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February 07, 2005 Wanted: A Real Black Woman
Although I'm on television hiatus, I have been following this latest installment of "The Apprentice" and as predicted, the show's producers have managed to scrounge up yet another crackhead of a black woman. Verna Felton is her name; quitting is her game. Felton was the first "Apprentice" contestant to actually quit within three episodes. She complained of lack of sleep and exhaustion. Please. What's worse? She's from SEATTLE! Which leads me to my next question: Where on EARTH are they finding these black women? Felton, an Account Manager for Microsoft, claimed it was the lack of professionalism and backstabbing that led her to quit the show. I think she was too prideful and scared to get fired, but what do I care? It's just television. It's not even real. All I'm asking is for some proper representation...please?
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» Fired for Drinking the Wrong Beer from Myopic Zeal Tracked on February 14, 2005 06:15 AM CommentsPosted by: mj at February 7, 2005 06:55 PM I would love to see you on The Apprentice. Maybe you should apply and become the new Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Posted by: Nate at February 7, 2005 10:40 PM Poor dears, God Bless Em' Posted by: Desmond at February 8, 2005 06:53 AM Wow. Until you mentioned it, I hadn't even noticed - but you are right. Omarosa, Stacie and now Verna. Yikes. Maybe not in real life, but on camera - freaks every one. I would take it up with The Donald. Truly. Posted by: Leisa at February 8, 2005 07:04 AM Teresa Wiltz of "The Washington Post"'s Style section did an entire feature on Black women of reality t.v. and the attendant stereotypes. She went places I've never been- "Starting Over", "Big Brother", "Road Rules", "Survivor", et al. Seems positive personages are few. (the Black woman on CBS'"Wickedly Perfect" just got the gate). Message board commentary about Omorosa Stallworth was the most revealing prism of racial stance I've seen since the You-Know-Who trial. Posted by: Bijan C. Bayne at February 8, 2005 07:41 AM I actually felt sorry for Verna. I had a moment of thinking, "Can they not find a non-flaky Black woman to be on this show?" But then, I remembered my own mini-breakdowns, and those of some of my peers, under the pressure of trying to be a "Successful Strong Black Woman" and was thankful that I didn't have to go through it on national television. Posted by: btrfly at February 8, 2005 08:06 AM Here's the thing that I've been fighting with for some time: when we see Blacks portrayed this way on television, are we seeing a purposely skewed portrayal of the average Black person male or female, or as time goes on with these images pushed again and again, have Black people begun to subtly accept that this is expected Black behavior and followed after the potrayal? Media is powerful. Chicken or the egg? Posted by: M. La Roi at February 8, 2005 04:15 PM Mark, you pose a good question. Bijan, as for the whole Omarosa bit. I was actually rooting for her because I thought she was the smartest and best candidate. Then she started acting a fool. Still, I fault producers with clever editing among other things to continue to portray the fly in the buttermilk in a negative light. Butterfly, I agree, we've all had weak moments. But it seems to me that hundreds of thousands of people around the world would've been willing to bust their butts to be in the place Verna was. Then she had to act flaky and just throw it away. at least she shipped up and shipped out... Posted by: Ambra at February 8, 2005 06:19 PM The first ever drop-out from American Idol happened on last night's broadcast. In all honesty I do believe that it is coincidental to this coversation that the contestant is a Black woman. You've gotta appreciate the irony though... Posted by: M. La Roi at February 9, 2005 08:15 AM I have watched the Apprentice since it started and that event shocked me. As far as I am concerned, she wimped out, for no good reason. Posted by: Noelle at February 9, 2005 08:36 AM Okay, first, I must admit I've seen the show. My wife makes me watch it with her (says it's not as fun without me). Second, get a grip, it's only TV! I happen to be Asian (actually born in Asia). You don't see me get apoplectic because: 1) "The Apprentice" rarely if ever has an Asian cast member. 2) The one Asian cast member I saw took her skirt off in an effort to win. You know what? I know what I am as an individual. I don't know what an Asian is supposed to be or not, because I am not into group-thinking. Who cares how a character or two (or three or four) are portrayed on television? If you have a strong sense of yourself, none of that externality matters. Posted by: Guns and Butter at February 16, 2005 03:05 AM
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 "...playful philosophizing" Dan Leroy, National Review Online
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Considering the names I've been called since starting this website, I'm not one to be suggesting much of anything by way of racial authenticity but I MUST say this: will the real black woman please stand up!?
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Didn't another black woman on that show work in politics? So they could've found out about her via connections.