Mo’Nique continues to court controversy by defending former sitcom star Roseanne Barr, who she considers her “sister in comedy.”
The 51-year-old comedian turned Oscar-winning actress headed to the Chicago area to do several standup shows. While in town, Mo spoke with the Chicago Tribune, where she not only talked about wanting to try her hand at another talk show but also spoke about why she’s not canceling the former ABC star who caught heat this year for her racist remarks and unapologetic support for Donald Trump.
Here is an excerpt of the conversation:
“That’s why, when people turned on my sister Roseanne Barr, I couldn’t do it. Because there were black entertainers who would not come on The Mo’Nique Show because it was quote-unquote “too black.” But when I called on my sista, she said (imitating Barr): “Where is it and what time you need me to come?”
And when she showed up, when the cameras weren’t rolling, she said to me: “Listen, you’re the real deal. Don’t let them use you up and take advantage of you, because they will. Don’t you let them do that to you.”
Now, a racist woman ain’t gonna say that to me.”
The journalist also mentioned Barr’s racist tweets, to which Mo’Nique says she didn’t overthink it. She believes the now-shunned comedian was only trying to be funny. “And I know her. And what she thought was funny, as a comedian, that’s what it was,” Mo’Nique said. “Has she ever said, ‘Kill black people’?” the former Parkers star added.
Mo’Nique also says that Roseanne does work “behind the scenes” for black people. “She was behind the scenes fighting for the black (concert) promoters. Nobody knows that,” she said. “She’s behind the scenes trying to push a documentary about Malcolm X with a brother who’s a Muslim.”
The former Precious star did catch a lot of flack for defending Roseanne from the public, including from fellow black comedian Amanda Seales, who spoke with Complex about why she is wrong for standing up for Barr.
“As a black woman, as a comedian,” Seales began during an episode of Open Late With Peter Rosenberg, “I think it is incredibly problematic for her to be using her platform in such a reckless way, and it makes me say, ‘Well, we can’t really listen to nothing you say.’ Five minutes ago, you were trying to say we should boycott Netflix, now you’re telling us that she’s okay? It’s nonsensical, you’re Kanye-ing right now.”
Readers, what do you make of this situation?
READ MORE: Mo’Nique Stands By Her “Sister In Comedy” Roseanne Barr