On the Mariah’s World episode ‘Got Me Feeling Emotions’, while the European leg of the world tour comes to an end, Mariah’s backup signer of 20 years Mary Ann Tatum approaches choreographer/creative director Anthony Burrell. At first, Anthony kids about Mary Ann “looking like Shug Avery in The Color Purple” and wonders if “she gonna bust my ass or what” but when Mary Ann sits down and speaks calmly and with eloquence and real emotion, Anthony doesn’t say a word.
Mary Ann tells Anthony during the first tour, she thought they were building a rapport – a work relationship, where we could talk to one another. But when Anthony had an issue being on the bus with Mary Ann and her 6-year-old son, she wished he would have talked to her instead of talking to everyone else. “It hurt me,” she says. “Because out of everyone here, I thought you would understand what I was trying to do with him because we come from similar backgrounds.” She tells Anthony, “You represent to me the possibility of my kid not going to jail or ending up dead.” She admits, “I took it beyond personal because I really do respect you and I loved you.” Mariah’s World airs Sundays at 9pm on E!
