It’s never good when the family feuds
DL vs Mo’ Nique (correct spelling)
Over Memorial Day weekend social media was set fire with reports of a tirade of everyone’s “favorite” flame throwing auntie comedienne Monique. In Detroit at the Fox Theater a show was being promoted with DL Hughley and Mo’ Nique on the marquee.
To have a King and Queen of comedy share a stage should have been an amazing moment for black comedy.
Instead it devolved into an ugly back and forth over clout and status. What allegedly happened was there was a dispute, at least from Monique’s perspective about who was supposed to be the headliner of the show.
Online the Academy Award Winner Monique produced documents or receipts which read that she was supposed to be the headliner and close the show. There was also a show schedule that indicated she was supposed to close the show.
DL Hughley also produced a document (A contract memo) which also said very clearly that he was to have control over the show’s lineup, be paid the most and be the closing act.
There was of course were thousands of people online taking sides as to whose document was more valid. Who had a point? Did Monique have a legit beef? Was there a better way to handle it? Who was right who was wrong? I honestly fell into it myself as I posted some of the receipts as well and found myself taking sides.
For conversation sake let us just say that Monique had a legitimate beef and that her contract did read that she was supposed to be the headliner. Was this the way to handle it? Was her beef with DL Hughley? Was it with her management? Was it with the promoter of the show?
The venue? Could this issue have been handled backstage with a conversation and negotiation? According to Hughley on his radio show Monique never approached him with the issue or asked him to step in and resolve it.
DL says he never actually saw Monique or spoke to her all night. So, they had to close the show after the Comedienne called DL everything but a child of god.
This is course is not Mo’ Nique’s first brush with big name black entertainers where things got hairy. During the promotion of “Precious”, Monique refused to go on the media tour despite the best efforts of Tyler Perry and Oprah to try to get her to play ball with the Industry types.
There have been issues with Lee Daniels, Netflix, Charlamagne the God from the Breakfast club, Steve Harvey and on and on.
Hughley discussed that he was hesitant on working with her because of her past dealings with others in Hollywood, but thought she had grown and put those issues behind her.
So he took a chance and signed on to the gig in Detroit. A decision he now regrets.
I think sticking up for yourself is important. I believe that pushing back against Hollywood is sometimes necessary. Mo’ Nique saw Amy Schumer go to Netflix and ask for more money, and thought well why can’t I do that, I’m an Academy Award winning actress and a Queen of Comedy.
But years after the botched Precious tour, years after the Netflix standoff she continues to air her grievances publicly. Auntie Mo’ Nique it is time to let the past go, it is time to heal and to let your talent shine and put you back on center stage. The sooner our sister takes that chip off of shoulder, the sooner she can change the narrative.