Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Claudia Jordan on Jealous ‘The Next :15’ Cast & Calling Black Women ‘Monkeys’ [EUR Exclusive]

The Next 15
Benzino, Jennifer William, Karamo Brown, Laura Govan, Carlos King, and Claudia Jordan, of “The Next :15″

*Last Wednesday night (02-03-16) in Los Angeles, Hip Hop Weekly and Armadale Vodka hosted a red carpet premiere for TV One’s new shows “Here We Go Again” and “The Next :15” and the season 2 return of “Born Again Virgin.”

The star-studded event took place at H.O.M.E. (House of Music and Entertainment) and was attended by TV One stars Danielle Nicolet and Eva Marcille of “Born Again Virgin;” Wendy Raquel Robinson, Kyndall Ferguson, Andra Fuller, Monique Coleman, Travis Winfrey, Chris O’Neal, and Kennedy Rue-McCullough of “Here We Go Again;” and Claudia Jordan, Karamo Brown, Laura Govan, Benzino, and Jennifer Williams of “The Next :15.”

EURweb/Electronic Urban Report chatted with a few of the series stars, including Claudia and Karamo, who didn’t hold back in detailing what fans can expect from their new series, “The Next :15,” which debuts Wednesday, February 10 at 9PM/ET.

The shade is real, and we love these two! Peep our chat below.

The Next 15
Karamo Brown & Claudia Jordan of ‘The Next 15’. *filter used on image, source: Ny MaGee*

The Next :15? Why? Do you really need another 15 minutes of fame?

Karamo: We’ve already had a next 15 minutes. For me and Claudia, we have been working as television hosts, models – throughout this entire time. So, this is just more of a play on words, other cast mates actually need a next 15, but if you IMDB us, or Google us, we’ve actually been working for the past couple of years.

Claudia: When people ask me if the title is shady or does it offend me, I’m like, no, cause I don’t really feel like the clock stop ticking. I was on Housewives only two months ago. Since I left, it’s been really busy. We’re (she and Karamo) actually collaborating on a show that you guys are going to get to see a part of on this show and it’s super good.

Karamo: We’ll also be co-hosting the Image awards, the red carpet and the backstage, so again, when we talk about the next 15 in context, you have to think about which cast mates have not been working and which ones, if you Google, have consistent credits.

What have you leaned about yourself since entering the world of reality TV?

Claudia: I think people see the way I carry myself (and) they think I have a very hard exterior, which I do, but I also have a very sensitive side, and when you do reality television, and you enter a scene being pure and being transparent, and kinda what you see is what you get, and then you’re dealing with someone who is wicked, who has ulterior motives…

Karamo: She’s talking about Jennifer.

Claudia: You’re like, ‘why are you doing so much?’ We’re working here. We’re not your enemy. But some people, they can’t leave the work at work. They gotta bring it home.

Claudia, KaramoReality TV requires that you stay on the turn up, you can’t be yourself, right?

Karamo: That’s a lie! There’s people who understand that this is a job and you’re here to perform. And there’s people who take it serious. The reason why Claudia and I have had success in our careers, the reason why we’ll be doing the Image awards next Sunday on TVOne, is because we understand professionalism, and we also understand when it’s time to do what we have to do. So right now, we’re giving an interview, so I’m gonna give you all the details, but when we leave here, we’re going to be our normal selves, enjoy our lives. I’m a father, Claudia is an amazing woman who does so much. We can turn it off. Some cast mates, they live in that, because they’re insecure.

Can you say who?

Karamo: Jennifer.

Claudia: You saw the screeners. It’s episode 1, and there wasn’t even a reason to be beefing, and some of the things that were said, It’s like…‘You’re really that desperate to get some relevancy from television?’

Do you think folks just stay on the turn up simply for the cameras, and it’s nothing to take seriously or personally off camera?

Karamo: New York (Tiffany Pollard), I think she’s really clinically bipolar but we’ll never be able to diagnose that yet. The other ones, it’s more so ‘I need to be relevant,’ and ‘I need to act out – a fool.’

Claudia: But I will say, you’re going to see a softer side of Laura, that you haven’t seen. You’re going to see Benzino become a new dad and how he handles all of his emotions. New York actually has a soft side, which people don’t get to see.

Karamo: We’re about the stories and the facts, that’s why we can tell you that New York’s an alcoholic and Jennifer actually goes into a space where she’s jealous of Claudia, that makes her react in a certain way. Benzino doesn’t want to own up to his own things, which makes him react a certain way. And those things cause people to act a fool.

ClaudiaWhy do you think Jennifer is jealous of you?

Claudia: Have you seen her? I don’t like to be the person who says ‘people don’t like me because I think I’m beautiful.’ I damn sure know that I’m not the most beautiful. A lot of times it’s something in them, with her, who knows what it is.

Karamo: I know what it is. She was the only cast mate trying to call Claudia promiscuous. As the gay cast mate, who had the most interaction with everyone, everyone gave me their secrets, (Claudia) is the least promiscuous. I can give you a list of some of the people that other people have gave me. And I promise you, their lists are way longer than her list. So if you want to start comparing promiscuity, you can’t forget that I also keep my phone on, so I usually record everything you say, so I know exactly who you slept with, because it came out of your mouth. So don’t call don’t call her promiscuous because that list don’t match up.

It’s like, show me the receipts, right?

Karamo: And I have them, in your own voice.

Claudia, I need you to address the rumors that you don’t like dark-skinned black women.

Claudia: I read that and it’s absolutely ridiculous. When I got on ‘Housewives,’ a lot of crazy thing were coming to my inbox. I had people say ‘you deserve everything that is going to be said about you. I’m going to destroy your reputation. Watch what I do now.’ I have never said anything negative about a black women. I did stand up comedy where I told a joke about my ex-boyfriend who tried out for Planet of the Apes. I thought, as a black man, that was a bad idea. Especially when he didn’t book it, and I had to cheer my man on that you did not get monkey number no. 72. It was a damn funny story.

She continues:

Then I’m at a party with my homegirl, who had an all black party where everyone had to where black, everyone was black that was there and it was dark. I got on the mic (and) in a very sarcastic (way), said, ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea for black folks to have an all black party, all I see is teeth is eyes.’ They mixed the two together, now I’m calling black women monkeys. Never in my life… I’m the most pro-black… I don’t even like to call myself mulatto, I’m the most pro-black women I know.

Karamo: You don’t even have to justify that. The thing that I witnessed, just being on a show with her, is that Claudia does what we all do. As black folk we get around the table and talk and we are comfortable with each other. She just allows herself to be comfortable around the wrong people who try to manipulate her. And so she gets into this stage where she has to defend herself, and it’s like, no!

Claudia: I was in a black comedy club, where I felt safe. I can see if I was shuckin’ and jivin’ in an all white comedy club, getting my Stacey Dash on. I’ve been so protective in standing up for black women. I don’t like when white people come up to me and say ‘you’re not like them, you’re tan.’ No, motha fucka, I’m exactly like them, and you’re not gonna disrespect my aunts, my grandmother, my cousins, you’re not doing that around me. They can call me a million hoes, but that is what hurt me the most.

Don’t miss “The Next :15” when it debuts February 10 at 9PM/ET.

Additionally, a sneak peek of both “Here We Go Again” and “Born Again Virgin” will air after TV One’s live telecast of the 47th NAACP Image Awards on Friday, Feb. 5 at 11PM ET and 11:30PM ET, respectively.

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