Amanda Seales has to be one of the most outspoken activists and actresses online of this generation. The actress, host and even former hip-hop musician has always been at the helm of sharing insightful tidbits about race relations in America and how it intersects with Black culture. When the outspoken personality left talk show The Real, many people wondered why and now she’s speaking out.
Seales has continuously spoken out against perceived lack of understanding in the entertainment industry around issues in America. She attempts to also entertain and inform with her own self-created game show, “Smart, Funny and Black.” The game show, according to the website, “serves as a safe space for the Black voice and celebrates the many contributions Black Americans have made to history, pop culture and more.” Seales has done the show around the country, online and even got the chance to do an episode on The Real.
Seales has a Master’s degree in African American Studies from Columbia University, and uses that knowledge in her pop culture exploits and comedy, such as with her game show, commentary on Black issues and even to inform the characters she plays. It’s her online activism and poignant explanations of complex matters that has garnered her attention in the past from the press.
It’s such strong views that she feels ultimately lead her to leave talk show The Real, she shared recently over Instagram Live with fellow comedian Godfrey, shedding light on the rumors that have swirled since she left the show.
“I left The Real because it was breaking my spirit. I was being asked to not talk about certain things that felt like a betrayal to my people and to me as a person. And then on top of that, I didn’t want to be somewhere where I felt like people weren’t being honest with me, where people felt scared of me because of my Black womanness.”
Seales also talked about an episode where she was doing her game show Smart, Funny and Black for a segment and encountered discrimination behind the scenes that soured her experience as well.