Shaunie O’Neal believes if you’re timid than a stronger personality may be perceived as bullying. That is how the executive producer of Basketball Wives explain the last four seasons of attacks courtesy of Evelyn Lozada and Tami Roman. O’Neal was forced to respond after a fan named Alexis M took matters into her own hands and began a ‘Boycott Evelyn Lozada’ petition on change.org. She has racked up 15,421 signatures and counting. Here’s what Shaunie stated during her sit down with Hip Hollywood,
“Sometimes It can be a bit of bullying going on because of the personalities being a lot stronger, you know like Evelyn’s personality is a lot stronger than Jen’s, so it does seem like its bullying but I don’t think Jen would think she’s bullied. I don’t think she would want to take that role of being bullied because I think she is strong in her own way. It’s just a different way of dealing with it.
“People are like ‘Why do you let people say this and that?’ They are grown women but at the same time I will say, ‘You really need to bring that down like 17 notches like I don’t see why you need to come in at 50! You need to come in at like 13. Lets talk it out, let’s use our words’ , but it never ever works! Never works!”
Shaunie is honestly caught in a precarious position. She has the power to fire both Tami and Evelyn yet she will lose her show by doing so. Sadly, this show stands amongst one of many that portray women of color in a negative light. Where does it stop? Who’s truly responsible?