Cancer is NOT a Joke

The world went into a frenzy during the season finale of Basketball Wives LA. Sundy Carter, a newcomer, verbally took things too far when she basically ridiculed fellow cast-mate for doing invitro fertilization to conceive a baby.  To be a mother and ridicule another woman because she can’t bare a child the natural way is ugly. However, when the woman that you ridiculed  is going through invtro because she is a cancer survivor, and you know it, you are a disgusting individual that needs all 12 of the disciples.  Like HIV/AIDS, cancer is non-discriminatory.  Fans of the franchise are outraged and a petition has been started to get Ms. Sundy Cater booted next season.

Sundy is a very sloppy chick. We have seen her start drama amongst the other women on the show countless times. She even got her eye blacked by another cast-mate (Draya Michelle) earlier in the season. She rarely has anything positive to say and we literally watch her hang on to every word during confrontations between castmates: Draya Michelle and Jackie Christie is a prime example. She nearly died of thirst when Jackie decided to have what should have been a private conversation with Draya about an issue that had absolutely nothing to do with Sundy. I understand the theory that drama makes good television but this is crossing the line. At what point do we say, “enough” of watching black women tear each other down literally and figuratively all for a check.

My question to Shaunie O’neal is: How are you the executive producer of a show and you are just as shocked as the the rest of the world is when you see the utmost disrespect portrayed on this show?  I understand that the Executive Producer is not a camera man  nor is the executive producer responsible for the editing. However, after Shaunie caught a lot of flack over the Tammy Roman bullying situation a couple of years ago, she promised to give programming with out all the violence. What happened Shaunie? Apparently, Shaunie isn’t as hands-on  with her productions as we are led to believe. I know she is a mother but still, she is the one who decided to put on this entrepreneurial hat. I’ll never forget her making her speech about zero tolerance for violence. I guess that policy came with an expiration date. Can someone please explain this to me? What exactly are you doing because, I’m officially lost. Instead of providing a positive platform for women, Shaunie O’Neal has managed to create the opposite: A “reality” boxing ring for black women to tear each other to pieces in. Peep Shaunie’s response on twitter the day after the finale aired.

The fact that she issued this  as a statement yet again is embarrassing. Is this really a genuine response this time? Come on Shaunie.

Cancer is not a joke.  It is the number one killer, period. Anyone can catch it anywhere in their body. It doesn’t matter how healthy you are or what kinds of preventative methods you may use. There is really nothing that anyone can do to guaranteed a cancer-free life. Sundy Carter’s comments not only hurt Brandy Maxiell, it deeply wounded cancer survivors and families who have battled this disease head on. No one should make you get that mad (yet I still don’t know exactly why Sundy was mad) to where you say something like that.  Her exact words were, “Go take your medication! Go try and make a baby, I have three!” There is no excuse for that. Regardless of what, a real woman would have simply walked away, cameras or no cameras, before she let something so ignorant, callous, and cold escape her mouth.

Power 105’s Charlamange the God made her his Donkey of the Day on the morning after the show’s season finale aired. One thing that he did comment on was how ugly she is inside. Fan’s of the show got an eye full and all of our hearts cracked when the comment was dished. What hurt even more was watching Brandi’s response. That comment really hurt and we watched her pain come out in the form of anger and tears.  Brandi and Sundy weren’t friends but they did get along cordially. So if Brandi was an enemy, what  would Sundy say then? Just the thought of a woman verbally lashing a woman the way Sundy did Brandi makes me question what is eating her up inside. The situation wasn’t even that serious.  As you see from the picture, Brandi’s battle with ovarian cancer was very real. That was not fabricated in the slightest bit. Brandi came on the show being very vocal about her condition. Just think of how many women watched that show and felt her story stir something in their spirit.

When I look at Brandi Maxiell,  I see a beautiful black woman whose make up is always on point and her hair is always laid. You would not know that she is a survivor. That’s the beauty about her doing such a popular show like this. When people see her and learned that she beat cancer, people will want to inform themselves. When you look at Brandi, you can’t help but think that if cancer could strike her, it can strike anyone. There is no apology that Sundy could offer that would be accepted as genuine. I highly recommend that Ms. Carter takes some time to do some soul searching. Why is she so ugly inside?