Beyoncé's Dad Mathew Knowles Leaves Interviewer Speechless With Awkward Response About Ex-Wife Tina's Role in Destiny's Child

Mathew Knowles had an unexpected moment during a recent interview.

The longtime music executive was a guest on PIX 11 anchor Kendis Gibson’s show Kandid with Kendis, chatting about an upcoming Destiny’s Child tribute concert. Everything seemed normal until the conversation turned toward Knowles' ex‑wife, Tina Knowles, and her contributions to the iconic girl group’s early success.

Host Kendis praised both Mathew and Tina for their roles in launching Destiny’s Child, in which their daughter Beyoncé became a part of at 17 years old.

“You’ve earned your flowers. I said the same thing to Ms. Tina Knowles. You guys put in the work, and obviously the talent was there, with your kids and your grandkids," the host said.

Mathew’s response stunned Kendis: “What work did she put in?”

The on‑air moment left Kendis caught off guard, but he quickly pointed out that Tina’s role was well documented — especially her influence on the group’s look.

“Ok, you’re absolutely right, and the styling. The imaging. You’re right,” Mathew admitted after the prompt.

Tina, who owned a beauty salon before Destiny’s Child hit it big, famously styled members’ hair and designed many of their early costumes when few designers were willing to dress the group. Her creative direction helped shape their early visual identity, long before they became global superstars.

As the interview continued, Kendis tried to ease the moment. “It’s a joint effort,” he offered.

“We’ll stop now,” Mathew replied, standing up and ending the interview abruptly.

“Did I say something wrong?” Kendis asked as the segment wrapped, making the exchange even more awkward.

After the clip went viral, Mathew shared his side of the story, claiming that Kendis arrived 15 minutes late and steered the talk toward Tina when it was supposed to be about the tribute concert.

“How it starts is how it ends. It started on a bad note, and obviously ended on a bad note for him,” Mathew said, adding that he “politely ended the interview” and shook Kendis’ hand.

However, a Page Six insider disputed that account, saying Kendis arrived on time and that his questions about Tina were respectful and celebratory.

Mathew and Tina’s relationship has had its ups and downs. The pair divorced in 2011 after 31 years of marriage.

In her memoir Matriarch, Tina recalled filing for divorce in November 2009 after discovering Mathew fathered a child with another woman.

“This was different from the other times I had chosen to leave him,” she wrote. “Now I had no choice.”

She shared how she coped in the aftermath: “I kept pace with my life, as I had now for years, sticking to my routine and allowing work to numb and carry me.”

A few months later, an unexpected reconciliation began.

“Someone improbably steady presented himself for me to hold on to in my disorientation,” she wrote, referring to Mathew.

Despite the hurt, she noted his effort: “He’d changed after new counseling. I didn’t believe him, but he was persistent, proved he’d gotten help, and as he courted me, I found myself falling in love again.”

However, Tina ended up filing for divorce again, and the couple — who wed in 1980 — finalized their separation in November 2011.

“I clearly knew my relationship with Mathew was unhealthy, and it was the fear of going it alone that kept me stuck,” she said. “I had been avoiding Mathew lately, afraid to cut the cord, and he had retaliated by seeing another woman.”