
For Sirius Satellite Radio personality Shanae Hall, becoming a football wife to former Atlanta Falcons safety Cory Hall wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. After her marriage ended with her high school sweetheart, and she returned to the dating world, she felt it her responsibility to school the ladies on things they were doing wrong.
Hall and her mother, and co-author, Rhonda Frost, decided that Steve Harvey's New York Times best-seller 'Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man' failed to give women the real steps to getting a man. So, the duo put their heads together and came up with 'Why Do I Have To Think Like A Man,' which comes complete with Harvey's friend Cedric the Entertainer's stamp of approval.
Shanae Hall sat down with BlackVoices.com to discuss her Farrah Gray Publishing book and fills us in on why black women need to use their goodies properly.
Excerpts from the interview are below.
BlackVoices.com: Why did you and your mother decide on a title that is a play on Steve Harvey's New York Times best-seller?
Shanae Hall: My mom called me and said Steve Harvey wrote a book and you have to go get it. We were in the process of writing our book, and I read his book and thought, 'Really, so now I have to think like a man to get a man? Really is that what they were doing in the 20s, 30s and 40s, thinking like men?' I think there is some truth to [our playing off of his title for attention] because it was so catchy. It's no difference to a song that comes out and someone does a remix. We felt like a woman's voice needed to be heard and it did make it easy for people to know it's a response to Steve's book.
BV: What was the one thing in Steve's book that you felt was just sending women the wrong message?
SH: The comment that he made when he said women are the primary reason that men cheat. I felt like he completely disowned the fact that as humans we have moral obligations to our spouses and you can't blame all on Tiger Woods' groupies for Tiger Woods sleeping with everyone. He wanted to. That was one of the things that I adamantly disagreed with because it sends women the wrong message.
BV: How'd you get Cedric the Entertainer to co-sign your book?
SH: I met Cedric on a video set and we became really cool. I mentioned the book and asked him would he endorse it and he endorsed it in five minutes.I just talked to Ced and I told him, 'I take it Steve is not too angry because he has to have seen the book by now,' and Ced said, "Steve might even endorse your book because as long as you're not attacking his character, you're just making comments on his philosophy. Steve's not going to have a problem with that kind of thing.'
BV: Weren't you concerned that people wouldn't take your advice seriously because you aren't married anymore? You're single still after all.
SH: Don't judge the person like if you're married then this is good. That's a societal standard that is failing us. Elin Woods was married, what was that getting her? Shanae Hall was married, what did that get me? Steve Harvey was married three times, what has that gotten him? He can say, 'I'm in marital bliss now,' but he probably said that with every single wife. So, it's not about necessarily being married. It's about achieving the greatest relationship that you can achieve and that it works for you. I disagree with the concept of if you're married, you're happy.
BV: With your past relationship, how was that being married to a football player? You'd lead us to believe it isn't as great as it is cracked up to be.
SH: I always go back to I met him in high school. He was just Cory to me. He wasn't Cory Hall, the third round draft pick. He wasn't any of that, he was just Cory, my kids' father. I've seen some crazy things with women trying to get his attention and men feel like they are deserving of a certain level of hierarchy in your household when it's like once upon a time you worked at Chevron and I worked at Macys and we paid the $400 rent. At the end of the relationship, he put his hands on me and that was enough for me. There are some women who stay and endure because of the house and the cars, but for me I can't play detective 24/7.
BV: One of the big take-aways from the book is the chapter 'Goodies Have Power, So Use Them Wisely.' Explain why that message is so important.
SH: Men, who are going out of their way to talk to you,aren't chasing you down because they want to be your friend. What you have can make Adam eat an apple off the tree even though God said don't do it, why would you give it away for free? I'm not talking dollar figures, but he didn't have to take you a date, he didn't have to call you two times a day or do anything? He just showed up. Why? I could be crazy, if you have so much power and control, why give it away? We're setting ourselves up for failure if we don't acknowledge this is what he wants and I have to make him earn it.

Comments: (53)
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By: nomoxcuses on 11/20/2010 5:56PM
And here we go again...
"...if you have so much power and control, why give it away?"
If we are constantly to believe that we are not dealing with human beings (men) than yes-you are going to continue to have troubles. Why are relationships about control? Control yourself! I never understand why we (Sistas) continue this downward spiral with the concepts in which we live and practice.
Just recently, Tony Parker and Eva Longoria-clearly she had the control but over whom? The media? She couldn't control herself! You treat an adult like a child then you get what you get. She treated him like a puppy as if he wasn't a living breathing soul. She gave their marriage ZERO privacy-she wanted what she got -Attention. Divorcing someone over a text message-yeah, right-B.S.- She didn't want to be married.
Write as many books as you wish but there is no "key" to relationships because each one is different. Every man is NOT the same! Every woman is not the same! I have girlfriends who are curious as to why a few of us are not stressed when it comes to men. They feel that they have it all so they shouldn't be. But some of us are too good and that's the way we come off. Comparing ourselves to other women! What we see when we look @ each other is the furthest thing from a man's mind.
When a man is seriously interested in you, I'd like to think that he trys to figure out where he can fit- that's what you do when you're interested. If you're so busy talking about YOU, and all of your accomplishments, then you don't need anything- that's what is translated. Then try being quiet on a date, give a guy some time to gather his thoughts in between conversations. Too much talking looses a man-his brain goes into overload. Blah, blah, blah is what he hears.
There are many more red flags than green but you gotta weigh yourselves out too!
A friend of mine asked me why guys never call her for a 2nd date-I truthfully (& with love) told her that I wouldn't call her ass back either (if I were a guy)
Stop overloading guys with drama on the 1st date-a meal doesn't always lead to marriage! Relax and enjoy yourself and him and let him do the same. Stop being afraid. Stop talking to your lonely azz buddy about your business & getting her advice. Stop blaming him for your last relationship-all things should be new!
Stop snooping and expecting the worst. When he wants to leave -let him go, if it's worth it-he'll return if he doesn't, than move on. Don't trip!Stop waiting for someone to do things for you-do things for yourself. Stop basing a man's character on what he possesses. If he doesn't drive a Benz or at all-buy him one, if that's what you want him to drive (lol)
But enjoy the human spirit
Relationships aren't easy, everyone hits forks in the road but if you're in it to stay than do that. Stop letting everyone else's problems dictate your relationship.
Many churches teach us that we date to marry-I disagree.
Everyone is not going to marry, that's just the way it is.
Sistas, I love you as a Sister but we gotta get past the visuals. Sometimes we have to invest in the potential of a person-people build together!
Live, Enjoy life-Love is not difficult to find-start with yourself!
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By: barbarascy385 on 11/20/2010 6:27PM
Maybe you should write a book. Every word you said is the truth. These young women today are so mixed up when it comes to how to handle men and relationships. It's not wonder most of them don't work out. Men are not angels either, but some of these women are just crazy in how they do things.
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By: ARNEADER on 11/21/2010 12:15AM
I choose to believe what my grandmother said "make sure he loves you more than you love him".
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By: Bernie30338 on 11/21/2010 5:28AM
@nomoxcuses,U are dead on point. And there were infidelity rumors concerning T Parker on their wedding nite,so Im not surprised.
Im just tired of "Sistah self help Books",but nothing to encourage or guide men,in these relationships.Also,from what I see,everyone doesnt need to marry.
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By: vdog on 11/21/2010 8:31AM
Sometimes sistas have problems in relationships because they THINK THEY'RE THE MAN.
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By: clint on 11/21/2010 10:06AM
Right on
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By: kingdavidlives on 11/21/2010 8:39PM
Um... Wow!!! Ladies please listen.
[Happy married Black man of 12 years to one wife.]
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By: Whitey on 11/22/2010 10:10PM
Talk about a skank! I can smell it from here.
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By: Rozzie on 11/30/2010 1:28PM
I agree ;)
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By: Greg on 11/30/2010 7:11AM
Well, most BW think, and act just men in the first place anyway, and more than a few also look and carry themsleves in that manner as well. Then they wonder why no one wants to be with them! Same tired story!
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