Source: Presley Ann/Getty Images for WE tv; Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage; Robin / Getty
Former Basketball Wives cast members are rallying behind current star Ogom “OG” Chijindu after the most recent episode of the VH1 series.
In episode three, while the ladies were quarantining together in separate houses, OG sat down with fellow cast member Kristen Scott to talk about her experiences with colorism during the previous season. While it was broadcast to make it seem as though OG was standoffish and defensive the whole time, after the episode aired, she actually shared unedited audio of her talk with Kristen, and it sounded the complete opposite. While the two didn’t end up on the same page when it was all said and done, it wasn’t a completely fruitless conversation. Kristen wanted OG to paint for her the instances where she felt she was a victim of colorism, and OG, weary of trying to explain the obvious ways in which she was treated differently and separated from her castmates, wanted Kristen and the other ladies to educate themselves so that they could see how their treatment of her was problematic on their own. Overall though, the conversation was edited in a less than favorable way, so OG exposed the entire thing, which is close to an hour.
“Listen very carefully,” she wrote on her Instagram. “After waiting over 2hrs for this girl to come force an ignorant conversation..I was extremely nice, patient and accommodating..Why this was not shown I do not know.”
Clearing things up, OG said, “I do not care what these people think about me,” adding, “Yes I experienced colorism” and “Yes I experienced racism.”
“I initially expressed my concerns privately to see if these issues could be resolved,” she said. “After publicly being defamed, segregated and called a monkey, I shared my experience.”
She would add that her experience is not “my ‘storyline'” and that she wasn’t the one who kept bringing it up in the new season.
“This is simply what REALLY happened to me..followed by pathetic attempts to do DAMAGE CONTROL.”
OG has her share of detractors, as well as a significant number of supporters. The latter group includes some notable former Basketball Wives stars. CeCe Gutierrez, Tami Roman and Royce Reed all took to OG’s Instagram to call out the “toxic” behavior and share their own less than pleasant experiences with not only the cast but also those behind the series.
“I just now watched only this episode, and I am not surprised,” CeCe wrote. “I miss you, I love you and I am PROUD of you! Yes it’s what they do! Yes it’s what they’ve done many times to me. The amount of disrespect is unbelievable. Nothing was done to address what was done to me…NOT ONE THING. Instead it was amplified for entertainment and never addressed after the fact. What did the executive producer say about that? Or anyone else to fix it or address it? But this is not about me, this is about you. And I will always stand for you…forever.”
Tami Roman, who like CeCe left the show after Season 8, also voiced support for her friend.
“OG, no one can tell you how to feel & you have a right to express your truth!” she wrote. “I spoke to you during the ENTIRE filming and I witnessed first hand your hurt & pain. I’m so sorry you have to continually be the target even when all you want is peace. Toxic ppl love saying everyone else is toxic to avoid accountability. Stay strong friend, the viewers will eventually see & know…it’s not you.”
Even Royce Reed decided to speak up.
“I 100% agree with you. The amount of disrespect I received and favoritism I witnessed for 4 seasons to be blanketed by and dismissed by production edits or cast interviews was depressing. But I went back for those seasons after being told a change would happen. It never did,” she said. “To even excuse the terms used when other networks have respectfully parted ways with cast members for less offensive remarks simply because of ratings is so sad and shows not much has changed on the network.”
Whether you agree with OG or not, the show is certainly using the negative experiences she had as a selling point to get people to watch as opposed to truly addressing it. At this rate, we’re sure OG will be joining these ladies as former Basketball Wives castmates soon enough, and we wouldn’t blame her for running for the exit.
