THE SUPREMES | Breaking The Band - The Entire Program!

[marv2]

Here's the show in it's entirety. Watch while it is available.....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NSzQJUo71Y

[marv2]

Boy, this program really did a number on Diana Ross' reputation. I guess this will all be new to the younger generation and help dispel what was presented in the film "Dreamgirls".

[Roberta75]

Boy, this program really did a number on Diana Ross' reputation. I guess this will all be new to the younger generation and help dispel what was presented in the film "Dreamgirls".

Yeah all 50 young people who watched it. You are obsessed with this lady.

[khansperac]

I can’t believe Mary appeared on this program. This is tabloid TV. These shows I stop and watch when there is nothing else to watch, and it’s about an act I have interest in. It’s like waiting in the checkout line and you pick up a copy of the Enquirer to read as you wait your turn. A legend like Mary should never agree to appear on a show like this. Does she ever turn anything down?

[marybrewster]

I can’t believe Mary appeared on this program. This is tabloid TV. These shows I stop and watch when there is nothing else to watch, and it’s about an act I have interest in. It’s like waiting in the checkout line and you pick up a copy of the Enquirer to read as you wait your turn. A legend like Mary should never agree to appear on a show like this. Does she ever turn anything down?


I caught a bit of it last night and it was tough to swallow. The cheesy reinactments were just too over the top for me.

I can't say for certain, but I'd like to believe if Mary knew the final outcome of this program, she would have never agreed. What Mary added, from what I saw, was nothing new or nothing she's never said before.

I'd also like to believe that Flo would have some regret over the things she said on those tapes. I know Mary gets chastised for "Dreamgirl", but there were a few things that Flo said that made DG look like a Little Golden Book.

[midnightman]

This is why people avoid Reelz. That's all I'll say about that...

[marv2]

I caught a bit of it last night and it was tough to swallow. The cheesy reinactments were just too over the top for me.

I can't say for certain, but I'd like to believe if Mary knew the final outcome of this program, she would have never agreed. What Mary added, from what I saw, was nothing new or nothing she's never said before.

I'd also like to believe that Flo would have some regret over the things she said on those tapes. I know Mary gets chastised for "Dreamgirl", but there were a few things that Flo said that made DG look like a Little Golden Book.

Why didn't Diana Ross and Berry Gordy participate in the program? I am sure they were asked.

[marv2]

I caught a bit of it last night and it was tough to swallow. The cheesy reinactments were just too over the top for me.

I can't say for certain, but I'd like to believe if Mary knew the final outcome of this program, she would have never agreed. What Mary added, from what I saw, was nothing new or nothing she's never said before.

I'd also like to believe that Flo would have some regret over the things she said on those tapes. I know Mary gets chastised for "Dreamgirl", but there were a few things that Flo said that made DG look like a Little Golden Book.

Some of the things Florence said were just a teeny weeny little bit of what really went on and how she was really treated. Mary has said and I agree that many of you could not take it if she told everything in her books. What you think you know or heard is not nearly all of it!

[TheMotownManiac]

Why didn't Diana Ross and Berry Gordy participate in the program? I am sure they were asked.
Because not everyone is as desperate to appear on TV as Mary - nor need the money to lower themselves to the base level of this trash TV. Honestly, it was so ill conceived that the moronic autopsiast kept saying Flo was 5’11” - the dude can’t even read a death certificate. Every episode us the same shit “When people eat Oreo cookies, the combination of sugar and wheat and buy products and chemicals can cause heart conditions in some people which could lead to death…… I checked carefully Flo’s Oreo cookie ratio to blood platelets and found it to be normal so I rule out Oreo cookies as a cause of Florence’s death. “ Every episode has about 12 of those in it: red herrings that lead nowhere to turn out to be nothing. It’s just Filler nothing gets done on the shows.

[midnightman]

My mom watched a lot of Unsung one week and midway through told me "that Mary Wilson keeps showing up all the time, I can't stand her". Lol

[BayouMotownMan]

i watched about half of it on YouTube. As I have said in a previous post, the producers hounded me and Randy Taraborrelli for weeks to do this show. I would only agree to do it if the entire legacy of The Supremes were covered - all the ladies who sang as a Supreme. They only wanted to talk about Flo and Diana. I am glad I said no and I'm sure Randy is too, this is a totally biased accounting of what happened. If things were as bad as they make it, not only would Flo have been fired, Mary would have been fired or quit herself.

Mary made a post on Facebook last week and she didn't appear to be pleased with the finished product.

[Roberta75]

i watched about half of it on YouTube. As I have said in a previous post, the producers hounded me and Randy Taraborrelli for weeks to do this show. I would only agree to do it if the entire legacy of The Supremes were covered - all the ladies who sang as a Supreme. They only wanted to talk about Flo and Diana. I am glad I said no and I'm sure Randy is too, this is a totally biased accounting of what happened. If things were as bad as they make it, not only would Flo have been fired, Mary would have been fired or quit herself.

Mary made a post on Facebook last week and she didn't appear to be pleased with the finished product.


Janie Bradford and Tom Ingrassia werent happy with the show either.



https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-1/c0.0.48.48/p48x48/1978825_4000314944475_1424703368_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=2ce9d977af4657c49cdc4de5a1a3cec8&oe=5BFBDD52 [[https://www.facebook.com/janie.bradford?fref=ufi)
Janie Bradford [[https://www.facebook.com/janie.bradford?fref=ufi) - However you referred to Mr. Gordy as ripping people off and you don't even know him. I knew Mary, Diane Betty and Florence before Motown I even named the Supremes also will be seeing Mary as soon as she returns from Detroit so we are still family and I love her but that did not prevent us from being "everyday" people still in school with no dreams of the legends that they were to become. You have no proof that he ripped a lot of artist off but there is world wide documentation that he created a lot of legends out of everyday people.!
[[https://www.facebook.com/ufi/reaction/profile/browser/?ft_ent_identifier=10215692608724890_1021569688939 1904&av=1415111121)
Tom Ingrassia [[https://www.facebook.com/tom.ingrassia.5?fref=ufi) - Both the Florence Ballard "documentary" and The Supremes "documentary" on Reelz were SO full of incorrect & inaccurate information. Very sad that a network like Reelz can produce things like this--sensationalizing a story--and yet we cannot get a true and professional documentary about The Supremes produced.

[Jimi LaLumia]

Diana Ross Has a Billboard #1 Dance chart Hit..and will be appearing on the Now Dance Vol.4 compilation alongside all the other current chart stars of 2018!

[midnightman]

i watched about half of it on YouTube. As I have said in a previous post, the producers hounded me and Randy Taraborrelli for weeks to do this show. I would only agree to do it if the entire legacy of The Supremes were covered - all the ladies who sang as a Supreme. They only wanted to talk about Flo and Diana. I am glad I said no and I'm sure Randy is too, this is a totally biased accounting of what happened. If things were as bad as they make it, not only would Flo have been fired, Mary would have been fired or quit herself.

Mary made a post on Facebook last week and she didn't appear to be pleased with the finished product.

I knew I was right to not watch it. Mary [[and any other living Motown alumni) need to investigate these shows. As for Mary, she just needs to stop doing them. It's not helping the Supremes' legacy. She knows that. She should anyway. Why still be naive after SIXTY YEARS?! I know she probably stated that while there was tension with the three of them, they still loved each other but I imagine that was left on the cutting room floor on Reelz.

I also shouldn't be surprised that Reelz is the same channel that had that dude in autopsy incorrectly state that Marvin's dad shot him in the shoulder FIRST! The doggone autopsy in 1984 said the FIRST shot was at the heart! Reelz is also the same channel that airs tabloid garbage about MJ, Dolly Parton, Whitney, Britney Spears and just about everyone else.

I noticed Janie is now calling herself THE ONE who gave the Supremes their name now...

[marv2]

This show was much better than I was expecting. They sided more on the side of the truth than Unsung or any of those other programs on Florence and the Supremes. They still have a ways to go, but at least they are headed in the right direction. The truth has to and will come out eventually after all of these years.

[captainjames]

I saw it when it was on Youtube I think -
what a bunch of loaded crap. After about 15 minutes I thought why can't they let Flo rest in peace. I think Janie Bradford is a good resource for what happen back then and with so many other folks that they never bother to interview.

[midnightman]

Why isn't [[or wasn't, in case he's deceased) Richard Morris not interviewed for things like this? Why wasn't Milton Jenkins, who now only discovered one legendary act but also two/fifths of another legendary act [[Primes), never interviewed for the Supremes docus???

J. Randy Taraborelli has grown a lot from his early more tabloid-ish books to finally getting the full detail of his subjects [[MJ and Diana). Hopefully Peter Benjaminson can rise above his too.

[marv2]

Why isn't [[or wasn't, in case he's deceased) Richard Morris not interviewed for things like this? Why wasn't Milton Jenkins, who now only discovered one legendary act but also two/fifths of another legendary act [[Primes), never interviewed for the Supremes docus???

J. Randy Taraborelli has grown a lot from his early more tabloid-ish books to finally getting the full detail of his subjects [[MJ and Diana). Hopefully Peter Benjaminson can rise above his too.

Milton Jenkins has been dead for years.

[Bluebrock]

This show was much better than I was expecting. They sided more on the side of the truth than Unsung or any of those other programs on Florence and the Supremes. They still have a ways to go, but at least they are headed in the right direction. The truth has to and will come out eventually after all of these years.
I would love to know how such an individual as yourself appears to claim to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You were not there so there is no way you could know everything that went on so please quit your bullshitting and stop embarrassing yourself. I shudder to think how low you are willing to stoop in your never ending mission to bash the legacy of Diana Ross. For heavens sake man, give it a rest.

[RanRan79]

Why isn't [[or wasn't, in case he's deceased) Richard Morris not interviewed for things like this? Why wasn't Milton Jenkins, who now only discovered one legendary act but also two/fifths of another legendary act [[Primes), never interviewed for the Supremes docus???

J. Randy Taraborelli has grown a lot from his early more tabloid-ish books to finally getting the full detail of his subjects [[MJ and Diana). Hopefully Peter Benjaminson can rise above his too.

If I'm not mistaken, Richard Morris passed away a couple of years ago. Milton Jenkins died before Florence did. In Richard's case you would think he'd be more visible when the subject came up, but then his work was with the group in the early days and it seems most folks want to concentrate on the hit making days.

[RanRan79]

I would love to know how such an individual as yourself appears to claim to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You were not there so there is no way you could know everything that went on so please quit your bullshitting and stop embarrassing yourself. I shudder to think how low you are willing to stoop in your never ending mission to bash the legacy of Diana Ross. For heavens sake man, give it a rest.

He's more of an authority on the Supremes than the Supremes themselves and the people who actually know them.:rolleyes:

[marv2]

I would love to know how such an individual as yourself appears to claim to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You were not there so there is no way you could know everything that went on so please quit your bullshitting and stop embarrassing yourself. I shudder to think how low you are willing to stoop in your never ending mission to bash the legacy of Diana Ross. For heavens sake man, give it a rest.

You have to kidding. There is no way I'd tell you anything, so just go on with your sour grapes. I don't make things up and I know the truth. How I know is strictly none of your business. Take care now.

[midnightman]

If I'm not mistaken, Richard Morris passed away a couple of years ago. Milton Jenkins died before Florence did. In Richard's case you would think he'd be more visible when the subject came up, but then his work was with the group in the early days and it seems most folks want to concentrate on the hit making days.

OMG! No wonder Milton didn't talk. I didn't know he had died prior to Florence...

But yeah I caught that last bit! Guess learning about the full history of a legendary act is not important to some people. Hell, the Temptations, Four Tops and the Jackson Five have more detailed info about their pre-hit making days than the Supremes!!!

[BayouMotownMan]

This show was much better than I was expecting. They sided more on the side of the truth than Unsung or any of those other programs on Florence and the Supremes. They still have a ways to go, but at least they are headed in the right direction. The truth has to and will come out eventually after all of these years.

Like you would know the truth Marv? Were you there when all this happened? As much as you desperately want people to believe that you travel with Mary and Diana's circles, the less convincing you are. What does come out of you is a desperately lonely man obsessed with a vocal group that has been dead for over 40 years.

[marv2]

I think I always suspected that Diana Ross insisted that Berry Gordy change the name of the group to "Diana Ross and the Supremes" and this program just confirmed it! Then the company's PR dept concocted the rationale for doing it by saying that now, with the new name they could command more money for concerts because promoters were now getting a soloist and a group! LOL!!!! Berry even made some at Motown believe that BS!

[Roberta75]

He's more of an authority on the Supremes than the Supremes themselves and the people who actually know them.:rolleyes:

Fabrication and fables and voices in the head can make you believe your anybody or anything even the closest confidant to Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. LOLOLOLOL

[marybrewster]

Milton Jenkins passed in 1973 and is buried in United Memorial Gardens in Superior, MI.

[midnightman]

Thanks MB.

Wow, same year as Paul Williams. :[[

[BayouMotownMan]

I think I always suspected that Diana Ross insisted that Berry Gordy change the name of the group to "Diana Ross and the Supremes" and this program just confirmed it! Then the company's PR dept concocted the rationale for doing it by saying that now, with the new name they could command more money for concerts because promoters were now getting a soloist and a group! LOL!!!! Berry even made some at Motown believe that BS!

Marv nearly everything you suspect comes from a place of loneliness and desperation. I interviewed dozens of people for the E True show I did. Nobody on the Reelz special said this, the announcer said it as I recall.

This is the FACT. Diana Ross wanted to leave the Supremes in 1966 after getting two more No. 1 hits. The group tensions were getting high. Berry was going to go along with this plan but Shelly Berger and other honchos warned that it was too soon and too sudden to do that. So Gordy talked Ross into staying a bit longer.

Going into 1967 it was decided among Motown brass to gradually put more attention on Ross. He let the Miracles become Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and that had worked out well. It was to be The Supremes featuring Diana Ross and then they settled upon Diana Ross & The Supremes. In the infamous meeting at Gordy Manor in the spring of 1967 where Flo was told she was going to be replaced, Gordy made the announcement and of course, Flo didn't like it. Mary went along.

It was NOT Diana's insistence that the name be changed. Berry Gordy made this decision along with upper Motown management.

Nothing nefarious on Diana's part but of course Marv you'll never believe it. I'm sorry you were thrown out of her concert back in the 1990s but you should have obeyed the rules that she wanted no photos taken of her during performance.

[midnightman]

Yep. It seems Diana reached the same conclusion that by 1966, the group dynamics had disintegrated and she would rather leave than deal with it any longer. Sounds less like a woman who wanted to take a control of a singing group and more like a woman who felt she was no longer seen with the same love and appreciation by her old friend, who was beginning to lose control of her life via depression, alcohol and prescription abuse. So the signs of a split were already prevalent in 1966, but Motown tried to keep them going via their PR machine. Then you have a woman who felt betrayed that not one, but TWO of her band mates decided to go along with a name change. Recipe for disaster!

[Bluebrock]

You have to kidding. There is no way I'd tell you anything, so just go on with your sour grapes. I don't make things up and I know the truth. How I know is strictly none of your business. Take care now.
I would not believe a word that comes out of your mouth. You do not know what happened. You rely on 2nd or 3rd hand information and also your very wild and overactive imagination. You have become a figure of fun on this forum with all the stupid bullshit you post so stop pretending you have inside information. Only gullible people will believe your nonsense. Quit the fairy tales and unless you can come up reliable first hand sources stop pretending you know stuff that no-one else does. Have a nice day on Fantasy Island. Mind how you go.

[BayouMotownMan]

LOL Bluebrock. I don't think he's on Fantasy Island, more like Island of Lost Souls

[sup_fan]

Marv nearly everything you suspect comes from a place of loneliness and desperation. I interviewed dozens of people for the E True show I did. Nobody on the Reelz special said this, the announcer said it as I recall.

This is the FACT. Diana Ross wanted to leave the Supremes in 1966 after getting two more No. 1 hits. The group tensions were getting high. Berry was going to go along with this plan but Shelly Berger and other honchos warned that it was too soon and too sudden to do that. So Gordy talked Ross into staying a bit longer.

Going into 1967 it was decided among Motown brass to gradually put more attention on Ross. He let the Miracles become Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and that had worked out well. It was to be The Supremes featuring Diana Ross and then they settled upon Diana Ross & The Supremes. In the infamous meeting at Gordy Manor in the spring of 1967 where Flo was told she was going to be replaced, Gordy made the announcement and of course, Flo didn't like it. Mary went along.

It was NOT Diana's insistence that the name be changed. Berry Gordy made this decision along with upper Motown management.

Nothing nefarious on Diana's part but of course Marv you'll never believe it. I'm sorry you were thrown out of her concert back in the 1990s but you should have obeyed the rules that she wanted no photos taken of her during performance.

i agree that Diana might not have requested the name change or that she approached it in a nefarious manner. however she absolutely had to have known about it prior to that April meeting. she and berry were so intertwined, both professionally and personally, that i find it absolutely impossible to between the topic was never discussed privately between them. She and Berry were absolutely planning the future of the group without bringing in M or F to the discussion.

[BigAl]

I can’t believe Mary appeared on this program...Does she ever turn anything down?
That made me think of a short story I read long ago titled,”Dyanna Ross.” It was about a drag queen by that name who, when Mary’s name came up, quipped, “Mary WILSON? Honey, that girl’s so starved for attention she’ll appear at the opening of a DRAIN!
While not entirely true of course, sometimes I do have to wonder about some of what Mary agrees to do.

[midnightman]

^^ Don't think Bayou was saying Diana was clueless about the name change [[obviously she was there for that meeting when Berry, Shelley and them discussed the name change), just that she wasn't the one to tell BG to change the name. It was a business decision.

[sup_fan]

^^ but i think that's symptomatic of what was the demise of the group. at the very beginning it was a group approach to the strategy. then at some point diana isn't only designated the official lead singer but she's closely involved with strategic decision-making for the group. whereas F and M are not

I do think, for the most part, the group was aligned with what they were initially hoping to achieve. Cross-over success, singing more complex and varied styles of music. i don't know how much of the thematic projects were given to the girls vs their interest in exploring other genres. I'm guessing the country & western concept was given to the girls to do versus them coming up with the idea and bringing to Motown.

i've heard that Diana really was interested in a children's themed set and that's how Disney came about.

[marv2]

^^ but i think that's symptomatic of what was the demise of the group. at the very beginning it was a group approach to the strategy. then at some point diana isn't only designated the official lead singer but she's closely involved with strategic decision-making for the group. whereas F and M are not

I do think, for the most part, the group was aligned with what they were initially hoping to achieve. Cross-over success, singing more complex and varied styles of music. i don't know how much of the thematic projects were given to the girls vs their interest in exploring other genres. I'm guessing the country & western concept was given to the girls to do versus them coming up with the idea and bringing to Motown.

i've heard that Diana really was interested in a children's themed set and that's how Disney came about.

I've heard Mary Wilson say many times that they wanted to do something "Soulful" along the lines of what Martha and The Vandellas were doing.

[BayouMotownMan]

i agree that Diana might not have requested the name change or that she approached it in a nefarious manner. however she absolutely had to have known about it prior to that April meeting. she and berry were so intertwined, both professionally and personally, that i find it absolutely impossible to between the topic was never discussed privately between them. She and Berry were absolutely planning the future of the group without bringing in M or F to the discussion.

Of course Diana knew about the change in billing, but it was not her demand.

And yes the future of Mary and Flo was taken into consideration. Mary has said she tried to assuage Flo many times, telling her if she behaved more that she would become the lead singer when Diana left and they would have to find a third girl.

Don't forget, the name SUPREMES was worth a lot more than the name DIANA ROSS in 1966. This was the reasoning behind making the break more gradual so that the ROSS name eventually became as famous or perhaps more famous than the name SUPREMES. Gordy had to take Diana Ross up slowly. Likewise he had to take the Supremes without her down even more slowly.

All the bunk that Gordy and Ross wanted Flo out makes no sense, then or now. Both were acutely aware of the public rejecting a replacement for Flo. This was a huge gamble for all involved. But by July 1967, Flo left them no choice

[BayouMotownMan]

Thanks for clarifying me Midnightman, that was what I meant. Ross knew but didn't demand it.

I think people confuse this with David Ruffin, who DID demand that his group now be named David Ruffin and the Temptations. He was fired

[midnightman]

^^ but i think that's symptomatic of what was the demise of the group. at the very beginning it was a group approach to the strategy. then at some point diana isn't only designated the official lead singer but she's closely involved with strategic decision-making for the group. whereas F and M are not

I do think, for the most part, the group was aligned with what they were initially hoping to achieve. Cross-over success, singing more complex and varied styles of music. i don't know how much of the thematic projects were given to the girls vs their interest in exploring other genres. I'm guessing the country & western concept was given to the girls to do versus them coming up with the idea and bringing to Motown.

i've heard that Diana really was interested in a children's themed set and that's how Disney came about.

I doubt that seriously.

Like was Martha given that much control? Or David [[though the Temptations never had a "designated" lead singer and either remained gung ho about it or Motown didn't push them because, according to Otis, they always were very independent)? Or Levi? Or Gladys?

I doubt it. It's all just guessing what Diana really did but Diana didn't began to make her own decisions, or started to, until she began her solo career and even then, Berry told her to "shut up and perform [[or act in the case of "Mahogany")". Diana didn't really become the DIVA she is now until 1975 when she finally put her foot down when she and BG had that argument in the trailer. That was the first time Diana had stepped to him like that when years ago, that was Florence up in his grill. Florence being pissed at him was one thing but having a woman that was basically under his control all that time finally telling him "no" to the point she slapped him and literally sent his shades flying to outer space was a whole other thing. From that time on, Diana and Berry's relationship began to be frothy even if they still got along at some point.

But I don't think when she was in the Supremes that she was suddenly making demands and decisions like all the time. Maybe she did in certain instances when it came to the OTHER artists, but not the Supremes. I don't buy that.

[midnightman]

Of course Diana knew about the change in billing, but it was not her demand.

And yes the future of Mary and Flo was taken into consideration. Mary has said she tried to assuage Flo many times, telling her if she behaved more that she would become the lead singer when Diana left and they would have to find a third girl.

Don't forget, the name SUPREMES was worth a lot more than the name DIANA ROSS in 1966. This was the reasoning behind making the break more gradual so that the ROSS name eventually became as famous or perhaps more famous than the name SUPREMES. Gordy had to take Diana Ross up slowly. Likewise he had to take the Supremes without her down even more slowly.

All the bunk that Gordy and Ross wanted Flo out makes no sense, then or now. Both were acutely aware of the public rejecting a replacement for Flo. This was a huge gamble for all involved. But by July 1967, Flo left them no choice

Also, when Flo was too drunk to make the Copa in '66, BG had tried to have Diana and Mary perform with Marlene Barrow. But the Copa owner wouldn't hear of it, he told BG on no other terms: "bring Florence Ballard to the Copa or else". And eventually Flo got there and did her show.

[DMCFAN]

Tabloid trash at its finest. No wonder it was liked by a "few". Like moth to a flame

[RanRan79]

That made me think of a short story I read long ago titled,”Dyanna Ross.” It was about a drag queen by that name who, when Mary’s name came up, quipped, “Mary WILSON? Honey, that girl’s so starved for attention she’ll appear at the opening of a DRAIN!
While not entirely true of course, sometimes I do have to wonder about some of what Mary agrees to do.

What exactly does Mary do so often that has some of you holding this similar sentiment of the "drain" comment repeated here? Admittedly I don't keep up with Mary's comings and goings so there's a lot about her appearances that I don't know, but where has she ever appeared that would be so slimy and beneath her?

I also think folks should keep in mind that Mary considers herself [[and rightfully so) the keeper of the Supremes legacy. I imagine that when a program calls to say they're doing an "hour" long show about the Supremes, Mary might feel it important to add her voice to the mix in order to control some of the narrative. Flo obviously isn't around to put in her two cents, and Diana probably would've even bother being interviewed for a program about herself, let alone the group she left before her oldest child was even conceived. Personally I think Mary should've done exactly what she did. You allow them to interview you and when it airs and they've misrepresented everything, you complain, as someone said Mary is doing. That way the producers can't say, "well you wouldn't participate so we had to get the story somewhere...". No, you had someone with first person facts and you still twisted the story to fit the angle you felt would get the most ratings. This interpretation of the Supremes' story has to land in the lap of the producers of this crap, not any of the people who participated.

[RanRan79]

I don't think Diana demanded the name be changed either, but I agree with Sup fan, Flo and Mary were iced out of nearly everything going on behind the scenes, and Diana wasn't breaking her neck to fill them in either. The only time it seems that Mary was in on anything was the decision to replace Flo, and that was probably because [[a) they didn't want to risk Mary's mutiny which would have further jeopardized the group, and [[2) whoever they replaced Flo with would have to work a lot with Mary and I imagine to some degree even Gordy may have valued Mary's input...again to a degree. But Gordy masterminded everything. Yeah Diana was probably a bitch about a lot of stuff, but had Gordy told Diana to straighten up and fly right, stop being a brat and remember that she isn't in the group alone, Diana would have had no choice. But I always have to point out that the buck stops with Berry. Nothing happened in the Supremes unless Gordy okay'd it. Nothing.

[midnightman]

That made me think of a short story I read long ago titled,”Dyanna Ross.” It was about a drag queen by that name who, when Mary’s name came up, quipped, “Mary WILSON? Honey, that girl’s so starved for attention she’ll appear at the opening of a DRAIN!
While not entirely true of course, sometimes I do have to wonder about some of what Mary agrees to do.

Nah... we ain't going there.

I believe Mary was told it would be a different interview than what it eventually became.

I just think she should stop taking them because they make her appear a certain way that she probably wasn't even trying to be. Just a thought. I'm not gonna slam Mary for this.

[Jimi LaLumia]

I don't think she's aware of how these things come off, nothing is going to change anything, and I support Mary Wilson, but good Lord, she's always posed in these things sideways,unsmiling, like the vulture on the edge of the cliff in the old Road Runner cartoons, waiting for someone in the canyon to drop..

[midnightman]

Lol at that description. Mary should just stick to doing Unsung interviews [[in case there's another Motown artist they decide to cover like Junior Walker lol).

[TheMotownManiac]

i agree that Diana might not have requested the name change or that she approached it in a nefarious manner. however she absolutely had to have known about it prior to that April meeting. she and berry were so intertwined, both professionally and personally, that i find it absolutely impossible to between the topic was never discussed privately between them. She and Berry were absolutely planning the future of the group without bringing in M or F to the discussion.

What tiny bit of difference does it make if she knew or when she knew it? If BG wanted Mary and Flo to know, he’d tell them. He was probably trying to think of a good time so that if there was unhappiness, it could be dealt with easier. There’s nothing here to indicate any kind of wrongdoing, the name was going to be changed and it didn’t matter what anybody thought about it. I’m so sick of hearing about these hidden agendas that were kept from mary…… Especially the whopper that she found out Diana was leaving in the newspaper in November when she been recording with Jean Terrell before that! She was tell Flo in ‘67 that Diana was leaving! Mary is not exactly a slave to the truth…

[midnightman]

Bottom line: Mary knew lol