HER ACCEPTANCE SPEECH:
Wow. Thank you to every member of the Screen Actors Guild. I am so very honored. There are some people that I must thank, that could easily go overlooked. But without these people, this film could have not been what it is. I have to say thank you to Aunt Dot, who plays Mary Jones’ mother. I have to say thank you to the Each One Teach One Students, y’all were absolutely amazing.

I have to say thank you to Lisa Cortes, who was an amazing producer, and who put the work in every single day. And I have to thank the little girl that we called “Mongo.” Her name is Quishay, and I want to thank that baby and her mother for allowing us to use that special gift in this project. Lee Daniels, you never cease to amaze me. God got somethin’ on you brother that you can’t begin to imagine the gift.

God bless us all. Thank you very much.

Precious is nominated for the Golden Globes!

Best Picture
Best Actress – Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe
Best Supporting Actress – Mo’Nique

Tune in Sunday January 17,2009 on ABC

from BET.com:

The sassy and sultry Queen of Comedy, Mo’Nique, returns to BET this fall for her highly anticipated late-night talk show debut.

Don’t miss THE MO’NIQUE SHOW, coming in October.

Carving out a well-deserved spot on the late-night talk show circuit, comedienne Mo’Nique takes the helm as host, granting BET viewers VIP access to the hottest party on television.

From A-list celebrity guests to sizzling performances by the hottest musical artists in the game, Mo’Nique delivers a fun-filled hour of entertainment every night. With a resident deejay to keep members of the studio audience on their feet, and Mo’Nique bringing the funny as only she can, THE MO’NIQUE SHOW will undoubtedly force viewers to extend their bedtime an extra hour.

BET’s new late-night show bridges the gap between “old school” and today’s entertainment culture through innovative and humorous segments that pay homage to legendary stars as well as spotlight current celebrities. The show will celebrate their contributions to better our communities and the world at large.

“I’m very excited to finally bring my signature voice and comedy to late night television,” said Mo’Nique. “This show will definitely give BET viewers the late-night show experience, but at the same time, offer something uniquely different to the late show circuit, and I can’t think of a better home to welcome cable’s late-night female host but BET.”

Tune in every weeknight beginning October 5.

It’s a late-night party that only the biggest queen in the comedy game can deliver.

In 2004, plus-sized comedian Mo’Nique wrote a book called “Skinny Women are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World.”

But appearing before press to promote her new late-night talk show for BET, “The Mo’Nique Show,” Mo’Nique looked slimmer than she has in years.

Has she changed her philosophy about being big and beautiful? Not a chance.

“It’s OK to be big, but let’s be big and healthy,” she said. “I started at 262 pounds, and now I’m between 220-224. … I want to meet my grandkids. So that’s why I had to lose some of the weight. Get myself into shape. I want to be here.”

In fact, Mo’Nique, whose role in the dramatic film “Precious” earned her the special jury award for acting during this year’s Sundance Film Festival, said she’d like to do another book called “Yes, I’m Still a Fat Girl.” “I didn’t want to go through any surgeries. I wanted to make the commitment to myself to do it … and I’m enjoying the journey.”

But, she added, “I can’t get too much smaller because my head is big.”

And in regards to those skinny girls, there’s still animosity toward them. Playful animosity.

“Are skinny women still evil? I’m going to say yes. Because they’re hungry!” she said. “That’s why I can’t lose all that weight. I like to chew. I’m a chewer! … I’m used to my mouth moving, that’s why I’m a talk-show host.”

In spite of talk that her performance in “Precious“ could lead to an Oscar nomination, the comedian said “The Mo’Nique Show” is her sole focus. “I’ve been in this business for over 20 years, and from the moment I got into it, I wanted to do a talk show. This is the focus.”

As for the show’s content, it’s anything goes. “We might start with a monologue, a skit, you don’t know what you’re going to get, but it’s going to make you feel good,” she said.

Asked about why minorities have been absent from late night, executive producer Loretha Jones said she wasn’t sure. “This is a fresh approach. We haven’t seen an urban sensibility since Aresenio Hall,” she said. “I’m not sure why.” (Wanda Sykes will anchor her own late-night show Saturdays in the fall.)

Mo’Nique counts Oprah among her inspirations and said meeting the talk-show queen was “mind-blowing.”

“Everything goes against it: She’s black, she’s big, she’s a woman. To walk into the studio she owns … to know she’s worth billions of dollars, when I put my hand in her hand, she let me know this is possible. What a great teacher to look to.”

Bottom line, Mo’Nique said, she just wants to make you laugh. “I like to make you feel good. It’s been that way since I was a child. It’s always been. I like a good time, and I like to see you smile.”