Mo’Nique and Loretha Jones (President of Original Programming, BET Networks), discussed the new The Mo’Nique Show with members of the Television Critics Association.
The Mo’Nique Show on BET
“The Mo'Nique Show will be unlike anything else on television,” exclaimed Loretha Jones. “It's not just another talk show. It's going be an entertaining, uplifting, one-of-a-kind place where viewers can go to every night to have fun. It's a show that we guarantee will put a smile on your face before you fall asleep at night. In case you are wondering how we can guarantee that, it's because we have the one and only very special Mo'Nique leading our way.”
The show is filmed in Atlanta, which is where several other BET shows are filmed. Currently, BET is going to film 150 episodes of The Mo’Nique Show.
In a conversation with one of the journalists who asked why viewers should tune into this talk show, the actress asked, “Do you like having a good time? Do you like feeling good before you go to sleep? Do you like to have joy in hour heart? Do you like to hug before you close your eyes? That’s why you should watch The Mo’Nique Show, baby.”
Mo’Nique is juggling her movie career with her talk show career. “It’s one day at a time, and with this movie (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire) coming out, with the talk show happening, with everything that’s going on , it’s still just one day at a time. Nothing gets neglected,” she actress commented. “And with the talk show, because it is brand new, this will be the focus.”
It’s very clear that Mo’Nique is really getting into the frame of talk show host. “Every guest that we have on, I'm dying to talk to,” she exclaimed. “No one outweighs the other. Everyone is just as important as the next one. With the show, when we open it up, sometimes there may be a monologue. Sometimes it may be a skit. Sometimes it may be just how we feel. … You don't know what you might get with The Mo'Nique Show, but we always know you are going to feel good about it.”
Plus Size Women
When asked if she considers herself the first plus-size woman to have a talk show, Mo’Nique replied, “There are so many big women that came before me.” She pointed out Oprah Winfrey, specifically. “But I think it [is] time for us to stop feeling like we were doing a sin or we were doing something wrong because we had a double belly or our arms flapped a little, more than most. So it was time for us to get out there and say, ‘We are beautiful, too’ not that the other women aren’t beautiful, but so are we.”
Mo’Nique is a peppy woman. She is filled with light and joy. Just watching her sit and talk about her life and career is intoxicating. “I like to make [people] feel good. Ant that’s been happening since I was a kid.”
The Mo’Nique Show premiers Monday, October 5, 2009 at 11 PM ET on BET.
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