EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Speaks Out About Her Daughter's Magazine Cover Controversy
Posted on Sep 18, 2010 @ 09:31AM - 22 comments
Gabourey Sidibe’s mom Alice Tan Ridley has poured cold water over the controversy surrounding her daughter’s October Elle Magazine cover. She told RadarOnline.com: "My daughter looks beautiful – that’s all that matters."
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Offered 'Lucrative' Singing Deal, Getting The Band Together
Posted on Sep 15, 2010 @ 05:34AM - 3 comments
New York Subway singer Alice Tan Ridley has received a 'lucrative offer' to perform privately at a celebrity wedding later this month, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Ridley - who's the mother of Oscar nominated Precious star Gabourey Sidibe - was recently voted off America's Got Talent after she failed to make the cut as one of the viewer's favorites.
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star's Mom Shoots Down Reports Of Diva Behavior
Posted on May 14, 2010 @ 06:06PM - 21 comments
Alice Tan Ridley spoke to RadarOnline.com to defend her daughter Gabourey Sidibe regarding claims that Sidibe was rude to reporters and fans during and after The White House Correspondents Dinner.
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe Wants To Lose Weight Says Mom
Journalist Jonathan Capeheart from The Washington Post revealed that the Oscar-nominated Precious star had been mean to him while other reporters also complained about her attitude and the way she treated some fans. Mediabistro.com reported that at an MSNBC after party, the normally friendly actress snapped at one fan who asked for a photograph.
When the fan said jokingly, "That's all you're going to give me," Sidibe responded, "You'll get what I give you!”
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But her mom - who is currently competing on America’s Got Talent– poured cold water on these reports of diva-like antics. The New York subway singer told RadarOnline.com: “I just spoke with Gabby yesterday while she was filming in Arizona and she is fine.
“Would you believe all of those comments? Gabby was not raised to be a rude person. It has been a big change having all that attention and I think she has done well- she is happy right now– those comments are just other people’s opinions.”
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Wants To Compete On America's Got Talent
Ridley is also hoping to find fame and fortune as well by winning NBC’s popular talent show this summer. She performed before a packed house recently at The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York where she tried to impress judges Piers Morgan, Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne.
Oscar Nominee’s Mom Weighs In On Vanity Fair Controversy
Watch Alice Tan Ridley Perform
America’s Got Talent, which is hosted by Mariah Carey’s husband Nick Cannon, will start airing the fifth series on June 1.
EXCLUSIVE: Gabourey Sidibe's Mom "Pleased" With Taped Performace on America's Got Talent
Posted on May 01, 2010 @ 04:27AM - 4 comments
New York Subway singer Alice Tan Ridley ‘was pleased’ with her taped performance on America’s Got Talent, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.
PHOTOS: Gabourey Sidibe Star Style Evolution
The mother of Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe is hoping to find fame and fortune by scooping $1 million and winning NBC’S popular talent show this summer.
Alice – who makes a modest living singing on the Big Apple’s subway – performed before a packed house recently at The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York where she tried to impress judges Piers Morgan, Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne.
Watch Alice Tan Ridley Perform
She told RadarOnline.com: “I was pleased with my performance and I think that I did well actually.
“The judges knew who I was and the audience really supported me, so, I think that I can make it through to the next stage.
“I’ve been told not to say too much though. People will just have to watch the show to see how I did – I better not say anything else in case I get into trouble!”
America’s Got Talent, which is hosted by Mariah Carey’s husband Nick Cannon, will start airing the fifth series on June 1.
Oscar Nominee’s Mom Weighs In On Vanity Fair Controversy
Producers are hoping that Ridley can become a U.S. version of Susan Boyle who found international fame after she appeared on the British version of the popular show.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Confident She Can Win Talent Show
Posted on Apr 21, 2010 @ 04:30PM - 8 comments
Seems that talent runs in the Sidibe family – Oscar nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe’s mom, a New York City subway singer, is set to appear on America’s Got Talent, and she’s confident she has what it takes to win.
Alice Tan Ridley believes that singing for New York subway passengers every day gives her the edge, and the confidence, to win the talent show, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Ridley - who currently earns a modest living performing deep below ground on the Big Apple’s subway – is getting ready for the biggest performance of her life as she tries to impress judges Piers Morgan, Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne.
She will perform before a packed house of her fellow New Yorkers later this week at the Hammerstein Ballroom as she tries to follow in British Susan Boyle’s footsteps by finding fame and fortune on the talent show after a difficult past.
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Wants To Compete On America's Got Talent
Alice told RadarOnline.com, “I’m not going to tell you the song that I have chosen to sing but it’s a favorite when I perform it on the subway, so, people will identify it straight away.
Watch Alice Tan Ridley Perform
“At the moment I’m not nervous because this is what I love to do and singing in the subway has prepared me to perform anywhere.
“When I walk about New York people recognize me and shout my name or say ‘break a leg Alice’ to offer me luck, so, I’m sure I will have a lot of support in the audience.
“I have to wear the same outfit that I wore in the original audition and my only concern is that I can only perform for 90 seconds, so, I’m practicing on that right now.
“Gabby is doing Saturday Night Live this week, so, she is pretty busy too but she is very supportive of me.
“I’m hoping that I get a good reaction from the judges but I can only do the best that I can and just try and be myself.
“I laugh when people compare me to Susan Boyle but I guess that is a compliment of sorts too.”
PHOTOS: Gabourey Sidibe’s Star Style Evolution
America’s Got Talent, which is hosted by Mariah Carey’s husband Nick Cannon, has been taping live shows across the country as they search for the nation’s best talent.
The show is due in New York City on April 21-23 at The Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center Studios.
Howie Mandel will be replacing David Hasselhoff as one of the judges on the fifth season of the NBC show which is one of the most popular television programs in the summer.
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom To Compete On America's Got Talent
Posted on Apr 06, 2010 @ 08:00AM - 6 comments
Precious star Gabourey Sidibe’s mom Alice Tan Ridley is set to appear before the judges of America's Got Talent, RadarOnline.com can reveal exclusively. As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Ridley was eyeing a star turn on the American version of the show which shot Susan Boyle to fame.
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Wants To Compete On America's Got Talent
“I have received an e-mail from the producers of the show and I have to appear before the judges in April," Ridley confirmed to RadarOnline.com.
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Wants To Compete On America's Got Talent
Posted on Mar 16, 2010 @ 11:23AM - 4 comments
Precious star Gabourey Sidibe isn't the only rising star in her family. Her mom Alice Tan Ridley is hoping to follow in Susan Boyle's footsteps by performing on America’s Got Talent, RadarOnline.com has learned.
PHOTOS: Gabourey Sidibe’s Star Style Evolution
The former nursery school teacher- who regularly performs on the New York subway belting out songs– will audition for the show in New York on March 20.
She is confident that she has what it takes to impress judges Piers Morgan, Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne, not to mention millions of television viewers across America.
EXCLUSIVE: Oscar Nominee's Mom Weighs In On Vanity Fair Controversy
Posted on Feb 18, 2010 @ 01:02PM - 17 comments
Alice Tan Ridley the subway singing mother of Precious star Gabourey Sidibe told RadarOnline.com exclusively that her Oscar nominated daughter deserved to be on the cover of Vanity Fair’s 2010 Young Hollywood Edition.
Many observers felt that it was surprising that Sidibe – who is up for Best Actress– was omitted from the cover that featured starlets like Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, Abbie Cornish, Amanda Seyfried and Anna Kendrick. Although Sidibe was featured inside the magazine, she has admitted that she wondered about her exclusion from the cover.
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Alice, who is a former singing teacher and Department Of Education teacher’s aide has been wowing commuters for 18 years with her captivating vocals. Though she performs in some of New York’s busiest subway stations she has also traveled to Chile, Argentina, and Germany because of her amazing voice.
But on March 7 she will get her biggest thrill when she accompanies her daughter to the Academy Awards. Alice had tried out for the role of Precious' mother and had prodded her daughter to try out for the lead role.
Gabourey Sidibe’s Mother Singing Inside a New York Subway Station
“I am really looking forward to it and hopefully Gabourey will win!" she said about the upcoming awards show.
“I can’t wait to see my daughter in her element and walking down the red carpet because I am so proud of her."
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While she has already met George Clooney, Alice has another Hollywood fixture in her sights: "The one person I would like to meet most of all is Quentin Tarantino because I love his movies."
For the big night, she has yet to decide on her wardrobe. “I haven’t picked a dress yet but Gabby is in Paris right now, so, maybe she will find me something nice to wear.
“We usually shop together for clothes when we are together and I want to look my best."
