Being on a reality show has its pros and cons just like any other job. Sometimes the negatives start to outweigh the positives and can cause the cast members to decide to gracefully bow out — which is what Draya Michele and (most recently) Tami Roman did.
The dramatic storylines, catfights, and betrayals are what keeps viewers watching but can also run the talent off the show. The latest season of Basketball Wives has both castmates and viewers uncertain about its future.
Draya was on the VH1 hit for four years until she decided to walk away permanently in 2015. Since then, she has become a very successful swimwear line owner and a close friend to billionaire Kylie Jenner.
She recently opened up about how appreciative she was for the exposure that the platform gave her but doesn’t like the way the show portrays black women.
‘It was an experience. I’m glad I went through it; not really trying to go through it again. Basketball Wives has this stereotype of these angry Black women and I feel like more than just Black people watch it. People who aren’t familiar with Black culture take that and they think that is what they are. I feel really, really bad that I was a part of that and contributed to that,’ she said in an interview with Just the Sip.
The actress went further in-depth when she explained: ‘Black women, we’re queens. We’re so much more than arguing with each other over stupid stuff. I never want people think I’m this aggressive Black woman because I’m not. I’m aggressive when it comes to my work and my business, but I’m not like a try to fight you in the streets [type]. I feel like that show gave me that. I got pushed like to the limit where I had to bark back.’
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In the video above, Draya also talks about the low pay, unnaturalness, and closed doors she endured while being a part of the franchise.
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