It’s pretty clear that hate is one of planet Earth’s most abundant resources. Everyone seems to have it, yet no one really wants it. If only we could bottle and export it on the intergalactic market. But since that ain’t going to happen anytime soon, we mind as well enjoy the haterade pouring from our favorite scapegoats: celebrities.

No one is immune to hate, but with their every move quickly becoming a trending topic on twitter and getting more media hype than a black president, celebrities, for all their status, wealth and success, end up looking pettier than your average person.

And my, do they take themselves seriously. I suppose we’re all partly to blame for projecting our preconceived notions of grandeur onto someone just because they can act, dance or sing, but c’mon–celebrities can’t get high off their own supply either.

Let’s face it, most of these people are good at one or two things, like everyone else. So expecting them to also speak eloquently, have great insight or be the bigger person is asking a lot. As this next list of favorite celebrity haters show, it’s a lot more fun when they’re not.

Lil’ Kim

No one blames Lil Kim for hating on Nicki Minaj for replacing her as the hip hop game’s go to female act. Especially not after the Young Money upstart scoffed at Kim’s notion that Minaj should pay homage and give thanks to the Queen B for paving the way for her raunchy antics. If I was Kim, I would’ve hated on Nicki Minaj too!

There are more Tyler Perry haters than a little bit. Tyler had a few words for them when he accepted his award from Al Sharpton and the National Action Network. This time Sharpton came to his defense as well.

*Hint* the word “uppity” was thrown out there.

Check out what both men had to say at NecoleBitchie.com.

By Charing Ball

One of my favorite pastimes is to catch up on some online reading during my lunch break.  My drug of choice is blogs, which usually have a political or cultural slant to them.  Anyway, after reading some pretty thoughtful and objective analysis on the issue of the day, I usually scroll down to the comments expecting to see an even more thoughtful discourse, but without fail, and usually within the first three comments, someone has left the death knell for further discussion: “hater.”

Every few years, there comes a word or catchphrase that rages through the pop culture lexicon with all the fervor of a category 5 hurricane.  Hater is that word.  From politicians, to celebrities, to your average Facebook updater, just about everyone is using this word and claiming to have them.  But what’s a hater?  Well, it’s supposed to describe a person who deliberately works against your progress.  However the term, which originated in the hip-hop community, has morphed so that it now covers just about anyone who happens to get on your nerves at the moment.

If a person doesn’t have your taste in music, movies or appreciates your ability to take several hundred pictures of your butt and then post them on Facebook then there must be some irrational, pathological hatred behind it.  The whole phenomenon copies that of a kindergarten class dance recital, where everyone is supposed to clap and sing praises for every child, even the  little knocked-kneed girl who almost twirled herself off the stage.

Are there people in the world who will place roadblocks on your path to success?   Yes, it is called the government.   Beyond that, if we are honest, there are very few who stand in our way. Yet hater continues to be grossly overused, so much so that it’s lost all context.   Calling someone a hater is the modern-day equivalent of telling someone, “Ya mom.”  Both are funny punchlines but are often said to cover up the responder’s lack of wit, knowledge and/or depth of understanding the original accusation.  For those who don’t quite get it, let me present you with a couple of examples:

Haters are the sleaze ball music producers, who promise to make you the next Beyonce and record your demo – for a fee- but end up disappearing with all of your money.  However, if a producer refuses to take your money after listening to you screech your way through an off-pitch version of Whitney Houston’s I will Always Love You, he’s not a hater, but rather someone who thinks you’re tone-deaf and should probably have a doctor check your hearing.

If you are a Republican willing to jeopardize the first nation of the free world by blocking efforts to raise the debt limit (as was done quite a few times during the Reagan administration) because it might give you political gain in the next election, you are a hater.  If the only reason why you are “famous” is because your mother ran for vice-president several years ago and won’t go away, then you don’t have haters, you have people who are wondering why you are still relevant.

As you know, Madame Noire has declared today “National Hug Her Day” in an effort to show a little love to the ladies in our lives who may need a bit of special encouragement.  Well, while we want to show love to our sistergirlfriends and play cousins, we also think the haters out there (both genders) are also crying out for a little affection and a LOT of attention. Here are some of the signs that you may need a little chicken soup for the soul to ease the hate in your heart. Don’t be mad…in fact, stop being mad and find some joy instead!

If a woman ran this world, she probably wouldn’t be in power too long.

Why you ask? Because the people that brought her into power would probably turn into her biggest critics. Homegirl would have so many haters from both genders, she’d either crack under the pressure, or stand strong enough and be bold enough in her role to become the villain in no time. Only to be replaced with the help of her peers.

I say this not because I don’t believe a woman could be president (Hillary was close), or the CEO of a company (it happens everyday, but it’s certainly easier when you start your own business), but because a woman needs a few true allies. People that won’t question her every decision, start a rumor that she’s inadequate for not agreeing with the status quo and that won’t give her attitude for ASKING you to do the job you get paid for. There’s so many fickle folk in the corporate world. Men are usually given the chance to make mistakes before they’re deemed “inadequate” for a position. Women get figuratively stomped and castigated on the low the minute an email is sent that they’ve been promoted.

“Authority, when held by a woman, can be viewed as tentative, while a man‟s
authority is often assumed.”

This statement was provided by Karen L. Proudford, an associate professor of management at Morgan State University who did a research paper on negative group-think towards women in authority in the workplace and in organizations. While it has been known for a long time that many men in big companies and orgs can be the biggest detractors of a woman making most of the business decisions, I’m starting to wonder if women are becoming worse. Trust, I’m not attacking anyone—cause I’ve been a hater from time to time, myself.

Friendships with your homegirls are always fun, unless you have the following four types of homegirls…

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