Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay reigned in the new year taking over the podcast arena for weeks after an earth-shattering interview with comedian Katt Williams. The controversial sit-down garnered over 57 million views within a month and continues to be a viral topic of conversation on social media.
Since then, the Club Shay Shay podcast has featured back-to-back, high profile interviews, including comedian Kountry Wayne, hip hop recording artist 21 Savage, and music icon Usher.
Once again, Sharpe has caused a stir with Mo’Nique, the first woman to be featured on Club Shay Shay in 2024. The interview premiered Monday, Feb. 7 to a live viewing audience of more than 128K people. Similar to Williams, the very vocal comedian addressed career rifts with Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, and D.L. Hughley.
Sharpe aided Mo’Nique in calling Perry to action as they petitioned for the media mogul and studio owner to “make it right.” Mo’Nique’s grievance arises from Perry reinforcing what she alleges is a mischaracterization of her being difficult to work with, causing her ability to earn income to be jeopardized. Sharpe extended an invitation to Club Shay Shay to Winfrey, as well.
The feud with Winfrey continues for Mo’Nique, who is still rattled by the former talk show host bringing Mo’Nique’s family, including her parents Alice Imes and Gerald Imes Sr., and two brothers, one of which she accuses of sexually abusing her, onto the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2010. Mo’Nique claimed the family downplayed her story of abuse for a profit and she is still waiting to resolve the slight with Winfrey.
Mo’Nique said she would forgive Perry and Winfrey if they accept accountability and she’s compensated for the money she lost. When Sharpe asked Mo’Nique how she feels about the constant ridicule from the Black community for speaking out, she attributes it to the historic conditioning of a rich community intentionally manipulated by oppressive forces.
“We have been conditioned in such a way in our community to eat each other up and spit us out,” Mo’Nique said. “If our community dealt in truth how much more further would we be?”
Watch Mo’Nique’s Club Shay Shay Interview
In addition, Mo’Nique, a Baltimore, Maryland native, discusses her desire to be famous in the beginning phases of her career and willingly admits her naivety when it came to the business side of show business.
Three months after relocating to Los Angeles in 1999, Mo’Nique landed The Parkers, a sitcom starring Countess Vaughn, Yvette Wilson, and Dorien Wilson. Once the show went into syndication, Mo’Nique began to question why pay was low relative to others in the industry.
“We did 22 episodes, we were paid $55,000 per episode for 22 shows,” Mo’Nique told Sharpe. “That show has made over $2 billion, and I’m guesstimating, and you want to convince us with our percentage we made no money?”
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For years, Mo’Nique has addressed pay disparity and unfair treatment in the industry, but her message fell on deaf ears — she infamously paid The Breakfast Club, who she calls “The Breakfast Nubs,” a visit to address radio personality Charlamagne for giving her “Donkey of the Day” in the heat of her battle with Netflix. It wasn’t until Williams’ explosive interview and actress Taraji P. Henson speaking about the same issues that Mo’Nique’s prior comments were revived.
