Niecy Nash opens up about falling in love with her ‘hersband’ Jessica Betts

Niecy Nash has opened up about the moment she realised she had feelings for her “hersband” Jessica Betts.

The Claws star revealed that she had married Betts in a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony on Instagram in September 2020.

Some fans were surprised by the announcement as Niecy Nash had never spoken publicly about her sexuality in the past, and she was previously married to two men.

During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday (10 March), Nash explained why the term “coming out” doesn’t match her experience of sexuality.

“You say that you didn’t really come out, that you went within yourself. Is that what you said?” DeGeneres asked.

“That is what I said, but you called her my wife. I lovingly call her my ‘hersband’,” Niecy Nash joked.

She continued: “A lot of people say that, like, ‘Oh, you came out,’ and I said, ‘Well, from out of where?’ You know what I mean? I wasn’t anywhere to come out of. I wasn’t living a sexually repressed life when I was married to men, I just loved them when I loved them. And now I love her.”

I was already divorced, and we were still friends. And we went to get crabs.

Niecy Nash said her youngest daughter made her watch “a program” about sexuality after she began dating Betts.

“She said, ‘Mom, you gotta know how you identify. I said, ‘Oh, do I?’ So we watched this whole thing, and it was a thousand different things you could have called yourself. But when I got through watching it she was like, ‘Well, what are you?’ I said: ‘Confused!’ I’m more confused than ever!’ I was like, I don’t know – I’m Black and I’m your mama, now go sit down. And that was how we ended the conversation.”

Niecy Nash fell for Jessica Betts after they ate crabs together

Niecy Nash went on to tell DeGeneres that she and Betts were friends for “about four and a half years” before they realised they had feelings for one another.

“I was already divorced, and we were still friends. And we went to get crabs,” Niecy Nash said.

“And the next thing you know… It’s a gateway, people! If you don’t want this life, don’t go eat crabs!” she joked.

DeGeneres added: “Do not go to eat crabs with your friend. That’s what will do it. I knew I was going to get to the bottom of it before the commercial.”

The actress also reflected on her stint on The Masked Singer and joked about co-star Ken Jeong’s track record on correctly guessing who is behind the mask.

“I used to call him Ken Wrong, and now he’s getting a lot of it right,” she joked.