by
Lisa Jean Francois
So, remember a couple of years ago when comedienne, Sheryl Underwood publicly slammed natural hair on popular the CBS daytime talk show, The Talk?
Sidenote: Rewatching that clip just got me all kinds of upset again. Especially, since I keep my son’s little spongy afro curls from his first haircut in my vanity. It’s like she was coming after my baby, y’all. Who talks about the kids? Who?
But I digress. Ms. Underwood, by the grace of all things holy, snatched off her very shiny wig yesterday and issued a live apology for the statements she made regarding afro-textured hair:
https://youtu.be/zLtScn1EDMk
What do you all think? Is all forgiven?
44 Responses
YES all is forgiven! Who are we to not forgive when we All fall short of the Glory of God.
I forgive her she was sincere.
I of course forgive her. Her job is to talk a lot and think fast, she made a mistake. I think she has now taken the time to examine herself and learn.
Forgiven
I wonder if she told a joke about the nazi and concentration camp if she would still have a job after that one episode. I don’t think the audience would have been laughing so hard.
I forgive her because people change and there is no reason for me to hold a grudge against my black sista . She didn’t know any better and she made a mistake . I am glad she is embracing her natural self and her self love journey . 🙂
Cheryl, thank you for the apology. I accept it and I forgive you. Thank you also for teaching me to be humble and to apologize when I hurt someone. You’ve just gained a new fan, even though you are a republican :-).
@Mildrew ZNival I agree.. Im not surprised at what she said understand the history of african ppl. We have a passed slave mentality and self hate issues about our hair in the black community. The whole good is white ppl hair that has less or a curl not like our nappy hair. vs bad hair our hair. We spend some money on harmful relaxer and weave to look like a white ppl. Then our hair falling out trying to look like something we not. We as race is so colonized by white ppl.
I am not usually a fan of Ms. Underwood (she’s a black republican) or “The Talk”. I am however glad she at the very least made an attempt to correct her mistake and seemed genuinely sorry. Its not surprising that she finds black hair unattractive because many black women do. We spend billions of dollars on fake hair that could very well go to more worthy causes in our community. We make others rich, yet we remain at the bottom of the totem pole. Thats why we must teach our children that what God has given them is good enough and should be proudly displayed. She looks a heck of a lot better with her naturel hair, then she does with them God aweful wigs and YOUNGER.
I’m glad she apologized. I could care less how she wears her hair because that is her business. Too many people try to dictate how others live their lives. And the money we spend could be better used investing and send our children to college.
I wasn’t aware of her previous statements she made abt black hair, but I’m glad she apologized. Her apology is
accepted .
Two years later u come with a so called apology; and so what u wear ur hair like that 4 the rest of the show,do a whole year and i’ll know ur 4real and sincere.
She did sincerely apologize immediately after the event.
I didn’t realize that she had made a horribly rude and ignorant comment about Heidi’s kids hair, or Bkack hair in general. I’m glad, however, that she has taken steps to use her platform to not only apologize, but to highlight the beauty of kinky, “nappy”, “beady”, Afro hair. I love each and every one of my naps, kinks, and beads that God gave me, and He loves them too! We are His artwork!
She has apologized before but she did it only on media outlets that target black audiences. Like she said she needed to say it in the same forum. We’re all good now Sheryl. you look so much better without the wigs.
I definitely accept her apology. I believe she apologized right after it happened in 2013, but this is very sincere. She didn’t have to bring this back up, but she did and that lets me know that this was something heavy on her heart. I think many Black people have made some sort of disparaging comment about Black people. I know I did before I knew better, but when you know better you do better. I’m proud of Ms. Underwood and happy to have her on television of one the many unique representations of Black women.
Apology accepted. She looks a lot better with her natural hair also.
I accept. She look very nice. She really explained herself well.
I think her apology was genuine and I can see why some would have been offended by her earlier comments, but I think we as “sisters” should be mindful of the plethora of reasons why black women wear wigs and weaves. My hair has been thinning since I was in my 20’s and, aside from my knowledge the fact that I know it’s hereditary, I’ve tried everything – outside extensions – to improve the situation. Many times I think in an effort to point out that others have offended, we ourselves become offensive. My wearing a weave or a wig signifies that I love myself no less than someone wanting to lose weight. I think we’re all looking for our personal beautiful and that I don’t have to expose My personal challenges in this journey by ceasing to wear wigs or weaves to make my sister comfortable. I continue to ready take care of my hair and I’m sensitive to what it needs, but in addition to learning how best to nurture my locks, I also have to encourage growth. I’m not even on the retaining length journey yet. I say all that to say, we should all default to compassion.
While I agree with most of your statement, I disagree with likening weight loss to wearing weaves. I do not believe them to be the same thing. People can choose to lose weight for health reasons or just for self improvement. Wearing weaves that look nothing like your natural hair is not exactly indicative of self love or self improvement. All races wear extensions but black women tend to wear extensions that look very different from their natural hair. Of course, the historical reason for this isn’t lost on me and it is unfortunate that to this day, some women are denied job advancements for wearing afros or locs. That said, I do agree that we sometimes become offensive when others have offended us and that gets us nowhere.
Personally, I’m all for wearing weaves and even straight hair, so long as you are not afraid to confidently strut down the street with your natural hair AND feel sexy! Sadly, many black women do not think their natural hair is beautiful and will wear any styles that look nothing like it. When I visit home, I still get people telling me to go and “do my hair” because 4c hair on a woman is unkempt unless it is hidden behind chemicals or straight/curly hair extensions. They do not say this to my friends with 4a hair or Type 3 hair, mind you.
I do wish you the best on your journey. I cannot imagine that to be an easy one. Something tells me you would rock your hair in its full glory if not for the thinning but you know what, it’s just hair and it shouldn’t define you. Personally, I think women are sexy with shaved hair, cute earrings and a nice lipstick but maybe I’m a minority here :).
Sounds like she is truly trying to Atone for her error. I’m inviting Sister Sheryl to get on the bus, and come to DC on 10.10.15. for the 20th Anniversary of The Million Man March. (Autumn WWJD Bolling, Tessa Greenaway, cryssi, Sarita, uhoh-ohno, Justice S, Emelle, and Nompumelelo you can come too) Peace
When Sheryl made her initial comments, I was heated! All I could think was, “B*tch, you can’t sit with us (my fierce clique of black naturals)!” but now, after that apology, it’s “Sister, have a seat at our table.”
Well, I dont think I would go as far as that. Ms. Underwood still has a great deal of explaining to do, not about her hair. but about her politics. For a black woman who makes her money from the black community, but decides that they dont matter when it comes to matters that effect minorities and women, thats where my issues with her lie. She’s a black republican. An oymoron in my opinion. On the one hand she makes apologies for comments about our hair and on the other she votes to keep us in the same conditions that now exist,
Underpaid, underemployed, underrepresented, etc. etc. etc. She along with other black republicans like Herman Cain, Dr. Ben Carson, Clarence Thomas, J. Kenneth Blackwell, etc. all fall into the same boat as far as I can see.
It was heart felt and she looks so much better with her natural hair, the wigs are a mess!
Am I the only one that doesn’t think her comments about afro hair were mean? I laughed.
Are you serious? There was nothing funny about what she said. If you laughed, you are part of the problem too. smh
You are not alone! I don’t understand what all the sensitivity is about. She is a comedian who was doing what she does best, TELL JOKES! I listened to her comments a few times, and was not once offended. People need to stop being so sensitive!
It wasn’t a funny joke – what’s funny about saying an entire race’s natural hair is not worth saving because it is not silky and shiny like straight hair. That’s the same thought pattern as all black or brown people are dirty because their skin is not white therefore not clean. If she had said a joke like that, would it have still been funny to you? Maybe you’re not black and maybe that’s why it was funny to you.
Apology most accepted!!
That was a beautiful apology.
We are all learning and changing so I say forgive. Also, she looks younger with her TWA (if she got it cut into a nice shape it would look even better). I wish her luck on her natural hair journey. Being a dark skinned black woman in white-centric, color struck hollywood probably did a number on her. Even before she became known outside the black community, i remember reading nothing but mean comments about her.
I definitely agree. It’s much easier to go with the flow than to swim against the tide. I’m glad she recognizes the power of the platform she has. She should just ditch the wigs and embraces her beautiful coils!
People make mistakes, and I’m really glad that she apologized (better late than never). I forgive her, and I pray she continues on her journey of self evaluation and growth.
Co-sign. It was a very mature and well-thought-out response. I don’t watch this show but I hope she’ll wear her natural hair more often. Also, I want that top she’s got on… 🙂
I believe she had self esteem issues on her natural looks so she said those things, but Im happy she’s learning better
I’m glad that she has admitted to her wrong. Forgive and forget.
Wow!! At least she was woman enough to apologize for a joke gone wrong. I do not believe there was malicious intent on her part. I was really touched by her sincerity. I think she has a beautiful heart. Let any who has not stumbled cast the first stone. It surely won’t be me! Sometimes we have do as the song says, “Let it go, let it go.”
I couldn’t up vote your so I just say I agree 100%. So many naturals (the author of this article) get so pisssy over every little thing like u said “LET IT GO! Love u Sheryl and your hair!
That was a damn good apology! I say forgive.
I am not mad.I thought it was funny.She just didn’t know.I of course would save my baby’s first haircut.I would raise my child to be natural like me.Black women with relaxed hair think a little differently then natural hair women.We can’t get mad at them we simply have to keep them informed.
She’s human, she made a mistake and apologised.
I can only respect her for that.
Oh! Now that she’s natural she wants to apologise? K.
Sometimes being natural can have that affect on you lol! Ms Underwood grew up in a generation where most did not consider one’s natural hair beautiful. This generation is not only demanding acceptance but raising our daughters to love their natural hair and not apologize for it. She said something stupid and hurtful, got schooled and not only went natural herself, but came out on live tv two years later to apologize long after we had moved on. She didn’t have to do that. I am glad she used the platform available to her to do so. It takes a lot of courage to admit wrongdoing and say you’re sorry. I accept.
Exactly like girl byee