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Baddies Africa, which premiered on May 11, 2025, found itself in the limelight after one of its cast members, Summer None Other, aka Summer, commented on her co-star, Diamond The Body. Episode 1 of the Zeus Network show featured Summer having a heated exchange with the latter. As the tension intensified, she said:
"That b**ch [Diamond] face look like Emmett Till."
For the unversed, Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy who was accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, at her family's grocery store in Mississippi in 1955, as reported by CNN. Days after the incident, Carolyn's husband and half-brother abducted Emmett and lynched (shot and mutilated) him before throwing him in the Tallahatchie River.
When Emmett's bloated corpse was discovered, his parents decided to have an open-casket funeral without any alterations from the mortician to ensure the world saw what had happened to their son. Emmett's death became a landmark event for African Americans across the country, fueling the Civil Rights Movement.
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Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's thoughts and opinions.
After reflecting on the significance of Emmett's death, Summer's comparison of Diamond's appearance to that of the deceased boy comes across as insensitive, and disrespectful.
The fact that Summer referred to Emmett's appearance proved she knew who he was and what had happened, but she still used his name to demean someone on a reality TV show. The Baddies Africa fame not only undermined the Black community's fight against racism but also defeated the purpose of Emmett's open-casket funeral.
Baddies Africa alum Summer's public apology is not enough
A thing that should be noted, besides Summer's poor attempt at making a statement, is that Zeus Network did not edit her comment out of the Baddies Africa episode. While I wonder how a Black-owned network can allow Summer's segment to air for millions of people to watch, it is evident that they want the views and the numbers, even if it comes at the expense of cultural exploitation.
While looking at Summer's apology that she posted on her Instagram account on May 13, 2025, I can conclude that it still feels incomplete.
The Baddies Africa cast member wrote:
"I deeply regret my words and the impact they may have had on others. I understand that my response was not appropriate for the situation at hand, and I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended."
This apology posted on Instagram does not compensate for the impact of her remark, which has not only affected fans of Baddies Africa but may have also reached the ears of the Till family. Netizens across various platforms have called for Summer's removal from the show, saying that is the only way she can be held accountable for her actions.
"Remove Summer from Baddies for that Emmett Till comment. What a disgusting f**king comment to make," one person on X wrote.
"Summer needs to be removed expeditiously, between her telling somebody they look like Emmett Till after a fight, and stealing peoples stuff that’s insane," another person commented.
I believe the network should take strict measures against Summer to prove they did not condone such behavior or language on the show.
In her apology post, the Baddies Africa alum mentioned that her comment was inappropriate for the "situation at hand." What I think Summer needs to realize is that her remark was not only inappropriate for the "situation at hand," but any situation, for that matter.
A child who lost his life due to rampant racism prevalent in the then America should not be referred to while ridiculing someone. She further wrote:
"As someone who is still new to the world of television and public life, I am committed to learning and growing from this experience."
While she may be new to television, her community's history is not something that is new to her. The fact that she specifically compared Diamond's face with Emmett's proves that she knew what she was talking about. Even then, she said that just to overpower Diamond.
It is disturbing to see how Summer, who is a mother herself, can speak out on such sensitive matters so callously. In my opinion, she should take time off to weigh in on her words and genuinely understand why such comments are never correct, under any circumstances.
Baddies Africa will return with a new episode on Sunday, May 18, 2025, only on the Zeus Network.
