Just saw Dreamgirls tonight, and yes, I know it's Jennifer Hudson's movie. And it's a neat bit of foreshadowing that Simon Cowell thought Hudson too fat and, let's get real here folks, too black to make it to the top in American Idol (she finished in the top seven while others with less vocal talent carried on).
I'm glad that Effie got her happy ending in Dreamgirls, the Supremes-esque story of a girl group and the varying trajectories of those it touched. I'm glad that Jennifer Hudson's getting her happy ending. But let's not forget Florence Ballard. She had soul and a voice so strong that she supposedly had to stand more than 15 feet away from the mike while the other Supremes sang up close. But Ballard wasn't as pretty or as packageable as Diana Ross. So she got shunted aside, didn't take it well, and found herself booted from the group and on a tough road that included too much alcohol, welfare and eventually death from coronary thrombosis.
I'm glad that Effie got her happy ending in Dreamgirls, the Supremes-esque story of a girl group and the varying trajectories of those it touched. I'm glad that Jennifer Hudson's getting her happy ending. But let's not forget Florence Ballard. She had soul and a voice so strong that she supposedly had to stand more than 15 feet away from the mike while the other Supremes sang up close. But Ballard wasn't as pretty or as packageable as Diana Ross. So she got shunted aside, didn't take it well, and found herself booted from the group and on a tough road that included too much alcohol, welfare and eventually death from coronary thrombosis.
She was just 32.
At least Florence Ballard lives on in some ways. I found this online, along with an always helpful Wikipedia article:
http://www.florenceballardfanclub.com/
The Florence Ballard Fan Club was founded in 1986 by Alan White as a living memorial to Florence Ballard. The purpose of the fan club is to keep Florence Ballard's legacy alive in a positive light.
And then there's this, from "Call Her Miss Ross," the less-than-flattering bio by pro dirt digger J. Randy Taraborelli:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n4_v45/ai_8325383
"You know, you told me you wouldn't try to stand in Diane's way if she wanted to go out on her own," Berry told Florence one afternoon at the airport in Vancouver, Canada, in 1966. (Though "Diana" is the name on Diana Ross' birth certificate, most of her friends and associates from the early days called her--and still do call her [perhaps not to her face]--"Diane", which is what her parents intended that she be named.)
"Yeah, that's what I said," Florence once remembered having told him. "If she wants to be on her own, then that's okay with me. But I ain't leaving the group."
"She wants out," Berry said, ignoring her last statement. "But you're making it tough on her. She told me you're making her feel guilty about it."
Years later, Florence recalled, "That's when I started getting pi---d off. I said, 'Look, Berry, she's grown. If she wants to walk all over people to get to the top, then that's her business. I'm not gonna make her feel no better by agreeing with it.'
"'You're a millionaire,' he told me. 'You can leave the group any time.' But I told him I ain't leaving."
With that, Berry and Florence became locked in the same quarrels about her excessive drinking and weight gain, all of which ended with Florence--tears in her eyes and her voice shaking--threatening Berry once more. "You'll be sorry you messed with me, Berry Gordy," she screamed loud enough for everyone in the terminal to hear. "I know a lot about you, more than you think. And don't you forget it."
Actually, Mary Wilson was "the quiet one," not Florence Ballard. Mary, content to be a Supreme at whatever cost, watched and waited to see what would happen next. But Florence shouted and made threats, claiming to have embarrassing information on Berry Gordy's business practices. She quickly became a threat to Gordy's peace of mind, to the continued success of the group and, maybe even more importantly, to Diana's future career.
On stage, as off, Flo was irrepressible--and audiences loved her for it. During the act, when Diana said, "Thin is in," Flo sassed back, "But honey, fat is where it's at." When Diana sang, "Gold won't bring you happiness," during their rendition of "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You," Flo would interrupt with, "Give me that gold and I'll do my own shoppin'." Flo was a crowd pleaser and Diana and Berry couldn't very well ignore that.
But Ballard's smart-aleck remarks on stage hid a lot of pain. Increasingly pushed into the background, she felt cheated. The more successful The Supremes became and the more attention Diana received, the more alienated and bitter Flo seemed. She put on weight and began to show up drunk for performances. She deluded herself into thinking that because she formed the group and chose its name, she was indispensable.
She was wrong. Florence was unceremoniously dumped and quickly replaced. Soon, she found herself without money, without a career, and, worse, without hope.
At least Florence Ballard lives on in some ways. I found this online, along with an always helpful Wikipedia article:
http://www.florenceballardfanclub.com/
The Florence Ballard Fan Club was founded in 1986 by Alan White as a living memorial to Florence Ballard. The purpose of the fan club is to keep Florence Ballard's legacy alive in a positive light.
And then there's this, from "Call Her Miss Ross," the less-than-flattering bio by pro dirt digger J. Randy Taraborelli:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n4_v45/ai_8325383
"You know, you told me you wouldn't try to stand in Diane's way if she wanted to go out on her own," Berry told Florence one afternoon at the airport in Vancouver, Canada, in 1966. (Though "Diana" is the name on Diana Ross' birth certificate, most of her friends and associates from the early days called her--and still do call her [perhaps not to her face]--"Diane", which is what her parents intended that she be named.)
"Yeah, that's what I said," Florence once remembered having told him. "If she wants to be on her own, then that's okay with me. But I ain't leaving the group."
"She wants out," Berry said, ignoring her last statement. "But you're making it tough on her. She told me you're making her feel guilty about it."
Years later, Florence recalled, "That's when I started getting pi---d off. I said, 'Look, Berry, she's grown. If she wants to walk all over people to get to the top, then that's her business. I'm not gonna make her feel no better by agreeing with it.'
"'You're a millionaire,' he told me. 'You can leave the group any time.' But I told him I ain't leaving."
With that, Berry and Florence became locked in the same quarrels about her excessive drinking and weight gain, all of which ended with Florence--tears in her eyes and her voice shaking--threatening Berry once more. "You'll be sorry you messed with me, Berry Gordy," she screamed loud enough for everyone in the terminal to hear. "I know a lot about you, more than you think. And don't you forget it."
Actually, Mary Wilson was "the quiet one," not Florence Ballard. Mary, content to be a Supreme at whatever cost, watched and waited to see what would happen next. But Florence shouted and made threats, claiming to have embarrassing information on Berry Gordy's business practices. She quickly became a threat to Gordy's peace of mind, to the continued success of the group and, maybe even more importantly, to Diana's future career.
On stage, as off, Flo was irrepressible--and audiences loved her for it. During the act, when Diana said, "Thin is in," Flo sassed back, "But honey, fat is where it's at." When Diana sang, "Gold won't bring you happiness," during their rendition of "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You," Flo would interrupt with, "Give me that gold and I'll do my own shoppin'." Flo was a crowd pleaser and Diana and Berry couldn't very well ignore that.
But Ballard's smart-aleck remarks on stage hid a lot of pain. Increasingly pushed into the background, she felt cheated. The more successful The Supremes became and the more attention Diana received, the more alienated and bitter Flo seemed. She put on weight and began to show up drunk for performances. She deluded herself into thinking that because she formed the group and chose its name, she was indispensable.
She was wrong. Florence was unceremoniously dumped and quickly replaced. Soon, she found herself without money, without a career, and, worse, without hope.
Hope abounds in Dreamgirls, which is wonderful. And Beyonce does Diana Ross a favor, portraying Deena Jones as an innocent who is led away from loyalty but leaves her friend behind with regret and comes through for her in the end. The most tarnished character is that of the Barry Gordy-esque entrepreneur (Jamie Foxx) who gets the girls their break, then breaks their hearts and spirits.
And Eddie Murphy deserves an Oscar. (So does Jennifer Hudson -- and not some "best supporting" crap. It's her movie.)
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