Let’s talk about it…… Basketball wives

So I did an earlier blog admitting that I suffered from an addiction to reality tv. Luckily as soon as I discussed my issue on here it seemed to wane. I still watched reality TV but not with the vigour that I once did and what I watched last night put me off even further. Basketball Wives is now in its fourth series, woop woop or womp womp (you choose) but no previous episode has sparked as much controversy, debate and even a law suit.

I won’t bore you with the intimate details of the bickering that is going on between the many cast members but I will say is that what I witnesses last night physically disgusted me. It seems as if the fact that something is being played on TV allows the participants to do exactly what they feel without any recompense or restriction. It also seems to give them a sense of invincibility as well.

A lot of commentators on this show have repeatedly made the point that the show’s characters (along with the characters of similar shows) bully, harass and abuse the other members in order to secure a “good” story line. Frankly, they seem to be out of control. In the episode just shown we saw a completely unnecessary violent attack against another cast member. Why do these programmes, especially basketball wives, feel the need to abuse a cast member for an entire series in the name of entertainment? I have watched many fights but this one was completely ridiculous and it shocked me that a women could think it was okay to slap another woman for no apparent reason and think nothing was wrong with this behaviour. She seemed to feel completely justified and in no way ashamed.

Well, the story doesn’t end there and thankfully the woman (who is not even a paid cast member) who assaulted another cast member is being sued. From watching the earlier episodes of the show I am convinced that the show’s producers maliciously orchestrated a situation which would lead to a fight, taking advantage of the fact that this non-cast member was desperate for the lime light. I hope this law suit will deter others from partaking in such foolishness.

I think the root of my offence to this situation is the fact that as a black women, I hate to see other black women portrayed as aggressive, ignorant and out of control as I have to live with the effects of such stereotypes in my day-to-day life and have attributes attached to me that are completely inaccurate. A show like this may be an opportunity to make a quick buck, but it should never be acceptable to make yourself look like a barbarian for money or fame. Unfortunately that seems to be a downfall for black women in these shows.

Below I have a picture of a fight from another episode. On this occasion it was deemed as acceptable to throw a bottle of wine in a packed restaurant because someone was called “loose”.

Ms Carter Loves…. Reality TV

I love reality tv. I admit it. My name is Natalie and I am a reality tv addict. Anyone who knows me knows I have a “problem.” I just hate it when my “habit” slips out and some condemns me, tells me that Reality TV is a waste of time and then looks at me like I am really sad because I have nothing else better to do watch people make idiots of themselves for money.

The advent of Reality TV is something we never predicted, we didn’t even see it coming. It started with programmes such as “Big Brother,” and “I’m Celebrity Get Me Out of Here,” and spiralled into a new breed of shows based upon friendships and relationships that are clearly fake or being manipulated for TV. My description is harsh but I am still an avid fan of these shows and I can tell you why.

Firstly, they are filled with DRAMA! There is something about a Reality TV show! The shock of that fight or confrontation, the fear of an outcome you know will never happen. These shows make you feel like you are a fly on the wall in the midst of this crazy story. The fact that the shows usually follow wealthy women (who for the most part are kept) living fabulous lifestyles is another reason the average viewer is drawn. It is in a slight sense, a chance to see how the other half live, to see them fight, betray their friends, fail and suffer the embarrassment of their failures.

The ONLY problem with these shows is that they are not creative. These participants are sacrificing their privacy and their lives to become the pawns of producers who need to make a “juicy,” show and sometimes, in fact numerous times, the boundaries are crossed. Also no matter the theme of the show, the same type of story lines run across numerous shows as the same issues in relationship surface, after all the participants are only human. I particularly feel sorry for the men who are dragged into these shows by their partners who need them to participate to make the show viable. There are a lot of cringeworthy moments and equally an abundance of mind numbing stories and fights.

I have tried to give up watching these shows so many times but just can’t seem to. I do worry that sitting back watching people live, watching people get paid because I am watching them live, is in a subconscious sense holding me back from living – and that in itself is VERY scary! What’s more scary is the lifestyle these programmes promote. Wealth without work, violence without consequences and that a lack of respect for oneself is acceptable if you have money and/or fame. As an intelligent woman I really shouldn’t indulge in these shows the way that I do and hopefully this blog is the first step in me toning it down (No I will not quit!)

Love Me xx

ps both pictures feature stills from my three top shows, Love and Hip Hop, Mob Wives and the classic Basketball Wives LA! (and yes there are classic reality tv shows!)