The Fox Soul streaming talk show Tea-G-I-F is “taking a break” because of disputes and simmering anger between the three hosts, creator and co-host Claudia Jordan said in a new interview.
Jordan discussed what went wrong during an appearance on Carlos King’s “Reality With The King” podcast.
In the interview uploaded to YouTube on July 2, the actress, model, and reality TV personality offered details on behind-the-scenes tensions at Tea-G-I-F.
“It just got ugly,” Jordan told King during the nearly two-hour interview.
[Watch the interview below]
Urban Hollywood 411 exclusively announced the launch of Tea-G-I-F on June 7, 2023.
Along with Jordan, the original hosts were internet personality Funky Dineva, and brand and talent strategist Al Reynolds.
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But on Jan. 1, Funky Dineva said on his popular YouTube show that he decided not to renew his contract with Fox Soul over “business, finance and time” considerations.
During her interview with Carlos King, Jordan said all three hosts were making $1,000 per episode on the daily show, equivalent to $250,000 a year.
“When it was two shows a week, there was a little bump. Instead of $1,000 [an episode], like $1,250, so it ended up being a little extra, the day rate was a little higher,” Jordan explained. “But then we went to five days a week and the day rate went back to $1,000. But you had more days, so technically, yeah, he’s right. The day rate went down, but you got more money overall.”
Jordan said Funky Dineva brought a lot to the show.
“I honestly think that he didn’t want to go, I felt like that was a negotiation. Like, ‘listen, I’m going to go for it, I’m leaving and you’re gonna come after me,’ and I wish they would have,” she said. “I wish we had the money to do that. Because I think he was great. He was definitely the hot sauce in the recipe. That chemistry is undeniable, it will never be replaced.”
Jordan admitted the show’s numbers slipped without Funky Dineva. She then accused Al Reynolds of talking behind her back when Funky Dineva decided not to return.
“Al would have a conversation with me and tell me what he thought about Funky’s departure and some of the things that were said, and then, I think he would have a different conversation when he went back to Funky,” she said
“One day Funky called me and he said, ‘Well, let me tell you something. I’ve got a screenshot from Al Reynolds,'” Jordan recalled. “Things just weren’t matching up and I feel like this is gonna make it World War III again, but I just want to say, I think that’s where it just got ugly for me.”
Jordan previously co-hosted the now-defunct Fox Soul talk show Cocktails With Queens alongside Vivica A. Fox, Syleena Johnson, and LisaRaye McCoy.
She said that show paid significantly more money.
“We had stars on that show. No shade to Al and Funky, but Vivica A. Fox, LisaRaye, Syleena Johnson — these are all accomplished women in the business and have hosted talk shows. They required a much higher rate,” Jordan said.
Related: ‘Cocktails With Queens’ Stars Get Emotional on Final Episode
Cocktails With Queens said goodbye in June 2023, amid a post-pandemic restructuring at Fox Soul.
“I was absolutely heartbroken when the network decided to cancel Cocktails With Queens,” Jordan said. “It was only a financial issue. It was nothing more than that.”
Along with the changes, the network replaced general manager James DuBose. Jordan told Carlos King when DuBose left, she lost a close ally and much of her say in the direction of Tea-G-I-F, including who would replace Funky Dineva.
Management decided to bring in celebrity gossip YouTuber Armon Wiggins, a decision Jordan said she did not initially agree with.
“I wasn’t for it, at first. I really wasn’t,” she said. “First, I feel like I wasn’t told about that. I feel like the decision was made without my consideration. And I felt a little disrespected, like ‘this is my baby, I feel like I should have a say.'”
Jordan added that she would send Wiggins notes about his performance.
“I already had this conversation with him. So Armon, I’m sorry, I’m bringing this back up. But we had a conversation. I said, ‘I think you come [across] a little hostile with Black women sometimes, like sometimes you come across as a little mean.’ He’s been a one man show. So he’s been able to do what he wants, and it doesn’t affect anybody else. When I’m on this show, I get blamed for my co-host, if it’s a man speaking on a woman, like ‘how can you let that happen?'” she said. “I don’t want that kind of work environment.”
Carlos King pressed Jordan for more information about her relationship with Al Reynolds.
“I think he hates me,” she said. “This is someone that we were friends. I know he always wanted to do this kind of stuff. And I have them on [the show], and it’s like no good deed goes unpunished.”
Jordan later broke down in tears, insisting she tries to help others, but not everyone is appreciative or reciprocates.
She admitted the situation between the three co-hosts reached a boiling point in June during a birthday roast of Reynolds on the show. As reported by IndyStar.com, Wiggins told Reynolds — who is the ex-husband of Star Jones — he’s two-faced.
“Al, you’re a man of many talents, some of which include being messy, causing drama and having a knack for making our workplace feel like a reality TV show,” Wiggins said. “Al’s got a unique ability to smile in your face, snap a picture and go behind your back and talk about you to your co-worker that he claims he hates… It’s like he’s got a Ph.D. in two-faced studies.”
Jordan said Reynolds laughed it off on air, but was furious in the post-show production meeting.
“He said he thought it was disgusting,” she told King.
Jordan added, “It got into a big thing. And then, it just seemed like it would be best to just take a little break, a breather. We already had this break scheduled, and then we just got an extra couple of weeks to just figure this out, to cool things off.”
As for the show’s future, she admitted it’s cloudy and uncertain.
“It’s not canceled. I don’t know where we are. There’s conversations being had now. You know, interviews and people are talking and whatever, people are checking temperatures, I guess,” she said. “[Fans] really love the show and miss it. And I do too. I miss the laughs, but I want to do this right. I want it to be a fun place. I want it to be in a place where we look forward to having tea and talking about the topics.”
Fox Soul did not respond to Urban Hollywood 411‘s request for comment on the future of Tea-G-I-F.
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