- 7 hours ago
Beyond the Gates - Season 2 - Episode 38: Thursday, February 26, 2026
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00:04we were in the throes of the holidays and there was so much going on you know how it is
00:09and i told myself i would put off my wellness exams including my mammogram until you know
00:16sometime down the road maybe the early part of 2026 when things wind down and i mentioned this
00:22to a friend laura who was assisting me with keeping all the balls in the air and
00:29she gave me the nudge that i needed and that small push changed everything i'm thinking anita we all
00:36need a laura in our lives so tell us what happened next well that mammogram led to a ultrasound and
00:43the ultrasound led to a biopsy just before christmas i was diagnosed with triple negative
00:49breast cancer and it's a very aggressive kind of cancer that disproportionately affects younger women
00:57brocco one mutation carriers and black women so christmas come hello and it goes have we become
01:03a seat yourself greasy spoon yes i had my port inserted just after the new year and i've gone
01:10through several rounds of chemo and when that's done assuming that the tumor has decreased in size
01:16i'll undergo surgery this is really one thing that i am certain of
01:22is that if i had waited to be screamed even for a few months my chances of success would be
01:29far less
01:30is that why you chose to tell your story on your terms and come forward today
01:35i know there are women watching right now who have put off their mammograms
01:40because it's inconvenient because it's uncomfortable i hope my story will give them the push that they
01:46need and if it's not you but someone you love then nudge them call make the appointment drive them
01:56we have to be diligent and do whatever it takes because cancer doesn't wait for us to be ready
02:03no and it certainly doesn't disappear if we try to hide from it there was nothing i needed more than
02:09to be surrounded by my family and to show them beyond a shadow of a doubt how much they mean
02:16to me
02:16i'm thinking having your family right there beside you during this battle to me that seems key but
02:23what has it meant to you they have been everything i've needed and i have needed all the things
02:32comfort and strength tears and laughter bad jokes and good music they are carrying me through this harsh
02:42winter of fear and pain and if i make it through this i should say when i make it through
02:51this because
02:51i have every intention of doing so well i hope your grandmother's message got through for a smart
03:00lawyer you can be so unbelievably done sometimes ashley naomi don't you think it's time that you tell
03:09your family you tested positive for the broca gene don't you think it's time you mind your own business
03:45so i have terrific news provident medical will donate five heart monitors and garland memorial
03:52promise the same oh and other great news derrick wants the job yeah well great news would be me
04:00finding out that my shouse is finished or that isaiah wants to make an honest woman out of here now
04:08that
04:08derrick is on board we can open he knows exactly what we need to get certified
04:12ugh those dupree women on my feet day and night you know i haven't even gotten any traction
04:25from the media for my charitable work i mean it's all about danny dupree this and anita dupree that
04:36i know i know i know all right so i am going to make a splashy announcement about the free
04:44clinic today
04:49mrs dupree we were all glued to the program thank you for having such courage
04:54a member of my way staff to be right with you both thank you eugene thank you you see darling
05:01you're already having a big impact and the segment just finished airing you poor poor dear cancer
05:11if there's anything you need there is i need you to take all those stones you've been throwing and put
05:18in your pocket and then drive straight to rehoboth beach and walk in and keep walking until those
05:24stones weigh you down to join the rest of the bottom feeders that live there your faux sincerity
05:30is making me sicker than chemo i can drive you how dare you i will not be maligned by a
05:38woman who
05:39consorts with criminal degenerates nor will i be treated like a second-class citizen in my own club
05:46by a woman who shook her tail feather on the stage and then married into status may i remind you
05:53anastasia
05:55my father founded this club and his vision was a safe place for tail feather shakers and heads of state
06:06all celebrating their uniqueness perhaps it's time for me to speak with gabe and discuss your membership
06:15i can assure you that won't be necessary
06:21laura i didn't realize you encouraged gran to get her mammogram props the credit goes to nicole
06:28she hadn't loaned me out to anita for winter fest prep anita might have kept pushing back the
06:33appointments i believe it was something else divine intervention
06:39have your changes escalated from wardrobe to the metaphysical i only mean that it takes a lot of
06:46pieces to fit together to get mother to this point it wasn't luck or a coincidence
06:52the duprees have angels watching over us i totally believe in angels i have one on my shoulder i know
07:01my mom is watching over me 24 7. it's the only way i can explain how i'm still alive
07:06either speaking of angels i wish there was an avenging angel around to strike that leviathan down
07:15and if eva got vanquished in the process well that that would be divine intervention
07:26it takes a lot to coordinate a press event booking a venue deciding on news outlets
07:33do you have a mission statement press packets a single person on your team that's not me
07:39girl i do not need all of that okay i am perfectly capable of handling myself in front of a
07:45gaggle of
07:46packs this is so last minute and that is why they call it news my dear it is new and
07:54i am making
07:55the announcement today okay and you know what i know exactly who to rub elbows with so i am going
08:04to alert the media and you can handle the rest and where are you planning on doing this right here
08:11is or she jeans baby look it is the perfect spot i mean it's right smack dab in the middle
08:17of the
08:18neighborhood benefiting from the clinic okay so what's my job okay so you get permission from the
08:27manager and then you round up an audience of homely looking people and i mean ones who look like they
08:35need a doc and not a mortician and the revenue the restaurant will lose hosting this
08:41event mama warbucks in the house and you get to work soon the news outlets will be saying
08:49dupree who leslie thomas is in the headlines now why are you so upset with me this decision is mine
09:05okay if my gran wants to tell the world she's got breast cancer cool i applaud her but i do
09:10not want
09:10anyone knowing that i am carrying that gene look this decision is complicated i get that but you have
09:17never gotten up in my face like that before what's really going on new me jacob moved out
09:30i have always thought you were stronger than most but sharing your cancer journey with the world
09:38was amazing no doubt that anita's army will help get the word out about the importance of annual
09:46screenings and early detection her army is already deployed ever since the promo started running for the
09:53interview people have been flooding my socials with prayers testimonials screenshots of the mammogram
10:02appointments they've booked they've even donated to various cancer foundations in honor of family
10:08members i mean all the things that i urged them to do in the interview simply incredible
10:14well it's getting late i'll let you enjoy lunch oh before you go vanessa i want to thank you for
10:19asking donnell to be samantha's escort at cotillion oh yes what a sight to imagine our great granddaughter
10:27making her debut on the arm of a banneker man always happy to help however i can i'm just so
10:34happy
10:34samantha hasn't allowed my situation to temper her excitement about cotillion i never wanted my family to
10:41stop living their lives because i became ill kids resilience is pretty marvelous they can bounce back
10:48from adversity so quickly usually what is it vanessa
10:57deanna's still having a tough time dealing with doug's death
11:03i thought she was doing better for the holidays but she seems to have regressed
11:07i came up with the idea of donnell escorting samantha hoping that he'd come home and bring her with him
11:14she's she's been away for so long deanna will she'll work her way through her grief in time
11:24she has a strong loving mother to show her the way through it's hard to be an example when there
11:31are days i
11:31just feel so incredibly sad over doug's death may i offer you something vanessa
11:43of course when i am at my lowest i think of the words of archbishop desmond tutu
11:54hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness i've started reciting
12:03these words daily they comfort me i hope you'll find comfort in them as well thank you
12:13mother is such a badass going on tv opening up about her health and looking flawless while doing it
12:20it sounds like someone else i know blazing through life in style i want to meet this woman
12:28okay well i'll get your light and mirror from your vanity
12:32come on i'm serious you are your mother's daughter
12:37with half the class mother would never walk into a wedding packing heat
12:42danny she never had to vernon respects the sanctity of marriage
12:46i always wanted to be with someone who looks at me the way my father looks at my mother
12:51and how is that with wonder and reverence even after all these years daddy is still completely in awe
13:02i know the feeling i'm a lucky man to be married to a woman who constantly gives me new reasons
13:10to love
13:10her i'm pretty sure tequila had something to do with that
13:20smithy i am glad to see you why is that okay listen i am announcing the opening of my new
13:28clinic
13:30and i thought it'd be great to have a first-class journalist like yourself to get the first scoop
13:37yeah i can't believe that you are asking me of all people for help
13:43why i mean you're a journalist and you do live for first sticks right you co-opted the idea of
13:50the
13:50free clinic from my daughter samantha fine she can stand next to me just let little sammy stand right
13:57next to me in the press conference okay is that better no she can take some pictures
14:13this has been quite the day already
14:18hope this confab doesn't end up with you nearly losing your lunch like you did last time we were
14:23together don't count on it
14:28wait did something happen between you guys why would he move out to keep me safe oh because of the
14:35undercover case he's working on yeah and the people he's trying to take down are dangerous
14:41he couldn't even tell me when we'd see each other again
14:45well no wonder you're on edge that's a lot to take on especially with everything else
14:51you know i'm used to feeling anxious when he leaves for work but this this takes it to a whole
14:56nother
14:56level you know the night the night he told me he'd have to move out we made love like it
15:05would be the
15:05last time oh my god what if it was no no we're not gonna even go there jacob is an
15:12excellent cop he is
15:14not reckless he's smart he's gonna come home how did you deal with derrick's job dating a fireman is
15:21as stressful as being with a cop yeah well mom was my lifesaver she'd keep me sane when i would
15:29spin
15:29out over some three alarm fire derrick got called to uh she would drag me to the gym to the
15:34movies
15:35even love boat fan club event if you can stand it it can be your jam we can play bocce
15:46ball we can go
15:46to wine tasting we can literally do anything that you want i do empathize with you too i mean my
15:56mother
15:57peaches well the woman who raised me is still ill and i mean it takes a toll on both the
16:04patient
16:04and the family and neither your words were powerful well i'm grateful the interview touched so many
16:12lives including yours oh well i didn't get to see the whole thing but uh i did catch the highlights
16:20and that's what i'm here to speak to you about i'm gearing up for my own announcement i mean nothing
16:27as dire as cancer of course but something that will affect just as many if not more in fact leslie
16:37what do you want from me well i would love it anita if you could give me gail's number so
16:45that i can
16:45arrange a sit down with her i don't have her personal contact information our publicist set up the
16:52interview oh okay just give me their number and then i can anita you still have leslie's contact
16:59information from winterfest don't you i do well that's all i need i'll pass your information along
17:07to our publicist now i'm not sure if he's taking any new clients but if he's not too busy he'll
17:14contact
17:15you but fern i need the presser to happen today so wish we could do more
17:26i understand the mighty duprees don't want me infringing on their moment in the sun fine
17:38i will find another way
17:43you can tell the ladies who lunch that although anita dupree may have cancer
17:50she is still a spotlight hogger as always
17:59that spawn of satan is making herself at home in fairmont crest she's building a monstrosity across
18:06the street from my grands she's bribing the country club with a brand new sports complex and she's trying
18:12to rehab her image by funding a free clinic all with the money my grandmother put into a blind trust
18:21mother's intentions were noble she wanted to take care of barbara's family unfortunately leslie turned
18:28out to be the beneficiary at least with the free clinic she's putting the money to good use i thought
18:33leslie would be in solitary confinement by now not high society and it's not fair that you and mom have
18:40to
18:40constantly cross paths with the woman who wrecked your lives or that her fantasy book reading ugly
18:48boot wearing co-conspirator has also been forgiven i think eva has a lot of remorse for the part she
18:55played in leslie's scheme she was lied to just like the rest of us please stop defending her
19:03laura almost died because of those two i won't forgive and i will never forget
19:16this is a sweet one how does this woman maintain such grace and beauty while announcing
19:22a cancer diagnosis these are great so far i'm glad the trolls haven't popped up yet
19:30you spoke to some yeah
19:35why are you lurking outside my door oh i would have knocked at the front but i thought a surprise
19:41the parents would get me in faster you were wrong surprise okay oh la la i am going to hit
19:55you up with
19:56your decorator's name when my place is finished why are you here oh i saw your live stream when you
20:02announced your return to modeling and and i have some big news of my own so i want to utilize
20:10your
20:11resources to get the word out your modeling oh i am flattered that the danny dupree thinks i actually
20:19have what it takes to be a motto i don't unless tatum has a deranged line then you'd be perfect
20:25yes well i am the new face of benevolence i am opening a new free clinic okay and i need
20:37you to put me in
20:37touch with your reporters the ones who covered your announcement why would fashion reporters be
20:43interested in a free clinic news is news honey on what planet leslie okay listen you don't want to
20:50give me your contact information that's fine at least give me a tatum original to wear girl please hop
20:58on your broomstick and fly away okay you heard her come on all right i'm leaving i'm leaving but
21:03oh i have a proposition for this chocolate more so be my videographer out okay all right all right
21:10i will take that as a maybe hey hey all right but listen i'll be at orphe jeans so if
21:15you decide to
21:16take the job then it's for a good cause goodbye
21:25hi eva laura hey um want to sit sure
21:37what are you reading um octavia e butler parable of the sower read it no good
21:49it's like reading about the times we're living in but written like 30 years ago yeah she was prophetic
21:56speaking of the past it's been a year since my accident and me filling in for you at nicole's
22:07we don't have to rehash everything we've talked about it and i'm in a much better place now
22:14thanks for saying that because if anybody has a right to hold a grudge some people still do
22:21okay i try not to give energy to negative thoughts i have chosen to focus on the positives
22:28like how you taught me that new system which made my life so much easier at work
22:33how i got to help mrs dupree with winterfest and some personal matters and how you have a
22:41relationship with ted now i know how important that is for you well i don't even know what to say
22:50you could be spitting in my face but instead you're happy for me you're pretty amazing laura
22:59but i should warn you my mom will be back any minute another positive i've learned to stand up
23:06for myself in every aspect of my life i'm not going to shrink away from leslie anymore
23:12so i'll be at the counter enjoying my biscuits and gravy
23:21you are just the face i was in the mood for likewise i saw your mother's interview and spoke to
23:29her
23:29afterwards she is astonishing here she is dealing with her own crisis but still it's time to comfort
23:37everyone else one of her amazing qualities strength she has stores and stores of it
23:45i spoke to her about the twins well mostly deanna and how i miss her so much i thought we
23:53talked about
23:53you giving her time and space and i have been but the sadness isn't only her not being here
24:00it's the terrible weight none of us can seem to lift duck's passing i know this is nowhere near the
24:08same
24:09but losing ted is like that for me grief is grief just when i think i've turned a corner something
24:18knocks me for a loop and i realize that i've only just turned a lighter shade of blue when i
24:23hear a song
24:24or encounter a fragrance brings back memories of a life you used to have and then you go spiraling down
24:32the rabbit hole of emotions neither one of our marriages turned out to be the fairy tale we thought
24:39we spent much of our lives with ted and doug it's normal anita taught me a saying to recite when
24:47i'm
24:47feeling down i'm a true believer in the wisdom of anita and i think the world would be a better
24:54place
24:54if everyone listens to her you won't believe how many people and organizations have reached out to
25:03me since the interview aired my army is breaking the internet with responses and donations anita's
25:12army has quite a ring to it and did i tell you tracy and sharon have arranged to have a
25:18mobile mammogram
25:19bus in the parking lot at one of their concerts every woman who is screened gets a free ticket now
25:25that's some incentive and also the dupree heritage foundation has unveiled this big beautiful pink
25:34ribbon sculpture in the office lobby and you know there's an organization that is blowing up socials
25:42with the interview and including a link for all kinds of resources for women who have been impacted and
25:48their families well so many people just don't have the support system that you've been blessed with
25:55that is so true and jackie tyree is hosting a show on the vegas strip to raise awareness about early
26:04detection between the interview and the promotion surrounding it you have drummed up more support
26:12than i ever could have thought you would and i am not taking it for granted and vernon i want
26:19you to
26:19hold my feet to the fire i have to be diligent and not lose momentum i want to save as
26:25many lives as
26:26possible i don't doubt that you'll do just that can we circle back to anita's interview for a second
26:37do we have to it was so inspirational to me and it can be for you too and before you
26:44shoot me down
26:45please can you just hear me out about why i am pushing you so hard to be honest with your
26:48family
26:50i'm listening okay i know that you think that you are offering them some kindness by keeping quiet right
26:59all you're really doing is keeping the people who care about you from having the chance to surround
27:05you with love and support my family's dealing with a lot right now and i don't want to add more
27:10pain
27:10and stress and worry to their lives and if telling them the truth changes nothing i will still be a
27:16carrier if you continue to keep your genetic results under wraps from your family who are bound to talk
27:22to you about anita's cancer by the way you're you're gonna reach a tipping point you're gonna blow up
27:27like you did today it's not like i don't see the logic of what you're saying but but you're tough
27:34and you're independent and you've got your pride you're also a dupree and they are the gold standard
27:45when it comes to supporting each other naomi you have to take advantage of that
27:52okay
27:55okay ashley i will consider all of my options okay
28:02good and know this
28:06whatever you decide
28:09i'm always gonna be here for you okay i know
28:15even when you get snippy
28:19sorry
28:23martin is on the campaign trail as we speak shaking hands and kissing babies bless him
28:29there are several things i'd do for business but kissing other people's blubbering tots is not one
28:35let's sit please help yourself yeah great
28:38i am so happy that you two had the idea to have donnell escort samantha at the cotillion
28:45is my grandbaby excited she went from total despair to walking on air overnight
28:51donnell is well versed in all things cotillion he's been an escort several times and
28:56he lived through all the prep for deanna's debut as you know that schedule's not for the faint of
29:02heart actually i was a total novice i didn't know anything about the tradition nicole had to
29:08school me on the historical significance again thank you for saving the day
29:15but you are concerned
29:19only a little bit
29:22forgive me while i put my protective dad hat on
29:26martin and i just want to have a sit down with donnell before the big day
29:31we know that you and doug raised a great kid it's just kind of a dad thing that we need
29:38to do
29:39i completely understand smedy i love how present you and martin are in samantha and tyrell's lives
29:46my grandchildren have the best role models not every kid is that fortunate
29:52where is my audience mama i tried to get some bodies but it was a hard sale did you find
30:00a media outlet
30:01no i mean the haters don't want me to upstage queen anita and you know what we're just gonna have
30:09to
30:09do this ourselves and get the message out to the masses honey okay so listen i will do the live
30:16stream
30:16and you will be the camera operator you do know that you don't have very many followers right yeah
30:25you do know i'm not worried about that all right if you live stream it they will come
30:32i think we should wait until we find a professional who has the right equipment nope
30:39i'm not waiting and this phone is going to do just fine
30:43okay well can we at least do a rehearsal what whose child are you fine fine fine okay
30:56five four three hi i'm leslie thomas a creative entrepreneur and pillar of the community
31:09and yes i am here at orphe jeans the restaurant for the people clearly the walk and talk thing is
31:20not
31:20going to work okay it's time to tell you what we're going to stand right here i will plant myself
31:25and we would do it here all right let's go
31:32i'm leslie thomas creative entrepreneur and pillar for the community now i have built my own health
31:42clinic a free health clinic it's called the phoenix street free health clinic should have been called the
31:50leslie thomas free health clinic that's what i wanted but you know say lovey oh my god do we have
31:58the same
31:58idea comfort food you might want to hit up a different spot when you're making a difference
32:04on this scale i am it deserves to be seen they're live streaming was right now as far as i
32:13know they
32:14had a few disastrous rehearsals but so far this take is drama free i am over it though see you
32:21later
32:21bye state of the art equipment all made available to a deserving community through my largesse
32:31this isn't charity darlings this is legacy
32:40damn we were so cozy before hurricane leslie hit
32:45hope we don't have any other unexpected visitors today for real but let's not let her turn us
32:52totally against unexpected sometimes surprises can be a blessing what do you mean do you know the full
33:02story of how my parents met so my mother's manager dante green sends the articulets to a march in
33:09washington my mother was exhausted from a tour didn't want to go but that choice
33:16i mean changed the whole trajectory of her life she had no idea that she would meet her one true
33:22love
33:23and together they've weathered every storm and built a lasting legacy they've always been such a good
33:31example i'm hearing a but is there a but coming i sometimes wonder if i've fallen short with my
33:39kids whoa come on no no no how can you say that danny they're both successful in their lives
33:46and in their personal relationships what have they learned from watching me
33:52to live their dreams to live out loud speak their minds and most importantly your daughters
33:59have learned not to take crap from anybody you're damn straight damn straight
34:04and if you ask me i think that's one hell of a legacy
34:14anita dupree here you are in the battle of your life and you're still speaking your truth
34:22you know me i don't feel like i had any choice
34:27you could have chosen not to let people see you at your most vulnerable but
34:33you sided with something sacred in yourself and you are my example and my inspiration
34:42having you by my side brings me such peace you have loved me so deeply and so consistently
34:50throughout our entire marriage and i never intend to stop our love is unbreakable
34:58much like your spirit hey to you anita
35:05and your wildly successful interview
35:11you see as the pillar of the community you should be as generous as you are smart
35:17as selfless as you are clever and as bold as you are beautiful
35:25this pillar of the community is a homicidal homewrecker who tried to murder someone twice
35:32turn that phone back around so i can defend myself against these outrageous allegations
35:38while we weren't actually live i decided to record the announcement so we can edit it and release it later
35:47good looking out for your mama baby girl
35:49you need to clip your claws kitkat brat
35:56because your little tantrum won't be televised today
35:59i swear i will find a way to expose you for the murderous snake you are
36:08i will make you pay for what you did to my mother-in-law if it's the last thing i
36:13do
36:17uh
36:32you
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