THE RESPECT ROUTE

The weekend is here!

And today I'm toasting to..........."EARNING Your RESPECT!"
                                         

                                       

                                          
    I have wondered at times, "What if I decided to do what some of my female counterparts did and take the sex route?" I mean....At least my boobs are real! And so is my nose! And my butt! And my lips! And my eyes! And my teeth! Don't real count for something?

  Maybe I would have gone double or triple platinum. I would be living in a mansion by now. I could have changed my name to "Heather Harlot!" I coulda had a perfume name "Harlot," A book. A clothing line, maybe lingerie. Dam..."Heather Harlot" coulda been BIG....LOL! But instead I choose to take the RESPECT route.

  Fast forward to present day: This past Thursday to be exact when Sway was out; on vacation. I nearly fainted when I was told that I, me, Heather. BY MYSELF. Would be interviewing someone that I RESPECT. And who has always taken the RESPECT ROUTE:
Ms. Alfre Woodward. GOD are you SERIOUS? Right now???

  Mind you...the talent coordinator (who books for the show) walked in and said, "Heather, Alfre doesn't want to wear the headphones because she doesn't want to mess up her hair...Is that okay?"

  I wanted to say, "NO black chick wants to mess up her hair," but instead I said..."She's ALFRE WOODARD. If she don't wanna wear dam headphones...so be it!"

  

 

Ms. Woodard came to the show to promote the 2012 version of "Steel Magnolias" that she stars in with Queen Latifah, Jill Scott, Phylicia Rashad, her daughter Condola Rashad, and Adepero Oduye. (If you don't you know Adepero: SEE the film "PARIAH" she's PHENOMENAL.)

 

  Was I nervous?......Ummm, I was past nervous. I was DYING. Because Ms. Woodard is not just an actress; She's an actress, ACTRESS.  In Hollywood there aren't many who haven't so called "sold out" for the almighty dollar, and Alfre Woodard is one of them.

(FYI: I LOVE Ms. Angela Bassett, met her and made her a Sangria at Melba's. and Ms. Viola Davis...haven't met her yet, but when I do...I'm given her a high FIVE! Because she's A FORCE!)

 

I cut right to the chase and said, "Ms. Woodard, I usually soothe my nerves with vodka, but I didn't want to sit here with YOU disrespectfully and have you smell vodka on me."
  How HAPPY was I when she said, "Well you coulda made me a screwdriver!" What??? Haha!  It was INSTANT love! And maintained RESPECT!

 

   I took it a step further and told her she reminds me of one my aunts (Pep) who would lovingly cuss me out when I buggin, but at the end we could have a drink together. LOL!

 

I asked her if she felt pressure doing a classic film over like, "Steel Magnolias?" "No" she said,  "because I never saw the first one." How and why she didn't see the first one...I didn't even ask, because we were too busy talking about her 19 year old son. When and if she cusses. Church Folks. And Hip-Hop! She even told me that Eminem was the FIRST rapper she let her son listen to.

 

 

She hugged me so tight after the interview was over and told me that I did an excellent job. Honey....I was floating.  Floating so high that I needed a slice of pizza and a shot to bring me back down to earth. OKAY.

 

Here's the gagger though: I head out to get that slice before the weekly staff meeting. With slice in tow, I'm coming off the elevator and bump into the talent coordinator who says, "HEATHER! ALFRE is looking for you!" "She wants to talk to you because you left an impression on her." WWWHAT???? How the hell do you die twice in ONE DAY? haha!!!

 

He gets her attention...and immediately I say, "Yes, Ms. Woodard." She says, " Heather. I want a mixtape of the music YOU listen too." "I really enjoyed myself with you today and I wanna know what you like and what YOU listen to." Is she SERIOUS???

 

Of course THAT would of been the perfect opportunity for me to tell her HOW much I have always RESPECTED her work. HER. And just her overall get down, but instead I said: "YES! I will make it for you and can I have a picture of us standing together looking FIERCE?"  She said, "Heather, of course...but put that pizza down girl!"LOLOL!!!

 

I've been floating ever since. And YES! I been busy getting Ms. Woodard mixtape together. Ya'll know I'm putting one of my songs on it too! Lol! I think I'm gonna put "Dreamer" on there. 

 

 For those of you that may be on the fence or second guessing the importance of intergrity. ALL I gotta say is....RESPECT. Fight for it at all costs. EARN it as if it's your last pay check. And GIVE it...so you can RECEIVE it.

 

CHEERS!

HB

 

FYI: "Steel Magnolias comes on tomorrow night on LIFETIME.... Bring your vodka and your tissues!!!