“Real Husbands of Hollywood” became a hit on BET poking fun at TV husbands who are often in the shadow of their wives’ shine. For Tisha Campbell-Martin and Duane Martin, the off-color jokes traded on the show may have hit too close to home. After 22 years of marriage as part of Black Hollywood’s royalty, Tisha Campbell-Martin explained to TMZ on Feb. 22, 2018, that she and her husband have decided to divorce.
For six seasons, the “Real Husbands of Hollywood” poked fun at Martin’s inability to earn money on the same level as his wife. Martin’s character was nicknamed “Shake” for his “shaky” business dealings and inability to close a deal. Tisha Martin-Campbell was featured on the show as herself, playing a wife who was tired of her husband’s inability to earn a living. The show’s writing poked fun at Duane Martin’s short-lived television and movie career.
Besides Duane Martin, the series also scoffed at Nick Cannon’s marriage to Mariah Carey, suggesting that he was unable to take care of the multi-Grammy Award-winning diva financially. Sally Richardson and husband Dondre Whitfield, Robin Thicke and Paula Patton, and Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker were also showcased as examples of men struggling to keep up with their wife’s bank account. Since the show’s inception, Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey and Robin Thicke and Paula Patton have all gone through a divorce.
While the Tisha and Duane haven’t officially said what caused their divorce, it’s apparent that art often imitates life.
Ironically, the news of Campbell-Martin filing for divorce comes on the heels of news of a possible “Martin” re-boot. Three weeks ago, Campbell-Martin was pictured with Martin Lawrence and Tichina Arnold coming out of a meeting that many speculated was the beginning of a “Martin” reunion. Days later, Lawrence was pictured with Carl Payne, which further pushed rumors that a reunion for the cult comedy series is on the horizon.
