In this corner, reigning from the Deep South, wearing the Pink Victoria’s Secret sweats… is Kimberly.
On last night’s episode of Real World XX: Hollywood, Kimberly tore into Brianna for being “ghetto” (minus the fabulous). Many of you have reacted strongly to their conflict. zsm said:
“i can’t believe people like Kim still exist. she’s ignorant and racist. kim, i hope u don’t get caught after dark in the most ‘innercity blackville.’”
And there was a lot more where that came from. So I did what any other nosy-ass blogger would do about the sitch — emailed Kim to ask for an explanation. And now it’s been broughten:
“Let me start by trying to express my utmost appreciation for the overwhelming support and love I have received. I cannot possibly respond to all of the emails, but I do read them. Everything means so much to me, and it has served as such an encouragement.
The Real World is a social experiment. Seven VERY different people are put in a house from all different backgrounds and walks of life. The intro to the show, “To find out what happens when people stop being polite and start being real,” was written for a reason. Watching the show would be boring if everyone were the same or if everyone got along. I personally never had a problem getting along with people until I moved into that house.
Growing up in the South, one is taught to be polite and mannered. I was astonished at the behavior of some of my roommates. Does this mean their behavior was “wrong?” NO! This just means I was not raised the same way. Does this mean I went into the house being “judgmental?” YES! The point of the “experience” is to learn more about yourself, your roommates, and to develop an open mind and new ways of thinking. Unfortunately, you the viewers don’t get to see a lot of that because the show is edited for entertainment. That means that there will only be 1% of what was filmed shown on television.
Do I regret the things I said? No. This is because when one says they regret something, they wish it never happened. I personally am thankful I said those things because I was able to have my roommates explain to me that in other areas of the country it was unacceptable.
This brings me to all the lovely mail I have received…
First, let me say while I appreciate all of the grammatical errors and vocabulary that one would never find in Webster’s Dictionary, it is extremely ironic that authors of such emails are judging me based on preconceived stereotypes of a Southern girl. It is obvious that these people should have looked in the mirror long before they thought about judging me. As all of us know, that is not the way the world works, so we move on.
In conclusion, I hope that everyone finds it in their heart to stick with the show and see how all of the roommates grow individually as well as a whole. That said, I must warn you: it gets much worse before it gets better.”
Until next time, go green or go home,
Kimberly
www.teamkimberly.com
Um, I am white and live in Alabama (Heart of Dixie) and calling someone "ghetto" and referring to an inner-city neighborhood as "blackville" is unacceptable here, too. It always amazes me when white southerners behave as if they alone live in the south. Do you think the many African-Americans who live here (and have had family here for as long, or longer, than their white counterparts) are tourists?
Oh! i almost forgot....the stereotype issue....
it is a fact that you are a Southern Girl, right? It is a fact that in the South, the "race issue" (past and present) still exists, right? So, i think it would only be fair to say that people that stereotype you as a southern girl with prehistoric "issues" about people that are different than you have just cause for it! I mean, you were taped on TV saying inner city...blah, blah, blah....blackville!!! i don't believe that you can bounce back from that and i definitely believe that you should make a better attempt to respond to the people, such as myself, that consider you a racist. Even if you don't feel as if you were wrong in your eyes, it would just be sooo big of you to apologize anyway...because you may have hurt some people's feelings from what you said.
racism is a disease...and the only way to cure it is from within.....
There are plenty of black people in the South so they must not have much of a problem living there.
My job requires that I speak on the phone w/people all over the U.S. and sometimes Europe and those from the South and the U.K. definitely have the most social graces.
Last year, when I was living in Europe a young woman named Jade Goody made similar ignorant racial statements on England's Celebrity Big Brother show about Shilpa Shetti, a Bollywood actress from India. In India, there were protests and they burnt images of Jade. In the UK, a half a million people wrote the TV station and boycotted her products, her life in the UK was ruined all because of what she said and the way she acted on the show. Words have power. People didn't stand for those type of ignorant racial statements in the UK and around the world, the story was International news for weeks, here it's a poll on the MTV website and the subject of a message board.
This definition is directly quoted from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Now, the majority of us know that the term "ghetto" is used interchangeably in our English vocabulary now-a-days. However, it is not appropriate for someone to use the word in a form of a put down. On the show, it was a put down. It showed ignorance.
SHE WAS ACTING VERY GHETTO-LIKE.
BY THE WAY GHETTO MEANS NEIGHBORHOOD IN ITS ORIGINAL ITALIAN MEANING.
SHE WAS BEING GHETTO, SO GET OVER IT!
Anyone who thinks that what Kim said is acceptable is crazy. Yes, there are bigger problems in the world, but that doesn't mean that smaller issues should get swept under the rug. Often times, when people do something that is oppressing to others, they like to pretend it never happened. That's what has happened with A LOT of injustice that has happened in the world. Further more, the fact that Bri called herself "ghetto" doesn't justify anyone else calling her that. If I call myself a *$$$*, can Kim call me one and it all of a sudden not be racist? NO... so that actually has nothing to so with the fact that she said that. Then for her to go off into a racial rampant is even more disturbing. In no way, shape, or form what Kim said acceptable...
I like to draw attention to the first episode when she mentioned how Detroit could produce someone so wholesome and well mannered because all she has known it for is violence... I saw from the begging that she was ignorant and racist.
We all make mistakes Kim. I have always been in predominantly Caucasian privet schools and I to have made mistakes, but for you to try and play the situation off as something that you are going to learn from, yet you can't even apologize for the fact that you said it? grow up and take responsibility for your mistakes so that you can learn from it because so far, the only thing that you have learned, it how to take criticism!
-YET ANOTHER educated [[open minded]] AFRICAN American
Good luck to you in the future, I just want to let you know that you've tainted your future aspect by your personal color issues.
Moreso, the thing that got me was "inner city blackville." Are you kidding me? You just offended so many more people than just Bri when you said that.
So if I start telling people how I feel and even get loud and curse, I'm acting ghetto? Do Caucasians not get loud and curse sometimes?
Thanks
Why did you even purport to apologize? Your so-called apology is just a thinly-veiled excuse to continue to judge and look down on others? Stop making excuses for your behavior and own the fact that you were offensive. You made racist comments on the show, whether you want to believe it or not. Maybe you don't think that you are racist, but your subjective belief is irrelevant in this situation. If people of color around you are offended by what you said, you should rethink about the appropriateness of those comments. Growing up in the south is no excuse. Moreover, making racist comments is not unacceptable only in areas outside the South. It is unacceptable PERIOD.
Furthermore, just because people have written you emails containing grammatical errors and misspellings doesn't make you any better than them! Good education is not a free pass to be judgmental or feel superior (and I question how well-educated you are...being able to Webster's dictionary is hardly a feat); it's a privilege that not everybody has.
"Blackville"....
I hope you NEVER decide to go into politics, or marry someone who is a politician.
Those comments are going to haunt you for the rest of your natural born life.
Signed,
An African American born to Jamaican parents.
P.S.
I am educated and do not reside in the ghetto.
First of all why did you use the term "ghetto" on Brianna. She did not in anyway get ghetto, she was just trying to get her career started. Yes you are racist, don't deny it, also you and sara are backstabbers. You talk behind Bri so much you guys should be ashamed. Sara please take note DO NOT HANG OUT OR SPEAK WITH KIM NO MORE. I tell you this because it looks like ur becoming racist. Kim what if we got into an argument and all of a sudden I say, "ok Kim lets not get southern." Would you like that no.
That said, the most disturbing thing to me is Kim doesn't appear contrite, or seem willing to understand why so many people are offended when she said "let's not get ghetto." She assumed Bri was ghetto just because she's black and that's a stereotype and that's wrong. It's like us assuming she's racist just because she's from the south. But in her case, that stereotype turns out to be true.
This trashy girl went on to talk about an imaginery place called "Blacksville," which exposed her racist views to the world, in case anyone had any doubt. Her parents should be ashamed of themselves for raising such an ignorant idiot. If Bri was white, I seriously doubt Kim would have said "ghetto," and by using that word, she turned it a racial issue. She should have said, "Calm down," or "Let cooler heads prevail."
In my opinion, she's the one who acted ghetto and brought shame and embarassment to her entire community. It will be interesting to see what happens on the reunion show. Hopefully, they'll rip her a new one!