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  1. #51
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    I think Joan and Randy T. were a bit strong in stating that no one liked Diana Ross. Just because they audience was frowning doesn't mean they did not like Ross, right?
    Last edited by marv2; 06-28-2019 at 10:57 PM.

  2. #52
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    One of the most telling stories that came out of this interview was about that Las Vegas security guard that helped Miss Ross only to be refused help from her when he needed it. Kind of reminds of that time back in her Supremes days when she collapsed on stage in Boston from exhaustion and Florence took care of her and made sure Mr. Gordy cancelled the remaining shows so that Ross could be hospitalized.

    When Florence became ill, Miss Ross exclaimed "Oh she is not sick, lazy is more like it". Sad because Florence really was sick.
    Last edited by marv2; 06-28-2019 at 10:20 PM.

  3. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    What would she be suing about though? Do you really think it's worth her time to sue someone who writes in a book about how she copied someone's dress and then wore it before they had a chance? Or how about suing because someone said she hit him upside the head with a hat box with a dog hidden inside? Or maybe she should've sued because someone wrote that she wasn't always nice to Mary Wilson?

    The law appears to be [[and you legal scholars please feel free to step in and confirm or correct me) fairly strict on what constitutes a person being able to sue an author for libel or defamation. Diana would have to prove that her reputation has truly suffered as a result of these books, and I don't believe she can do that. I know a few Mary fans like to believe that Dreamgirl somehow kept Diana from scoring another hit, but that's a fantasy, not reality. The truth is that by the time Dreamgirl hit the street, Diana hadn't had a hit over here in two years. And then three or so years after Dreamgirl, Diana hit the top 5 r&b. She was still in demand as a concert draw. Still being approached to take part in major television appearances. Mary's book didn't steal her shine, nor did JRandyT's book, Tony Turner, or anyone else since. Music wise, what killed Diana's career was stinky music which nobody wanted to bother with, and when she did record good stuff, she was considered "past it" by the business who was more interested in the Toni Braxton and Mary J Blige's of the industry.

    Diana is the rule for celebrities, not the exception, when it comes to allowing negative depictions in books to go without pursuing legal options, if any exists for her particular case. You almost never hear of celebrities suing authors.
    Also, she kept butting heads with RCA Records over her musical direction. When she was in Motown, she was THE QUEEN. But RCA didn't treat her as such. And that led to a woman at the age of 41 to lose touch with the MTV generation. I mean she was still dressing up in gowns with big hair and old school show business charm. She was split between what her image had been and what they expected of her. Once Whitney Houston took off as America's Sweetheart of Song, Diana had to pass the torch. The book didn't end Diana's chart success, it was a mixture of MTV, the industry's reluctance to older black artists [[sans Aretha, Tina and a solo Patti LaBelle), RCA struggles and the emergence of Whitney, that led to Diana being out of favor by 1986.

  4. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    I think it was rather sad and embarrassing that Randy T. would reveal on television how jealous Diana Ross was of Whitney Houston. I mean, she had like a 20 year head start on Whitney and was old enough to be Whitney's mom.
    My guess is Randy got caught up in the drama that he had to make something up. By all accounts, Diana loved Whitney.


  5. #55
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    This short little interview, along with Mary's book and Diane's own admission explains why she has no friends other than her children. Very depressing and sad for her to live this long and have no friends.

  6. #56
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    Diane's reaction to a 10 year old Taraborelli gift he had worked hard to draw for her was "just make another one....." is priceless~ Cruella de Vil has nothing on this chick LOL!

  7. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    My guess is Randy got caught up in the drama that he had to make something up. By all accounts, Diana loved Whitney.

    That is interesting that you would say that. This is what J. Randy Taraborelli had to say about it:

    "Thank you! My first best seller! I love being a part of The Sleaze Factor. - JRT"

    https://sleaze-factor.blogspot.com/2...y-j-randy.html

  8. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    This short little interview, along with Mary's book and Diane's own admission explains why she has no friends other than her children. Very depressing and sad for her to live this long and have no friends.
    Speaking of friends, didn’t Mary write in her second book that Diane told her that they were not friends or something to that effect?

  9. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by detmotownguy View Post
    Speaking of friends, didn’t Mary write in her second book that Diane told her that they were not friends or something to that effect?
    Yes she did. You have a great memory. They were out shoe shopping somewhere when Diane made that comment. I almost fell out of my chair when I read that. LOL! She has NO friends and I think that is by design. Later on in the 90s she goes on Oprah wining about she doesn't have any friends except her secretary and that she didn't know why LOL!!!!

  10. #60
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    Ignore this individuals remarks folks. He just cannot rid himself of this Diana Ross obsession.

  11. #61
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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    This short little interview, along with Mary's book and Diane's own admission explains why she has no friends other than her children. Very depressing and sad for her to live this long and have no friends.
    so saaaaad

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    Captainjames, thank you for mentioning that one point! I have asked myself countless times why Flo’s confidant, biggest supporter, hero and almost-like-family friend NEVER seems to have taken a moment to pose with her for a photo...

  13. #63
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    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    so saaaaad
    The saddest thing is when she threw that cup of hot tea into the face of that Detroit society lady at Mayor Coleman A. Young's Inauguration reception. All because she thought the woman had said something about what Miss Ross was wearing.

  14. #64
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    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    Also, she kept butting heads with RCA Records over her musical direction. When she was in Motown, she was THE QUEEN. But RCA didn't treat her as such. And that led to a woman at the age of 41 to lose touch with the MTV generation. I mean she was still dressing up in gowns with big hair and old school show business charm. She was split between what her image had been and what they expected of her. Once Whitney Houston took off as America's Sweetheart of Song, Diana had to pass the torch. The book didn't end Diana's chart success, it was a mixture of MTV, the industry's reluctance to older black artists [[sans Aretha, Tina and a solo Patti LaBelle), RCA struggles and the emergence of Whitney, that led to Diana being out of favor by 1986.
    Agreed. Also it is important to remember that Diana had two children in a very short period of time around this time also, and she prioritizes motherhood. But Mary's book was a non factor. All the book did was confirm what a lot of people already suspected: that Diana Ross could be a first class bitch. I think any case Diana might have wanted to bring against Mary, or JRandyT, or even Tall Tales Turner, would've hinged on her being able to prove that her reputation suffered horribly and irreparably in the wake of these books. That would be an easy case if suddenly she lost bookings and was ostracized from the industry, but she wasn't. Plus little tid bits about her diva antics were already out there in print, so Mary wasn't giving the world the scoop that Mother Theresa was a mean old lady who was secretly poisoning the poor, she was merely expounding upon what information was already floating around out there. Diana didn't have a case.

  15. #65
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    That made the Det News and Free Press. I was shocked they would report that incident abt Ms. Ross. I can’t remember the ladies name, but I know she was loaded and should have sued. But then again, Ms. Ross was under so much stress. I wonder what mental disorder makes people do things like that?
    On a side note, U gotta love Coleman Young lol!

  16. #66
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    I don't think Diana cares about having a ton of friends. She and Smokey are apparently still close though. Patti Labelle says she and Diana talk often. There's nothing wrong with having a few friends. Keep your circles small. The larger they are, the more drama. I've learned that in the few short years I've been on this earth. Diana is 75 so I would hope she's learned it also.

  17. #67
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    Quote Originally Posted by detmotownguy View Post
    That made the Det News and Free Press. I was shocked they would report that incident abt Ms. Ross. I can’t remember the ladies name, but I know she was loaded and should have sued. But then again, Ms. Ross was under so much stress. I wonder what mental disorder makes people do things like that?
    On a side note, U gotta love Coleman Young lol!
    Yes, Motown had to scramble fast and hard to squash that potential lawsuit. It's been said that her mental disorder is that she is a socio-path. Now I am not a doctor,etc, but that's what many have concluded about Diana Ross. That's why when I read "Dreamgirl, My Life As A Supreme" I began to pick up on that and Mary's mournful tone regarding many of the things Ross did. You can hate her or feel sorry for her because she ain't right! In every sense of the word........

  18. #68
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I don't think Diana cares about having a ton of friends. She and Smokey are apparently still close though. Patti Labelle says she and Diana talk often. There's nothing wrong with having a few friends. Keep your circles small. The larger they are, the more drama. I've learned that in the few short years I've been on this earth. Diana is 75 so I would hope she's learned it also.
    Most sociopaths don't. Normal people do like friends and friendships.

  19. #69
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    Look at the video again. Pay attention to Joan Rivers puzzled look and the comments she made. She was describing a sociopath and may not have even realized it. Same thing with Mary and her first book. Mr. Gordy's comments in Ebony Magazine as to why he never married her. They were all describing what we now know as a sociopath!
    Last edited by marv2; 06-29-2019 at 01:26 PM.

  20. #70
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    Actually Mary’s book was pretty benign and it is obvious she didn’t hate DR, but rather a portrait/life experience of major disappointment. Why treat people so badly! Millions of people have come from nothing and don’t act like that.
    I wonder Wht the tea incident cost Motown lol!

  21. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by detmotownguy View Post
    That made the Det News and Free Press. I was shocked they would report that incident abt Ms. Ross. I can’t remember the ladies name, but I know she was loaded and should have sued. But then again, Ms. Ross was under so much stress. I wonder what mental disorder makes people do things like that?
    On a side note, U gotta love Coleman Young lol!
    Nothing shows up when I goggle it. Any links you can share so we can all read this story about Miss Ross throwing hot tea in a ladys face.
    Please and thanks

    https://www.google.com/search?q=dian...obile&ie=UTF-8
    Last edited by Roberta75; 06-29-2019 at 02:14 PM.

  22. #72
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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    Most sociopaths don't. Normal people do like friends and friendships.
    Diana Ross wasn't that alone for her last birthday party
    Last edited by Albator; 06-29-2019 at 02:26 PM.

  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    Diana Ross wasn't that alone for her last birthday party
    Fanatics paying to go to a party/concert that the artist organized themselves is not what I call a celebration thrown by friends for you...........
    Last edited by marv2; 06-29-2019 at 05:00 PM.

  24. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by detmotownguy View Post
    Actually Mary’s book was pretty benign and it is obvious she didn’t hate DR, but rather a portrait/life experience of major disappointment. Why treat people so badly! Millions of people have come from nothing and don’t act like that.
    I wonder Wht the tea incident cost Motown lol!
    Mary was a doll when it came to her book. Many people [[especially Detroiters) were encouraging her to go harder! To tell it all.....but she didn't. I don't know what it cost Motown to squash the tea incident, but it wasn't cheap! LOL!

  25. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I don't think Diana cares about having a ton of friends. She and Smokey are apparently still close though. Patti Labelle says she and Diana talk often. There's nothing wrong with having a few friends. Keep your circles small. The larger they are, the more drama. I've learned that in the few short years I've been on this earth. Diana is 75 so I would hope she's learned it also.
    I often wonder about her childhood. It seems those who are deeply ambitious as she was come from awful childhoods. I know Diana talked how she was raised in a loving family but she's talked about how difficult it was getting the attention of her father. Folks like that adapt a rebellious, ambitious, and sometimes nasty streak when they get older. That explains why she always had to be the center of attention. I guess when one gets older, they mellow. Diana has some of that old streak in her but judging on Patti and even Mary, she is not the same person she was 50 years ago.

  26. #76
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    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    I often wonder about her childhood. It seems those who are deeply ambitious as she was come from awful childhoods. I know Diana talked how she was raised in a loving family but she's talked about how difficult it was getting the attention of her father. Folks like that adapt a rebellious, ambitious, and sometimes nasty streak when they get older. That explains why she always had to be the center of attention. I guess when one gets older, they mellow. Diana has some of that old streak in her but judging on Patti and even Mary, she is not the same person she was 50 years ago.
    All you have to do is pay attention and you will see that she is hardly ever around any of her own brothers and sisters! They come to her shows when she is playing the Detroit area ,but let her or one of her kids get married and they are invisible. When Arthur aka T-Boy died, she did not even go to his funeral and she was in the country at that time!

  27. #77
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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    Most sociopaths don't. Normal people do like friends and friendships.
    Well to be fair, most normal people don't sit on the internet and write so negatively about a person they don't know either...

    If she's such a sociopath, why does Mary want to have Diana in her life? Why is it that whenever someone needs some cash for a house or a doctor's bill they call on Diana? If someone is a sociopath, wouldn't the normal people want to stay as far away from that person as they could? Isn't the fact that the "normal" folks like Mary Wilson and Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy still wanting to be around a sociopath make themselves sociopaths? Seriously, aren't the only people who are attracted to sociopaths, sociopaths themselves?

    And why would a sociopath, the definition of which includes someone who lacks a conscience, help people out when they need it? The entire scenario sounds really weird.

  28. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    I often wonder about her childhood. It seems those who are deeply ambitious as she was come from awful childhoods. I know Diana talked how she was raised in a loving family but she's talked about how difficult it was getting the attention of her father. Folks like that adapt a rebellious, ambitious, and sometimes nasty streak when they get older. That explains why she always had to be the center of attention. I guess when one gets older, they mellow. Diana has some of that old streak in her but judging on Patti and even Mary, she is not the same person she was 50 years ago.
    I think her childhood has something to do with her drive. She has spoken about feeling second rate to her sister Barbara, particularly where her father was concerned. I suspect that when she figured out that God had blessed her with a singing voice, it was her way of getting attention from her father. Apparently it didn't work too well as her father looked at singing as almost nonsense, especially when compared to Barbara Ross' academic achievements. So when Gordy took an interest in her, this older man who presided over Motown in a paternalistic way, I think she revved her engine and did whatever she could to maintain his attention, no matter the cost. Ultimately she achieved the highest status of music legend there is. One has to wonder what might have happened if Fred Ross had lavished upon her the attention Diana craved. Would she have been so intent on a music career? Would Gordy have been able to treat her the way that he did and get results?

    Likewise, Mary's youth comes into play as an adult also. I suppose that her need to resurrect this "Diana and I need to come together" sentiment every so often is because of the rejection issues that she has steemming from her own childhood. After all, if she's the sociopath that some want you to believe, why would Mary want to have a relationship with her? Of course I don't believe that Diana is a sociopath [[that's an accusation clearly leveled by people with little to no knowledge of mental health, but instead have the ability to Google the terminology), but Diana has all but said she's not interested in Mary Wilson at this point in their lives, so why keep on it? I think Mary has a hard time letting go of people. I think that's why she didn't leave Motown with Jean and Lynda. There may have even been some of that in play when she was with Pedro, although of course we know she bravely did end that relationship.

    I think a lot of people are unaware of the way their childhood is manifesting itself in their adult lives. I suspect that if the truth of some childhoods of posters on SD were revealed that it would give light into some of what we see abounding in these types of threads.

  29. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Well to be fair, most normal people don't sit on the internet and write so negatively about a person they don't know either...

    If she's such a sociopath, why does Mary want to have Diana in her life? Why is it that whenever someone needs some cash for a house or a doctor's bill they call on Diana? If someone is a sociopath, wouldn't the normal people want to stay as far away from that person as they could? Isn't the fact that the "normal" folks like Mary Wilson and Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy still wanting to be around a sociopath make themselves sociopaths? Seriously, aren't the only people who are attracted to sociopaths, sociopaths themselves?

    And why would a sociopath, the definition of which includes someone who lacks a conscience, help people out when they need it? The entire scenario sounds really weird.
    Exactly.

    Marvin Gaye had issues when they were recording D&M but Diana invited him to her show in Brussels in 1982 weeks before Sexual Healing came out and they kissed and hugged [[the emotion was real with Diana, she was HAPPY to see him and he was happy to see her). If Diana was a sociopath, Marvin would've not attended and stayed far away from her, right?


  30. #80
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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I think her childhood has something to do with her drive. She has spoken about feeling second rate to her sister Barbara, particularly where her father was concerned. I suspect that when she figured out that God had blessed her with a singing voice, it was her way of getting attention from her father. Apparently it didn't work too well as her father looked at singing as almost nonsense, especially when compared to Barbara Ross' academic achievements. So when Gordy took an interest in her, this older man who presided over Motown in a paternalistic way, I think she revved her engine and did whatever she could to maintain his attention, no matter the cost. Ultimately she achieved the highest status of music legend there is. One has to wonder what might have happened if Fred Ross had lavished upon her the attention Diana craved. Would she have been so intent on a music career? Would Gordy have been able to treat her the way that he did and get results?

    Likewise, Mary's youth comes into play as an adult also. I suppose that her need to resurrect this "Diana and I need to come together" sentiment every so often is because of the rejection issues that she has steemming from her own childhood. After all, if she's the sociopath that some want you to believe, why would Mary want to have a relationship with her? Of course I don't believe that Diana is a sociopath [[that's an accusation clearly leveled by people with little to no knowledge of mental health, but instead have the ability to Google the terminology), but Diana has all but said she's not interested in Mary Wilson at this point in their lives, so why keep on it? I think Mary has a hard time letting go of people. I think that's why she didn't leave Motown with Jean and Lynda. There may have even been some of that in play when she was with Pedro, although of course we know she bravely did end that relationship.

    I think a lot of people are unaware of the way their childhood is manifesting itself in their adult lives. I suspect that if the truth of some childhoods of posters on SD were revealed that it would give light into some of what we see abounding in these types of threads.
    Yeah Mary's feelings of being rejected as a childhood definitely affected her and makes me understand why she occasionally talks about wanting her and Diana to reunite. Altogether, her, Diana and Florence were women whose childhoods affected the way they eventually became as adults.

    One has to read the full history of Diana to understand why she became what she became.

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    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    My guess is Randy got caught up in the drama that he had to make something up. By all accounts, Diana loved Whitney.

    They admired each other -
    There are some entertainers that you don't compare because they are in their own place in history.
    Aretha, Whitney, Diana, Nancy. Michael and Elton.
    There was a Tribute to Diana Ross that I remember Whitney singing on.

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    Quote Originally Posted by captainjames View Post
    They admired each other -
    There are some entertainers that you don't compare because they are in their own place in history.
    Aretha, Whitney, Diana, Nancy. Michael and Elton.
    There was a Tribute to Diana Ross that I remember Whitney singing on.
    This one?


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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    Fanatics paying to go to a party/concert that the artist organized themselves is not what I call a celebration thrown by friends for you...........
    You seem to have difficulties following your own rules ! A few weeks ago, you were full of pride that Mary Willson called Donna Summer "her friend". Yet she didn't even know she was sick. What kind of friendship this is?
    she was as friend to Donna that Diana is to Beyonce.
    Does it make Mary Wilson a sociopath?

  34. #84

    From JRT

    Just wanted to pop in and thank you folks for some of the nice comments here. What I've learned is that if you're in the public eye and you're around long enough, eventually your old TV appearances will pop up to mortify you over and over and over again.

    What can I say about that Joan Rivers appearance? I remember it well; it was my first national TV show and, boy... what a day. I remember sitting in the make up room getting a nice varnishing on my face of what seemed like all the amber waves of grain rolled into one coat of paint when Joan walked in. "First time on TV, kid," she said. "Nervous?" she asked me. I scoffed. Me? Nervous? That'll be the day, I thought. "Heck, no," I told her, full of confidence. "I'm just gonna be myself." She looked aghast. "Oh my dear," she said, shaking her head. "You will have to be SO MUCH MORE that just yourself!" Okay... I thought, NOW I'm nervous.

    So much craziness happened that day. My friends know all the stories; one day I'll write about them, maybe.

    Indeed, what can I say about this show and all of the others relating to Call Her Miss Ross? I was barely 30... dumb in so many ways... giving it my best shot... hoping to not look like an idiot... you know... a heady experience and pretty much what you'd expect for a guy who, prior to this time, could barely afford to eat spaghetti and Ragu with his best friend, George Solomon [[and, believe me, for the two of us, that was a big night; we probably had a collective fifty cents to our names.)

    Call Her Miss Ross holds an assortment of bittersweet memories for me. My first New York Times best seller, it's still my most popular title even though it's been out of print for something like 25 years. [[It's that cover! What a cover!) I've had 14 New York Times best sellers since that one, but none can compare to the impact CHMR had on me, my audience [[and on Miss Ross, too, I dare say.) I've had dozens of opportunities to re-issue that book over the years - as recently as last year, actually - but have always declined. Why? Because as someone here so wisely opined, it was of a very specific time and place back in the 1980s, and it will always belong there, frozen for all eternity. Yes, I admit, I do cringe when I read a lot of it. I had always wanted a re-do. And I had that opportunity 12 years ago when I wrote a third Diana biography and was able to clean up all the ... well... naivete, I guess [[trying to be kind to myself here)... of CHMR. That said, I'm still proud of CHMR; a lot of people over the years have said it made them love Diana more, not less. My friends and family know how I feel about her and about all of the Supremes. Of course they do, and I think my readers do, as well.

    It's been many years now since I have had the chance to write about any of my childhood heroes, and I really miss those days. I look at this wide-eyed youngster on this video and I think, kid... you don't have a freakin' clue, do you? You don't know a thing about life... about love... about how complicated relationships are...about anything actually. But I know you're doing the best you can with what you have to work with - just maybe don't smile so much when telling these terrible stories, alright? :-)

    So, yeah... 30 years later, when these things pop up out of nowhere, I have to smile and acknowledge the incredible journey I've had. YouTube keeps you humble, that's for sure, but also grateful.

    Thank you for posting this little slice of my history and reminding me of what was then... and what's now. Also, I want to thank you guys - any of you who have supported me since I was a kid and watched me grow up with the passing of one decade after another... after another. I think after all this time, you know my heart. For sure, I know yours, too. And as for Miss Ross and all of the Supremes. How lucky have we been?! How truly LUCKY have we been to have been able to live in this world ... with them?

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    Quote Originally Posted by J. Randy Taraborrelli View Post
    Just wanted to pop in and thank you folks for some of the nice comments here. What I've learned is that if you're in the public eye and you're around long enough, eventually your old TV appearances will pop up to mortify you over and over and over again.

    What can I say about that Joan Rivers appearance? I remember it well; it was my first national TV show and, boy... what a day. I remember sitting in the make up room getting a nice varnishing on my face of what seemed like all the amber waves of grain rolled into one coat of paint when Joan walked in. "First time on TV, kid," she said. "Nervous?" she asked me. I scoffed. Me? Nervous? That'll be the day, I thought. "Heck, no," I told her, full of confidence. "I'm just gonna be myself." She looked aghast. "Oh my dear," she said, shaking her head. "You will have to be SO MUCH MORE that just yourself!" Okay... I thought, NOW I'm nervous.

    So much craziness happened that day. My friends know all the stories; one day I'll write about them, maybe.

    Indeed, what can I say about this show and all of the others relating to Call Her Miss Ross? I was barely 30... dumb in so many ways... giving it my best shot... hoping to not look like an idiot... you know... a heady experience and pretty much what you'd expect for a guy who, prior to this time, could barely afford to eat spaghetti and Ragu with his best friend, George Solomon [[and, believe me, for the two of us, that was a big night; we probably had a collective fifty cents to our names.)

    Call Her Miss Ross holds an assortment of bittersweet memories for me. My first New York Times best seller, it's still my most popular title even though it's been out of print for something like 25 years. [[It's that cover! What a cover!) I've had 14 New York Times best sellers since that one, but none can compare to the impact CHMR had on me, my audience [[and on Miss Ross, too, I dare say.) I've had dozens of opportunities to re-issue that book over the years - as recently as last year, actually - but have always declined. Why? Because as someone here so wisely opined, it was of a very specific time and place back in the 1980s, and it will always belong there, frozen for all eternity. Yes, I admit, I do cringe when I read a lot of it. I had always wanted a re-do. And I had that opportunity 12 years ago when I wrote a third Diana biography and was able to clean up all the ... well... naivete, I guess [[trying to be kind to myself here)... of CHMR. That said, I'm still proud of CHMR; a lot of people over the years have said it made them love Diana more, not less. My friends and family know how I feel about her and about all of the Supremes. Of course they do, and I think my readers do, as well.

    It's been many years now since I have had the chance to write about any of my childhood heroes, and I really miss those days. I look at this wide-eyed youngster on this video and I think, kid... you don't have a freakin' clue, do you? You don't know a thing about life... about love... about how complicated relationships are...about anything actually. But I know you're doing the best you can with what you have to work with - just maybe don't smile so much when telling these terrible stories, alright? :-)

    So, yeah... 30 years later, when these things pop up out of nowhere, I have to smile and acknowledge the incredible journey I've had. YouTube keeps you humble, that's for sure, but also grateful.

    Thank you for posting this little slice of my history and reminding me of what was then... and what's now. Also, I want to thank you guys - any of you who have supported me since I was a kid and watched me grow up with the passing of one decade after another... after another. I think after all this time, you know my heart. For sure, I know yours, too. And as for Miss Ross and all of the Supremes. How lucky have we been?! How truly LUCKY have we been to have been able to live in this world ... with them?
    Glad to see you have joined the forum. It is good that you will be able to see first hand some of the comments about Ms Ross. As you can see there is one particular member who is very vocal in his hatred for Diana. Maybe he will draw his horns in a little now he knows you are watching.
    Enjoy the forum!

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    Quote Originally Posted by J. Randy Taraborrelli View Post
    Just wanted to pop in and thank you folks for some of the nice comments here. What I've learned is that if you're in the public eye and you're around long enough, eventually your old TV appearances will pop up to mortify you over and over and over again.

    What can I say about that Joan Rivers appearance? I remember it well; it was my first national TV show and, boy... what a day. I remember sitting in the make up room getting a nice varnishing on my face of what seemed like all the amber waves of grain rolled into one coat of paint when Joan walked in. "First time on TV, kid," she said. "Nervous?" she asked me. I scoffed. Me? Nervous? That'll be the day, I thought. "Heck, no," I told her, full of confidence. "I'm just gonna be myself." She looked aghast. "Oh my dear," she said, shaking her head. "You will have to be SO MUCH MORE that just yourself!" Okay... I thought, NOW I'm nervous.

    So much craziness happened that day. My friends know all the stories; one day I'll write about them, maybe.

    Indeed, what can I say about this show and all of the others relating to Call Her Miss Ross? I was barely 30... dumb in so many ways... giving it my best shot... hoping to not look like an idiot... you know... a heady experience and pretty much what you'd expect for a guy who, prior to this time, could barely afford to eat spaghetti and Ragu with his best friend, George Solomon [[and, believe me, for the two of us, that was a big night; we probably had a collective fifty cents to our names.)

    Call Her Miss Ross holds an assortment of bittersweet memories for me. My first New York Times best seller, it's still my most popular title even though it's been out of print for something like 25 years. [[It's that cover! What a cover!) I've had 14 New York Times best sellers since that one, but none can compare to the impact CHMR had on me, my audience [[and on Miss Ross, too, I dare say.) I've had dozens of opportunities to re-issue that book over the years - as recently as last year, actually - but have always declined. Why? Because as someone here so wisely opined, it was of a very specific time and place back in the 1980s, and it will always belong there, frozen for all eternity. Yes, I admit, I do cringe when I read a lot of it. I had always wanted a re-do. And I had that opportunity 12 years ago when I wrote a third Diana biography and was able to clean up all the ... well... naivete, I guess [[trying to be kind to myself here)... of CHMR. That said, I'm still proud of CHMR; a lot of people over the years have said it made them love Diana more, not less. My friends and family know how I feel about her and about all of the Supremes. Of course they do, and I think my readers do, as well.

    It's been many years now since I have had the chance to write about any of my childhood heroes, and I really miss those days. I look at this wide-eyed youngster on this video and I think, kid... you don't have a freakin' clue, do you? You don't know a thing about life... about love... about how complicated relationships are...about anything actually. But I know you're doing the best you can with what you have to work with - just maybe don't smile so much when telling these terrible stories, alright? :-)

    So, yeah... 30 years later, when these things pop up out of nowhere, I have to smile and acknowledge the incredible journey I've had. YouTube keeps you humble, that's for sure, but also grateful.

    Thank you for posting this little slice of my history and reminding me of what was then... and what's now. Also, I want to thank you guys - any of you who have supported me since I was a kid and watched me grow up with the passing of one decade after another... after another. I think after all this time, you know my heart. For sure, I know yours, too. And as for Miss Ross and all of the Supremes. How lucky have we been?! How truly LUCKY have we been to have been able to live in this world ... with them?
    Hi Randy, and welcome. I'll pass on your mortifying appearance and start anew! As you may have seen there are several [[!) level-headed posters here who will welcome your information. And yes, what a wonderful world it has been to have witnessed the Supremes and to remain witnessing the once-in-a-lifetime Diana Ross. I wish you well and look forward to your biographies.

  37. #87
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    Thanks Randy
    LOL -- I knew you were here !!
    We were all young once but we all knew you loved the Supremes.

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    About « call her Miss Ross », Rupaul stated

    « Love her even more after this one »

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    Diana said in a Larry King interview that her lawyers advised her that it was best not to sue because she would have to sit through long depositions and it would be time consuming but she regretted that she did not sue.

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    Cindy Birdsong may have told him the story. According to the book Diana shared the story with her.

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    Okay I'll say it. I loved Call Her Miss Ross, The Music and the Madness, AND Dreamgirl. When I read those books, I found Diana Ross to be an odd, quirky, career driven woman who made it all happen for herself. I am always confused by people who want to just say DR came off as a bitch. I never saw her that way! She was just hyper-focused, egotistical and sometimes thoughtless when it came to other people. That doesn't make her a bitch IMO. She never maliciously stomped on anybody and was almost always complimentary and gracious regarding the other Supremes and/or other performers.It seems to me that she has a very precise view of herself and although many people got left high and dry along the way, it wasn't her fault. Diana's story is fascinating--people like us are still talking about her 60 years later! She was one of a kind and still is.

  42. #92
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    Diana is a very complex person. It's easy to dismiss her as some prima-donna who would throw tantrums when she didn't get what she want. Even Marvin Gaye admitted that Diana was a hard worker and admitted he was wrong for coming at her the way he did when they worked on their album. Sometimes I wish Diana had written that second book just so she can clear the air on what happened all those years ago. I know those rumors really got to her though. Diana strikes me as a person who wants to stay positive and remain positive and she has her reasons - five children and four grandchildren [[last I checked). The fact she came off as a great mother and grandmother further convinces me that what has been written about her was dead wrong.

  43. #93
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    RanRan I loved your post about family. I never had that, unfortunately. Good man.

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    "Yes, I admit, I do cringe when I read a lot of it. I had always wanted a re-do. And I had that opportunity 12 years ago when I wrote a third Diana biography and was able to clean up all the ... well... naivete, I guess [[trying to be kind to myself here)... of CHMR. That said, I'm still proud of CHMR; a lot of people over the years have said it made them love Diana more, not less. My friends and family know how I feel about her and about all of the Supremes. Of course they do, and I think my readers do, as well."
    I do love her even more for sure. It was easy to read between the biased lines.
    There have been tons of first rate testimony claiming she can be impossible to work with... Or that she can be very wise and tolerant.


    There is an interview with Barbara Walters where she laughs when she heard the interviewer say "you are describe as a temperamental Diva that demands everything"

  45. #95
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    I did not end up disliking her after reading Miss Ross and Dreamgirl. I liked all three even more because it humanized them. Diana seeking parental attention and getting it from Gordy/Motown and the public, Flo who suffered a tragedy and then harbored mistrust of everyone because of that and Mary who was given to an Aunt felt abandoned and tries to make a family with her group and her friends who also did not rock the boat or say how she felt so she would not be abandoned again. They were human beings and they all do love each other because they shared the Supremes with each other even if there were personal differences that they did not like. Ross was very driven and if you pamper and give into the whims of anyone they will not act perfectly. I know I read something Cindy said that they were all good Moms and that should say alot about each of them even if they are all far from perfect human beings. I liked those books because if in any of there places-Diana, Mary, Flo,Cindy, Jean and Scherrie-what would your actions be if you were in their place? It would be a different life than the one you have now. The books helped humanize them and no reason to judge, just to enjoy ALL of their talents, which are immense.

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    I wasn't endeared to Diana after reading either Dreamgirl, CHMR or All That Glittered. I was young and reading these things at surface value. It wasn't until I was older that I started seeing through the crap. Not that the books were crap [[except for Glittered, the fairytale of a POS), but with age comes experience, and hopefully maturity, and one starts to see the story different. I realized Diana was as human as the rest of us. The same goes for the other Supremes. One of my favorite sayings is that we're all the villain in somebody else's story. That's why I'm always so amazed at how many people take up the mantle of real or imagined wrongs on behalf of Florence and Mary where Diana is concerned. I once posed the question in this forum: what would books written about you say, especially during your youth? In recent years I've looked back over my life and begun to realize that I romanticized certain aspects of myself when I was younger. I didn't see it then, but I was definitely a villain in a few stories. I have no room to judge. But we all live in glass houses, and yet some still find a way to fling rocks.

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    The thing all these books have in common, and what ultimately is viewed as negative, is the time period they were released. These books were all part of that 80’s [[early 90’s) set of trashy auto/biographies , therefore in the literary world, are not taken seriously.

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    I was in my mid 20's when I read Dreamgirl and already knew a bit about the drama from reading youtube comments . Probably why I got the book in the end. Just wanted to know what the people they were discussing had to say for themselves. I eventually got secrets of Sparrow too. Problem with books like these is that it's easy to take someone's side and take their word for it. Just because some don't get along doesn't mean that it's the same for you.

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    Smile

    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I wasn't endeared to Diana after reading either Dreamgirl, CHMR or All That Glittered. I was young and reading these things at surface value. It wasn't until I was older that I started seeing through the crap. Not that the books were crap [[except for Glittered, the fairytale of a POS), but with age comes experience, and hopefully maturity, and one starts to see the story different. I realized Diana was as human as the rest of us. The same goes for the other Supremes. One of my favorite sayings is that we're all the villain in somebody else's story. That's why I'm always so amazed at how many people take up the mantle of real or imagined wrongs on behalf of Florence and Mary where Diana is concerned. I once posed the question in this forum: what would books written about you say, especially during your youth? In recent years I've looked back over my life and begun to realize that I romanticized certain aspects of myself when I was younger. I didn't see it then, but I was definitely a villain in a few stories. I have no room to judge. But we all live in glass houses, and yet some still find a way to fling rocks.
    I really like the anecdote “we are all villains in someone else’s story”. So very true. I have made a note for when i might next need to share some words of comfort.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I wasn't endeared to Diana after reading either Dreamgirl, CHMR or All That Glittered. I was young and reading these things at surface value. It wasn't until I was older that I started seeing through the crap. Not that the books were crap [[except for Glittered, the fairytale of a POS), but with age comes experience, and hopefully maturity, and one starts to see the story different. I realized Diana was as human as the rest of us. The same goes for the other Supremes. One of my favorite sayings is that we're all the villain in somebody else's story. That's why I'm always so amazed at how many people take up the mantle of real or imagined wrongs on behalf of Florence and Mary where Diana is concerned. I once posed the question in this forum: what would books written about you say, especially during your youth? In recent years I've looked back over my life and begun to realize that I romanticized certain aspects of myself when I was younger. I didn't see it then, but I was definitely a villain in a few stories. I have no room to judge. But we all live in glass houses, and yet some still find a way to fling rocks.
    Oh Lord, I pray no one would ever write a book about me in my late teens/early 20s. I look back at my behavior and some of the mean things that came out of my mouth and am shocked I was not punched in the face more than the few times I was lol. I can honestly say though the person I am today is very laid back and earthy, that's not who I was back then. Point is: we all evolve in life [[most of us at least).

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