Savion Washington/FilmMagic and Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE
Funky Dineva and Claudia Jordanhad a moment at Essence Fest thats got everybody talking. The former ‘Tea G-I-F’ co-hosts, whose friendship hit a rough patch after Dinevas dramatic exit from their FOX Soul show, came face-to-face over the weekend. In a heartfelt moment caught on TikTok, Dineva poured his heart out, and it looks like these two might just be ready to bury the hatchet and maybe even team up again! Heres what happened
In the widely shared clip, Jordan is seen standing in a room, with all eyes on her, as Dineva dedicates some heartfelt words to her from across the room. In front of a crowd at Essence Fest, Dineva laid it all bare, saying, I thought about it, I said, I aint really got no issue with that lady, like, I dont. He admitted to past tensions but says it was really never THAT deep. Claudia was a good motherf***ing time! he told bystanders.
The camera caught Jordan wiping away a tear, clearly moved by her former colleagues words. Dineva didnt stop there, though, as he then threw out the ultimate olive branch, saying, I want to work with you again. He even joked about needing Iyanla Vanzant to mediate if they do get back on camera. Jordan remained silent but smiled as she walked over and wrapped him in a warm hug.
After Dineva announced his departure from Tea-G-I-F in January 2024, citing pay disputes (allegedly being offered a lesser salary for more work when the show went from two to five days a week), things took a shady turn. Dineva claimed he was making more money on YouTube, and since Fox Soul didn’t want to pay his price, he decided to walk. Mind you, Dineva’s annual salary was a reported $250,000.
But the real tea was that Jordan felt blindsided, saying Dineva never looped her in on his exit plans, leaving her and co-host Al Reynolds scrambling. Hes fighting with me, Im not fighting with him, she said in a January 2024 livestream, captured by 9MagTV.
He didnt tell me that he was leaving, didnt have any conversations with me [about] the contract. I was the last one to find out. [] We said a very classy goodbye to him on the show, he posted it, and since deleted it. And then he keeps calling me b*****s and all kinds of names on his live, so I blocked him because I have to protect my peace.
Things got spicier when Dineva threw shade on his YouTube show, calling Jordan out for moves he considered messy, such as bringing transgender comedian Flame Monroe on the show, with whom Dineva has had an issue in the past.
On his YouTube channel, Dineva went on a heated rant, going off on Jordan for getting Monroe on the show, referring to Monroe as Jordans pawn.
Im going to reserve why I have an issue with Claudia Jordan just in case somebody wanna get froggy, he added. Imma leave that one in the chamber. Dineva continued, ’Cause that one is a semi-automatic weapon thats gon’ spray up everybody and everything if I unload that clip! But, for the record, my issue is not with Flame. My issue is with Claudia Jordan.
In a sit-down with Carlos King on August 6, 2024, Dineva spilled all the tea for the first time in a candid chat. In the YouTube episode, he revealed the show went from two nights to five days a week, but instead of a raise, they tried to cut his pay. Were bringing the company in more money, you want to promote me, but you want to cut my pay. What world does that make sense? he went off.
On a six-month contract, Dineva said he wasnt about to play games during negotiation talks, so he bounced to focus on his YouTube bag instead.
