Iyanla Vanzant has built a career helping people confront the truths they would rather avoid. Now, the woman known for telling everybody else to do the work has to reckon with her own regrets, broken relationships, and public controversies. On “The Jason Lee Show,” the famed life coach got candid about the complicated realities behind her fallout with Oprah Winfrey, her decision not to attend her daughter’s funeral, society’s treatment of R. Kelly, and more.
Here’s everything you missed:
Iyanla Opens Up About Her Fallout With Oprah Winfrey
Vanzant reflected on repairing her relationship with Oprah Winfrey, acknowledging her own role in the breach between the two media powerhouses, which began in the ’90s. For Vanzant, reconciliation was not about reclaiming a platform or securing another television opportunity. It was about accountability.
“I created a breach,” she admitted, explaining that she approached the latest conversation with Winfrey without expecting anything in return. “I always have an intention. I don’t always have an agenda,” Vanzant said.
The two women sat down for a face-to-face conversation. “I asked her for forgiveness, and she said, ‘There’s nothing to forgive,’” Vanzant said of Winfrey, describing her desire to demonstrate what healing between two Black women could look like.
Why She Did Not Attend Her Daughter’s Funeral
In one of the interview’s most heartbreaking revelations, Vanzant discussed her decision not to attend her daughter’s funeral, confronting the complicated intersection of motherhood, accountability, and grief.
“Mommy is your first god,” she said, while acknowledging that her mistakes as a parent caused lasting damage to her daughter.
She ultimately decided that attending the funeral would not be safe for her or respectful to her daughter, as we previously reported. Instead, she stayed home. “I prayed. I did a ceremony for her,” she told Lee. “I lifted her and elevated her soul and her spirit.”
Blueface and Chrisean Rock: Why Intervention May Not Work
Vanzant, known for her show “Iyanla, Fix My Life,” has apparently received countless messages to help Blueface and Chrisean Rock navigate their troubled, public relationship. But she questioned whether the couple has any incentive to change while their public dysfunction continues to attract attention and money.
“I would love to facilitate you dealing with this, but I’m telling you… They don’t want it,” Vanzant said of the couple. Her point was clear: audiences cannot condemn destructive behavior while continuing to reward it with views, engagement, and celebrity.
She continued asking, “Why should they change? They’re being rewarded for bad behavior. We watch it.”
Iyanla Responds to Tamar Braxton Beef
The tension between Vanzant and Tamar Braxton also resurfaced, with Vanzant disputing Braxton’s previous claim that she sexually shamed her during their televised interaction.
“I love her, and she’s not well,” Vanzant said of the singer.
She emphasized that the Braxton family invited her onto their show, maintaining that her approach was rooted in her understanding of her spiritual responsibility. While acknowledging that criticism can trigger her human emotions, Vanzant said she ultimately leaves judgment to God.
“Tamar is never gonna have to answer to me, but when she closes her eyes for the last time and gets on the train to go wherever she’s going, she’s gonna meet something bigger than me,” the life coach and lawyer added.
The R. Kelly Controversy and Questions About Accountability
Vanzant’s connection to R. Kelly has also drawn scrutiny, particularly over her previous comments about the disgraced singer and whether she owes him an apology.
“Forgive me as an elder in our community not being available to support you,” Vanzant told Lee, addressing Kelly. “Forgive me for ignoring your pain. Forgive me for abandoning you.” Her broader philosophy has consistently emphasized that meaningful healing requires honesty, accountability and a willingness to confront one’s actions.
