5 Memorable Black Women from “The Real World”

2. Tami Roman: “The Real World: Los Angeles” 1993

Look familiar?

To see the difference in the persona that is Tami Roman from her time on “The Real World” in comparison to “Basketball Wives” is astonishing to say the least. On one show, she was mellow, outgoing, still a bit self-conscious, but a pleasant soul to be around–if you didn’t try and play her, of course. Now, she’s a chain smoker, a tad bit on the dark/bitter side, ready to throw down at insults that aren’t really insults. But I guess we know a trifling man can do that to a woman. But go back to ’92 and you’ll see the young Tami Roman. An aspiring singer, like many to come and go through the show, she was the sole black person in her tour of LA. She was misunderstood by many in the house, mainly because she played too much, and had odd habits of getting her teeth temporarily wired shut to keep her from overeating. Skinny as a stick, she had issues with her weight even back then. But Tami made her most controversial splash on the series’ second season by deciding to go through with an abortion on the show, with her mom by her side. While her rendezvous’ with reality TV don’t seem to be very delightful for Tami, she’s always put her emotional vulnerability and stories out there to help other women, and you have to give her some props for that. No matter how off the wall she can be at times.