How can a successful, award-winning, acclaimed African-American Hollywood producer like Shonda Rhimes, get away with producing something titled, “Bitch is the New Black,” and then having the audacity to pitch that it depicts successful African-American women in DC? Have I lost touch with reality or has stupid become the new sanity?
Selling to the highest bidder has turned seemingly mannered, well-educated, and highly skilled African-American women, into unsavory, unscrupulous pushers of negative images that serve to diffuse and dismiss the advances that we have made to put First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House. Media and movies have become the new auction blocks of our black women; accomplished or not. For Shonda Rhimes, producer of Grey’s Anatomy, to have the nerve to call a movie, “Bitch is the New Black,” is a slap, punch, and knife to our backs.
We have the First Lady and many other power players in DC and we have Rhimes calling them “bitches” directly to their face. Is she unaware of the strides made or is that such a catchy title that it will sell white media on it? Is she unaware, though I doubt it, of the harm that a statement like that makes? I am appalled and quite frankly disgusted that a sister, at this level, would stoop or even kneel to this level of degradation.
Have we become so bamboozled, lost in the sauce, and miseducated that we can’t read through the lines? Are we so hungry for attention and approval that we will continue to chip away at our dignity, sell our souls, and rape our respect? Think beyond the obvious. Read between the lines. The fine print is what will ultimately undue what we have done. If you don’t believe me, look at our youth imitating reality tv, videos, and artful insanity.
The word bitch and black should not be in the same sentence, let alone a representation of successful black women. I don’t answer to that and I understand freedom of speech, but this classy and accomplished lady has the right to say, “Oh hell to the no!” I will not be disrespected and someone try to convince me it was a compliment!
Bitch,please!
If I’m over-reacting, which I doubt, explain it to me and all the young, middle and seasoned women who work hard around this country to be treated, seen, and spoken about with respect.
You are not over-reacting. This is shameful and so disappointing. It’s unfortunate that this is the marketing angle she chose to take, and that in today’s society this is the kind of thing that sells.
Over-reacting – not at all! The title ‘Bitch is the New Black’is such an oxymoron, and then to profess that ‘Bitch’is somehow analogous to the successful Black woman..wtf!!!! It’s bad enough that this is how we are often viewed by many in White America, but that coming from a sister (one of us) deeply concerns me.
How dare she insult any of our intelligence. It’s almost like pissing on my head, then telling me it’s raining….. She has definitely crossed the line on this one Blanche!
Great article!
Over-reacting, maybe. I would not be convinced that Ms. Rhimes is selling to the highest bidder since this is a memoir that she is producing. It would be interesting to hear her side and why she decided to produce the movie. As satire, it may not be offensive, similar to Chris Rock’s movie on black hair. I also don’t know that it’s fair to say that Shonda Rhimes is calling black women bitches to their faces including Michelle Obama.
This is what I found online at http://www.imdb.com:
Miramax Films has picked up screen rights to journalist Helena Andrews’upcoming memoir Bitch Is the New Black for Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers to produce through Rhimes Shondaland banner.
According to Variety, Bitch Is the New Black is a satirical look at the new generation of young, successful black women in Washington, D.C. Andrews will write the screenplay.
Andrews is a culture columnist for Slate’s the Root.com and previously was a reporter for the New York Times and Politico. “Bitch Is the New Black” is set to be published next year by HarperCollins.
Shonda Rimes is an idiot. With all the strides we’ve made as a nation and now having our first BLACK ACCOMPLISHED first lady, Shonda now wants to convince me that Bitch is the New Black and I should somehow be comfortable being labeled such? Especially when those of us who avoided the hoodrat/video-ho lifestyle struggle not to be looked upon in this light on the DAILY.
This is nothing more than Shonda playing to the media at our expense. She needs to go back to the drawing board and keep her self hate to herself.
I am annoyed at the kneejerk responses posted here. Thanks to Yvette for a mature and balanced response. I agree “Bitch is the new black” SOUNDS problematic. But without having read the memior on which it will be based, it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to assess its content or its impact on the black community. Secondly, why can’t we attack the product without attacking the person. Why is Rimes and IDIOT for producing what might seem like (to her) an interesting project BY AND ABOUT a black woman living in dc (HELENA ANDREWS)? Why is there no conversation about memior author Helena Andrews who is published. A google search on her might give us a sense of her style and what might appear in the memior. Absent this it is all a guess. It amazings me that folks are up in arms about a project that may or may not see the light of day when there are countless BAD IMAGES of black women on BET/MTV/BRAVO and no one is saying a peep. In fact, we won’t even stop tuning in.
Sorry for the earlier typos!
I am annoyed at the kneejerk responses posted here. Thanks to Yvette for a mature and balanced response. I agree “Bitch is the new black” SOUNDS problematic. But without having read the memior on which it will be based, it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to assess its content or its impact on the black community. Secondly, why can’t we attack the product without attacking the person? Why is Rimes an IDIOT for producing what might seem like (to her) an interesting project BY AND ABOUT a black woman living in dc (HELENA ANDREWS)? Why is there no conversation about memior author Helena Andrews, who is a published author? A google search on her might give us a sense of her style and what might appear in the memior. Absent this it is all a guess. It amazes me that folks are up in arms about a project that may or may not see the light of day when there are countless BAD IMAGES of black women on BET/MTV/BRAVO and no one is saying a peep. In fact, we won’t even stop tuning in.
This was a great read though! Thanks..
Hi there! We thought you brought up some interesting points about this topic. We interviewed the author for our podcast and thought you might be interested in listening (no pressure!)
Here is the link: http://www.verysmartbrothas.com/the-vsb-files-episode-003-black-woman-down-a-conversation-with-helena-andrews/
my friends and I really need to thank you, this was very good to read…
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Since this post, it seems things have gotten worse. Our self-hate has become an epidemic when you can see it everywhere in media, on the streets, and in literature. Harriett Tubman said, ” I would have saved more if they knew they were slaves.” Salvation is a personal journey… and many sisters and brothers have blinders on. Our future is in jeopardy and we simply aren’t prepared for the “reality.” But like the matrix, we would rather stay oblivious, than be accountable for making a change.
Honestly…this is horrible. Shonda Rhimes and Helena Andrews are ruinous for Black women. It’s time we stand up to other Black women in the media who are making things hard for us. Not a single Shonda Rhies-produced TV show puts Black women in loving relationships with Black men – or anybody else. She stereotypes us as unloveable, as well as “bitches”. This is crazy. This is crazy.
Great insight. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations on how we rise up and stand up on this subject? The more noise we make the more attention they may take, however freedom of speech is at the heart of this matter. We all have to speak up and be our sister’s keepers.