By now, I think it is safe to say that everyone is over Basketball Wives. In just four seasons, the Miami cast of Shaunie O’Neal, Jennifer Williams, Evelyn Lozada, Royce Reed, Kenya Bell, Suzie Ketcham, Kesha Nichols, and Tami Roman – have taken us from watching for the petty cat fights to wondering if these women have destroyed-beyond-repair an already tarnished image of minority women on TV. The truth is still inconclusive, but the fistfights, bottle throwing, and intimidation are tacky to say the least.
While viewers rally for the show’s cancellation, they still wonder if the ladies would show any regret about their antics. So when part one of the reunion aired on Vh1 last night, I watched. All of the women united to barely touch on the surface of the issues this season thrived on: controversy, passive-aggressive outbursts, and leaping over tables in attack mode. With little resolved in this first part, there are still several outstanding questions that I’m pondering.
Is the real issue that Jennifer hasn’t taken responsibility for anything?
Jennifer made an apology on Monday’s reunion for any offensive remarks or blog posts that she made to any of the cast in the past. But did she actually owe them an apology? Perhaps her initial interview about Evelyn’s relationship with Chad Ochocinco was tactless, but how did she offend the rest of the girls?
Is Shaunie really over it all, or is she over being to blame for it all?
As a producer of the show, Shaunie has a stake in the ratings and popularity of the show, but at what point do you draw the line? Trying to make peace, but suggesting that confrontations take place in front of the entire cast is a bit unrealistic and backwards. Royce wrote in her last blog post that when she tried to call Shaunie about their individual disagreement, Shaunie ignored her calls. Then, last season Royce wasn’t invited to their big end of the season trip. Could Shaunie be holding on to her own petty issues?