“What are you doing, Mo? You look amazing!” Academy Award winner and legendary comedian Mo’Nique replies, “I’m being loved.”
Mo’Nique came to the Chicago Improv (Schaumburg location) on November 16 and 17. Mo’Nique is looking great and feeling good. While talking to her this past week, she opened up on how she came about living a healthier lifestyle, self-care, her husband Sidney Hicks and being honest and resilient.
Monique’s stand-up comedy show sold out two shows each evening with a female empowered theme, ”Genuine Sistahood.” Opening for her was Chicago’s very own Comedienne Correy Bell and Ms. Arkansas; Mo dubbed these two ladies the new Queens of Comedy. They gave the crowd a dose of their world outside of being comedians and covered topics such as marriage, sex, work ethics, being sexy mothers, and provided hysterical anecdotes.
When Mo’Nique hit the stage, she came out dancing to the Lil Wayne featuring Swizz Beatz track “Uproar.” She brought on stage a lady in the audience (Tiffany) to feel what she felt at the moment, loved and appreciated for being herself.
Laughter was in the atmosphere, relatable real-life topics were brought up, topics that some people may be afraid to talk about because of social norms. Why can’t we talk about sexual abuse, sexuality, having the arrogant Miss Independent attitude to the point of destruction, creating and having genuine Black love relationships, being vulnerable to love or be loved, pleasing your man the right way (i.e., Jill Scott with the microphone) and vice versa.
Mo’nique kept it real and authentic with the audience that being a boss b**** once overshadowed real love, happiness and wanting a family. Self-discovery, a change of heart, counseling and her husband Sidney Hicks motivating her
has helped her fight unhealthy life habits in an honest, sincere method.
The emotions flowed with tears as Mo’nique got real intimate about her life, and everything she said was straight from her spirit. Her story encouraged the audience to reflect as a culture how to seek to change our perspectives about life situations in a progressive way.
“I’m passionate about my community, especially with our sisters. I gave myself away a lot, looking for affection anyway it would come. What I wasn’t doing before was loving me or loving myself enough to say, you deserve better, but first I had to be my best. When I finally allowed myself to be loved, is when my life changed, we have to allow love to happen.
“What I’m talking about is allowing love to happen without putting a dollar sign on it. We have to learn to nurture one another in relationships.”
Mo’Nique stated that someone had put on her Instagram that her husband had brainwashed her; she started to respond, but then she held her breath and said you know what, they’re right.
“This man has been so nurturing and so patient and has loved me in a way that makes me want to be better. I had to wash my brain, from all the b*******, conditioned beliefs, traditional approaches so I could be a better me, the best for my husband, my children, my grandbabies to come, so I’m learning not to be offended.”
When it comes to criticism from people nowadays, Mo’Nique has a different perspective on how she deals with it.
“I understand it, I’ve been there before I knew the full details of the story baby, I made a judgment and an opinion, and that was it. For some of those people after we engage in a conversation, they’ll come back and say ‘Mo, I didn’t know all of it,’ and then you have the people that say, ‘I don’t give a damn, you’re this, you’re that,’ but I keep fighting for them not with them because I know our community has been so beaten up and abused. You don’t stand up, don’t you know what will happen when you stand up, so that’s why I don’t take it personally and I love them even harder.”
The comedianne stated that her health journey began about ten years ago. She was with her husband, and he asked her what she weighed to be curious.
“I knew it was over 300 pounds, but I couldn’t say that out loud, so I said 266 pounds real proud. He then said ‘mama that’s too much, and I want you for a lifetime,’ and at that moment I knew I needed to do something because I’ve never had anyone say they want me for a lifetime.”
Mo’Nique also stated “I’m open to drinking beet juice, vegetable juice and ginger with a turmeric shot. I am open to working out, not being judgmental, let me live my best life for real, these are the lifestyle changes I am open to and more positive ways.”
Another method Mo’Nique has adopted to make strides into a healthier lifestyle is scenery walks.
“I go walking, and when I go walking, sis, there are times when people have walked past me, and I would have tears rolling down my eyes, or they would see me busting out laughing because at that time I’m dealing with me. When I’m dancing, I’m meditating, Meditation is good, and it comes in all forms, and we have to take the time out to deal with ourselves.”
Mo’Nique is very appreciative of everything, she loves genuinely, but she will not compromise her integrity or not speak out about inequality. To hear and see the authenticity, subscribe to Mo’Nique’s YouTube page: Mo’Nique Worldwide or catch a show for yourself and objectively hear it from her, raw, funny and unapologetically in 2019.
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