Donald Sterlings mistress gives first interview: hes hurt, highly traumatized
Barbara Walters scored the first interview with V. Stiviano, the “31” year-old mistress of 80 year-old LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Stiviano has laughably claimed to not be involved romantically with Sterling, and to instead work as his “archivist.” She now claims to work as his assistant and “right hand.” This is perhaps meant to explain why she was recording him making horribly racist remarks. Stiviano also claims that she didn’t release the audio of Sterling. She is currently being sued by Sterling’s estranged wife for $1.8 million that Sterling allegedly spent on her.
In her interview with Barbara Walters, Stiviano was even less believable than she comes across in print. She spoke in fragmented sentences, seemed to parse her words carefully, and was vague when asked direct questions. She made a lot of meaningless statements about how victimized Sterling has been by the release of the tapes. When Walters asked Stiviano who leaked the audio to the media it took her quite a while to answer. (It’s possible that ABC extended that pause for effect, but I don’t think so.) Stiviano blamed a “friend” for putting out the recordings. The whole interview was bizarre. She defended Sterling, said that he wasn’t racist and that “the things he says are not the things he feels. Anyone can say anything in the heat of the moment.” Here’s more of what she said:
On Donald Sterling’s state of mind
Confused. I think he feels truly alone. Not truly supported by those around him. Tormented. Emotionally traumatized.
On how she’s helping him
I’m with him in a state where I want to help him. Urging him. To come to his own rescue. But even so I think he feels that he’s alone.
On what Sterling is “emotionally traumatized” from
From everything. From everyone. From the media. From his peers. From his fellow employees. From his acquaintances. He’s hurt. I think he’s highly more traumatized and hurt by the things that he said himself. I think he can’t even believe or understand sometimes the thing he says, and I think he’s hurt by it. He’s hurting right now.
On if Sterling should apologize
Absolutely.
On if he will apologize
Only God knows.
On if Sterling is a racist
I think Mr. Sterling is from a different generation than I am. I think he was brought up to believe those things. If he was a real racist, then why would he help the world the way that he has?
On her relationship with Donald Sterling
I’m Mr. Sterlings right hand arm. Man. I’m Mr. Sterling’s everything. I’m his confidante, his best friend. His silly rabbit… sometimes people can’t understand our relationship. Our relationship started out, me working for Mr. Sterling, his nonprofit organization… On a level on which it became a big scandal.
On why their relationship became a scandal
I think God has its purpose. And. I wish I can answer that question sometimes. I keep asking myself how and why. The truth is that how and why doesn’t even matter anymore. It’s here. Some things need to be brought to the light. I think sometimes we’re forced into situations, into circumstances in which we have to choose to do good by. Everything and everyone is a test. And I think Mr. Sterling is being tested right now by a higher power or being and I’m forced to come to his rescue. Because he can’t rescue himself.
On if she’s in love with Donald Sterling
I love him. No, I’m not in love. I love him like a father figure.
On the age difference
Well, I’m Mr. Sterling’s personal assistant. Like I said I’m his right hand, I’m his wing man. What isn’t there to understand?
On if Sterling pays her
Yes. He… at first started paying me as an employee, and then he started paying me off the books.
On why she wears that visor
I’m hurting, I’m in pain. It hurts to see someone you care about hurting. It hurts to see people speculate. Assume. Say. Throw darts at you when they don’t know. When they don’t know your story. When they don’t know the truth. All based on heresay and assumptions. It hurts. It’s easier to mask the pain.
Asked “What’s the biggest misconception about you?”
That I’m a mistress. Or a whore. Or a woman of the night. All this misconception are just on my instagram I think. Or speculations of not real journalists doing their job. Asking the wrong people information about me, that they don’t know or have real facts.
That was painful to sit through. I guess you don’t need to be able to string a sentence together to be a successful golddigger. What is this chick playing at? Did Sterling pay her to defend him? Last week, TMZ claimed that Stiviano was in talks with Sterling to reach a settlement in order to suppress additional tapes. Sterling told DuJour Magazine, of Stiviano, that “I wish I had just paid her off.” It sounds like that’s exactly what he did. It’s hard to take anything she says seriously when she’s so inarticulate and full of crap. She’s been traipsing around in a mirrored visor all week, and recently told the paps that she’s going to be President one day.
Sterling has yet to issue a statement over this controversy. TMZ reports that he sat down off camera with Barbara Walters and Anderson Cooper and decided not to go on the record. Sterling has a hearing coming up in front of the NBA Board of Directors and it’s thought that he’s staying silent to avoid incriminating himself. As we’ve heard, he has been banned for life from attending any NBA games and has been fined $2.5 million.
The Clippers won their final playoff game Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, 126 to 121. They are now one of the final five teams in the Western Conference.
Here are some highlights from the interview. Walters’ eyes are popping out of her head, aren’t they?
ABC US News | ABC Business News
Here’s a longer segment of the interview with V. Stiviano. It starts at 3:30. (Some of the quotes above were pulled from other segments of this interview.)
ABC US News | ABC Business News
Photos credit: WENN.com, ABCNews
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