Another year means another Twitter spat for Roland Martin, this time, however, Mo’Nique is in his crosshairs. Things kicked off Friday, Jan. 26 after the comedian questioned Martin’s standing up for equality among Black men and women.
“Brother Roland, please listen, we getting ready to do press,” she said following her rounds making the case for why Netflix should pay her more than $500,000 for a comedy special. “I appreciate your fight, however, where is your fight for EQUALITY when it comes to your sisters. Let’s talk brother.”
Then, the former “NewsOne Now” anchor let Mo’Nique get a piece of his mind.
“Mo’Nique, the fact that you are even asking the question about what I have done to fight for equality and sisters shows you don’t know,” he tweeted. “I don’t talk about it. I DO IT. Have done it my whole career. I don’t need to talk. I put in the work.”
After listing proof of his work for the fight for equality, Martin continued by asking Mo’Nique to address ‘the email [journalist and influencer Jawn Murray] read that he said was from [producer Will Packer] to your husband [Sidney Hicks]. That is damning. It spoke of how you mistreated the crew, men and women. Either you did or you didn’t. Speak to that.”
Martin further said he doesn’t “waste time on tit for tats” but proceeded to recall a 2011 Ebony magazine cover featuring Mo’Nique, Chris Rock and Steve Harvey, which he said was “a horror” because of her.
“So here is my final point, Mo’Nique: you are 100 percent right about Black women, Black men and other people of color getting paid top dollar,” Martin tweeted. “But how we treat others impacts how we get paid. Now ask yourself, is it you or every other major Black Hollywood player that’s the problem?
“Is it you and your husband, or is [Lee Daniels, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Will Packer David E. Talbert] and others the problem?” he said in a follow-up tweet referencing her public bashing of the entertainment moguls last year. “Your talent is immense. But life ain’t just about who has talent. It’s also how we treat everyone else. THAT’S also equality.”
Was it because of what @willpowerpacker said in the email @JawnMurray read? Seriously, Mo, you gotta ask yourself the tough questions too. Let’s all get paid our worth, but let’s also demand excellence in how we interact.
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) January 26, 2018
And when Martin indicated he’d wrapped up, that’s when Mo’Nique responded and drove him to go on another tweeting spree.
Awwww. Brother now when you sent out that email you wasn't on the run. How ever like your friend @Jawn Murray you start running when you can't make it make sense.
— Mo'Nique Worldwide (@moworldwide) January 26, 2018
Mo’Nique, I’m not running. I’m flying. To my aunt’s funeral. If you want to hear me talk equality, watch my “The Real State of Our Union” on Tuesday at 7:30 pm from Shiloh Baptist Church in DC. On @YouTube @facebook @PeriscopeTV. Taking off now. From this discussion and runway. https://t.co/Q1nm4tdbYE
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) January 26, 2018
