(left to right: Omarosa, Natasha of YBF, and Sandra Rose of Sandra Rose)
This post I think is a long time coming. And I’m going to be honest. I think Gabrielle Union et. al are right. She lamented in Essence magazine a few months ago on how many black blogs (most written by black women) had crossed the line chronicling falsely who was sleeping with whose husband, who was a hoe, and who had ashy knees or camel toes, etc. etc. and getting a lot of readership in the way of hits (and advertising dollars) as a result.
Certainly everybody likes to spill a little tea, and hold the cup while it’s being poured, but many bloggers cross the line not only from a moralistic perspective (reporting things that they know are either questionable or not true), to commenting stylistically on people’s mode of dress where ironically there is no room for the blogger to “talk”. I have a hard time reading a blog written by women who have elevated themselves to taste masters where clearly they could use some of their own advice. If you are going to make rude comments on Aretha Franklin and her breast size, then surely all your pictures should show you wearing correct undergarments. Moreover, don’t get upset when people uncover the sheer irony of your comments to your own lack of taste and style.
The tables always turn. And many a blogger have complained about getting dissed by a celeb. Omarosa commented on Natasha of YBF’s dress at a celebrity function last summer in a comment I shall never forget but not fit to print. Natasha got a little very salty and defensive about the comment and references to her dress, but wasn’t that getting a taste of ones own medicine at its best. There are responsibilities that come along with blogging. The game started undefined, but the shakeout always takes us back to some form of balance. You can’t expect to print falsehoods or make comments on a person’s looks or style of dress without people wanting to know who and what you look like. And some of the checks you are cashing come with personal responsibility. And everything comes with a price.
I would like to also acknowledge Concreteloop for evolving and taking the high road. There’s more than one way for a black woman to make money on (or off) the internet. We all don’t have to do it at the expense of being wrong and hateful to other black women. Some of this goes past gossip and boarders on sheer disrespect.
But things always have a “way of working out”.
I always maintain this would be a great Oprah/Tyra segment where black celebs are on one side and black bloggers on the other.
10 Comments
Monday, January 21, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I usually have no comment on the bloggers shown and mentioned here, but the whole “black women are perpetually hateful towards other black women” thing is being reinforced here and it simply isn’t true. Creating news and manufacturing gossip is ridiculous on any level, but I think that snark in general or joshing in the name of fun is not a terrible thing. A certain class shouldn’t be protected because they are Hollywood celebrities or celebrities in their own minds.
If anything, Natasha of YBF and Sandra Rose of Celie Rose News can be accused of not having the courage of their convictions. Yes, they like to make snarky and (in the case of Sandra) off color and outrageous allegations about celebrities, but every single time they get called out on it, either by readers or the offended celebrites themselves, they run and retreat, never to speak of the incident again. For myself, I’ll be damned if I get shown up by a nobody like Omarosa and expect to ever be taken seriously again. If these bloggers don’t have the courage to stand behind each remark they make, maybe then they should get out the game.
Monday, January 21, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I personally don’t believe any of my comments were hateful to either Sandra or Natasha. I wrote on the IRONY. If you now bill yourself as a tastemaster, then you on some level must come correct. Imagine if Tim Gunn was not impeccable talking about “make it work”. Would you buy a home from a homeless man? hope not.
I read gossip rags and I’ve also written that on some level maybe everyone is responsible for the messes, from the readers to the writers. The CEO of Media Takeout and others have quit law professions to dabble in black gossip and made “financial successes” out of them all. Many of them constantly report untruths-and some at times decide when and if to retract.
They all hide their hands stating they are only bloggers. But they’ve created alot of fame for themselves as a result. Fame comes at a price.
As for Omarosa, I guess I understand part of the television machine. Her “image” was created and crafted. Its obvious that as you watch the new apprentice she is rebranding herself on her own terms and thats really what I write everyday about. Growing, evolving “do-overs”, and trying to be a better than you were yesterday.
Monday, January 21, 2008 at 11:09 pm
ok just took a look at your blog: XXXX and I understand why you commented.
“I think that snark in general or joshing in the name of fun is not a terrible thing”
I do that here. And I also easily do it to myself. Black bloggers forget that people “josh” to diminish their own shortcomings or percieved failures. I never ever see many gossip bloggers making fun of themeselves, or being reflective in a way thats interesting and revealing while also “joshing”. I think its just a few people catching wind on how to make a little money. Same unoriginal formula. Josh + gossip= “I pay my rent, maybe”. I’ve already written about the black bloggers who are doing different things using video, personal reflection etc to rise above the same old same old.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 10:28 am
Just to set the record straight, I never thought you were being hateful to Natasha or Celie. We (me and my e-buddies) had a big falling out with Natasha when she started feeling herself a wee bit too much back around August 2007, so I’m pretty familiar with the ‘thou dost protest too much’ thing that many bloggers with a semblance of notoriety have. That being said, I understand your POV regarding SOME black bloggers and I want to let others know that the self-deprecating brown blogger does exist.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Um but over at your “house” where does the self-deprecating happen? Is it written in pig latin. On the real, I don’t see it.
Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I personally would rather read a blog and hear people’s real opinions on celebs than watch Entertainment Tonight or any of the other mainstrean celeb news outlets where they pretend like all celebs are the best thing since sliced bread when most are talentless hacks….And if a person believes everything they read about a celebs life on a blog they dumb as hell anyway….
Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 8:16 pm
And its ultimately a preference.
***did I strike a nerve????***
Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Um but over at your “house” where does the self-deprecating happen? Is it written in pig latin. On the real, I don’t see it.
+++++++++
I am a regular over at M. And I have to say that M is the most down to earth person who is not discriminant as to who she dishes it out to. This is an eSpace where its safe space and we all josh each other. We are all family there and no one is above joshing including meik. The web is bigger than the world that we live in, and there is more than enough room for everyone to blog and give their own opinions. This is what makes blogging different from mainstream media…it is the people who give their true opinion of celebrities, not the studios or publications. Maybe bloggers should worry about their own eGlass house instead of anothers. You do you…and they’ll do them.
Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 11:40 pm
But is it really that deep? This post wasn’t really about M was it? How does one interject themseleves into an argument that really had little or nothing to do with them specifically. If the shoe fits….she’ll try to squeeze into it.
Monday, January 28, 2008 at 8:21 pm
[...] removed all links to some of the blog “drama” over this post , that had one blogger linking to me a couple of days ago. I talked about resolving to be a better [...]