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Royce Reed's Essence Interview

We've only seen one episode and already "Basketball
Wives" is chock full of drama, mostly surrounding Royce , a
dancer who has a two-year-old son with NBA power forward Dwight Howard.

The petite 29-year-old single mom spoke to ESSENCE.com about being cast
as a golddigger, and why she thinks she may have taken things a tad too
far at Terrell
Owens' pool party.

ESSENCE.com: What made you decide to go on?
ROYCE REED: I got on the show to get publicity for my company, Fantashique, an urban burlesque dance company. It was also
to diffuse the stereotypes about me and other girls who date athletes in
general.

ESSENCE.com: What do you think are some misconceptions about you?
REED: The biggest one is that I'm a golddigger because I dated an athlete. I'm far from that. I have a
college degree in theater education and humanities, and I have my own
business, which I've been running since before I had my child. When I
dated a famous athlete it had nothing to do with money. I actually did
fall in love and it turned into a four-year relationship. I've been an
athlete my entire life so obviously I'm drawn to someone who is an
athlete, whether they're professional or not.

ESSENCE.com: So, what was going through your mind as you were dancing at Terrell
Owens' pool party?
REED: I was just having fun. I'm a free spirit and I don't always think about what's gonna happen after. I'm a
dancer and I'm that girl that will dance anywhere. I was just trying to
have a good time because I thought that's what we were there for. I
don't regret doing it, although I do think I took it too far.

ESSENCE.com: You think you took it too far?
REED: [laughs] Yes, I do. I don't think I should have necessarily been smacking the other
girl's butt like that.

ESSENCE.com: Were you surprised by how people reacted when the video went viral?
REED: I was shocked because I felt like if I was anybody else it wouldn't have been
what it turned into, 'Oh this girl is a groupie, she's crazy.'

ESSENCE.com: You mean if you were anyone else besides Braylon's mother, whose father
happens to be a certain NBA player?
REED: Yes, if I were just anybody else it wouldn't have been that serious. I see people
dancing like that all the time and I don't pass judgment on. I'm like,
'that girl is having fun.'

ESSENCE.com: Did the intervention from the other "Basketball Wives" happen immediately or was it a few
days later?
REED: It was definitely a few days later and I was kinda taken aback by their reactions because the day after the pool party they were all for it. I think that once the backlash started coming they
were like, 'We just met this girl so why not throw her under the bus?' I
think after they got to know me they realized that's just Royce, she's
silly like that.

ESSENCE.com: But you did seem hurt during the intervention?
REED: A lot of the time when I cry it's because I don't know what to say and I'm shocked. It wasn't that I was
hurt, I was wowed because the day before the girls were all for it and
now all of a sudden I'm getting an intervention?

ESSENCE.com: Do you understand why people would be shocked by the video?
REED: To a certain extent, I definitely can see why people would be like, 'Oh
my God what will her son think when he gets older?' And to that I say: I
was not doing drugs, I wasn't high or smoking out somewhere, and
everybody does things that they don't necessarily think they should have
in the past. All of us will look back on moments of our lives and be
like, 'I can't believe I did that.' If you don't have those type of
stories then you have a boring life.

ESSENCE.com: What's been the best and worst part about being thrust into the public eye?
REED: I definitely think my name being all over the media, good or bad, has
kept me relevant, and it put me on the show. Where I want to take it is
further in my career, whether it's as an actress or a dancer. The worst
is I have to worry about how things are gonna come across now. [laughs]
I've realized that since the pool party.

Catch Royce Reed and the other WAGS (Wives and Girlfriends), Sundays on VH1's " this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true' rel="shadowbox" title=" " onClick="javascript:return false;" href="http://photos.essence.com/galleries/basketball_wives#388971"'>Basketball
Wives."

Tags: Essence, Interview, Reed, Royce

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Permalink Reply by SACK CHASER on April 17, 2010 at 12:17pm

She doesn't owe ANYBODY any explanation for her actions! That style of dancing is common in Miami. Hate to see people's reactions to dancing at Caribbean pahty's!

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Permalink Reply by Baller Alert on April 17, 2010 at 12:27pm

I AGREE....

D0vie said:

She doesn't owe ANYBODY any explanation for her actions! That style of dancing is common in Miami. Hate to see people's reactions to dancing at Caribbean pahty's!

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Permalink Reply by JustMe on April 17, 2010 at 12:49pm

while I agree she doesn't owe anyone an explanation, I still feel she went to far... but yeah, they gets down in the MIA...

I also feel people are out of line for calling her out her name... thats much worse than poppin & droppin it

D0vie said:

She doesn't owe ANYBODY any explanation for her actions! That style of dancing is common in Miami. Hate to see people's reactions to dancing at Caribbean pahty's!

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Permalink Reply by OLD $PICE PINE NEEDLE on April 17, 2010 at 1:42pm

LMAO @ pathay. u a true yahdie .......lol

D0vie said:

She doesn't owe ANYBODY any explanation for her actions! That style of dancing is common in Miami. Hate to see people's reactions to dancing at Caribbean pahty's!

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Permalink Reply by The real vixxen on April 17, 2010 at 1:47pm

I'm starting to like this chick!!!

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Permalink Reply by OLD $PICE PINE NEEDLE on April 17, 2010 at 1:57pm

All of us will look back on moments of our lives and be
like, 'I can't believe I did that.' If you don't have those type of
stories then you have a boring life. mine isn't on tape, lol

I got on the show to get publicity for my company, Fantashique, an urban burlesque dance company at least she's honest, unlike some.

She shouldn't worry about how things will come across now, just focus on making some damn good contacts. Take this lemon and make some lemonaid girl. The added her to the cast for a reason, flip this on them and make this work for you girl.

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Permalink Reply by prprincess on April 17, 2010 at 8:19pm

I tell you what I like Royce waaaaaay better than the other two fake ones (Evelyn and Jennifer) who believe they know EVERYTHING. Come on Evelyn you were with/engage ....whateva!.... to the gambler Antonio Walker come one he lost close to 110 million ....who by the way DID NOT marry you. The you have Jennifer who husband EX-BASKETBALL Eric Williams....did I say EX who is no longer in the league. The two of you have been married less than three years and you are all ready having problems in your marriage.

So ladies tell me/us how do you believe you are better than Royce? I admit Royce does do and say things I would never do or say, but she owns them and moves forward....Both of those ladies should mind your own and work on your own messed up relationships and lives.

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Permalink Reply by MS. UCAN NEVA GET ENUFF!! on April 17, 2010 at 11:50pm

me too

The real vixxen said:

I'm starting to like this chick!!!

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Permalink Reply by MS. UCAN NEVA GET ENUFF!! on April 17, 2010 at 11:51pm

me too

Baller Alert said:

I AGREE....

D0vie said:
She doesn't owe ANYBODY any explanation for her actions! That style of dancing is common in Miami. Hate to see people's reactions to dancing at Caribbean pahty's!

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Permalink Reply by Sheli on April 18, 2010 at 12:27am

Have you seen this one....Royce & Evelyn, intervening after the intervention, LOL
The Evelyn chick got on my nerves, I thought it would be Jennifer I didn't like but its her for now.

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Permalink Reply by Damnstraight on April 18, 2010 at 3:16am

Yep, I thought it was funny...I actually like Eve, but just think she's bit too judgemental. But she has the New Yorker attitude...she's a bit tough...I also think she should look at the her arguing and throwing s*** at another woman on tv as being inappropriate since she says she has a business and a 17 yr-old daughter watching...

And I'm sure tomorrow's episode(or tonight's I should say) will be filled with more drama from Royce dancing again...

Sheli said:

Have you seen this one....Royce & Evelyn, intervening after the intervention, LOL
The Evelyn chick got on my nerves, I thought it would be Jennifer I didn't like but its her for now.

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