'Basketball Wives' Shaunie O'Neal Giving Show 'Complete Makeover' After Ratings Decline (VIDEO)
"Basketball Wives" executive producer Shaunie O'Neal recently hinted that she may be in the process of drastically changing the Vh1 reality TV show following a reported slump in ratings.
O'Neal, who also stars in the franchise's Miami spinoff show, previously made assurances to unhappy viewers that both Shed Media, who produces the show, and the VH1 network, who airs it, are in the process of making changes after receiving widespread criticisms during season four.
The 37-year-old suggested that the proposed changes may actually be much more drastic than viewers had initially anticipated while responding to a complaint from a viewer made on Monday via social networking site Twitter.
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"BASKETBALL WIVES LA IS BORING!!!! @SHAUNIEONEAL PLEASE CANCEL THIS SHOW!!!! I JUST CAN'T," Kevin Simmons tweeted on Oct. 15.
"How bout a complete makeover?" O'Neal responded.
"I think that's fair. I can't watch a 40 year old woman manipulate these women two seasons in a row. That's boring!" Simmons responded with reference to "Basketball Wives (L.A.)."
According to reports, "BBWLA," which returned to Vh1 for a second season in September, suffered a drastic decline in viewership by its fifth episode. The show reportedly attracted just 1.8 million viewers during it's Sept. 10 premiere episode, and this figure plummeted to just 1.2 million by episode five, according to Bossip.com. It was a clear contrast to the Miami show, which previously attracted close to four million viewers during its peak.
The "Basketball Wives" franchise received an overwhelming number of complaints from viewers, along with threats of a boycott in May, following claims that it promotes bullying and violent behavior among cast mates- particularly on its Miami show. Franchise executives previously addressed these criticisms and insisted that appropriate changes would be implemented throughout the next season.
"We at VH1 agree with and support Shaunie and the show producers' 'no excessive physical confrontations' policy on the series moving forward," the Vh1 network said in a statement.
Shortly after the bullying debacle, at least three of eight cast members were reportedly fired from the Miami show as part of the proposed changes that O'Neal agreed to make. Jennifer Williams, Royce Reed and Kesha Nichols will reportedly be replaced in what sources described as a bid to eradicate "dead weight" from the show, according to TMZ.com.
O'Neal has not yet confirmed what changes are being made to the show and she is yet to offer specific details on what her proposed makeover entails.
