Say It Ain’t So Smokey!
On the heels of the Shannon Sharp Me-Too lynching, and the first days of the P Diddy ‘sex trial, comes yet another “Me-too” scandal involving a rich and famous black man. This time it’s none other than a bonafide musical icon, “Smoky Robinson.” Smokey is being sues for 50 million dollars after being accused of several allegations of sexual assault including rape and oral copulation by three female Hispanic housekeepers and personal staff who worked for Smokey and his wife at their residences in California and Las Vegas between 2004 and 2024. Robinson allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted them at will.
The lawsuit also accuses his wife Frances Robinson of creating a hostile work environment The women claim she had knowledge of her husband’s misbehavior and failed to act.
Additionally, the maids claim they were subjected to labor violations, including unpaid overtime and failure to pay minimum wage. Smokey is denying the allegations and is said to be ‘appalled’ at the accusations.
To be honest I don’t believe him. I think it’s true. I’m not mad at him either, I Actu ally want to “high five” him. LOL. It gives hope for old geezers everywhere. Let’s not act naive about this, almost every warm-blooded man in the world would want to have house keeper/ sidepieces at their disposal if they were rich enough. Just keeping it real.
Smoky Robinson has been a O.G. sex symbol since the 1960’s. He was the first man I ever heard my mother talk about in amorous terms “That nig*** is fine, with those pretty eyes!” I would hear her say to her girlfriends when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, when I was no more than 8 years old. For me, in high school I remember weeping over my first girlfriend heart break, to “Tears of a Clown” on my 8-track player. So, Smoky has a special space on the play list of my life, and I hate seeing this happen to him at this point in his life.
But, in reality, this is nothing new. Employers have been banging their maids since there were houses that needed to be kept.
Remember bodybuilder/Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had a love child with his Hispanic housekeeper?
Some may remember the notorious racist segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond who fathered a child with 16-year-old African American maid who worked for his family in South Carolina; Thurmond was 22 years old at the time. The relationship was not publicly acknowledged until after his death in 2002, albeit he had a private relationship with her.
Even comedian Robin Williams had an affair with his daughter’s nanny, whom he eventually married after his divorce. Some may remember when many of our grand mothers that cleaned for rich white folks back in the day. I am sure there are many stories to be told there.
However, if the allegation that Smoky wasn’t even paying them minimum wage, that is the most egregious crime committed here. They should have been the highest paid maids in LA. He should have made their lives so lovely they would never have turned on him like that.
I hate this happening to Smokey, but I think if you are going to play that game you have got expect to pay the piper at some time. That just how karma works. I would hate to think Smokey’s final epithet will be a Me-Too sex scandal tag on his toe, with him broke and destitute in the end.