LisaRaye McCoy candidly chat it up about everything from Stacey Dash’s departure to what to expect of her character Keisha when the second season of VH1’s “Single Ladies” return May 28.
The executive produced romantic comedy series by Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment journeys through the dating scene set in Atlanta also starring Charity Shea as April and newcomer (replacing Dash) former “All My Children” actress Denise Vasi as Raquel.
Peep what the real McCoy had to say in her recent Huffington Post interview.
Critics dubbing the first season embarrassing: “F**k’em! Let them write a show and come up with what they want to see. Until then, the people who love it, tune in.”
On Vasi replacing Dash: “This year we have a new addition to the cast, Denise Vasi, Stacey Dash is no longer with us. I don’t like to use the word replace, but we added a new character to our cast, she comes from the soap opera world. Her character is different because she comes in to the premiere episode with a bang, gets the wind knocked out of her and clings to her friends. And I feel that’s what the gist of the whole series is about, it’s about friendship. She comes in and becomes one of us and then it just embarks on how we are we dating in this day and age…of course I miss the chemistry that she (Dash) and I have. But again, this is a job and this is my profession so I have been hired to do my job and I’m committed to doing that.”
On whether she and Dash on speaking terms now: “We said Happy New Years to each other during New Years. And then I believe after that, I reached out to her one other time, but I want to say that I think she changed her number. But the last time that we actually communicated was New Years … One argument doesn’t break up a friendship unless it was something that was so personal, and it wasn’t personal, it was work related. We were tired, it was what it was and we moved past that. So I think that if either one of us held out against each other, we both would be fools, it’s not that serious.”
On calling Duane Martin out in Jet Magazine: If you know anything about me you know that I’ve been a very honest person and a very real person. And I feel when someone asks me a question it gives me the opportunity to straighten out the rumor or to straighten out the story that I do…what he did do for me was cause nothing but problems. So if I don’t ever see him again in life that would be cool with me. I don’t have no animosity or revenge in my heart…I know revenge is for God, and that’s the truth. Was it a hard pill to swallow to see and have one of your friends that you worked with for years that you’ve called a brother, be so back stabbing? Yes, it’s hurtful, but I done got over other things too, meaning my divorce. He ain’t the first friend that turned his back on me, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I appreciate the time that he has given me, but I don’t appreciate his attitude and I don’t see the “man” in him. So for that reason alone, I’m here doing what I do. I don’t even know what he’s doing right now, I don’t even care to know what he’s doing. To him and his family I wish nothing but luck and love, it won’t be coming from me though.
On another season of “The Real McCoy”: “We’re in talks about it right now, so I think so. I just couldn’t get around to it this year because “Single Ladies” started a little bit earlier, and the season was little bit longer. I was so tired, but as you can tell, I’m not lacking any drama in my life, that’s for sure. [Laughs] TV One has been like family to me and I’ve been the darling of TV One. I raised their number higher than any program in their history. So with that said, I think we form a great partnership. If there’s room and time for me to come back and we can come to some agreement, then I’m there. If you don’t see me then you know damn well that they didn’t come with nothing.”
For now, you can catch the ageless McCoy on the season premiere of “Single Ladies” May 28. Watch the supertrailer below:
