In an interview with Heat magazine, Rihanna’s dad Ronald Fenty made it abundantly clear how the singer could resume any sort of relationship with her past abuser Chris Brown — for one thing, he thinks it’s a great idea. For another, he’s not exactly the self-esteem building proud papa that one would expect a strong-minded woman to have.

When it comes to the young man who beat and bit his daughter, Mr. Fenty said “Chris is a nice guy and everyone is entitled to make a mistake in their life – God knows how many I’ve made. She’s her own woman now.”

He also gave himself a hearty pat on the back for Rihanna’s sleek physique, noting that he “actually thought she was a little fat the last time I saw her,” when she visited Barbados last August.

However, when he saw her at last month’s Grammy’s he “thought she was back to her normal size. I used to joke with her, ‘Robyn, you’re getting too fat!’ But I think she’s fine, I think she looked excellent, as everyone saw.” Rihanna has been very public about her ramped-up diet and exercise regimen lately. Good thing that body-criticism stuff worked out.

I suppose it’s important to note that Rihanna and her father have had a troubled relationship in the past and only resumed regular contact in 2010 after years of not speaking. I suppose.

Family is family, but it’s hard for me to imagine a father taking the near-foolish high road of considering a man who beat his daughter “a nice guy.”

I don’t even know what my father’s reaction to such a thing would be but I know it wouldn’t be “go ahead and be your own woman, dear daughter.” The weight jabs, also, are too weird, even for the father of a man whose daughter regularly walks around half-naked.

What do you think?

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26 Comments

  1. My dad has no issue telling everyone how fat I am. yay West Indians dads.

    • @N’jaila Rhee: Is that okay with you? Do you ever confront him? I couldn’t imagine my daddy saying that to me.

    • @N’jaila Rhee: yup that’s west Indian dads for you. Mine doesn’t give a damn about my feelings when it comes to my weight.

    • @N’jaila Rhee: Im australian and my dad does this too with that fat thing…although if my dad knew someone was beating me….well i don’t think he would have a single unbroken bone in his body after my dad got to him, oh and my background for any wondering is german (I’m pale blonde hair blue eyes) aboriginal, irish and cherokee indian, but mainly german and aboriginal :), oh and no i don’t like my dad saying I’m fat and when i tell him he doesn’t seem to hear it anyway :S

      • @Tash: Oh and also i have a very close relationship with my dad, who still calls me every day or 2 or sends me something funny he has seen, my dad isn’t cruel or unloving he is just blunt and i can be a lil emotional sometimes but only because i try so hard to loose weight with no success :), so i don’t think the weight comments are a problem but i do think any father who allows a man to beat his daughter isn’t much of a man 🙂

  2. Parenting FAIL 101: Why in earth would he think Chris brown is Okay That boy still has anger issues throwing chairs and stuff

  3. I don’t think its a big deal. West indians say that all the time.

  4. That’s West Indian parenting for you. If you are not familiar with the culture, these responses are going to sound weird to you.

  5. I must know not sh*t about a west indian culture but this a terrible suggestion. So are you all saying it’s okay for a father to tell his daughter to get back with the man who whopped her ass and she’s fat. really 😐 i can’t

    • @Tannis: Just the fat part. West Indian culture can be very blunt, sometimes too blunt to be honest. The getting back with Chris is simply him, and not indicative of the culture per se. Remember this is a man who was a drug addict, neglected his family and was likely abusive himself, so of course he couldn’t care less about the character of the man his daughter is involved with.

  6. Word, I wish I would allow my daughter to get back with the guy who beat her. Sad

  7. why anyone gives this man a voice to speak nonsense is beyond me. the fact that their relationship has been estranged for years and the fact that he always has something incindiary and ignorant to say should be proof enough that he’s not worth the time it took to interview him.

  8. Wow! Most fathers would do ANYTHING to protect their daughters from a man that whooped her ars like that, not encourage them to get back together. That definitely doesn’t sound like a loving father to me!

  9. Come On People

    Ok, i get how people say that is just the way the culture is, however, that does not make it right. It is part of the west indian culture to start their children off drinking at a very early age, that does mean that it is ok.

    • Really?- it is part of West Indian culture to start their young drinking early? Please STHU! Maybe in YOUR family!. The only time I have ever seen anyone in my family drink is at social events and even then…verrrry sparingly.

  10. The issue of weight is definitely a West Indian culture thing. Especially for men talking about their wives/daughters/gfs etc. I will say, however, that my father has told me on numerous occasions that he will kill the man who lays a hand on me. *shrug*

  11. That’s whack for this man to say this about his daughter. Wake up Man Up. That’s why Chris was bold enough to his hands on her.

  12. Agirlnamedandy

    As a West Indian, with a father that I was quite close to for 38 years I refuse to accept what someone said about the acceptance of woman beating as a West Indian father trait. That is crazy! Oh, and as far as my Dad was concerned, he could never feed his children too much.

  13. As a West Indian (Trinidadian) female close with her parents, grandparents and other relatives, the weight thing is just what is. If you aren’t skinny, you’re fat and vice versa. We all grew up with relatives commenting on our weight, our skin, our butts etc. Comments went for both men and women. We’re an outspoken culture and it isn’t meant to be offensive. My Canadian bf was VERY taken aback when he first met my extended family because Canadians typically aren’t like that at all. Many years later, he gets it and laughs it off with the rest of us.

    I think, however, this article is conflating two separate issues. The endorsement of Rihanna’s relationship with Chris Brown has nothing to do with Fenty’s comments regarding her weight. Further, some of the comments are being misinterpreted. Those of us who say that “that’s West Indian parenting” are talking about the weight issue and the general easy attitude we have toward honest accounts of our bodies. We aren’t, by any stretch, defending his comments regarding Chris Brown as the actions typical of West Indian fathers.

    My father, grandfather and brother never lay their hands on me, their wives, daughters or granddaughters. Why would they endorse a man who would?

    I think the story needs to better put into perspective the historic relationship (or lack thereof) that Rihanna has had with her father and, perhaps, bring to light the “mistakes” he made in the past.

  14. MsAfriKanaChic

    I’m not surprised by any of these comments from her father, who is an abuser himself from what Rihanna has shared in interviews. It’s a damn shame that emotional and physical abuse is something that is being passed down in this family.

  15. People need to stop criticizing her Dad for saying she looks fat. My dad is Caribbean and has said that to me as well. It’s not an attack on my esteem nor does it make me feel as though he des not accept me. Get a grip. Fathers have no obligation to be politically correct (thank you Daddy for keepin it real.)….and why would he speak negatively about Rhianna’s choice to get back with Chris? He knows that his daughter is gonna do exactly what she wants to do.

    • @Goldn2lips: you sound nuts n a half. What in the hell do mean her dad should sanction her dating the man that hit her who also still exhibits anger issues everyday. That’s nuts. attitudes likes yours is the reason women stay in the cycle of abuse. She needs nothing but self-love.

  16. We may be among the sickest racial groups in the western hemisphere. It’s actually stunning that a site like this – of all the articles one could write – would feature this article.

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