Mo'nique Returns to Baltimore, Talks Hollywood Feuds, and Legacy
WATCH: Mo’nique Gets Real About Oprah, Tyler Perry and Why She Refuses to Stay Quiet
Comedian and Academy Award-winning actress Mo’nique returned home to Baltimore this weekend for a pair of sold-out performances at the Baltimore Comedy Factory, where she reflected on her deep connection to the city, her career, and her willingness to continue speaking out about respect and accountability in the entertainment industry.
During a visit with Persia Nicole ahead of her shows, Monique thanked Baltimore fans for continuing to support her throughout her decades-long career.
“I’m grateful that I can still come home and y’all still show me love,” she said. “I can be anywhere in the world, but I’m always Baltimore Mo.”
Throughout the conversation, Mo’nique addressed her ongoing public disagreements with media and entertainment figures including Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry and Whoopi Goldberg. While maintaining that she still has love for those involved, she said she believes holding people accountable is necessary.
“I respect everyone, but I over-respect no one,” Mo’nique said, explaining that asking for fairness and respect has often led to her being labeled as “difficult” in Hollywood. She said she has embraced that label if it means standing firm on her principles.
Asked what healing would look like if conversations with those figures ever happened, Monique pointed to Tyler Perry’s past acknowledgment that he had wronged her, saying public accountability matters because it sets an example for others in the industry.
The Baltimore native also spoke about the importance of telling the truth, saying she believes people have become too focused on fame, money and status instead of honesty and integrity.
Despite discussing serious topics, the interview was filled with laughter, nostalgia and Baltimore pride as Monique joked with the hosts about sold-out tickets, Baltimore’s last-minute habits and memories from operating her own comedy club.
Mo’nique also revealed there are private conversations from her career that she has never shared publicly, saying one involved the late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. However, she declined to elaborate, explaining that she doesn’t believe in discussing private conversations with people who are no longer alive to respond.
Check it out below:
