"Don't be like that Diana Ross." Stunning quote from Sheryl Lee Ralph!

[SatansBlues]

https://youtube.com/shorts/ITNmqVdJp...dRApMgM7esB0Es

Wow. What a stunning story from SLR. It kind of punches you in the stomach.

[marybrewster]

I'd like to think that somehow things have changed from 1983 to 2023.....

[jobeterob]

I'd like to think that somehow things have changed from 1983 to 2023.....

I would like to think so too.

But I’ve had young people who’s parents immigrated to Canada say it is worse than ever now.

[Boogiedown]

I applaud her for not caving in to those awful stereo types that Hollywood dictates about what a beautiful women should look like [women especially but certainly not exclusively] back then and now, and is instead aging graciously and honestly. It lets her peaceful inner beauty really shine through as witnessed here. [And love that more natural hairstyle of hers...she sure showed them.... you go girl].

[Circa 1824]

I love when celebrities with big credits play the victim.

would anyone be interested in me telling every story about someone telling me something I did not like?

[TNSUN]

I think the important reflection on the agent's remark is that Diana Ross mostly commanded top prices and this agent most likely couldn't afford to work for her.It ain't easy demanding your celebrity rights. Oh my!

[RanRan79]

https://youtube.com/shorts/ITNmqVdJp...dRApMgM7esB0Es

Wow. What a stunning story from SLR. It kind of punches you in the stomach.

I saw this months ago and meant to post it but forgot. It just speaks to the mentality that some in the industry had at the time [[and some still do).

One of the amazing things to me is that people in the comment section still found a way to turn it into a Ross bashing session, twisting the agent's comment around to suggest that he was saying that Sheryl shouldn't be a sellout like Diana. What part of "stay in your place" did they miss?

[RanRan79]

I think the important reflection on the agent's remark is that Diana Ross mostly commanded top prices and this agent most likely couldn't afford to work for her.It ain't easy demanding your celebrity rights. Oh my!

The important reflection was that the agent had an idea about how far a Black woman [[and probably Black men too) should attempt to go in this industry. Diana Ross defied that and this agent was going to see to it that "another one" wasn't going to follow in her footsteps. It's like the Little Rock 9 attending Central High and then the following school year Gov. Faubus shutting down all the schools to ensure that more of this school integration stuff didn't take place. The agent was doing what he could to maintain White supremacy in Hollywood by reminding Sheryl that her kind had a place, and that place wasn't among the Meryl Steeps and Sigourney Weavers of the time.

[sansradio]

the important reflection was that the agent had an idea about how far a black woman [[and probably black men too) should attempt to go in this industry. Diana ross defied that and this agent was going to see to it that "another one" wasn't going to follow in her footsteps. It's like the little rock 9 attending central high and then the following school year gov. Faubus shutting down all the schools to ensure that more of this school integration stuff didn't take place. The agent was doing what he could to maintain white supremacy in hollywood by reminding sheryl that her kind had a place, and that place wasn't among the meryl steeps and sigourney weavers of the time.

ALL. Of. This.

[TheMotownManiac]

I think the important reflection on the agent's remark is that Diana Ross mostly commanded top prices and this agent most likely couldn't afford to work for her.It ain't easy demanding your celebrity rights. Oh my!

I don’t think it had anything to do with money, I think he was telling her that as a black person, she had a certain place within the industry, and it was not necessarily going to be acting with white people when it came to movies, and not to get her self influenced by that diana ross person that does not know her place and will not be placed in any kind of racial category. Horrifying that this goes on.

[Jaap]

This reminds me of what Viola Davis said a couple of years ago about being a Black actress in Hollywood, even today!

[midnightman]

Well we all remember when Diana tried to be firm about how she wanted to be presented in The Bodyguard movie to Ryan O'Neal and instead of agreeing, he basically blasted her in the press and then had the nerve to say Diana hated being black, which wasn't what she was going for at all.

Oddly enough when Whitney Houston requested the same things to Kevin Costner for The Bodyguard, he obliged every demand!

What Diana tried to do, Whitney did. Makes you wonder how tough Diana really had it, which is why I hate that she didn't write that second book because she could talk about this part instead of writing that book that basically acted like it was all sunshine and rainbows.

[RanRan79]

Well we all remember when Diana tried to be firm about how she wanted to be presented in The Bodyguard movie to Ryan O'Neal and instead of agreeing, he basically blasted her in the press and then had the nerve to say Diana hated being black, which wasn't what she was going for at all.

Oddly enough when Whitney Houston requested the same things to Kevin Costner for The Bodyguard, he obliged every demand!

What Diana tried to do, Whitney did. Makes you wonder how tough Diana really had it, which is why I hate that she didn't write that second book because she could talk about this part instead of writing that book that basically acted like it was all sunshine and rainbows.

Ah yes, the "White people telling Black people how we really feel" syndrome. Lol

It was a low blow. I really hate that Diana is allowing everybody else to tell her story except herself. Secrets of a Sparrow did very little in telling the life story of Diana Ross.

[Boogiedown]

Ah yes, the "White people telling Black people how we really feel" syndrome. Lol

Ah yes not unlike "Black people telling White people how we really feel" syndrome. lol

Originally Posted by midnightman

Well we all remember when Diana tried to be firm about how she wanted to be presented in The Bodyguard movie to Ryan O'Neal and instead of agreeing, he basically blasted her in the press and then had the nerve to say Diana hated being black, which wasn't what she was going for at all.

I don't remember ...how did she want to be presented?? Or Whitney ?

[milven]

Ah yes, the "White people telling Black people how we really feel" syndrome. Lol

It was a low blow. I really hate that Diana is allowing everybody else to tell her story except herself. Secrets of a Sparrow did very little in telling the life story of Diana Ross.

She did tell it, and many of us here pre-ordered it on Amazon but it was never released. Diana had planned to release a memoir titled Upside Down: Wrong Turns, Right Turns, and the Road Ahead. It was around 2002 or 2003, but the book was cancelled by the publisher for unknown reasons. Some speculate that the book was pulled because it contained controversial revelations about Ross’ personal and professional life, such as her alleged affairs, drug use, and conflicts with other Motown artists. But neither Diana nor the publisher have confirmed or denied these rumors.

My own speculation is that it is not the publisher who cancelled it. If it had all those juicy tidbits, they would have been ecstatic because it would be a number one seller. The book was written during a down time of Diana's life and after she got herself back together, she probably regretted revealing so much private info and was the one who had it pulled, not without some kind of battle. I remember the release date being changed countess times over , what seemed, a long period of time. For a private person like Diana, she probably had second thoughts about revealing so much.

The book still remains unpublished and unavailable to the public.

But one or two tidbits of the book still survive
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
I really tried to be strong about the divorce. I took the boys to visit Arne and his new love and their baby, and I even planned a divorce ceremony so that the kids would know that our relationship had ended on a good note. I spoke at the ceremony about the good things that had come into my life since I met Arne, and about how much I loved him and the children. Later on, I realized that I was really denying myself the time to grieve over losing his love. I denied the hurt and tried to rise above it. But one day, I realized I still needed to heal. I wanted to be left alone. Many people encouraged me to go back to work, but my heart said, "Stay in bed."

[Ollie9]

She did tell it, and many of us here pre-ordered it on Amazon but it was never released. Diana had planned to release a memoir titled Upside Down: Wrong Turns, Right Turns, and the Road Ahead. It was around 2002 or 2003, but the book was cancelled by the publisher for unknown reasons. Some speculate that the book was pulled because it contained controversial revelations about Ross’ personal and professional life, such as her alleged affairs, drug use, and conflicts with other Motown artists. But neither Diana nor the publisher have confirmed or denied these rumors.

My own speculation is that it is not the publisher who cancelled it. If it had all those juicy tidbits, they would have been ecstatic because it would be a number one seller. The book was written during a down time of Diana's life and after she got herself back together, she probably regretted revealing so much private info and was the one who had it pulled, not without some kind of battle. I remember the release date being changed countess times over , what seemed, a long period of time. For a private person like Diana, she probably had second thoughts about revealing so much.

The book still remains unpublished and unavailable to the public.

But one or two tidbits of the book still survive
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
I really tried to be strong about the divorce. I took the boys to visit Arne and his new love and their baby, and I even planned a divorce ceremony so that the kids would know that our relationship had ended on a good note. I spoke at the ceremony about the good things that had come into my life since I met Arne, and about how much I loved him and the children. Later on, I realized that I was really denying myself the time to grieve over losing his love. I denied the hurt and tried to rise above it. But one day, I realized I still needed to heal. I wanted to be left alone. Many people encouraged me to go back to work, but my heart said, "Stay in bed."

I was gutted when the book was cancelled. I think it would have gone along way in showing a more human side to her personality from the public perception of spoilt petulant diva.

[RanRan79]

I always heard she cancelled the book, not the publisher.

Yeah, she apparently wrote a more detailed autobio, but ultimately she pulled it, thus again, leaving it to other people to tell her story.

[midnightman]

Ah yes not unlike "Black people telling White people how we really feel" syndrome. lol



I don't remember ...how did she want to be presented?? Or Whitney ?

Diana, according to Ryan, requested these things:

1.) No nude scenes
2.) No sex scenes, no kissing in the mouth
3.) Don't bring attention to the fact they were an interracial couple

Apparently when Kevin Costner picked up the script, he was cool with it because Whitney made similar demands [[first two) and he said cool. And nothing was ever mentioned of color. So basically 1979-80 was different from 1991-92. Which was ironic because The Bodyguard came out in the aftermath of the L.A. riots. Whitney scored where Diana failed.

[midnightman]

Ah yes, the "White people telling Black people how we really feel" syndrome. Lol

It was a low blow. I really hate that Diana is allowing everybody else to tell her story except herself. Secrets of a Sparrow did very little in telling the life story of Diana Ross.

Diana is a strange woman. She could easily set things straight if she wants to but she refuses. For whatever reason, I don't know. And yes Secrets of a Sparrow was a HORRIBLE book. Revealed absolutely nothing.