I used to shadow a prominent journalist in Chicago whose career no one could touch with a ten foot poll. From scoring interviews with iconic figures such as Martin Luther King to hip hop moguls like Jay Z… one could only dream about being in the industry for over 40 years.
Journalist “Jessi!” (because he was like 80 I never corrected him)
Me “Good afternoon sir. How are you?”
Journalist “What are you doing my dear”
Me “I know you want me to say I’m writing… but to be honest I’m at Lawrence’s Fishery over on Roosevelt and Canal eating a pound of shrimp and drinking a grape pop.”
Journalist (Old man laugh) “Well can you get here in about 2 hours. I am conducting a phone interview and I think you would enjoy listening in.”
Me “I sure can! Who are you interviewing?”
Journalist “I’ll tell you when you get here… your old school music loving self will enjoy this!” (older people find my love of 60’s music endearing)
Me “Ah, well I know Aretha Franklin always request that you conduct her interviews… soooo I am going to assume it’s her.”
Journalist “It’s not Aretha… but you will get a KICK out of this Jessi!” (Only he would be on a first name basis with Aretha Franklin.”
I hung up and the investigative journalist in me got to thinking. He is known for dropping clues as to what I would be doing… hmmm…. I would get a “kick” out of this… and a music artist. OMG! MICHAEL JACKSON! That “kick” is a signature move! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MJ is my idol and whether you know me or not… you just know I love me some Michael. 2 hours later I went to the journalist’s office.
Me “Thanks for letting me listen to your Michael Jackson interview!!!”
Journalist “Is that who you think I am interviewing? No, Jessi… I’m doing a story on Ike Turner.” (oh, that kind of “kick”…. Ike… Joe Jackson… I was close right?)
Me (acting like I’m beating myself up) “Tina Turner… Proud Merry Ike?”
Journalist “That would be it. And please refrain from slapping yourself during the interview.”
With that he got Ike Turner on the phone. Ike is actually a very accomplished man. He did a lot for the music industry. Then of course Journalist asked him about Tina and the movie What’s Love Got to Do with It.
Ike “"If I owe anybody an apology, that would be Tina," he said. "I put her through hell with other women. I regret it today, but I can't undo it."
Ike then went on to say that the movie was not an accurate depiction and that there are two sides to every story. That’s when he said something to this affect:
Ike “I never hit Tina… just shook her up a bit… maybe slammed her… but not everyday”
RING THE ALARM! HOLD UP WAIT A MIN! Did he really just say that? As if shaking her up and suplexin her ass was alright, just as long as he did not clock her???? Journalist quickly reminded him of the fact that he did admit to hitting Tina in a People Magazine article back in the early 90’s.
Journalist “and I quote you “All the fights Tina and I had were about her being sad about something," he said. "I get real emotional if you're worrying and don't tell me what it is. Then I can't think about nothing else. So I'd slap her or something like that” end quote.” Are you retracting this confession?
Ike got upset and talked about how that movie ended his career. For all of eternity he would not be remembered for his mark in the music industry nor the fact that he is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…but for a movie that portrayed him as an abusive monster.
When the interview was over I felt bad for Ike Turner for a second. He had a point. Despite his musical success… he will always be known as Ike “Eat the cake Anna Mae” Turner. A few months after the phone interview… Ike Turner passed away.
The public can forgive a celeb with an addition, criminal record, weight issues, sex tape… and as R Kelly has proven loving underage girls, (I know you want me to say something about my MJ but I WON’T DO IT!) but a woman beater…. Not so much.
This whole memory was brought on by the recent events of Chris Brown and Rihanna. That would suck if at the height of Brown’s career… he was found guilty and had to fall from grace. Imagine that E! True Hollywood story… it would only cover like 2 years of his fame. But the freaky comparison about the whole Chris/Ri Ri and Ike/Ti Ti… both had a huge drama on a major award show night.
Remember these quotes from the movie:
Tina : “So what you gonna do? Huh? You can do whatever you want to do, I don't care. But I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. Those people out there tonight, they come to see me. You can do what you want to, shoot me, Pistol whip me.”
Tina “My husband and I just had a fight. I'm supposed to open at the Academy tonight. I have 36 cents and a Mobil card, and if you just give me a room, i swear I will pay you back.”
(What’s Love Got to Do With It came one today… oh the irony)
Jokes aside abuse is not okay. “Anna Mae If you die I'll 'keel' you, hear me bitch I'll 'keel' you!” Yeah Ike……….you only shook her up. (insert side-eye here)
Journalist “Jessi!” (because he was like 80 I never corrected him)
Me “Good afternoon sir. How are you?”
Journalist “What are you doing my dear”
Me “I know you want me to say I’m writing… but to be honest I’m at Lawrence’s Fishery over on Roosevelt and Canal eating a pound of shrimp and drinking a grape pop.”
Journalist (Old man laugh) “Well can you get here in about 2 hours. I am conducting a phone interview and I think you would enjoy listening in.”
Me “I sure can! Who are you interviewing?”
Journalist “I’ll tell you when you get here… your old school music loving self will enjoy this!” (older people find my love of 60’s music endearing)
Me “Ah, well I know Aretha Franklin always request that you conduct her interviews… soooo I am going to assume it’s her.”
Journalist “It’s not Aretha… but you will get a KICK out of this Jessi!” (Only he would be on a first name basis with Aretha Franklin.”
I hung up and the investigative journalist in me got to thinking. He is known for dropping clues as to what I would be doing… hmmm…. I would get a “kick” out of this… and a music artist. OMG! MICHAEL JACKSON! That “kick” is a signature move! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MJ is my idol and whether you know me or not… you just know I love me some Michael. 2 hours later I went to the journalist’s office.
Me “Thanks for letting me listen to your Michael Jackson interview!!!”
Journalist “Is that who you think I am interviewing? No, Jessi… I’m doing a story on Ike Turner.” (oh, that kind of “kick”…. Ike… Joe Jackson… I was close right?)
Me (acting like I’m beating myself up) “Tina Turner… Proud Merry Ike?”
Journalist “That would be it. And please refrain from slapping yourself during the interview.”
With that he got Ike Turner on the phone. Ike is actually a very accomplished man. He did a lot for the music industry. Then of course Journalist asked him about Tina and the movie What’s Love Got to Do with It.
Ike “"If I owe anybody an apology, that would be Tina," he said. "I put her through hell with other women. I regret it today, but I can't undo it."
Ike then went on to say that the movie was not an accurate depiction and that there are two sides to every story. That’s when he said something to this affect:
Ike “I never hit Tina… just shook her up a bit… maybe slammed her… but not everyday”
RING THE ALARM! HOLD UP WAIT A MIN! Did he really just say that? As if shaking her up and suplexin her ass was alright, just as long as he did not clock her???? Journalist quickly reminded him of the fact that he did admit to hitting Tina in a People Magazine article back in the early 90’s.
Journalist “and I quote you “All the fights Tina and I had were about her being sad about something," he said. "I get real emotional if you're worrying and don't tell me what it is. Then I can't think about nothing else. So I'd slap her or something like that” end quote.” Are you retracting this confession?
Ike got upset and talked about how that movie ended his career. For all of eternity he would not be remembered for his mark in the music industry nor the fact that he is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…but for a movie that portrayed him as an abusive monster.
When the interview was over I felt bad for Ike Turner for a second. He had a point. Despite his musical success… he will always be known as Ike “Eat the cake Anna Mae” Turner. A few months after the phone interview… Ike Turner passed away.
The public can forgive a celeb with an addition, criminal record, weight issues, sex tape… and as R Kelly has proven loving underage girls, (I know you want me to say something about my MJ but I WON’T DO IT!) but a woman beater…. Not so much.
This whole memory was brought on by the recent events of Chris Brown and Rihanna. That would suck if at the height of Brown’s career… he was found guilty and had to fall from grace. Imagine that E! True Hollywood story… it would only cover like 2 years of his fame. But the freaky comparison about the whole Chris/Ri Ri and Ike/Ti Ti… both had a huge drama on a major award show night.
Remember these quotes from the movie:
Tina : “So what you gonna do? Huh? You can do whatever you want to do, I don't care. But I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. Those people out there tonight, they come to see me. You can do what you want to, shoot me, Pistol whip me.”
Tina “My husband and I just had a fight. I'm supposed to open at the Academy tonight. I have 36 cents and a Mobil card, and if you just give me a room, i swear I will pay you back.”
(What’s Love Got to Do With It came one today… oh the irony)
Jokes aside abuse is not okay. “Anna Mae If you die I'll 'keel' you, hear me bitch I'll 'keel' you!” Yeah Ike……….you only shook her up. (insert side-eye here)
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