Caribbean culture hits TV - Reality series about the region's women launched
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Curtis Campbell, Gleaner Writer
United States-based company Tulloch Media Communications, Inc (TMC) recently premiered the first episode of a new reality show, which exposes various aspects of Caribbean family life to the world.
The series, Caribbean Wives of South Florida, features wives in the role of family matriarchs, balancing marriage, career/business, living the American dream (cultural differences and all) and trying to fit in.
The goal of the series seems to be to show the diversity of the Caribbean community and the way that community reacts to different situations based on these cultural differences.
According to Maxine J. Tulloch, executive producer, Caribbean Wives of South Florida is expected to explicitly reveal the Caribbean's cultural wealth.
She also says the show will expose Caribbean talent as being Hollywood-worthy.
"As one of many ethnic groups in America, we are working to achieve respect, recognition, acknowledgement, credit and opportunities ... when Hollywood wants to cast and portray a Caribbean character, they train an American actor to play the part and mimic the accent, instead of hiring an authentic Caribbean actor. Why? The Caribbean people remain invisible. We want recognition, respect and acceptance. Caribbean people are talented in all areas of the arts, science, education, business, sports, military and government and should be recognised for such," Tulloch said.
A CLASSY PRODUCTION
Tulloch added that though the concept of the reality show is similar to those already popular in the American media, Caribbean Wives of South Florida is classy and does not aim to portray Caribbean women in a negative light.
"It's different because there is nothing like it. Hollywood wants the high drama, the fights, the ridiculous conflicts, shock behaviour, and we bring none of that to the production. Yes, there are conflicts, but they are played out differently - the Caribbean way - with class and dignity. Our culture dictates how we behave and it is shown in our production, we are different. America has never seen the Caribbean in its true form. In this production, we expressed the culture as best as possible," she said.
Caribbean Wives of South Florida was premiered at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in Manhattan, New York, last Friday.
Malaika, a publicist known for her work with Morgan Heritage, describes the show as refreshing.
"It is always refreshing to see women, especially Caribbean women, painted in a positive light on the TV screen. Too often, reality TV shows women as nothing but drama-filled opportunistic persons who shop, fight and flaunt a false luxurious life," Malaika told The Gleaner.