Jada Pinkett Smith has joined forces again with her daughter Willow and her mother Adrienne for an online talk show on Facebook. They previously recorded segments for the show in 2011. On the series, entitled Red Table Talk, the trio “open their home for a series of candid conversations with family and friends.” It’s more like online therapy than a talk show. One of Jada’s guests this go-around was her husband Will’s ex-wife, Sheree Fletcher. Sheree is the mother to Will’s 25-year-old son, Trey.
Jada had Sheree on the show to discuss the struggles of raising a blended family. They also discussed the fact that they didn’t get along when Jada and Will first got together.
Jada on dating Will when he was married
“Here’s the one thing I will say in hindsight, because I did not understand marriage, I didn’t understand divorce, I will say that I probably should have fell back.”“I feel like when Will and I first started dating. I had this thing in my mind, ‘that’s done.’ That’s where I was wrong.”
On a fight they had on the phone
Sheree: “Very few times in my life I can recall being checked real hard. You weren’t out of line. You picked up the phone. I wasn’t really respectful. I’m calling to talk to Trey but I had to go through you to get to him. You let me know ‘I don’t really appreciate your tone’ and you hung up on me. I called back and I happened to say ‘Bitch, you living in the house I picked out.’ You said ‘It’s my house now.'”
Jada: “I want you to know Will Smith let me have it. His take was ‘That is Trey’s mother and that’s just not your place.’Sheree on how Jada made up to her right after that
“The next time I saw you was in the foyer of your house. You took the initiative to make things right. The one thing I would say about you is you would always say ‘Ree, I apologize.’ You always owned it and thank you for that.”
[From Facebook video via People]
Fortunately, Jada realized the importance of having Sheree in Trey’s life early on. The path to achieving a healthy blended family was sometimes “annoying,” with Sheree noting that “We have to understand that we do have boundaries and lanes. Sometimes it was too much and I thought Jada needed to fall back.” She came to realize, however, that Jada meant well. “I also saw your heart in it. You weren’t trying to take my place.” Sheree also admitted that, “my son could not have a better bonus mom.” Jada chimed in with, “And he’s got a great mother. We did it.” Awww.
It’s great that these two get along, and it makes for an enticing watch. Of course, Jada and Will have been very open about their relationship in the past. Well, except for the whole “Are they or aren’t they?” question regarding their involvement with the Church of Scientology. I’m curious to see who Jada has on in the future.
While Jada is sharing her life on social media, Will is whooping it up in Colombia. And when I say “whooping it up”, I mean dancing up a storm, often at the embarrassing expense of his son Jaden. Will posted a video featuring clips of him shaking his groove thing with the locals and attempting to get his son to twerk. You’ve gotta love this guy.
Here’s the video from Red Table Talk.
Photos: Getty Images, WENN.com, Instagram
That was great – lotta wisdom there. And not having money worries as a big factor helped, it has to be said.
Money definitely made it easier. But also.. they are talking about this now… when Trey is 25. Much easier to be nice and kind about things when your child is grown, child support is no longer a factor, and you don’t have to deal with each other on a regular basis anymore. They have had several years to let their tempers cool, their feelings to calm down, and the fog of memory to change their views. Would have been a totally different conversation 10 years ago.
@littlewing, definitely taking the money issue out is helpful. Speaking from personal experience, the stress of the ex refusing to work full time and tanking our credit bc her mortgage still had my husband’s name on it, really added to my annoyance with her in general. I had to try really hard to separate that and not lump it in with everything she said and did. And I’m sure she had similar feelings about me and my husband in that she felt entitled to my money, etc (which was not right but I try to give credit where possible and acknowledge her feelings, even when the logic is faulty). And @ka I am certain a conversation 10 years ago would have been different. But, it still says a lot that they can sit down like this now. It took a lot of compromise and work to get to this point. Even when you tell yourself the goal is for the child, that doesn’t mean it’s always personally easy.
Honestly Sheree sounds like a saint for putting up with Jada.
Agree. I also like that Trey looks like a wonderfully well rounded grounded young man and then there is Jaden
Seriously! She’s getting credit because she eventually realized the importance of Trey’s MOTHER in his life? How inconvenient to the side piece that the first wife didn’t just go away and abandon her child to the other woman.
It sounds like Jada’s parenting skills were different when it came to stepping Trey versus the laissez-faire mother she is with her own two.
I’m getting to this thread late, but…
Has it been noted she talks about this every few years? It’s nothing new.
And worth mentioning loads of CO$ folks are seeking press. They’re pushing for rebranding and recruitment. For members to be seen in a great light and not linked to or speaking of the cult. This is a recycled talking point used.
I disagree.
No one deserves to have their head bitten off for answering the phone.
That’s not the right “tone” for any conversation, even if you’re just asking to speak to someone else.
That’s a guaranteed way to make someone go from zero to ten.
Yep—I side-eyed Jada then and my opinion has not improved.
I like Will Smith, always have but I dunno about Jada – I have always gotten ‘off’ vibes from her. Their kids seem alright, esp Willow.
I’m glad I’m not the only one. There’s always been something about her I just don’t like. Everything she says seems like an unsolicited lecture based on unearned authority. Her voice gives me a headache.
yes!
me three. She grates….
Yes. Not a fan.
” Everything she says seems like an unsolicited lecture based on unearned authority. ”
Ohhh, you *nailed* that. I’ve never been able to verbalize why she pisses me off, and now I don’t have to because you did. And I feel like she’s so friggin smug, yall. Too much smug.
Having said that, though, I have to give credit where it’s apparently due. Co-parenting can be a real pain in the ass, but it looks like she and the Ex Mrs Will Smith did it very well. I guess half the credit goes to Jada, which annoys me, but still- props to her.
Ahh, yes! That’s exactly what it is. I find her irritating as hell.
She always wears a weird expression- kind of like a dolt with a bit of a sneer. But maybe she just photographs poorly or is a bit socially awkward?
I think the part that really moved me was when Sheree put her hand on Jadas arm and said,” Thank you for loving my baby.” Because ultimately that’s what only matters. The well-being and safety of your child in a divorce should always be number one. You gotta let go of the hurt and keep it moving. No matter how painful it maybe.
I watched a video with, I think, her mum, herself and Willow. It was awful. It’s like they were pulling compliments out of the kid. I felt bad for her daughter. She came off as manipulative.
But this is all guess work. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors?
Edit: this was meant for @byandby
It’s SO hard. I have kids (still married) but am the child of divorced parents. As much as I would cut a bitch for butting in… i would also want whomever lived with them to love them dearly and treat them like their own. Because they’re kids and they don’t understand dynamics between parents. At least in this, Will did a good job.
At the end of the day, this is all performative open-mindedness for the cameras. I find it really terrible when people flaunt their families as an example, even if it is a bad example. There is a line between a private life and a public one. Moreover, when there is a camera, it affects the way we behave and the choices we make.
There is an experiment in quantum physics (I think…) where it was noted that the presence of the camera altered the “behaviour” of particles. Imagine what it does to humans…
Hi @slowsnow. “Performative open-mindedness.” What a great and interesting phrase. I assume you’re absolutely right– I couldn’t bear to watch this or the previous video. I’m not kidding when I say her voice gives me a headache.
I remember people commenting on the first video a few years ago, and many felt like the child had been exploited. All the more sad considering, again, no one asked Jada for these pearls of wisdom, but with her, there always seems to be this presumption that we were all waiting with baited breath to hear her insights on life.
Ok, @byandby I sacrificed 3 mns of my life and I would say… “don’t watch it!”.
It is based on the very idea that this family is the pearl of wisdom bank and they decided to distribute pearls of wisdom necklaces!
This is big of both of them. To admit your mistakes, it’s a good thing. They’re trying to set a good example, and I like it. I’m sure lots of people can relate to the struggles of maintaining good relationships in a blended family.
What they did to blend families is par of the course in my culture.
It remains culturally confusing to me that their blended family ie the reality of 2 mothers / fathers (we don’t do step-families as a concept) is the outlier in the west.
So much unnecessary aggravation.
ITs because here in the US, divorce was not normally or socially acceptable until a few decades ago, and so there’s no social template in how to deal with it. When my mom and dad split, she felt like the only single parent around.
Exactly @Bridget. My husband and I met in Catholic high school. Both of us come from families with still married parents. When we reconnected as adults, he was divorced with a child and 50/50 custody. I was finishing a PhD and at the start of a promising career that could take me anywhere. I had never been married and did not have kids and did not know many divorced couples or even people my age whose parents were divorced. It was a real learning curve to try to be part of his family and figure out my role and keep the peace between adults who despised each other. Ultimately, it has been worth it for me and our family but as I was figuring it out I was constantly questioned about why I would bother with such a nightmarish situation. It’s not always intuitive and it’s certainly not usually easy to try to smooth things over, ignore insults to yourself and partner and to set boundaries for your emotions and homes.
My grandparents were divorced long before I was born, so their nine children and twenty-three grandchildren, etc., never felt pressured staying in an unhappy marriage.
@LAK May I ask where you’re from? You’ve made a couple different comments in the last couple days about your culture that make me curious.
I haven’t watched this video but just wanted to chime in with a Will Smith story. He was filming a movie in my hometown a few weeks ago and they were using the little bitty marina on the island where I grew up as part of the set. My stepdad was at the marina cleaning up his boat at the crack of dawn and Will Smith was there with a few film crew people. He walked over to my stepdad and started chatting, asking him questions about the island and boats. He noticed my stepdad’s hat with his former military division on it (he’s a retired full bird colonel) and thanked him for his service. He took a picture with my stepdad, who says he’s funny and down to earth and seems like a genuine, kind guy. I thought that was pretty cool!
That’s the impression I’ve always gotten about Will so I’m happy to read your story. I know that Jada, Will and their kids are not well-liked around here but I dig ’em, aside from the scientology connection.
Did you watch the video of Will dancing? Made me smile 🙂
That’s nice to hear. Will seems like a nice person, and it’s good to hear that the persona matches the man.
I saw this on IG yesterday and while I’m not that interested in the entire thing (mostly because it’s not something that affects my life at all, the blended family issue), they seem like lovely people. I don’t know, other commenters seem to really dislike … all of it? Them? Jada? I may not be a massive fan on their parenting philosophy as told by their kids but Willow and Jaden seem fine. Like mostly well-adjusted kids of rich celebrities. The CO$ thing is worrying and if they are … ugh. But at least they’re not selling that to others like Tom frickin’ Cruise.
ITA. I’ve never really understood the hate, but I’ve loved Will since his Fresh Prince days so maybe I’m biased.
I love him so much, he’s one of the funniest actors, possibly the funniest. I’ll watch any comedy he is in. What He’s doing on IG is GREAT.
Never liked her. Still don’t. Not taking any “advice” from her.
And, wow, the Ex wife is damn near a saint for dealing with Jada.
I watched Red Table Talk and I also follow their ig page. They have such strong connections with each other and you can really see the closeness. Y’all need to put you opinions about Jada and her children aside and open your eyes to the fact that this is a beautiful portrayal of a black, blended family.
I really really liked her and her family until I saw the first itw with her mum and her daughter. But I am very very weary of people shoving their lives as an example down my throat, and that goes for any Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Cindy Crawford, Kardashian member of the planet.
It’s fine for you to feel that way. But this isn’t a reality show in the style of the Kardashians and nothing is being shoved in our faces. This is more of a talk show where the people around the table are related. For those of us in the black community who look up to and respect the Smiths, this show is just perfect! We’re greatly interested in their lives. Just take a look at the comments and feedback from urban blogs.
I love the maturity that both of these women showed. They put Trey first & it shows.
NO, DAD.
Coming from a blended family myself, I appreciate what she’s saying here. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth the effort, especially for the children involved.
Mr. Jaded’s ex is vehemently angry that we got together AFTER they were legally separated and after not seeing him for over 30 years (he was my BF until she came along and snagged him). She left him but as soon as she found out the dreaded “old girlfriend” was back in his life she went bonkers. She resents any time I spend with his daughter, her husband and their 6 year old daughter to the point where she sends him nasty letters when she finds out we’ve been to visit them. What am I supposed to do? Stay home? Stay in a hotel while he visits with them? So I really admire the effort Jada and Will’s ex have put into ensuring a stress-free blended family.