By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
When it comes to reality television, nowadays it’s clear most of the major networks are looking for cat fights and drama. In their minds, that’s what spikes up the ratings, and with shows like “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta” and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” pulling in massive ratings thanks to their surge in both, it’s obvious the trend in networks doing whatever they can to create the drama probably won’t be slowing down any time soon. “R&B Divas” quickly became TV One’s highest rated show, so the network decided it would follow the path of other major networks and start working on spinoffs. The LA show is the first of what many claim will be more to come, and with big personalities such as Lil Mo and Kelly Price added to the cast, we all knew the sparks were going to fly. However, it now appears not all the cast members are happy to be a part of the drama and like Faith Evans and Nicci Gilbert they are starting to have regrets and tension with the producers. We told you recently we heard the real reason Faith Evans walked away from the Atlanta cast is she hated the direction the show was going in, and she felt the producers were being dirty and cared little about any of the women on the show and only about ratings. Things went downhill in Faith’s opinion after they gave her and Nicci Gilbert the boot from the producer circle.
Dawn Robinson (formerly of En Vogue) understands exactly how Faith and Nicci feel and in a recent interview with the Hip Hop Socialite, she calls out the producers for turning something that was so positive into nothing but drama. She also revealed the meeting they had in which the ladies of the LA cast were told they were “boring” and needed to start drama ASAP to ensure the show’s success. She had a problem with that considering the producers promised around contract negotiation time the show would remain positive. Dawn says:
“Because we were such a part of the show, the producers speak to us midway and said, ‘You guys have a boring show.’ And I said at the meeting, ‘Is that because we’re not fighting against each other? We’re not pulling each other’s hair out? We’re not negative against each other? Is that because we support each other, and we’re loving towards each other as women? You want to see the negativity because in your mind, drama is what gets the ratings.’
“But at the same time right now, what we’re seeing is that the show so far – and this is midway through filming. So this is half way through filming – what we’re seeing now is that the show, so far the four episodes that they’ve shown have been very positive and very loving, and people are reacting to the positivity on the show. And so, they have the highest rating in TV One history, our show is the highest rated show in TV One history, and that’s positivity. This show is not negative so far, and yet you guys have the highest rated show in TV One history without any drama? That says a lot – that means it was never necessary in the first place. Real life has enough drama in it without having to add to it and create some stuff ’cause you guys want ratings. It’s just ridiculous, so it’s pretty sad, but we don’t control that.”
Dawn went on to say her future with the show is uncertain because she’s not comfortable with turning up for the cameras, meanwhile her cast mate Lil Mo is having no problems with ti and recently said Dawn is a 63-year-old Cowardly Lion in a recent interview with The Breakfast Club.
It just takes a certain kind of person to do reality TV. If you’re not ratchet, with no morals, it’s most likely going to be hard for you to do.
Right. And I don’t think Dawn is cut out off for this. Now Lil Mo, she’s a bit of an actress and she’ll say/do anything for attention. She’s born for this kind of thing.
This show is better than the ATL one!
This show is so good. But Dawn shouldn’t act surprised. How many positive reality shows exist? Exactly.
Ugh Lil Mo gets on my last nerve. I can’t stand her ignorant behind. Just loud and tacky all the time. Shut up and sing or sit down.
I always thought Dawn was a bit of a b-tch herself until this show. She’s a sweetheart and I actually like her.
Kelly Price looks like such a b-tch on this show. I mean I know she was a bit of a queen because of some stuff I heard about her back in the day, but she is really making herself look terrible on this show. She’s definitely the Nicci of this show.
Can’t stand Lil Mo. And Kelly Price annoys me too. She got all up in that man’s face and I swear I wanted him to blow air in her eyelids, pinch her or something. She’s a joke.
LOL at blow air in her eyelids.
I know this is a different cast but I haven’t given this show a chance because the divas from ATL really worked my nerves last season. All that fighting has turned me off of watching reality tv, with the exception of Tia & Tamera.
Thank you. I just wrote something very similar.
I liked this series because they could have drama without being ratchet. My how times have changed.
I can’t bring myself to even watch this show. The trailer and the last season of the ATL one did it for me. I stopped watching LHH too and missed most of the episodes. I’m just losing interest in reality TV. Too much cursing, fighting, and ratchet behavior for me. I’m starting to watch a lot more scripted TV.
I’m not into reality shows either anymore. The LA trailer didn’t impress me so I haven’t been watching I’m just waiting until my fall shows come back on.
I think you and I will become the majority very soon. I’m seeing more and more people feeling the same way.
Dawn needs to just walk away and focus on her music. She has a great voice. No need to embarrass herself on here.
From the previews I’ve seen I didn’t like but I have seen recent interviews w/ Lil’mo and she gets on my nerves I use to like her but she is just too much. I would only watch is too see Claudette Ortiz story because I want to know what happened to her everybody else I could care less.
Dawn should have done her homework and paid attention to what happened to the ATL cast. These producers are dirty and don’t care about being dirty either. They want the network to get more views by any means necessary.
What did she expect? A peaceful show? The ATL show was even worse. She shouldn’t return if she can’t handle the drama. It’s not for everyone.
I haven’t seen not one episode yet. I’m still salty about the atlanta one.
But wasn’t Dawn messy herself back in the day? I thought she’s the reason En Vogue had so much drama.
Dawn has no idea what she signed up for it seems. Smh.
I am really surprised at Kelly. She keeps on bragging about how “booked” she is ….God don’t like ugly. She is the one that is always late for everything, never shows up; so unprofessional and then wants to complain when the other ladies want to take over. I am really disappointed with her. I think Chante is responding much better to the situation….