On the last episode of Braxton Family Values and pretty much every episode before that, viewers have watched Towanda Braxton struggle to take care of her family while her deadbeat husband Andre Carter refuses to get a job! And despite her so called separation from Andre, the two continue to live together.
In an interview with Art Terrell of Atlanta’s KISS 104, Towanda gets put in the hot seat and tries to justify her open marriage with the mooching Andre, who refuses to care for his family.
“You know what, with me being on the road all the time with my sisters and filming and stuff. I needed somewhere there of course with my kids. And if I’m not there, their father should be there,” said Towanda of why she wants to continue living with Andre.
Towanda continued, “With the kids, we do things together. But as far as our marriage we’re separated. I think that because you are separated and you’re not with that person, you don’t have to be mean and nasty. It doesn’t have to get ugly.”
When the host insists they’re not separated because, you know, they continue to live together (albeit in her sister Trina Braxton’s house), Towanda insists the economy is to blame for that. “We don’t sleep in the same bed. We’re like roommates… There are so many people now that are going through the same thing that I’m going through because of the recession, because of the economy. It’s affected so many people,” she stated. Uh uh.
Maybe it’s just me but in watching last week’s episode it seems Towanda still has feelings for Andre or perhaps she’s simply scared to be alone.
Moving on to Toni Braxton, who this season has been accused of sibling rivalry, particularly being jealous of her youngest sister Tamar Braxton and her growing popularity.
In an interview with Essence, Toni states: “I’m a little disappointed about what’s on the blogs, and people thinking that I don’t want to help my sisters, or that I want to make them perpetual backup singers. People have to remember that this is a reality show and some things are done for entertainment. I love my family, I’ll do anything for them. It makes me not want to do reality show anymore because I wouldn’t want anyone to look at my family and me in a negative light.”
When asked about her decision to fire her brother-in-law Vince Herbert, Toni blames it on “a conflict of interest.”
“I love Vince, he’s great, but I thought it was a conflict of interest. He manages everyone in my family. I do think Tamar was disappointed because it became this public thing, and people thought her husband wasn’t capable. Its nothing like that, Vince is great for other people, for me as a family member, way too much,” says Toni. “There’s a little bit of truth to the idea that you shouldn’t mix business with family. You can’t separate when it’s family or business. If something goes wrong, I can call my manager and yell and cuss. I can’t do that to my brother-in-law, that’s not cool.”
So what’s going on between Toni and ex-husband Keri Lewis? “We’ve gone out on a few dates, I’m not gonna deny that,” says Toni. “When you have kids with a person, and you really love a person, but you realize that being together is not an option right now.”
When it comes to her comments about fame changing people, Toni admits fame has changed her sisters just a tad. “I do think success has changed some people. My sisters want to go the Ivy [restaurant in L.A.], and all those places with the paparazzi, whereas I’m like, ‘okay, I’ve done that. I don’t want to get dressed up to go eat.’ But I understand them because I was the same way when I first got into the business. I wanted to be seen, so I get that, because when you’re new in something you’re supposed to relish in it,” says Toni.
Toni also makes it clear there is no rift between her and her sisters, insisting the reason she’s been missing out on promotional appearances with them is because she was sick.
TELL US – YOU BUYING WHAT TOWANDA’S SELLING OR DO YOU THINK SHE STILL HAS FEELINGS FOR ANDRE? DO YOU THINK TONI IS JEALOUS OF TAMAR’S POPULARITY?
