Comments

1. Ali wrote:

   I didn’t watch this show live, I only saw the clips online, but it was nuts. Wendy had like NO control over her own show/guest. Omarosa completely overpowered her and dominated the segment which was actually interesting to see because Wendy is normally throwing her guests off by asking embarrassing questions about their personal lives.

   Omarosa may be an “angry black women” but Wendy is a crazy fraggle-haired muppet who can’t control her guests! That said: I’d love to see them co-host!

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 9:25 am ¶

2. Renee wrote:

   Personally I like Omarosa for all of the reasons that Wendy dislikes her. She has the strength to speak truth to power. She certainly made a salient part regarding accepting an offer of a job. Women are told sit pretty and be quiet, and therefor women like Omarosa who know their true value are considered threatening. I say too damn bad and good for her.

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 9:52 am ¶

3. Eva wrote:

   Both of them should go away.

   Didn’t Wendy Williams get beat up by somebody (Angie Martinez) in the bathroom of WBLS?

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 10:02 am ¶

4. geo wrote:

   both of them irked me. but Omarosa, even more so. i understand that as a woman, particularly as a black woman, you don’t want to be walked over and have to stand up for yourself. but there is a way to do so without alienating people and being cruel.

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 11:12 am ¶

5. Ali wrote:

   @ Eva - According to the lawsuit filed by her former intern the person who beat Wendy up in the bathroom was none other than her hubby Kevin Hunter. Tres romantic, no?

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 12:02 pm ¶

6. Natasha Vincent wrote:

   Straight up: I barely watch TV.

   Straight up: This is kind of why.

   Wendy, however, is in this month’s edition of Black Enterprise as part of a discussion about the future of black radio (local vs. syndicated) and I thought these clips would give me some insight to her journalistic style.

   True, Omarosa could be a hard interview but Wendy’s segways - from the start - seemed to be made to instigate. Why the plastic surgery question out of nowhere?

   As to the ABW moniker, it’s moot if you actually ARE angry and these two ladies were (based on the background article link above).

   It’s a shame since, based on their public personas/characters, it could have made for a good topical - and perhaps memorable - conversation on the strength of black women. But maybe the whole problem is the caricature. So now the conversation is going to be gossip fodder for a week and then forgotten.

   (Sigh)

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 12:42 pm ¶

7. DEAF FEMINIST PUNK!! wrote:

   Why are black women on TV always so catty and nasty toward each other?

   Mod Note - Watch the generalizations, DFP, depending on what area of TV you watch, you will see different images being portrayed. - LDP

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 12:49 pm ¶

8. Paul wrote:

   Did Vince McMahon set this bit up? This was more fake than the Rock beating up Steve Austin. Both of these women obviously figured to get mileage out of the controversy.

   Omarosa plays the same role everywhere. It’s a tired schitck.

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 12:51 pm ¶

9. Ron wrote:

   I like Omarosa’s style. I also appreciate her love for the black community. I say more power to Omarosa - this brotha has your back.

   Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 1:04 pm ¶

10. G.K. wrote:

    @geo

    a big co-sign on what you just said—the sad thing is, from what I’ve seen, a lot of black women confuse being strong and independent with being just plain damn mean and being a pain-in-the-ass drama queen—you can maintain a balance BWT the two, but unfortunately that’s not the case. I’ve had to learn to maintain that balance myself, so I’m not excluded from having done some stupid drama queen style-things myself.

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 1:39 pm ¶

11. Joselle Palacios wrote:

    I haven’t watched the Wendy Williams Show yet but as someone who commutes in hellish evening traffic 5 days a week, I must admit her radio show makes the ride just slightly more bearable. I lurve the gossip and ridonculousness.

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 2:00 pm ¶

12. octogalore wrote:

    Wow. Omarosa started things off on a tough note, but it sounds like there’s a backstory to why she was upset.

    She was assertive, but Wendy could have reigned that in. Instead, she took it to a really unbelievable level. After she brought up the boob job, Omarosa’s statements about nose jobs and wigs were inevitable.

    I must say the exchange seemed scripted. Both women are professionals and I think completely capable of not taking things too far in this direction. I wonder if the coaching for this show by producers urged them to take it in directions that conform to stereotypes of black women, to get viewer eyeballs.

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 3:45 pm ¶

13. jvansteppes wrote:

    DFP’s generalization about black women being catty to each other has me thinking: why is it so easy in entertainment for successful black women to be pitted against each other and how did that make both these women a bit on edge before they even sat down to talk?

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 4:00 pm ¶

14. Whitney wrote:

    @ Deaf Feminist Punk:

    TV makes WOMEN look bad (or women on tv make women look bad) regardless of race or class. Just look at shows like Rock of Love, Tila Tequila, etc.

    Why can’t WOMEN make themselves look better by not resorting to the level of cattiness and name-calling and bitchiness? This isn’t an issue of race, but sex. It makes me really sad that women portray themselves so poorly (even The Soup did a special about it) it makes all women look bad. (However, not all women on reality tv or talk shows make women look bad, but a lot of them do.)

    The thing is, Omarosa is a smart woman (I don’t know that much about Wendy Williams). So why can’t she portray herself in that kind of positive light? Why does she have to resort to bitchiness and provoke fights? It’s about time that smart women start acting like smart women, and not partake in drama just for the drama, and start acting maturely and not like girls in middle school.

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 4:46 pm ¶

15. browne wrote:

    I think the reason it’s so easy to “pit” or rather stage fights between black women is because there are so few of them on or entertainment. TV is a business and that fighting sells. It sells ad, it gets rating, it gets buzz up. I didn’t even know that this show existed until this happened.

    I think women, minorities, people that have few representation on screen, on the cat walk, etc…tend to have this “there can only be one” Highlander type of mentality, because many times there can only be one. One person of color or woman at a time.

    Entertainment is a business. You’re not going to see the highest level of thinking from anyone in that business.

    That’s why even though I’m in LA. I won’t nothing to do with that business. I’ve been offered commercial and roles, but I know what it will lead to, me doing whatever I can to keep my little gold ring, that’s a bad spot to be in.

    Browne

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 4:54 pm ¶

16. babybro wrote:

    Man, that was absolutely creepy, Omarosa is in serious needs to take a chill pill. Come to cali to learn how to relax or something, jeez. No offense, but I wouldn’t want to be around a lady like that.

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 5:57 pm ¶

17. Ejunco wrote:

    that Omarosa chick is real tough and mean

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 6:23 pm ¶

18. browne wrote:

    Sorry about my last typo riddled post (15). My apartment building caught on fire and I had to leave the building. I’m on the seventh floor, so I could have reread it before I sent it, but that would have meant potentially jumping from my window.

    Browne

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 8:05 pm ¶

19. merq wrote:

    I thought Omarosa’s behavior was altogether sickening. I agree with the poster upthread who said he/she has grown tired of Omarosa’s shtick — and I don’t really watch TV!

    I don’t think Wendy was pushing buttons by referencing Omarosa’s surgery, considering (according to Omarosa’s response), she underwent the procedure on a TV show. Giving a habitual self-promoter the opportunity to discuss her last attempt at self-promotion hardly qualifies as an attack.

    I never thought I’d see the day when I’d defend Wendy Williams. So much for my indifference.

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 8:28 pm ¶

20. Marilyn wrote:

    I don’t understand why anyone admires an evil tw@t that so obviously has narcissistic personality disorder. What is there to like about someone who is mean, inappropriate, and manipulative. The laugh: fake and ridiculous.

    Wendy is almost as bad.

    Posted 25 Jul 2008 at 8:30 pm ¶

21. RJG wrote:

    The only thing that confused me about the whole situation (I don’t find two people being grossly snarky at each other as that unsettling — as far as I’m concerned this was just a live action version of the Internet)…

    In the second clip, Omarosa calls Wendy out on labeling her as an Angry Black Woman, because that reinforces a stereotype (although she’s not denying or shamed of the label), but at the same time she’s labeling the idea of how to be a confident and empowered woman in the workplace as being a bitch.

    I know it’s probably unfair and/or borderline ridiculous to expect someone to be socially conscious of every cause going on at the time, but what’s up with that?

    Posted 26 Jul 2008 at 12:36 am ¶

22. Clnmike wrote:

    If you look at Omarosa’s professional career, how she conducts her self on and off camera, the question comes up on why any one would hire her to walk there dog let alone for anything else.

    Who would want to be that @itch?

    Posted 26 Jul 2008 at 12:44 am ¶

23. Lauren wrote:

    A big WTF at some of the comments here- since when is it OK it refer to someone as a “an evil tw@t that so obviously has narcissistic personality disorder” on this site?

    Posted 26 Jul 2008 at 3:08 pm ¶

24. Princess wrote:

    In my very humble opinion, I think the intellect of anyone, espcially those in the public eye would be better demonstrated by not feeding the belly of stereotypes.

    Although I beleive in empowerment and there are many good books available on this subject, yet I don’t agree with using a catchy title without fully understanding women do not need to be referred to as the “B” word in order to celebrate our strength.

    Additionally, the use of the term “ABW” is also negative propaganda at best. The truth is, some women are simply more passive aggressive than others. And this is true across all racial lines and ethnicities. Balance is needed.

    Personally, as a woman I’m striving to be more like the woman described in Proverbs 31. We need to evolve spiritually!

    Thank you.

    Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 11:23 am ¶

25. Mike wrote:

    “A big WTF at some of the comments here- since when is it OK it refer to someone as a “an evil tw@t that so obviously has narcissistic personality disorder” on this site?”

    So your saying it’s not true?

    Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 11:31 am ¶

26. Latoya Peterson wrote:

    @ALL - Gendered slurs are not cool here. Even if you think Omarosa is the worst woman to ever walk the earth, there are better ways to make your point.

    @browne - Everything good? Do you have renters insurance?

    Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 10:33 pm ¶

27. Daomadan wrote:

    “@ Eva - According to the lawsuit filed by her former intern the person who beat Wendy up in the bathroom was none other than her hubby Kevin Hunter. Tres romantic, no?”

    HA HA HA! No wait…making jokes about violence against any woman…Wendy included…is just not funny.

    Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 8:45 am ¶

28. Ali wrote:

    @ Daomadan - Violence against women is never a funny topic. I don’t mean to poke fun at Wendy allegedly having been assaulted by her husband at her place of business. I don’t find that funny, so I don’t mean to offend. I do mean to poke fun at her flippant disregard for respecting the personal lives of others but suddenly turning mute when it comes to her own marital problems. Wendy Williams is the first one to instruct women who call into her show to leave the abusive men in their lives but when it comes to her own domestic abuse issues she says nothing. I do believe that Wendy is a strong woman, you’d have to be to make it in this business for the length of time that she has. I think she could be a very vocal anti-abuse activist but she chooses not to talk about it. I don’t believe she should be forced to do something she isn’t ready to do but she touts herself as being a person who can “take” just as much as she dishes out. Why harass Omarosa about plastic surgery and being an “angry black woman” when you can’t even out your own skeletons?

    I meant to poke fun at the front she puts up about her “problem-free marriage” not the domestic abuse.

    Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 10:12 am ¶

29. Daomadan wrote:

    Thanks for the clarification, Ali. That comment just struck me wrong from my own experiences with domestic violence.

    “Wendy Williams is the first one to instruct women who call into her show to leave the abusive men in their lives but when it comes to her own domestic abuse issues she says nothing.” It’s so much more complicated than Williams saying one thing and doing another. I don’t mean to derail the thread from the real issue of how Williams treats Omarosa, but questioning Williams on why she doesn’t leave is a victim-blaming tactic. We should question why her husband isn’t being talked about as an abuser and why he isn’t being called out for alleged violence against Williams.

    Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 11:08 am ¶

30. Ali wrote:

    @Daomadan - Thanks so much for the additional perspective. I definitely don’t mean to offend and this is a primary reason why. I don’t want to blame the victim, that’s why I’m not advocating that she do anything she isn’t ready to do. I know going public with domestic abuse issues is not easy but given her past discussions with guests (her discussion with Robin Givens regarding her domestic issues with Mike Tyson come to mind) and her openness with so many other topics in her life I find it odd that she would leave such a major topic out. It’s not that she just doesn’t talk about it but she shuts down any conversation. She completely demonized her former intern on her show and she’s barely commented on the lawsuit at all. I just wonder why? Maybe as a person who does not have experience with physical domestic abuse I just don’t get it, however, I do realize situations like this (like most other things in life) are infinitely more complicated than they seem. Long comment short, thanks again for the added perspective.

    Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 2:06 pm ¶

31. bdsista wrote:

    As a family law attorney, Wendy may have ongoing litigation or legal proceedings that her lawyer would advise her to keep confidential. Nothing derails lawsuits and settlements like public disclosure. As for Omarosa, her book sounds like a chapter Jill Nelson wrote in Straight No Chaser called Niggabitchfit, where she describes how the “good negro” after playing all the games, and being a team player and dressing the part still get f*cked over and backed intoa corner and ultimately has a niggabitchfit which puts folk on notice to leave her alone. This is the short version, the actual book is much more eloquent and better written. Jill Nelson used to work at Essence and then went to work for WashingtonPost Magazine and wrote a book about her experience called Volunteer Slavery. Excellent read. Bill Bradley of the Post didn’t even know what Essence was when he hired her, so you can figure out what the climate was like.
    I imagine Omarosa has been in that situation many times and that has created her persona. Yes she is smart, but Wendy came off wanting to pick at her from the start. Wendy kept making comparisons (who cares?) and missed the chance to actually dialogue about Omarosa’s charity and the conditions of children in the hood as well as some pointers for women in the workforce. I hate to say it, but Oprah would have had Omarosa prepped more and instead of it being a meow session it could have focused on some actual helpful stuff. Wendy does look like a fraggle in that wig, I am sick of the blond wigs on black women, all Wendy needed was a staff and a sheep.

    Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 5:54 pm ¶

32. MoeHailstone wrote:

    Can’t stand Omarosa… here as well as everywhere else she shows up with that same bitch air about herself. She is the stereotypical angry black woman cause shes always looking for the arguement. Always looking for the confrontation. Being a strong black woman doesn’t consist of being tactless and argrumentative and i get sick of folks equating that behavior with inner strength. thats just a c@nt…nothing more..nothing less

    Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 6:28 pm ¶

33. Latoya Peterson wrote:

    *****Mod says fuck it, this thread is closed.****

    Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 6:29 pm ¶

34. Prometheus wrote:

    After relishing in laughter from the ridiculousness of this video, I realized how completely damaging this instance of “catiness” is for the African American community. How often do we hear the stereotype of an angry Black woman? For someone as talented and accomplished as Omarosa is, she behaves like an idiot. Trust me, I am by no means a fan of Wendy Williams either and have had quite negative feelings about her for quite some time. I will say that I was suprised at how much she kept it together (I fully expected her to physically attack Omarosa or kick her out of the studio) given her flair for the dramatic.

    Can we please have more positive role modesl for young women and in particular young Black women? Oprah does her thing and Tyra tries, but her show consistently falls short to deliver a profound level of understanding. Who else is out there?

    Posted 29 Jul 2008 at 12:58 am ¶

35. Francis J. wrote:

    Blacks and women are both discriminated, so I can undertand that as black women both ladies have to work quite as hard to get some respect. However, I get the feeling that their catfight does reinforce the Angy Black Woman stereotype.

    Posted 29 Jul 2008 at 3:31 am ¶

36. Renee wrote:

    Blacks and women are both discriminated, so I can undertand that as black women both ladies have to work quite as hard to get some respect. However, I get the feeling that their catfight does reinforce the Angy Black Woman stereotype.

    So for the sake of image when black women are upset or have a disagreement with each other they are supposed to sit their silently?

    Posted 30 Jul 2008 at 2:17 am ¶

37. LEC wrote:

    Neither of the ladies could keep their composure. Obviously O was familiar with W’s talking style and came into the segment with fire in her eyes. Yes, Wendy is obviously opinionated and may not have the poise that Oprah has but she is real.

    Not everyone is going to like W’s balls out approach but the show is like no other - it is more interactive with a new guest to introduce the show every day, a opportunity for the audience to field questions/comments and the advice section. I am tired of watching Oprah constantly cutting people off, the View - a joke though I suppose Ellen is up there with my like for WWS.

    I have to wonder who in their right mind would want to represent their organization/campaign etc. She is perpetuating and personifying the ABW image.

    @moehailstone - i fully agree with your comment. and to think she is making money by being the ABW.

    cnn commentary of O v. W:
    http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/24/lola.omarosa/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

    Posted 01 Aug 2008 at 1:21 am ¶

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