Actress and host LisaRaye McCoy is known for her authenticity and doesn’t bite her tongue when it comes to sharing her truth. Over the years, she’s made headlines voicing her opinion when it comes to other celebrities, so it was refreshing to see McCoy keep that same energy when acknowledging her own issues.
McCoy was the focus of the season premiere of the final season of Iyanla Vanzant’s emotional reality series, “Fix My Life,” on Saturday, April 10, 2021. The “Cocktails With Queens” host made her first appearance on the show in 2020 with her mother and daughter in tow but returned for part two by herself. While some consider Vanzant’s therapeutic tactics harsh, McCoy says the experience was exactly what she needed to transition to the next level in her life.
Did something happen that brought you to the decision to take your family to “Fix My Life”?
What happened was things weren’t working like they were, and I realized we couldn’t go on that way. My mother came for my grandbaby’s birthday, and because of COVID, she ended up staying. I knew that something needed to change, and I didn’t know where to go for help. After we left the first time, I knew we still needed more help. Iyanla suggested I come back by myself because, if I could get myself together, that would extend to my interaction with my mother and daughter.
You were very honest about the distance between you and your sister Da Brat when she attempted to wish you a happy birthday on your show. Where is that relationship now?
I couldn’t hold in how I felt then, and I think people saw that. But regardless of what the public thought, that’s my sister and I was more concerned about the fact that we hadn’t talked and I’m hearing all this about her life from other sources. We did talk and she explained that she wanted to experience her relationship without input from others. This was new for her and she is in bliss, and she wanted to have that for herself. As her big sister, I am very protective of her and she knows that but, yes, we are in a good place now.
Recently you were accused of colorism by some viewers who didn’t like your response to a situation on “Cocktails With Queens.” How do you respond to those accusations?
I know that colorism is a bigger conversation, but I honestly thought my 6 million fans would know better because I post this little brown sugar grandbaby of mine all the time. As much as people think darker-skinned women have insecurities, there are a lot of light-skinned women [who] are insecure as well. One shouldn’t outweigh the other. Mainly, I just wanted people to know that’s not me, but I welcome a bigger conversation about the topic.
View the entire conversation with McCoy on the next page.
