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On the May 12 episode of the Zeus Network reality TV series Baddies Africa, Summer None Other compared fellow contestant Diamond The Body with Emmett Till during a heated exchange.
Summer said that Diamond’s “face” was like Till, a 14-year-old African American boy who was abducted and lynched in Mississippi in 1955. The incident happened after Emmett was accused of seemingly offending a White woman named Carolyn Bryant at the latter’s family-owned grocery store.
“You gonna always miss. B*tch, you wish you could be like me. That f**king face was like Emmett Till,” Summer told Diamond in a recent 'Baddies Africa' episode.
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Viewers deemed the comment insensitive and distasteful, and put Summer None Other under backlash and called for her cancellation. Since then, she has issued an apology via Instagram on May 13 and claimed to “deeply regret my words and the impact they may have had on others.”
Zeus Network, too, addressed the controversy. In a statement posted on Instagram on May 15, they claimed that the situation was under an internal review, at the end of which “appropriate action” will be taken.
“While cast member Summer (‘Baddies Africa’) has since apologized, we also take this opportunity to educate our talents on the dangers of using such reckless rhetoric. We extend our deepest apologies to the family of Emmett Till…” the post read.
Zeus Network also mentioned that they will be making “charitable donations” to organizations honoring the “achievements of African American history” and providing resources surrounding “cultural sensitivity training.”
Exploring further Summer None Other and Zeus Network’s apologies amid the Baddies Africa controversy
While social media users have called for Summer None Other’s removal from Baddies Africa, she has gone and apologized for her Emmett Till remark.
Taking to her Instagram on Tuesday, the 28-year-old wrote that she recognized her comment as “inappropriate and insensitive,” and not suitable for the situation at hand.
“I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended. As someone who is still new to the world of television and public life, I am committed to learning and growing from this experience. I recognize the importance of being mindful and respectful in all situations, and I am dedicated to doing better moving forward,” she wrote.
None Other concluded her statement by thanking everyone for their understanding and support as she strived to be a “better person and contributor to the community.”
Two days after her apology, Zeus Network also responded to the matter.
“We are committed to delivering bold, unfiltered entertainment – but we also expect all talents and partners to uphold a standard of respect and responsibility. We recognize that recent comments on the series ‘Baddies Africa,’ referencing Emmett Till have caused deep hurt and offence,” the network wrote.
Zeus continued by claiming that they took such matters “very seriously” and maintained a “strong commitment to respect, integrity, and accountability” both on and off screen. They added that the matter was under investigation and more updates would be provided soon.
The network concluded by writing that they were committed to offering an “inclusive environment” to their talents, partners, staff, and audience, and extended their appreciation for the community’s continued support.
Diamond the Body, to whom the comment was directed, hasn’t addressed the matter publicly, outside of the show.
Meanwhile, a petition to “Remove Summer from Baddies for Offending Remarks” has been launched on change.org earlier this week. It has received nearly 8,800 signatures at the time of writing.
The petition called the Detroit native’s remarks “appalling” and considered Emmett Till’s “tragic death” a “pivotal point” in the American Civil Rights Movement.
“We are tired of her nasty behavior on the show… The callousness shown by making jokes about such a significant and painful event in history is unacceptable and shows a profound lack of empathy,” the petition read.
It went on, “Baddies is a space that should empower and entertain, not become a platform for tasteless jokes and disrespectful behavior. Summer's actions do not align with the values of respect and sensitivity, which are crucial in our society, especially when dealing with historical atrocities and the pain of marginalized communities.”
The petition called for the immediate ouster of None Other from Baddies Africa that would demonstrate Zeus Network’s “clear, zero-tolerance policy towards hate speech” and “promote an environment respectful of all individuals and histories.”
It mentioned that the show had a responsibility towards its viewers and larger community, and allowing Summer’s comments to “go unchecked” would send a “troubling message” to the world and would undermine the “integrity of the show.”
Summer None Other, whose real name is Summer Monroe, previously appeared on Baddies Midwest (season 6) and Baddies Gone Wild Auditions, among other Zeus Network reality shows.
