway, American media has been lampooning this segment of AAs since minstrel shows(or pretending that they didn't exist )and unfortunately many Black people have bought into it. The fact that her comment came up in a discussion with a man who was trying to counter that is downright crazy.
for good reason too, jews be out here with full blown fros and sh1t
i knew she looked familiar 
