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MO’NIQUE GRILLED BY JILL SCOTT IN NEW ‘ESSENCE’: Interview in July cover story reveals comic’s take on race, marriage, Whitney Houston and more.
*Singer Jill Scott was recruited by Essence magazine to interview actress-comedian Mo’Nique for its July issue, on newsstands now.
In the cover story, the ladies chatted about everything from Mo’Nique’s best friend-turned-husband Sidney Hicks, to the trials and tribulations surrounding Whitney Houston. Born Mo'Nique Imes, the entertainer has now graced the Essence cover four times.
“Mo'Nique represents the spirit, energy, confidence and creativity of today's dynamic black woman, she is a perfect fit as a cover subject," says Essence’s editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Burt Murray. "In an age of over-hyped celebrities pushing products, there's a realness to Mo'Nique that our readers respect and respond to."
Here are some excerpts from the interview:
• Race Matters: "When I got the part in 'Domino' with Keira Knightley, I had an agent say, 'Congratulations. And no more junk!' Translation: no more black movies. She thought she was validating me, but I take pride in every project I’ve done. I let her know that she was off the team and that she could send back my 10 percent of 'junk' money."
• Family Drama: "For me the hardest part is dealing with family, especially when four out of eight calls are about money. I’ve wondered, ‘How many times do I have to say yes before it’s okay to say no?’ There’s been a lot of resentment and pain because I didn’t want people to say, 'Umph, she’s got that show, and now we can’t call her!' I didn’t want anyone to think I had changed. But I did. I had to."
• ‘FAT’ Misunderstanding: "When I was doing 'Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance,' people asked why I was promoting the idea that women should be unhealthy. I’ve never said, 'Don’t be healthy.' But if you’re 375 pounds with high blood pressure and diabetes, should you hate yourself? No. If you turn on the TV late at night, every other commercial is about weight loss. How do you think it makes us feel to hear a size-invisible woman with blond hair down her back say that we can look like her if we take this pill? That’s poison. I say love you, and give yourself 30 minutes a day to exercise and get healthy."
• Whitney Houston: "Whitney [Houston] was the world’s princess, and she couldn’t let anyone see her problems. If we had to walk in her shoes, maybe we wouldn’t be so quick to say, 'Girl, you know that’s a damn shame.' Nobody knows what life will throw our way. Any one of us could be Whitney tomorrow."
• Her man: "I married my best friend. Sid and I don’t put a label on what works for us because it’s ours. But some people might say that we have an open relationship. Some people consider sex outside of marriage to be cheating, but I think you’re cheating when you lie and keep secrets. We’re honest with each other."
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