Ev & Ocho: The House of Cards that Finally Fell
Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at 10:00AM 
Ev & Ocho in happier times Saturday evening, shortly after news broke that either wide receiver Chad Johnson head butted his wife of just over a month, Basketball Wives’ Evelyn Lozada, or the other way round, after one of them found a receipt for condoms that the other one bought, I pitched an essay to an editor to write about it for Monday.
She turned me down.
Initially, I best believed this was a publicity stunt for “Ev & Ocho”, Vh1’s reality show, which followed the couple as they planned their nuptials and launched a new life together. It was slated to debut in early September. And given all the crazy things done in the name of seeking viewers—naked pictures, media feuds, and actual fights—there was good reason to be skeptical (a lot of folks were.) I intended to write an essay saying as much. Of course, there was a chance I was wrong, and that editor suggested that it didn’t look so good to go on record not believing a victim of abuse. Valid point. I held my “tongue”, even here and other social media platforms to wait for future developments.
I’m glad I waited given the turn of events. The following day, Johnson was dropped from the Dolphins, his new NFL team*, additional details emerged about Evelyn fleeing to a neighbor’s house in fear, and on Monday, VH1 dropped the show** from the fall lineup. This incident appears to be the real deal, not a stunt. My knee-jerk reaction was wrong.
In no way do I support violence of any kind. I am on the record for speaking out against violence toward children and domestic violence of any kind, not only men toward women, but women toward men too, or anybody at all toward each other. Everyone with hands—or “paws” or heads—should keep theirs to themselves. I don’t in any way think reality TV’s poster child for hell raising deserved to be allegedly head-butted by her husband. A three-inch gash that requires medical attention isn’t a laughing matter.
But— and forgive me, Politically Correct Police—I find it hard to sympathize with her current situation. The actual head butt? Yes. That’s horrific, pre-historic and no one should endure that. The direct fall out from it? Um, no, not at all.
From what we’ve seen of Ev, she seems to have spent the better part of her adult years chasing fame and/or someone with money to wife her and fame (not necessarily in that order and including her cast-mate’s ex husband). Her marriage to Johnson — as much as he’s become a punch line now, he was once kind of a big deal— was the ultimate come up. Not quite a basketball wife, but a footballer’s better half is a nice consolation prize. Johnson had fame, as much for his on-the-field accomplishments as his antics (for a long while, he rocked a gold grill, a bronze-blond mohawk and changed his God given surname to “Ochocinco”, broken Spanish for his jersey number). And even if by the time Evelyn latched her cart to his wagon, his career heyday had passed— outside of sports circles, he was best known for appearing on VH1 reality dating show “The Ultimate Catch”, and “Dancing with the Stars”, where Johnson made it to the final four— it still counted for something pretty big. Together, they had enough star power to get Evelyn off an ensemble cast reality show and get her a personalized platform, alongside her husband, of course. She got what she wanted: someone else’s money and a ring (perhaps not in that importance).
And now she’s lost her coveted show, maybe even her man too (if not now, soon come. This union was never doing even J.Lo- Marc Anthony numbers) and definitely his millions in money as he’s currently unemployed and not likely to be picked up again. No, this recent turn of events isn’t Evelyn’s fault, but either way, her fifteen minutes finally appear to be up. I don’t like why her house of cards seems to be collapsing, but I’ll gladly be called a hater if necessary, for not being able to muster more than “Eh…. “ watching them fall.
*For clarity, they really didn’t want him anyway. Plenty of athletes have gone thru worst scandals and stayed with their franchise. I don’t know ish about football, but I do understand how relationships work.
**They’re actions reveal they weren’t all that committed to airing it. Given the BBW backlash, no surprise. But there’s no way a network drops a show that debuts in less than month with no contingency plan and leaves all that ad dollar money on the table. You don’t pull a back up plan out of thin air in 48 hours. It’s like how when anyone gets fired from a job. It was in the works long before you knew about it.
Reader Comments (4)
Reading this took me back to my days in college when my pastor would say... "If you cant say 'Amen' just say 'Ouch'"
I totally agree with you, if you're happy with your own life you dont find joy in watching someone else's life fall apart but you can look at a situation and acknowledge the inevitable. (Something twitter folk have a hard time doing)
The entire situation is nothing short of heartbreaking (especially with her beloved brother in law dying 2 days after the incident) only because if her marriage does end & her "career" is over, she will forever associate it with her "ways".
I dont think its as simple as calling it karma, pointing, laughing & moving on (which a lot of BBW fans & haters alike are doing via the bully network... oops, i mean the internet) but Evelyn has made herself the posterchild for "gold digging", drama & how hurt people hurt people.
Regardless of whether she "deserves" the downfall (with or without the abuse) I hope she finds clarity, picks up the pieces of her life & grows from it.... this could give her the platform to be her true self in the spotlight & garner an image with some substance. I just hope her next move isnt some methodical "the world is watching" thing & she sets herself up for even more disappointment & public ridicule.
I have to agree. While any case of domestic violence is tragic and intolerable all I've been able to think since the altercation hit the media is, "Well... what did we expect?"
The fact also, that Evelyn is now "speaking out" (TO TMZ OF ALL MEDIA SOURCES!!! Here's the link --> http://uptownmagazine.com/2012/08/evelyn-lozada-speaks-out-about-chad-loses-brother-in-law-to-cancer/) about domestic violence doesn't sit well with me either. This situation is fresh. Having known victims of domestic abuse no matter how "major" or "minor" the case, they needed healing time. They didn't dash to the first camera available to speak on their issue right away. They needed counseling, coping, healing before they made a statement. For her to be so ready to go on record just makes me wonder what really happened and what her motives are at this point. Does she expect to be the new face of the NCADV (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence) now?
Politically correct or not, I can't find it in my heart to empathize with her above the routine, "Domestic violence is bad, very bad!"
If it were me, I would be a bit more cautious than to run to throw my marriage as fish food to biggest bottom-feeding tabloid in the nation. While the isolated issue of domestic abuse is horrible, so is shedding any ounce of integrity you may have once had just to remain on VIP lists and reality tv-watchers minds.
Amen. I do not condomn domestic violence at all but the first thing I said when I heard about this unfortunate incident was "Why didn't she jump on him like she did those girls on BBW." He shouldn't have put his hands on her for any reason but Ms.Ev also has a problem with her hands as well. Maybe she can now see how it feels to be attacted by a adult for unnecassary reasons.
The thing that bothered me the most about this incident was how people are questioning whether or not Evelyn should have called the cops. I've heard way too many people say how they wouldn't of because of how much he has to lose. That is ridiculous to me! This is why domestic violence is such an issue today. People need to understand that it is wrong in any case. And it's not like these are children they are grown adults that should not only know that they need to keep their hands to themselves, but also that you have to hold yourself accountable for your actions.
Agree. I am with you on this one, however, I can't help but feel bad that I am essentially giving her the middle-school "AH HAE!" Right now with reality shows and celebrity stardom for folks with virtually no TALENT, us GBGs (Good Black Girls) feel like "HOES" [and I put that in quotes] Stay Winning and we can't. Although we for the most part followed the "RULES".
This "HOE" didn't win and it's hard to describe but it's almost like a collective sigh of relief and our worlds make a little more sense now. Do you know what I mean sense?
So, while I definitely do not agree with the domestic violence, I can't help but be more than okay with the fallout.