B. Smith’s Husband Says If Girlfriend Wasn’t White, Relationship Wouldn’t Be An Issue

B. Smith’s Husband Says If Girlfriend Wasn’t White, Relationship Wouldn’t Be An Issue

In the week since it was revealed to the world, the controversial relationship between former model and restauranteur B. Smith’s husband Dan Gasby and his live-in girlfriend Alex Lerner, has sent shockwaves throughout social media and ignited a fierce backlash. Now, the couple is aiming once again to tell their side of the story, this time via a new interview on the TODAY show.

As B. Smith continues to suffer with the debilitating disease Alzheimer’s, her husband and primary caretaker, Dan Gasby and his girlfriend Alex Lerner, live in the house with Smith and reportedly take care of her daily needs together. When Gasby decided to reveal to the world the unconventional and controversial situation, the couple was met with backlash that put them on the defense.

To clear things up, Gasby and Lerner sat down with Al Roker in a new interview on the most recent episode of the TODAY show. Gasby firmly believes that all of the negative attention he and Lerner have received is simply because she is white, and critics don’t like interracial couples.

Gasby stated:

“The 800-pound gorilla in this situation is she’s white. I’m not supposed to be conscripted to somebody because of their race.”

When asked why he felt to need to go public with the relationship when he could’ve just kept things private, Gasby had this to say:

“Because that’s what Barbara [B. Smith] asked me to do, to talk about it. It spun out of control to ‘I’m having an affair. This woman, because of who she is, is taking B’s money. We’re abusing B. B wouldn’t want this.’ These people have never even talked to B.”

"It spun out of control to 'I'm having an affair. This woman, because of who she is, is taking B's money. We're abusing B. B wouldn't want this.' These people have never even talked to B."

Dan Gasby speaks to @alroker about having a girlfriend while caring for wife B. Smith. pic.twitter.com/zX3Uf1Tc8X

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 6, 2019

Gasby continued, describing how he and Lerner initially began dating:

“Taking care of someone like B, even having someone who is taking care of her periodically…the weight of every minute of the day is a blanket on you. And (Lerner) was funny. The most important thing, she was kind. And we became friends, and that friendship got closer and closer.”

Lerner also chimed in during the interview, describing what it’s like for Gasby to care for B. Smith as she suffers from Alzheimer’s:

“But after a while, I understood, or it seemed to me, as if I had met a man who has a child. In a sense that B. is now very child-like. And his responsibilities are almost those of a single father. Like, really being there 24/7. Taking care of every and all of her needs.”

Lerner described her current relationship with Smith, even though she is her husband’s girlfriend:

“We find ways to laugh together and find joy in taking walks or doing things together. I would almost say that it’s like sisters. It’s a very sweet feeling.”

What do you want people to know out of all of this?

"I want people to know we are in a very caring, loving relationship with B," says Dan Gasby's girlfriend on her relationship with Dan through B.Smith's battle with Alzheimer's. pic.twitter.com/VqhjqjjMBb

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 6, 2019

As for what’s currently on the agenda for the couple, they revealed they want to continue their podcast “Thank You Dan and Alex,” which is geared towards educating others about Alzheimer’s and continue to care for Smith at their shared home in East Hampton, New York.

What do you think about Dan Gasby and Alex Lerner’s interview? Do you think the backlash was solely about race? Let us know in the comments.