[Audio] Columbus Short On Domestic Violence Allegations: ‘Don’t Believe Everything That You Read’

Roland Martin:  

All right, folks, it’s finally here.  The season finale of “Scandal” is on tonight. And the question on everybody’s mind, will Eli Pope played by Joe Morton, survive?  And so, I know many of you are fans, of course, I am as well. Joining me now is one of the stars of the show, Columbus Short.  He plays Harrison Wright on “Scandal.”  Thank you for joining us.

Columbus Short:  

How you guys doing?

Roland Martin:      

Doing great, Columbus. Before we talk about “Scandal,” music stuff, I have to ask you.  Saw a report yesterday about, you know, issues when it comes to your estranged wife filing for divorce, said that you threatened her to kill her and commit suicide. Sounds like a real-life Olivia Pope.

Columbus Short:  

Does.

RM:   

Your thoughts on that? Say that again?

CS:   

We have some amazing scriptwriters.  It’s — life — life has the best scriptwriters of all time. That’s all I can say about that.  But I’m still here. I’m standing. I’m talk. Let’s go.

RM:  

I know that your publicist sent out a statement as well.  So, we have that, again, certainly had to ask you that. We will see —

CS:  

I don’t mean to laugh, but it just — it just sounded — real outlandish and it sounds even more outlandish coming out of your mouth.

RM:   

Okay, alright. Well, Columbus, we addressed that let me ask you this question. You, of course, in terms of the show, you have some drama on the show yourself, besides Joe Morton, of course, his character being stabbed.

CS: 

You like this sweatshirt?

RM:  

Is that — B- 613.

CS:   

Got it.

RM:   

Oh.

CS:    

Okay.

RM:  

So what — you got selling those on the website?

CS:  

We slinging these B- 613 sweatshirts out here.  Get them for $5.99, look out for Columbus Short, his trunk.  No, this is only the — only the show cast people have these.  Yeah man, it’s going down tonight, it is going to be a lot of things that you had no idea.  You couldn’t even possibly fathom happening tonight.

RM: 

Well, of course, last time we saw, you were laid out as well.  You messing with strange women.

CS: 

Hey, man, see what happens, man?  Shonda is right in my life.  Shonda is this writer.  I don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow.

RM: 

Now, I had to ask you, I had to ask you, Judy Smith, of course, the show is based on her life and at the beginning of the year, the show came on, at the end of the event, she was speaking, they had time for questions, Roland, I know got a question. I said, will Harrison finally get some this year? I think you were the last character to have sex on “Scandal.”

CS:  

I don’t know what it is, what it was, man, like, dang, you know, no offense to anybody out there that’s doing anything, but they can’t surprise me, all of a sudden, Harrison with a dude, like they do that on the show.  I be like, I don’t know, Jeff Perry to be able to say, oh, that’s cool.  So I was nervous, like don’t try it but you know, you know she finally gets me some and the girl hits me in the back of the neck with a thing, man.

RM:

I know.

CS:  

Like, damn.  Harrison can’t get just no regular, man, good girl, just come home, having some broccoli ready to go, after a hard day trying to bust cases open, chasing you B-613 . I got to get a killer? Man.

RM:   

Even Hutton got some before you did.  Now on “Scandal,” you have a new album coming out?

CS: 

Well, we are working on the album now the single is out on radio right now. Yeah, man. It’s called “Gave.” Finally gone, full-fledged. This album done.  Music is going to be great. Gonna be great.

RM:

Everybody forgets when you were in Cadillac Records, you actually sang on that soundtrack.

CS:    

I did.

RM:  

And, yeah I got it on my iPod. Pretty good.

CS:

Oh, thank you. Man. I hope you have a lot more real music of mine coming soon on your iPad as well.

RM:   

No sneak peeks tonight, all you gonna say it’s gonna be crazy, buckle up?

CS:

Gonna be crazy, buckle up. It’s going to be — more than a cliffhanger, like the Grand Canyon hangers, a bunch of Cliff.  Gonna leave people on the edge of their seats, not know what you come back to next season. But it’s phenomenal. Pope’s right in the mix.

RM: 

I tell you what, we had Joe Morton on the show and I think he has brought a whole different dimension to “Scandal” and every week, I look forward to his long monologue.  It’s like —

CS:  

Amen.

RM:  

Every week, he’s a monologue.

CS: 

You are a boy. You are a boy. And no I mean, he is — he is one of the — when you talk about the archetypes, phenomenal work, look at what Jeff Perry and Joe Morton do on the show, they are like clinic and Kate Burton, these are these tuned, refined actors, we get to be around and soak up. Just phenomenal work, period.

RM:   

Again, the single is “Gave.” Out right now, Columbus Short, we appreciate it. Thanks a bump.  And a lot of people, they thought, they said, well, stories come out, they say, well, he may not be on the show.   I’m glad you came on the show.

CS: 

Roland, you’re a friend.  You’re a friend. And a brother I respect highly. And, you know, I would always want to check in with friends and family and let them know, you know what I mean? Don’t believe everything you read.

RM:

I appreciate it, sir.  I will be live tweeting tonight.  I will see you on twitter.

CS:

All right, see you later.

As previously reported, Columbus’ wife, Tuere Tanee, has filed for divorce and requested a restraining order.

She alleges that on April 7 he held a knife to her throat and threatened murder-suicide. Purportedly intoxicated, he poured wine on her before pinning her to a couch, questioning her about affairs while wielding a knife. She ultimately got in her car and drove away, but one of her tires was slashed. The restraining order required him to move out of the house they share in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth. Tuere is also seeking sole physical and legal custody of their 2-year-old daughter, Ayala.

[E! News, TMZ, Huffington Post]