Wendy Williams on 'The Boss' by Diana Ross

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 1:05pm

Wendy Williams, 48, hosts TV's "The Wendy Williams Show." She spoke with reporter Marc Myers.


WENDY WILLIAMS

My radio career took off right after my college graduation in the late 1980s. I worked as a morning and afternoon DJ at a major station in New York, and by '94 I was at WQHT—one of the city's top FM stations, known as "Hot 97." I was young, brash and successful, and the song I loved most was Diana Ross's "The Boss."

I guess you could say I was pretty bossy. I was making my own money, so I didn't have to put up with men who thought they had to be in charge. Goodbye!

Even though "The Boss" was released in '79, the lyrics were still affirming for me in the '90s. Diana was singing about having control of her heart and her life: "Fancy me / thought I had my degree / in life and how love / ought to be a run" and "I was so right / thought I could turn emotion / on and off." You couldn't pull anything over on Diana in that song.

But in '94, when I met my husband, Kevin Hunter, I finally had met my match. Kevin had a backbone. He respected what I did as a popular radio personality and wasn't always trying to take charge or let me get away with murder. I thought I was the boss, but nope—love had leveled the playing field.

I must confess: For years, I listened to "The Boss" but didn't really pay careful attention to the lyrics. I had been hypnotized by the title and thought the song was about a take-charge woman. Until one day several years ago, I was driving long-distance by myself and had a chance to listen to every word.

That's when I realized the song wasn't about a woman who is the boss. It was about a woman who thought she was the boss—until she met this guy who took charge and made everything uncertain.

Diana Ross was singing about something many strong women are scared to admit: Love makes us do stupid things. You're not the boss—you're now in love. The issue was no longer cloaked. Diana Ross was singing about it.
Wendy on The Boss. Updated On: 7/15/13 at 01:05 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 2:13pm

Miss Thing was seriously not paying attention to those lyrics.

I was so right (so right)
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure (so sure)
But love taught me
Who was, who was
The Boss

Girlfriend is dense...

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 2:19pm

True. I guess she heard what she wanted to hear.

[javero]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 3:32pm

Busted...

[ArtMan]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 5:26pm

My favorite Diana Ross song. If you can find the Ultimix version it's great. Miss Ross has even been performing it during her recent concert tour.

[javero]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 5:44pm

^Is she still performing all her material in the same monotonic talk-sing style.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 6:29pm

No, but the last time I saw her in concert was about one and a half years ago. She is doing a show in September in Orlando that I may see. The only drawback its the same show as the one I already saw. (According to setlist.com)

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 7:33pm

The 12" mix of No One Gets the Prize joined with The Boss is one of my fave disco songs.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 8:04pm

Artman, she has had more or less the same set for the last 5 years.