Actress Mo’Nique denies saying she gave her husband 'a hall pass to cheat' in interview... but says couples should be open to the idea if they feel it is right

Actress and comedian Mo’Nique has reacted indignantly to suggestions she said she allows her husband to cheat on her in a recent interview. The 47-year-old, who originally made the comments speaking to True Exclusives, clarified on Thursday that what she meant when she used the phrase 'open' relationship was that she and partner Sidney Hicks are honest with each other if they are attracted to someone else. Not that she allowed him to be unfaithful. 

She posted a video on Periscope on Thursday attempting to clarify the situation, and slammed those who had 'made assumptions' about what she had said. 

She said

 'open' relationship, they could discuss it freely.

'See when you’re with your best friend (in reference to her husband) and you say to your best friend "I’m having these feelings about this person, sexually and I wanna share it with you"... when you’re best friends, you can have those open and honest 

'Often times people cheat because of something they’re not getting. But when you have open and honest dialogue and you say we’re just human beings and all these people on the face of the Earth, do you think my eyes won’t ever say "he’s fine" or "she’s attractive"? 

"Now if you wanna go further with it, let’s be honest enough to have those conversations. What is it about that person that you find that you wanna sleep with? Because they may give you something that I’m simply not willing to do. 

'And if that’s the case, how can I be mad? Because I’m not goin’ do it. Should I deprive you of not having it? That’s when the relationship is real real.'

She said that people had been taught to 'have ownership' - which is the 'Western way' of relationships, whereas she originated from Africa, where kings never had just one wife.

'So when we came [to America], we adopted other people’s ways and that’s called ownership,' she continued, appearing to go so far as comparing such monogamy to slavery. 

'There was a time when I was owned before, I don't wanna be owned any more. I wanna love you so much I just don't wanna be taken by anyone else. I don't wanna have ownership of anyone. We've been there before.

'Because we've been taught and conditioned to believe that if you should sleep with anybody else, that's the damned, that's the sin, that's adultery that's the horriblest thing ever... We’re humans guys, that’s all.'\

The Oscar winner actress  admitted that there was a time when she - and not her husband - wanted the relationship to be an open one, because she was insecure due to her fame.

'It was not my husband's idea. Originally it was my idea, because at the time me and Sidney got together... I was still stuck in being famous, and being a celebrity, and being a star, and I felt like I could have whatever I want. I was still in an insecure place, and my best friend said "If that's what you think you need, I don't want to stand in your way".

'That's how I felt back then. But what I didn't want to be doing was sneaking or cheating. There's no need to play those games when you have open and honest dialogue with your best friend.

'There is not time where I said "I give my husband a hall pass to cheat". We don't give each other passes to cheat. Because when you cheat, you'll lie; when you lie; you'll steal.'