Evelyn Lozada Reveals Changes She Made on 'Basketball Wives'
Evelyn Lozada said she will showcase a different personality on the upcoming season of "Basketball Wives" where she serves as a co-star.
In a recent interview with Vibe Vixen, 37-year-old Lozada spoke about learning to control her emotions on season five of the show that made her popular.
"I'm still going to have my little quotes; this is just who Evelyn is. And at the same time, I need to learn to handle certain situations. But if somebody is coming at me, I'm going to protect myself," Lozada told Vibe Vixen.
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"It's not like I'm going to be super perfect because I was on Iyanla and now I'm Mother Mary, because that's not what it is. But at the same time … let's really think before we speak and not get physical," she continued. "I just have to remind myself of that. It's a daily thing for me because sometimes you're tested."
The "Basketball Wives" reality television show drew the ire of fans, resulting in petitions after season four featured a number of violent incidents. Now some reports are claiming that two of the show's other stars are bringing some of the same physical altercations to season five.
Suzie Ketcham and Kenya Bell were reportedly engaged in a physical dispute last week while filming the show, according to TMZ. The publication reported that Ketcham threw a plate of meatballs at Bell before they began to exchange blows.
While Lozada threw a bottle at Bell during season four, she has since been vocal about regretting her actions and TMZ reported that she walked away from the dispute with fellow cast member Tami Roman.
When a fan took to Twitter to ask 37-year-old Lozada about any of her regrets earlier this month, the reality television star responded "throwing that bottle at Kenya."
The incident was one of many that took place in season four and resulted in petitions and a public outcry for people to boycott the television show and Lozada's spinoff series. While the show raised concerns about supporting bullying, former Brooklyn prosecutor and TV host Star Jones spoke out against Lozada and the reality television show.
"It may be 'comfortable' to be quiet when women of color slap the crap out of each other and run across tables barefoot, but #ENOUGH is ENOUGH," Jones tweeted after witnessing Lozada on the show.
Since the end of the show's fourth season, Lozada has been vocal about turning over a new leaf. Shaunie O'Neal, the ex-wife of NBA star-turned-correspondent Shaquille O'Neal and producer of VH1's reality show "Basketball Wives," said the show will tone down its violent messages and work to showcase more positivity after advertisers began to respond to protests from unhappy audiences.
"We take responsibility. After talking and seeing ourselves this season, this season was bananas," O'Neal told S2S magazine last year. "It definitely was a lot more bad than good. Even when we did have the good, the bad seemed to outweigh it."
O'Neal said she has tried to showcase a balance on the show in the past, but a dip in ratings last season may have finally caused executives to take notice.
"I think my voice is being resonated and Shed Media VH1 have heard me," O'Neal said at the show's reunion taping. "We're all on this page of getting some balance and getting some good and positive content."
