Smokey Robinson Slams Dreamgirls

05 February 2007
Smokey Robinson

Picture: Smokey Robinson and wife Frances Gladney 4th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Gala commemorating the life and music of Apollo Legend Smokey Robinson...

Smokey Robinson Slams Dreamgirls

Music legend Smokey Robinson has slammed the makers of the film DREAMGIRLS for disparaging the reputation of Motown founder BARRY GORDY.
The film is inspired by the story of The Supremes, who were created by Gordy, and Robinson believes there are too many inaccuracies in the film which damages the Motown legend's legacy.
He tells ACCESS HOLLYWOOD, "The creators of the Dreamgirls movie have blatantly indicated that they are depicting Berry Gordy and Diana Ross and The Supremes and Motown and they have done it with a lot of false information and negativity."
Robinson was particularly offended by Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Gordy and insists his friend never paid DJ's to play his artist's songs or dealt with organised crime figures as depicted in the film.
He adds, "Berry Gordy created something with his dream that allowed a lot of other dreams to come true and he did it with integrity, he did it with honesty.
"As a member of the Motown family, it's insulting to me. I think they owe Barry Gordy a public apology and they should do it rapidly!"

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Tags: Smokey Robinson - The Supremes - Diana Ross - Jamie Foxx

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Comments View All Comments (4)

24th December 2008 08:00

iknow     (1)

Smokey knows all about the mob and believes it works for the good - I know this from his own lips.

16th November 2008 08:00

Salli     (1)

In Rick James's bio he even mentions that he felt that Motown had mob links because he had seen his how they operated when his mother worked for them.Perhaps Smokey didn't see that side of the business but I tend to believe Rick and other media reports. The mob was big business back then.As for Dreamgirls, I loved it!!!! Too many people that worked at Motown have written similar stories about the harsh treatment and what favortism did to the Supremes due to the affair between Gordy & Ms. Ross. They may not want to admit to it now but it happened. In the 80s, I first read about the Gordy/Ross affair and Kendra being their daughter, in a book written by a woman who worked for Motown. That was long before Mary Wilson's book.Gordy founded some wonderful talent at Motown but there's more to that story. So many of his artists were cheated out of their money and were addicts.

7th February 2007 05:00

PHILLIP HOWELL     (1)

I LOVE THIS MOVIE. AND I AGREE WITH MS. BAUGH. THIS IS A TRUE DEPICTION OF THE BLACK RECORD/MUSIC BUSINESS OF THE 1950s/1960's. WHAT AFRICIAN AMERICANS R&B/SOUL ARTIST's WENT THROUGH. THE WHITE ACTS COVERING THEIR SINGLES. AND MAKING WAY MORE MONEY ON THE POP/WHITE CHARTS. THE PAYOLA, PAY FOR PLAY BY THE D. J.'s. BEING A FAN THIS IS OUR SUPREMES/MOTOWN STORY. BECAUSE WITH THE ATTITUDES OF DIANA AND BERRY GORDY JR. WE WILL NEVER SEE AN SUPREMES STORY ON THE BIG HOLLYWOOD OR TV SCREEN. IN THIS OUR LIFE TIMES. POOR EX-SUPREMES WANT TO DO A SUPREMES STORY BASED ON HER TWO-SUPREMES BOOKS: DREAMGIRL: MY LIFE AS A SUPREMES & SUPREME FAITH. SO DREAMGIRL BASED ON THE 1981 BROADWAY PLAY AND THE SUPREMES STORY IS ALL ROLLED INTO ONE STORY. THANK GOD FOR THE FILM VISION OF BILL CONDON. AND SMOKEY DID NOT SUFFER LIKE HIS LABEL-MATES!!. THE LATE:FLORENCE BALLARD, PAUL WILLIAMS, DAVID RUFFIN, MARY WELLS, TAMMI TERRELL, HATTIE LITTLES, WANDA ROGERS, GLADYS HORTON, MARTHA REEVES, MARY WILSON, CINDY BIRDSONG etc.

7th February 2007 00:00

franjoy56     (2)

I would like to say that I am proud of the movie "Dreamgirls" it is a depiction of several things that happened in music history during our most memorable period in music: the 60-70's. It isn't just about the Motown Legacy but of a rich musical period in time where the Ronettes, Martha & The Vandellas, The Shirelles, The Marvelettes and yes especially The Supremes were somehow portrayed. It tells of the injustice that was given to one singer in a group "Flo Ballard" most notably for being deprived of singing lead whose voice was considered A1 and it does justice to her character as an artist whom Jennifer claims " to a lady who never got her chance" and rightfully so and put. Jamie Fox's character is a depiction of several male managers who were one sided to some degree in promoting a person or group without regard to others feelings: Phil Spector, and Berry Gordy (most notably perhaps) and to some degree Ike Turner, Eddie Murphy's character depicted James Brown's character sort of and the Supremes nor any other girl group for that matter sang behind him. Payola was a part of the movie but we all know that Alan freed was associated with that and he too was a record promoter as were Gordy, Spector, and others, I don’t believe Gordy had anything to do with payola, but it was a theme in the early 60’s that emerged in this movie as part of the pop music theme. So in essence "Dreamgirls" put a little fantasy in there that we immensly enjoyed.Unfortunatley for Florence Ballard her dream did not end happily,(being on ADC after Motown was totally unacceptable to many fans) and Dreamgirls through Jennifer Hudson portrayal does something to write "right" that wrong.

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