"Houston We Have A Problem"…with Tommie

Original Airdate: May 28th, 2018

Now usually, I wouldn’t even think to blog about another reality TV show, besides American Grit, however my talk it out the trait of my personality kicked in after last night’s episode of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. Sure the usual of a baby reveal and the aspects of cheating and what Sean expects in his relationship with Karlie Redd occurred. However, I don’t think the cast, and the team behind the scenes were prepared for what was about to happen…or did they? Let me completely properly break this down and see if I myself could look at it in my usual 360 views and not a poor 90-degree angle. Case in point, when the executive producer has to drop by, you know stuff is overboard. Regardless of it being a scripted reality, what occurred with Tommie makes you just think. You really don’t know what’s going on in someone else’s mindset. So let’s review…

Tommie VS. Production Crew

At the Suite Lounge, Rasheeda gathered all the women who are fussing and fighting in their individual lives to announce that they’ll be undertaking a trip to the grand opening of her store expansion for PRESSED. On the side while there, they’ll also be heading to a dude ranch. Seems like a delightful experience the girls will enjoy even though Sean and BK will be tagging along. Seems all good right? Not exactly. During a shift in conversations, Tommie is shown to be very out of it due to her heavy drinking. While Karlie is going in on her Tobias/Sean situation, the camera keeps panning to Tommie and sweetie is just buzzed off to the point of no exact return. It seems that her relationships aren’t as crisp, clean and clear as we the audience have seen. “As long as you don’t buy the ticket for the pig.” I can see where Spice is coming from but then again we have to consider that maybe the pig was indeed having a heart attack. I can exactly hear the steams of animal owners after Spice stated it the way she did but that’s just me. Who is also a former animal owner, but that’s not the point. Tommie is just trashed and Spice is over here just airing out the struggle she’s had with collaborating with Tommie. Things can’t get any worse.

Female Producer: “Tommie, tell them about Scrapp.”

Tommie: “F**k Scrapp…”

There I go on top, speaking way too soon. Out of nowhere Tommie starts to indicate that she has a problem with the makeup artists. Individually, I don’t think that no one was talking smack about her in general but it seems that they must have. The situation just gets worse when Tommie heavily implies that at the end of filming on that day, she in her words is heading to the slammer. Of course due to being charged in a mall attack at the beginning of the year on a mall employee. Cheers to the lord alongside Rasheeda because confusion is significant and it’s on a high horse during this scene. Things escalate even more from there.

“As Tommie was escorted out, she became increasingly agitated. She tried to return to confront Spice, and was stopped by security.”

“She then turned her anger on security and a producer who she attacked verbally and physically. The altercation was captured with audio only.”

Male Producer: “Tommie, calm down!

CLEAR THE SET. In the present circumstances, we all know that the show is scripted to the point of no return. However, this has achieved a recent level of hot tea that #LHH social media was ready for. This is levels of frightening that has never been reached before in this part of the franchise. Except for when former cast member Joseline Hernandez was on the show and she was just mean for the sake of being mean. Let’s simmer down back into the realm of reality. Among countless others who have been on the show. Clearly, Tommie has a problem. How bad is it? Bad enough for Stephanie Gayle, the executive producer of the show to gather the cast members at a local spot in her hometown.

Tommie VS her demons

“Oh my god, is that Stephanie”? As I have heavily stated in this post, the ones behind the scenes produce rare appearances only when heavy stuff goes down. In Stephanie’s words, Tommie has been spiraling on a tremendous level and the show has decided not to film with her anymore. Although they are all like family, it’s even now a business, a franchise and it’s in everyone’s best interest and safety that Tommie is off of the show. Although they’ll be enlisting her the help that she needs, she is strictly not allowed on the set until further notice.

Yung Joc: “Did she try to hurt herself or something”?

Its questions like the one Joc asked to obtain an indication that maybe she (Tommie) should’ve not been brought back for this season. There was already enough drama as it is. Tommie has been violating a lot of their rules, and it is shown in their best interest that she’s put on pause until further notice. You can absolutely look on everyone’s faces that they are genuinely frightened for their bestie, “little sister”, “eldest sister”, cast member, basically any role they see Tommie has played in their lives. Mimi goes on to break down some of her experiences with Tommie as of late in terms of her mixing two different alcoholic beverages and just being verbally abusive to those around her. It’s more than the alcohol. The situation that she’s going through is way deeper than the alcohol. Other people on the show and the franchise, in general, have gone off the deep end but not down the rabbit hole like Tommie has shown.

It hurts to see Tommie in the pain she’s in. I will say though regardless, filming that and placing it on TV was unnecessary. Like some on twitter suggested, it should’ve been made as a behind the scenes clip, an online extra or the scene should’ve been cut after the girls made a toast. Though it is reality tv and ratings have to be made then again, isn’t the love and hip hop franchise the highest rated franchise on VH1? The Atlanta branch of the franchise would’ve been fine if Tommie wasn’t going to be on the current season.

The fact that she did up until that point at the lounge, it makes you question. Like how high do you desire the ratings? High enough that it escalates into a Joseline and now Tommie situation? There have been others but they are the most noticeable. I’ll still watch but, the L is for everyone in production. Bottom line: I hope that Tommie is currently obtaining the help that she needs. I hope that she’s doing better and I hope that they let her back on the show at some point. Until then I pray that Tommie is at a better place in her life at this moment.

#Love #Spice #EricaMena #TommieLee #featured #LoveAndHipHop #MimiFaust #Estelita #HipHop