Stiviano sheds visor for Barbara Walters interview; says she's Sterling's "silly rabbit"

Barbara Walters interviews Vanessa Stiviano

(photo credit:  ABC News handout)

Friday night on ABC’s ‘20/20’, Vanessa Stiviano, who now wishes to be known as V. Stiviano, was interviewed by Barbara Walters about her relationship with Donald Sterling.  Stiviano legally changed her name to the more Italian-sounding Stiviano because she felt that being a self-described black Latina; she was never accepted by society.

Walters pulled off the gloves early and asked, “Are you in love with him?”  Stiviano said she loved him.  Walters said, “that’s not exactly what I asked you.  Are you in love with him?”  After all this scandal, Stiviano said no she is not in love with him, but she does have love for him and sees him as a father figure.

Walters asked if Stiviano was still in contact with Sterling.  Stiviano said that she had just left Sterling and he was in a sad, confused and lonely state.  Stiviano said she doesn’t know why things happened the way they did, but she feels that she was put in Sterling’s life by a higher power.  She said her mission is to help guide him back to the right path.

Stiviano said that she started out being paid as Sterling’s personal assistant.  Later she started being paid off the books, hence the gifts such as the Ferrari and two Bentleys.  She said that she is his wingman, right arm, and helper.  She described herself as his “silly rabbit” because she likes to make him laugh.

Stiviano said that Sterling was overwhelmed by the situation of many negative people calling him saying derogatory things about her and that led to his frustrated outburst.  Walters asked what kinds of things people were saying to upset him.  Stiviano said that it wasn’t necessarily just about blacks or men.  She said people told Sterling that she was hanging around with gangsters, thugs, and fat women.  She said that Sterling did not think these types of people were a “good look” for her.

Stiviano said that she always tried to make sure Sterling talked to the right people, and she made sure that he only said the right things.  Walters asked Stiviano did she think Sterling should apologize.  Stiviano said that she does think he should apologize.  But when Walters asked is he going to apologize, Stiviano said that only God knows.

Stiviano says that people only heard the controversial parts of the recorded phone call.  She said they would see the type of good person Sterling is if they heard everything.  Stiviano said the world would think differently about poor Sterling if they could hear the over 15 hours of taped conversations.  Walters asked almost everything but the elephant in the room.  Did Stiviano routinely record conversations she held with Stiviano and, if so, what were her intentions?