[READ: Did Mo’Nique’s Leaked Phone Conversation w/Tyler Perry Validate Her Claims? (AUDIO)]
Daniels has since responded to BOTH Dash and Mo’Nique and claims one situation has absolutely NOTHING to do with the other. In fact, the producer responds quite differently to each as he respectfully apologizes to Dash, and calls Mo’Nique disrespectful, wrong and ‘out of pocket’.
Daniels spoke with TMZ?s Raquel Harper recently to address the claims and states that the money Dash gave him was an “investment” (Dash?s $5 million lawsuit claims otherwise), but he plans to pay him back at some point.
?It was an investment, but I looked him in the eyes, and I told him that you would get your investment back,? Daniels told Harper. ?This black man gave me money when nobody [would], not Disney, not Sony, not TriStar, not Paramount, not Warner Bros.?
Daniels vowed to pay back Dash?s investment, saying, ?I?m going to work out something for him to get it because I am in a position now to get it to him.?
?I don?t know if I would be successful if it weren?t for him,? he added.
Daniel’s tune changed completely when Mo’Nique was brought up during the interview, and says that she “needs to shut up.”
?People are confusing the Damon Dash [situation], with the Mo?Nique [situation]? he said.
Daniels says that he ?fought hard? for Mo’Nique to get the role and that she was paid the money owed for the budget he had. In speaking about the controversy which followed their work history, Daniels says Mo’Nique’s assessment of him is not only disrespectful, but wrong, and totally ?out of pocket.?
I respect her [as an] actor because she gave me her soul. But I gave her my soul, and for that, she was given the Golden Globe and the Academy Award.
Wait… is Lee Daniels taking credit for Mo’Nique’s performance AND her accolades? Interesting.
Raquel Harper also cosigns his assessment, adding, ?Black girl magic, at the time, which you gave her.?
Daniels continues:
?No one blackballed her. Mo?nique blackballed [herself] and for her to continue to talk about Oprah and myself and Tyler [Perry] is disrespectful,? he said, adding that the intimacy they experienced working together on set was like ?making love without having sex.?
I find it quite interesting how Daniels can offer such respectful commentary about Dash, a man who confronted him in a public place versus Mo’Nique, a woman who was respectfully demanding to be compensated for her work. Telling her to “shut up” is akin to advising her to take whatever treatment is given without speaking out.
I expected nothing less from Daniels, but am still shocked nonetheless. *sigh*
For the record, now that Daniels has cleared things up publicly, Dash has stated that all is forgiven by sharing a snippet of the interview via instagram with the caption, ?We?re good bro…appreciate the honesty…time to move forward let?s forget the bubble gum shit and get the money…”