How did you initially get involved with the show?
During the first season, I was introduced as NeNe’s best friend, but let’s not get into the other part of that phrase … I actually knew Sheree before NeNe. But this whole thing came about with the help of one of my girlfriends, Carla, who introduced me to the network. Carla then introduced NeNe to the network, and NeNe introduced Sheree to the network. Then she introduced Kim to the network. I don’t know where DeShawn Snow came from, but that was how it began.
Did your career really begin to take off after being introduced on the show?
A lot of people may know me from the show, but Dwight Eubanks existed long before that show. I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years, and The Purple Door Salon has been in existence for the past 22 years. When it comes to hair, makeup, fashion and luxury, I do it all.
Is there anything that rubs you the wrong way about how the show is perceived?
I get a lot of talk about how the show is ghetto. What’s ghetto? It’s OK for a white [person] to go to a fine dining establishment and flip it over … they get high ratings for that, and they’re all wonderful. But let a sister do that, and she’s straight out of the ‘hood. What’s the difference? This shows me that we’re definitely divided in this country with black on one side and white on the other. Certain things that they do are acceptable, and certain things that we do are just so horrible and disgraceful. How can five women really represent all black women of America? That’s just crazy to me.
Watch the Dwight Eubanks interview in its entirety on rollingout.com.
