“The Frankie and Neffe Show” Holding “Us” back?
Maybe it’s all Keyshia Cole’s fault.
The Oakland, California-raised singer could have done what countless other music sirens have done before her, she could have just sung.
Sung with her heart out and let the fans decide if she stays around or not. But Keyshia, in a marketing and promotion masterstroke, hit us with a secret weapon, something so wrong but so, well, unlookawayable.
She gave us Frankie and Neffe.
And now we have “The Frankie and Neffe Show”.
But is that a good thing or bad thing?
Judging from the harsh comments many fans have left on discussion boards and forums across the Internet, the new reality TV show – which shows the mother-daughter tandem cutting up across Atlanta — on BET needs to be cancelled quick.
An online petition has even popped up, hopping to gain enough signatures to elicit a response from the show’s creators. The petition itself could use some work. It reads in part:
“Why … do we allow this buffoonery to continue? …. I’m not into making mean comments about anyone or take money out of their pocket but, These pictures saids it all.”
Is this person calling a spade a spade, or is it a great big pitcher of Hatorade?
The show, which Keyshia Coles does not appear in, is the latest offering from a channel that stresses itself as Black Entertainment.
To be sure the show certainly meets the criteria for entertainment.
Neffe, who can cry at the snap of a finger, certainly will hold your attention, as she courts her fiancé and goes about her daily business showing a range of emotion from joyously happy (you can tell from the tears) to outrageously upset (tears again) in mere minutes.
But the draw of the show is Frankie, who will act out in kind of sad but deliciously silly ways. The makers of the show hope that the viewers get it, that they see the sideshow as a maturation process. Producer James Dubose told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper this spring that the TV series “will show [Frankie and Neffe’s] growth and independence in their personal lives.”
But many people aren’t amused.
The show is evoking the same reaction as such shows as “Good Times,” which originally set out to show the triumphs and trials of a black family in the inner city but gradually morphed into a showcase for depicting “J.J.” as a clown, to the dislike of cast members.
The late actor Esther Rolle, who played Florida Evans on the show, reportedly said she exited the show specifically because it killed off the husband (James Evans) and displayed more of the silly antics J.J. became known for.
To be sure, many African-American shows have had flawed characters. “George Jefferson” of “The Jeffersons” was seen by many as a black role model, yet his character was written as a bigot who couldn’t stand race mixing.
But Frankie and Neffe aren’t acting. They aren’t seen as “characters.” When you see Frankie jumping around, and Neffe having a meltdown? That’s them. Dubose told the AJC, “Everyone has a Frankie and Neffe in their family.” And maybe that’s why the show brings forth the emotions that it does.
When viewers analyze Frankie they see the remnants of a very serious drug addiction, one that shouldn’t be displayed with such abandon, not by family members anyway.
When many viewers see Neffe they see someone who needs professional help, which is what family would do.
If they were in your family, would you celebrate their success or ask them to digress?
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People say its about growth, why can’t they have this ‘growth’ that’s not televised? Go back to school, get some therapy, get a real job.
I’VE SEEN THE SHOW TWICE, THOUGHT IT WAS STUPID AND CHANGE THE CHANNEL TO WATCH SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE INTERESTING. ITS JUST ABOUT MONEY, IM SURE KEISHA COLE REGRETS BRINGING HER FAMILY OUT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. EVERYONE HOUSEHOLD HAS ISSUES, IM SICK OF SEEING NEFFE CRY, SHES PATHETIC AND NEEDS TO GROW UP AND STOP MAKING BABIES AND TAKE CARE OF HERSELF AND GET OFF OF KEISHA’S COAT, I BELIEVE FRANKIE COULD BE BACK ON DRUGS(BUT THATS MY OPINION). BUT ANYWAY ITS A GOOD WAY FOR THE WHITE MAN TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF IGNORANT BLACK PEOPLE.
Why can’t we all just get along? Neffie & Frankie represent a part of the black community that we tend to judge as not helpable? Oh I guess they just fooled your butts, not for lack of a better word! Anybody can come up! and don’t you forget this. We have so much of , what the slave master put in us , which is self – hatred, that we can only see the Hallie Berry’s or Laura Londons, or Beyonce’s, in the lime light! Who ever has the mind to do it , get it!!!!!!!!! We do each other just like this society did us. There are some things I would say to them is get you a stylist for clothes and hair and make up, try something new, something age appropriate that reflects your personalities, I would not talk about them negatively, there are too many sista’s in the industry that could help them in many areas. It’s not a disgrace. People are going to talk about you no matter what! Let’s help each other out , the way motown did back in the day. MUCH LUV & SUCCESS
so it seems to me like all u guys have a little hateration in you because I absolutly love the frankie and neffe show. wat u see is how a they family operate u dnt c no fake drawn out happy family like u c with everyone else you see the real deal. every family u come across is not all well put togather but thts wat they r striving for the only difference between them and other famous ppl is tht there not scared to show the world tht there not perfect. so it seems 2me we as a ppl need 2stop tryin 2judge them an if the show does end of the account of your foolishness than thts a shame. I WOULD LOVE 2C ANOTHER SEASON AND WISH THEM THE BEST N FINDING THERE OTHER SIBLING
ANOTHER THING NOBODY IS COMPLAINING ON THE REAL CHANCE N LOVE SHOW HOW ALL THE FEMALES ON THERE R DEGRADING THEMSELVES OR THE NEW YORK SHOW WHICH IS EVEN MORE FOOLISHNESS. HANA N JAZZ N DA REST OF U IF U SIMPLY DO NT LIKE WAT BET SHOWS NOBODY HAS A GUN 2UR HEAD TELLING U 2WATCH IT TURN DA CHANNEL AS 4UR DA YOUNGER CHILDREN THT WATCHES THT SHOW IT DOES NT MEAN THT THEY PORTRAY BLACK PPL AS THT SIMPLY B-CUZ THTS ONLY A FRICTON OF WAT THEY WAT I DNT BELIEVE THT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WIT THE WAY NEFFE DRESSES EACH PERSON HAS THERE OWN STYLE LET THEM DO THERE THANG AS 4CHILDREN I NVR SEEN THEM WIT THERE HAIR LOOKING BAD AND 4U 2SAY YAL DISLIKE DA SHOW SO MUCH IT SEEMS 2ME EVERYTIME IT COMES ON UR EYES MUST B GLUED 2IT CUZ U SEEM 2ALWAYS KNO WATS GOING ON WIT IT SO DO U REALLY DIS LIKE IT AS MUCH AS SAY U DO. LOVE THE SHOW AND BET AND EVERYTHING IT STANDS 4IF U DNT LIKE IT SIMPLY DNT WATCH IT NO EMBARRESEMENT ON THIS END. HOLLLA! MAN DOWN!
Well Halle, Lauren London, and Beyonce worked to get where they are so that’s why they are in the light. They have jobs!
BET is trash, MTV is trash and VH1 is trash with all their reality shows. But BET is made for us and that’s all they show. That’s the point, period.
Lakeisha this isn’t about those shows and yes they are stupid and they display stupidy of both races they didn’t ask about all reality shows just this one
These people are living on the back of a famous relative like parasites. I watched 2 episodes of this show for the 1st time today and was shocked frankly as to what BET would air as entertainment. This show is frankly embarrasing! There are so many positive people to have a reality show about. Not former drug addicts, prostitutes and jailbirds but people who have struggled to be productive, inspiring members of our society. My Family (my Black Family) has been in the entertainment industry since the 1940′s. I have never been embarressed by any of them but I am embarresed by this show and I will never watch again and I encourage any who will listen never to watch this show. EVER!!!
I don’t understand how a woman could benefit from the fame of a daughter that was taken away from her as a result of her addiction to drugs. Not to mention, Frankie seems to show little respect for the woman who actually raised her daughter. As I watch the show, I get the feeling that Frankie feels that she deserves the good fortune that have come her way by having givin birth to someone who became famous. This show is a “HOT MESS.” If these women were serious about “healing” their relationship and bringing their family together, they could do it without the monetary benefits of making fools of themselves on a classless reality show. I wish Frankie and Neffe the best. I really do!!! Afterall, doesn’t everyone deserve to be happy?
I don’t have a Frankie or Neffe in my family but if I did, I would do my best to make resources available to them to help them with REAL growth. I watched a little bit of 1 episode and it was too much for me. Too much drama, emotional instability, hello anger management issues. Getting a new wig, new teeth, even a house or a new gig won’t do away those inner issues or demons. It’s going to continue to be a dysfunctional dynamic. At least w/Keisha’s show, it showed her past struggles w/her family and her trying to heal and grow. Even with the NOISE from Frankie and Neffe on it, at least there was a balance… which seems to be what BET is missing from their programming. Tiny and Toya? No. I don’t relate to them either.
I miss Girlfriends and The Game.
I echo what said :
I don’t have a Frankie or Neffe in my family but if I did, I would do my best to make resources available to them to help them with REAL growth. I watched a little bit of 1 episode and it was too much for me. Too much drama, emotional instability, hello anger management issues. Getting a new wig, new teeth, even a house or a new gig won’t do away those inner issues or demons. It’s going to continue to be a dysfunctional dynamic. At least w/Keisha’s show, it showed her past struggles w/her family and her trying to heal and grow. Even with the NOISE from Frankie and Neffe on it, at least there was a balance… which seems to be what BET is missing from their programming. Tiny and Toya? No. I don’t relate to them either.
I miss Girlfriends and The Game.
GET THEM OFF TV & GET THEM REAL HELP!
I mean I echo what ‘bronze beatuy’ said :
__
Getting a new wig, new teeth, even a house or a new gig won’t do away those inner issues or demons.
I miss Girlfriends and The Game.
__
GET THEM OFF TV & GET THEM REAL HELP!
GET THEM OFF TV & GET THEM REAL HELP!
GET THEM OFF TV & GET THEM REAL HELP!
YOUR THE SHIT KEEP IT UP
You know in the beginning (the first couple episodes with Keisha) it was great. It dealt with reality of dysfunction which we all have in some form or fashion in our families. The beautiful thing was the fact that they were all willing to share this with us, and by them sharing we also got the opportunity to see them work through there issues in a positive way,which i believe gave us all some encouragement and perhaps even insight into our own personal situations. And that is what made the show spectacular! However, at this point.. i see NO growth and it actually looks as if both Neffie and Frankie are digressin instead of progressing. I am not one to judge,but i will say… when it starts to be a “negative” thing as opposed to “positive”, and more harm than good ( to Keyshia) it is time to reevaluate this “show.
Keyshia’ show was great! I loved it! This show on the other had is putting us back into the “house & field n—-r” syndrome. Them two of course being the “field n—–rs”. There needs to be a stop to it, soon. I’m not trying to take money out of their family’ mouth’s or anything, but come on!!!