By: Jaelyn Aleise, contributing intern (@_JaeAleise_) As a 21 year-old Black woman, I am as guilty as the next person for gathering in front of the television with my girls on Monday nights for some good ol’ ratchet reality shows. However, I would be in immense denial if I acted as if some of these shows don’t set Black people back a few. Of course we love to say “it’s just entertainment” but the real reality is it has some pretty negative effects on the Black community and a lot of people can’t even see it. Here are three things to think about the next time you’re watching your favorite shows: 1. These shows are FILLED with negative Black stereotypes. What would these reality shows be without some baby mama drama, loud and angry Black women, and flying drinks? If someone of another race (typically white) has never actually been around Black people before, they would most likely think that these are accurate representations of how we act. It is actually quite embarrassing. You rarely ever see happily married couples, young men and women in corporate America, or even fathers who actually take care of their children, although there are lots of them. However, these people won’t keep the audience’s attention and honestly, these people probably wouldn’t ruin their reputation to be on one of these shows. 2. Know the difference between real and fake. Between blogs and social media, reality show personalities are often involved in lots of drama; however, what a lot of people don’t know is that they do a lot for publicity in order to get more viewers and even for a storyline. People get so wrapped up in what these “celebrities” do, that they forget that a lot of it is fake. Fans often aspire to be like the people they see on TV when the people they see on TV aren’t even like that. They may not live in that mansion, that car is probably rented, and their relationship might even be a front. People don’t just go into businesses and get into fights. You will get arrested! Which brings me to my final point: 3. It makes people real-life crazy! I’m not kidding. As humans, we are directly influenced by what we watch, read, and listen to. Therefore, if you see two grown women throwing drinks at a restaurant, you might think that it is okay or even normal. It’s definitely not. Or maybe you think having eight children by six different people is acceptable, when it is actually quite irresponsible. We sometimes forget that these people we see every week are paid to entertain us, and what better way than making a complete fool of themselves, right? I’m not saying not to watch your favorite shows, just be cognizant of what you’re consuming. Understand that although we call it reality TV, these people are basically paid actors so do not be bamboozled.
