Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe, 26, may be featured in the latest Vanity Fair and attending glittery industry parties, but her mom isn’t letting her daughter’s success go to her head. Sidibe’s mother, Alice Tan Ridley, is still singing for change at her customary spots in the NY city Subway including Times Square. She works for three hour stretches and has been busking for 18 years. In an interview with the NY Post, Sidibe said that she’s not going to give up singing and that her name isn’t on her daughter’s paycheck. She also revealed that she was originally offered the role of the mother in Precious (played by Mo’Nique) but that she thought it would be too gut-wrenching a role and turned in down:
Her kid’s an Oscar contender, but this proud Harlem mom is still happily singing for her supper in the subway.
Alice Tan Ridley — whose 26-year-old daughter, Gabourey Sidibe, won raves and an Academy Award nomination for her gut-wrenching performance in last year’s “Precious” — shows up three times a week at New York’s busiest subway stations to wow commuters with her electrifying R&B act.
“My name is not on Gabby’s paycheck,” the good-natured Ridley told The Post yesterday, after another rousing show in the Times Square underground.
Ridley, a former nursery-school teacher and Department of Education teacher’s aide, has been belting out tunes in the subway for 18 years. She was among the first artists featured in the MTA’s popular subway artists series, now called Performances in Public Spaces.
“For a while, I was teaching and doing the singing, burning the candle at both ends to support my family,” Ridley said.
She eventually made subway singing a full-time job.
“When I come home at the end of the day, I have enough to pay my bills and feed my kids,” she said.
“People always say, ‘Why don’t you sing in clubs?’ I tell ’em, ‘This is my club.’ ”Ridley does perform at private events and has traveled to Chile, Argentina and Germany with her golden pipes. But her usual stages are in the 14th Street/Union Square, 34th Street/Sixth Avenue and Times Square/Eighth Avenue stations.
In recent weeks, she has had to cut her three-hour performances to an hour and a half.
“My voice is so big that it’s blown out my amp, so I can’t do more than that until I can afford a new amp,” said Ridley, whose next gig is today at 4:30 p.m. at 34th Street.
Her singing helped pave the way for her daughter’s breakout in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”
“Four years ago, they asked me to play the part of the mother,” Ridley said. “But being a mom and teacher, I just couldn’t play that part. It was just too hard.
“I read the book, and I gave it to Gabby. Her friends encouraged her to try out for ‘Precious,’ and she got it.”
[From The NY Post]
I searched on “Alice Tan Ridley” on YouTube and there are tons of fan-submitted videos of her singing. Well before her daughter was famous, people were raving about Ridley’s talent. She’s got heart and can really belt out a song! I was getting into some of the videos and I know I would stop and listen if I heard Ridley singing. I want to see Ridley on Oprah with her daughter. Gabourey Sidibe has already appeared on Oprah, but her mom definitely deserves a platform for her amazing talent.
Alice Tan Ridley (subway)
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I am sure Gabby didn’t make that much for the movie and until the paychecks start rolling in they still need to make money!
Wow, she is the anti-Dina Lohan! I love it.
You can actually make damn good money doing this if you’re good. One of my friends was going to Julliard for cello and decided to try playing in the subway for rent money– he ended up making around $300 PER DAY.
This is another reason why I love living in NYC , we’ll give you a chance if you’re actually good at something . Not just singing along to a karaoke machine half-assed .
She’s awesome. I wish I lived in NYC to hear her sing live.
She sounds really good. I’m sure offers are rolling in but it seems like she has no interest in it.
I thought this was going to turn out to be one of those Oscar smear campaigns a la the one against Slumdog Millionaire last year. Glad to see it’s not although there does seem to be some Precious backlash that I don’t agree with.
Great voice on her mom. Thanks for the link.
I guess you have to be a New Yorker to understand how begging for $ in the subway isn’t embarrassing?
@Stephy:
She’s not begging. She’s showcasing a talent and entertaining people as they head off on their days. They are rewarding her for it. And it’s certainly more honest then surfing the web at work and getting paid for it (hey I do it, all I’m saying is that this woman is WORKING for her money).
I live in Paris and some of the entertainers we have in the metro are AMAZING. I’ve seen a man play a perfect violin solo in a moving subway car. For reference: Subway cars are jerky little shits. I can’t stand in one without holding on to a bar. I’ve seen puppet shows, accordions, comedians, singers, magic tricks and renditions of famous plays.
It’s awesome. And if you don’t get it, then you need to go to a city with a subway/metro and experience yourself. Those people are out there cheering up our days. They make the ride more bearable and even sometimes fun.
Good for her for not being the Lohans or any other mother who rides their gravy train child. Seriously, her saying her name is not on Gabby’s paychecks is the best thing I have ever heard a showbiz mom say. Good for her, she is a role model for every Dina Lohan out there waiting to happen.
This woman is amazing! had no clue she is Gabbys mom 🙂 @ Stephy either that or you just have to be a little less closeminded. Where do you see her begging? If money was purely her motivation, she would’ve stopped “begging” the minute Gabbys first paycheck rolled in.
@Peech If she’s so talented maybe she would benefit more from a “real” job. How many bars and night clubs and performing venue are there in NYC? Gimme a break. She’s begging. And so are all street performers without gainful employment. It may be entertaining for the traveling masses but it’s still begging. Maybe she enjoys the freedom of it and good for her if so.
what a wonderful mom…no wonder gabby’s so awesome
“I guess you have to be a New Yorker to understand how begging for $ in the subway isn’t embarrassing?”
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I guess you have to live in a flyover state to be this judgmental.
@ stephie…maybe she’s one of those people who do not want to work for someone else and work on her own terms…and really i didn’t see her beg for anything in her videos…just showcasing her talent…damn she isn’t hurting anyone
There is a difference between street performers and pan handlers. Street performers provide entertainment and don’t usually beg for money–they put down their hat and if you drop something in, great. If not, no big deal. I am in LA and on Hollywood Blvd there are always street performers in front of Mann’s dressed as Marilyn, Captain Jack, Batman etc etc and tourists love them. If you can find a way to make a living and make yourself happy as well, that is the most wonderful thing.
She’s smart not to depend on Gabby’s paychecks. Gabby’s a one-hit wonder who found the perfect part. There just aren’t a lot of parts out there for obese actresses of color.
Begging and busking are not the same thing in any way shape or form. In one you are ellicitng money on the basis of guilt or sympathy but gaining nothing in return (other than self-satisfaction). In the other you are providing a service in which it’s up to the listener to pay for or not and how much.
Busking is not a New York phenomenon, you get it happening in major cities in Britain and Ireland (check out the film “Once” for example). In Galway in Ireland, there’s a joke that they have buskers like other cities have pigeons – although the narrow medieval streets and slipways lends a very unique acoustic effect.
(In fairness not all of it is good – there’s one South American family in Dublin that dress up as Aztecs and play the panpipes, but if I hear them murder “Yesterday” one more time..)
There’s also a great benefit to the artist in that you are your own boss and it really helps develop your voice and there’s the chance of being “spotted”.
Dear Stephy,
Go to a city and do get you some education on the difference between performer and pan handler.
I’m not sure why you feel that all performances or art must be relegated to a designated ‘spot’ otherwise it’s rendered ‘begging’.
Playing in a club means you get a percentage of the money that comes on when you play. When you perform on the street (which is regulated and most people actually need licenses to do so) you keep 100% of the profits. It’s just smarter to work for yourself than a venue.
Furthermore if you look into the simple definitions on the subject of begging vs. performing you’ll see the difference. In one (begging) a person asks for a donation without services rendered. In another (performing) a subject renders a service and the recipient has the option to give a donation for it.
With your definition we could call the Red Cross beggars!
You’d think with all the pretentious judgment you throw out you’d be a little more educated on this subject.
Oh,Peach, it is hopeless to try to explain anything to an uneducated person who insists on being judgmental about something they know nothing about. But, you did a good job.
I have visited NY several times over the years and have found the various street/subway performers to have talent ranging from amazing to not so good. For the not so good ones I simply continue walking and ignore them but for the amazing ones (who are many) I stop to listen and enjoy. From looking at the videos I do believe I’ve seen Ms.Ridley perform. Her voice is wonderful. I’m happy she has found her place in life and is enjoying herself. She’s an independent woman doing what she loves and she has raised an amazing daughter.
She’s approved by the MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) to perform. I’ve heard her, big strong voice and style. She wasn’t known in the mainstream until the movie Precious came out. She performs elsewhere. The subway stations and corridors have amazing acoustics.
I don’t buy parallels to a Lohan or Cyrus or similar stage mom-manager type. Gabourey went into the industry as a 25-year old, not as a discovered child talent that you help raise, groom, support, protect in the Hollywood, Madison Avenue, or recording industry spotlight. So, while I really dislike Dina Lohan and feel that she’s an exploitive irresponsible monster, the comparisons don’t work for me.
I don’t think it’s so much a direct comparison as just a comment on how nice it is to see a mom not ride their celeb kid’s coattails to fame and fortune.
I need some eye bleach! Stat!
Gabourey’s mother has an awesome voice. I really admire her courage because I’m sure there are days in which she does not make much money and on others; she does very well. She’s an entertainer not a beggar.
Seeing people perform in public is quite common in many parts of the world. If I’m not mistaken, a really good street performer working the French Quarter in New Orleans can make well over $40,000 per year; more if they are willing to travel and perform at festivals here and abroad. It can take years to “land a big break” in the music industry, if you limit yourself to only playing clubs. Thank GOD for the Internet. It has opened doors for quite a few people who would not have normally gotten noticed. Perhaps now her mother may have an opportunity to travel and perform for a much wider audience since her daughter has achieved her fame. The entertainment business is so “youth” oriented and does not look favorably upon older individuals unless they are truly exceptional. Gabourey’s mother probably fits into this category.
@lucy2 Got you, good point. The thing is Alice Tan Ridley is doing what she loves and is her own boss and seems to feel successful at it. With stage moms, they often tried something and didn’t reach their high commercial level of success and then try to get that fame vicariously through their children. Yes, and then ride their coattails. Hope this more healthy relationship for Sidibe continues. I’m curious to see how Gabourey’s career develops.
@Cath- Exactly, what do you mean by a “fly-over” state? Aren’t you, in fact, being a bit judgemental yourself? As if only “sophisticates” reside on the coasts, and anything in-between is inhabited by savages. Good grief.
How lovely!
Yeah, that is pretty much what I meant because I was pissed at Stephy.
I take most of it back now, because I do know there are intelligent and sophisticated people that live in Ohio and Kansas. But at the same time, I think people on the coasts, who have more access to big cities, are more used to seeing things like buskers, and streakers, and protesters, and things like that, because we see it more often. To someone like Stephy it seems very strange; I, for one, look forward to the days when the doo-wop groups rides in my car on the Washington Metro.
Speaking of busking in the Washington Metro, you guys should read Gene Weingarten’s piece in which he followed a Julliard trained violinst around in the subway stations. He won a Pulitzer for it!
It doesn’t matter what you call it – the reason that most want to “work for themselves” is because it’s tax free money.
Wow!! I’m missing out living in the boring ol’ OC.
yeah I live in the OC as well… they would probably arrest someone like her just for having too much spirit…
the bobster: you’re quite the witty moron *eyeroll*
just leave the lady alone. Her daughter isn’t piling gold bars under her bed. The mom is not a celebrity and shouldn’t receive negative comments.
stephy you need to get out more. i’d be more embarassed about posting comments that expose how ignorant i am.
Olivia, the money these people get is not “tax free.” They have to get a license from the City and then, for tax purposes, they have to do what a waitresse/waiter does, estimate and file taxes. The ones who are doing this illegally don’t make nearly enough money to live on because they are harrassed by the police and have to move from site to site rather than pick a spot and stay there. This is not easy work.
I’ve been a busker and I can assure any doubters that it is hard work. This woman is not begging, she is blowing the roof off, doing what she loves. Props to her and her amazing pipes. Wow.
I live in Brooklyn, NY and I’m glad there are performers like her at subway stations. So wat if u throw down a dollar while someone is making ur ride more bearable or ending ur day on a better note? And this is not some illegal work, so why sweating bullet?
And thanks to Peach for making the time and effort to explain this to ignorant ppl.
Stephie–How exactly is she begging? Don’t see her chasing people with a cup or verbally asking for cash. She’s performing and people have the OPTION of giving her some change. You yourself might find it “embarassing”, as you put it, but maybe she’s got more self esteem?
Not begging. She’s WORKING. Big difference here.
P.S. I’m a New Yorker too, born and raised…