Re-Segregate the Housewives (This Black-Ass Life)
This week, we’re talking about why it’s not enough to add an Eboni and her Black history dinners to a Real Housewives of New York. The Housewives are following the old “add a Negro to the room and everything is fine model” of racial justice and instead of the racial utopia producer imagined, we have Eboni K. Williams explaining who Madam C. J. Walker is to Ramona “turtle time” Singer.
I. The Facts
Since Summer 2020, the Housewives franchise has added a PoC to most of the all-white casts, with rumors of the other casts being integrated.
It has been one unmitigated disaster after another:
RHOBH: There is Kyle Richards lying on the very beautiful Garcelle Beauvais, saying she doesn’t pay her bills; there’s also Sutton being offended when Asian cast member Crystal simply brings up racism AND THEN says that as a wealthy white woman from the South, she’s discriminated against because she “talk funny.”
RHOSLC: Remember when all of the white women cast members shut down because non-white cast member Jen Shah tried to explain the racial implications of calling WoC aggressive?
RHONY: This whole season is… just WOW. Eboni K. Williams is trying her darndest to educate someone who peed in the middle of a corn maze and another person who voted for Tangerine Turdface and calls reggae, “ruhgay.”
RHOD: A woman who sells pink dog food (yes, pink dog food) compared her Chinese cast member who happens to be a doctor by the way, to a Thai sex worker. Pink dog food lady and her family subsequently continued to harass Dr. Tiffany Moon.
** We don’t count “where is your scooter Kim Zolciak-Biermann” on RHOA. #FreeSweetie**
Why does it matter?
By literally dropping women of color, particularly Black women, into these franchises, the network is seeking to absolve itself of doing the work of actually addressing racial injustice.
This is something that is happening across not only entertainment, but also all other facets of American life post-Summer 2020. Instead of doing the intentional work of addressing racial injustice, we got things like changing “master bedroom” into “owner’s bedroom,” deleting a very hilarious episode of the Golden Girls, a Black Bachelor openly dating an antebellum stan, and all kinds of other ridiculousness.
We also got articles, notes app IG posts and podcasts on privilege from people in power who had no interest in sharing or relinquishing said power. Combined with the random airdropping of a negro into a cast or a boardroom, the actual hard work of intentionally uplifting Black people has been sidelined for this performative bullshit.
Question for Bravo executives, how many Black people were added behind the camera in positions of power at the same time y’all brought on these WoC?
The BIPOC women on these casts deserve better than this. Can you imagine being at your job and being asked to teach white women about racial justice? Actually, we can, which is another reason why we hate this. It’s triggering.
We are proud purveyors of trash television. We watch these shows for ignorance, unhinged behavior and laughs. Terms like racial reckoning do not belong in the same sentence as Countess Luann de Lesseps.
Finally, WE LOVE WHITE MESS! White excellence happens white people fight each other - especially white women. Both in real life and entertainment. We’re talking The Berkshires, Scary Island, Teresa Giudice table flipping, the Kushner family drama, that inbred clan across the pond, Big Little Lies (SEASON ONE), All of Succession; we could go on!
These whites don’t need to pause for a moment of silence to reckon. They need to square up at pilates or a charity event red carpet!
What can my Black ass do?
Read more from Ira Madison III on why it’s ultimately not interesting on a show like RHONY to watch interactions where a random person of color joins an all white group to be in the position of educator.
Have fun. Enjoy whatever messy T.V. you like.
Don’t feel compelled to teach any racial anything to a wealthy white housewife or any white person for that matter.
ll. Other Things
Sad things, happy things
We lost far too many greats. RIP to Biz Markie, Gloria Richardson, Charles Robinson and Suzzanne Douglas.
Read this on #FreeBritney and the Disability Rights Movement.
On a lighter note, Normani, YOU DID THAT.
Also, Willow has ARRIVED.
Two lovely profiles in case you missed them: Lil Nas X and Saweetie.
Our Black-Ass song(s) of the week (Jumoke):
Anti is the most underrated album of the past decade. It is Rihanna’s magnum opus which is why I keep coming back to it. The whole album.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Jumoke) look forward to the white mess that is Erika Girardi’s fraudulent divorce storyline play out on RHOBH.
I (Mitu) look forward to what the girls have to offer on Real Housewives of Potomac.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Parent
Jumoke is permitted to sleep! Big day!
Stay Black, thrive and remember it’s ok to sleep!