In James Haskins' book, THE STORY OF DIANA ROSS, it quotes
Berry Gordy concerning their relationship thusly:
"I have tried to marry her a couple of times. But why should she marry me when she's got me anyway? Now she's free, rich and talented. Get married for what?"
Yes, for what?
To do so would surely have affected Ross' trajectory .... but would it have been for better or worse??
I think Berry said this in the first EBONY article on Diana after she left the group. Berry was probably lying to make a good story. In recent years, Diana has said that he never even called her his girlfriend and he didn't seem to be faithful.
That could be Reese.
Even so, this is just meant to be a what if proposition: what if Berry had asked Diana to marry him as he states he had in Ebony, [for whatever his reasons for saying so], and Diana had then said ‘yes’ instead of turning him down as Berry suggests?
Might they have become one of Hollywood’s first power couples, something along the lines of an early Beyoncé and Jayzee?
I think it would’ve been a disaster. More than likely he would’ve continued to cheat, and you know what she can be like when she’s crossed. I think the world is much better off that it happened this way!
Assuming he had a bigger picture, i’ve always wondered that if given free reign from a compliment Diana, which direction BG would have liked to have taken her career.
I don’t think his feelings have ever been documented regarding the 1980 diana album.
I agree that it was best that they didn't get married. I read in one of the books that although they were a romantic couple that Berry's main interest in Diana was her career. Can you imagine what would happen had they broken up after she left the Supremes or while making Lady or while he was directing Mahogany [[which reports say they had a volatile relationship during filming)? We certainly may not have had that body of work. Plus in those days, the press may have had a field day and it may have negatively impacted her career. See, she left the Supremes and now berry and now Motown? It would have perhaps not been a good thing. I think it all worked out like it should have and they are still tied to each other regardless.
Berry Gordy never proposed to Diana Ross. He is a pro to this day at PR hype.
There was a time when Ross wanted to marry him, even giving him an ultimatum. Smokey Robinson said it best in his book when he said their relationship was based solely in business. They needed each other to achieve their goals in Hollywood. It pretty much ends there. It was definitely a topsy-turvy relationship. Being his protege put a lot of pressure on a very young Diana Ross. It was easy to confuse love with dependence.
Interesting. When did that occur? During The Supremes years, or later?Quote:
Originally Posted by BayouMotownMan
I guess another way to approach this then would be to ask, "What if Berry Gordy had said yes to Diana's marriage ultimatum?"
and diana's push for independence would have been disastrous within a marriage to Berry. so his infidelity and her independence would have made for a completely dysfunctional situation. had they married some time after her going solo, it would have maybe lasted a few years but then exploded. and who knows how detrimental it would have been to their professional relationship.
It sounds like the consensus is that Berry and Diana could never have been happy as a married couple, that such a union was absolutely doomed for failure and it most likely would have derailed all they had going.
but that isn’t an absolute. I believe in berry’s autobiography he states Diana was his one true love…. Or something along those lines.
maybe had they tied the knot, a family would have soon arrived and Berry would have responded appropriately. They build an impressive estate together with gardens and they throw parties. Maybe they become a model loving family, and successful Hollywood darlings, the kind that makes the cover of Life magazine. Maybe together they have the drive and mutual support to take the entertainment industry by storm , something akin to the Arnez’ empire. Maybe Berry already bored with the music industry, not only tackles movie making, but turns his sights on TV production as well . Maybe Diana Gordy becomes another Carol Burnette, or Mary Tyler Moore….. or center stage for a Dallas type drama. All that could be a maybe too , if only ….
Having not giving it a go, they both wound up having lives of failed marriages anyway.
*don’t know why I first used Saturday evening post ??:confused::p
Glad it did not happen that way.....Berry was not a one woman man and Diana was not a puppet. Thank GOD that Bob came round when he did.
They could have been the black Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Diana would have made a wonderful Cleopatra. Perhaps a musical version with Mary and Cindy as her handmaidens.
and just like that, Diana becomes co-mogul of the Motown empire....