Star Jones to strike back at heart disease during fundraiser

Jones will be the keynote speaker at the American Heart Association's "2011 Go Red for Women" fundraising luncheon at noon Wednesday at the St. Regis Atlanta. The event begins at 10 a.m. with educational workshops that will focus on healthy cooking, fitness and reducing stress.

She said it will be good to talk with other survivors, and it is part of her goal to pay it forward. "I don't think people fully appreciate the connection one has with others who have had open-heart surgery," said Jones, who had open-heart surgery in 2010 to correct a genetic abnormality and to repair her aortic valve.

In Georgia, heart disease kills more people than any other illness. In 2007, 16,184 Georgians died of heart disease, according to the Metro Atlanta American Heart Association.

And it has hit close to home for Jones, who is the fourth generation of her family who has had heart disease. "It's taking people out of here in droves," said Jones, who raised  $340,000 for the heart association from "Celebrity Apprentice" show and apremiere party fundraiser. The reasons vary. The problem is partly cultural, environmental and poor habits. "I can't even think that we will make a change in the number of  cardiovascular disease sufferers until we honestly deal with the obesity epidemic."

Jones started taking steps toward better health before her surgery. Several years earlier she had a "come to Jesus moment" and decided to do something about her weight by having weight-loss surgery. Her prognosis now is that she "will live an extremely long life."

Jones, who is touring to promote her new book, "Satan's Sisters," spoke recently to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

What did you learn about Star Jones in doing "Celebrity Apprentice"?

When all else fails, professionalism will rule the day. When we do self-assessments, you know, I'm smart or I'm the consummate professional or I'm really organized -- or whatever adjective you want to attach -- I was pleased to see that under stressful circumstances, I was all the things that I proclaimed to be. I approached things sort of methodically. I am an "Organized Olivia" and an "Anal Annie." I don't operate well in chaos. ... In the weeks since the show has concluded, the nicest thing that has happened to me is that there' not any place I've been, in any group of women -- black or white, young or old -- where people don't come up to me and say how proud they are of the way I represented myself, professional women and, specifically, black women.

How is the tour going? You've been going across the country promoting your book "Satan's Sisters."

The tour is going great. Actually, it's interesting that publishers don't do traditional book tours anymore. ... Authors have to be really creative making sure that they get out there.  Now,  the initial  national press, I had that on lock because I was in the middle of "The Celebrity Apprentice." If you watched the show at all, it was purposeful on my part. I made sure that the book dropped right after the first couple of weeks "Apprentice" came on, and I reaped the benefits of the remaining weeks of the promotion.

Your good friend Tracy Morgan recently got into trouble for making homophobic remarks. Have you talked with him since?

I sent him an email as I would expect any person to do. It's funny that you say my close friend. When, you know, for years Tracy was my nemesis. ... Tracy and I got to know each other, and I got to learn and love his comedic genius. I like his honesty, and I like his heart. ... When he made the statements which were really inappropriate and hurt people's feelings and rightly so, I appreciate the fact that the person I know stepped up and took responsibility and made it clear that he plans to make amends.

Event preview

American Heart Association's "2011 Go Red for Women" luncheon. Workshops at 10 a.m. and lunch at noon Wednesday at the St. Regis Atlanta, 88 W. Paces Ferry Road. $250 to $450. www.heart.org/atlantagoredforwomen. 678-224-2065.