If there's anyone who should have a reality show, it's LisaRaye.
That's clear from her new show "LisaRaye: The Real McCoy" (TV One, 9 p.m.), in which we watch the actress restart after a failed marriage to the premier of Turks & Caicos.
Reality shows like this are all about branding, and LisaRaye is very clear that she is building a brand, that show business is a business. Why else would she have a signature color (white) and be thisclose with the publisher of a gossip magazine (Sister2Sister's Jaime Foster Brown)?
And so, in the show, we see her do just that, make the right moves, meet with the right people, work those contacts. And you know what? It's kind of interesting.
LisaRaye isn't a great actress; her signature role was as a stripper in "The Players Club," and it was her body that drew most of the attention. Her most prominent role was as the mother on the CW's "All of Us," and co-star Duane Martin carried the comic chops on that.
But she's tough and she's got smarts, and personality and drive and moxie. And you don't often get to see what it's like to really be on the grind as an actress, the work that goes in to sustaining a career in a a fickle business. She's got good connections too; Oscar winner Jaime Foxx is a friend and shows up in an early episode as does Rev. Al Sharpton.
She's candid too. We learn about the beginnings of her marriage (not exactly a love match) and see some of the wrangling behind the financial part of its ending. And we see her be a good, affectionate and protective mother to her equally gorgeous daughter.
I hope the show does well, and it accomplishes what LisaRaye is hoping for, expanding her brand. Hard work deserves to be rewarded.
Assistant Features Editor Adrienne Johnson Martin would like to have her life turned into an animated cartoon.
Comments
Very Real McCoy
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 22:12 — didifarmI watched the shows this evening. It was entertaining. Lisa shows herself to be a strong woman with drive, determination and the ability endure hardship. She was obviously a young mother and seems to have a great relationship with her daughter although she is busy rebuilding her life. That is commendable. What else would I expect from a midwest girl - she is grounded and real. I am from midwest too and she seems someone I could talk to with ease. She is not pretentious. I think she will find success again in Los Angeles. She looks good. Good luck Lisa.