Oscar-winning actress and comedienne Mo’Nique will drop a new comedy special on Showtime this Friday, and she’s dishing about her comedic pals that she’s bringing along for the ride.
“It was exciting to introduce some new babies into the game and some legends that have been in the game,” she said in a new interview with ajc.com. “It felt like I was in a juke joint with some friends, had a drink and just went up on stage.”
The special, simply called “Mo’Nique & Friends: Live from Atlanta,” is more of a showcase rather than a solo show.
“Showtime had a conversation with my husband to do a ‘Monique and Friends.’ The deal made sense. That’s how it works. It was to the point and provided me real ownership of my image I’ve been building,” Mo explained.
“My husband said to me a few years back, ‘Momma, there are really funny people, then there are greats.’ The greats bring you into their lives. They don’t make up nothing. Let’s have a real conversation,” she added.
When asked about the status of her lawsuit against Netflix, Mo replied, “What I will say is we’re going to see how it plays out.”
Check out more excerpts from the conversation below.
“Do you feel there is any reconciliation with Lee Daniels, Oprah or Tyler Perry?” [She has also feuded with Whoopi Goldberg and Steve Harvey.]
Mo’Nique: “Of course. Do you know how powerful it is to say I’m sorry… If those three people ever get courageous enough to say we owe this woman and her husband [Sidney Hicks} an apology. Of course, I still love these people.. I don’t hate these people. They’re still brothers and sisters. It would have to be a public apology, not just private.
“Why does it have to be public?”
Mo’Nique: “Because it’s not the same if you tell me I’ve done nothing wrong privately but won’t say it publicly. I have an audiotape of Tyler Perry saying, ‘You’ve done nothing wrong.’ But he hasn’t said it publicly. Oprah privately told me I did nothing wrong. They have to do this publicly so the public can see just how the powerful operate.”
“But aren’t you powerful in your own right?”
Mo’Nique: “My power is different. I’m powerful spiritually for me and my family. I want to be powerful so I’m strong and can be heard for my children’s children. To say powerful so I can push a button and shut you down. I don’t want that power.”
“What would you do if you had your own studio or your own network? Could you ever take someone down like that?”
Mo’Nique: “Given you’d have to ask me that question says you’re not paying attention to me. What happens is journalists become fearful and throw softballs. You don’t need to do that if you listen to me. It’s not even in me to do that. If you are coming to a Mo’Nique show and really watching the show, you would have gotten that. The show is nothing but love and uplift.”
“Do you feel if you were a man, your level of outspokenness would have been more tolerated or even embraced?”
Mo’Nique: “Oh, honey, of course. Man. Why would you even ask that question? I’m not playing with you.”
“So that was a horrible last question?”
Mo’Nique: “Yes. A horrible question!”
Don’t miss “Mo’Nique and Friends” when it airs Friday, February 7 at 10 p.m. on Showtime.
