Beverly
Johnson
“The
Face That Changed It All” Interview
with
Kam Williams
From
Career to Cosby, Beverly Bares It All!
Beverly
Johnson rose to fame in August of 1974 when she made history as the
first African-American to grace on the cover of Vogue magazine. The
multi-talented supermodel/actress/businesswoman/author has enjoyed an
enduring career which has included writing a several books and
starring in her own reality-TV series, "Beverly's Full House."
Recently,
she has bravely stepped forward as the highest-profile victim to
accuse Bill Cosby of drugging and assaulting her. Here, she talks
about that incident as well as her new autobiography, “The Face
That Changed It All.”
Kam
Williams: Hi
Beverly, thanks for another interview.
Beverly
Johnson:
Hi,
Kam. Thanks for reviewing the book and for including a picture of me
and my mother. I appreciate that. I really do. You know show she has
Alzheimer's. [Wipes away tears]
KW:
No, I
didn't. I'm sorry to hear that.
What
interested you in writing your autobiography?
BJ:
I'm not
the type of girl who cries a lot, but I'm crying right now because I
don't know whether I'd written it, if my mother hadn't developed
Alzheimer's. There are many things in the book that I know would've
caused her a lot of pain, and I wouldn't want to do that to her. When
you think about trying to reduce a life of 60 years to 250 pages,
it's a little overwhelming.
KW:
How did
you go about deciding what to include?
BJ:
Basically,
what I did was break it up into childhood, Seventies and Eighties. I
kinda bit off half of it. It was also important to me as an
African-American to write this because we've had a very painful
history, and haven't passed our stories down, perhaps out of shame. I
know that in growing I would grab onto any little anecdote my mother
or grandmother might leak out by accident. I believe that we should
tell our stories, because they're important for the future
generations. So, I want to make sure I leave my story, even though it
isn't all pleasant. I don't want anyone to pass away with their song
still inside them. That's really why I decided to write my memoirs.
KW:
Marcia Evans says: I love
sistah Beverly Johnson! I am wondering if you have been blessed with
another grandchild by your daughter, Anansa?
BJ:
Yes, I
have three grandchildren: 4 year-old Ava; 2 year-old David, and a 1
year-old. And I have the son I always wanted in my son-in-law, David
Patterson. They're
the most remarkable parents I've ever known. I always tell my
daughter that she's such a better mother than I was. It's incredible
how involved they are with their kids on a day-in, day-out basis.
KW:
She says: I still frequently
refer to your amazing first book "True Beauty" about the
natural health regimen you lived by. I would love to see you do
another reality series but with a different format than the one you
had on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Perhaps you could do a beauty talk
show enlightening younger folks about class and beauty.
BJ:
Gee,
that's very kind of you, Marcia, although "True Beauty" was
actually my second book. My first was "Beverly Johnson's Guide
to a Life of Health and Beauty." Each of them was a labor of
love. They were both ahead of their time, and it's so great to hear
that people still turn to them as references. I don't know about a
talk show, but we are working on some other TV ideas.
KW:
Larry Greenberg asks: How much
harder is it to achieve the American Dream now than it was when you
ascended to stardom?
BJ:
What a
great question! I was 18 years-old back then. In the Seventies, there
were many more black models than there are today, and there were a
slew of successful black designers, makeup artists and hairdressers.
There were even black modeling agencies which, by the way, turned me
down. Nevertheless, there were so many more opportunities for
African-Americans in this realm, the fashion world, back then than
there are now. I don't know if that's because we have a closed
society in the fashion bubble, while the rest of the world has laws
mandating diversity and inclusion that are making a difference in
Fortune 500 companies.
KW:
Teresa Emerson says: Hi
Beverly, I'm anxious to read your autobiography! Were you aware of, or
had you heard about, Cosby's reputation at all before all this
happened? If so, had you just dismissed it as rumors, never thinking
he would do anything to you.
BJ:
No,
honey, I'm a very smart girl. If somebody warns me, "Don't go
around that corner because there's a giant sinkhole you could fall
into," then I'm going to go in the other direction." That's
just how I m by nature. I'd be like, "Thanks for pulling my
coattail." That is what is so astounding, the secrecy that was
maintained not only by the people in his circle but by the press and
the police. It speaks volumes about the silence in society when it
comes to violence against women in general. I don't see it as just a
Cosby issue, but as a societal one that he has become the lightning
rod for.
KW:
Marilyn
Marshall asks: Have
you forgiven Bill Cosby for what he did? Why or why not?
BJ:
Oh,
dear! Oh, yes! I'm not angry, I'm not bitter, I don't want anything,
and I forgive him.
KW:
Felicia
Haney asks: Did
you worry whether going public about the Cosby episode might
overshadow your many accomplishments, meaning, leave you remembered
for that instead of as the first black face to grace Vogue magazine?
BJ:
I'll
tell you this much. Whenever I discuss my legacy with my daughter, I
always say, "I just want one school named after me. One school.
I never wanted part of it to be that I was once drugged by Bill
Cosby. I don't think anybody would want that. For me, going public
all came down to my conscience and my principles. I had to go where
they led me.
KW:
David
Roth notes that you were initially
drawn to a career in law due to the huge impact the Civil Rights
movement had on your life. But you instead made your mark as the
first black cover model of American Vogue in 1974. Law and modeling
strike me as aspirations with very little in common. One is rooted in
the tangible, socially revolutionary drive for equal justice for all,
and the other in a personally rewarding accomplishment based on a
narrow, subjective judgment, namely, who does the fashion world
consider beautiful enough for their magazine covers and catwalks, a
standard that is impossible to extrapolate to the larger population
of minority women. So, what turned you from the grand aspiration of
broad-based cultural change to the narrower aspiration of breaking
down a racial barrier in a particular industry?
BJ:
That's
another great question. The answer is money. My father was making $75
a week as a steel laborer. I was floored to learn that a model made
$75 an hour for standing there with her hand on her hips. For me, it
was a no-brainer, since it afforded me an opportunity to help my
family. I had always envisioned finishing school. But I ended up the
only one in my family who didn't finish college. Fate just has a way
of intervening and showing you a viable alternative. And as far as
being that person who appeared on that Vogue cover at that particular
moment, I had nothing to do with it. When I'm reflecting and really
connected to my higher power, I think it would have been a crime to
turn my nose up at something that I really felt was a gift. I believe
God gives each of us certain gifts, and you should take advantage of
those gifts.
KW:
Children's book author Irene Smalls asks: Out
of your many achievements, which are you most proud of?
BJ:
Well, of course, motherhood. That was a defining moment in my
life. You can't get any closer to God than by giving birth to another
human being. After that, the Vogue cover in 1974 because of what that
meant to so many people around the world. That made me who I am
today.
KW:
Irene also says: You did not let the Bill
Cosby incident cripple you? How did you heal from it?
BJ:
I've always done a lot of work on myself whether in the way of
therapy, a 12-Step program or self-help books. We have so many
options to better ourselves and our mental health. I'm the type of
person who wants to take advantage of those services, and I think I
did. I also healed with the help of my spiritual connection to a
higher power.
KW:
Irene's last question is: What are your
thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement?
BJ:
I'm all for it. I feel that it's very important because it's a
conversation that's taken 400 years to come to the forefront. So, we
can't ignore the powerful message that black lives do matter.
KW:
AALBC.com
founder Troy Johnson asks: What was the last book you read?
BJ:
I just
read "Model Woman," Eileen Ford's biography. She was an
agent of mine.
and
"The Self-Made Billionaire Effect" which was a powerful
read.
I
like to read a lot, about four books at a time. Usually, it's a
biography, a history book, a self-help book, and something a friend
suggests.
KW:
Troy also asks: Where are your “Johnson”
people from? Mine are from Arkansas originally.
BJ:
That's an interesting question. My father and grandfather came
from the north, from Canada. .
KW:
Was
there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?
BJ:
Yes, very much so. My mother
dressed us up to go to Sunday school, although my father was a little
skeptical and would make us think. He'd say things like, "Now,
don't put all your money in the collection box."
KW:
The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who
you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?
BJ:
I'm an introvert.
KW:
What
was your very first job?
BJ:
I
worked at the YMCA has a swim instructor.
KW:
Who
loved you unconditionally during your formative years?
BJ:
I My
whole family. My parents and my siblings.
KW:
The
Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?
BJ:
A great
golf score.
KW:
The
“Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan’s question: What’s
your dream locale in Los Angeles to live?
BJ:
I'm already living in my dream location in the desert.
KW:
The Anthony Mackie question: Is
there
anything that you promised yourself you’d do if you became famous,
that you still haven’t done yet?
BJ:
Yes,
found a scholarship to help kids go to college. My whole thing is
education.
KW:
Lastly,
what’s in your wallet?
BJ:
A JP
Morgan Chase card.
KW:
Thanks
again for the time, Beverly, and best of luck with the book.
BJ:
Thanks
so much, Kam.
To
order a copy of The Face That Changed It All, visit:
