Today my friend was telling me about Rickey Smiley going off on the radio about “Basketball Wives.” Apparently young girls aspire to be basketball wives (after having watched the show) and he was outraged. Lots of people talk cash s**t about reality shows, specifically “Basketball Wives.” And while I do think there are some things that can be done differently, I also think people need to understand what television is: entertainment. Blaming reality television (or Black sitcoms and movies) for depicting Black people in a bad way is the same as blaming crime and drop-out rates on musicians. Stop using entertainment as a scapegoat.
First of all, start at home. If a teenage girl is aspiring to have fast money and to sell her soul—and body—for Prada and Christian Louboutin, she already has an issue, and it starts at home. Stop letting TV raise your children. YOU should be their biggest influence, their role model. Don’t blame Evelyn and Tami; don’t blame VH1, you, as the parent, are to blame for not influencing your children right. I said it.
Secondly, quit depending on television to represent you. Be your own PR agent. I’m tired of hearing how movies, music and TV make Black people look bad. “Basketball Wives” has nothing to do with you not being able to keep a job, finish school or save any money. You are your biggest representative. Take some accountability.
Third and final point, respect things for what they were created to be. Everybody has a job; VH1 has a job to entertain; as ratchet as it might be, if they’re getting the ratings they need, they’re doing their job. Parents, make sure you’re doing yours too. Use some discernment. Don’t just focus on the glitz and glamour; really take in what the message is of these shows. If everyone is divorced, has been cheated on and has no foundation/identity/money of their own, it’s clear that aspiring to be them is a lost cause.
Get it together. No one is to blame for your image but YOU. Period.
First of all, start at home. If a teenage girl is aspiring to have fast money and to sell her soul—and body—for Prada and Christian Louboutin, she already has an issue, and it starts at home. Stop letting TV raise your children. YOU should be their biggest influence, their role model. Don’t blame Evelyn and Tami; don’t blame VH1, you, as the parent, are to blame for not influencing your children right. I said it.
Secondly, quit depending on television to represent you. Be your own PR agent. I’m tired of hearing how movies, music and TV make Black people look bad. “Basketball Wives” has nothing to do with you not being able to keep a job, finish school or save any money. You are your biggest representative. Take some accountability.
Third and final point, respect things for what they were created to be. Everybody has a job; VH1 has a job to entertain; as ratchet as it might be, if they’re getting the ratings they need, they’re doing their job. Parents, make sure you’re doing yours too. Use some discernment. Don’t just focus on the glitz and glamour; really take in what the message is of these shows. If everyone is divorced, has been cheated on and has no foundation/identity/money of their own, it’s clear that aspiring to be them is a lost cause.
Get it together. No one is to blame for your image but YOU. Period.
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