Niecy Nash is one of reality TV’s rising stars. After pulling in five million viewers with her wedding special, TLC offered the actress her own reality show, “Leave It To Niecy.” Though her star power and paychecks are rising, Nash recently claimed that she doesn’t have to worry about becoming too big. And what’s her reason? She’s black.
Nash recently set down for an interview with Rob Shuter, the host of Huffington Post’s “Naughty But Nice show,” and spoke with Shuter about black celebrities in the press. Though, Nash feels that black celebs aren’t as sought after as other races, she revealed that the lack of attention is OK with her.
“The truth is black celebrities are not as sought after in the press as white celebrities, and that is comforting,” Niecy says. “As a black celebrity, if we go out to a hot spot, you know there are going to be paparazzi there, but we aren’t the girl who someone is jumping out behind your trash [for] when we get home. So it’s nice to be able to live your dream and not be overwhelmed by what can be a downside of the business.”
Nash continued, “There is no reason to talk about it ‘cause it’s a peaceful life,” says Niecy. “I’m not saying we should be stalked — I like it. I didn’t get into this business for other people to know my name. As a little girl, my destiny was stamped onto the canvas of my imagination at 5 years old. I was watching soaps with my grandmother. … The most gorgeous black women I had ever seen in my life came out, and I knew that that is what I wanted to do — be fabulous and black and on TV.”
Finally, when asked if she thought celebs like Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian would be treated differently by the press if they were black, Nash replied “Yes.”
There is definitely truth to Nash’s words, but there are some black celebrities who have beaten the odds to become media darlings. Check out a list of sought after black celebs below. – nicholas robinson
