Source: Hot 97

Am I the only one not surprised that Mo’Nique ended up losing weight?

Not that I was banking or placing odds about her personal appearance either way but rather acknowledging the delicious irony of “The lady doth protest too much…” And there was no bigger proponent of the fat girl fabulous gospel than Big Mo. It’s a sentiment that Mo’Nique has written extensively about in her New York Times Bestseller Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes from a Big Girl in a Small-minded World as well as her equally successful, high-calorie cookbook, entitled Skinny Cooks Can’t Be Trusted, which featured “foods with flavor, from chocolate and cream to sugar and butter and everything in between.”

In fact, a huge part of her schtick as a comedienne and an entertainer was her appeal to a niche but rather large (I swear to God, on second reading, this is not a pun) market: the big girls. Whether you were a big girl or happened to be an admirer of the big girl body, She was pretty, sassy, funny and mostly importantly comfortable and confident in her skin. Behind the joke was an inspiration message. She could talk humorously about big girl love, relationships, sex appeal and even sex without being self-deprecating.

Remember the film Phat Girlz? Or the television show “Fat Chance”? What about the all plus size version of Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love”? Mo’Nique even had a brand slogan called F.A.T., which was an acronym for Fabulous And Thick. Heck, I remember that the only reason folks were still tuning in to the later episodes of “It’s Showtime At the Apollo” was to see what fabulous big girl getup Mo’Nique was rocking. Her overall brand as a comedienne was about daringly standing in the face of the single narrative of what was beautiful and healthy. And in some ways, she was a militant, fat acceptance fighter, as suggested in this 2006 article in Salon, where the breakout star of the show “The Parkers” even had offered up some less than supportive advice to former “The View” co-host Star Jones, who had rumored to undergone weight-loss surgery: “What I say to those beautiful women is, come on back! Be healthy, but come on home! Don’t be afraid of that big juicy steak with that baked potato and sour cream, baby, on top of it! That is heaven!”

But now the comedienne turned actress and television personality has lost an impressive 82 pounds. Instead of big juicy steaks and bake potatoes with all the fixings, Mo’Nique now only pigs out on a mostly vegan diet (with occasional fish) and she has also started a regular exercise regiment too. Not to mention that she looks great. In most circumstances a healthier Mo’Nique would be commended however you do have to wonder what she’ll joke about now that she is no longer F.A.T?

Last night on a humbug, I watched the last one-hour comedy special she did called Mo’nique: I Coulda Been Your Cellmate! I haven’t seen Mo’Nique’s standup routine in a long time, so I needed a refresher about her overall comedy style outside of the F.A.T. Brand. I have to say, outside of the constant screaming of “yasss!” there really wasn’t much that makes Mo’Nique stand apart material-wise. In fact, without the big girl brand, it would be hard to distinguish her from a number of funny yet non-household named black female comedians like Leslie Jones, Big Roz or even her two Queens of Comedy cast mates Sommore and Sheryl Underwood. This lack of comedic individuality is something I also noticed during her brief stint as late night talk show host on the BET network where without the defiant, big girl attitude her monologues were pretty dry and lackluster.

Generally speaking any type of extreme weight change can have an effect on one’s career. It was true of Kirstie Alley, who very public battle with weight held more of our public attention than her actual acting career. And it held true for Jennifer Hudson, who despite not ever declaring an alliance to Team Chunk, drew the ire of folks, who saw her weight loss as some sort of betrayal to the body acceptance movement. During her rise Mo’Nique’s jokes about skinny women were hilarious, not because they were necessarily bust-a-gut funny but because it spit in the face of what is considered normal in society. Many of us, who struggled with not only weight issues but other body acceptance issues applauded her success. Clearly this is not the message anymore. Instead Big Mo is championing women to get healthy. Nothing wrong with that. People evolve on personal choices and philosophies every day. However, branding is another thing. it will be interesting to see where Mo’Nique’s career goes now that she is just an average, skinny evil woman.

Source: Mo’Nique

Popular actress and comedienne Mo’Nique is back after a three-year hiatus and looking more fabulous than ever! She’s says she’s out on the road doing shows at various comedy clubs and wants fans to know just how thankful she is for their support. While in New York, the 45-year-old knockout stopped by Hot 97′s Cipha Sounds & Rosenberg Show where she candidly discussed her motives behind entering into an open marriage and why she experienced a change of heart. Check out some of what she had to say below.

On revealing that she and her husband were in an open marriage years ago:

“Let me define this really quick. See, that happened nothing to do with my husband. When I did that interview, I didn’t realize the king that I had. I was just being old Mo’Nique. Listen, the road is what it is. It goes for men and women. I felt like well this is just how it is. People automatically went to my husband. It had nothing to do with that. It actually backfired. I thought I was saying to women you can enjoy your cake and eat it too. It backfired. Now that I understand what I have, baby listen, there’s not another man on the face of this earth that can compare to mine. In my humble opinion. That’s just for me. When you really take the energy and pay attention to your relationship….and love him in a way that your mama didn’t teach you how to love a man, don’t neither one of y’all wanna go nowhere. Sisters listen, treat ‘em like a King if you wanna be treated like a Queen–it works.”

“My mama didn’t teach me how to love a man or treat a man, but my grandmother didn’t teach my mother’s brothers on how treat a woman. It goes both ways.”

On how she now defines an open relationship: 

“We are open and we’re open because we’re honest. When I said an open relationship people automatically thought sex, sex, sex. An open relationship means to us, there are no secrets.There’s nothing that my husband doesn’t know about me and there nothing I don’t know about him. Some people are laying with strangers. When it’s open, y’all so honest. Sisters if you got a good one baby honor him. It’s nothing wrong with being submissive. It’s nothing wrong with loving him, all of it. We treat each other good right now in life, the best we can and then that way when you’re loving good, everything around you is good.”

Turn the page to watch Mo’Nique chat it up about the demise of the Mo’Nique Show, why she loves Charles Ramsey and her amazing weight loss.

With a new batch of television talk show hosts set to grace the boob tube this year — shout out to Queen Latifah — we can’t help but long for these old-time fav shows of yesteryear from time to time.

WENN

The Richard Bey Show

Before there was the “Jerry Springer Show” we had Richard Bey. For nine seasons, “The Richard Bey Show,” (known in the early days as “9 Broadcast Plaza”) entertained its audience with raunchy, slapstick segments such as the “Miss Big Butt” contest, the “Mr. Puniverse” contest, “Dysfunctional Family Feud” and “Blacks who think O.J. is guilty vs. Whites who think he is innocent.” Despite its success and huge ratings, “The Richard Bey Show” was canceled in December 1996 after a nine-year run.

Source: Screen Gems

If you’re into playing games, you might have seen a bit of yourself in the 2001 film, Two Can Play That Game. It was all about the foolish things men and women do in order to keep the upper hand, maintain their sense of power in a relationship. That’s what Shante Smith (Vivica Fox) was doing when she noticed that her man Keith (Morris Chestnut) was “acting up.” You remember the whirlwind journey these two went through; and if you paid attention you might have even picked up on the take away message. You remember it all but we bet you don’t know these behind the scenes secrets. Check them out.

Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

This past summer, Georgia ranked number one in the country for foreclosures.  In May 2012, Georgia had the highest foreclosure rate in the nation with 300 housing units, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Things may have improved slightly, but a high number of foreclosures still continue in the Peach State, and big-name celebrities were not immune. Access Atlanta reports on all the housing problems of the stars.

On top of her other money troubles, Toni Braxton’s Duluth home was foreclosed on November 12. The home, according to TMZ, had been up for sale for $1.1 million. Nas still owed $507,000 on the $584,000, two-bedroom, three-bathroom Georgia home he bought in 2004. Needless to say, he lost it to foreclosure.

He made millions as the heavyweight boxing champion but even Evander Holyfield couldn’t avoid foreclosure on his $14 million dollar Georgia mansion. And, he will be auctioning off his possessions on November 30.

TLC’s Tionne Watkins-Rolison, aka T-Boz, has brushed close to foreclosure not once but twice. In 2009, she almost last her five-bedroom, 10,000-square foot Georgia home. And again last year she was threatened with foreclosure.

Even if they haven’t faced foreclosure, other stars are having major real estate woes. Usher is trying to get rid of his Roswell mansion, reports TMZ. He wants $3.2 million for the 12,544-square-foot home he purchased in March 2007 for $3 million while married to Tameka Raymond.

In another part of Georgia, Academy Award-winning Precious actress Mo’Nique is trying to get out of her $22,000-a-month lease on her Georgia rental. She is complaining the house smells like dog feces. Yuck. Good luck with that Mo´Nique.

But the million-dollar question is why celebs have so many real estate problems. Is it a case of just having too much property to keep track of? Maybe celebs are real estate novices just like the rest of us and need better advice about how to handle their business? Anyone out there with expertise that can shed a little light on this issue?

mirnabear.com

The entertainment industry is clear on one thing: If you’re a woman, you need to be thin and if you’re a man you must be in shape to make a living and be successful.  But these entertainers took matters into their own hands and actually made a living – in part or in full – based on being overweight. Check it out!

Read the rest of this entry »

Source: NY Daily News

Legal battles with landlords never tend to go well, particularly for the tenants, but the fight Mo’Nique, her husband Sidney, and one of their landlord’s, Alice, are involved in is just hitting all below the belt.

Last year, Mo’Nique’s landlord filed a lawsuit against her saying she owed $370,000 in unpaid rent for bailing on the two-year, $20,000/month lease agreement she signed for the Georgia property in March 2011. The couple immediately shot back with a suit of their own, demanding they be let out of their contract because the home smelled of dog feces, wet dog, and urine, plus there was an overflowing septic tank. They also said they had a verbal agreement to be let out of the contract with 60 days notice because of all the problems, and accused the landlord of backtracking. Well now they’re doing a lot more than that.

A new set of documents has been filed in the case, including a string of nasty emails sent between the parties. Sidney said the landlord should be embarrassed by the home she was leasing, and Alice said the couple is just embarrassed that they can’t afford the rent, writing:

“We do understand that your business has been greatly affected by the cancellation of your weekly talk show. However we do not want the publicity and heartache/hardship for either of us.”

That was the last diplomatic approach to the issue because when Sidney said Alice “has a poor man’s mentality,” adding “you talk tough when you are owed but run when you owe,” the landlord said this about the allegations of odor in the home:

“Maybe the illegal substances you use in our home (i.e. WEED) has weakened your sense of smell.”

Don’t think Sidney didn’t have a comeback. He shot down the landlord’s comment immediately with this:

“The only illegal greenery was with the illegal immigrant you brought on our premises to cut down the trees … Maybe the overuse of alcohol has affected you and your husband’s judgment.”

They are out.of.control. According to TMZ, this banter goes on for 136 pages so you can only imagine how much nastier both sides got as time went on. I wonder who’s telling the truth with this one.

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Source: Black Voices

 From Black Voices.com 

While on hiatus from her late night talk show, Mo’Nique is apparently keeping busy at the gym. BET’s “The Monique Show” was halted indefinitely last July, providing the actress with more time to maintain the slimmed-down physique that she discussed with viewers on her show early last year.

“I want to get to 180,” she told audience members during the premier season of her show. “That’s an amazing weight for me. I’m still a thick girl but it’s a healthy weight.”

Find out what this media personality is doing to reach her weight goal at Black Voices.com. 

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One of two things happen when an actor steps outside of him or herself: they either win an Oscar or find it hard to work in Hollywood ever again. Film is a powerful medium and your favorite actors’ on-screen portrayal are exciting, entrenching, and even uncomfortable at times.

Maybe that’s the mark of a good story and stellar portrayal but drama is drama. It’s easy for real emotions to get all wrapped up and influenced by people on screen as if they aren’t fictional characters. You may hate them, love them or simply wish they’d never existed but for the length of the film, make believe personas become flesh and blood thanks to actor portrayals.

The following screen stars dug deep, transforming themselves into characters that couldn’t be further from the truth of who they really are. Case in point:

You smell that girl? This movie stinks!

Halle Berry

More than once, Halle has hit the nail on the head as a crackhead (Jungle Fever, Saving Isaiah) and it’s hard to forget her over-the-top homegirl role in B.A.P.S. No, none of these roles are how anyone would most like to remember Halle Berry.

Comedian Mo’Nique has partnered with the Marylanders for Marriage Equality coalition in a campaign to fight for gay marriage rights in the state.

The coalition launched a web campaign featuring a video clip of the Academy Award-winning actress supporting equal marriage rights in her home state. In the message below she says, “I believe since we’ve all been given free will, let’s use our will to let others be free. Gay and lesbian couples believe in commitment, family, and love.”

Marylanders for Marriage Equality has vowed to continue the campaign until the legislature votes next year on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. What do you think of Monique joining the campaign?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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