Quote Originally Posted by Ollie9 View Post
If switching to Syreeta might as you say have been a bluff, what would BG have done if Mary had said yes, brilliant idea Berry, i’m all for that.
It is possible that he and Jean had a fall out just prior to the final frontier concert. Remember ‘control’ was his middle name and Jean was to a certain degree her own woman.
He would have slapped his forehead, and in his best Homer Simpson impression before there was ever a Homer Simpson, he would have said "Doh!"

All jokes aside, Gordy was a man of the street. He always knew his adversary. Just like when he and Flo used to go at it, he knew what buttons to push. He could probably predict Flo's behavior before she did or said anything in response to something he did or said. I believe he knew Mary the same way. The truth is that Gordy replacing Jean at the last minute would've been unprofessional. Jean had been introduced in the media and at the Farewell show as Diana's replacement. Mary was a consummate professional and Gordy had to know she'd have a problem with what was sure to be a messy situation. This wasn't replacing Florence, this was replacing Diana. He knew how Mary would react.

As far as I'm concerned, this is the only scenario that makes sense. Jean had been recording with the Supremes, rehearsing with the Supremes. Despite a certain fraction of the fandom that believes Motown didn't give a single shit about the Supremes without Diana, the truth is that the label devoted time and attention to the group and was invested in their continued success at the beginning. So Mary goes along with Gordy's plan. I guess it wouldn't take much to have Syreeta step in inside the studio on potential recordings, but what about the stage show? Was Syreeta a dancer? Was she a quick study? Could she get the stage routines down quickly? Would Syreeta have even been interested in the job? I know it's easy to believe that every female singer between Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin would have killed to be lead singer of the Supremes, the truth is that's just not true. So Syreeta declines the offer? Now what?

There's no way Gordy runs his business that way. I'll never believe it.