I read a few years back that (between 1986 and 1988, I'm guessing) Vesta Williams was a guest host on an edition of Video Soul. Apparently at the time, she was discussing about other new singers that had came out, and ended up making a comment criticizing Regina Belle's singing talent.

Can anybody verify if this is true or not? I've seen several people mention this over the years but (of course) have never caught this on video before.

[Edited 2/8/17 15:45pm]

marcusrob02 said:

phunkdaddy said:

I remember that episode. IIRC she criticized Latoya Jackson by saying if Full Force can't help her nobody can. I also remember her making fun of Tina Turner by making fun of her England accent despite being from Mississippi. She said if Ike crack that whip again that Mississippi accent will come back. I don't think she said Regina can't sing but I think she said she looks drunk when she sings. I miss Vesta she was a straight up great singer who never was afraid to channel her inner comedic talent.

Vesta often did Tina Turner impersonations during her live shows. She said Tina somehow saw or heard about it and someone told Vesta Tina was actually quite flattered.

phunkdaddy said:

I remember that episode. IIRC she criticized Latoya Jackson by saying if Full Force can't help her nobody can. I also remember her making fun of Tina Turner by making fun of her England accent despite being from Mississippi. She said if Ike crack that whip again that Mississippi accent will come back. I don't think she said Regina can't sing but I think she said she looks drunk when she sings. I miss Vesta she was a straight up great singer who never was afraid to channel her inner comedic talent.

OMG! WOW! I'd give anything to see these episodes. I miss Vesta too, and her personality. So funny and comical but really seemed (at the time) to enjoy life and everything it had to offer.

kitbradley said:

phunkdaddy said:

I remember that episode. IIRC she criticized Latoya Jackson by saying if Full Force can't help her nobody can. I also remember her making fun of Tina Turner by making fun of her England accent despite being from Mississippi. She said if Ike crack that whip again that Mississippi accent will come back. I don't think she said Regina can't sing but I think she said she looks drunk when she sings. I miss Vesta she was a straight up great singer who never was afraid to channel her inner comedic talent.

Vesta often did Tina Turner impersonations during her live shows. She said Tina somehow saw or heard about it and someone told Vesta Tina was actually quite flattered.

HAHAHAHA So awesome!

lool said:

Regina revised the comment underneath that picture she posted on Facebook to include "...and of course the fabulous Vesta" and said in the comment section "I miss her" and that she didn't mean to leave her out. Regina also performed at a tribute concert for Vesta after she passed, Whatever bad feelings and/or slights, real or perceived, between the two, I believe they got past it. I saw that episode of Video Soul when it aired. Vesta was a comedian. She was prone to cuttin' up and actin' a fool. And she did celebrity impressions in her live shows. Vesta was in comic mode that day on Video Soul when she did an impression of Regina singing a few slightly rewritten bars of "So Many Tears" and said she sounded "like Billie Holiday with a couple drinks in her". I didn't get any sense that what Vesta said came from a place of malice or disrespect. There are lots of clips and interviews of Vesta on Youtube. Her humour was not hateful or mean-spirited.

Thank you so much for clarifying. I was only three at the time that aired but I definitely do not think any malice was meant or intended either.

This thread is exactly why I will never join Facebook...

Who or what is a Vesta Williams and who is Regina Belle. We should really have warnings for threads that are entrenched Americana that no one outside the USA would ever have heard of.

lool said:

They are entertainers, you know, like Madonna. But they sing.

lool said:

They are entertainers, you know, like Madonna. But they sing.

Right On!!!