The Real Housewives of DubaiStars are technically the new children on the block in the famous franchise of eccentric and wealthy women. Its freshman season – which also happens to be the first international spinoff on Bravo proper – is in the midst of airing now. Although the cast certainly brings the drama, did they bring the cultural appropriation as well? Sara Al Madani explains her decision to wear an Afro wig at the Jamaican-themed dancehall party.
Lesa Milan, her costar in the episode of August 3, threw the shindig to show the group her Jamaican heritage. The night featured many jaw-dropping fashion choices, but Sara Al Madani’s wig was the most memorable. Real Housewives of Dubai’s sole native United Arab Emirates cast member. The move didn’t appear to bother the mostly Black cast, although the fanbase is a somewhat different story. Referring to Page SixAl Madani later admitted that she was “worried” about committing to the idea, even if it didn’t stop her in the end:
Because of cultural differences, I was concerned about how people would react to the Afro. However, I know that the Afro is a part of my culture. There are Black people in my cultural, Emiratis with Afros, as well as people of color. It is all very normal for us in the United Arab Emirates. But, I was concerned about the way other people in the world view it.
They did! Based on the…” Real Housewives of Dubai star is saying here, it seems like she is largely equating culture with ancestry, which isn’t always the same thing. She also stated publicly that she was Emirati and not Black. Many fans online were both shocked and disappointed by her casual use the wig. One Twitter It was slammed by a user “disgusting”And indeed “cultural appropriation.” AnotherIt can be compared to something someone does “blackface.”
But Sara Al Madani’s co-stars didn’t express criticism of her wig choice at the party. Hostess Lesa Milan stated that she was indeed “impressed”By it. Even foresaw the backlash online that would follow, and warned in a confessional “nobody come with the cultural appropriation [comments]” because Jamaica’s motto is “out of many, one people.”Milan said that Milan was wearing a blonde hairstyle at the time. “good.”
Lesa Milan did face some backlash for what happened in the episode. (So did Caroline Brooks who was a co-star and made a brief comment. “ghetto” remark.) Milan’s white father in law was there wearing fake dreadlocks, with a stereotypical Rastafarian cap. Viewers were also upset at Milan’s allowances for a dreadlock. “Jamaican” party. According to one Twitter user,
When dressing up, don’t forget the Afro wigs & fake locs ‘Jamaican’Have to go. Culture is not about costume. It’s 2022 how are we still doing this dumb shit. #RHODubai pic.twitter.com/yTsTlNtvaJAugust 3, 2022
Truth is, there are no such thing as the Real HousewivesFranchise has a long history of stars being accused cultural appropriation or even racism. This was the case with Jennie Nayen. As an example: RHONY’s Luann de Lesseps came under fire for wearing a Diana Ross-inspired wig and bronzer to a Halloween party in 2017. (NBC’s Megyn Kelly defended in her infamous blackface commentary the following year.) In 2021, it was after. RHOA’s Kenya Moore wore a Native American headdress to a Halloween party on the show, the resulting controversy incited Bravo to cut the offensive content from the episode entirely.
It isn’t clear if a similar tactic will be applied to the scenes of Sara Al Madani and her wig in the Real Housewives of Dubai. (As of the writing of this article, they were still available where the reality series was streaming. Al Madani, for her part has no regrets. She said, “I just loved the look” and “I had so much fun.”
I don’t know if this is what Andy Cohen meant when he said that the Real Housewives of Dubai was “going to blow the stereotypes of Dubai out of the water.”Yet, stereotypes continue to be a factor. You can catch the latest episodes on Bravo at 9 p.m. ET and Peacock Premium next day.