Not Funny.

To what expense is a person willing to make a joke? Apparently, Sheryl Underwood is willing to desecrate all that is natural with black hair. On her TV show “The Talk”, a conversation was brought up about Heidi Klum and her keepsakes from her children. She said she keeps everything, even their hair which she referred to as an afro. Underwood’s response was (paraphrased) why would you keep nappy, beady, nasty afro hair? Wow. I am half Black and half Italian, but for arguments sake, I will be speaking from my Black side today-- shame on Sheryl for saying a comment like this. For centuries Black people have struggled because society has made them feel as worthless, inferior, and as if we were animals. We are finally back to a place in time where our differences are seen as beautiful. Natural hair is divine, and it’s unique. No other culture has hair like us besides maybe Afro Latinos. For her to publically make a comment like this shows her true character. Whether she was attempting to make a joke because she is a comedian (which I doubt) or if this is really how she feels, either way this is horrible for her image and branding. You want to turn a whole race against you and not support you Sheryl?? I am not a parent, but I am an aunty, so I will be speaking from this perspective. Children are innocent, and are looking for their identity at the age that Heidi’s sons are. For her to call THEIR hair nasty, is disgusting and I’m embarrassed for the ignorant and inconsiderate comment Sheryl made. This may cause Heidi’s children to have a permanent complex for a lifetime. Every child should feel like they are wonderful, and hurtful comments like this will make them feel inadequate, constantly seeking approval from people that don’t matter, and never satisfied with who they are. It seems like no big deal now, but when he starts perming his hair and bleaching his skin then we all will see the affects of this single comment. I haven’t been able to find any proof of Underwood having children. I’m assuming now that this is why she has not decided to have children of her own because obviously she would have a problem with who her own children were. Hair has always been a struggle for African Americans. Yes, Black people have nice hair, yes their hair can GROW, yes we do straighten it, but yes our natural curls are BEAUTIFUL. We can never beat the negative stigmas associated with African Americans because so many people are allowing the negativity to be glorified. A comment like this is also why I hate when people tell me I have beautiful hair and they want it. My hair is beautiful, but so is everyone else’s hair as well. It really makes me mad, but it also makes me sad to see a person doesn’t see the beauty inside themselves. If everyone could look past social standards of beauty and see the amazing creations God has created. People like Sheryl are the reason why so people are self loathers, hating themselves and the people in their own nationality or culture, and she probably is one her own self. I hate to see insecure people put their own insecurities on other people. She’s making it okay also for others to feel comfortable to ridicule Black people’s hair just because it’s different. If she wants to be funny, she should make jokes at her own expense, not Heidi for being a good mother and loving even every stand of hair on her children’s head or the children for having curly hair. Maybe Sheryl needs to learn to love her own self.