Black reality TV stars who’ve impacted the culture (and deserve their flowers)
From NeNe Leakes to Tiffany Pollard, these Black reality TV stars shaped pop culture, created iconic moments, and changed television forever.
Whether you love it or hate it, reality television has left its mark on pop culture. From guilty pleasure shows like “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “Potomac” to addictive competitions like “Love Island USA” and “Big Brother” to controversial yet heavily viewed shows like “Bad Girls Club” and “Baddies,” the reality of reality TV is it has ingrained itself in the fabric of the culture. From the iconic one-liners that live forever in our group chats to the unscripted moments that spark national conversations about race, beauty, and respect, Black reality stars have been doing the heavy lifting of this genre for two decades, often without the credit.
“People relate to us because they experience what we experience,” “Love Island USA” season 6 alum JaNa Craig recently told Cosmopolitan. “We’re just doing it in front of a camera.”
So, this week, when Cosmopolitan published an article spotlighting the stardom of breakout reality TV participants, social media users were quick to call out the names that the article failed to mention. In addition to Craig, Olandria Carthen, Ciara Miller, Serena Page, Tiffany “New York” Pollard and Bob the Drag Queen, these are the Black reality stars who earned a permanent seat in the cultural hall of fame.
Nene Leakes – “Real Housewives of Atlanta“
Phaedra Parks –”Real Housewives of Atlanta“
Porsha Williams – “Real Housewives of Atlanta“
Tamar Braxton – “Braxton Famiy Values” (now: “The Braxtons”)“
“The Cookout” alliance – “Big Brother” season 23
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth – “The Apprentice“
Karen Huger –”Real Housewives of Potomac”
Tami Roman – “Basketball Wives”
Jackie Christie –”Basketball Wives“
Joseline Hernandez – “Love and Hip Hop”
Cardi B – “Love and Hip Hop”
Joe Budden – “Love & Hip Hop”
Ray J – “Love and Hip Hop”
Rachel Lindsay – “The Bachelorette“
