By now, we all get it: Mariah Carey is a diva. At least that’s what the media would like us to believe. I’m not likely to be so judgmental of anyone who casually takes pictures of her kiddos with Beyoncé and Blue Ivy, but that’s not the point. The latest tale of Carey fitting into this trope comes from Rob Huebel — an actor and comedian who may not have even known who Mariah Carey was before meeting her on the set of The House, a new comedy with Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler.
Huebel gave an interview with SiriusXM’s Entertainment Weekly Radio where he claimed that Carey’s cameo in The House “did not go well.” He started his story by saying, “We did some reshoots with a pop star named Mariah Carey,” which was the first indication for me that we should take his comments with a grain of salt. Carey is not "a" pop star. She is one of the greatest pop stars to ever live. Anyway, Huebel says that Carey was four hours late for her call time and requested all-white roses and stuffed lambs in her trailer. The only thing “amazing” about these requests is that Mimi has such a good eye for interior design and a strong committment to surrounding herself with a peaceful vibe at all times.
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That’s not all. There were apparently some creative difference between Carey and the producers as well. Huebel explained that Carey didn’t want to sing the song they had selected for her, and, although she was playing herself, she wanted to take the character in a different direction. “So then they were going to do this bit where they shoot her, I think, and they kill her — in the movie. Not in real life. But she didn’t want that. She was like, ‘I don’t think my character would get killed by bullets. What if I deflected them like Wonder Woman?’” These sound like constructive suggestions about how to make the film better.
Huebel’s take away from the whole situation was that Carey “just didn’t want to do what [producers] wanted her to do.” While Huebel was wondering “fucking what is going on with her?” he should be considering what is going on with him — and anyone else who thinks that working with a legend like Mariah Carey doesn’t come with some conditions. If nothing else, Mariah is a shining example of women asking for what they want, being paid what they deserve, and speaking up if they have something to contribute. Women don’t have to do what everyone wants them to. We should all learn a thing or two from Carey, and Huebel should put some respeck on her name.