Fantasia Barrino Reveals She's Illiterate

21 replies · 4740 views · Started by DeepThought2003 · Oct 2005
DeepThought2003 Laurel, MD
Fantasia Barrino Reveals She's Illiterate NEW YORK - "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino reveals in her memoirs that she is functionally illiterate and had to fake her way through some scripted portions the televised talent show, which she won in 2004. "You're illiterate to just about everything. You don't want to misspell," Fantasia told ABC's "20/20." "So that, for me, kept me in a box and I didn't, wouldn't come out." The 21-year-old R&B singer says she's signed record deals and contracts that she didn't read and couldn't understand. But the hardest part, she said, is not being able to read to Zion, her 4-year-old daughter. "That hurts really bad," she said, adding that she is now learning to read with tutors. In her memoir, "Life is Not a Fairy Tale," which she dictated to a freelance writer, Fantasia also said she was **** in the ninth grade by a classmate. She says the boy was disciplined, but she blamed herself for the attack. She dropped out of high school that year and became an **** mother at 17.
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AggieWarrior · Oct 2005
#1 Reply
High Point, NC is a lot rougher than most would think.... :???: anywho, that's very deep though... it must really hurt that she can't read to her daughter... that's why she won the whole "American Idol" for her.... :-(
Change · Oct 2005
#2 Reply
yea i seen this on dateline i think it's good she's learning right now and it also shows how superior Blacks are she couldn't read yet memorized stuff very quick and fast what other race of people can lack in one area then totally excell in many others allthewhile playing it all off with ease only us baby 8)
NeoSoulBrotha · Oct 2005
#3 Reply
It takes a lot of courage to admit that to the world, hopefully it might motivate some people who are fighting the same battle.
SuperFly · Oct 2005
#4 Reply
Everybody frum the Triad new that she illiterate before she ever tuk the staj though...
· Oct 2005
#5 Reply
^^Da **** U bin at ya yel'er bas'****????
dymondpuzz · Oct 2005
#6 Reply
NeoSoulBrotha wrote:
It takes a lot of courage to admit that to the world, hopefully it might motivate some people who are fighting the same battle.
so true......I am proud of her in taking the next step to achieve her problem!!!
CHiladelphia · Oct 2005
#7 Reply
wow, i didnt know in this day and age people still having trouble reading.....thats crazy im trying not to be mean, i think i succeded!
· Oct 2005
#8 Reply
My aunt and I were talking about this earlier. It must be really rough for her to experience this. She has a lot of courage to admit the fact that she's illiterate, because that is something very serious. But I'm glad that God blessed her with the opportunity to make something of herself for her and her daughter.
baby_diva_04 · Oct 2005
#9 Reply
ChangePlease wrote:
yea i seen this on dateline i think it's good she's learning right now and it also shows how superior Blacks are she couldn't read yet memorized stuff very quick and fast what other race of people can lack in one area then totally excell in many others allthewhile playing it all off with ease only us baby 8)
I agree with you on this one Change. I believe that we as Blacks possess skills that a lot of others really lack. ie. survival skills(Katrina) But anyway, I'm proud of her for admitting that to the world. I'm sure she's an even bigger inspiration to other people who are also illiterate. Hopefully she's inspiring them to learn how to read. I'm sad that those things had to happen to her, especially ****, but God will take care of her and he has just begun.
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