The comedienne and actress known the world over as Mo'Nique is heading to Milwaukee Pridefest with her stand up act this weekend.
Beginning with the UPN series The Parkers, Mo'Nique eventually led to her multiple award-winning role in Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.
She currently hosts her late-night talk show The Mo'Nique Show and talked about it among other things Nunn on One.
Windy City Times: Hello, Miss Mo'Nique. How are you?
Mo'Nique: I am wonderful, sugar. How are you doing?
Windy City Times: Great and very excited about you coming to Milwaukee Pridefest.
Mo'Nique: Me, too…
Windy City Times: I wanted to go through the history of your career. Did you study acting in school?
Mo'Nique: The best studying I did was watching television. I took drama but it was one of those requirement courses. But it wasn't something that I thought would be the route I was going to go on.
Windy City Times: How did you audition for The Parkers?
Mo'Nique: I actually didn't audition for The Parkers. I had a talk-show pilot at the time and it didn't go. The agent I was with at the time took that pilot to Larry Little at Big Ticket Television, he put it in and asked if I could act. She said "Of course," and that is how The Parkers came about.
Windy City Times: So you did always want to do a talk show and it is still going strong on BET?
Mo'Nique: Yes and yes.
Windy City Times: Have you had a special guest that meant a lot to you?
Mo'Nique: Every last one means a lot to me to have on that show. Without every last one I couldn't sit where I sit.
Windy City Times: Did you know the movie Precious was going to change your life?
Mo'Nique: You know Precious changed my life but not in ways anyone would imagine. How would you say that it changed my life?
Windy City Times: I would say it was a whirlwind for you with all of the awards and attention.
Mo'Nique: That actually had nothing to do with my life changing. When I read that script, by the time I got to page ten of the book, I said to [director] Lee Daniels, "Oh my God. If we do this right it will save lives." Well, I didn't know that the life I was talking about was my own. That is how it forever changed my life.
It had nothing to do with any trophies. It was really dealing with what I had gone through. It allowed me to say out loud that I forgive my brother. It allowed me to love differently. It allowed me to not judge because you never know somebody's story. So that is how it changed my life, baby.
Windy City Times: Do you feel a lot of pressure to follow up something like that?
Mo'Nique: No.
Windy City Times: You performed at Showtime at the Apollo before. That is a tough crowd, from what I have heard.
Mo'Nique: Okay, [laughs] I tell you, Jerry, that was one of the best experiences of my life because you really got to feel the history that was in that building. When you touched that log then you knew you were touching that log of the greatest entertainers of all time. For me that crowd makes that show. You know what I am saying?
Windy City Times: I do.
Mo'Nique: They opened their arms up to me. It was just beautiful. I started the "wop wop." Get their ass out of here, baby! They told me one time, "Mo'Nique, you can't be involved in the show like that." I said, "Yes, I can. If they can't sing then my damn ears can hear that they can't sing either." It was the best, Jerry.
Windy City Times: I know Kathy Griffin had a tough time there, so that is what I am thinking of.
Mo'Nique: You can't ever walk out there on that stage and be afraid. That is the one thing about the Apollothe moment that they know there is a little bit of fear, baby, let it begin. They will be like, "Awww we got one!"
Windy City Times: Now you are going to be performing for a huge gay crowd [at Milwaukee Pridefest].
Mo'Nique: I love my children. I have been in the gay community since I was 17. At the time I didn't really understand it. I didn't know why I was being introduced to this community. They were just so warm and inviting. I felt like even at 17 years old we were both these underdogs. I was this fat Black woman and here were these white and Black gay men that society had both said they were wrong and bad.
So when I went to the Garage, honey, in New York and saw the children up on the speakers with nothing on but a thong I said, "This is beautiful!" Nobody was judging. They would say to me, "Oh Miss Girl, you are a fat fabulous thing there!" I loved it. So me coming to Milwaukee is a homecoming every time I am with my brothers and sisters in that community.
Windy City Times: I am so glad you are coming to visit.
Mo'Nique: Oh, baby. I have an Uncle Tina and an Aunt Donald. I have seen those people be mistreated. I said, "Never ever will I mistreat anyone but especially people that fight so hard to be excepted. I am excited and here is the thing, please, Jerry, let all of the children know that mother is coming, because I know they are going to be fabulous!
Windy City Times: I will. You are an author of the best-selling book Skinny Women Are Evil. Are you going to write any more books?
Mo'Nique: You know what? I love you. Actually we are in the process of writing one right now.
Windy City Times: Well, what is going to be about? I know you can't tell me too much.
Mo'Nique: Okay, let me just say this to you: I thought it was going to be about weight loss but it became about weight gain. That is all I can tell you, Jerry!
Windy City Times: Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to talk to me.
Mo'Nique: No, thank you for taking time out to talk to me. I feel like we really connected. Have a beautiful day!
Mo' comedy will make you bust a stitch on Friday, June 10, at 10 p.m. at the Miller Lite Main Stage. For tickets and information visit www.pridefest.com .