ESSENCE.COM: There were some suggestive magazine photos that resurfaced which gave the [Turks and Caicos] country more ammunition to declare that you weren't fit to be a First Lady. Did your husband ever defend you?
LISARAYE: I'm the First Lady and I knew that I could no longer do those kinds of photo shoots. They were old photographs from a few years ago and I'm an actress, so I know why that magazine chose to run them again. Still, I felt like when Michael asked me if I posed for that magazine he could have shown a bit more support and spoken on my behalf and said, "My wife would not do this." When he questioned me, I said, "Are you serious? Might this be the same series of the photos and posters you framed and proudly said, 'This is my wife?'" To not ask me as your wife before questioning me accusingly of something like that really hurt. Then people want to say no other First Lady would do this. Well, neither did I because it was done years ago, and quite frankly, the other First Ladies couldn't pull that off if they wanted to.
ESSENCE.COM: How has your daughter, Kaienja "Kai" Pace, been holding up?
LISARAYE: My daughter is unfocused now. She was attending the University of Buckingham. She is back here in California and trying to find her way. That's incredibly courageous of her and I'm disappointed in the lack of a responsibility on his part as a stepfather. My daughter spent her first six months before she started school with Michael while I worked in California. I was trying to help them establish a bond and promote family with him and it wasn't easy. No one should be subjected to this when your intention was always to do well. This fairy tale has turned into a nightmare.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Lisa Raye Talks About The Friction In Her Marriage Caused By This Magazine Cover
ESSENCE.COM: There were some suggestive magazine photos that resurfaced which gave the [Turks and Caicos] country more ammunition to declare that you weren't fit to be a First Lady. Did your husband ever defend you?
LISARAYE: I'm the First Lady and I knew that I could no longer do those kinds of photo shoots. They were old photographs from a few years ago and I'm an actress, so I know why that magazine chose to run them again. Still, I felt like when Michael asked me if I posed for that magazine he could have shown a bit more support and spoken on my behalf and said, "My wife would not do this." When he questioned me, I said, "Are you serious? Might this be the same series of the photos and posters you framed and proudly said, 'This is my wife?'" To not ask me as your wife before questioning me accusingly of something like that really hurt. Then people want to say no other First Lady would do this. Well, neither did I because it was done years ago, and quite frankly, the other First Ladies couldn't pull that off if they wanted to.
ESSENCE.COM: How has your daughter, Kaienja "Kai" Pace, been holding up?
LISARAYE: My daughter is unfocused now. She was attending the University of Buckingham. She is back here in California and trying to find her way. That's incredibly courageous of her and I'm disappointed in the lack of a responsibility on his part as a stepfather. My daughter spent her first six months before she started school with Michael while I worked in California. I was trying to help them establish a bond and promote family with him and it wasn't easy. No one should be subjected to this when your intention was always to do well. This fairy tale has turned into a nightmare.
