June 30, 2006

Back to Part 1 of the Star Jones Reynolds Interview

BV Buzz: Barbara Walters said ABC decided not to renew because the approval rating was down with viewers. Do you believe that story?

Star: I was told by Barbara and Bill that they were not renewing my contract because my viewer approval ratings have gone down and they needed to make a change. That seemed a little odd to me considering that several of the highest rated episodes of 'The View' for the year that I planned my wedding, which is when they said that my viewer approval ratings went down, several of the top ten were directly related to my wedding planning. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever said this out loud, but the number two show of 'The View' of all time, was the day after Al asked me to be his wife and we announced it on 'The View.' In the whole nine years, it was the number two rated show in the whole nine years. So that seemed a little weird because most of the high rated shows or a significant portion I should say, focused directly on the issues from my life or me leading the featured segment. So to hear that the numbers were reading really differently and they wanted to renew my contract was a surprise. I was never told that my job was in jeopardy prior to being told that my contract was not being renewed. Clearly, they would say we did some focus groups and there are some changes we want to make. I actually remember, it was either late November or early December, waking up one morning and reading in one of the local papers that they were looking to replace Star Jones...Me being me, I walked into "The View" that day and asked Bill Geddie myself, and I asked him a direct question, "Is the network looking to replace me? These rumors, are they true?" And he said to me no. He said, 'No, I've not been told any of this.' That's exactly what he said, 'No, I've not been told any of this.' He assured me it was not true. When they told me that my contract was not going to be renewed, I thought wait a minute, hold up. I came to you and asked! And you'd think they'd come to a person, a committed member of the team, a faithful member of the team, and say yo, your job may be in jeopardy. You've got to make some changes or we're not going to be able to protect you. They never said that. Or, 'Your job IS in jeopardy you've got to look out for yourself because, Star, change is coming.'

BV Buzz: There were rumors of tension between you and Barbara Walters before the announcement came. What was life like leading up to your surprise announcement?

Star: Well, the last two months have been horrible. I guess I could fake it for you but I'm not going to. Now remember, I will draw you a picture. I told you April 21 is when they told me, and Barbara did not call me herself. Barbara called my agent. And after 9 years, she didn't call me. And then, that next Wednesday, I was supposed to get on a plane and go to the Emmy Awards, the Emmy Awards I had earned with my colleagues for a year of work. Then I was told in my office that Rosie O'Donnell was joining 'The View.' And I was told that they were going to use the Emmy Awards that my colleagues and I had earned to make the announcement. And, I was promised that nothing would leak and they would not use it as an opportunity to humiliate me, and if I would go to the Emmys. They begged me to go! As you can imagine, that was very hurtful. By the time I got to the airport, they had leaked that Rosie O'Donnell was coming to 'The View' and that they were going to announce it at the Emmys. On the day of the Emmys, 48 hours later, I had to walk that red carpet my best foot forward and sit in the front row as Barbara Walters walked Rosie O'Donnell out on that stage. And, this was particularly galling because I found out by sitting in that audience that Barbara had made a phone call to Rosie in the same week she'd viciously attacked me in print and on television and invited her to be co-host. The same week. Barbara ran into her at her event the same week Rosie had gone on her blog and on every single evening entertainment program and attacked me. Barbara used that week to call her and invite her to be a part of the show that I helped launch nine years ago, and I found that out sitting in the audience that night. And for Barbara to say she feels betrayed, (laughs), it's the height of hypocrisy. Because I sat there and for two months I came to work every day. It's so disheartening to me. I came to work every day. I held my head up. I operated in grace and dignity. I continued to share my life. I brought photographs of my family. One hundred percent professionalism for two months. And I sat there knowing they had conspired to hurt me professionally and personally. Remember this, I knew since April! But I still came to work.

BV Buzz: Will you watch the new 'View' come September?

Star: I'm going to be very busy come September.

There's more to my in-depth conversation with Jones Reynolds that will be featured in next week's BV Buzz. Then, the television talent speaks frankly about the fallout from her wedding and the accusations that her obsession with freebies strained her relationship with ABC.

Buzzworthy

Actor Leon ('Little Richard'/' The Five Heartbeats') has released a new reggae album called 'The Road Less Traveled' with his band The Peoples. The CD was recorded with DJ Pismo and producer JK and features singer Syleena Johnson on a remake of the Angie Stone cut "Bottles and Cans."

Gospel dynamo and Mariah Carey background vocalist Melonie Daniels will record her first full-length gospel album come all. Daniels will record the CD live in New York and plans to release the album independently, at least for now. In the meantime, Daniels will be featured in the production 'More Than a Song' with vocalists Chris Epps, Natalie Walker and Marvin Scott at the Theatre Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Fla. on July 14 and 15.

According to comedienne Sheryl Underwood, BET's 'Comic View' may not be returning this fall. "We don't know if 'Comic View' is coming back. I hear its not coming back. I hear I am the last host of 'Comic View' as we know it," said Underwood, who hosted the last season of the BET series. Stay tuned.

Can't Say Names...

Mama said a leopard never changes its spots, and according to members of a veteran R&B collective, that's the case with one of its founding members. Members of said group are feuding over money, something that caused the group to disband years ago. When one member failed to show up for a concert date recently, they still tried to have the manager split the check three ways. The other two members almost got physical with the manager and allegedly locked her in a hotel room until all of the money was paid. To get back at the absentee member, the two singers failed to board their flight for an international concert date and left the pseudo-singer/producer onstage to perform the entire show solo. You know what they say about payback.