Entertainment

Reel-ality TV Talk

Published

11 years ago

April 20, 2015

By Marquesa LaDawn
NNPA Columnist

It’s jail time for another Real Housewife, this time in Beverly Hills (RHOBH).

After defending herself on several episodes and accusing the other housewives of ruining her reputation, the truth comes out. My girl, Kim Richards, needs help. Do you remember the fire in her eyes clearly seen during the three-part reunion?

Anger at Lisa Rinna for calling her out and saying she needs help.
Anger at Eileen and Lisa V. for saying she needs to take responsibility
Anger at her sister Kyle, for everything, especially for not defending her behavior.
Anger at pretty much everyone during the season, except Brandi, her new BFF.

Now, we hear Kim was arrested for public intoxication and hitting a cop. She didn’t just hit a cop, she has hit rock bottom. As much as I understand the entertainment value of her appearing on RHOBH, not to mention the checks, she needs to leave and heal. We’re praying for you Kim.

As for the other housewives, fresh off Part 3 of the reunion, the million dollar question is: Who should return next season. Here’s my take:

Lisa Rinna – although the fire came late, she’s hot now and knows how to keep us engaged.
Brandi – I think we have to admit she’s interestingly bad.
Kyle – she’s the heart of the show and she deserves some happy times. I enjoyed seeing her stick up for herself
Eileen – although she started off a bit boring, she became the voice of reason
Lisa V. – She was a bit quiet this season, but really spoke up during the reunion. Gotta love her style.
Kim R. – As I said, she needs time off to heal.
Yolanda – Ditto. She could use a break.
Camille – She is living it up these days, come on back!

Until next season, or the next arrest, bye, bye Beverly Hills Housewives; you had a great season!

In NYC, I’m so happy that “Queen B” Bethenny, the housewife famous for becoming a millionaire with her brain on reality TV is back. In the first episode we caught up with the ladies, especially Bethenny, as she searches for a new space post-divorce.
In the second episode, we got to see Bethenny connect with the ladies and it was as explosive as imagined. Ramona, although really nice in the first episode, became the “It’s my world and everybody’s living in it” lioness.

She started off by making sure she arrived after Bethenny. I guess she wanted to make an entrance. When she did come in, she arrived dressed a few years younger than normal. She accused her soon to be ex-husband of going thru a “mid-life crisis.” Clearly, he sin’t the only one. She made sure the conversation was about her and no one else. As soon as Bethenny invited the ladies out for brunch, Ramona responded with, no, you can’t do that, it’s improper to invite someone else’s guests out.

Sorry, I checked with the Book of Manners, they have to actually be your guest and not folks staying at your house out of convenience. This was not your trip or event, it was Luann’s. I loved that Andy Cohen showed a clip of Romana asking another housewife to have brunch with her during a previous season. Yes, someone else’s guest. We all know this was Romana’s way of saying, you may be a star Bethenny but I’m the star of the RHONY ship. Although I don’t agree, it will keep things interesting for us all season. Welcome ladies!

Nene still running away, this seems to be the “it” thing for the ladies of RHOA…

Early in the episode it seemed like Todd, Kandi’s new hubby, was “running away” again for business. Poor Kandi, she is officially worried that her new marriage has no legs. I think, he felt powerless during their engagement and is now happily distracted by his hit show on TVOne. To refresh your memory, Mama Joyce showed her disdain for him at every turn. She even let it be known that she would pay for any dirt anyone could find on
Todd. Complete disrespect by Mama Joyce towards him and his family, even on the day of the wedding. And Kandi was threatening to not marry him unless he signed a prenup. Although, I agree that was a smart move, but the way it was handled was wrong.

Here’s the good news – yes there is some – I follow Kandi on social media and she seems to be more comfortable in her marriage. I hope that it will last. On the other hand,
I’ve lost hope that Nene will actually listen to someone who questions her questionable behavior. She now runs away and that is exactly what happened in this scene. Claudia asked Nene why she left the therapy session and tried to compliment her for setting up the session. Of course, Nene took this as someone putting her down and reacted by getting defensive and storming out. Her sorority sisters, Porsha and Phaedra attempted to calm her and re-engage her, but no luck.

On “Watch What Happens Live,” we got to see Porsha and Phaedra again on the Nene cheerleader train. What made the episode interesting was Phaedra acknowledging not divorcing her imprisoned husband. We all know that she’s a smart lady and wants to make sure he cannot testify against her, so he will stay her husband. We’re in for a couple of more episodes before the traditionally unbelievable reunion.

Marquesa LaDawn is a professional businesswoman who escapes the pressures of living in New York City by retreating into the real world of reality TV. Follow me on twitter @realityshowgirl and subscribe to her podcast at www.RealitytvGirl.com.

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Arts and Culture

COMMENTARY: Black Music is the Sound of Black Freedom: Let Us Reclaim Both This Juneteenth

Black Music Month started when Black Music Association members Ed Wright, Kenny Gamble and his wife, journalist and radio host Dyanna Williams were able to persuade President Jimmy Carter to establish the observation on June 7, 1979.

Published

15 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Robert Johnson (1911-1938) is thought of as the godfather of blues music, especially Delta blues. The 29 songs recorded by him during his short life have been of massive inspiration to guitarists and musicians over the last 80 years. Public domain photo.

By Wanda Ravernell

Black Music Month and Juneteenth are inextricably linked – Black music is the sound of our freedom.

From the plaintive moans of the enslaved Africans’ ‘sorrow songs,’ to the fields of Civil War battle where Black soldiers picked up abandoned bugles, to the upright piano played in juke joints on Saturday night and churches come Sunday morning, our ancestors’ innovation in the face of want, fear, degradation, and hopelessness has yielded genres of music imitated ’round the world.

In 2000, Congress made it official. In 2009, Pres. Barack Obama changed the name to African American Music Heritage Month and in 2023, Pres. Joe Biden changed it back to Black Music Month, two years after he declared Juneteenth a national holiday, the result of a movement led by Opal Lee.

Our ancestors battle for freedom over these last 400 years and the music that allowed them expression of their humanity deserved to be honored.

But we may be losing sight of the value of their sacrifices.

‘Sing a Song Full of the Faith That the Dark past Has Taught Us…’

Along with the long-known exploitation of Black musicians whose recordings were stolen by record companies, the commercialization of Juneteenth feels like another kind of theft.

I had never heard of Juneteenth until I moved to the Bay Area from my hometown of Philadelphia. I didn’t know it was one of many freedom festivals celebrated by descendants of enslaved people in the United States.

Emancipation Day was Jan. 1 in Pennsylvania, April 16 in Wash., D.C., May 20 in Florida, and Aug. 8 in Kentucky. But Juneteenth, June 19, has the most renown, known in Texas as the ‘colored peoples’ Fourth of July.’

It was marked by parades, beauty pageants, rodeos, backyard barbecues and church picnics.

Yes, church.

The formerly enslaved began the day praying in thanks for their freedom just as they had prayed for Jubilee – the day of freedom – when they had chains on their feet and hands. They ‘testified’ about their past suffering and how they had managed to overcome.

And they sang.

Although, we will not hold it this year, Omnira Institute’s Juneteenth Ritual of Remembrance recalled this part of Juneteenth with prayers in the languages of the African captives. In the middle of the ceremony, a soloist would lead us in singing “Many Thousand Gone” while we took turns reciting portions of the Emancipation Proclamation, the news of freedom that took more than two years to reach Texas – two months after the Civil War ended.

“Many Thousand Gone” was famously recorded by Black luminary Paul Robeson in 1947:

“No more auction block for me,

No more, no more

No more auction black for me

Many thousand gone.”

Other verses refer to the ‘pint of salt’ and the ‘driver’s lash,’ the realities of enslavement that they had survived.

‘Sing a Song Full of the Hope That the Present has Brought Us’

All of the genres of African American music have at their root songs like that, the essence being, as Stevie Wonder, wrote, “the joy inside our pain.” So Black music is not just music. It is our story, our history, our very strength.

During the Civil Rights Movement, which peaked 100 years after slavery ended, the people testified that it was the freedom songs – based on spirituals – that gave them the heart to march, face attack dogs, fire hoses, beatings, and shootouts with vigilantes.

The music reminded them that power was in the people. That music, our music, can do so again. We don’t have to accept the commodification of the products of our culture.

The power of those songs is showing a resurgence across the South as we battle again for the right to self-determination through the ballot box.

Those songs are the voices of our ancestors, voices forged in their blood, their sweat, their tears, joy and, above all, faith. Those songs, those prayers live in our blood and our very breath.

This Juneteenth, let us reclaim those holy voices expressed in Black music for ourselves. It is our birthright. It can neither be bought nor sold. No more. Never again.

Wanda Ravernell is the executive director of Omnira Institute, sponsor for 18 years of the Juneteenth Ritual of Remembrance and Oakland’s 11^th Annual Black-Eyed Pea Festival, which will take place on Sept. 12.