Stars (Jones) Will Shine

By Nathan Hale Williams, in pop culture·viewpoints
Thursday, August 23 2007, 10:52AM

Nathan Hale Williams Reviews

Star Jones is smart! Very smart. I have always admired that about her. She’s so smart she did exactly what I told her to do to revive her career. Well, I actually never spoke to her personally, but she has followed my instructions to a tee. And, it seems like it has worked out for her…so far. Roughly one year after her abrupt departure from The View, Ms. Jones (ne’ Reynolds) today returned to daytime television with her eponymous show, Star Jones. Ironically, she has returned to Court TV, which is the network where she launched her television career almost 16 years ago.

Last August, I was in the middle of a heated debate with a friend and colleague regarding the then, Mrs. Jones Reynolds’ future in entertainment. My friend was adamant that Star had committed one of the deadliest sins in TV by crossing Barbara Walters. I argued that Star’s actions when leaving The View were the right thing for her future and that she would certainly be fine. She said, “she’ll never work on television again. No one is going to hire her.” I said, “she’s Star for a reason. It won’t just go away. No matter what you think about her she is smart. And, that’s all that needs to be said.” Well, what a difference a year makes.

The reason why I was strong in my view that Star would return in full form was her history and track record. You cannot ignore the hard work and determination that got her to The View in the first place. For many years, Star Jones was a well-known prosecutor in Brooklyn. In 1991, she began covering the William Kennedy Smith trial for Court TV. Her intelligence, keen analytical skills and star quality (no pun intended) got her recognized by NBC when she became a legal correspondent for The Today Show and the NBC Nightly News. Afterward, she went on to her own show Jones & Jury, which only lasted one season. But, that didn’t stop the Star from rising again and gaining national prominence while covering the O.J. Simpson trial for Inside Edition. Ultimately in 1997, her hard work and opinionated, intelligent, sister-girl commentary would land her in the co-host’s chair on The View.

Once a winner, always a winner! Let us not forget that none of this was easy for the former Ms. Jones. There were at least three hundred reasons (pounds) that should have stopped her from doing any of it. Oh yeah, and she was black too. I almost forgot that part. A severely overweight black woman was not supposed to be on The View handpicked by Barbara Walters sitting next Meredith Viera. It just was not supposed to happen. If you had told that to someone before 1997, they would have laughed at you. For Star, it was her reality…her dream that she made come true with her faith, her work and her determination. I have always believed it is much easier to succeed once you have known success. Not only had Star known success, she had fought for it and I just knew she’d be back for more.

My advice to Star was pretty straightforward. Go away! Disappear for a while and do some soul searching. Because let’s be clear Ms. Star did not have a great reputation behind the scenes. She was well-known to be what I call “D Squared”…a difficult diva! Despite her smelling herself, I knew she had a deep faith in God and that she’d come out on the other side of this a different and better person. One year later, it seems as if she has.

Remember, Star Jones is smart. Some cynical folks may say she’s calculating, but you have to be calculating if you want success in entertainment. So, I am going to stick with smart. Her first smart move, of course, was to disappear. After the Larry King interview last year, you heard nothing from Ms. Jones or her husband (that’s another article). All the while, The View was in ratings heaven, but in turmoil behind the scenes. Rosie O’Donnell drove up the ratings, made the show interesting and pissed off everybody along the way. Rosie made Star look like an angel. All Star did was talk about her wedding all the time. All the time! But, she never cursed out her co-hosts, started wars with other celebrities (at least not publicly) and she never said anything disrespectful about anyone on the show. Rosie, on the other hand, well…you know what happened. But, this article is not a comparison between Rosie and Star because there really is nothing to compare. They are completely different. Completely!

About a week ago, I read the following headline online “Star Jones Admits to Gastric Bypass.” Smart move number two. No one really believed that Star lost that weight with diet and exercise. At over 300 pounds, it would have taken her a very long time to lose that much weight naturally. Yes, we understood what she meant when she said she didn’t want to become the poster child for any surgery, but c’mon Star. She needed to come clean about the weight loss because it demonstrates her evolution over the past year. It says, “I am back and I am ready to tell the truth.” Star Jones is very smart.

During her first interview on Larry King Live, immediately following her departure last year, Star said that she would not discuss the incident any more. And guess what, she didn’t. Instead, the first time she returned to Larry King Live was to the host’s chair to interview über star Beyonce Knowles. She was getting back to her roots and what she is great at…interviewing celebrities and interesting people. Numero tres in the smart move department.

Last week, she followed up her hosting stint with a second interview with the King himself. This time, she wasn’t talking about The View because she had come back to talk about her new show and to come clean about the surgery (which she refused to do during the first interview). Not only was Star candid, she was more likeable and a lot more introspective. She admitted her mistakes and the lessons that she needed to learn. It was a far better interview than the first one, for which so many people had criticized and berated her. Almost match point in Star’s favor.

Her reemergence on Court TV today marked another smart move for Ms. Jones. Sure, it is not network television (CBS, NBC, ABC or FOX), but it is television. I think it is a great move for her to start on cable. One main reason is that the pressure for ratings is not so great and Ms. Jones has a reputation to rebuild. The two don’t go hand in hand. And, it doesn’t really matter what station she is on because she is Star Jones. Her return to TV is major news and all you have to do is Google her name right now if you don’t believe me. Lastly, on cable she gets do her show – her way.

Watching the show today inspired me to shout out loud, “work Ms. Star Jones!” I am so proud of her. Today, she had Geraldo Rivera, Isaiah Washington and my girl Shaun Robinson on what proved to be a very interesting show. With all the drama, I had almost forgotten that Star is an excellent interviewer and that she has intelligent, heart-felt opinions about our society and the world. Those are the reasons why she was so popular on The View for ten years. I may have forgotten that, but what I cannot forget and what no one should ever forget is that Star Jones is smart. And, she is also a star! For that, she will always be a winner and I am happy that she’s back. You go girl!

(“Star Jones” appears on Court TV everyday at 3 p.m. Eastern time.)

Nathan Hale Williams is a film and television producer who can be reached on his web site, nathanhalewilliams.com.

Comments (33) reveal

Comments conceal

Juan Pablo
August 23 2007, 11:07AM

Fantastic review of her and her new show! I for one am so happy that she got the last laugh with Bab's Walters and her mealy mouthed lies and did it with the class that so many of us black folks would have done, well, those who had a good home training that it is. When you are wronged, and you know it and are willing to hold your head up high, good things will happen.

And, to put the icing on the cake, she had another fired entertainer on, I. Washington, talk about showing them how it really can be when you deal with people in any industry with level heads.

Anonymous
August 23 2007, 11:12AM

I don't care what anyone says: I like Star Jones a lot. I only wish her new show would tackle legal issues more (meaning, more hard hitting reporting mixed in with interviews). No more dish, dish, dish. Save that for other gab fests. A more serious yet pleasent tone will boost her reputation even more.

Mr. Williams: I love the breezy, thorough, sharp style of your reviewing. What a refreshing verbal mojito to slurp in first thing on a business morning! When are you going to become a television on-air correspondant?

Dre
August 23 2007, 11:26AM

I too have enjoyed Star's show. But I think she has way too many guests/issues on a show, seemingly with no connection. She should try to tackle more legal issues like the poster above me suggests... I mean it is CourtTV! Nonetheless, in this show she comes off personable and witty. Congrats Star!

Phil
August 23 2007, 11:30AM

I totally agree with you ! She has a gift with getting on everyone's nerve, yes. But smart she is. I knew she was back after Ms Thang popped up hosting Larry King live. Now its a shrewd return to core business, with court commentary. With all her continuing drama - husband,views, D squared behaviour - she will be on network TV in a NY minute.

NikiiBabie
August 23 2007, 11:39AM

I saw the show too, and I really liked it. Good for her!

Themthereeyez
August 23 2007, 12:19PM

Sorry, but I am not a fan of this homophobic cow ... ya'll can have her. She is not checking for us. Though she should be, considering her husband's a fire island walking homo.

castiron
August 23 2007, 12:42PM

I like Star. She looks great! I felt that on the View she always "represented" as the street kids would say. I don't think, however, that she is so smart. In my non-insider opinion, she could have more deftly manipulated Barbara Walters to get a better severance deal. I think she is far more lucky than smart.

brian
August 23 2007, 12:52PM

This review couldn't read more like a press release than if it were written as such. Star is all about Star. Her name dropping self serving agenda continues. Isaiah and Geraldo? There are two cutting edge interviews everyone was waiting to hear. If Star is the next Oprah I'm afraid I'll have to take a pass.

Troy
August 23 2007, 1:12PM

Too bad she wasn't smart enough to realize what Babs Walters says; goes! She's eternally black balled and banished to cable court TV.
Trimming her bills down to size with a quickie divorce is another smart next step for someone who loves labels and spotlights. The memory of her photographed in a bathing suit post surgery, eeewww.

Anonymous
August 23 2007, 1:17PM

Wasn't it Oprah who was responsible for having that supposedly DL clown on her show and spreading the worse, most anti-black male and anti-gay misinformation in the history of the down low smear campaign against black gay and bisexual men?

Now, let's not prop Oprah up! With all-white senior producers who run her show and tell her what to do; with her clown make-up, false hair, false eyes and eyelashes, she built the mold of fake, white female-appeasing, sanctimonious, hypocritical television talk.

TV women aren't humble! They are all egomaniacs: Barbara, Oprah, Connie.

People just didn't think Star Jones earned her egomania. The public lets certain divas act out all the time. Everybody lets Oprah act out her wildest self-centered fantasies and put ridiculous hour-long commercials for books like The Secret on the air.

They can all get bitchy and ruthless, just like the vicious sissies were on the streets where I grew up, saying, I will add you, subtract you...and reduce you to the lowest terms!

Antwan
August 23 2007, 2:10PM

I wonder what the catty posters have done with their lives since they seem to be sitting mighty high and posting online about Star. Instead of being bitter at her success, try doing something to better your own lives, and I too thank her for having on Isaiah, it was just what some needed to see, that both are still around despite all the rancor and hate about him and her and her man, so, guess who got the last laugh, they did, rock on Star and Isaiah! Keep the haters hating!

And, Mr Williams, love your style of writing!

Billy Dunn
August 23 2007, 2:25PM

I am happy for her but she needs to get rid of those damn glasses.

Alabama Florists
August 23 2007, 2:41PM

To have the bravery to say she had lypo in her book and admit her mistakes is amazing - she is very brave!
Alabama Florists

Kevin
August 23 2007, 2:45PM

Every time I see Star, I just think to myself that she needs to gain more weight. Her skinny looks are just too distracting and disturbing for me to watch her on a regualr basis.

Johnny
August 23 2007, 2:50PM

Star is on record as saying she'd never vote for an atheist to be president. How is prejudice against atheists any different than any other kind of prejudice? The woman is a bigot and has no place being promoted on the site that is supposed to be all about opposition to bigotry. But then we've already been down that path of hypocrisy here regarding Star's first guest...

Cadence
August 23 2007, 2:58PM

I don't think she's smart. If she was smart she would have left The View in a more professional manner. It was bad enough that audiences had such a negative view of her, but then she made it worse by the way she left the show.

The Court TV gig is nice, even though it has gotten negative reviews, but it will take a lot for SJR to get the type of opportunity/money/exposure that she was getting at ABC.

Rico
August 23 2007, 3:03PM

I have to admit that I've gained much much respect for the new and improved Star Jones !!! I always gave her credit for being intelligent and able to interview and ask the questions, but that that "diva squared" attitude and the incessant talk of her marriage and how she pimped it out turned me off as it did many !!! She did the right thing by laying low for a while and coming clean about the weight loss (worst kept secret in America:-) However, she's back and I look forward to many good things from her in the future !!!

PhD2Be
August 23 2007, 4:15PM

I have always liked Star. I think she is very savvy career wise, and this is just the beginning for her. I miss her on "The View" and am glad to see her back on television. Like Nathan said, "you go girl!"

Now, when is she gonna have Keith, Jasmine or one of the "family" on for tea is my question? Hmmmm... I'd love to see that.

Jonathan
August 23 2007, 4:38PM

Nathan,
I love the advice that was outlined for Star Jones, and I am glad that she is back on television. I was just wondering if there was any advice you could put out there for Ms. Janet Jackson. I love her so dearly, but I truly think the Superbowl Incident ended her career. Could you put something out there that she could use to help resurrect her singing career?

Thanks,
Jon

brucito
August 23 2007, 5:47PM

Ok since you are such a good friend of Star's and no doubt have her phone nbr please call her and see if she can get the trial of Michael Sandy's killers back on the front page. For those of you who don't remember he was the black gay man who was killed out on the Beltway Parkway in Brooklyn running from his white killers that he had met on the internet.

Antwan
August 23 2007, 6:15PM

Umm, Cadence, just what was a "more professional manner?" She was fired, that's what Larry King called it when I. Washignton said his contract was not renewed,if Bab's and the other guy didn't want her's renewed, she was fired and they wanted Rosie, who I'm sure you adore, that was thier right, but to put the blame on her is kind of chicken to say the least, but then again, you are always coming up in here with negative, harsh words with any black people who don't fall into your world of what's right for them, so, nothing new from you. Class, Star has it, and maybe some of those who hate her need to try and find some.

Black woman
August 23 2007, 6:22PM

I like Star Jones. I bought her book and loved it. Star Jones has class. I like to see people getting second chances. Star has not killed anyone. People get more heated about Star v. George Bush.

Some of you on this board have been fired from jobs. Yet, were given second chances. Dang, how quick we forget our own flaws.

I like the new Star. She ate a big piece of humble pie. She's learned from her mistakes and deserves a second chance.

G-Man
August 23 2007, 6:57PM

I too am happy to see Star Jones back on T.V. I knew she would be back with her own show. Whoever wrote "what Barbara Walters says goes" PLEASE!!! She has lost crediblity, as being a backstabbing LIAR!!! Throughout the whole ordeal last year Star carried herself with Class and Grace. BW wanted Rosie because she thought she would come on and be "the queen of nice" that she was while doing own her show. NOT!!! BW thought that they would finally get an Emmy this year. NOT!!!I think she may have let that go within two months of working with Rosie..So Star does prevail and comes out with her own show...You Go Girl, and yes she sure is S-M-A-R-T!!! : )

ChicagoAngel
August 23 2007, 7:08PM

I like her. Im going to try to catch her show. The view is old news, she did it for 10 years so she is on something new and fresh.

And it aint like the view got better with Rosie loud mouth arse.

I also think its a dayum shame for anyone to think Star was bigger at 300 when she and the world new it was a dangerous weight and now that she is slimmer she still get her weight talked about.

She is doing "something" and others aren't.

Orville
August 23 2007, 8:23PM

Star Jones has CLASS and that's something Barbara Walters, ABC, Rosie O Donnell, and Joy Behar do not! Elizabeth is the only person from the View Star talks to. And I commend Star for moving on and now she has her OWN NEW SHOW. The racist white American media were all over Star Jones trying to put her down about the way she lost her weight to her wedding. Its like give me a break. The worst of the bunch was that hypocritical annoying white lesbian Rosie O Donnell. O Donnell has got to be one of the most racist and irriating woman I have ever seen on TV. After Star left The View I moved on and STOPPED WATCHING THE SHOW. Its absolutely amazing one year after ABC fired Star girlfriend is BACK ON TOP! And as for Rosie O Donnell I don't know why some black gay people support this racist sea hag. O Donnell is just as racist as that other white lesbian Sandra Bernhard.

Derrick
August 23 2007, 10:24PM

Good to see that Star has fans, she is human and has made mistakes and seems to have learned from them, and hopefuly her new show will be a success!

And, G-man, Black Woman and Orville, keep it real, keep it real, the truth shall set them free, well, one can hope it can! Although I never heard that Bernhard was a bigot, O'Donnell, no comment on her.

Edgle
August 24 2007, 1:55PM

Wow some of you people are so rude,why all the hate,lets stand up for our black people,I love MRS Star Jones I think she's fab.

t-bag
August 24 2007, 3:56PM

Orville please Rosie O'donnell is not racist, she has always supported the black community your just some tired hag who is misinformed.

Orville
August 24 2007, 4:24PM

Rosie O Donnell is a covert racist and an annoying termagant. Have you forgotten O Donnell's racist Anti Asian comments she made on the View last year? Or have people already forgotten already? Asian American groups were not impressed with ABC ignoring the situation altogether and O Donnell giving an insincere apology. If a black person made those kinds of racist comments on live TV they would of been fired on the spot!

ABC also has a history of racism against their minority employees. I mean George Lopez was a perfect example of that. It was just amazing how ABC and the whole Rosie O Donnell episode exploded in their faces. And Star is stronger then ever. Its nice to see Star Jones back on top. And O Donnell back in the gutter where she belongs.

Ron Lee
August 24 2007, 9:29PM

Ms.Star Jones is a class act Baby. The way she handled "We hope Stars stays Ms.Walters"as seen on Access T.V. proves the Queen knows how to handle her business. In fact her managing style has bumped her up a notch,it's Ms.Walters who has lost her Hallo,hello. And if anyone is so-called blacklisted it's "ROSIE",whose appearance on the show was a mistake from jump. If I was a network exec. I'd put Star right up agianst larry king. Betcha she's on the short list to replace him,TRUST. PEACE OUT.

brohemian[TypeKey Profile Page]
August 25 2007, 9:30PM

in the interest of sharing info with my brothas, your seventh sentence should read "Roughly one year after her abrupt departure from The View, Ms. Reynolds (nee’ Jones)..." since "ne" means "born" (and the feminine form is nee). just passing along knowledge - keep writing!

Mandee
September 2 2007, 11:54PM

I love Star show, I just hope she moves away from the entertainment crap and more on law and order. I love the Nancy grace show and I would love Star show if its more like hers

Tammi
December 14 2007, 2:10PM

Love your commentary. Just a grammatical point, however. It should be Mrs. Reynalds, nee Jones. The use of the nee (second e for female) is derived from the French and it indicates the name under which one was born. Star was born a Jones and married a Reynolds. Thanks K.


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