Former WAGS Speak Out About Racism They Experienced From E!

Source: Alexander Tamargo / Getty

Welp! The backlash is real. This week several NBCUniversal networks put out Black Lives Matter statements. Here’s one from E! Entertainment that reads:

E! STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITY AGAINST SYSTEMIC RACISM AND OPPRESSION EXPERIENCED EVERY DAY IN AMERICA.

WE OWE IT TO OUR BLACK STAFF, TALENT, PRODUCTION PARTNERS & VIEWERS TO DEMAND CHANGE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TO BE SILENT IS TO BE COMPLICIT. #BLACKLIVESMATTER

While the sentiments are in line with many corporations, seeking to stand on the right side of history, several former E! talent were quick to call the network out for talking the talk without walking the walk.

“WAGS Miami” star Darnell commented that the show must have been cut due to the network’s large “All Lives Matter” following.

This is why they cut us. Look at how many of their fans are in the comments saying “All Lives Matter” @henyvbaby @astridbavaresco @favenliuget @autumnajirotutu

Darnell tagged several of her castmates in her comment.

Astrid Bavaresco added her own two cents:

Lol this comes as a big surprise! @eentertainment

But that wasn’t the end of it for E!

Another one of Darnell and Astrid’s castmates, Hencha Voigt reposted the statement on her page along with a refutation and examples of racism she experienced while doing ‘WAGS Miami.’

Ok @eentertainment @nbc this is a major lie and I have a bone I’ve been wanting to pick with you guys for almost 4 years now. You guys have been wanting answers and asking us every single day in our comments, lives, dms, why our shows got canceled. This is why, the real reason of @wagsmiami & #wagsla , #wagsatlanta got cancelled?!!!!!! Well, apparently there was a new executive on their board that didn’t like the image of our show. Whoever that executive was thought the shows were too, **let me find a good word for it**, “GHETTO” to be on E! What’s the definition of ghetto?… ghet·to

/ˈɡedō/ Learn to pronounce

noun

a part of a city, especially a slum area, occupied by a minority group or groups.

verb

put in or restrict to an isolated or segregated area or group.

When I got hired the first thing they said was can I change my hair to straight hair. They didn’t want my Afro or any of our braiding or protective hair styles. I told them that’s how I got casted and picked, if they didn’t like my hair like this which is me they can chose someone else for the job. They knew there was no show without me so they let me be. Same with our braiding hairstyles @darnellnicole @ash3nicole

We were the ONLY shows on @eentertainment history to ever have that many black people combined and they didn’t like that! They didn’t give us no warning, no apology, not even an an email to warn us that we were getting FIRED! We were all so confused, hurt and disgusted! When I say WE i speak for all of us @darnellnicole @ash3nicole @favenliuget @dominiquepenn_ @thesashaway @autumnajirotutu @sincerelyw @telliswift @iamhopesodope @nichecaldwell @thebrandirhodes @arielashleyy @misskierraa @keshadenise

The show was an AMAZING Show. The whole world still talks about it. The show got cancelled Because WE WERE BLACK!!!!! I’m so sick of holding my mouth, this Entertainment industry is racist too! All actors, rappers etc we suffer because of Racist Executives, that use us as pawn to have a hand in black culture and then dispose of us when they don’t need us anymore.

Remember Don’t ever make theses people make you feel less of who you are because of your skin color. It’s NEVER YOU, It’s Them!

Darnell joined Hencha’s comments to cosign that she and Ashley had been asked repeatedly about wearing certain hairstyles:

Say it Hencha! Ashley and I were repeatedly asked to lay off the braids and “urban” hairstyles! No lie!

Original “WAGS” (L.A.) cast member Autumn Ajirotutu also commented on Hencha’s post

I remember doing green screens and them asking me how I felt. I would say, “I felt E! Was racist. I felt E! Was painting me as the angry Blk woman”. Yes. I’m opinionated…angry, No. I remember being called a bi**h and outside my name by a white girl 5+ times and her begging me to fight her so we can have a good ratings. “Hit me!” , Hit me!” I remember saying “I’m sick and tired of them not painting us in the same light as you painted the other white girls on the show!” I remember sitting down on a couch and Natalie and Olivia attacking me and getting in my face. But That didn’t get showed. It was at a sunglass shop. I remember them being more aggressive than me, but I was painted as the aggressor or getting voice overs saying things I didn’t say in that context.

I remember a lot E! @eentertainment And this statement you made right here in your post is far from the truth. You never stood by us. EVER!!!!!!! Used us to elevate other people who weren’t even in real relationships! Ahahhaha…. I said what I said…..

One of Autumn’s castmates, who joined the L.A. franchise of the show for the third season, Dominique Penn also offered her solidarity.

Speak it!!✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾

Ashley Nicole Roberts, who also appeared on “WAGS Miami” posted the statement as well, along with details about her experience on the network.

Stop it @eentertainment 🤚🏾 Y’all know good and well yall do not care to show representation of POC on your network. Wags Miami had amazing ratings and was cancelled…. if it had not been for the many times I was asked to not wear braids and to straighten my hair and the other countless times yall felt I was acting “too black” I probably wouldn’t feel this way. But then when I turn the tv on to see who we were replaced with, it all makes sense. It’s a shame because I got and still get so many people reaching out saying how happy they were to see black women shining the way we did. I have yet to see another show on this network that captures how women of color are amazing mothers, entrepreneurs and business women, and better yet showing beautiful strong black families. It’s sad y’all passed on the opportunity to show the world how great black people are through your lenses and im literally smh… This is a movement, not a wave. Be ready to put your money where your mouth is and do the work. ✊🏾

Autumn also commented on Ashley’s post:

🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 Girl! I was so irritated when I saw that this morning on my timeline. #lies

Michelle Quick, who appeared on “WAGS L.A.” with Autumn and Dominique also added a comment:

Preachhhh!!! Every time we asked to do something that showed who we REALLY ARE , it was shut down ! Sooo many times! so much we wanted to share. So much Substance we wanted to bring to the show… all we heard was “NO” @eentertainment

We covered the cancellation of “WAGS Miami” and Darnell and Ashley were saying pretty much the same thing THEN so they’ve been consistent throughout.

Hit the flip to see what the “WAGS LA” wives had to say about their experiences.