I have been a fan of the show Girlfriends for a few years. If you've never watched, the show is about four girlfriends, and how they deal with life's trials and tribulations, all the while, supporting one another and keeping their friendships in tact.
Back in the day the show was laugh out loud funny. Recently it suffered a set back when Jill Marie Jones, the actress that portrayed flamboyant Toni Childs, elected not to renew her contract. Her absence has left a serious void in the show. I may be a bit bias since Childs was my favorite Girlfriend. I loved the way her character was able to tell it like it was without resorting to ghetto clichés. Her absence leaves a definite void in the clique. It's like watching Sex and the City without the Sex um, I mean Samantha. So why did Toni's portrayer Jill, bounce? In an interview w/ the LA Times, the show's creator Mara Brock Akil says,
"I would love for her to come back, but Jill doesn't want to return. I don't know 100% why she made this decision. She didn't tell me. All she said when we talked was that she felt it was time for her to move on. The door is not closed. We've asked her to come back and have offered different ways for her to return. But I completely wish her well. There's no drama involved."
It's been my experience when someone says "there is no drama involved" that there is definitely DRAMA INVOLVED.
Jill Marie Jones' publicist, Nicole Nassar, responded to the LA Times inquiry with:
"There really is nothing to say…."
Those two statements say a whole helluva lot. Clearly there is friction and one can't help but wonder if perhaps, Tracie Ellis-Ross is somehow involved. Is it crazy to speculate whether Ms. Ross has some diva-like tendencies passed down from her mama? Apparently not, as Tracie does her best to eradicate any potential rumors by making a statement of her own to Vibe Vixen in their fall issue:
"In order for the show to come back, the cast was not going to get the huge raise we dreamed of. So when the calls went out about the new contracts, Jill gave a quick 'no.'; it was her decision. Clearly, we all wanted to come back to 'Girlfriends' as we know it. However, like anything, the show is bigger than one person. The show is called 'Girlfriends,' not 'Jill and Friends,'" Ross said, before adding, "I think I was mostly sad that after six years, the call didn't come to me that said, 'Hey, I've decided to leave and this is what it's about.' But the show will go on.
So there it is. Jill wanted more money. Maybe she wanted the cast to work together like the cast of Friends to ensure a bigger paycheck for everyone. It really isn't a bad idea. These girlfriends may not realize what their show is worth. I just read an article about how advertisers looking to reach a certain demographic (read- BLACK), have difficulty doing that during prime time viewing hours, because programming targeted toward African American's is limited to a few shows.
One thing is for sure. If Girlfriends wants to stay on the air, they will need someone to come in and fill Jones' shoes pronto. They've attempted to replace Toni with Monica (William's fiance). Maya, Joan and Lynn aren't the only girlfriends struggling with this adjustment. I just am not feeling it. So, I've made a list of actresses that might qualify as her replacement:
Taraji P. Henson: Maybe she's an old college friend of Joan, Lynn and Toni.
Queen Latifah: I can see her as a record executive that works with Lynn.
Lucy Lieu: it would be funny if she opened a competing business near Joan's.
My number one pick would be Nia Long. I haven't seen her in much since Third Watch ended. She could be written in as Maya's new editor.
These actresses probably demand a salary that isn't realistic for the show's budget. Also, it's Tracie Ellis Ross' show, so I doubt she'd want someone else coming in and stealing her thunder. Still, it would shake things up a bit and breath some life into this fading program.
Back in the day the show was laugh out loud funny. Recently it suffered a set back when Jill Marie Jones, the actress that portrayed flamboyant Toni Childs, elected not to renew her contract. Her absence has left a serious void in the show. I may be a bit bias since Childs was my favorite Girlfriend. I loved the way her character was able to tell it like it was without resorting to ghetto clichés. Her absence leaves a definite void in the clique. It's like watching Sex and the City without the Sex um, I mean Samantha. So why did Toni's portrayer Jill, bounce? In an interview w/ the LA Times, the show's creator Mara Brock Akil says,
"I would love for her to come back, but Jill doesn't want to return. I don't know 100% why she made this decision. She didn't tell me. All she said when we talked was that she felt it was time for her to move on. The door is not closed. We've asked her to come back and have offered different ways for her to return. But I completely wish her well. There's no drama involved."
It's been my experience when someone says "there is no drama involved" that there is definitely DRAMA INVOLVED.
Jill Marie Jones' publicist, Nicole Nassar, responded to the LA Times inquiry with:
"There really is nothing to say…."
Those two statements say a whole helluva lot. Clearly there is friction and one can't help but wonder if perhaps, Tracie Ellis-Ross is somehow involved. Is it crazy to speculate whether Ms. Ross has some diva-like tendencies passed down from her mama? Apparently not, as Tracie does her best to eradicate any potential rumors by making a statement of her own to Vibe Vixen in their fall issue:
"In order for the show to come back, the cast was not going to get the huge raise we dreamed of. So when the calls went out about the new contracts, Jill gave a quick 'no.'; it was her decision. Clearly, we all wanted to come back to 'Girlfriends' as we know it. However, like anything, the show is bigger than one person. The show is called 'Girlfriends,' not 'Jill and Friends,'" Ross said, before adding, "I think I was mostly sad that after six years, the call didn't come to me that said, 'Hey, I've decided to leave and this is what it's about.' But the show will go on.
So there it is. Jill wanted more money. Maybe she wanted the cast to work together like the cast of Friends to ensure a bigger paycheck for everyone. It really isn't a bad idea. These girlfriends may not realize what their show is worth. I just read an article about how advertisers looking to reach a certain demographic (read- BLACK), have difficulty doing that during prime time viewing hours, because programming targeted toward African American's is limited to a few shows.
One thing is for sure. If Girlfriends wants to stay on the air, they will need someone to come in and fill Jones' shoes pronto. They've attempted to replace Toni with Monica (William's fiance). Maya, Joan and Lynn aren't the only girlfriends struggling with this adjustment. I just am not feeling it. So, I've made a list of actresses that might qualify as her replacement:
Taraji P. Henson: Maybe she's an old college friend of Joan, Lynn and Toni.Queen Latifah: I can see her as a record executive that works with Lynn.
Lucy Lieu: it would be funny if she opened a competing business near Joan's.
My number one pick would be Nia Long. I haven't seen her in much since Third Watch ended. She could be written in as Maya's new editor.
These actresses probably demand a salary that isn't realistic for the show's budget. Also, it's Tracie Ellis Ross' show, so I doubt she'd want someone else coming in and stealing her thunder. Still, it would shake things up a bit and breath some life into this fading program.
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