WHENEVER I MEET people outside the billiard industry, and it comes up that I'm the managing editor of BD, I inevitably get the question, "Who's that Asian woman on ESPN? The 'Black'- something. Do you know her?" I try not to appear too eager when I say, "You mean 'The Black Widow.' And, yes, she's actually one of our columnists."
I've known Jeanette Lee for four or five years now, and the haters out there will be disappointed to hear that I have nothing but glowing things to report. But she's far from bland. I recently visited Jeanette at her home in Mooresville, Ind., to report our cover story this month, and came back with a notebook full of surprising revelations and fascinating personal tidbits that didn't fit in our more business-oriented feature article.
Jeanette Lee lives in the last place on the planet that you'd expect
We all know the Black Widow's image: sultry, glamorous, cosmopolitan. So imagine my surprise (and escalating laughter) on the way to her home as I pull off a two-lane Indiana state highway, passing a ratty autobody shop, and onto a barely paved road populated by isolated homes with the occasional above-ground pool and fenced yard to keep in grazing horses. From there, I roll onto an unpaved road and drive for a few more moments before I see Jeanette's four-bedroom home, ensconced behind the cover of trees, with a black dog loose in the yard and all-terrain vehicles in the driveway.
We're talking RURAL. Nothing wrong with that; just unexpected.
Jeanette lives here with her husband, George Breedlove; their 3-year-old adopted daughter, Cheyenne; and an adopted teenage son, John Kang. And here's the second thing that might surprise you about Jeanette, especially if you subscribe to the theory from the misguided few that the Black Widow is a world-class diva: They live here because George wanted to be close to his two daughters from a previous marriage, who are based nearby. (He also owns a business nearby.) This is where Breedlove, a major outdoorsy type, is most comfortable - for a number of reasons. So, this is where the Black Widow resides. She could make a fuss. There are infinitely more refined domiciles and neighborhoods within 20 miles or so. Nearby Indianapolis is a big-time city. But here they are. And she really enjoys it.
Now, this is no shack, mind you. The two-story home feels a bit like a spiffy National Parks Service lodge, with lots of exposed wood and stone accents. Jeanette is in the process of rehabilitating some of the more country-kitsch elements from the previous owners.
In total, the Lee/Breedloves have five acres. George enjoys four-wheeling on trails with his friends, and playing softball in an open field on the property. Jeanette plants her own vegetables in a sizable garden.
Have I blown your mind yet? Keep reading
Jeanette Lee used to have two pet chickens named Trouble and Maker
Really. No lie. They would wander around the property. Cheyenne would play with them. Their dogs sometimes would sleep with them.
Sadly, the neighbors' dogs attacked and killed them a day or two after I visited. But Jeanette plans to get another couple of chicks in early April, and perhaps a rooster as well.
 |
| Lee's wardrobe is decidedly monochromatic. |
Jeanette Lee has a ginormous closet packed with black pants, tops and shoes
Of course. It makes sense. She's the Black Widow. But it's hilarious to see in real life. Check out the photo - it shows maybe half of the entire closet. I'm going to say, maybe 12 feet wide total. Of course, I'm a guy, so that seems large.
Jeanette Lee has developed a serious anxiety disorder
This was a shock to me. Jeanette says that she now experiences acute anxiety attacks - an overwhelming sense of panic accompanied by severe heart palpitations.
"I really struggle with it because I'm constantly in the public," she says. "I think if I had more of a normal life, it wouldn't be as big a deal. But with big crowds, big lines, lots of pressure, [it's a problem]. Funny thing is, it never happens during a match. I've never had a problem with people watching me play pool. I've never been self-conscious that way. But I think it has more to do with this sense of claustrophobia. When I'm focused playing pool, I'm free and I'm focused on this one thing. But when I get into large crowds, or I'm doing an exhibition and someone grabs me from behind, I literally feel like I'm going to burst into tears.
"I take medication for that, and it helps a lot. But it does make me think, how long will I put myself through this?"
Jeanette Lee experiences near constant pain
You might know that Jeanette suffers from scoliosis and has endured several major surgical procedures to stabilize and strengthen her back. Frankly, it's not something you ever completely recover from.
"You're stuck with a degenerative disease and arthritis for the rest of your life until we have a cure," she says. "I wake up every day in pain. Pain is a way of life for me."
Working out every day is an absolute necessity, and her regimen includes bicycling and core-related exercises. "I have to stay lean; I have to stay tight," she says. "I go to the gym to stay strong and to keep something from going out."
Jeanette Lee performed an exhibition at Guantanamo Bay in 2007
Obviously, she can't talk much about it. But Jeanette typically tours military installations every year to perform exhibitions, and last year she found herself on the infamous Naval base, performing for about 100 servicemen.
"It was very high-security," she remembers. "It felt dangerous. I don't know that it necessarily was, but I was definitely a bit nervous, and they told me a lot of stories about what goes on there."
Jeanette Lee wants to adopt at least another three children, in as little as five years
Lee LOVES kids, and has a maternal streak a mile wide. Her attempts to have children have been unsuccessful, and her condition would make any pregnancy problematic, to say the least. So adoption is the best route.
"Cheyenne has made me very happy, and we're ready to adopt again," she says. She may investigate her options at Korean adoption agencies later this year.
THAT'S THE BEST stuff from my notebooks. It's good that it came to use. The one drawback of the Black Widow image is that Jeanette sometimes can seem unapproachable and larger-than-life. In fact, she reminds me a lot of Oprah Winfrey - in the hyper-expressive manner that comes from the spotlight; in the way that she's utterly comfortable talking about personal setbacks and intimate feelings in a very public setting. But there are a lot of layers there that aren't readily apparent. Hopefully, you feel like you know her a little better now.
