Black-Ball Beef: Lee Daniels & Mo’Nique Exchange Words Over Reverse Racism [VIDEO]

going to respond well if you don’t.” This is not just ‘show.’ It’s ‘show business’. And you’ve gotta play ball, and you can’t scream—I don’t like calling the race card. I don’t believe in it. If I buy into it, it becomes real. If I knew what I knew when I was 21, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now.

See Daniels’ segment. [His remarks about Mo’Nique start at the 2:05 mark.]

Today, Mo’Nique appeared on CNN, reacting to Daniels’ comments. She specifically said that when she denied an appearance to promote ‘Precious’ at the Cannes Film Festival, she became begged as ‘difficult’.

THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM THE MOVIE STUDIO, AND THEY CALLED AND REQUESTED THAT I FLY TO FRANCE FOR THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, AND I SAID THAT I RESPECTFULLY DECLINE, BECAUSE I WAS DOING THE MONIQUE COMEDY SHOW, AND DOING A TOUR SHOW, AND IN THE AWARD SEASON OF THE AWARDS AND I’M ALSO A WIFE AND I’M A MOMMY, AND SO WHEN THEY CALLED, I HAD A COUPLE OF DAYS DOWN TIME AND I WANTED TO SPEND IT WITH MY HUSBAND AND MY KIDS,AND SO WHEN I SAID THAT WE RESPECTFULLY DECLINED THE MOVIE STUDIO CALLED BACK AND AGAIN THEY SAID OKAY, WE WILL UPGRADE THE HOTEL ROOM, AND MY HUSBAND SAID, WE WILL DECLINE AND SHE IS GOING TO TAKE THE TIME WITH THE FAMILY — AND WHEN THE THIRD CALL CAME THEY SAID, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET MONIQUE TO THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, AND MY HUSBAND SAID, IS THERE A NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH IT? AND THEY SAID, OH WE WOULD NEVER PAY ANY PROMOTIONS FOR A MOVIE. AND WE SAID WE UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE WHAT PEOPLE DIDN’T KNOW IS, I WAS PAID $50,000 TO DO THE MOVIE “PRECIOUS,” AND REALLY WASN’T ABOUT THE MONEY, BECAUSE I SIGNED UP TO DO IT WITH MY FRIEND.

See Mo’Nique’s full segment.

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