“How Do We Win?” Mo’Nique Empowers Club Shay Shay

Internet trolls, political thinkers, and social media commentators alike watched as comedian Katt Williams set the world and internet ablaze on the couch of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay discussing the circus that is the entertainment industry. Nearly one month later, fellow comedian, Emmy and Oscar winner, Mo’Nique, stepped onto the set of Club Shay Shay with an air of confidence, ready to share her truth with Sharpe and the rest of the world.
“Stand up happened on a dare,” Mo’Nique expressed about her comedic origins. After her brother had been booed at a local comedy club, the Baltimore native, after sharing what she would’ve said, was dared to go to the next open mic night. “Shannon, I got a standing Ovation, and from that moment on… I was (hooked).”
Mo’Nique opened up about her triumph in the entertainment industry, speaking candidly about the challenges she faced as a bigger Black woman growing up. ”Nobody thought that I would be (famous)… Not the fat one, she’s not going to be the one. Not her.” She talked about feeling ostracized, despite her undeniable talent. “l’ve been used to people doubting and counting me out, and for me, as that little girl, it’s like one day, one day… and that one day is right here.”
An immediate success, Mo’Nique found herself 90 days into her Hollywood arrival booking the hit television sitcom, “The Parker’s,” which went on for 5 seasons. Despite the accolades, Mo’Nique remained humble sharing with Sharpe, “On stage is one person, off stage is somebody different… On stage, I am an entertainer, right? Off stage l’m a wife, l’m a mommy, I’m a friend, I’m a sister.”
One of the first people Mo’Nique felt seen by was with her husband and manager, Sidney Hicks. She spoke passionately about their strong partnership, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and support in their marriage. She credited Sidney with being her “rock,” always there to lift her up during the toughest times.
A powerful moment came during the interview when Mo’Nique discussed being blackballed by industry heavyweights like Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. She spoke about the pain of being ostracized for speaking her truth after an audio recording was released of Perry admitting to telling executives she was difficult to work with. “Do you see how that cost my family? And with no accountability because ‘Oh, it’s the great Tyler Perry!’ No. You’ve got to be accountable for that. Oprah Winfrey, you’ve got to be accountable for the things you’ve done with my family. You’ve got to be accountable.” Winfrey hosted a special with Mo’Nique’s relatives discussing past traumas of the comedian.
Despite feeling disappointed experiencing these situations, Mo’Nique remained steadfast in her belief in herself and the value of telling the truth. She made it clear that no matter what obstacles she faced, she would always stay true to herself and her principles, telling Sharpe, “People have a problem with people that say, ‘I’m going to tell the truth…’ and that causes a Ruckus… We got to stand tall and stand strong on what we know.”
Monique spoke of empowering the black community, especially black women to speak up for what they believe is right. “How do we win? How does a black woman win…? I look to the community and say, how long do we allow us to keep being exploited, used up, taken advantage of… if we keep operating like that, Shannon, you gonna have a whole lot of us sitting right here in this same seat almost telling the same story.”
As the interview came to a close, Mo’Nique left viewers with a powerful message of empowerment and resilience. She reminded everyone that true power comes from within, and as long as you stay true to yourself, you can overcome any challenge that comes your way.