BALTIMORE — It's cliche to say "Never meet your Heroes, because disappointment is sure to follow," but what about being betrayed by your hero after meeting them?
On the most recent episode of Shannon Sharpe's podcast "Club Shay Shay," Mo'Nique discusses how her relationship with Oprah went from terrific to traumatic.
The Baltimore born stand-up comedian and actress was at her apex in Hollywood after winning an Oscar for her role in the film "Precious." Shortly after receiving her academy award, Mo'Nique received a gesture that many would all but die for, a call from Oprah Winfrey.
Mo'Nique told Sharpe that Oprah has been her role model since her early days of being a Baltimore news anchor. Needless to say, any conversation with the beloved talk show host, turned media juggernaut, would be welcome.
On the call, Oprah told Mo'Nique her brother, Gerald Imes, asked to be on her talk show.
"Oprah said that Imes wanted to apologize for sexually abusing me when I was a child," said Mo'Nique. "He was going to let her audience know how parents can watch out for predators. I gave her my blessing to have him on the show. Despite that, I told her that I didn't want anything to do with it."
However, Oprah not only invited her brother on the show, but she invited her entire family as well. In shock, Mo'Nique was forced to sit back and watch her mother, with other members of her family, dismiss the level of abuse that she endured as a little girl.
"We never talked about my mother being there," Mo'Nique told Shannon. "Had Oprah Winfrey said, 'I'm going to have your mama on the show,' I would have said, 'Shut that s**t down. I don't need nobody seeing my mama be greedy. I don't need nobody seeing it. Shut it down. You betrayed me, sister."
