Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 14 June 2018
Sex, love, loss: Little is off limits on 'Red Table Talk'

By LEANNE ITALIE Melendez, was the one
Associated Press to suggest they revive it.
NEW YORK (AP) — Sex, Facebook is committed to
love and loss, self-harm, 10 episodes, but it's possible
addiction and recovery: the run will be extended.
There isn't much Jada "I just wanted a place
Pinkett Smith, her mom, where people could have
Adrienne Banfield-Norris, the comfort level to talk
and her 17-year-old about real things, where
daughter, Willow, aren't you can really have a
willing to talk about around raw conversation, with a
a shiny round red table in transparent nature, and
a unique Facebook show not have to worry," Pinkett
that has a growing, grateful Smith added. "Facebook
audience of women. creates a certain intimacy
And that, Pinkett Smith said and community. I can go
in a recent interview, is the into Facebook and actually
point. talk to people."
Pinkett Smith, who has been The show has a separate
both TV talk show guest Facebook group with nearly
and TV talk show producer, 280,000 members where
considers "Red Table regular conversations and
Talk" intimate, authentic those interactions are
and fluid, a combination happening. Their premiere
difficult to achieve through trip to the red table,
more traditional channels. which is in Pinkett Smith's
The weekly show debuted California home, has been
about a month ago on viewed about 27 million
Facebook Watch and In this July 13, 2017 file photo, Jada Pinkett Smith arrives at the world premiere of "Girls Trip" in Los times. The latest episode,
includes live extras like Angeles. which aired this week, has
viewer questions and guest Associated Press been watched 4 million
appearances by friends times — so far. The show
and family. It certainly doesn't feel that that she was once a cutter, helpful, she said. airs Mondays and question
"It's not about format," she it is as the three generations hated her "Whip My Hair" "We talk so much about sessions on Wednesdays.
said. "I want to keep that venture into some sensitive fame and years ago walked what's happening outside "I love being able to go in
organic flow. I don't want territory. in on her mom and dad, Will of us and we're not talking an actually talk to people,"
anything to be forced." So far, Willow has revealed Smith, having sex. Pinkett enough about what's going Pinkett Smith said. "Our
Smith said she herself was on within," said Pinkett community is growing every
9 when her grandmother Smith, who earlier this week day and I'm a part of it and
filled her in on the wonders on Instagram paid tribute to actually in it. That's what I
of masturbation and she the late Anthony Bourdain love. We love the female
later spent a stretch of and Kate Spade with communion, where young
quality time alone with sex the acknowledgement people and older people
toys, sometimes achieving that she has in the past can learn from each other.
multiple orgasms in up to contemplated suicide. It feels like an old-school
five forays in a single day. "We're all up in here going women's ritual, whether it's
Norris, fondly referred to as through (stuff). We're all in the kitchen cooking and
Gammy, spoke honestly in pain. We're all trying to talking or somewhere else.
about her past struggles figure it out. For those of us That's hard to come by
with drug addiction and the who have figured out even these days."q
pain of losing a daughter. a sliver of all of this, just tell
Pinkett Smith and Gabrielle me your story, because
Union shared their 17-year maybe I can get an answer
feud and their mending of for myself. That's what this
fences. Pinkett Smith and show is all about," she said.
her husband's first wife, Sharing on such sensitive
Sheree Fletcher, went over topics takes "getting to a
rockier times raising the certain place where you
now-grown Trey, Will's son have a deep sense of
with Fletcher. comfort with yourself," said
Gammy noted she wasn't Pinkett Smith, who most
always on board with the recently co-starred in the
unconventional freedoms comedy "Girls Trip."
Will and Jada have Control is key, and
allowed their kids, including Facebook is just the place
19-year-old Jaden, who to keep it loose, she said.
was allowed to move out The show is an outgrowth
at age 15. of an online Mother's Day
The idea, Pinkett Smith video the three made when
said, is to testify rather than Willow was just 12. Pinkett
preach. The former takes Smith's producing partner,
courage and is much more Ellen Rakieten, with Miguel