'I keep the hamburgers to a minimum': Aretha Franklin

[abfan]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1361603/I-hamburgers-minimum-Aretha-Franklin-reveals-weight-loss-secrets-dropping-25lbs.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[Kamasu_Jr]

I saw a preview of Aretha's interview with Wendy Williams. A co-worker said she looks gaunt, bad. I didn't notice until the comment was made. But she looks different than she did on the Grammys. She appears to be losing weight RATHER quickly. Maybe it was just bad lighting.

[topdiva1]

Sad to say she does look in ill health, but hopefully it is just the quick weight loss.

Remember how Starr Jones looked at first, really weird. We are not used to seeing RERE like this - so it is startling.

[Kamasu_Jr]

One thing about being overweight, heavy people tend not to show their true age ON THEIR FACES as much as thin people. I believe the extra weight tends to hide wrinkles and lines.

[midnightman]

Y'all forget Aretha is closing in on 69 and she was, in her words, ENTIRELY TOO FAT. I bet y'all if you played the interview [[I've have and I'll post the videos after posting this message), then you'll think twice before thinking Aretha looks sick. All that loose skin WILL make you look gaunt especially if you've been overweight for, what, 10 years about? She was at her heaviest [[and bad shape) in 2008. Aretha started to lose a bit of weight starting in 2009. She was still heavyset in 2010 but sometime after July she started to lose weight rapidly. It's rumored that she started her procedure earlier than she did and she lost "85 pounds" recently meaning after the surgery but looking at her she lost more than that pre-surgery.

[midnightman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIYFtgJp60s


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoEJGk8W7-8

[midnightman]

One thing about being overweight, heavy people tend not to show their true age ON THEIR FACES as much as thin people. I believe the extra weight tends to hide wrinkles and lines.

Exactly. With the fat, you can hide age real good. Once you lose it, the age starts to show and I think that's all it is. Plus loose skin around the neck and probably around the body and cheeks, it may appear to look sullen but it's from surgery.

[topdiva1]

It is hard to tell - what the REAL - situation with Aretha Franklin is. However, is that really any of our business.

I wish her well!!!!

[marv2]

Now this is an interview! Not like that stuff Oprah was serving up! LOL!!!!

[jobeterob]

Wonderful interview. Thank you Midnightman.

There is always an edge to Aretha; you never quite know if she'll tell you to fuck off; Queen Latifah is not the one! And no one ever gets to be the next queen of soul.

For what it's worth, I think Aretha is OK; she's just had stomach tieing or some such thing. I hope.

Marv, you need to learn generosity, humility and kindness; shame on you for never showing that. You could even learn from Top Diva; he's screwed up more than you [[I think) and basically just stands on his head and goes, ya, I've screwed up, I have before and will again, but we'll just carry on. And then he starts singing.........Carry Onnnnnnn.........

[skooldem1]

Great interview. Aretha is in good spirits and looks good.

[Kamasu_Jr]

Aretha was in a good mood. But I wonder what Cissy & Whitney Houston think now since Aretha told Wendy Williams she considered Cissy a friend, and that Wendy did the right thing by putting Whitney on blast during her drug problem?

[reese]

Aretha was in a good mood. But I wonder what Cissy & Whitney Houston think now since Aretha told Wendy Williams she considered Cissy a friend, and that Wendy did the right thing by putting Whitney on blast during her drug problem?

They probably don't mind too much, as they've known each other for so long.

When Whitney was really out of it, Aretha played the Apollo. At the end of the show, she asked people to keep Whitney in their prayers. People starting looking around at each other, because it did seem a bit strange. I don't think anyone other than Natalie Cole had commented on Whitney's situation. And being that Aretha is friendly with Cissy, it seemed plausible that she would know details of the situation. But again, it did seem strange. But that's Aretha.

[Kamasu_Jr]

Reese, Aretha is one of those people who make comments that you can never be sure are harmless or payback. You know Aretha was a liitle upset that Cissy wrote Ree's mother abandoned her and her siblings.

[reese]

Reese, Aretha is one of those people who make comments that you can never be sure are harmless or payback. You know Aretha was a liitle upset that Cissy wrote Ree's mother abandoned her and her siblings.

Yeah, I remember that. But she must have gotten over it, as Cissy was a special guest during her 2003 tour, as well as on subsequent engagements.

[jillfoster]

Now this is an interview! Not like that stuff Oprah was serving up! LOL!!!!

You got that right!!! No fake ass bitches here. It was REAL, it was FUNNY, WITTY, and oh, so entertaining.

[topdiva1]

Great interview. Aretha is in good spirits and looks good.


Her spirits seemed forced - acted out - and I would not ever say she looked good.

[simplysupreme]

Now this is an interview! Not like that stuff Oprah was serving up! LOL!!!!

Serving it up and ain't nothing you can do about it! LOL!!!!

[midnightman]

I don't believe it was forced, topdiva. There's footage of her at the boat show in Detroit last month, she was in good spirits there. So I can't see how it looked forced. But I guess what looks like a jewel to some may not be to others.

[midnightman]

Serving it up and ain't nothing you can do about it! LOL!!!!

That's why Oprah didn't want her. Aretha would've gave her some comeback worse than she did with Wendy! LMAO

[midnightman]

They probably don't mind too much, as they've known each other for so long.

When Whitney was really out of it, Aretha played the Apollo. At the end of the show, she asked people to keep Whitney in their prayers. People starting looking around at each other, because it did seem a bit strange. I don't think anyone other than Natalie Cole had commented on Whitney's situation. And being that Aretha is friendly with Cissy, it seemed plausible that she would know details of the situation. But again, it did seem strange. But that's Aretha.

I agree. Plus I don't think the comment came out of malice from Aretha. We know how sometimes she can show shade but I didn't think that was a shade thrown at Whitney and Cissy. Aretha, as I think you mentioned, was one of the few to know of what was going on with Whitney.

[marv2]

You got that right!!! No fake ass bitches here. It was REAL, it was FUNNY, WITTY, and oh, so entertaining.

You betta tell that story! hehehehehehe.....!

[marv2]

I don't believe it was forced, topdiva. There's footage of her at the boat show in Detroit last month, she was in good spirits there. So I can't see how it looked forced. But I guess what looks like a jewel to some may not be to others.

I thought she did fine. When she said "....and you will get knocked out!" , I knew Aretha was back to the good ole Aretha! LOL!!!

[midnightman]

^ Right. She never has lost that sass.

[topdiva1]

I thought she did fine. When she said "....and you will get knocked out!" , I knew Aretha was back to the good ole Aretha! LOL!!!

I still FEAR that the queen of soul is in ILL HEALTH. I do hope I am wrong.

[marv2]

I still FEAR that the queen of soul is in ILL HEALTH. I do hope I am wrong.

I hope you are, but I do appreciate your concern. She is one of the true great ones.

[midnightman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXI72Wa65LU

Bonus footage: Aretha explains how she got the "Queen of Soul" title, why she, a longtime resident of Detroit, never signed with Motown despite the fact she lived down the street from Hitsville, what she does to get rid of the fat [[in terms of exercise) and her "biting the bullet" in her 28-year plane fright situation, by taking a plane to Chicago in a few days.

[midnightman]

I still FEAR that the queen of soul is in ILL HEALTH. I do hope I am wrong.

I know by appearance it can APPEAR she's ill. I'm sure you remember the photos of her at the Pistons game [[wearing that ridiculous wig, the hair she wore at the Grammys and on Wendy was perfect on her), there were a few photos where you can assume she wasn't well and other photos to assume otherwise that she was cool.

[marv2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXI72Wa65LU

Bonus footage: Aretha explains how she got the "Queen of Soul" title, why she, a longtime resident of Detroit, never signed with Motown despite the fact she lived down the street from Hitsville, what she does to get rid of the fat [[in terms of exercise) and her "biting the bullet" in her 28-year plane fright situation, by taking a plane to Chicago in a few days.


Aretha took Wendy to one of my favorite places.........."FISHBONES"! The way she was describing it I knew exactly where she was going to go! Great clip again and thanks Midnightman!!!

[juicefree20]

Being from N.Y. & having caught her act for several years, I'm no fan of Ms. Williams. I've refused to watch or listen to any of her shows, but as this is Aretha Franklin that we're talking about, I broke my rule for her appearances. I must admit that The Queen made it worth my while.

Now Wendy can cry & feel good about how she "helped" Whitney, but I can tell you that Whitney has made it obvious that she doesn't feel that way about what happened & how Wendy went after her.

I loved it when Aretha called her out, asking if she would be interested in helping to finance the film, then made the remark about her check not being big enough yet. And when she told her "You get stupid"...man, that shit was PRICELESS!!!

And offering just one more example of what I detest about Wendy is the lack of basic common sense. Let me explain...

ANYONE who has done a modicum of reading about Aretha knows that one of the WORST moments of her public life, was that 1968 Time Magazine interview. ANYONE who's read about that article, full well knows that that article has ALWAYS been a sore spot with Aretha, as she considered that article to have been a betrayal. In fact, it made her relationship with the media more than a little guarded & she's never been as open with the media, nor has she really trusted them since that 1968 article. With that as fact, why in the hell would anyone hold THAT magazine up in front of Aretha?

What, she couldn't get a copy of "Blues & soul" or "Right On"?

Thus the remark about getting "knocked out" because had Wendy done just a little homework, she might've given Aretha a different piece of memorabilia to sign, rather than a magazine that created humiliation & represented betrayal to Aretha. Aretha handled it rather nicely, but in her own way, she definitely sent the message that she wasn't exactly thrilled with that particular trip down memory lane. Aretha must've been asking herself "what in the hell is she thinking?"

Some folks just don't get it & had this been done some years ago, a certain interviewer might've gotten knocked out for real.

That was plain dumb!

[topdiva1]

Boy - the Queen is not to be played with.

[marv2]

Being from N.Y. & having caught her act for several years, I'm no fan of Ms. Williams. I've refused to watch or listen to any of her shows, but as this is Aretha Franklin that we're talking about, I broke my rule for her appearances. I must admit that The Queen made it worth my while.

Now Wendy can cry & feel good about how she "helped" Whitney, but I can tell you that Whitney has made it obvious that she doesn't feel that way about what happened & how Wendy went after her.

I loved it when Aretha called her out, asking if she would be interested in helping to finance the film, then made the remark about her check not being big enough yet. And when she told her "You get stupid"...man, that shit was PRICELESS!!!

And offering just one more example of what I detest about Wendy is the lack of basic common sense. Let me explain...

ANYONE who has done a modicum of reading about Aretha knows that one of the WORST moments of her public life, was that 1968 Time Magazine interview. ANYONE who's read about that article, full well knows that that article has ALWAYS been a sore spot with Aretha, as she considered that article to have been a betrayal. In fact, it made her relationship with the media more than a little guarded & she's never been as open with the media, nor has she really trusted them since that 1968 article. With that as fact, why in the hell would anyone hold THAT magazine up in front of Aretha?

What, she couldn't get a copy of "Blues & soul" or "Right On"?

Thus the remark about getting "knocked out" because had Wendy done just a little homework, she might've given Aretha a different piece of memorabilia to sign, rather than a magazine that created humiliation & represented betrayal to Aretha. Aretha handled it rather nicely, but in her own way, she definitely sent the message that she wasn't exactly thrilled with that particular trip down memory lane. Aretha must've been asking herself "what in the hell is she thinking?"

Some folks just don't get it & had this been done some years ago, a certain interviewer might've gotten knocked out for real.

That was plain dumb!

Juice! Yes! I remember hearing the on air conversation that Whitney had with Wendy where she cursed Wendy out live on the radio! Other performers have done the same thing on her old radio show that use to air during drive time here in New York.

You do have a very good memory in regards to the Time Magazine article. In it [[I apologize as I am now going on memory ....) they made comments like "who's making Aretha sing the blues....." and made comments about her marriage to Ted White....abusive relationship, etc, etc, yada, yada, yada. It was a very big deal to Aretha and to others as I now recall.

[juicefree20]

Marv:

Thank you!

As regards the media, that Time Magazine article was a game-changer with Aretha. Here she was riding high on the heels of "Respect", a song that damn near EVERYONE, from civil rights leaders, to women who'd "come a long way baby", took as their PERSONAL anthems. This was a rebellious, sassy song, sang with strength & authority by a young, BLACK WOMAN! And remember back then, women ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN, just weren't singing song that were that demanding, so audaciously.

It may not have been the writers' intent, but that article was written in such a way as to make Aretha appear to be a victim, dominated by men in her life & anything but the image of a proud, strong, "take no shorts" sister, that Aretha had at that time.

I don't believe that Aretha expected them to write THAT kind of an article & she felt betrayed. And if I'd read that more that 20 years ago in a book & I WAS NOT a PROFESSIONAL interviewer, but a mere DJ & Soul Music fan, then how in the hell could it be that Wendy, nor her producers never READ or did elementary research, so as to know that holding that magazine in front of Aretha was a rather poor idea?

In a different era, it that might've been equivalent to waving a red flag in front of a bull.

Just another example of why I love Wendy so.

[Kamasu_Jr]

I knew that about that issue of Time magazine. But I figured Aretha has mellowed some and gotten over it because she's had worse things written about her since the Time article. She signed it but did jokingly try to get her friend to take it away.

[midnightman]

^ Yeah Aretha definitely has mellowed. Had Wendy been around in the '70s and showed Aretha that magazine, Aretha would've REALLY punched Wendy's lights out!!! Aretha was known to whup some a$$ back in the day. In fact, she sometimes used Carolyn as an enforcement/protection. Aretha and Carolyn together would've been a mess lol

[juicefree20]

Indeed, Aretha has mellowed, but her reaction indicated that even after the passage of these 42 years, it's an event that she still doesn't appreciate. Though she was quite gracious & joked it off a bit, that she even responded as she did, handing the magazine to someone & saying "Put this in my..." before signing it kinda reinforces my belief. I had the feeling that she really wanted to tell them to put it in her trash, or burn it in her fireplace.

Another thing I've observed about Aretha is that she doesn't seem to be very touchy, feely, nor likes for people whom she doesn't know that well to invade her private space. If you check out her body language whenever Wendy gets a little too close, I believe that you'll see what I mean.

Aretha is very cordial, but she expects the type of respect & comportment that is expected of those whom encounter royalty. Indeed, Ms. Aretha Franklin is "The Queen Of Soul" & always will be.

But that magazine was a bad idea & even if Wendy didn't know, whomever is working for Wendy should've been aware of that fact.

Either way, I'm glad that Ms. Franklin isn't avoiding the spotlight & is speaking for herself, as opposed to folks speculating about her, allegedly in her name, or that of her family.

[midnightman]

^ Yeah I saw it. Aretha definitely is not one to spill s**t about anything. Wendy really tried it but Aretha handled it like the queen she is.

[abfan]

I'm no fan of Ms. Williams. I've refused to watch or listen to any of her shows, but as this is Aretha Franklin that we're talking about


Jersey here, so u know I know..Have neverrrrrrrrrrr watched Wendy Williams..I clicked on this and heard her voice and clicked off.Ill have to retry again to see my Girl Aretha

[nysister]

Being from N.Y. & having caught her act for several years, I'm no fan of Ms. Williams. I've refused to watch or listen to any of her shows, but as this is Aretha Franklin that we're talking about, I broke my rule for her appearances. I must admit that The Queen made it worth my while.

Now Wendy can cry & feel good about how she "helped" Whitney, but I can tell you that Whitney has made it obvious that she doesn't feel that way about what happened & how Wendy went after her.

I loved it when Aretha called her out, asking if she would be interested in helping to finance the film, then made the remark about her check not being big enough yet. And when she told her "You get stupid"...man, that shit was PRICELESS!!!

And offering just one more example of what I detest about Wendy is the lack of basic common sense. Let me explain...

ANYONE who has done a modicum of reading about Aretha knows that one of the WORST moments of her public life, was that 1968 Time Magazine interview. ANYONE who's read about that article, full well knows that that article has ALWAYS been a sore spot with Aretha, as she considered that article to have been a betrayal. In fact, it made her relationship with the media more than a little guarded & she's never been as open with the media, nor has she really trusted them since that 1968 article. With that as fact, why in the hell would anyone hold THAT magazine up in front of Aretha?

What, she couldn't get a copy of "Blues & soul" or "Right On"?

Thus the remark about getting "knocked out" because had Wendy done just a little homework, she might've given Aretha a different piece of memorabilia to sign, rather than a magazine that created humiliation & represented betrayal to Aretha. Aretha handled it rather nicely, but in her own way, she definitely sent the message that she wasn't exactly thrilled with that particular trip down memory lane. Aretha must've been asking herself "what in the hell is she thinking?"

Some folks just don't get it & had this been done some years ago, a certain interviewer might've gotten knocked out for real.

That was plain dumb!

Juice, you are so dead on about Wendy when she was on the radio here in NY.
I was listening when Whitney cussed her out. Wendy and her sidekick was venomous and showed no respect for Whitney and her family, and that is why she can't book artists on her show the way that Monique can. Wendy actually cried when Whoopi came on her TV show and barely got through the interview. Wendy thanked Whoopi for coming on, as Wendy knew she had trashed Whoopi on the radio. Whoopi response was "we grow up, and you are welcome."

[marv2]

^ Yeah Aretha definitely has mellowed. Had Wendy been around in the '70s and showed Aretha that magazine, Aretha would've REALLY punched Wendy's lights out!!! Aretha was known to whup some a$$ back in the day. In fact, she sometimes used Carolyn as an enforcement/protection. Aretha and Carolyn together would've been a mess lol

Midnightman, good observation. You see Aretha and them REALLY were from the 'hood! "Around the way girls" as LL Cool J put it in one of his recordings LOL! Carolyn, Mary Wilson and several other girls were all in the same gang growing up. Carolyn was tough.....they all were! hehehehe........ This was just a common thing kids did in those days and when I was growing up in the 60's and 70's. We'd form little gangs. Nothing like what you have today of course.

[marv2]

Marv:

Thank you!

As regards the media, that Time Magazine article was a game-changer with Aretha. Here she was riding high on the heels of "Respect", a song that damn near EVERYONE, from civil rights leaders, to women who'd "come a long way baby", took as their PERSONAL anthems. This was a rebellious, sassy song, sang with strength & authority by a young, BLACK WOMAN! And remember back then, women ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN, just weren't singing song that were that demanding, so audaciously.

It may not have been the writers' intent, but that article was written in such a way as to make Aretha appear to be a victim, dominated by men in her life & anything but the image of a proud, strong, "take no shorts" sister, that Aretha had at that time.

I don't believe that Aretha expected them to write THAT kind of an article & she felt betrayed. And if I'd read that more that 20 years ago in a book & I WAS NOT a PROFESSIONAL interviewer, but a mere DJ & Soul Music fan, then how in the hell could it be that Wendy, nor her producers never READ or did elementary research, so as to know that holding that magazine in front of Aretha was a rather poor idea?

In a different era, it that might've been equivalent to waving a red flag in front of a bull.

Just another example of why I love Wendy so.

You are right on the money again! My youngest brother Matt was born in 1967. My mother, who was still buying her regular weekly batch of 45's at that time and began leaning heavily towards Aretha Franklin records beginning with "I Never Loved A Man....." and EVERY record she put out from then well into the 70's! What is interesting about this time is that she use to be a stay at home mom [[ ala June Cleaver, etc.) but in 1968 she went to work outside of the home and never looked back! LOL! To my mom and her friends, Aretha was their GIRL! She was like their new musical leader! LOL! Aretha had become a part of our household like in so many others.

[marv2]

^ Yeah I saw it. Aretha definitely is not one to spill s**t about anything. Wendy really tried it but Aretha handled it like the queen she is.



What I am most amazed at is the vast range of subjects they covered in something like 15 mins. They covered her childhood/parents, her health, her biographical film, the Grammys, her lovelife/Ex-husbands, her friends in the industry, her diet, her upcoming new recording, Whitney Houston, etc, etc. They did not go into details [[ I am sure it was edited), but they covered the subjects people really want to know about.

[juicefree20]

NYSister:

I remember that very well & I thought that it was disgusting then & I feel the same way today.

It was an ambush affair & despite her "tears" when Aretha "thanked" her for helping Whitney, her intentions that day had no such noble intent. She knows that, her audience knows that & the damn pet rock next door knows it. The lady had a tendency to be vicious, malicious & as she had no problem dishing her own personal dirt, you know what kind of regard that she had for the personal business of others. Wendy made it her appointed duty to put people's business on Front St. & was rather ruthless while doing so.

I'll never forget when she decided that it was her sacred duty to "out" rappers who were on the down-low & I thought that was going too far. I'm not gay, but it pissed me off that she would decide to play judge, jury & executioner as regards who SHOULD tell the world their PERSONAL business. I'm sorry, but I don't believe that she, nor anyone else has the right to do that sort of thing.

Now if she were revealing molesters, woman beaters & the like, then cool. That's some stuff that folks need to know, as we're now discussing law-breakers. But outing people & discussing everyone's private business on a radio station in N.Y.C...totally uncool.

But what REALLY, REALLY, REALLY pissed me off even more, was when she came back to N.Y. from her Philly exile [[for screwing around with Puffy). Just as soon as she knew that she was getting her TV show, she flipped & went on a MAJOR suck-up campaign, attempting to kiss up to Whitney, in order to get her on her show. She kissed Whitney's butt from here to Calgary & I thought that that was a rather telling moment for her, as it revealed just how her mind seems to work.

Like sweet-talking & ass-kissing was going to make Whitney ever going to forget what happened & that she would be so desperate as to help give Wendy any light or help her show gain legitimacy & prop up her ratings. And due to her underhanded tactics, a whole lot of industry people whom were contacted, REFUSED her overtures to make appearances. Wendy totally played herself & I enjoyed it when Whitney did appear on her radio show & let Wendy kiss-up, while she was like "Child, please!"

Wendy deserved that moment of being humbled.

But gradually, with folks knowing the tendency of folks who really love gossip, she began attracting guests again & God love her because I sure don't.

Where I come from & from where she comes from, she knows that talking people's business is a major violation. She also knows that if she were someone who wasn't a radio personality, but rather the neighbor next door, that she'd have gotten stomped out years ago.

I simply have no respect for her type of "journalism" & she appeals to the darker side of people's spirit. Her fame is just further proof of 2 things...

1. Celebrity ain't what is used to be
2. We as a society have jumped the shark.

[marv2]

NYSister:

I remember that very well & I thought that it was disgusting then & I feel the same way today.

It was an ambush affair & despite her "tears" when Aretha "thanked" her for helping Whitney, her intentions that day had no such noble intent. She knows that, her audience knows that & the damn pet rock next door knows it. The lady had a tendency to be vicious, malicious & as she had no problem dishing her own personal dirt, you know what kind of regard that she had for the personal business of others. Wendy made it her appointed duty to put people's business on Front St. & was rather ruthless while doing so.

I'll never forget when she decided that it was her sacred duty to "out" rappers who were on the down-low & I thought that was going too far. I'm not gay, but it pissed me off that she would decide to play judge, jury & executioner as regards who SHOULD tell the world their PERSONAL business. I'm sorry, but I don't believe that she, nor anyone else has the right to do that sort of thing.

Now if she were revealing molesters, woman beaters & the like, then cool. That's some stuff that folks need to know, as we're now discussing law-breakers. But outing people & discussing everyone's private business on a radio station in N.Y.C...totally uncool.

But what REALLY, REALLY, REALLY pissed me off even more, was when she came back to N.Y. from her Philly exile [[for screwing around with Puffy). Just as soon as she knew that she was getting her TV show, she flipped & went on a MAJOR suck-up campaign, attempting to kiss up to Whitney, in order to get her on her show. She kissed Whitney's butt from here to Calgary & I thought that that was a rather telling moment for her, as it revealed just how her mind seems to work.

Like sweet-talking & ass-kissing was going to make Whitney ever going to forget what happened & that she would be so desperate as to help give Wendy any light or help her show gain legitimacy & prop up her ratings. And due to her underhanded tactics, a whole lot of industry people whom were contacted, REFUSED her overtures to make appearances. Wendy totally played herself & I enjoyed it when Whitney did appear on her radio show & let Wendy kiss-up, while she was like "Child, please!"

Wendy deserved that moment of being humbled.

But gradually, with folks knowing the tendency of folks who really love gossip, she began attracting guests again & God love her because I sure don't.

Where I come from & from where she comes from, she knows that talking people's business is a major violation. She also knows that if she were someone who wasn't a radio personality, but rather the neighbor next door, that she'd have gotten stomped out years ago.

I simply have no respect for her type of "journalism" & she appeals to the darker side of people's spirit. Her fame is just further proof of 2 things...

1. Celebrity ain't what is used to be
2. We as a society have jumped the shark.

She use to DOGGED Puffy daily and darn near read "Superhead's" entire book on her radio show! LOL!

[topdiva1]

"Celebrity ain't what it use to be".

That says it all.

[jillfoster]

Well, since it was brought up:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6_jjYFZypY

[mikey]

Aretha was born in Memphis not Detroit.Wendy didn't do her homework.

[juicefree20]

You'll notice that she's quite happy about the expectations of having a knock-down, drag-out fight on the radio.

I believe that Whitney was totally justified in being pissed with Wendy & her meddling. And be honest folks, if ANYONE were to discuss OUR personal lives, our relationship with our spouses & our personal vices, how would most of us respond to such a person?

People made a big deal about Whitney's language, yet most of the people who did, sit back & watch "Jersey Shore" & every other show that features people behaving badly.

Wendy knew that what was about to transpire was going to be full of volatility, simply because she'd set the tone by dogging Whitney every chance that she got.

Those "tears" that she cried should've been shed years ago about the way that a BLACK woman who was given a radio show & could've chosen to find the positive stories to help lift people up, but whom instead chose to do what damn near every other media concern was doing, by dragging her own people through the mud. We have underserved been by the media, with the positive actions of our people being downplayed & the negative aspects of everything held up under the magnifying glass for all to see & ridicule.

FOR YEARS!!!

And then she joins right in with the bullshit & as a Black woman with the possibility of perhaps making a difference in people's lives, as opposed to her wallet, I find her behavior to be disgusting & despicable. She should know better, instead, she represents just another factor which leads to the fractures found in our communities. Folks may call it mere "gossip", but when it's done with such glee & malicious intent, it becomes destructive & as for me, I call it self-hate.

They say that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And rather than bring along a can of 3-In-1 oil to help lubricate the chain, she comes armed with a bucket of water filled with malicious gossip & other low-rent bullshit, which only adds oxidation to the chain, thereby playing a role in seeing that the chain never runs as smooth as it should.

I don't care how many fake laughs she laughs, nor all of that bullshit, ghetto-girlfriend lingo that her fans find so appealing. Truly, with "friends" like her, our folks need no enemies. And too many seem far too oblivious about the damage that folks who operate from the inside are contributing to us as a whole.

I forgot...they call it "entertainment". I call it shucking & jiving & pimping ones people for money.

Po-TAY-to...Po-TAH-to...same shit to me.

[jobeterob]

I liked the Aretha interview alot and I've always liked Aretha, her songs and the fact she will speak up and speak her mind. But after I watched this interview, I'm left feeling Aretha is mad about something or mad about life in general.

[jillfoster]

Well.. Rob, your'e not the first person to say that..... that Aretha is a person who always seems to have a chip on her shoulder. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but when Aretha talked about being a prima ballerina, I flashed on this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEjPDS8Jp1E

[daddyacey]

I thought that Ms Franklin looked just as a 69 year old woman ,that has been through all that she has been through in her 69 years and survived to this point to talk about it ,would look like. This ain't the Columbia years Aretha or the early Atlantic years Aretha or the later Arista years Aretha. Everybody ages ,some better than others. Considering the fact that Aretha has lived her life as she has ,with the bad diet and the smoking over all those years and the horrific weight gain, she has still remained consistantly and defiantly Aretha ,like it or not. Through the weight gain ,the critical fashion choices and the unavoidable decline that will by nature happen in the voice of any singer with age ,she has maintained a certain stature that one who has been named and recognized worldwide as "The Queen of Soul". She never has taken no sh.. off Nobody! Not from artists that have admired her and became great in their own right ,[[such as her falling out with Luther over the way some things went with the way he was producing her) , it was like she said hold on boy!!! ,you getting a little too excited ,you must understand that I am Aretha Franklin ,hail son!! And even when there was that fall out in the 60's with Wexler and the fiasco that nearly wrecked the early Atlantic sessions down south. She has always stuck to her guns ,straight
up yet diplomatic ,as in when she choose not to fly any more. It was like ,"Don't matter what you want to offer to pay me ,honey I don't fly ,sorry."
I was also amused by how she reacted when Wendy asked her to sign that TIME magazine ,by pretending to take it and keep it for herself. If you do some research you will find that that article did not sit very well with Ms Franklin at the time. Yet she was very gracious and did sign it.
Did you check out Ms Franklins response to the "Who would you say is the next successor among the new singers to the throne?" , and Ms Franklin replied , "Aretha Franklin ,Aretha Franklin ,Aretha Franklin". For those that need translation into raw basic terms from the Queens diplomatic response and the look and reaction on Arethas face ,it translated at least to me, as,
what? , bitch please!!! ,you getting a litlle too excited , I am Aretha Franklin , and now you can pay the bill for the tea.:D:D
And you know what ,she has earned the right to feel that way ,and not get herself trapped into a sticky situation by dropping a name and creating a media stir ,while at the same time maintaing the admiration and respect of and for many other women that are her peers like Patti ,Gladys ,Stephanie, Chaka and a whole lot of other asses you would have to kiss before you could get even close to The Queen!!!
At this point in time I feel that Aretha is not concerned with "keeping up with" the new jacks or with the times. The woman has had the ultimate gift from GOD of her voice and has been singing for all of her life. She is one of many that has achieved a level of greatness that others before her have set. Even as the Queen Of Soul ,she has Ladies that influenced and came before her whos butts she's not too high and mighty to kiss but still earned the right to stand among them. Mahailia ,Clara Ward ,Dinah ,Ella,Billie. So much more to discover than just todays sensational media bull ,has to offer. If Aretha is mad about anything than it's the B.S. spread and stories other than the truth and things that have nothing to do with the music that she should be mad about. No matter what you say about her one way or another ,you can't deny that she was one of the greatest ever.
It's good to be the Queen! God Bless her!!!

[motown4ever]

I thought that Ms Franklin looked just as a 69 year old woman ,that has been through all that she has been through in her 69 years and survived to this point to talk about it ,would look like. This ain't the Columbia years Aretha or the early Atlantic years Aretha or the later Arista years Aretha. Everybody ages ,some better than others. Considering the fact that Aretha has lived her life as she has ,with the bad diet and the smoking over all those years and the horrific weight gain, she has still remained consistantly and defiantly Aretha ,like it or not. Through the weight gain ,the critical fashion choices and the unavoidable decline that will by nature happen in the voice of any singer with age ,she has maintained a certain stature that one who has been named and recognized worldwide as "The Queen of Soul". She never has taken no sh.. off Nobody! Not from artists that have admired her and became great in their own right ,[[such as her falling out with Luther over the way some things went with the way he was producing her) , it was like she said hold on boy!!! ,you getting a little too excited ,you must understand that I am Aretha Franklin ,hail son!! And even when there was that fall out in the 60's with Wexler and the fiasco that nearly wrecked the early Atlantic sessions down south. She has always stuck to her guns ,straight
up yet diplomatic ,as in when she choose not to fly any more. It was like ,"Don't matter what you want to offer to pay me ,honey I don't fly ,sorry."
I was also amused by how she reacted when Wendy asked her to sign that TIME magazine ,by pretending to take it and keep it for herself. If you do some research you will find that that article did not sit very well with Ms Franklin at the time. Yet she was very gracious and did sign it.
Did you check out Ms Franklins response to the "Who would you say is the next successor among the new singers to the throne?" , and Ms Franklin replied , "Aretha Franklin ,Aretha Franklin ,Aretha Franklin". For those that need translation into raw basic terms from the Queens diplomatic response and the look and reaction on Arethas face ,it translated at least to me, as,
what? , bitch please!!! ,you getting a litlle too excited , I am Aretha Franklin , and now you can pay the bill for the tea.:D:D
And you know what ,she has earned the right to feel that way ,and not get herself trapped into a sticky situation by dropping a name and creating a media stir ,while at the same time maintaing the admiration and respect of and for many other women that are her peers like Patti ,Gladys ,Stephanie, Chaka and a whole lot of other asses you would have to kiss before you could get even close to The Queen!!!
At this point in time I feel that Aretha is not concerned with "keeping up with" the new jacks or with the times. The woman has had the ultimate gift from GOD of her voice and has been singing for all of her life. She is one of many that has achieved a level of greatness that others before her have set. Even as the Queen Of Soul ,she has Ladies that influenced and came before her whos butts she's not too high and mighty to kiss but still earned the right to stand among them. Mahailia ,Clara Ward ,Dinah ,Ella,Billie. So much more to discover than just todays sensational media bull ,has to offer. If Aretha is mad about anything than it's the B.S. spread and stories other than the truth and things that have nothing to do with the music that she should be mad about. No matter what you say about her one way or another ,you can't deny that she was one of the greatest ever.
It's good to be the Queen! God Bless her!!!

Well said Daddyacey...Amen!!!
All Hail the Queen Of Soul, All Imitators Have to Go!!!

[abfan]

but when Aretha talked about being a prima ballerina, I flashed on this

jillfoster wow that's a bit low isnt it.im sure she meant growing up.. she was..Funny how just a few weeks backs most of these insults were tears and prayers for Aretha..Leave the lady alone and be thankful we still have her



Also That Whitney VS Wendy Interview was awful ..I couldnt even listen to it all.How dare she ask about her mother's allowance. I cut it off after that...Wendy is the devil n Prada 4 real

[jobeterob]

I listened to the Whitney interview too; yes it was awful; I can see why these singers feel a little bit of a kinship toward each other; and while Whitney fairly obviously was having drug issues then, I think she came off a lot better than Wendy Williams ~ she came off as a parasite preying on a woman in trouble.

[midnightman]

^ People get remorseful when legends get sick/ill but when they recover and carry on, the insults returned. She definitely meant when she was a kid. Aretha was a twig back then, very skinny. People often forget that. She wasn't always full figured anyway. And yeah the interview with Whitney was atrocious but I loved the moments Whitney put Wendy in her place.

[juicefree20]

Wendy chasing behind Whitney when she was in that state would be the equivalent of folks chasing behind Charlie Sheen so that he can continue to embarass himself & possibly bury his own career. Except that Charlie's willing to do the damage himself with those endless twitter blasts.

I don't believe that anyone should try to embarass someone who was as obviously troubled as Whitney was. That's kinda like a drug dealer lying in wait for a junkie to come around so that they could sell them more poison that ill continue to ruin their life.

I've noticed that some folks like to make mere men & women into gods & godesses, then take perverse pleasure in absolutely ripping them into shreds & that sucks.

I never cared much for people who liked to dog people just for the sake of dogging them & I was no fan of Wendy because of that tendency of hers. But with some gossips, there should be limits as to what's fair play. Constantly attacking a person who's in the throes of drug addiction to an audience of millions, just isn't fair. If she had done so out of genuine concern, I might be able to look past that. But to do it out of sheer viciousness & in order to pump up her ratings is something that I'll never forget. If she had truly been concerned about Whitney's welfare, she certainly wouldn't have dogged her as she did before an audience of millions.

The funny thing is that while I enjoyed much of her music, I wasn't a big Whitney Houston fan. Nevertheless, between the endless tabloid mockery of Whitney & Wendy, I felt that enough was enough.

I wouldn't cover Wendy if she were paying me.

Yes...I'm stupid that way. Some things trump money & for me, behavior like Wendy's is one of those few things.

[miss_lish]

Her spirits seemed forced - acted out - and I would not ever say she looked good.




Nor would I; however, she does seem to be high-spirited; I didn't detect any insincerity in that realm.