Mary still hoping to have a supremes movie made based on her book

[TheMotownManiac]

No wonder Flo had enough... that's too much for anyone!

Exactly! People like to assign blame for what happened to Florence and definitely there were outside influences that contributed to her problem but the bottom line is it was the life of a Supreme that was so hard for her. When they were out doing one nighters they often had to get up early in the morning fly to another city go straight to the radio station and do promotional work there may be on the air or maybe just glad handing the program director and higher ups, then maybe sound check then check into the hotel, rest for a little while eat and get ready for the show and do the whole thing all over again. On top of that, they add songs to learn, new routines to perfect, changes to the current act, proposed changes, notes from the previous night, wardrobe Fittings, publicity photo shoots which would take forever for all the different clothes and make up changes and things that would have to happen and then often they would have a show that night.......it really is a lot and not everyone is up to that. Plus, we’ve all heard how her family was asking for money all the time. And God bless Flo I loved her a lot, but she couldn’t even get through high school. Diana was starving herself, Mary partied and Flo drank. Mary had the right idea but everyone copes differently.

[RanRan79]

Exactly! People like to assign blame for what happened to Florence and definitely there were outside influences that contributed to her problem but the bottom line is it was the life of a Supreme that was so hard for her. When they were out doing one nighters they often had to get up early in the morning fly to another city go straight to the radio station and do promotional work there may be on the air or maybe just glad handing the program director and higher ups, then maybe sound check then check into the hotel, rest for a little while eat and get ready for the show and do the whole thing all over again. On top of that, they add songs to learn, new routines to perfect, changes to the current act, proposed changes, notes from the previous night, wardrobe Fittings, publicity photo shoots which would take forever for all the different clothes and make up changes and things that would have to happen and then often they would have a show that night.......it really is a lot and not everyone is up to that. Plus, we’ve all heard how her family was asking for money all the time. And God bless Flo I loved her a lot, but she couldn’t even get through high school. Diana was starving herself, Mary partied and Flo drank. Mary had the right idea but everyone copes differently.

I still can't recall reading Florence saying anything about having an issue with any of this except maybe flying. In none of the "documented" arguments between she and Gordy and Ross is any of this stuff being flung around. Florence had a problem with her position being marginalized and having to deal with Ross and Gordy's attitudes. No way does she leave the group if Berry and Diana were nicer people.

And what does Flo dropping out of school have to do with any of this? That's such a random attack.

[TheMotownManiac]

I still can't recall reading Florence saying anything about having an issue with any of this except maybe flying. In none of the "documented" arguments between she and Gordy and Ross is any of this stuff being flung around. Florence had a problem with her position being marginalized and having to deal with Ross and Gordy's attitudes. No way does she leave the group if Berry and Diana were nicer people.

And what does Flo dropping out of school have to do with any of this? That's such a random attack.

That’s not an attack at all, I am simply comparing her inability to cope with high school and her inability to be in the Supremes And how she dealt with both situations. I’m not judging her at all for not finishing high school, it’s my observation that perhaps Flo didn’t have the personal fortitude to buckle down and put her nose to the grind stone and overcome the obstacles she faced. Some people can do that, many cannot.

flo’s position in the group was marginalized in 1963 and never changed after that. And I’m sure it bothered her a great deal, but, a lot of singers would have given their eye teeth to To deal with that marginalization. Certainly Berry Gordy and diana ross could’ve dealt with her differently and perhaps have been nicer or more understanding to her situation or both. But diana ross was having her own issues remember, she was tense and not eating and passing out on stage in early 1966 so she wasn’t having an easy time of it either and bad in my opinion should be taking to consideration when dealing with her attitude…… Which I assume was Gargantuan at times. I rarely read about “poor Diana - she’s down to 93 pounds” but I have to give her a pass for a lot of her behavior because she was a mess much like Flo, only a different kind of a mess.

Mary refers to Florence complaining about their hectic schedule and dream girl, it’s also reference to other places that I can’t remember off the top of my head and in one of the interviews that her cousin gave, It is referenced. Also in Mary’s book, she talks about being resentful that the powers that be at Motown felt that she and Florence were not working as hard as Diana and I can only imagine having different people complaining to Mary and Florence about being late for rehearsals not trying as hard…… That’s never going to sit well with anybody in any situation. The easiest way to build animosity into any group is to admonish people for not being more like the golden child. I’ve also read, although I cannot remember where, that Florence was exhausted and that she and Mary were asking Barry Gordy if they could take a few months off every so often. And Barry Gordy, with a bank account where his heart ought to be, didn’t care one bit I’m sure. If he can work diana ross into a frazzle Without worrying about the toll it was taking on her, he certainly wasn’t going to give any sympathy to Mary and Florence.

‘’I firmly Believe that if Mary and Florence had gone to that meeting and said look, let’s give Florence three months off to rest recoup and get herself together and then will all get back together again and start fresh with new attitudes and A focus on the future that would include a couple weeks off every few months…… That there’s a chance things could’ve worked out. I do believe that Florence expected Mary to stick up for her at the meeting and was shocked and horrified when she didn’t. I firmly believe that’s when Florence gave up…… And as mary’s book and other books state, after that meeting Florence had stopped talking to mary as well as diana and Berry …… There’s a reason for that - she felt betrayed.