Sep 21 | by Natasha

Talk about a snub! Actress Taraji P. Henson took to her Facebook Fan Page to express how confused and upset she was that CBS and others decided to exclude her from all promotions of the upcoming new drama, "Person of Interest." I mean, she is the female lead on the show.

Deets inside...

It's bad enough CBS did not include the 2-time Academy Award nominee Taraji Henson in any tv promotions of the new suspense drama "Person of Interest" (a still picture of Taraji from the show is above). But TV Guide also snubbed her from the cover story about the show. She said:

WOW!!!! TV Guide is NOT including me on the cover with my cast members….....I am the female lead of a 3 member cast and I’m not included on the cover!!!!!! Do you see the shit I have to deal with in this business…..I cram to understand!!!!

And after removing it, she posted:

I swear you guys keep my spirit lifted cause it ain't easy AT ALL for a sister in Hollywood. Your love is God sent!!!! Thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart. Wanted to tell you all this on live TV at the Emmys (if I'd won) but......oh well. Muah!!!!!

I'm not even mad at her for poppin' off. She was also not included on the IMDB page for the show. I've personally seen the "Person of Interest" promos a million times on CBS and I didn't even know Taraji was on the show--seeing that they have yet to include her. Very interesting. Still, the show premiered on CBS at 9pET.

This is sad that it is still happening....

Taraji P. Henson is sexy! Shame on them for doing that to her! Seems kinda racist too imo...

I like her a LOT but, is that "Wanted to tell you all this on live TV at the Emmys (if I'd won) but......oh well. Muah!!!!!" supposed to be an implication she also didn't win due to skin color (that's clearly the assumption on being left out of the promos)?

I mean, I'd be PISSED AS ALL HELLLLL to be a lead and not included in the promos, just curious about the other. Maybe just still letting some steam off.

Tittypants said:

Taraji P. Henson is sexy! Shame on them for doing that to her! Seems kinda racist too imo...

Seems isn't always is. Often, but not always.

johnart said:

Tittypants said:

Taraji P. Henson is sexy! Shame on them for doing that to her! Seems kinda racist too imo...

Seems isn't always is. Often, but not always.

That confused the shit outta me. Okay, I have posted after you three times straight and I cannot post after you for 5 hours, starting now.

I already don't know what to do with my life.

johnart said:

Tittypants said:

Taraji P. Henson is sexy! Shame on them for doing that to her! Seems kinda racist too imo...

Seems isn't always is. Often, but not always.

Your saying was actually kind of confusing , but I understand what you mean. That's why I said "seems" because just maybe...it's not.,,,but there's a possibility it could be

I didn't mean for my post to be confusing.

I just mean, there's times when I've been sure as all hell that some wrong doing was due to my being gay and it really just had to do with incompetent asswipes.

Yes, there is certainly the possibility of the omission being race-related, but it ain't like she's a nobody. She's a name you can draw on, actually (why even cast her especially as a lead), so it would be surprising. But who the hell knows.

I totally get her reactions tho.

johnart said:

I didn't mean for my post to be confusing.

I just mean, there's times when I've been sure as all hell that some wrong doing was due to my being gay and it really just had to do with incompetent asswipes.

Yes, there is certainly the possibility of the omission being race-related, but it ain't like she's a nobody. She's a name you can draw on, actually (why even cast her especially as a lead), so it would be surprising. But who the hell knows.

I totally get her reactions tho.

Wouldn't the world be easier without racism & judgemental people? Dammit! It does get confusing nowadays....

johnart said:

I didn't mean for my post to be confusing.

I just mean, there's times when I've been sure as all hell that some wrong doing was due to my being gay and it really just had to do with incompetent asswipes.

Yes, there is certainly the possibility of the omission being race-related, but it ain't like she's a nobody. She's a name you can draw on, actually (why even cast her especially as a lead), so it would be surprising. But who the hell knows.

I totally get her reactions tho.

hmm, that is confusing too. If she's a draw, then why wouldn't they use her?

But of course I don't like to jump to the nastiest conclusions. Maybe her part is much smaller than the two men. But then, why is that? it goes on forever

I will say, I don't know who she is and i definitely know Jim Caviezel though FWIW

Tittypants said:

johnart said:

I didn't mean for my post to be confusing.

I just mean, there's times when I've been sure as all hell that some wrong doing was due to my being gay and it really just had to do with incompetent asswipes.

Yes, there is certainly the possibility of the omission being race-related, but it ain't like she's a nobody. She's a name you can draw on, actually (why even cast her especially as a lead), so it would be surprising. But who the hell knows.

I totally get her reactions tho.

Wouldn't the world be easier without racism & judgemental people? Dammit! It does get confusing nowadays....

abso-fuckin-lutelyyyyyyyyyy!!!

johnart said:

Tittypants said:

Wouldn't the world be easier without racism & judgemental people? Dammit! It does get confusing nowadays....

abso-fuckin-lutelyyyyyyyyyy!!!

yeah, but then the cola wars would probably escalate

NDRU said:

johnart said:

I didn't mean for my post to be confusing.

I just mean, there's times when I've been sure as all hell that some wrong doing was due to my being gay and it really just had to do with incompetent asswipes.

Yes, there is certainly the possibility of the omission being race-related, but it ain't like she's a nobody. She's a name you can draw on, actually (why even cast her especially as a lead), so it would be surprising. But who the hell knows.

I totally get her reactions tho.

hmm, that is confusing too. If she's a draw, then why wouldn't they use her?

But of course I don't like to jump to the nastiest conclusions. Maybe her part is much smaller than the two men. But then, why is that? it goes on forever

I will say, I don't know who she is and i definitely know Jim Caviezel though FWIW

I didn't even know about the show because I don't really watch hardly anything on "real" time on tv. There's about 5 or 6 shows (none dramas/comedies) that we dvr and that's about it. Dramas and comedies we usually watch on dvd when those come out now days.

I know who Jim Caviezel is...he was Jesus in the snuff film, right?
I would think (at least in my eyes) she'd be a bigger draw than him. WTF do I know?

johnart said:

NDRU said:

hmm, that is confusing too. If she's a draw, then why wouldn't they use her?

But of course I don't like to jump to the nastiest conclusions. Maybe her part is much smaller than the two men. But then, why is that? it goes on forever

I will say, I don't know who she is and i definitely know Jim Caviezel though FWIW

I didn't even know about the show because I don't really watch hardly anything on "real" time on tv. There's about 5 or 6 shows (none dramas/comedies) that we dvr and that's about it. Dramas and comedies we usually watch on dvd when those come out now days.

I know who Jim Caviezel is...he was Jesus in the snuff film, right?
I would think (at least in my eyes) she'd be a bigger draw than him. WTF do I know?

Don't snuff films at least feature some sex first?

TV GUIDE To TARAJI: We Never Planned On Including You!

Sep 22 | by Natasha

Annie get ya gun! TV Guide just responded to Taraji P. Henson's complaint about being excluded from the cover story and promos for her new CBS show "Person of Interest."

Peep how TV Guide basically played Taraji after the cut....

Taraji took to her Facebook page yesterday to rant about being purposely left out of TV Guide's cover shot, as she is the leading lady in her new show. Now, TV Guide just popped back.

Debra Birnbaum, the Editor-in-Chief of TV Guide Magazine and TVGuideMagazine.com, told TooFab.com that they never intended on focusing on Taraji's storyline for their cover story. Ever.

"I made an editorial decision to do a story about the relationship between the two male characters on 'Person of Interest' and that's who I was going to put on the cover. That has been my decision all along, ever since I saw the pilot. We're certainly fans of Taraji Henson and her storyline on the show was never intended to be the focus of our cover story. I don't know where there was a misunderstanding about this, but it's been clear to everyone from the start. I don't make decisions on who is put and not put on the cover based on race or gender.

"This week's cover September 26 issue features the three stars of 'Charlie's Angels' -- Minka Kelly, Annie Illonzeh and Rachael Taylor. We are not pursuing a cover of 'Person of Interest' at this time."

This was in response to Taraji's now erased Facebook message that read:

WOW!!!! TV Guide is NOT including me on the cover with my cast members….....I am the female lead of a 3 member cast and I’m not included on the cover!!!!!! Do you see the shit I have to deal with in this business…..I cram to understand!!!!

So TV Guide has decided to drop the "Person of Interest" cover all together--which orginally only featured Taraji's co-stars Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson. They'll now be releasing a new cover story featuring "Charlie's Angels." And all three of the Angel ladies will be on the cover shot.

WOMP. Was TV Guide's response justified? Or was it an underhanded slap to Taraji?

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

TV GUIDE To TARAJI: We Never Planned On Including You!

Sep 22 | by Natasha

Annie get ya gun! TV Guide just responded to Taraji P. Henson's complaint about being excluded from the cover story and promos for her new CBS show "Person of Interest."

Peep how TV Guide basically played Taraji after the cut....

Taraji took to her Facebook page yesterday to rant about being purposely left out of TV Guide's cover shot, as she is the leading lady in her new show. Now, TV Guide just popped back.

Debra Birnbaum, the Editor-in-Chief of TV Guide Magazine and TVGuideMagazine.com, told TooFab.com that they never intended on focusing on Taraji's storyline for their cover story. Ever.

"I made an editorial decision to do a story about the relationship between the two male characters on 'Person of Interest' and that's who I was going to put on the cover. That has been my decision all along, ever since I saw the pilot. We're certainly fans of Taraji Henson and her storyline on the show was never intended to be the focus of our cover story. I don't know where there was a misunderstanding about this, but it's been clear to everyone from the start. I don't make decisions on who is put and not put on the cover based on race or gender.

"This week's cover September 26 issue features the three stars of 'Charlie's Angels' -- Minka Kelly, Annie Illonzeh and Rachael Taylor. We are not pursuing a cover of 'Person of Interest' at this time."

This was in response to Taraji's now erased Facebook message that read:

WOW!!!! TV Guide is NOT including me on the cover with my cast members….....I am the female lead of a 3 member cast and I’m not included on the cover!!!!!! Do you see the shit I have to deal with in this business…..I cram to understand!!!!

So TV Guide has decided to drop the "Person of Interest" cover all together--which orginally only featured Taraji's co-stars Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson. They'll now be releasing a new cover story featuring "Charlie's Angels." And all three of the Angel ladies will be on the cover shot.

WOMP. Was TV Guide's response justified? Or was it an underhanded slap to Taraji?

Well, it's justified in the sense that they can do whatever they like with the cover of their magazine. It is all a bit odd though.

I Love Taraji..She should have gotten that Oscar for "Benjamin Buttons"..NOT because she's BLACK but because her character was the "heart" of that flick...Why does the article say she has 2 Oscar Nods?

This TV-Guide snubb has turned out to be GREAT publicity for CBS, TV Guide and Taraji. The story made headlines on most of the TV-Rag-Mags..TV guide is standing by their decision for NOT including Taraji because they probably forgot or didnt even know she was apart of the cast. They gave a different statement but i really believe that is what happened.

Taraji still got a ways to go to make herself a household name. Granted, Idon't know the lead guys playing with her and it's not fair but Taraji knows the Game. She has to continuing getting good roles in TV and the Silver Screen and give the knock-out performances she's capable of delivering..

Black actresses have to work 10 X harder...That ain't nothing new...

I did not see Benjamin Buttons because it got bad reviews. I have seen her name before but she could use some help getting her name out there. I really hate to say this but many famous people are in the news for their personal life. Brad Pitt was with Gweneth Paltrow before Jennifer; he dated all the A list only. The other thing that works is controversy either in the role or in the way you dress.

The black actresses in the movie "The Help" got extra attention for their acting because there was controversy about whether a white woman should write from the stand point of a black woman.

I don't know if her making this about her race was justified. However, she did stir a good drama, getting free publicity out of being discrimated against.

And that's good for the show, and her career.

So, good for her.

dJJ said:

I don't know if her making this about her race was justified. However, she did stir a good drama, getting free publicity out of being discrimated against.

And that's good for the show, and her career.

So, good for her.

hmmm....maybe good for her, but another unwarranted cry of discrimination is not good for the situations where actual discrimination is going on.

Deadflow3r said:

I did not see Benjamin Buttons because it got bad reviews. I have seen her name before but she could use some help getting her name out there. I really hate to say this but many famous people are in the news for their personal life. Brad Pitt was with Gweneth Paltrow before Jennifer; he dated all the A list only. The other thing that works is controversy either in the role or in the way you dress.

The black actresses in the movie "The Help" got extra attention for their acting because there was controversy about whether a white woman should write from the stand point of a black woman.

I don't know if I can agree with this. Taraji...getting her name out there? She is among the top 10 A-list black actresses in Hollywood who works consistently on mainstream film projects. How much more "out there" can she be?

As for "The Help", Octavia Spencer was previously known as a tv actress from a blockbuster hit show (Ugly Betty) that has also done well as an import overseas, and the esteemed Viola Davis is an award winning Broadway actress who's been acting in critically acclaimed films for the last decade (a few with Film Critic Award and Oscar notice attached to them), and is also one of the darlings of director Steven Soderberg (which is a nice mix of' 'criti-hip' in Hollywood). Frankly, I've seen "The Help", and the buzz from the acting ability of these ladies was hardly reliant on a sensational spin on the author; these women stand on their own in their craft, firmly and believably in character, in a timely story that raises important issues about how our collective past has shaped our attitudes towards each other today in a faux post-racial America

[Edited 9/24/11 11:13am]

I know nothing about this show...but I HAVE seen promos for it and they look like THIS;

...so if this truly IS a 3-person lead cast, she definitely is getting the shaft.

Otherwise, if she's a supporting cast member and perhaps THINKS that she's a lead on the show, then her agent needs to tell her to tone it down a bit.

BTW - this also remonds me of that new Zooey Deschannel show "New Girl" where the promo I keep seeing everywhere looks like THIS;

...and yet there is a 5th cast member conveniently cropped out of that pic;

Ottensen said:

Deadflow3r said:

I did not see Benjamin Buttons because it got bad reviews. I have seen her name before but she could use some help getting her name out there. I really hate to say this but many famous people are in the news for their personal life. Brad Pitt was with Gweneth Paltrow before Jennifer; he dated all the A list only. The other thing that works is controversy either in the role or in the way you dress.

The black actresses in the movie "The Help" got extra attention for their acting because there was controversy about whether a white woman should write from the stand point of a black woman.

I don't know if I can agree with this. Taraji...getting her name out there? She is among the top 10 A-list black actresses in Hollywood who works consistently on mainstream film projects. How much more "out there" can she be?

As for "The Help", Octavia Spencer was previously known as a tv actress from a blockbuster hit show (Ugly Betty) that has also done well as an import overseas, and the esteemed Viola Davis is an award winning Broadway actress who's been acting in critically acclaimed films for the last decade (a few with Film Critic Award and Oscar notice attached to them), and is also one of the darlings of director Steven Soderberg (which is a nice mix of' 'criti-hip' in Hollywood). Frankly, I've seen "The Help", and the buzz from the acting ability of these ladies was hardly reliant on a sensational spin on the author; these women stand on their own in their craft, firmly and believably in character, in a timely story that raises important issues about how our collective past has shaped our attitudes towards each other today in a faux post-racial America

[Edited 9/24/11 11:13am]

I totally agree with you

Meryl Streep has been one of Viola Davis' biggest fans.

However despite being one of the most admired actors by other actors she is not as well known as Jada Pincett Smith or Halle Berry along with so many white actors and actresses that I would take up a whole page of this thread even trying to list them.

Why is that?

Could it be that getting a job in Hollywood is not about craft?

That Brad Pitts success is maybe, just maybe not do to craft?

James Brown said that the secret of his succes was that he was as much about the Business of Show Business as he was about the show.

Why did Gweneth Paltrow recieve an Oscar over Cate Blanchett?

Because it was campaigned for strongly by the producers and the studios then the producers of "Elizabeth" campaigned for Cate.

Should it be about craft?

Certainly, but it's not. Today you need to spend as much time learning the art of self promotion as you do the art of acting.

The controversy of the Help was not something Viola Davis brought about, but her name came up and for the first time I saw her name not only mentioned in my magazines but her being interviewed. Up until then I would see her name in a review (Entertainment Weekly mostly) and the review would say what an outstanding performance was given by Viola (I think in the Benjamin Buttons movie they said she was the only reason to see the film). However, she was not given an interview.

She deserved to be interviewed and finally, by being in a controversial movie, she was.