June 30, 2006

Falling Star

There was more drama on ABC's 'The View' this week than all of the network's soap operas combined. Unless you've been under a rock, you've heard or read by now about Star Jones Reynolds's departure from the daytime chat fest. The former prosecutor, who began her career in television covering high-profile cases such as William Kennedy Smith's and the O.J. Simpson trial for Court TV, NBC's 'The Today Show' and the syndicated talk show 'Rolonda,' sent shock waves through the entertainment industry by announcing she would not return for 'The View's' tenth season in September, despite countless tabloid reports speculating she would.

"I'm not sure what the future holds, but I'm sure who holds the future," the 44-year-old author of the bestseller 'Shine: A Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Journey to Finding Love' told the viewing audience in an emotional goodbye. By the show's end, People magazine serviced a promo of their exclusive interview with the former Payless spokeswoman with the headline that read: "Star Jones tells People: I Was Fired!"

Barbara Walters beckoned the live studio audience to give Jones Reynolds a standing ovation and praised the one-time red carpet host for E! Entertainment after her impromptu surprise announcement. "I have no doubt that you're just going to be so successful. Anyone would be lucky to have you," Walters said at the time. But the semi-retired '20/20' host was singing a different tune later Tuesday when she spoke exclusively to New York Daily News columnist Lloyd Grove.

"I have always told the truth on this program, except in the case of Star... There are very strong reasons why [ABC execs] felt she had lost the audience. I had then decided, along with [executive producer] Bill Geddie, that whatever she wanted to say-that she had a new job, that she was starting a new chapter-we would back her up...there had been an agreement between Star and me that she would make an announcement this Thursday. The agreement was made many weeks ago that she would stay on the program till late July, and whatever reasons she wanted to give, I would back her up and give her a wonderful send-off...I was totally surprised."

I spoke with Jones Reynolds, who has become one of the most scrutinized women on television since Kathie Lee Gifford, moments before she was set to board a plane at New York City's LaGuardia Airport late Wednesday evening. During our near hour-long conversation, Jones Reynolds spoke candidly about her departure from 'The View,' rumors that her marriage to banker Al Reynolds is in trouble; and the never-ending question about her weight loss.

BV Buzz: Is your marriage to Al on the rocks?

Star: My husband is the strongest, most wonderful man I could have ever asked for. I can't emphasize enough that I could not have done any of this or withstood any of the last two months. If you think about it, this has been a very tough couple of months on me. I love my husband and he loves and respects me-period! People can say what they want, but Al and I share what I like to call an unbreakable bond. We have always been deeply committed to one another and our marriage. And through it all, we have tried to carry ourselves with grace and dignity. And I'd be lying to you Jawn if I said the speculation and the tabloid gossip had not gotten to us and doesn't affect us. It's not easy being under such intense scrutiny by the media. All we're trying to do is live our lives as Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds. But, be very clear, in carrying yourself with grace and dignity, throughout all of the speculation and innuendo and all of that. We choose to do it that way. To do otherwise would be unseemly. That's a word your grandmother would use. We won't play into that for the sake of others. We just won't.

BV Buzz: What type of problems has the media scrutiny caused?

Star: What people don't know is the career blow that Al has taken as a result of all of the media interest and speculation. He was a prominent banker, very prominent, when we married, and continues to be a successful financial consultant. But the media speculation has been just as trying on his professional life as it has been on mine. We're partners in life and what affects me affects him. What makes us grow stronger each day is that we deal with the obstacles that come with life in the public eye hand in hand like we deal with everything else in our lives.

BV Buzz: Why won't you divulge what particular method you used to lose weight?

Star: Think about it for a minute, I guess I realized that in taking on such a big health consideration-cause that's what being obese and loosing weight is, a health consideration. I had to attack it from the heart, the body and the mind. I had no choice. You have to have the desire first to lose the weight and then you have to get yourself physically in a position to do so. That's why I had to go to my doctors and get their help. Mentally, and that's the biggest thing right now, how can I explain or anyone else be expected to explain something so personal to the world that I am still mentally trying to explain to myself. I have lost half of my body weight. That's a big statement. And it's been done over a three-year process. I have spent as much time eating right, eating less and doing exercise as I have therapeutically examining why I got to this point. I know people want to go on this journey with me, but it's really difficult to take you on the journey until I fully have wrapped myself around where I am. I mean, I've never once lied. Never once! Read the book, pull out the quotes. I have always told everyone that in order to start this weight loss, I absolutely needed a medical intervention. I absolutely needed doctors to step in. Absolutely! Never lied and have always said that. I never understood for the life of me why some people have misinterpreted that or used that as me trying to avoid something. Cause I'm not ashamed! Those doctors saved my life! Their stepping in and helping me take control saved my life! That's not the issue, not at all whatsoever. But I am praying and asking people to give me the time to fully understand what the heck I was going through before I can take you through it.

BV Buzz: People criticize you for showing the scar on your chest. What type of surgery is that from, and is the scar like a badge of honor for you now, kind of like Mary J. Blige's scar under the eye and Queen Latifah's scar on her forehead?

Star: It was a tumor in my chest. They had to crack my chest open in order to remove it. That's why you see that big long scar. It took me many, many years actually. When I was in the hospital I saw the scar for the first time. I can't believe that I am 44 years old and this happened 24 years ago, and I still see it and feel it painfully right now as I tell this story. The doctor wanted to remove the bandages and my mother was supposed to be there with me. She was down I think in the cafeteria after taking a break from sitting by my bedside, and my dad was with me. My dad said 'I'll stay here,' and the doctor said she may want her mom with her during this time because obviously, they knew what the scar looked like. My father said, 'No, no, no, Starlet,' and he and I are very close. So they removed the bandages and gave me a mirror and when I saw that scar down the center of my chest, I fell apart and literally went hysterical. I said, 'Daddy, no man is going to ever want to look at me again. I'm completely scarred for life.' And my father, in an attempt to be loving, he didn't comfort me, my father said, 'Baby, the way you're built, the brothers ain't looking at that scar.' And I remember thinking to myself, one day somebody is going to say, 'Baby I ain't looking at that scar.' And it took me many years to get to that. I used to decorate it with those stick-on jewel charms. I still will wear a necklace that obscures it, 'cause it's not the most attractive thing. But that scar saved my life. That man went in there and cracked my chest and took out a one-pound tumor that was literally choking the life out of me. I know sometimes people go, 'Why she got that scar out? She should wear clothes that are closed up.' The thought that someone once told me that I have nine months to live-that scar is evidence that they were wrong.

Part 2 of Star Jones Reynolds Interview with The BV Buzz