(ThyBlackMan.com) Initially this post was to just be directed at Shaunie O’Neal, head basketball wife in charge. Then I saw the picture above and spent half an hour trying to pick up my jaw off the ground. I neglected to include in the ghetto hot mess category Glenda Hersh, the executive producer for The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Dan Cutforth the producer on Braxton Family Values. They have no special affinity for the Black community and therefore will not be held accountable for promoting negative stereotypes toward their own community. Unfair? Yes. But true. Hersh and Cutforth are still responsible for the trash content they direct onto the airwaves but Mona Scott Young and Shaunie O’Neal are held to a higher standard.
I haven’t really discussed the shenanigans of the “wives” this season because there’s not much else for me to say. They’re negative, they fight, they’re a bad representation of Black women in the media, they’re a shame to their race and they should all go away quickly. All of this is said week after week as these ladies embarrass themselves more than the time they did before. But what got my attention and forced me to my computer — besides the VIBE cover story — is the sneak peek for next week’s episode. Shaunie O’Neal, apparently in a business meeting says to the apparent Black businessman before her she always gets wary going into business meetings, “especially with Black people” because she’s wondering if they’re thinking she’s just “a ghetto hot mess.” ( The Real Housewives of Atlanta & Vh1 basketball wives )
To answer your question Shaunie, yes we think you’re a ghetto hot mess. You may not participate in all the drama — especially now Gloria’s gone — but the fact you promote it and it’s spin off makes you no better than your bottle throwing, weave pulling, curse hurling castmates. But Shaunie you are not alone in you’re hot mess-ness. Mona Scott Young is right there with you. And the fact you two had the audacity to give statements to VIBE for their June cover story glossing over the drama your cast members tackled head on proves you are living a deluded version of reality.
SHAUNIE O’NEAL, VH1 Basketball Wives
“…Part of creating the show was to show that some of us had aspirations outside of being somebody’s wife or girlfriend or fianceé or baby mama. We would get together and brainstorm different business ventures. It wasn’t all: sit around and be pretty. I go to sleep well at night knowing who I am and what I stand for.” —As told to Clover HopeMONA SCOTT YOUNG, Love & Hip-Hop
“The feedback I’ve gotten from my cast is that it’s difficult being vulnerable and showing the more sensitive parts of their lives. But for them, it ends up being almost cathartic. If in some small way, they touched someone else’s life or told a story that someone else can relate to, I think there’s always something positive to be gotten from it. … ” —As told to Adelle Platon
Ms. O’Neal and Ms. Young, you seem to think by wearing the hat of producer or creator you are somehow separated from the negativity broadcast weekly on your show. You are not. While the women on your shows understand they are not actually role models you somehow seem to think you are. You are not. As a producer I look up to neither one of you women. Instead of using the great opportunity you’ve been given to change the stereotypes about your race and gender you instead feed into them and encourage the image damaging storylines. Instead of stopping the drama in its tracks by calming the volatile personalities and not putting them in positions they obviously don’t want to be in so you can instead focus on the charity events you all so love to get glammed up for and fight at, you leave editors and networks no choice but to include every kick, scratch and scuffle in sneek peaks, super trailers and full episodes because that is what makes money. ( The Real Housewives of Atlanta & Vh1 basketball wives )
This is entertainment television yes, but as a Black woman you two should feel some kind of responsibility to be more responsible to your community, your race and your gender. Black women remain “de mules of the earth” in every aspect of this country and now you two give people in this country more reason to step on us, over us and disrespect us. Have you no shame? ( The Real Housewives of Atlanta & Vh1 basketball wives )
Don’t answer that because I and everyone else who tunes into your show (for guilty pleasure, because you’re interested in the women’s lives whatever) already know you have no shame. We’ve seen Black men and women absolutely lose it on these shows. We’ve seen frivolous lawsuits filed. You’ve single handedly made a mockery of relationships, marriage and the title of wife. And the extravagance is played up in such a way reality is now a Frankensteinian amalgamation of Jerry Springer with the sets of Cribs. ( The Real Housewives of Atlanta & Vh1 basketball wives )
Reading the VIBE article Evelyn, Chrissy, Kandi and Tamar were who they were. The answers they gave and the conversations they had were as conflicted as their on screen caricatures of themselves. While I will take Braxton Family Values any day over Vh1 Basketball Wives, Real Housewives of Atlanta or Love & Hip-Hop this does not excuse the famous singing sisters’ tendency to go off on each other. It’s different with family yes, but Trina really did not need to yell to the world how much she loved her oral transaction with her band member.
Watching reality television will always leave the majority of its viewers displeased with the content. The hypocriticism we display by watching what we criticize week after week is no better than Mona Scott Young and Shaunie O’Neal’s statements, or the very public rebuking of the violence and promise to do better. The responsibility belongs to us the viewers as well. Shaunie O’Neal and Mona Scott Young are no role models and neither are their cast members, but neither are we the Black female viewership who only criticize but never turn away from what we say we detest.
Who Are the Real Role Models for young women of color?
Staff Writer; Nikesha Leeper
To connect with this sister feel free to visit; Change Comes Slow.
First, thank you for a VERY agreeable piece, on the disease of reality tv. With specifics towards our African-American women who sign up and sell their souls to accrue ratings, it’s indeed embarrassing. The cast of Basketball Wives would rather stand firm on NOT being role models, but however being “true” to themselves. Grown women [of any race or creed] with maturity, self-control and tact will denounce such a thing. No one needs your consent to be looked upon as a role model, it simply becomes so in many cases. And with that said, for the women who have daughters [Evelyn, Tami, Shaunie] what kind of platform are you setting for these children? Or wait, you want them to be raised “hard” or no, you’ll have a TALK that’ll be of damage control much like these well edited blogs you put out. Giving excuses for your business venture. Oh wait, and that you’re the chief but you can’t “control” your indians? Be serious!
These women are brainwashed by the power of money, and the power of adoration from thousands of equally lost supporters. This is larger than your attempt to avoid being deemed a role model. Frankly, we’re well awares that you should NOT hold such a title. We have notables like Angela Davis or first lady Michelle Obama that get lost in this stupidity shuffle. It’s became a trifle mess; a stain to our culture that has much more substance than what’s put out with this show and you make community leaders work even harder. Title given or not, many young immature females out here glorify your disgusting charades. I love what Tamia Hill [wife of Grant Hill] said about the show, because as a wife to an NBA player she spoke out about her disconnect to what that show is about. She knows that her life as a basketball wife is far removed from the angle Shaunie has “attempted” to portray.
Shaunie O’Neal knows what she’s doing. It’s all about bankrolling for this woman which I’ll never understand. NOTHING positive comes from this show. Is there not any sound person around this woman to open her eyes to her playing in dirt with a show like this?! I’ve negated to watch this season but the big stomach turning episode with Tami Roman spread like wildfire and so I felt inclined to see about it unfortunately. Much like what Ms. Leeper stated it’s “a guilty pleasure” yet it’s so safe to say we watch the buffoonery to DISCERN these people.
Shaunie O’Neal was concerned about being soft spoken or saying very little to diffuse every single situation presented. If you’re smart, you know that’s her tactic…to seem interested in playing peacemaker. Snake. You have your face time dear…that’s what that is, we see you Shaunie. We see how strategic yet transparent you are. She has audacity to feel wronged about Jennifer Williams pulling back communication from her; that’s a simpleton for you. Like Jennifer, why would I associate with you if you condone every storm of a gathering I attend? Logical viewers know that these women are obligated to show face at SOME of these crazy OK Corral stand-off events. Tami Roman behaves like a reckless animal to a woman who clearly didn’t welcome that heavy cloud of bullying. As the overseer Shaunie lost ALL respect from this viewer.
Oh yeah….and I absolutely LOVED this line:
You’ve single handedly made a mockery of relationships, marriage and the title of wife. And the extravagance is played up in such a way reality is now a Frankensteinian amalgamation of Jerry Springer with the sets of Cribs. ( The Real Housewives of Atlanta & Vh1 basketball wives )
That was soooo classic and correct! The sad part is…none of the women associated with these shows (with the exception of just a few) know what mockery, extravagance or Frankensteinian amalgation means.
I stopped watching a long time ago. I just stay vocal on the message boards against them now. I keep a tab online to make sure that I sign petitions, comment against them and maintain a VOCAL stance AGAINST this foolishness. I applaud the author of this article. You did hit the nail on the head. When we watch, we are only stimulating their ratings. That’s why I stopped. I didn’t want to give ONE number in viewership to them. I would like to commend everyone who speaks out though. We cannot allow ourselves to be slaves to the social stereotypes that are attempting to be imposed on us as African American women. We are so much more than what these women portray. They really need to just stop chasing a fast dollar and go get educated. It helps to mature you as a person and fill your life with something other than booze, men and fighting.
Continue to speak out ladies of America! This crap is not conducive to our society’s growth as a whole or for our young children individually.
Again, thanks to the author. Please continue to educate us. Speak loud…speak proud!
Jennifer I am so proud of you as a woman. You make us look good. Evelyn go get married, but I wouldn’t watch your wedding if it was the only show on TV. You use to be one of my favorite. You and Jen can dress. You were the pretty light complexion doll and she was the pretty dark doll and boy you two were so classy. But you got mad over a blog! You two were friends and friends go through ups and down together. No friend is perfect not even the new one you associate with now. Suzy is the most two faced woman I have ever seen. Some one should put her in her place. She is the drama. She causes everyone to lose their KOOL over comments. Shaunie stop playing both sides be a real boss and make this show better. If not I hope this reality show is cancelled.
SHAUNIE,EVELYN,TAMMIE,YOU RICH BIT—- NEED TO GROW UP AND STOP ACTING LIKE PRESCHOOLERS,AND BEING A BULLY.ESPECIALLY EVELYN AND TAMMIE YOU HAVE CHILDREN AND YOU THINK IT IS COOL FOR YOUR KIDS TO WATCH YOU ACTING LIKE A GROUP OF GHETTO ANIMALS IS YOUR LIVES THAT EMPTY THAT YOU DON’T HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN THIS .SOME KIND OF EXAMPLE YOU ARE SETTING FOR ALL THE YOUNG WOMEN THAT ARE WATCHING THIS SHOW.MY OPINION IS THAT THIS WHOLE SHOW NEEDS TO BE CANCELLED.AND THERE ARE SOME BLACK WOMEN THAT ARE PETITIONING AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BOYCOTT.EVELYN AND TAMMIE ARE BIG BULLIES AND YOU JUST HAVEN’T RAN ACROSS THE RIGHT BITCH YET.SUSIE NEEDS TO KEEP HER BIG ASS SCARY MOUTH CLOSED,BECAUSED AT ONE POINT THEY WERE BULLYING HER PERVERTED ASS.ALL OF THE FORE MENTION NAMES NEED TO ACT YOUR AGE AND NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE IT A SHAME TO THE WOMEN RACE,TO THINK THAT BULLING IS OK AND IT IS NOT. AND IF ALL YOUR LIVES WERE ALL THAT THEN WHY ARE THE MOST OF YOU DIVORCED OR MAN LESS.AND EVELYN YOU NEED TO GET YOUR OWN LIFE IN ORDER IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. THE WHOLE WORLD IS SICK OF YOU ALL GET A REAL LIFE PRAY AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, THE WAY YOU TREAT PEOPLE.PUTTING DEAD FISH IN A PERSON ROOM I WISH IT WAS ME I WOULD SHOW YOU PSYCHO FOR REAL.JUST SPEAKING MY MIND.
what is wrong with Shaunie?
Dear Shaunie 1 question y didn’t u speak up and tell Tami to give Kesha’s purse back y didn’t u do the right thing u would’ve want some1 to do this for ur loved one or ur children it would have been ok bcause it was the right thing to do u want to come on here and talk about shopping and clothes and the weather as if nothing happened how can we feel that u r sincere about the upcoming changes for next season if u wont even face the issue we r not talking about watching it as a topic on the reunion ur thinking that will settle it all u must b one empty person if u think everything can b handled in this manner u must address this issue like u want us to continue watching and support ur show u have truly sold ur soul but all the money, expensive clothes and shoes cannot fix ur broken soul if u cannot face the messy environment that u have created it will b business as usual like when she attacked Meeka no one deserves this surely u r not that broken.
Njoy ur devlish life cause VH1 truly owns ur soul and u 2 r a match made in hell.
Shaunie was responsible for setting the stage for the Meeka situation , Shaunie was the one who brought Tami to the show doing her close ups and cameo’s with the camera stating she didnt know how they were going to take Tami or what they were going to think of her she knew this girl was volatile which was the reason she brought her on there with all that dam grinning all while she is talking she thinks that she is so far removed from the gutter mess but really she iz right in the middle stirring the pot then stepping back but the dumb 3-5 mil peeps that watch it dont c her part that she iz playing like she is invisible.
Shaunie feeds and clothes her kids and maintains a lifestyle off the ignorant BS that is know as bbw.
Every last one of them are really using the show to advance their sales
Evelyn selling shoes cosmetics
Jen cosmetics
Kenya becoming a rap video star over 40 and use proceeds to buy more box cutters
Suzy buy more washcloths or hankies for wiping spittle from gossiping in peeps face
Royce hankies or to get a social network number for a new boyfriend every season
But basically its all about the benjamins baby
this show is past repair enuff already.
Plz dont b fooled by this tactic of damage control and here Tami iz selling
http://tamiroman.spreadshirt.com/you-got-2-minutes-A9862801
her infamous line to Kesha
And Tami is also in damage control bcause she iz starting to take her nonsense over to TV1 this summer
What’s the next step as you move forward with the Tami Roman brand?
I just signed on to be one of the new cast members for a new TV show called “Belle” with TV One which should be out this summer. It stars Ella Joyce from the hit TV series “Roc” and the beautiful Elise Neal from the D.L. Hughley show [‘The Hughleys”] and the legendary Keith David. My book is coming and I’m also the new face of Bronner Brothers Products.
I will not support a bully in any endeavors now or n the future.
This is one of the worse things on television for anyone to watch. They should be ashamed.
What more to say? you expressed exactly what needed to be said. These shows are embarassing, sickening and insane. Thank you so much!