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| "Mo'nique" United racism |
"I felt like I was being treated like an animal," said the 38-year-old celebrity, whose seldom-used full name is Mo'Nique Imes-Hicks. "This happens to black people all the time, and they don't have a voice. I have a voice."
The "Phat Girlz" actress, rumored to be in line to replace Star Jones on "The View," told the Daily News the incident started when her hair stylist stashed a hair dryer in a first-class bin. While Mo'Nique was flying in the front of the cabin, her aide was in coach.
The "Showtime at the Apollo" host said she tried to keep her cool when a flight attendant first questioned the stylist's actions. But things escalated when another flight attendant allegedly refused to believe the beauty tool belonged to Mo'Nique.
"Tell your people that the next time they have an attitude, they are being thrown off. ... Since 9/11, we don't play around," one flight attendant allegedly told Mo'Nique.
"Are you equating my hair dryer with 9/11?" Mo'Nique said she retorted.
The exchange ended in Mo'Nique being escorted back to Chicago's O'Hare Airport, where, according to the star, a supervisor called local police to complain of a "disgruntled and belligerent passenger." "It was humiliating," Mo'Nique said.
Chicago police declined to comment yesterday, but Mo'Nique said one of the responding officers was black - and eventually sided with her.
"You can't do this to her," the officer told the United supervisor, according to the actress.
Desperate to get to New York, where she taped two episodes of "The View" yesterday as a guest host, the actress and her entourage took their case to a sympathetic United agent at another counter, who booked them on the next flight.
"We regret that Ms. Imes felt in any way that she was not treated with courtesy and respect," United spokeswoman Jean Medina said. "There was a confrontation involving a customer that caused the flight to be delayed. When a situation occurs on a flight that causes a delay, or disruption, we must act in the best interest of all of our customers."
Still, Mo'Nique hopes to unite other customers in a boycott of United.
"I won't [fly United again], and I hope no other black person will fly them either," she told the Daily News after venting her frustration on WBLS' "The Steve Harvey Morning Show."cco
