BET's College Hill

One of the most popular reality shows on BET was College Hill Virgin Islands. This drama filled show follows the lives of 8 students attending a historically black college for a semester all while living in the same house. During this season, the cast consisted of four men and four women and all of them were black with some from America and some from the Virgin Islands. This season caused a tremendous uproar on the Virgin Islands because many people were dismayed by how the students were portrayed and how this portrayal perpetuated the stereotypes of blacks. The show’s focus was to entertain the audience so there would be high ratings and that is exactly what happened, but it was at the cost of the reputation of BET and the cast. Drama and conflict are what reality shows thrive off of and this season was very eventful to say the least.

            In the first episode the cast decides to drink heavily, ask sexual questions, and play Truth or Dare to get to know one another. Many of them become heavily intoxicated and with this came rowdy behavior; it then ended with one of the roommates passing out on the bathroom floor. Within this first episode the stereotypes of blacks are at the forefront. They are perceived to be hyper-sexualized and they seem to be more focused on drinking than focusing on their schoolwork, which can bring about the idea that they are less intelligent and lazy in comparison to whites. Since authenticity is based on how well one submits to these stereotypes it shows this cast to be very “authentic”. Most of their actions conform to what some believe as being black.

            During episode 8 there was a violent eruption when two roommates had a fight about a number of issues that had built up over time. The main reason the physical altercation started was because one roommate said something very disrespectful about the Virgin Islands, the place that one roommate calls home. Instead of talking out their issues they both decide to internalize their anger for one another until it eventually boiled over. Their violent acts goes with the concept of performativity. Both of these roommates are performing a type of person that is aggressive in behavior and because they are both black they are perpetuating this stereotype for the audience. Even though it is supposed to be reality they are just performing for their intended viewers.

            When this season aired in 2007, it was extremely popular and as more and more people watch, more and more people are forming their own opinions about the cast and this television station. Some people within the black community compared this season to a modern day minstrel show in which the cast is just putting on a show but with negative connotations for the black community.  It seems that it is a constant struggle to disapprove these stereotypical thoughts about race and when reality television shows perpetuate these idea it hinders the representations of minorities.

            The producers of this television show have defined blackness to make the cast seem as authentic as possible. The television network is catering to wide audience with a focus toward entertaining blacks and with this they have the final decision when it comes to what is going to be aired and what is not. The cast does not have a say in the end product and it is as if they are suppressing their true selves and given a new identity by the television network and the viewers.

-Danielle Hicks