The tears are running down my face. I couldn’t utter a word to my editor as I explained that this blog is hitting really close to home.
DETAILS: JET’s Editor In Chief Comes Under Fire For Fantasia Comments
I didn’t feel sorry for Fantasia after Jet Magazine decided to use a photo they wanted to use for the cover of their publication.
Fantasia wrote:
“‘This saddens Me!!! It is clear that this picture is 10 Years Old and JET Magazine puts it on the Cover!! After I send them the NEW LOOK AND DIRECTION. . SAD!!! I WANT A PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM JET. Now im not sure if the interview is correct. SEE!! America they and use me as they crash Dummy BUT NO MORE. IF I DONT STAND FOR SOMETHING ILL FALL FOR ANYTHING.”
Fantasia got her apology, Jet Magazine issued the one their pampered celebrity cover girl wanted.
“JET magazine is honored to have Fantasia grace the cover of its March issue. It is unfortunate that Fantasia is displeased with the cover selection, however JET stands by its decision. As standard editorial practice, JET consulted with Fantasia’s team, but reserves the right to select the image we deem as most appropriate for JET’s brand and reflective of the cover story sentiment.
“JET continues to root for Fantasia’s success and encourages her fans to pick up the new issue.”
As with most people who work for a company know, we don’t always agree with every procedure, or every policy, and sometimes we don’t even agree with the company’s mission. So I won’t judge Jet’s Editor In Chief Mitzi Miller when she took to her personal Facebook to write:
“The fact that I wasted an hour of my workday writing a press release to address an issue created by a person who cannot even read it is just… #whyiwannaBahousewife.”
For the record, I don’t feel like she needed to apologize for what she wrote on her own personal Facebook page. It was unprofessional, unnecessary and completely uncalled for, but it was her opinion of the work she had to do.
I also think it’s time for Fantasia to stop playing the victim and take responsibility for her life and embrace her battle with illiteracy.
To me, this whole thing is like if Beyonce demanded an apology from you for posting a Destiny’s Child-era picture of her on your own Instagram.
I’ve dealt with illiteracy my whole life. I was the first person in my family to graduate high school. I’ve held the family secret of who could and could not read. When Fantasia exposed that she couldn’t read her record contract or even read to her daughter, my childhood flashed before my eyes.
I’m happy that Fantasia has taken steps to get her life in order. It’s a great situation; I don’t want to take away from her inspirational journey. But she must stop playing the victim.
Fantasia’s hard knock life is well documented, I don’t feel sorry for her, but I can feel empathy for what she’s gone through. But it’s situations like this that are why she’s in this situation in the first place. She literally asked people to feel sorry for her. She wrote on Twitter:
Well hello everybody once again I have been picked out to be picked on but I do know that Greater is coming its a Rock♥Soul movement! I need teamTasia help please. RT instagram Facebook etc. this announcement!
All this for a picture.
The Jet article starts off referring to Fantasia:
Tours. Money. Scandal. They all followed. And suddenly she found herself unable to cope. Three years ago, America’s most unlikely sweetheart hit a personal low and was hospitalized due to overdosing on aspirin and a sleep aid.
I firmly believe that if you think you’re a victim, you will always be a victim. If you don’t accept the responsibility for your life and the things that happen to you, then things you don’t want to happen to you will happen more than the things you do want. It’s time for Fanny to own things like falling in love with a married man, and even suicide attempts.
I don’t want to knock Fantasia for what she’s been through; it was a hard life. But she made a choice to date a married man. She made a choice to try to take her own life. She made a choice to get mad that Jet magazine didn’t use the picture she wanted them to use.
Vic Johnson writes, “You have control over three things in your life: your conscious thoughts, what you visualize and your actions. If you don’t like what you’re experiencing, chase these three things.”
So I have more sympathy and empathy for my colleague Mitzi Miller, who has received a shit ton of hate for voicing her opinion about a celebrity’s outlandish demands. I once had to wait four hours in the cold for a celebrity to arrive for our interview. Believe me, words were said, tweeted and voiced among friends.
But Mitzi is taking responsibility for her words. She’s apologized and appears to have learned from her mistakes. She isn’t playing a victim, but rather learning from the experience. I’m glad she’s able to handle this difficult time like a champ.
The world isn’t conspiring to bring her down, America isn’t out to get her, she messed up and she knows it.
We should all use this as a learning experience of how and how not to approach life.
I’ve encouraged my family members to fight their battles with illiteracy. In fact, I am even going to take the classes with them. We will fight this together.
~ Blog Xilla Follow Me On Twitter
Xilla is the Sr. Entertainment Editor for GlobalGrind.com as well as CEO of the number 1 relationship blog BlogXilla.com/M2TB.com. He has been featured in XXL, The Source, Essence, LA Times and is considered one of the premiere bloggers in the industry. Follow him on twitter @BlogXilla
