True Life/MADE on MTV!!!
 

Hey does anyone watch those "True Life, I'm a(fill in the blank)"
I watch them every time they do them and I usually enjoy watching them.

UNTIL!

I watched last night the True Life "I'm an Urban Cheerleader" with the only all black squad to go to the Cheerleading Nationals.

Why did it seem like most of the scenes were just straight GHETTO? From the one girl and her family dancing in the kitchen, to when the cameras were at the school and one of the cheerleaders goes "Watch everybody start doing shout outs on the camera, black folks do that." and SHO NOUGH, you see a gang of black folks giving shout outs to pookie and dem. My face was in my hands y'all.

I am very proud that they were the only black squad, but compared to the True life with the white squad they followed around, it seemed very ghetto.

What is everybody's favorite true life? and did anyone see the one I'm talking about?


QTE

I did catch that episode of True Life and I thought it was just me being "highfalotin'" and all. I think they could have explored the whole "only black squad to compete" aspect a lot more. And why was the show focused on KaRhonda and her commentaries? I think they could have explored Brittany and Jackie a whole lot more and maybe why urban black high school do not have the funds for cheerleading programs. I was glad to see that they did show the girl's parents supporting them at the games and competition.
Other than that it seem to me that it just pushed it from the angle of black ghetto steretypes......i.e dancing, smiling, shouts-out, shooting at the football game, etc.

I found the program amusing. I was disappointed for the same reasons the two of you have stated. I think it was just another way to perpetuated the stereotypes of African American people. Their focus was totally off. I mean was it supposed to be a day in the life of KaRhonda or the problems that urban cheerleaders face.

I love MTV's true life!!! :) My favorite episode (although it was sorta bad) was the one where they did "ATLANTA's FREAKNIK" back in like '97 ALthough the circumstances surrounding it were not that great (some girl took her clothes off and was sexually attacked...I believe) :( But besides that part that interviewed these girls from Spelman College who were talking about college life down there and it really made me interested in attending a black college. And fortunately...I will be. I have been accepted into the Aggie Family at North Carolina A&T State University (Aggie Pride!!!) And I cannot wait.

Congrats Innocence...NCA&T is a good choice...it's not Prairie View, but hey. :)

I love True Life, but judging from what I'm reading, I'm glad I haven't seem the one with the Black Cheerleaders, I hate how Blacks are portayed in the media. It seems like the cameraman will bypass the intelligent, college educated group of black people for those who will fit all of the accepted stereotypes.

girllllll
 

Girl I remember the freaknic one, and yeah I remember there was a big stink about the light skinned sista shopping and saying "I'm a classy hoochie" because she was a member of Sigma Gamma Rho. I forgot how it all turned out, but a friend of mine who is a Rho said that she aplogized about saying that.

girl I am glad I have never gone to a freaknic, everyone tells me it hasn't been the same since 94.

QTE

What happened in 94?

112

Congrats on being accepted to A&T! Hopefully this fall I'll be starting at UNCG so I'll catch you in G'boro.

My favorite true life was "True Life: I'm a little person." There was a little person on there named Robin and she was the shortest person I've ever seen before. Her parents packed her up, put her on her lil scooter, and sent her away to college. It was interesting watching her perform daily activities.

heck yeah
 

She was one of the shortest one's I've seen. I thought that one was educational because I didn't know there were so many different little people. I have a friend who is little and she's going to get married soon. she is about 4"3 though.

Was I the only one surprised at how tall that former little person was? I was like "damn I can't even tell"


QTE

Thank you very much!!!
Just to add: I saw the True Life with the "Urban Cheerleaders" and I liked it. KaRhonda was too funny and their parent's supported them. They were the only All-Black squad at Nationals so I commend them on that. But as far as the media portraying them in a positive light....I think it was similar to the "White Cheerleaders" story, the blacks just had more "flava" with theirs.

I really enjoyed the True Life: I'm an urban cheerleader. I like seeing Black girls take and interest in a competitive sport because it builds character and challenges them in many different ways. I watch the national cheereading competitions and have lamented the lack of color among the squads. I'm glad that MTV brought that squad to our attention. As far as the "ghetto" aspects of it...if that is how people live then that's how they live. Do we want to see White Black people on TV. I think that added a flare to the series. The only thing don't like is how the word urban is used as a code word for Black people. There was nothing urban about those girls and their town. But I really was glad to see them on the program.

What is your definition of "white " blaack people?:confused:

You have a point (although you could have phrased it a LOT better). I think that black people have a tendency to want to only see positive upper-middle class representations of black people. It is quite understandable simply because of the VOLUME of negative, disempowering images our media floods us with on a daily basis (BET).

But we can't wipe them out. And we can't say that there is no place in media for black people who may not be as upwardly mobile, or that those images can't be positive sometimes too!

People live that way! They are real and they are part of our community too! We have to resist the urgge to want to erase them from our public face because then we do ourselves an injustice.

I use the term White Black people basically to mean Black people that "act" like White people. This term basically applies to middle class Black people who's lifestyles mimic the White upper and middle class. Or like lovelyivy84 says "upwardly mobile" Black people who basically emulate White structure (two parent family, house in the subabrbs...)(I grew up in this environment, suburbs and all so I'm not really attacking that lifestyle but I do criticize it). I know the media tends to show only one kind of Black person and does not reflect the diversity that is found among Black people. That is changing though. However, we as a people must value Black people who sing in the kitchen with a plate of food, want to say "hi mom" into the camera or whatever have you. If we don't value it who will, certainly not White people who deem this to be pathological. I hope that answers the question about the White Black people.

Ok, I understand the points (yours and Lovelyivy's) about embracing all facets of US. :), but I don't understand how a "two parent family, house in the suburbs" are an emulation of white structure.:confused: If you are an upper black middle class person, what is the "Black" way of living? Or are you really talking about blacks that prosper, but do not give back to our lower income communities? Clear it up for a sista! :D

No lockstep here
 

Disclaimer: This is strictly Steeltrap's opinion.

How dare you equate the "two-parent family," suburban homes, and middle-class values (e.g. personal responsibility, including no indiscriminate, unprotected sexual activity and emphasis on education and hard work) as being a bad thing. What the (expletive) is wrong with striving for this ideal?

On your other point, I can value people who sing in the kitchen with a plate of food and say "hi mom" into the camera, or what have you. That doesn't mean that I have to behave the same way. :mad: :mad:

See...
 

I think people are misreading what I'm saying about "White Black" people. (That is my fault, I should not have used the word act in my second post) I can understand why. I study anthropology in school and a lot of what I learn is basically about valuing all cultures and finding the order and "logic" of some aspects of peoples lives that can be seen as deinquent or disfunctional. In American society White people and the way they live has become the norm. So when White people deem the two parent family as the norm, that's how everyone should be and you're damned if you're not from a two parent household. I have a huge problem with that. I become irrate when the single parent household becomes pathological and disfunctional, which is how it is seen by the dominant group. There is nothing wrong with being from a two parent household. But when this becomes the standard (which it is), and anything else is disfunctional then I have a problem. I guess "White Black" people would come in when other Black people side with the structure and condemn the single parent family as well. I use the single parent family as an example. There are plenty of other aspects that go along with the middle class existence.
I think it's good to be critical of many of the aspects i our society. Nothing is really wrong or right. I'm not trying to say everyone should dance with a plate of food in their hand in the kitchen, I myself find the value in it (I don't dance with a plat of food eithr). I'm sorry if the term White Black people offended people, but I'm glad it stirred a little controvercy and people were critical of it. I should probably stick to my academic circles at school when using it though.
I think that the Black middle class also have a responseability to the Black "lower class, working class" (I don't know what's PC). Again, that does not involve condemning them for their "pathological" life style, but rather aiding them through programs, monetary donations, etc. They're our people too.
One last thing. I don't like the term "Black way of living" or "ghetto" and any of those other terms that seem to define and quantify the way one segment of the population live. However, there are general traits that can be found in the Black middle class, upper class, and lower class. So there is no Black way of life but you have to look at class and region when assessing such things. Like Salience, I don't like the "keepin it real" idea either. That implies one way to "be Black" and there is no one way.

Pardon me....
 

I know that I am new here, but I just happened to browse through this discussion....then a thought hit me concerning cleo's statement about "two parent households" being "norm" because white people started the trend and the rest of us just love to follow.

I type this not to down-grade but just as a separate thought. If your beliefs stem from the Bible, then wouldn't two parent households originate from Africa, with Eve and Adam being the first two parent household? And even if that isn't your belief, cavemen were said to reside in nomadic tribes so they pretty much had the group/community raising the child bit. And if evolution is your thing, then apes were more into the alpha male of the group leads the pack with the females to take care of the young, so I can't tell if that's a polygamy situation or what.

Basically, my point is that the white culture didn't "come up with" the two parent family. It was around long before them. If anything, the "single parent" mentality is fairly recent.

Just my thoughts....sorry to intrude. :D

Re: Pardon me....
 

I love True Life on Mtv!!!! I would have like to have seen the urban cheerleaders in more of a "cheerleading setting" instead of at school and home. My favorite would have to be True Life I'm Having Plastic Surgery. That was really good and gross!

saw it again
 

I saw True Life on MTV "I'm an urban cheerleader again and I have to stand by that I didn't like how they didn't focus on the girl's schooling or anything like that. I just wished they had digged deeper than they did.

And I'm sorry but the lighting did NOT flatter some of my sistahs on the show!


I saw the plastic surgery one, I was like "this is so damn gross"


QTE

I saw the Urban Cheerleader thing as well and I can say that I had mixed feelings about it. On one hand you see that there are black girls who are trying to compete in an arena dominated by whites and are doing well dispite the disadvantages that they have. Yet on the other end we do see the stereotypical things that may be present in our community as well. One telling point is when KaRhonda talks about how they can compete with the white squads. She says that the white squads can tumble better than them, but that they can dance better by being more "vulgar" with the dance steps. She actually uses the term vulgar when describing their own dance style and then equates the vulgarity with having more soul or being "black". "Vulgar" may not be the word that she meant (she is only 16 I believe) but that is the word that she used. I think this is where the debate between Cleo, honeykiss, and lovelyivy and others is stemming from- that negativity and "authentic" blackness are equated in mainstream culture.
The debate about suburban living and two parent households being 'white' shows us what happens in a white supremacist society. Even the blacks begin to believe in white supremacy. This means that some even think that to be "pathological" is to be black. So we see how Cleopatra starts criticizing her suburban lifestyle as being "white" because success, in white supremacy means white. We also see how KaRhonda describes "vulgar" dancing as being black. One critical question we as blacks have to ask is what is success? Is it economic prosperity (read suburban lifestyle) or is it love of self (a true self, not a culturally manufactured one)? Because if it is about economics, then we must get ours at all costs, even our own souls, but if it is love of self, we have to do a lot of deconstructing of images to find the true self and love it.
Am I offended by negative/stereotypical images in mainstream media, yes, not because they aren't true representations of SOME black people, but because the serve in the on going project of white supremacy by essentializing "authentic blackness" and equating it with pathology.
Blackwatch!!!

BRITTANY
 

I finally watched the chit tonight and as a teacher, I was PISSED.:mad:

BRITTANY worked my nether regions something serious.

1. HER GOAL IS TO BE A CHEERLEADER?!?!!?:eek: :confused: http://www.louisville.edu/~ejbrow01/wtf.gif

2. OLD GIRL GETS TO PRACTICE and she is on ACADEMIC PROBATION!! :mad: :confused: Naw cuz that isht don't work with me as a parent or a teacher. As a parent, old girl would have been at home until ALL GRADES were raised. As expensive as it is, I am not going to be working all of these jobs for EXTRAS and you cannot do the BASIC -- get decent grades.

3. Her damn crying -- granted I was never a cheerleader but old girl was more upset about FALLING than FAILING!! :confused: :mad:

4. Her family DANCING -- NOOO:eek: :eek:
Brittany and her FAMILY get the WACK AWARD!! She also gets a sub award in YOU SHO IS UGLY for not hitting the books more regularly and STAYING after school for help rather than cheering.

KARHONDA gets a UGLY AZZ MAKEUP award for that RED LIPSTICK, LIGHT BLUE EYE SHADOW, and all that glitter.

I do believe that cheerleading is a sport and like any athlete, you need to work hard and STUDY HARDER.

Re: BRITTANY
 

My brother and I watched it again tonight. And I know this is wrong, but every time Brittany fell or landed, my brother was like "BOOM!!!":D :p We wrong...:D

Seriously though, as a former high school cheerleader (& a good one :)), I think their squad was good but needed to work on attitudes and getting FOCUSED before performances rather than doing the lil' booty shake dance as a warm-up :rolleyes: If anyone has seen MTV True Life: I'm a cheerleader (not I'm an urban cheerleader), you'll note how much more focused and serious those girls were about competition. I doubt it had anything to do with them being white.

Re: Re: BRITTANY
 

Yeah there was a lot of divisiveness from within the team and the coach only seemed to care about routines and accuracy and not what was going on ON THE TEAM.

BOOOOOOM!! :p

LOL!
 

Like I said, SOME OF THE LIGHTING DID NOT COMPLIMENT MY SISTAS! Kashonda was one of them. She is a dark skinned sista and they should of taken that into account.

I agree, the other "I'm a cheerleader" did have drama, but damn it seemed so more focused than this one.

I applaud them for being the only black squad to go to nationals, but I just wish it had been more positive.

I mean damn was anyone saying this about the football games in the other true life?

"We are going to the biggest game of the year, I expect some fighting, maybe some shooting".

Damn Damn Damn!!

I like the cheer captain(Nikki I think?) she was always smiling. And the little freshman girl that said "It's all about me" I thought she was cool also.

BOOM!lollol




QTE:D

another one
 

I also thought the one "True Life: I'm a Porn Star" was really sad, but informative.

There was a very pretty asian girl that revealed at the end of the show that she was HIV positive because of an anal sex scene and she began to cry. It's cause of her that they started using protection on screen.




QTE

SU Cheerleaders to appear in the NCA College Cheerleading Finals
 

We can only hope that our girl KaRhonda and her contemporaries will be watching and use this as a point of motivation.

Kel

++++++++++++++++++

Here is another example that shows SUccess begins with SU. All work and play... ... Make the SU Cheerleaders some of the best around.

For years when one tuned in to the National Cheerleading Association's (NCA) national championship competition, the only faces seen were those of petite, blond-haired, blue-haired girls.

Throughout the entire competition you may spot one or two ... maybe at most five brown faces. But those days are over. Everyone who tunes in the last weekend in April will be treated to a performance by the Southern University Cheerleading Squad, the number two-ranked squad in the nation.

The group of 17 individuals competed in the NCA national competition April 4-6, in Daytona Beach, Fla.

"I could not believe the entire weekend! It was like I was dreaming," said James Smith, who has been coaching the SU cheerleaders for the past eight years.

When Smith took over the squad eight years ago, it had been all-female for 20 years. In his eight years here, he has transformed the team into a coed cheerleading powerhouse not only amongst other historically black colleges and universities, (although they do have three Black National Championship titles under their belt), but is also a force to be reckoned with in any capacity.

"We are now a premiere, top rated cheerleading program ... I am proud to coach such a wonderfully talented, hard-working set of young people," said Smith.

The SU Cheerleaders are now the highest-rankingall-black cheerleading squad in nation, surpassing their own record last year, when they were ranked tenth in the nation. Grambling State University, who was also present at last week's competition, is currently ranked 11th in the nation.

The Southern cheerleaders are indeed a special group of athletes; many of them can be found up before daylight running to stay in shape or hitting the weight room between classes. They endure hours of practice to perfect dance routines, coming up with new and innovative cheers and chants for every situation.

For instance, when a player on the opposite team misses the goal by mere inches, the next thing heard is: "You missed the whole goal, you ain't mad is you, huh what!"

They can also be found in the Women's Gym nightly pushing the envelope trying more difficult stunts and tumbling passes designed to wow crowds from all over.

"The squad is so dedicated to being the best," Smith stated " ... I am forever grateful that God has allowed me to be in their lives."

The team is so dedicated to becoming, being and staying the best that they often seek out the help of others in order to make themselves better at what they do.

"A couple of the guys and I traveled to Mississippi about a month ago to work with a gymnastics instructors in order to improve our tumbling abilities," said Roy Youngblood, a native Baton Rouge, who transferred from Northwestern State University.

But in the end all of their hard work and dedication paid off. Their reward: Being named one of the best in the country.

"I am so proud of them, I think this award is outstanding," said Terral Jackson, director of student programs. "They have worked very hard and they are now seeing the fruits of their labor. And be reminded that this was not a black competition; this was a national competition."

"The only thing that could make this moment better is if we would have won first," Jackson said laughingly.

"I felt like I was on top of the world when they called our name," said Tremayne Baker of Atlanta. "It gave me joy to see people actually wanting to see us perform. It shocked a lot of people to see us do as well as we did, us being an all-black squad from an HBCU."

The squad credits their coach with being a large factor in their journey to the top.

"James is incredible, he comes up with routines in his sleep," Jonine Moch, of Shreveport once said.

Smith just brushes the compliment off saying he couldn't do it without such a wonderful group of young people.

Re: SU Cheerleaders to appear in the NCA College Cheerleading Finals
 

WOW..I can't wait to watch it on ESPN to see my SISTA'S workin' it out! I think I'll forward this article to MTV and let them know what's up.

Kel, can you post the link or let me know where you got this article? Thanks!!

I saw all of the episodes that they had on there the one that really got to me was a women in her mid 20s wanted to gave gastric bypass surgey:mad:

I felt bad because here it is she has to come to terms with the simple fact that she doesn't fit into society's norm.

Also MTV :) has another show on called FLIPPED that teaches people a lesson about life too.

Did anyone see the True Life when the guy got calf implants? I believe it was True Life: Plastic surgery... they also followed 2 friends, one got a nose job and the other lipo. Well both of them looked quite jacked up after the surgery. But the guy... who referred to himself as "eye candy" had me COTFLGOAHAHA!!! What did he say... ummm.. oh, "real men wear body glitter"... wth? LMAO!!!:D

I saw this one a couple of times(I was bored). Why in the world would you need calf implants? Who cares about your skinny legs. The two friends were getting on my nerves. They were going through magazines picking out perfect body parts. "I want her lips." and "I want her legs." This is ridiculous. they've already had breast implants, where does the madness end. When will they learn that the perfect body will not make them happy if they're not working on their inner selves. There is some serious self-esteem issues going on here.

true life
 

Ok has anyone seen the new one "I have embarrassing parents"?

WHY is homeboy's father crazy? rapping about "niggas come on all shapes in sizes" and how 9/11 were the "sand niggas"? Lawd!
And this fool slapped his son on t.v. you know social services are gonna pay a visit to his house REAL SOON:eek:

I thought the nudist parents were pretty cool despite the nudity. And I was really touched about the star wars father. It just meant so much to him that his son came to the star wars convention. they were embarrassing, but cool.

Re: true life
 

First of all, I can't believe they actually made a "true life" about embarrassing parents.
I can't believe Justin's father, the "rapper" (if you wanna call him that :rolleyes: cuz his flow and lyrics were horrid ), had the nerve to slap his son for saying "bitches and hoes" after he himself said nigga a trillion times.

I was getting my hair braided when I watched it, and my beautician and I were CTFU when that dude starting crying over STAR WARS....I mean, was it really that serious...

yeah
 

I love star wars but damn I ain't even seen part 2 yet.

I just tear up a little seeing him so happy and crying that his son came with him. I wish more father/sons were like that.


qte

I'm a major fan of True Life and MTV in general. I think they do try to depict realism with everyone. I saw the plastic surgery show as well. My closest friend underwent gastric bypass surgery 3 years ago, the similarities between her and the young lady they showed brought tears to my eyes. MTV did a good job on her story.

Having that said:
Has anyone seen this sorority life show? I mean I know they have the MTVize their process, but damn!



Fabulous
#5 S.O.S
Delta Psi
DST

DAMN
 

NIGGAS COME IN EVER COLORRRRRRRRRR:eek:


WHY WHY WHY did I bust out singing this in my car???? I could have slapped myself!:mad:


Damn you true life!


QTE

my favorite true life is the one that im going to be on... you see, they emailed me yesterday hehehe... so everyone watch out for 'true life: im adopted" :D

true life
 

I also enjoy watching this show. Digita angle if you are telling the truth I can't wait to see your episode!! I haven't been on here in a long time. So forgive me for going back a little ways... here goes.. for everyone who saw true life: I'm a groopie.. Remember Kizzie.. Is that her dancing in B Rich's video Whoa Now. As for the plastic surgery I can understand the heavy girl.. but the rest of them..hmmmm. Can you imagine ol boy when he is fifty if he doesn't get those implants taken out. And people do wrinkle.. lol. I have even had plastic surgery but those girls were crazy.