How many of you watch The Real Housewives series? Particularly Atlanta? The other night was my first time watching an episode from start to finish. The first time I caught a glimpse of this show was during the famous "Who gon' check me boo?" episode. I think that was last season. I haven't watched since, so I figured I'd give it another shot by watching the season premiere.
I see why men and women watch this and every other Real Housewives show....and reality tv in general. Train Wreck.
Now, don't get me wrong, "who gon' check me boo?" was funny. At the end of the day, it's entertainment, and anyone who knows "reality" tv knows that producers tell these folks to dial it up for the cameras. It's not "reality" at all.
But in watching the show the other night, all I could think was, "These women have money, but can't buy class." Some would call them ghetto. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but when dealing with stereotypes that Black women are subject to on a daily basis - it makes you go "hmmm."
Black women are often thought of as loud, ignorant, opinionated gold diggers - and shows like RHOA and Basketball Wives does little to dispel that myth. I understand that these women don't have a gun pointed at their heads telling them to behave this way, but their portrayal is less than appealing...to me. We all know women like NeNe who "keep it real" or self proclaimed "fabulous" woman like Phaedra...you know...the "Goddess"...but honestly, I don't have a group of friends like this of ANY race. Not that these women are really "friends"...but you get my drift.
To be fair, the women in the other Housewives franchises aren't depicted as debutantes who drink tea every afternoon either. If you get a group of women who feign friendship together of any race, something is bound to jump off at some point. But is that to suggest that women, no matter which race, can't get along for any length of time? Do "women" automatically mean "drama?"
If you watch this show, or any show like it, do you think it portrays women in a negative light - or Black women in particular? Or do you simply see it as entertainment and believe that we shouldn't lend any weight to how only a "few" (Black) women are portrayed on television?
Let's hear it!
-b
