Sammy Sosa's skin color, which appeared dramatically lighter (left) last November, reportedly has returned to a tone similar to his playing days (right).
By Fred Mitchell
The natural skin color has returned to the face of Sammy Sosa, while his spokesperson tells the Tribune the former Cubs slugger continues to use the undisclosed cream that caused quite a stir several months ago.
"Basically, it is a continuation of the original story. Sammy has a skin-treatment regimen that he uses that helps even out his skin," said Sosa's spokesperson, Rebecca Polihronis, on Wednesday. "That included a whitening process. A lot of African-Americans know that blemishes leave darker marks on their skin. It helped give him a more even complexion. It just comes out differently on different people."
Sosa was spotted last weekend in Miami, where he owns a home. He stopped by the club Liv in Miami Beach's Fountainbleu Hotel, where he reportedly featured a darker complexion while seen partying with friends until the early hours.
A picture of a dramatically lighter Sosa surfaced last November when he attended the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas with his wife.
"I don't think any of us ever saw another picture that resembled the first one printed. I think that was because of the lighting," Polihronis said. "But that doesn't mean there was not a lightening component or brightening component in the regimen he uses, which a lot of white people probably don't know.
"When I get a pimple or an ingrown hair, it gets red. Whereas when people of darker skin have imperfections or flaws, it gets dark. That is what people of a richer skin tone have to do for their face."
Polihronis said Sosa, who also spends time at his luxurious estate in the Dominican Republic, remains in negotiations to market and promote the undisclosed skin product.
"Right now he continues to travel and he is living the life," she said.
"I don't think any of us ever saw another picture that resembled the first one printed. I think that was because of the lighting," Polihronis said. "But that doesn't mean there was not a lightening component or brightening component in the regimen he uses, which a lot of white people probably don't know.
"When I get a pimple or an ingrown hair, it gets red. Whereas when people of darker skin have imperfections or flaws, it gets dark. That is what people of a richer skin tone have to do for their face."
Polihronis said Sosa, who also spends time at his luxurious estate in the Dominican Republic, remains in negotiations to market and promote the undisclosed skin product.
"Right now he continues to travel and he is living the life," she said.
He looked like The Joker. I can't see how he ever expected that his lame explanation would be accepted. His whitened skin is so unbelievable, unnatural and downright ugly.
It's good to see that Sammy is leaving the Ricky Recardo look at home. If only he would have left the Juice and the cork at home during the playing days maybe he wouldn't have had to use that skin lightener.
I wonder how Sosa's english is coming these days. I still love watching the video of how he "forgot" how to speak english in front of Congress.
Fred Mitchell, save this story for Paul Mitchell.
Thanks, La La Vigilante, for showing us, through your comments, what self-hatred really looks like.
People of African decent live in almost every country in the world. Dominican is his Nationality, Black is his race, Spanish is the language he speaks. He also speaks English
During the Steroid Hearings he brought an interpreter...how's the English now ? Why do some people speak English some days then other days not...Why is this so confusing for non-educated...non-Americans...I hope I just clarified this
Sammy Sosa is a hot, stinking mess. He intented to look more European since he had in lighter contacts and he permed his hair. I am not falling for the "skin treatment" baloney.
Self-hate is a sick thing. Next thing you know, he'll be cutting that bell-pepper shaped nose in half.
Its common knowledge in the DR that lighter skinned black people are treated better than dark skinned black people living there. They all long to be lighter skinned, so stop with the whole lecture about differences between language, culture, race, nationality nonsense---its all, at least in the DR, about skin tone and acceptability...you're not excluded if you're darker, you're just not thought of as highly-- now get over it. Even Black people have their own form of segregation based on skin tone in the DR. Their rules, not mine or yours. Look it up..along with the DR having Cockfighting as their National Sport. They're backward and barbaric and Soriano and Ramirez are laughing at all of us every day they are here stealing the millions they're paid to play a game instead of shining shoes on the Island. There are no child labor laws and mlb scouts use it to their advantage in signing up kids to contracts they or their parents cant even understand. Sosa is a clown representative for a Country that barely helped their neighbor, Haiti, during the earthquake. Ask Sosa and Soriano and Ramirez how much they contributed----then let them lecture the US on discrimination.
God! It must be a real slow day in the sports world, if someone would take the time to write an article about what color Sosa is! I really bet there are at least 2 people who care? Find something better to write about but considering this is the Tribune where this came up. it is to be expected of containing such mundane assinine dribble..
...see, Michael jackson was a Cubs fan. He left Sammy his skin creme and Ronny Woo Woo his glove.
It is all a publicity stunt for a new cream he will soon endorse.
Thank you Jah Jah your comment is worth repeating!!!
"People of African decent live in almost every country in the world. Dominican is his Nationality, Black is his race, Spanish is the language he speaks. He also speaks English[.]"
Too many people confuse ethnicity, nationality, and skin color with race.
This is not news by the stretch of anyone's imagination.
Ummmm ... did he also just decide to wear green or hazel contacts and get a hair relaxer for the earlier photo (above)?! I don't think that's a photo of Sosa. But, I'm with everyone else: why is this news?!
Who cares? Why are we constantly being subjected to stories about ex-Cubs? Bradley and Sosa are gone.
Who is Samuel Sosa?
I'll bet a rat's pitoot that he is now using the cream on a "certain something"
His skin color is probably just changing because he's getting a sun tan...Big Deal. I hardly see why this is newsworthy.
At least its not another Milton Bradley story.
Sosa's skin color returning to more natural tone? Big deal. So is mine.
This qualifies as breaking news because ????? I can't tell anymore if the Tribune is a reputable newspaper or a tabloid.
Who cares? How about his body size?
People of African decent live in almost every country in the world. Dominican is his Nationality, Black is his race, Spanish is the language he speaks. He also speaks English
I hope this clarifys things for the noneducated
Why is this so confusing for most Americans?
Short on news items? Sosa - he's done in Chicago. We don't care about this guy.
Can Fred Mitchel explain why this is news?
Funny how this story doesn't mention that his HAIR also seems to look different in that older photo above. What's up with that?
"Sammy Sosa is from the Dominican Republic. He's not African-American."
The Domincan Republic is in the Americas. If he's of African descent, then he's African-American.
People who use skin lightening cream do so to treat hyperpigmentation, but it is applied to the affected areas only (scar) to lighten it so that it matches the rest of the skin tone.
It is his business, but I believe he intentionally wanted his whole face lighter. Color complex? We will never know.
Oh and some Dominicans have African descent.
he looked scary white.
How about a new picture with his color back ? Incomplete and total waste of a story. This is not breaking news !
His muscles were the product of modern chemistry, why wouldn't he also chemically modify his skin?
Chi-Girl, Sammy Sosa is from the Dominican Republic. He's not African-American.
this is "Chicago Breaking" news? really?
They're talking to him about marketing that product?! That's a joke. He looks like a clown. No, African-Americans do not want to look like Sammy Sosa does with his "I HATE MY SKIN COLOR CREAM."
Who cares??