Is Your Hair "Too Black," Too?
From a Variety article on NBC’s firing of Gabrielle Union from America’s Got Talent:
“Union was subjected to a very specific critique — that her rotating hair styles were “too black” for the audience of “AGT,” a note she received over half a dozen times, according to four sources with direct knowledge of the exchanges who spoke on the condition of anonymity.”
“Despite seeing a ratings decline for at least three years, the show’s social media presence has doubled since Union and Hough replaced longtime female judges Melanie Brown (of Spice Girls fame) and model-host Heidi Klum. The 18-episode season that wrapped in September generated 25 million social media impressions, approximately half of which engaged directly with Union, according to figures from Nielsen Social, effectively making her the most popular judge.”
Ladies, you don't have to take this crap!
This is exactly what I'm constantly talking regarding creating your own platform.
You don't need NBC, NBC needs you! That applies to all of the networks and cable channels.
They have no show without the talent and YOU are the talent!
"September generated 25 million social media impressions, approximately half of which engaged directly with Union...effectively making her the most popular judge."
Do you not see the power you hold?
Don’t get me wrong
I'm not condoning how Gabrielle was treated or suggesting that she should just go somewhere else if she doesn't like it.
My view is the opposite, in fact. It appears like she was the only adult in the room, in some instances, when it comes to cultural sensitivity.
It also appears that rather than appreciate the perspective that Gabrielle brought and her ability to help NBC stay out of the kinds of trouble that big companies get into all the time due to lack of diversity at the table, some folks decided to remain entrenched in their ignorance rather than learn and grow.
That kind of commitment to ignorance is exactly why just days away from the year 2020, some people don't see anything wrong with telling a black woman that her hairstyles are "too black."
Seriously. You have to have pledged allegiance to ignorance to not know better than that. You just don't want to be enlightened if you're even able to think in those terms in this day and age.
That said, my point is now at least we have options.
Red Table Talk
Nobody is telling Jada Pinkett that she is "too black."
Her show, Red Table Talk, is on Facebook just crushing it!
Jada doesn't have to conform to any rules or parameters set by someone who doesn't get what she's doing. She records her show in the comfort of her home, so if somebody has a problem with what she's doing, they can get the hell out.
Pay Attention!
That photo above is from an ad running on one of those big electronic displays in the DC/MD/VA subway system (Metro).
Pay attention to who is paying for that ad.
Jada is not paying for that ad. That is Facebook paying to run that ad to promote their video hosting platform.
Facebook wants to unseat YouTube as the place where people spend their time watching videos. So it makes great business sense for them to pay for a photo shoot to create photos to make into ads to promote YOUR SHOW because YOU ARE THE TALENT!
Facebook has nothing without you. And they know it. Do you?
Create your own show. Put the work in to build an audience. And then watch Facebook put their weight behind you to help you win because the success of your show is directly aligned with the success of their video platform.
Facebook wants creators…right now
Are you going to jump at that opportunity and take advantage of the support they will provide you, or are you going to wait until it’s a saturated market, like YouTube, where you’ll get no help?
YouTube is not helping anybody promote their shows because it doesn’t have to because YouTube is already the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind when it comes to video.
Facebook is not in that position. Facebook is trying to take over that position and they can’t do it without you and they know that. Do you?
You can be a partner to Facebook in helping them build their Facebook Watch video platform and enjoy all the benefits that come from being one of their pioneers (like free advertising).
Or you can just keep auditioning for a seat at tables where you’re not respected.
Here's a look behind the scenes of Red Table Talk
By the way, that video is hosted on Will Smith’s YouTube channel AKA his own platform where he can do what he wants, without anyone’s approval.
Don’t be intimidated by that huge production team that Jada has. You don’t need it.
When you have those kinds of resources you use them. The rest of us use what we have.
Two turntables and a mic
That’s all that was needed to birth the revolution we know as Hip Hop.
Two folding chairs and a great story is all you need to create a great show.
Here’s an example:
You don't need a garage full of people to produce a show. It’s nice to have a lot of resources, but you can make your show happen with a lot less.
Oprah did not have the same resources available to her in the first season of her show that she had in her 25th season.
You start where you are and you build from there.
You can create any kind of show you want
You can build any kind of platform you want.
You can give voice to any kind of people you want.
You can control your own narrative.
You do not have to apply for a seat at anyone else's table, especially at a table where you’re not and never will be appreciated.
It’s about to be 2020. If NBC hasn’t yet figured out that telling a black woman that her hair is “too black,” are they ever going to?
You Are The Talent!
You don’t need America’s Got Talent because YOU are the talent!
You can sit down at a card table, if that's all you have, and your talent will prevail.
Start sharing your talent with the world and a better table will show up.
Eventually, a better house is going to show up to better accommodate this incredible show you've created that delivers so much value to the world.
This Is How You Can Help More People
If you're in a professional women's group and you all don't have a talk show or video series of some sort, why not?
If you're active in a local chapter of your sorority and you all don't have a talk show or video series of some sort, why not?
You're already coming together anyway to support each other and pool your resources and expertise, likely in service to the community.
Why not take advantage of all the power that video offers to help you control your own narrative, amplify your message, and help way, way, way more people?
And in the process, you’d be showcasing the business owners in your organization and helping those businesses grow and thrive and contribute to a robust local economy.
Video can help you do all those things. Why not do it?
You Can Be The Next Liza Koshy
Who is Liza Koshy?
Exactly.
I’d never heard of Liza Koshy before I saw her in this video on Will Smith’s YouTube channel and wondered why he had some random person on there with him to promote his new movie:
You've probably never heard of Liza Koshy before, either. But when you look her up, you'll see that plenty of people follow her work.
She has 8 million subscribers...ON HER SECONDARY YouTube channel! That’s more subscribers than Will Smith currently has, by the way.
She has 17 million subscribers on her main YouTube channel where she describes herself as "Just a little brown girl with big dreams."
That’s 25 million total subscribers!
25 million!
Achieved by some woman you may have never heard of before just now.
You don't have to be Gabrielle Union to reach millions of people. The Internet makes it possible for any of us to do that.
25 million people have signed up to receive what Liza Koshy has to offer.
25 million…just let that marinate for a bit.
Do you think she might be earning a nice living with an audience that big?
Why not you?
Those YouTube channels are LIZA’S platform.
She can wear her hair any way she wants to and who is going to tell her otherwise?
As is the case with Oprah, a lot of people get to eat because of Liza doing what she does.
Nobody tells Oprah how to wear her hair. And nobody tells Liza, either.
That can be you!
If you want freedom from the “we don’t like your hair” foolishness, that freedom is out there, ladies.
You just have to decide to go claim it.
Who needs NBC?
Create your OWN, ladies (pun intended)!
Helping you get comfortable with using video to achieve your goals is what I do.
Yes, she is real!
You might have thought that the magnificent queen in the thumbnail was too good to be true, but she is definitely real.
When I look at a woman this gorgeous, it’s just outrageous to me that there are idiots out here who would tell a woman who looks like her that she needs to change her appearance.
Y’all seriously don’t have to take that foolishness.
Anyway, her name is Bianca, but she goes by Bee and she owns Honey Bees Natural Hair Designs, so she’s not just gorgeous, she’s a lady boss!
If you’re in the DC area and you want to get your natural hair right for the launch of your new talk show, make sure you talk to Bee.
Now that I think about it, there’s more than one lady boss on this page. You can click here to interviews with them, if you like.
Yes, this is all my work
All the photographs you see in this article and throughout my website are my work.
These are not stock photos from wherever, these are all women who I’ve had the opportunity to work with to capture their stunning beauty.
I also do corporate headshots, so if the photographer at your organization is not doing a great job of capturing the beauty of people who look like you, put me in touch with whomever coordinates photography services for your organization.
I make everybody look great.
