Tammy Brawner pictured on her Instagram page.
Actor Darius McCrary’s wife is accusing the Family Matters star of holding their 16-month-old daughter over a pot of boiling water. A shocking report from TMZ details the alleged abuse suffered by Tammy Brawner and the couple’s daughter, Zoey. Brawner, a former Harlem Globetrotter, says that McCrary “went nuts” on February 10. The TMZ report adds that in one instance, McCrary was accused of holding the couple’s daughter over a pot of boiling water while saying that he wished he never had her. Brawner also says that McCrary uses drugs and drinks regularly. A restraining order has been placed on McCrary.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Brawner Sued the Harlem Globetrotters When She Said She Was Fired for Getting Pregnant
Brawner was the tenth woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. She left the famed basketball team in April 2015. TMZ reported in October 2015 that she was suing the organization. Brawner alleged that she had been fired because she got pregnant.
The TMZ report also says that Brawner was alleging she was sexually harassed by team coach Jimmy Blacklock. She had accused Blacklock of calling her a “seductress who would ruin [other player’s] marriages.” Brawner said that Blacklock would call her his “girlfriend.”
In a statement refuting the allegations, the Globetrotters said, “We have a 90-year track record for being among the most progressive organizations in sports, and we’re proud of that. We look forward to the opportunity to defend ourselves against this claim in court.” While with the Globetrotters, Brawner went by the nickname “T-Time.”
2. She Has a Degree in Criminal Justice & a Master’s in Global Management
Brawner is a graduate of the Dominican University of California where she also a star on their hoops team, according to feature on the school’s website. That article says that Brawner graduated from Cal State Northridge with a degree in criminal justice. Brawner flirted with law school before deciding to go into business, getting a master’s in global management at Dominican.
It was from there that Brawner was picked up by the Globetrotters. Between classes, practice and commuting, Brawner says she would leave home at dawn and sometimes not get back until midnight. She says of the time, “Tough life, huh? But it worked out perfect.” The move to the Globetrotters is described as a “fairytale.” On her official website, Brawner says that she stands as 5-foot-6.
3. Brawner Says on Twitter: ‘Pray or Worry… Don’t do Both’
Brawner is extremely active on social media. On her Twitter bio she writes, “Pray or worry… don’t do both.” She describes herself as a “Model, actress, host, author.” Despite the lawsuit against her, Brawner’s cover picture is of her time with the Globetrotters. Her last tweet before the news about McCrary’s alleged abuse emerged reads, “Don’t worry about failures. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” According to her Facebook page, Brawner lives in Los Angeles.
Later in 2017, Brawner will also star in the movie Slamma Jamma. The film is described on IMDb as, “Wrongfully accused and sent to prison, a former basketball star prepares for the national slam dunk competition while finding redemption in himself and in those he loves.”
The Source reported in August 2014 that Brawner was to be married to McCrary. In announcing the nuptials, McCrary referred to his bride as his “favorite basketball player.”
4. Brawner Began Her Basketball Career Playing in Summer Tournaments in Oakland’s YMCAs</h
Brawner’s profile remains on the Harlem Globetrotters’ official website. When asked in an interview on the site about how she got into basketball, Brawner replied, “I used to play at the YMCA during summer camps in elementary school. I played with the boys and every time I would score, it was a big deal. I grew to love the game.” She also says that her mother was her biggest influence, ” I have always admired her strength, courage and passion.” When asked about how she motivates herself, Brawner answered, “Think of all the people who said I couldn’t and I can’t.”
5. Brawner Is McCrary’s Third Wife; His Other Wives Were a ‘Video Vixen’ & a ‘Showgirl’
McCrary’s former wife Karrine Steffans. (Instagram)
Brawner is McCrary’s third wife. In 2005, the actor married Las Vegas showgirl Juliette Vann. They divorced in 2006. Then, in 2009, McCrary married former video vixen Karrine Steffans. Steffans formerly starred in more than 20 hip-hop videos before leaving the industry in 2005, since then she’s written books about her experiences and speaks on college campuses about the hip-hop world. Her other lovers, including Bobby Brown and Bill Maher, were all detailed in her New York Times bestselling book Confessions of a Video Vixen. The couple divorced in 2011 citing “irreconcilable differences.”