Shaunie O'Neal Refuses Responsibility for 'Basketball Wives' Conflict
Shaunie O'Neal, executive producer of VH1's reality show "Basketball Wives," is not ready to take responsibility for the violent behavior showcased in the past season or the negative backlash that resulted from it.
O'Neal, the ex-wife of former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal, spoke out to the network that broadcasts the show to explain that she is not at fault for the negative behavior that people have witnessed on the show. In a number of altercations on the show, O'Neal is seen laughing with antagonists like cast members Tami Roman and Evelyn Lozada who have been accused of bullying other people on the show.
"[...] I get people asking 'Why do you just sit there and let this happen?' and I'm like, how many times have I said the same thing," O'Neal told VH1. "I know my friends, I know when it's about to go left and right now wouldn't be the time to talk to her because she won't hear me."
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During the altercations that were broadcast this season, O'Neal remained quiet while the other women fought verbally and sometimes physically. However, O'Neal told the network that she is helpless in many of the situations where confrontations have taken a violent turn between cast mates in her presence.
"There's nothing I can do to stop the situation. I'm not God," O'Neal told VH1. "I've definitely voiced my opinion, I've let them know that shouldn't have happened, this is not okay, but this is a TV show, and ultimately, we as a cast have to take responsibility for what we do and say."
Although O'Neal is one of the show's producers as well as a cast member, she insists that each woman featured on the show should take full responsibility for their own actions. However, she said she understands the frustration that viewers felt when watching the show.
"It starts with us taking responsibility for ourselves. I hear our critics, I understand them, but at the same time, I think everybody's reality should be respected," O'Neal said. "The bad seems to outweigh the good this season, but we are aware of it."
