Patti LaBelle is usually not one to make headlines for anything shocking or upsetting, but that all changed recently after clips from a new interview began making the rounds on social media. And what she revealed will no doubt irritate you.
If you missed it, the “If Only You Knew” singer—who recently turned 82—sat down with “CBS Sunday Morning,” where she looked back on her illustrious career, talked about her current tour, and the impact she’s had on the music industry. At one point in the conversation, the host, Tracy Smith, asked LaBelle about a time that a record executive called her “plain” years ago.
However, the music icon quickly corrected Smith and revealed that the insult was actually much worse.
“He called me ‘quite ugly.’ He didn’t say ‘plain.’ He said the word,” LaBelle explained.
Smith then asked if that negativity helped her form a sort of “steel” inside of her. LaBelle responded that although the comments were difficult to hear, she knew she could only be herself.
“It gave me hurt. Just total hurt because I knew how much he loved my voice. And I knew no matter what anyone said about me, I am who I am. I’m not gonna change. The only thing I changed was my nose because it was not pleasing to me,” she said.
Wow, imagine calling Patti LaBelle ugly! Do you know how much disgusting audacity you have to have to do that? And what kind of person would say that to another human being anyway, especially when you take into account how beautiful and insanely talented the “New Attitude” singer actually is?
Naturally, as the clip began to circulate online, many of the singer’s fans were quick to express words of affirmation.
“Never was ugly sorry queen,” one user wrote on TikTok.
“I always found Patti beautiful, classy, sassy, fly. She’s always looking fly! Even today! Nails! Hair! Face is beat! The outfits!” said another on Instagram.
“I cry for you, Ms. Patti. That must’ve hurt like hell. You were and are beautiful,” one other user wrote on Insta.
Others were happy the words didn’t stop her from becoming the star she is today.
Added another on X/Twitter: “I’m glad that didn’t break her. She’s a beautiful legend.”
Some also took issue with the interviewer for asking if the “ugly” insult made LaBelle have “steel” instead of showing empathy.
“‘Did it give you kind of a steel inside of you?’ Points deducted for interviewer. She’s a human being, not a damn machine. WTF?” one person said on TikTok.
“The reporter is annoying me it’s like these white ppl can’t fathom black women can feel pain and sadness,” wrote another on TikTok.
Noted one other user: “I’m happy she was real about being hurt. Interviewer tried to take her down the strong black route.”
We’re happy that LaBelle bounced back from both the negative exec and steered the interview question in a direction that allowed her to be soft and express her hurt. We don’t know who needs to hear this, but Black women aren’t invincible; just because we had to learn how to carry our pain well doesn’t mean it isn’t still a burden to deal with.
