SMOKEY ROBINSON: Having A 'Dreamgirls' Nightmare

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

Motown music legend Smokey Robinson is not pleased with the movie version of 'Dreamgirls.' The pop music meastro chided the film during an interview with NPR on Jan. 25. While everyone else seems to be hesitant to call a spade a spade, Smokey Robinson is stepping up to that plate in his critique of the big screen version of 'Dreamgirls.'

The R&B and pop music legend said that the characters in the movie were "very, very, very offensive," during an interview with National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" today.

"I am really kind of upset about it because there's a lot of false information in there, and millions of people are seeing it every day," the acclaimed singer/songwriter said.

Robinson, a Detroit native, rose to international stardom in the late 1950's as the frontman of the chart-topping Motown Records group Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. He was also an executive at the legendary Berry Gordy-founded operation, which would be the first record label to take black music into mainstream pop culture.

The movie, based on the legendary Michael Bennett-helmed Broadway musical, stars Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx in the Gordyesque role of Curtis Taylor, Jr, and multiple Grammy Award winner Beyonce Knowles as the Diana Ross-like Deena Jones in a story that replicates real life accounts of the rise of Motown Records and the creation of Diana Ross & The Supremes.

While the Bill Condon-directed movie was showered with critical praise during its glitzy media campaign, it has only drawn a few celebrity detractors. One, particularly, is Obba Babatunde -- a respected actor who starred in the original production and declined a role in the movie. (See story here.)

In the Bill Condon directed movie 'Dreamgirls,' (l-r) Anika Noni Rose, Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson plays roles identical to Diana Ross & The Supremes. Everyone else seems to be in love with the movie, the characters, the storyline -- and of course the music.

Well, not everyone.

When Diane Sawyer asked Ross about the movie --while doing publicity rounds for her new album, 'I Love You'-- on 'Good Morning America' last week, the Academy Award nominated icon brushed off the question by responding, "I haven't seen it... I think I will go see it with my lawyers."

"Nobody was paying us," Robinson mandated, specifically reacting to the storyline of the record company founder being a cold blooded hustler and svengali. "So [Gordy] borrowed $800 from his family's fund and started Motown so that we could be paid ... for him to be maligned and made out like this villainous character is very, very, very offensive to me."

Where's there's Smokey, there may be fire.

Since Motown represents one of the most purest forms of homegrown success for Black America, and is still revered for its legend amongst the power wielding old guard of Hollywood, this may be a blow to the film's ambitious Oscar hopes. While 'Dreamgirls' received the most Academy Award nominations this year -- it failed to garner nods in the five major categories for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress and Best Screen Adaptation.

Did the movie tarnish the Motown's legends' history?

Robinson seems to think so.

"Motown is Beyonce's heritage. Motown is Jamie Foxx's heritage. Motown is Eddie Murphy's heritage. You know what I mean?" Robinson said. "They're young black people. America should be proud of Motown because Motown made a statement all over the world that America could be proud of."