NBC
In a segment on the August 3 episode of the Today Show, models lined up for “one-minute summer hair” but one look was panned online. The piece featured YouTube personality Deepica Mutyala who styled each woman’s mane into simple looks mostly meant to be done after a swim.
Mutyala churned out four hair styles for the show, but one ‘do in particular caused an uproar on social media. When it came to Malyia, an African-American woman whose hair was styled in loose curls, Mutyala proceeded to turn the look into a one-sided ponytail. As the self-described beauty junkie piled Malyia’s curls on top of her head, she then tackles the ringlets around her forehead. The on-air beauty expert separates the curls in an effort to give the model a bang. Once she was finished the completed look had users online stunned.
Twitter user @joovay called the segment an “epic fail” and thought the show could educate Mutyala on how to do Black hair.
@TodayShow y'all know that hair segment with the AA model was an epic fail…right?That stylist needs a lesson on AA hair do's and don'ts
— joovay (@joovay) August 4, 2016
Alicia Hendricks echoed those statements and called the makeover “downright disrespectful.”
Maybe @TODAYshow should find a #BeautyExpert who has experience with African-American hair, cuz that "makeover" was downright disrespectful!
— Alicia Hendricks (@B_Y_O_Budget) August 4, 2016
Lady Beezus thanked the morning news program for the tutorial, saying it shows how not to style a Black woman’s hair.
Thank you, Today Show, for this tutorial on everything you SHOULD NOT do to a Black woman's hair. pic.twitter.com/7mMlV1rSF4
— Lady Beezus (@CuteButNotFunny) August 4, 2016
User Gee wondered why the show allowed Mutyala to style hair on air.
I watched the video for this. IDK why the Today Show even allowed the lady who did this on their show to do hair pic.twitter.com/wxDacxJj99
— Jaheim's Lips (@JestGen) August 4, 2016
Reaction on Facebook wasn’t any kinder. Joeline Payton shared the segment on her Facebook page Wednesday afternoon. It currently has more than 12,000 reactions, over 36,000 shares and nearly 6,000 comments.
Nina Akpan found the look humorous.
Star Lynn thought the stylist was clueless.
Lou Avilleira compared it to Felicia from 1995’s Friday.
And Bre’Anna James thought the style looked better before it was manipulated.
Several commenters used images to describe their thoughts.
Lelia-Femi MayGarber posted a photo of a confused looking Mary J. Blige.
Tony Hall commented with a crying Lil’ Mama.
While Naaman Brown shared a side eye.
See the complete segment below.
