True Life/Made On MTV

DELTAQTE · #1 03-19-2002, 05:05 AM

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

Honeykiss1974 · #2 03-19-2002, 10:56 AM

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.

candygirl · #3 03-19-2002, 04:32 PM

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.

Innocence22 · #4 03-19-2002, 05:05 PM

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.

Nubian · #5 03-19-2002, 05:22 PM

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.

DELTAQTE · #6 03-19-2002, 07:33 PM

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

OneOneTwo · #7 03-19-2002, 07:46 PM

What happened in 94?

112

NOWorNEVER · #8 03-19-2002, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Innocence22
I have been accepted into the Aggie Family at North Carolina A&T State University (Aggie Pride!!!) And I cannot wait.

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.

DELTAQTE · #9 03-20-2002, 07:42 AM

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

Innocence22 · #10 03-20-2002, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NOWorNEVER

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

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.

cleopatrajones · #11 03-23-2002, 12:47 AM

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.

Honeykiss1974 · #12 03-23-2002, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cleopatrajones
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?

lovelyivy84 · #13 03-23-2002, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cleopatrajones
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.

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.

cleopatrajones · #14 03-26-2002, 06:59 PM

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.

Honeykiss1974 · #15 03-26-2002, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cleopatrajones
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.

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!