Comments on: Rihanna Opens Up On ‘Good Morning America’

By: Miss Nimbus

Miss Nimbus — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:28:39 +0000

What in gods name is she wearing???? UGLY and don’t get me started on the hair…

By: Umbrella

Umbrella — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:44:40 +0000

Her message in this interview is MUCH better than in the Glamour mag interview that I commented about a few days ago. I was only concerned at that time with the fact that now, that she was speaking out in Glamour, that her messege to young girls in the Glamour mag wasn’t a very strong one. And I said as much. I thought she could be saying/doing more–especially for her first interview about it. This new interview messege however is to the point, that abuse is wrong and she is giving solid advice about it for girls to follow and is admitting her own mistakes that didn’t help her situation. And that’s great. That’s the type of interview and messege I wanted to see/hear from her the other day, and feel would do people the most good. That bad Glamour interview could very well have been because it was done weeks ago or that the interviewer was bad—Diane Sawyer is doing a better job of asking the right questions–but then again Glamour mag is not the first place to go for hard hitting reporting. But it is a mag that many women read which is another reason why that interview could have helped more and been better. And that’s why it was disappointing to read the other day. Either way this new interview is great. And it shows she has been seriously dealing with what happened and recognizes how she can really help so many people, by opening up about it. And that’s the right way to go. Talking about it is also healing. And maybe that was her plan all along but it just wasn’t coming out clearly at all in the Glamour mag interview. And to Krissy who I debated my points with the other day, this new more positive helpful message was all I wanted from her as someone in the public who young girls admire—who could be helpful to them and do some good. She’s using this to be a positive role model. I think with all the other comments coming at you the other day from people upset about the timing or her album, it may have been hard to see my points. I could see that you were a caring person and I don’t want you to think that your points weren’t being heard. Again, I think it comes down to that bad Glamour interview and what they chose to ask and not ask. And anyone commenting can only go by the info she was giving at the time. Again as her first interview about it—it wasn’t a good one. And this interview is much much better.

By: Janelle

Janelle — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:43:38 +0000

And on a last note, watching her interactions talking about this is important. Words do only so much with interviews like these. It’s not polished. It’s not rehearsed. She is slowly finding a way to carefully discuss this private, emotional experience, knowing it’s going to be aired. It cannot be easy.

By: Janelle

Janelle — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:41:16 +0000

A couple thoughts… I’ll admit, I was skeptical that she’d talk about this right when her album will drop. But I thought there must be more than that, this is a very serious issue and life-changing experience she went through. She’s a musical artist who expresses anger, emotions, everything through their art. Making music is therapy for some and I realized this is probably what she did to cope the past nine months. Psychologically speaking, when she’s ready, she will drop her album. I wouldn’t imagine someone forcing her to do that after what she went through.When she’s ready to release her music, it’s a way of her saying she’s ready to talk. They go hand in hand, and yes, it does work out publicity-wise, but it benefits HER as being ready as an individual and victim to talk about what happened. She’s human. Embarassment and shame is a natural reaction for a victim to feel (though they shouldn’t) and would be hesitant to talk in the first place. So imagine it being 100x worse as a celebrity with those emotions. Shame on me for being skeptical in the first place. Think about it outside the box and in her place. Recall any time you’ve felt ashamed when you shouldn’t have been. Have compassion, world.

By: loulou

loulou — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:22:21 +0000

She has been silent for months and puts out a record. I don’t think it’s a promotion tactic, I think it has to do with the fact that she is now back on the scene again. There is no way she can even try to promote or do an appearance without the violent incident haunting her.

That said and done, she still talks like a “battered woman”. All the talk about “love” and “unconditional love” kind of makes me shiver. I’m sure she loved him but the reasons for going back are more than likely about him saying “I’m sorry. I apologize. It will never happen again….”, or “I love you – you drive me crazy, that’s all.” or “You made me angry…” or “If you leave, I’ll kill you…”. I’m sure he had lots and lots of control over her and played the typical abusive man games with her to make her stay in his life. Love – I don’t know about that so much.

By: J

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:40:21 +0000

trent. that is so well said. thankyou! everyone keeps criticizing her for not speaking out or shying away from media. i even read on some site people bashing her for her new music not being so personal and stuff irrelevant to the incident. i was like WTF? since when do personal issues always have to be sung about by musicians. last i heard, beyonce is singing about being a single lady and then slamming guys in If i were a boy. Hmmmmmm…
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Anyway, even people are saying she is doing this for publicity with the album release. It may seem like that and they probably did it to fit in with that but also… before the single release and announcement and Run this town…. Rihanna was totally media shy. All you saw was her leaving a hotel or getting into a car. No events or red carpets etc… she stayed away from that stuff cause she wanted time off. She wanted to escape to recover and have time for herself. Now she has grown and learnt, she is ready to come out, release an album and get back to business and also talk about it.
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Anyway, who cares when the timing was made.At least she has made the decision to speak about it – you don’t have to. No one says its wrong to speak or not to speak. But she is making the effort, so salute her for that. I still cannot believe people criticize her yet its Chris Brown the douche that deserves all the negativity and people salute him… geez,only in this world.

By: meg

meg — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:18:36 +0000

Ack, the extremely judgmental comments on this post are making me sick. Jeana (and canaussiegirl and Trent, for that matter), thank you for saying what you said, I completely agree. It can take years for a person to recover from any kind of traumatic experience, and talking about it and conveying it to others can be even more difficult. I hate that people are taking on the tone that the rest of the world “deserved” to hear her speak out much sooner (or later)… Rihanna owes nothing to anyone, ESPECIALLY when her privacy was repeatedly violated by the media. It’s my guess that Rihanna, as such a public figure, has actually had very little choice in dealing with the matter privately in her own way. Before she ever got a chance to speak for herself, that photograph was released without her consent and spoke for her instead. I can’t image how unfair that must have felt. I commend Rihanna for her courage in making the decision to speak out, and by doing so, attempt to help others with her story. As someone else already mentioned, the timing of this is entirely irrelevant, and those who believe that the timing is wrong or inappropriate clearly have no understanding for victims of abuse.

By: teri

teri — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:42:18 +0000

who cares when she talks about it. she is talking about it now. we all need to stop judging others for their actions and we need to start a dialouge as to why abuse occurrs in the first place and how we end it. what we need to realize is that by attacking her and Chris we too are abusers. we may not be attacking with our fist, but we are attacking with our words. we do things out of fear or love. by riri talking about this, she is moving from a place of love and forgiveness and she is healing not only herself, but Chris, and other abusees/abusers. she is not only empowering herself, but she is empowering others as well.

By: Mariah

Mariah — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:31:42 +0000

@canaussiegirl – I couldn’t have said it ANY better.

By: It's Trent, Bitch!

It's Trent, Bitch! — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:30:52 +0000

@Jeana — Well said, thank you.

By: Jeana

Jeana — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:15:16 +0000

This is why so many women keep silent. People who do not understand judge. If she would have waited till after her album dropped people would say it is to increase sales on it. She is always going to be having an album coming out and she will always be judged by ignorent people. If you listen to what she said she did not talk about it in the begining because she went back to him. It is a cycle many victims go through. I hope you are all less judgemental when this is your sister or daughter. Her timing is awful? So sorry it did not suite the way you thought she should do this.
It is so very sad.

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:46:38 +0000

Who are you people to judge her? If she uses the worst part of her life to better herself then that’s her choice.

By: VPrice5612

VPrice5612 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:21:03 +0000

Its like the kids back in high school who used to do volunteer work just to put it on their college resumes/apps. Its not very genuine, but Im glad they did it all the same since they were helping others…her timing is awful, but it’s good that she has finally spoken out.

By: Nat Lancaster

Nat Lancaster — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:17:59 +0000

A coworker used to tell me about her brother’s ex-wife. She and her second husband would constantly behave like they were MMA or WWE stars. My coworker kept telling her to stop. One day, it did stop, when he shot her to death. My coworker now goes to schools and tells girls that you cannot ever put your hands on their boyfriends. Women need to know that they cannot box with men. You put your hands on them and they might fight back. Sad but true. Although Chris shouldn’t have beat Rihanna, it seems that she escalated the situation several times. She even bragged about hitting her brother in the head with a bottle. I hope she learned her lesson as it seems Chris head. I am blaming both parties involved.

By: debho

debho — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:50:12 +0000

Sorry, I meant that the timing was a little tacky, not the opening up. I think it’s great that she has, I just wish she’d done it at some other time, not when she was promoting her new album.

By: Denise

Denise — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:38:52 +0000

It was not easy for Rihanna to speak out after what she’s been through, but she did it, and I applaud her for it.

By: Jeana

Jeana — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:37:20 +0000

Having an album coming out more than likely makes her feel like she is in control of her life again, giving her the strength she needs to speak out.

It took me years to speak about abuse. Ironicly that strength came when I was at a place in my life where I could be proud of myself.

By: kammy

kammy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:35:55 +0000

I don’t see it as tacky at all. I’m glad she spoke out.

By: krissy

krissy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:25:31 +0000

I don’t think some people realize that it often takes months after an incident to talk about such events with ANYONE, much less to strangers and people who don’t have your best interest at heart. Some women go years before they will even talk to a therapist. I don’t think people understand the gravity of what this actually does to a person.

By: Emilia

Emilia — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:14:23 +0000

I love Rihanna and I was so disappointed in her to see her go back to that animal after all that happened.

She’s just gone up in my estimations 100%

Rihanna has amazing courage and self-worth and nobody has taken that away from her!

She is a paragon to women out there. Many wouldn’t have the balls to do what she is doing now.

GO GIRL!!

By: It's Trent, Bitch!

It's Trent, Bitch! — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:10:38 +0000

@debho — I’m sorry, I can never see an abused person opening up about their ordeal as “tacky”.

By: debho

debho — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:07:35 +0000

At a glance I thought she was Vanessa Williams. lol
I’m sure everyone agrees that domestic violence is taboo. And that anytime is the right time to speak out about it. However, it’s coming across as tacky that she is speaking out now…months after the incident…when she has an album to promote. It just seems that it’s part of her agenda….a little like the sob stories you see on Idol…kwim? I’m glad she’s finally speaking out, but I think it would have had more impact and credence a few months ago. JMO

By: Astrid

Astrid — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:51:52 +0000

I totally agree with you Trent. And I also think that she wanted to speak now and be over and done with it before any other interviews.. Wouldn’t we have felt that there was a big elephant in the room if she didn’t talk about it before press rounds? Brave girl!

By: krissy

krissy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:38:24 +0000

” Misogyny rears its ugly head yet again.”…sad, but true. :(

By: krissy

krissy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:37:50 +0000

Trent, I agree with you 100%. Thank you for having compassion for vicitms of abuse. I think if anyone actually takes the time to hear what she has to say, it is pretty evident WHY she waited to speak out, and it has nothing to do with record sales. Because it is a hard thing to go through, to wrap your head around, not to mention the invasion of your most basic privacy for the entire world to see. I highly recommend that those people who are doubting her actually listen to all of what she has to say. canaussiegirl, I agree with you as well. I went on a similar “rant” a couple days ago!