‘Red Table Talk’ Host Adrienne Banfield-Norris on Her Love Language: ‘And Don’t Forget About Toys’

Adrienne Banfield-Norris is opening up about her love language: physical touch.

Banfield-Norris, also known as Gammy on Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk, shared details about her relationship with Rodney Morris at this weekend’s 5th Annual Black Love Summit in Los Angeles. The 69-year-old mother of Jada Pinkett Smith revealed on a panel that when it comes to her husband of six years, she’s realizing that her love language can fluctuate.

“Mine is touch,” she said. “I like the physical but I do admit that quality time is starting to take over. Especially since the distance I go say words of affirmation. I feel like the affirmations are his… Cause’ that’s what I would say, ‘I need you to touch my body.'”
The talk show host was part of a panel hosted by Codie Elaine Oliver and featuring Melanie Fiona, Angel Laketa Moore and Melissa Fredericks. She also shared her thoughts on vulnerability, her husband being the “biggest supporter” in her life and ultimately, the importance of communication in maintaining a healthy relationship.

“I would say too that when you’re talking about being creative, forget that you really have to be in communication with your partner,” Banfield-Norris shared. “And sometimes, sex can be the most difficult, challenging thing to talk about. ‘Cause it just feels awkward. I mean, I love my husband, I feel like I can talk to him about anything. But when it comes to sex, it still seems a little awkward. And don’t forget about toys — they’re very helpful.”

Rodney, who she married in 2016, has made Banfield-Norris feel different than any husband of the past, she said. While her former partners felt like “the boss,” Rodney helps emphasize that they’re in a “partnership” instead. “I think what I learned about myself was that I’m good enough, I’m good enough as I am and I’ve been married, this is my fourth marriage and none of my marriage has made me feel that way,” she said. “But Rodney makes me feel that way.”
Jada’s mother previously spoke about a past marriage that turned out to be a different kind of love than the one she wanted during a 2020 episode of Red Table Talk. As she explained on the show, she faced “a lot of romantic heartbreak” in her life, and said sometimes it’s not worth fighting for a perceived notion of “true love” when there’s nowhere else to turn but divorce.

“This one particular failure in one of my marriages is that I really built up in my head that this was my one true love and I’ll never love like this again,” Banfield-Norris said. “It wasn’t a divorce that I wanted, but at the end of the day, when you really, really look at the relationship honestly, it’s like, ‘This one’s going nowhere but to divorce.'”
Banfield-Norris, who divorced Robsol Pinkett Jr. after becoming pregnant with Jada in high school, has been part of Red Table Talk since its inception on Facebook Watch in 2018. Past episodes have grappled with topics surrounding sex, including co-host Willow Smith’s awkward “introduction to sex.”

The show is currently in its fifth season, with Cheryl Burke and Alfiee Breland-Noble being the latest guests on its Nov. 5 episode.