Ashlee Simpson seeks Diana Ross' help to reignite career

[soulster]

When was Mary Wilson's last hit?

Don't start.

[marybrewster]

I highly doubt this story. It makes it sound that Ashlee married Evan just for Diana's contacts. With no offense, Diana hasn't had a record since "I Love You." She should have married Chaz Bono.

Ashlee needs to take a lesson from her sister; if there is anyone that has reinvented themselves, it's Jessica.

[soulster]

I highly doubt this story. It makes it sound that Ashlee married Evan just for Diana's contacts. With no offense, Diana hasn't had a record since "I Love You." She should have married Chaz Bono.

Ashlee needs to take a lesson from her sister; if there is anyone that has reinvented themselves, it's Jessica.

Look at Britney Spears: she had a meltdown, shaved her head, got her kid taken away from her, and had a very public breakup. But, she climbed back to the top of the charts .

[vgalindo]

Someone remind me again which Hitsville era acts are still having pop hits while poor Diana isn't?

It's 2014 and its a 70 year old artist folks are expecting to whip out hit singles while they don't call out the rest of the Motown roster for failing to do the same is absurd.

I think a case of an innocent fantasy becoming a fixed delusion has occured here....

Glenpwwod. I agree 100% I couldn't have said it better.

[Lulu]

I highly doubt this story. It makes it sound that Ashlee married Evan just for Diana's contacts. With no offense, Diana hasn't had a record since "I Love You." She should have married Chaz Bono.

Ashlee needs to take a lesson from her sister; if there is anyone that has reinvented themselves, it's Jessica.

It's true about Chaz Bono. At least Ashlee could win over the gay dudes. I never got the whole Cher thing, still don't but more power to her and her fans!

[Lulu]

Glenpwwod. I agree 100% I couldn't have said it better.

Well, it's Diana Ross after all. Heaven knows if you start naming names of other gals from the Motown roster and their lack of any substantial chart movement in the last FORTY plus years, the comparisons become irrelevant. Heck, even the divine Gladys Knight's "Missing You" in 1996 was a group effort with Brandy, Tamia, and Chaka Khan. Methinks, as jillfoster said regarding Westlife and the "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" remake, Gladys and Chaka wouldn't have made a dent as a duo. The younger girls clearly took that song to the charts. Prior to that, Gladys's last Hot 100 hit was "Love Overboard" in 1987, one year after "Chain Reaction". Then again, who's counting? Right, guys?

[stephanie]

The cold reality is that Ross is only huge within her fan base. She's got to parlay that back into the mainstream. She also has to repair her image after reports of "diva" behavior. Sorry, but it's a hard fact that her image, at least in the U.S., is damaged. We are living in the internet era.>>>>>>

Soulster I normally agree with most of the things you post. Ross can sell out when it comes to live performances at MOST of the venues where she chooses to perform. Personally I dont think that the DIVA thing has destroyed her image and its not the Mary Wilson thing either. Most of her problems have come from the alcohol thing and RTL. I personally think the moniker of Call Her Miss Ross and the Randy book did more to tarnish her image than anything. With that being said I believe it is all water under the bridge now and she doesnt need any image repairing. When she was a mentor on American Idol that was a chance to do something but her voice and performance was not up to par. Again time has passed and I dont think that there is anything she needs to do to change her image at this point. The fact she is STILL out there performing and getting good reviews speaks for itself. By the way I am a fan of Diana's but not a rabid one. I am more of a rabid Johnny Rivers and Supremes fan.

[Lulu]

The cold reality is that Ross is only huge within her fan base. She's got to parlay that back into the mainstream. She also has to repair her image after reports of "diva" behavior. Sorry, but it's a hard fact that her image, at least in the U.S., is damaged. We are living in the internet era.>>>>>>

Soulster I normally agree with most of the things you post. Ross can sell out when it comes to live performances at MOST of the venues where she chooses to perform. Personally I dont think that the DIVA thing has destroyed her image and its not the Mary Wilson thing either. Most of her problems have come from the alcohol thing and RTL. I personally think the moniker of Call Her Miss Ross and the Randy book did more to tarnish her image than anything. With that being said I believe it is all water under the bridge now and she doesnt need any image repairing. When she was a mentor on American Idol that was a chance to do something but her voice and performance was not up to par. Again time has passed and I dont think that there is anything she needs to do to change her image at this point. The fact she is STILL out there performing and getting good reviews speaks for itself. By the way I am a fan of Diana's but not a rabid one. I am more of a rabid Johnny Rivers and Supremes fan.

I think things have softened in the last few years as well. The Kennedy Center Honor was a huge deal. I'll be interested to see if Gladys, Dionne, Patti, Cher, or Bette join the ranks. Aretha and Barbra are really the only other divas of that generation to receive the award.

In Dreamgirls, Beyonce's Deena was a fairly sympathetic character and Diana is portrayed the same way in Motown.

I would say most see her as a doting mother and grandmother these days. Appearing on the last season of Oprah's show with the family earned her some points - even her harshest critics among my group of friends caved!

Anywhoo, she may put another album out which will sell well for a while but the "hit" single market for those ladies is simply non-existent.

[reese]

I think things have softened in the last few years as well. The Kennedy Center Honor was a huge deal. I'll be interested to see if Gladys, Dionne, Patti, Cher, or Bette join the ranks. Aretha and Barbra are really the only other divas of that generation to receive the award.

Don't forget Tina. :-)

[soulster]

Personally I dont think that the DIVA thing has destroyed her image and its not the Mary Wilson thing either. Most of her problems have come from the alcohol thing and RTL. I personally think the moniker of Call Her Miss Ross and the Randy book did more to tarnish her image than anything. With that being said I believe it is all water under the bridge now and she doesnt need any image repairing.

I'm not familiar with those two books, or anything in them. I'm saying that as far as the the mainstream audience is concerned, there is still water on that bridge and hasn't subsided. They remember things all the way back to the days of The Supremes. Her fanbase has moved on, but the rest of the public hasn't. If she wants back on the mainstream pop and R&B charts, she has to repair her image. I don't know how she'll do that, but that has to be taken care of.

It's good that her alcoholism is behind her. So, what she needs to do is talk about it, and all that other stuff. Get it all out there, including the thing with Berry Gordy. Once it's all out there, the gossip and rumors, and any lies, will be gone.

Ashlee's task is much easier. She's young and doesn't have 50 years of history behind her. She doesn't have anything to live up to, either. She's fresh meat. She's still being ridiculed for that SNL debacle, but all she really has to do is get a good album out there with heavy promotion, and she could do it.

I'm talking from the perspective of a non-gay, casual fan who does not worship the floor she walks on. We are not hardcore fans, like the ones on this forum.

[Lulu]

Don't forget Tina. :-)

AND Tina! But of course!

[Lulu]

I'm not familiar with those two books, or anything in them. I'm saying that the mainstream audience is concerned, there is still water on that bridge and hasn't subsided. They remember things all the way back to the days of The Supremes. Her fanbase has moved on, but the rest of the public hasn't. If she wants back on the mainstream pop and R&B charts, she has to repair her image. I don't know how she'll do that, but that has to be taken care of.

It's good that her alcoholism is behind her. So, what she needs to do is talk about it, and all that other stuff. Get it all out there, including the thing with Berry Gordy. Once it's all out there, the gossip and rumors, and any lies, will be gone.

Ashlee's task is much easier. She's young and doesn't have 50 years of history behind her. She doesn't have anything to live up to, either. She's fresh meat. She's still being ridiculed for that SNL debacle, but all she really has to do is get a good album out there with heavy promotion, and she could do it.

I'm talking from the perspective of a non-gay, casual fan who does not worship the floor she walks on. We are not hardcore fans, like the ones on this forum.

Hmm...don't really know of any "lingering" issues the public may have with Ross. Folks my parents age and older can barely remember the other girls' names. My mother still calls Mary Wilson "Mary Wells" and then I put "Two Lovers" on and she reminisces about her "cha cha" days at the sock hops. Like I said, Dreamgirls and Motown portray her in a positive light. The thing with Berry Gordy was addressed in Motown and she's talked of Rhonda's parentage on a few occasions. As for their "relationship", it began in 1965 after the group had their first run of #1 hits and Ross had already been dubbed lead singer. I'm not sure what else she could say at this point or needs to. Remember, she's a very private person like Streisand. Frankly, Streisand, LaBelle, and Franklin all have been reported to be difficult so I'm not sure why any speculative public dismay towards her should be viewed any differently. Motown and R&B fans are certainly more likely to rake her over the coals because of the whole..."why did she get to be such a star when they were women with better voices out there?" argument that we've heard a million times.

[Jaap]

Back in 2004, when Diana Ross appeared on the View, she was asked about the Ashlee Simpson lip-synch controversy... she replied "I don't know what that is!" -- around 4.20 into the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ma3MC2wmJw
Bet she could not have guessed that would become her daughter in law!

[Lulu]

I mean....

http://www.marthastewart.com/998569/...d-cards#998569

[soulster]

Hmm...don't really know of any "lingering" issues the public may have with Ross.

Like being arrested for drunk driving in Tucson...like how she showed up at Florence Ballard's funeral late, and in a limo...how she made an ass out of herself at the Motown 25th year TV special...those aren't just things the DR haters remember, that's what the general public remembers.

[Roberta75]

Like being arrested for drunk driving in Tucson...like how she showed up at Florence Ballard's funeral late, and in a limo...how she made an ass out of herself at the Motown 25th year TV special...those aren't just things the DR haters remember, that's what the general public remembers.

For a casual non Gay fan you sure spend a lot of time discussing Diane Ross.

[Lulu]

Like being arrested for drunk driving in Tucson...like how she showed up at Florence Ballard's funeral late, and in a limo...how she made an ass out of herself at the Motown 25th year TV special...those aren't just things the DR haters remember, that's what the general public remembers.

Do they really? I don't think the public even knows who Florence Ballard is at this point or remembers Motown 25. I'm not defending her. In fact, I can be pretty constructively critical when it comes to her image and MANY of her recordings [[don't get me started on The Wiz either). Those things you mention were certainly low points and if I may, the black community probably holds onto those things longer than the public at large. I just know that in the last ten years that I've been seeing her on the road in concerts, the reception among friends and colleagues, none of whom are fans, is mostly warm. Looking at the reviews for the last ten years of touring along with comments I've gotten, it's typically the folks remembering all the hits and the glamorous image/gowns. I can't think of the last time someone mentioned any of the incidents above save for the Pantages in 2004, arguably her greatest solo performance where many said she rose above the hard times including the Tuscon situation which happened in 2002. Her back catalog, particularly The #1s, The Ultimate Collection [[The Supremes) and All The Great Hits usually sells better when she's on tour.

[Lulu]

For a casual non Gay fan you sure spend a lot of time discussing Diane Ross.

LOL. He's not the one I worry about, dear...

[soulster]

LOL. He's not the one I worry about, dear...

I really don't spend much time discussing her. But, that's almost all this forum cares to talk about.

[Lulu]

I really don't spend much time discussing her. But, that's almost all this forum cares to talk about.

If it's that troublesome to you, why weigh in? Surely Shorty Long and Marv Johnson could use a few more threads here.

Globally, she and Michael Jackson are arguably the biggest names to come out of Motown. Sadly, Michael is no longer with us so that relegates the discussion to Ross who is still touring.

If you can find any recent notes about Ross that reference the reputation deterrents you mentioned, I'd be curious to see them. I see mostly, if not all, positive reviews from her concerts and really nothing negative. That may help us understand your theory that she is widely unpopular.

[jobeterob]

Like being arrested for drunk driving in Tucson...like how she showed up at Florence Ballard's funeral late, and in a limo...how she made an ass out of herself at the Motown 25th year TV special...those aren't just things the DR haters remember, that's what the general public remembers.

You need to go buying the Motown 25 DVD and read the huge booklet that goes with it and you will see the Motown is about the Family and the Love ~ you will see Marvin and Diana together during the day; you will see how they all rushed for Berry, like they all still do.

Only a few fans that have terrible obsessions wallow in their own unhappiness and drag Motown, the Supremes, Diana Ross, and Soulful Detroit into it.

You are a better fan than that and should not become part of it.

That was not Motown, yesterday, today or forever.

[soulster]

If it's that troublesome to you, why weigh in? Surely Shorty Long and Marv Johnson could use a few more threads here.

Because I still happen to like the music.

[Lulu]

Because I still happen to like the music.

And the rest of us are here for what, exactly? Whether or not Diana wore her fanny pack to Ralph's last week?

BTW, here's Florence's family with Mary Wilson at the Motown: The Musical opening in Detroit last week. The funeral scenario you described really seems to have deterred them from setting foot in theatre where the Berry/Diana love fest plays out on stage...

[soulster]

And the rest of us are here for what, exactly?

From the looks of it, it usually ain't about music.

[milven]

From the looks of it, it usually ain't about music.

And this statement about a Motown star is about the music?

Like being arrested for drunk driving in Tucson...like how she showed up at Florence Ballard's funeral late, and in a limo...how she made an ass out of herself at the Motown 25th year TV special...those aren't just things the DR haters remember, that's what the general public remembers.

[soulster]

And this statement about a Motown star is about the music?

That was in a reply to what people remember about her. Nice try, though.