Mary Wilson: Dream Girl #1

December 15, 2006

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SHE'S SAYING SHE WAS SNUBBED BY THE FILMMAKERS.. ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?
Listen, the play folks and her and everybody else snubbed US. When the play was on Broadway, they snubbed us.

THEY SNUBBED THE SUPREMES?
Yes. Saying it wasn't about us and this and that. So now they're getting the same thing we got. Hey, what comes around goes around. They said, this is not about the Supremes, we were in workshops for a year and a half and we re-wrote the second act. Well yeah, you're alive and Florence is dead so she couldn't re-write it. I think that Jennifer should come out and embrace it because she created the part. But no one is gonna come to you - they didn't come to us and no one is gonna come to her. When I interviewed Jennifer Hudson on the red carpet, I said to her, because I wanted her to speak out about the part, I said that this part was created by Jennifer Holiday, how did you make it your own - obviously you have the talent to do so, but did you study Jennifer's work because she created the part almost note for note for what you're doing? Because I wanted her to give Jennifer Holiday her credit, there's nothing wrong with that because obviously she had the pipes to do it.

AND DID SHE GIVE HER THE CREDIT?
Yes she did. People have got to be honest and have enough integrity in themselves to speak out, and Jennifer has got to come out and talk about how wonderful it was to be a part of it. No one's gonna come out and beg you to do something if they can make money without you. I learned that. So you have got to stand up on your own and take your own credit. This young girl does not know probably how to embrace Jennifer Holiday, which would be a wonderful thing for her because she (Hudson) has the pipes to do this part and can also give credit to Holiday for creating the part... It's like having Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight meet, you know, they're both great singers and they can meet together and be friends. This spearation thing, this competion - I don't like it, I hate it. People of our race especially. We've got to embrace each other. We've all done great things and the next generation is gonna carry on and do better but no one should forget what was done before them to pave the way. We walk on their shoulders. I hope that my asking the question helped things along. I want people to know that Jennifer Hudson does respect Jennifer Holiday. That's a good complement. It's good. There are a lot of people who didn't see the play and think this was created by Jennifer Hudson and that's not right and eventually she'd feel strange about that. We have to stand up and not allow the big business part to take away who we are. Sometimes you do things in the music industry without thinking twice.

THIS IS GOING TO OPEN UP ANOTHER ROUND OF PEOPLE WANTING YOU, DIANA, AND CINDY TO GET BACK TOGETHER. IS THERE A SNOWBALL'S CHANCE IN HELL?
If Diana decides she wants to do it, it'll happen. You need her to want it to happen and she may not want it to happen and that's her right. If she does I will be right there waiting. But only when she wants to and comes to me and says she wants to. People keep asking me and I keep saying "ask diana, stop asking me" Are you afraid to ask her? Did she scare you all that much? she's not that tough! (laughs)

ARE YOU TWO IN TOUCH?
On occasions. Rare occasions.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOUR INITIATIVE TO PROTECT AND COPYRIGHT SINGING GROUPS FROM FAKE GROUPS USING THEIR NAMES TO PERFORM?
It has been passed by six states and is pending in Michigan and a few others, so we have eight states in play including Nevada - which is a big deal. It's gaining momentum, the Truth in Music issue, because people are understanding what we're seeing. The Rock and Roll 50's and 60's groups have educated the public to this problem because they didn't know it existed until they went to shows that weren't performed by the real artists. I remember Diana said with that "reunion" tour that it was about the music; well then it wasn't but this is about the music. People love that music and the legislatures are getting it and voting for it. It's amazing that people are saying 'this is happening?' and then voting to protect it. When we get ten states we can move forward and propose this at the larger level. It's people like myself and the Drifters and the Coasters and John Bowser who are making the public aware. And the Vocal Group Hall of Fame has given us a home to have our Truth in Music Committee. It's a big thing to educate the public and make them aware.

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