She’s a former iconic model, a wealthy African-American restaurateur, and a successful lifestyle guru. She’s B Smith, whose husband is under social media fire for moving his girlfriend into his marital home while his wife suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
Entertainment
In 1992, Dan Gasby married Barbara Elaine Smith (AKA: B Smith) — who came to fame as one of the first black women to grace the cover of Mademoiselle. Following a high-profile “celebrity” wedding, their marriage was reportedly happy and fulfilling. Then in 2014 while reveling in the huge success of multiple restaurants in New York and Washington, a home collection line, her own magazine, a regular gig on NBC’s TODAY SHOW, and her own syndicated television program, B Smith noticed she was repeating herself and forgetting things. Regrettably, she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and her life suddenly took an unexpected turn.
Fast-forwarding 5 years and Smith’s cognitive abilities have all but vanished. So, it stands to reason why people from coast to coast are alarmed at the news that not only does her husband already have a girlfriend, but he’s moved the WHITE woman into the home he still shares with B Smith.
In an interview on Monday with The Washington Post, Gasby went public with news of his unorthodox relationship and living arrangement with Alex Lerner, who he says helps him as a caregiver for B Smith.
“If ‘This is Us,’ and ‘Modern Family’ came together, it would be us,” Gasby said of the situation he’s in with his wife and girlfriend. “I have been married to a black woman for 26 years. I have a PhD in black love,” he added in response to those he believes are angry because his romantic interest is a white woman.
Needless to say, folks are not at all happy. From celebrity friends like Whoopi Goldberg to ordinary citizens, public opinion is almost unanimously against his affair in the house he still shares with a wife whose memory doesn’t allow her to understand who’s who and what’s really going on.
B. Smith’s husband is trash. Point blank. Married is still married. 🤷🏽♀️
— saucy (@korafbaby) January 29, 2019
WOW. So I just watched the video of B. Smith, her husband, and his girlfriend…Listen. This is foul. Straight up. I’m not unsympathetic to the heaviness and loneliness of caring for a spouse with Alzheimer’s & dementia, but this is a whole other level of foul
— Sarita (@latintaesnegra) January 29, 2019
I don’t have a problem with B. Smith’s husband having a girlfriend. I have a problem with his girlfriend living in house. I wonder if this was something B agreed he could do before her mind went away.
— BaeloSanto (@SomePeculiar) January 29, 2019
The questions here are obvious: Are people angry at Gasby for skirting the sanctity of marriage and having his cake and eating it too while his Alzheimer’s suffering wife has no idea what’s really going on? Are people angry because Gasby’s choice is not only white but is rumored to be out to get her hands on Smiths’ wealth? Or, are people angry because Gasby decided to go public with his extra-marital relationship AND depict the once stunningly beautiful B Smith in a video that clearly (and perhaps unnecessarily) shows her to the world as aged and out of touch?
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Whatever the reason, the truth is that no one knows the arrangement Gasby and B Smith may have agreed upon prior to her losing her faculties. She may have told him she loved him enough to want him to keep on living even after she had died. She may have insisted that he promise to find romance and happiness once her life (at least mentally) had ended. Or, she may have said none of the above and he’s a dirty dog for taking advantage of a situation and a woman who is now unable to defend herself.
The point is, we just don’t know. However, as Whoopi Goldberg said this week on THE VIEW, “I didn’t need to see video of her in that state.”
First let me say this is not my business. This is a grown man so he can do whatever he wants. But I will say this does not look right at all and this husband made some bad choices. Even if he was going to have a girlfriend he could have kept all that private. He also didn’t have to move the lady in the hose with his wife right there while she is still alive. Then tell everybody about it. I think his big mistake is being too public about everything. Do what you’ are going to do but keep it low. Plus I agree with Whoopi he did not need to put his wife on camera in her condition. He probably did it to make his point for having a girlfriend. But we didn’t need to see he like that.