Fist fights, name dropping, jealousy, lawsuits and falling out with best friends is pretty standard fare in today’s reality shows. The Real Husbands of Hollywood packed all this and more into tonight’s half-hour premiere on BET. But unlike the Real Housewives or Love and Hip Hop, the on-screen “drama” was strictly comedy.
Comedian Kevin Hart stars in the “mockumentary” which pokes fun at over-the-top reality show drama. Kevin, along with married friends Nick Cannon, Boris Kodjoe, JB Smoove, Duane Martin, and Robin Thicke play themselves in the show and we watch them as they end up in fake dramatic situations (think Curb Your Enthusiasm). In the show’s premiere, Kevin gets into an altercation with a tween over a bad piece of pie, and butts heads with Robin Thicke during a poker game.
I have to admit, I haven’t laughed all the way through a black television sitcom in some time, but I had high hopes for the show and it didn’t disappoint. It was no surprise that Kevin Hart was hilarious on-screen, but it was fun to see celebs less known for their comedy, like Boris, Robin and guest star Nelly, getting laughs as we watched the “drama” unfold.
The highlight of the night for me: it gave my husband and me something current that we could laugh at on television together, which we don’t do often with TV shows. If we are looking for television comedy we typically have to turn to Netflix or repeats of Martin or Good Times. The few more recent comedies with predominately African American casts that I watch, hubby more often regards as chick flicks and opts out of. The comedy, the cast, and the situations in Real Husbands makes the show one that husbands and wives can both enjoy.
Outside of a brief glimpse of Paula Patton, none of the wives made appearances this week, but they will be appearing in upcoming episodes. I can’t wait to see what actresses Tisha Campbell (Duane Martin’s wife) and Nicole Ari Parker (Boris Kodjoe’s wife) bring to the mix.
My verdict: I enjoyed the show and will be definitely tuning in next week. Don’t look toward The Real Husbands for a moving social message or anything in depth. The show is all for laughs, and its good if you’re looking for just that.
Did you watch tonight’s show? What did you think?