There comes a time when every reality show gets stuck on a topic/idea that drags down every episode it pops up in. Too much time and energy getting spent on something, particularly something vexing, can make things feel much slower than they actually are. A show like Basketball Wives thrives when it’s energetic and fast-paced; not necessarily loud and full of fisticuffs, just that the very nature of reality like this is to show a lot and keep. it. movin’. When it doesn’t, things can get mighty tedious.
I’m beyond over all the Kenya bashing going on right now. How many episodes have been about how much everybody hates Kenya and makes fun of her? Every time the poor girl is on screen, somebody’s making fun of her clothes, her hair, her career, her friendships, and it’s a little old to see the same person take the brunt of the punishment time and time again. Episode after episode. Part of the fun of Basketball Wives is seeing different people mix it up, but if the person everybody’s going after isn’t “returning fire”, how is that entertaining? This is exactly what happened with Meeka and why I found a lot of season 3 to be icky. The “big girls in charge” got after the weaklings or the girls without any back-up, never letting go until they force them off the show or make them join “the circle”. How messed up is that? Why do you feel the need to continually come at somebody that’s obviously not coming back at you with equal force? Have whatever opinion you want about somebody, but the “everybody gang up and talk mess on Kenya” set-up that Basketball Wives has leaned on this season has gone from slightly funny to really disgusting.
I mean, Tami and Shaunie’s reaction to the winery fight, all giggles, vacay plans, and self-concern, said it all. They’re not checking Evelyn for acting like a heathen or potentially hurting Kenya; they’re worried about Evelyn going to jail and themselves getting marked up by the bottle/plate. No mention of how behavior like that is not cute nor acceptable for anybody over the age of 15; no trying to get Evelyn to act like she has two licks of sense to rub together whenever she’s around a person that doesn’t kiss her behind. I don’t expect Basketball Wives to turn into a hugging contest followed by cookie time; I just think that when other people’s safety is threatened, it’s time to forget your issues with somebody and come down to earth for a little bit. For all her blather about trying to make Basketball Wives a more balanced, respectable show, Shaunie’s continual blind-eye to Evelyn’s stank-ness is hypocritical and a little shameful.
But Jennifer has a little blame for the music video screening debacle. Even though I loved that she buried the hatchet with Royce (finally!), telling Kenya to invite everybody wasn’t the best move. Jennifer may not want drama for herself, but she knows that Kenya likes her and would listen to whatever she told her to do. Considering her knowledge of how “real” Tami is, how much of an ax to grind Kesha has, and how Suzie has never had a good word to say about Kenya, maybe telling Kenya to invite them didn’t make that much sense. At the screening, though, it just went to another level, in terms of the mob mentality that’s been dominating the past few episodes. There’s a difference between constructive criticism and tearing something apart, between being honest and being intentionally malicious to try and get at somebody. Had the panel been only Royce and Jennifer, I think it could have been more constructive and helpful, but between Tami’s hateful reaction (the “rephrasing” argument made my skin crawl), her random ass cousin that wanted some TV time, and Suzie being Suzie, it was a mess. And not in a good way.
Personally, I thought Kenya’s video was alright for an indie/unsigned artist, but nothing special overall. In no way should it have inspired the type of reaction it got, so you had to feel for Kenya getting reamed by the peanut gallery. I started out the season not being that big of a fan of Kenya, but after the constant bullying and vendettas these women have against her, I’m rooting for her to start sticking it to them. Reality TV like Basketball Wives should never pull any punches, but this is the second season in a row that the new cast members are getting ripped apart. It can be funny, in doses, but it’s been pretty relentless for a season and a half and it’s time for everybody to move on. For all the promise about this being an unpredictable season and the circle becoming a straight line, it looks like things are the same as they ever were and the Basketball Wives sacred cows are exactly that.
Cows.
Thoughts, Quotes, & Observations:
-“Listen, I’m not tryna row no boat with her.”
-“Ev, your face.”
-“Cheers to having drinks every day.” Yay alcohol dependence?
-Kenya’s ex Charlie alleges that she’s too loose…with her coins, splurging on cars and (wait for it) plastic surgery. Mmhmm.
-You want to watch interviews with Tami and Evelyn? Here ya go. And read blogs from Evelyn, Tami, and Royce about last week’s episode? I got those for you, too. While we’re at it, here are my thoughts about the episode, too.
-Kenya’s single “Fly” is on iTunes.
-Do you have a question you’d love to have answered at the Basketball Wives reunion special? You can submit them here. If you’d like to be in the audience, you can go here to find out details about possibly getting a ticket.
-Next week on Basketball Wives: Tami and her mother continue their emotional talk, the girls head to the race track, and Evelyn’s assistant gets into it with Jennifer.
Follow Us
