Print
Email
Don't be so quick to judge. Weaves, tattoos and Southern twangs aside, BET's latest reality show isn't as one-dimensional as you may think.
Admittedly, I was suspicious of news that Tameka “Tiny” Cottle and Antonia “Toya” Carter—concubines of hip-hop royalty, T.I. and Lil Wayne, respectively—were going to have their own reality show on BET: Was this BET’s answer to The Real Housewives of Atlanta? Did we really need to see The Baby Mamas of Bankhead?
But Tiny & Toya, which airs its season finale tonight, surprised me. It’s far from being yet another entrant into the Coonery Hall of Shame.
Granted, the show is not without faults. If I weren’t a Southern boy, I’d probably watch Tiny & Toya and wonder whether slavery ended only a week ago, given the intensity of their accents. The tough twangs aside, this show offers a bit more depth than you would imagine.
I wasn’t expecting to see Toya fight to keep her drug-abusing mother off the streets of New Orleans or Tiny cope with a parent suffering from Alzheimer’s. I anticipated shopping at Lenox Square Mall, fights at Magic City and random trips to tattoo parlors.
But so what if it did? Tiny & Toya is not paving the way for the destruction of black people.
The same can be said of House of Payne, The Game, The Real Housewives of Atlanta or any other show perceived to be “low brow” and full of “buffoonery.” Sure, these shows are often
one-dimensional and rely too heavily on racial, gender and class stereotypes for laughs. But welcome to the world of television, where “real” life is frequently played for laughs.
Far too often some black people feel compelled to label anything perceived as “ghetto” as a minstrel show. Tiny & Toya is the latest scapegoat, dubbed by its detractors as a disgrace to black women. Others have branded the show reality TV’s answer to Garfield & Odie.
Perhaps both Tiny and Toya are a little too dependent on the famous men in their lives, but Garfield & Odie? What’s next? Calling Frankie & Neffe—BET’s reality show featuring Keyshia Cole’s mother and sister—the new Lilo & Stitch?
This sort of condemnation often reads as elitist and ignores the fact that no matter how embarrassing these images may seem to the black upper crust, they represent a very real slice of life for many television viewers.
If you judge them solely by their hair color, number of tattoos and accents, it’s likely you’ll never get a chance to see Tiny & Toya as anything more than a caricature. And like it or not, the audiences in which these shows appeal to deserve their own programming, too.
I tried to watch an episode of Turner Broadcasting’s House of Payne. I didn’t make it past 90 seconds. I’ve laughed more when I had my wisdom teeth pulled.
However, I’m no longer complaining. The show isn’t for me, and that’s OK. Tyler Perry’s programming caters to a demographic long ignored by those in the entertainment industry—including the few blacks working in it. Instead of whining about not seeing himself reflected on television, Perry went out and put himself and like-minded people on stage, and ultimately the big and small screens.
TBS may be the TV hub for Tyler Perry, but sister network TNT has provided Jada Pinkett Smith an outlet for her middle-class medical drama, Hawthorne.
Each of us is afforded that same opportunity.
Yes, it’s hard to break into television, particularly for people of color. But with the expansion of cable, now more than ever, we can show that we are as diverse a culture as any other.
For those who sit behind their computers, writing rants about the sort of programming they feel is beneath them, pull your nose down long enough to realize complaints alone won’t solve the problem.
If you want to do better, go out and make something.
Tiny & Toya did, and right now they’re winning on TV, baybee.
Michael Arceneaux writes the blog, The Recession Diaries, for The Root.
Comments
It’s far from being yet another entrant into the Coonery Hall of Shame. online games
Louis Vuitton Handbags are perfect imitations, indistinguishable from the real thing.
Our replica Luis Vuitton collection includes everything; Monogram Perfo Pochettes, compact wallets and Speedy satchels can be yours for below-market prices when you buy from Fake-designer.com. The same goes for each and every item in our Louie Vuitton lines- from our Louis Vuitton Bags to our Fendi handbags. If you love Cheap Louis Vuitton, ,designer Replica Louis Vuitton;Fake-designer.com has something for you.
All of our fake Louis Vuitton Outlet are made to look and feel just like the originals. No one will be able to tell you’re carrying one of our fake Louis Vuitton Sale, because our imitation Louis Vuitton Online Saleare identical to the real thing.
Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse Nerverfull MM Replica M48613 On Sale - Cheap Louis Vuitton Wallets,Handbags,Bags,Purses Shop Outlet Louis Vuitton Damier Canvas Eva Clutch Replica N55213 On Sale - Cheap Louis Vuitton Wallets,Handbags,Bags,Purses Shop Outlet Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Houston Replica M91122 YELLOW On Sale - Cheap Louis Vuitton Wallets,Handbags,Bags,Purses Shop Outlet Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Canvas Key and Change Holder Replica N62659 On Sale - Cheap Louis Vuitton Wallets,Handbags,Bags,Purses Shop Outlet
louis vuitton outlet
Anyone know louis vuitton near by? I am looking for one but never get.
I just bought this bag from louis vuitton online shop which located in New York city, it’s wonderful.
louis vuitton sale are located in all major cities such as Shanghai, New York, etc, you may travel to these cities and get one for yourself.
Viacom, the same company that owns MTV and VH1, owns BET. I wouldn't assume that BET hires anymore black people than MTV.
I haven't seen this show but anyone trying to deal with sick parents doesn't sound totally reprehensible to me.
If this isn't your cup of tea, don't watch it. I despise Martin Lawrence because he seems to be the reincarantion of blackface. I don't watch anything with him in it. If you do, fine. That's why god put channel selectors and on/off buttons on the remote.
I have watched RHOA and was horrified. These low rent people do not have middle class values. They are buffons who fell butt backwards into money and took their low rent values with them. You've heard the expression "You can dress them up but you can't take them out."
The only images that I pick up the banner over are in rap and hip hop. Vulgar, mysogenistic and disgusting.
My husband and I took the boys and spent a couple of days Maryland visiting his family, then we paid a visit to my paternal grandmother, who got such a kick out of seeing her great grandchildren...very touching and an all around lovely mini-vacation.
gul ware u been at???? glad to see ya agin, holla!!!!
Regarding Tameka and Antonia...it's not like their sitting on their butts all day doing nothing all day, especially Tameka. In addition to taking care of her family and home while TI is "away", she is starting a new girl group and opening a nail salon. Antonia is working to get her mother off drugs and off the streets, and caring for her own family as well. And while I question the...sanity?...of any woman who would have children with a man without the benefit of marriage, it's apparent to me that Tameka truly loves TI...and he her.
Look at it this way...they could be laying up on welfare, living off our tax dollars. They're not. They're doing their thing, and living their lives the way they see fit...whether or not we approve.
What is the world coming to when someone from a website like this (which I respect) takes the time out to defend a show like this. I agree with many that most reality shows offer little in the way of substance, but I don't see many articles defending the intricacies of "Big Brother" or the social commentary of "Rock of Love"--so there should be no defense of this. I'm not saying these ladies don't have anything to offer entertainment wise, but to even say that its not as bad as expected still glorifies crap like this and all a whole lot of people are asking is for people like Tiny & Toya (reality STARS) to simply go away.
If so many people are disgusted by programming that negatively stereotypes black people, then who's watching it? The truth is that there are a lot of black people who will watch offensive programming just because there are black people featured. Then they write articles defending it. If you are offended, stop watching. But spare me the double talk.
This discussion should not be about black snobbery.
Just as members of the black upper crust may find Tiny and Toya stereotypical and distasteful, certainly others in their ranks do, indeed, watch and enjoy this show.
Labeling anyone who criticizes this show as black bourgeoisie is a stereotype in itself. A better label would be, hmm, "people who enjoy watching black stereotypes."
Members of all levels of society -- yes, including the poor -- are disgusted by these shows too. Any of us who have visited family in the ghetto know that many who live there are simply "poor" and have low paying jobs, and just can't afford to move to a better neighborhood.
They DO NOT all act like Toya and Tiny -- although you will definitely run into a few broke Toya's and Tiny's before you make it inside the home of the family you are visiting.
Someone complained about how some articles on this site are in favor of these types of shows and others are against them. The answer to that complaint (for the umpteenth time on this site) is we and the contributors on this site do not think and act alike. Any racist that visits this site and reads the varied opinions in the postings and STILL walks away thinking that we are monolith is just plain ignorant.