A lot of people will tell you that they don't watch TV anymore, especially not reality shows, but not me. I enjoy them, talent shows like the Voice or So You Think You Can Dance, of course, but most of my favorites come from Bravo and mega reality show mogul Andy Cohen.
This summer Bravo's reality show machine introduced us to Invite Only Cabo. A simple enough premise, 1 guy invites 6 of his best friends, who don't know each other very well, on a dream vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, put them in a gorgeous mansion and sit back and watch the fun ensue.
I got on board late, probably 3 episodes in, but I was lucky enough to catch a marathon that ended my plans for weekend cleaning and had me sitting on my couch laughing and falling in love with these characters instead.
With each episode, I became more and more invested, more so than any other reality show I had ever watched. I started Tweeting about it. The cast Tweeted right back. I Facebooked about it. I started talking about it to friends, co-workers, and pretty much anyone I came into contact with, urging them to give this show a try. Finally, I started actually watching it live instead of waiting for it to record on my trusty DVR (gasp). I can't tell you the last show I've done that for.
Before I knew it, it was time for the finale, I still can't believe how short the season was, but I guess a vacation can only last so long, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye!
I gathered my friends, put a call out on Twitter for people to watch with me, one of the first people to respond was 1 part of my favorite duo from the show, Jermane. The hour long finale seemed to go by in 15 minutes! I had so much fun tweeting back and forth with most of the cast, people I didn't know, and friends alike.
On Monday I was a little bummed and started to wonder why this little 8 episode show meant so much to me. I talked it over with my little sister and we agreed it was special. But it was on the train ride home today that I pinned it down. Invite Ony Cabo is special because:
1. It is the first reality show that shows real affluent black people doing affluent black people stuff, like taking a luxury vacation with our friends. We do that.
2. First show, reality or otherwise, where the entire cast were black, except for the 1 white cast member. It's usually, noticeably the other way around.
3. It was the first reality show that portrayed black people like reasonable people, with reasonable coping skills, able to resolve problems, get into an argument, without ending up rolling around on the floor yanking each other's hair out (this was a win for women and black people).
4. It was the 1st reality show where gay, bi, and straight characters intermingled without judgement, or having to have a long discussion about somebody's right to be who they were, or religion. One of the cast member tall, dark, handsome, and well-endowed (apparently), Agu, frequently disrobed in front of his housemates without any expressed fear that one of his gay housemates might become overwhelmed by his hotness and attack (refreshing).
For these reasons and a few I didn't name, I think the show, intentionally or not, was ground-breaking. In a time where part of the country seems intent on pushing us back into a time of hate and bigotry, tearing us apart, it was a beautiful thing to sit and watch Larry (the Wizard) introduce his friends, flirt with and tease the beautiful smitten Bianca, always hinting there was something more. Watching the group come to accept and care about a sometimes wild, and a little ratchet, Emily, and admire successful single mom, with the class of a queen and the looks of a supermodel, Kamani, flirt with the equally gorgeous Agu, cracking up with my besties (in my head) Malaku and Jermane with them damn onesies (love).
It was a great ride and I'm glad I was there for it. If you missed it the first time, it's now on demand. And YES I sound like I'm on the parole, honey, but it's only because I so want this show to come back, just the way it is. No added ratchetness, good only for ratings, there's enough of that.
The world needs to see us, black people, as real people, who can get angry without guns, make money without drugs, be a single parent without welfare, and who are no different in the their loves and passion than any other human being. Not only does the world need to see it, be we do too.
I'm tired of turning on my favorite shows whether its cooking, designing, decorating, or singing, and seeing 20 contestants, only 2 of which are black, and are so close to the stereotypes, that they could have been printed from a match the description of factory. IJS.
So, Andy Cohen and Bravo, thank you for introducing us to Larry, Jermane, Bianca, Agu, Emily, Malaku and Kamani. I hope you bring back Invite Only and more shows like it, because if we really want to end bigotry, first we all have to start seeing each other as humans. Why not being entertained, while we're at it.
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