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ArtfulSlinger
10/24/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
"Her whole career could change overnight."

I think he means that Mo'Nique could be taken seriously, finally. While I have always been entertained by her, the range of characters she has played has not been as well rounded and utilized her full potential. This film is getting Oscar buzz and that can mean a whole lot to a supporting comedic actress.

I dont think it was an offensive comment, but more like a common sense one. Its stupid to begin pissing people off just when the industry is beginning to want to hire you for bigger and better things. If you are out Diva-ing Mariah Carey, and its pissing off enough people they feel its important to write and comment on it, this does not bode well for you. And I find it absurd for an actor to appear in a smaller budget film and make demands of payment to promote a passion project. #monique
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kookla
10/24/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
Or you could look at it for what it is. Mo'Nique is being selective about where she promotes the movie, so that she doesn't water down the impact of such a powerful role. #monique
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roxythekiller
11/07/09

@kookla: I think that she wants the starlet who plays Precious to get the limelight. And heck, why not? #monique
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JinxyMcDeath
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
I think she's being very rude to her castmates, and she's for sure pissing off the producers (hello, Oprah!). Part of being in a film is promoting it. You MAKE time to do so. Plenty of busy entertainers carve out time in their schedule to make appearances to market their various performances and the fact that she is refusing to do it either because she isn't going to be paid or because she has "scheduling conflicts" (not buying it) is bullshit. I love her and I wish her all the luck - but she's not making any friends with that attitude. #monique
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
It's not that deep. If it were Ben Affleck, or Matt Damon, or Brangie (unless they had Zahara in tow with her hair out *gasp*), we might not be hearing a word about it.

Also, I look at this

"Because just like how Christiane Amanpour's passion lies in covering turmoil in the Middle East, mine lies in chatting with thespians who act in films like Phat Girlz"

and think Mo'Nique might be a bit happier with her beat than the Rohin happens to be with his.

Kind of like when the WaPo Robin snarks on the Supreme Court Justice's confirmation dresses, or the President's Dad jeans. Yanno?
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Edited by Rooo sez BISH PLZ at 10/23/09 4:54 PM Rooo sez BISH PLZ was starred

Scoithniamh
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
Mo'Nique's real name is Monique? What's with the apostrophe?

I think many actors wish they could do what Mo'Nique is doing, and promote their projects more on their terms. I think this particular circumstance depends on two things, though: Mo'Nique has already made her name, and the movie is a smaller movie that has huge buzz. If she wasn't already famous, or if the movie had no buzz (and or had cost a ton of money to make), her reticence to publicize probably wouldn't fly. #monique
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Kali Mama
10/23/09

@Scoithniamh: Mo' to love, I would assume. #monique
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EdnasEdibles
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
I honestly get tired of any star who complains about doing publicity. Matt Damon was just on Daily Show and complained about having to do press junkets like they're the worst torture in the world. Press seems to be a necessary evil of the job. Yeah, it sounds tedious and annoying to answer the same questions over and over again but much of everyone's life is tedious and annoying. You can answer interview questions via e-mail and I'm quite sure that publicists probably answer most of those anyway. The publicist's comment seems sort of assy to me and I work in PR (yeah, health PR but still . . .) I would never say that to a reporter. Today's Blackbook reporter might be working at The New York Times tomorrow. #monique
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conspicuouschick
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
I have to disagree with my fellow commentators. Actors and authors (etc) understand that 'doing the work', whether it's making a film or writing a book, is just the beginning. Marketing, in the guise of public appearances and interviews, are part of the unwritten contract. #monique
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BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) approved this comment conspicuouschick was starred conspicuouschick was unstarred

theartinyourparty
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
1. Ok, gripe -- media people often get the serious runaround from ornery PR people or assistants when all they want to do is give a [film/product/album/band] they feel strongly about some proper coverage. You call or email with a question and you just get some nasty person on the phone like "I don't know who you are; so-and-so isn't interested." Or they just never bother to respond.

2. Rohin Guha is a man. #monique
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sakade
10/23/09

@theartinyourparty: Yes, thanks for pointing that out. One should at least get the gender of the writer correct before jumping all over...HIM. #monique
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CashMoneyHoney
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
Her whole career could change overnight.

I find this statement to be pretty silly and a little pretentious. What is Rohin Guha's ideas on Mo'Nique's career trajectory? Does Mo'Nique have any say in this?

Also, I'm annoyed at Rohin Guha. Mo'Nique's audience is not necessarily the same as, say, BlackBook's. Now that she's in a strong, dramatic, indy she should be in the Indy Box?

Oh, I think Because just like how Christiane Amanpour's passion lies in covering turmoil in the Middle East, mine lies in chatting with thespians who act in films like Phat Girlz. was an unkind jab.
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BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) promoted this comment Edited by CashMoneyHoney at 10/23/09 3:51 PM CashMoneyHoney was starred CashMoneyHoney was unstarred

BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
10/23/09

@CashMoneyHoney: I feel the "her whole career could change overnight" comment is a guess that this role could bump her to leading lady status, even garner her major award nominations. A lot would perceive these as a step up from stand up and talk show hosting. Maybe Mo'Nique doesn't agree - who knows. #monique
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Ms Meghan
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
This situation keeps popping up in my brain, because Mo'Nique has gotten so much praise for her performance, and yet she seems really against doing press for it. #monique
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femme-bot
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
She's asking for what she's worth? Oh, the AUDACITY!
Why do I never see articles complaining about Julia Roberts asking for 20 mil a film? Hmm. #monique
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HannahBethD
10/23/09

@femme-bot: The $100,000 figure is what she's alleging asking for to do movie appearances. Not her pay for doing the film itself. #monique
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morninggloria
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
I get really cranky when I get asked the same question 109238478 times, so maybe something similar is happening with Mo'nique. Probably why I'd make a terrible celebrity.

"What was it like making the movie? What do you fucking think? It was fun and stuff. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking a nap now." #monique
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ThaLza
10/23/09

In reply to Mo'Nique Might Be A Diva Or She Might Just Be Overworked
LaToya, thank you so much for posting on this. I really feel like a lot of media outlets are trying to villainize Mo'Nique by creating something out of nothing. Lots of actors are too busy to promote their films but my guess is that because she's an actress of color the story is being manipulated to make her out to be a "diva".

Also Mo'Nique has commented by saying that she "can't eat an oscar" which I think addresses the "time is money" issue at hand. The record for actresses of color having their careers take off after winning an Oscar isn't a very good one. Halle Berry has been offered (and played) some really terrible characters since her win and Rita Moreno (winner for "West Side Story") has said in interviews that she was only offered stereotypical roles after her win. I think Mo'Nique is trying to fight getting caught in the hype that certain accolades bring as is trying to avoid being the "It" person of the moment to actually maintain a long lasting career.

This woman has been around for a while. A little gold man won't make or break her. #monique
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Plum-Pie
10/23/09

@ThaLza: "This woman has been around for a while. A little gold man won't make or break her"

I went to a live interview with a certain very successful film actor yesterday and he said that when he finally managed to work in a film which did well, he flew from NY to LA to attend an awards ceremony for less than 5 minutes. He smiled when the camera panned on to him when the film's name was read out and then left to fly straight back to NY when the film didn't win.

Mo'nique knows the best use of her time and everyone else should stop peddling tired stereotypes. (Wishful thinking!) #monique
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Keith Kisser
04/06/09

In reply to PJ Harvey Not Actually Crazy Wailing Banshee
This is a pretty typical attitude most creative types get at some point. It's the same thing as writers being asked if they have any of the eccentric or villainous personality traits of their characters ("That Stephen King guy must be creepy!"). Mostly it's because the people asking the stupid questions are unimaginative and simply don't understand that the creative impulse is based on what-if scenarios and make believe, rather than simply documenting the running monologue in our heads, which these fools obviously do and pass it off as journalism.
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aspiringexpatriate
04/07/09

@Keith Kisser: Uh, I kinda think that once you start writing it, it becomes part of your inner monologue, which is why it gets so fucked up in there. Actors might suffer it worse than any other creative, as they solely dedicate themselves to one alternate personality for an extended period of time.
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The Queen of No
04/06/09

In reply to PJ Harvey Not Actually Crazy Wailing Banshee
She's one of the few artists that puts out albums that I love consistently. SHE is so consistent, yet none of her albums sound even remotely similar. It's almost like she becomes inhabited by a different Goddess for each album. I am endlessly fascinated by her and I can't get enough.

I guess it goes without saying that her new album collaboration with John Parish is so. fucking. good.
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