vol 65: you are not the main character
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vol 65: you are not the main character
its a shaaaaaaaady lunch friends...you ready?!
It’s been a minute, but I made it. We haven’t had lunch since May and are well overdue for a kiki.
Let me start by saying today’s topic is FULL of shaaadddeeeee, with a few flowers sprinkled in. By no means am I here to slam, bash, or attack another Black woman, but I am very ready, overly ready, to give this ‘93 Miss USA winner her thorny roses.
RHOA lovers…this one is for you. And if you are not an RHOA person, it’s still for you.
Ms Moore, I refuse to call her Mrs. Daly because she was married this 🤏🏽 long and her “divorce” process has been longer than her marriage, was an IT girl in the 90s.
Let’s take a 90s stroll down Kenya’s career as a feature, keyword is feature, in some of our favorite shows and movies.
Let the shade commence!
1992
Before she won the crown, she graced the cover of Ebony Man’s cover in January ‘92 - and from there Kenya’s straight-to-DVD career flourished.
1993
February 19, 1993, Kenya was crowned the 42nd Miss USA and the second Black winner at the age of 22. 💐
Three months later she competed in the Miss Universe pageant and made it to the top 6, in 6th place. Good for her 💐
Kenya’s first [documented] TV appearance was her being in a Keith Washington video, Stay In My Corner. I’m sure that’s a name you haven’t heard in a while.
This was a super classy video for her first appearance. Kenya is giving exactly what an early 90s main video girl would give, soft and seductive. My has the video girl changed over the years…hmm that would be a good topic one day.
1994
The first [documented] TV show was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 💐
Now we see her career begin as the main character's love interest or some other character that only appears in ONE episode.
1995
I mean, Kenya’s role in 2Pac’s Temptations video is named “Girl in first room” on Wikipedia and “Girl with Tupac” on IMDb, but he wasn’t even in the video. 🫠
You barely see her.
If you blink you will miss her. She goes into a hotel room with a figure that is supposed to be 2Pac, but the late rapper wasn’t featured in this video because he was locked up for that alleged sexual abuse charge.
Okay so she was in a 2Pac video, I’ll give her that 💐, but he wasn’t in it boo. Soooooo…
Now Waiting to Exhale is the biggest movie Kenya was [and probably will ever] be in. Granted her role as Denise lasted less than 60 seconds, she can still claim to be a part of the movie. Again, she was the extra extra. But sis got to do a scene with Whitney Houston, and that is and forever will be iconic! 💐
1995 was a busy year for Kenya, she also guest-hosted an episode of Soul Train that featured Jon B, Faith Evans, and some group called Soultry who I’ve never heard of and went through their short catalog and didn't recognize not a ting!
1996
We all remember her role on Martin as Lena, again serving as a one-episode character. Sis def served in that plastic dress *snaps*. 💐
She was also in one episode of Homeboys in Outer Space … I recall this series but don’t even know what it was about.
In Nas’ Street Dreams video, Kenya played alongside the rapper as his main jawn. Rewatching this video, I actually love her “role” in this video. She was giving us ‘bad-actress’, but in a good way.
1997
Do y’all remember a TV series called Sparks that aired on UPN?
The cast of Sparks looks top-notch for the late 90s, but still can’t tell you nothing about it. Ms. Moore made her one appearance in this show along with Smart Guy and Living Single.
Kenya played the hell out of her “lets-make-Max-jealous” character in her quick Living Single cameo.
I think Kenya was made for the quick cameo role honestly. She is great in short shady bursts because her longer form content (Trios) is so so.
1998
During this year, Kenya appeared on Damon, completely forgot about this 13-episode series by Damon Wayans, The Steve Harvey Show, The Parent ‘Hood, and the movie Senseless, starring Marlon Wayans.
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I ain’t never seen this 👆🏽 movie. You?
So let me tell y’all how why I decided to do this [Kenya] topic. It spawned from this insta post…
In 1998 appeared in her last [relevant] music video, Jermaine Dupri feat. Jay-Z’s Money Ain’t A Thang. Her next music video cameo was this [2023] year, and it was with her RHOA castmate Drew Sidora …
Anyways… the girls were BIG mad at my comment …
We still have one more year [1999] to talk about but let me say my piece here.
Kenya has been in the game for a while, but the way she tries to come across is that she’s been THAT girl. I guess we all have different definitions of what THAT girl means, but in my eyes [and via her documented career] she has been a reliable supporting act. And for that, I will give her her flowers 💐, but do not act like you have this world-renowned acting career sis.
I am STILL pissed about how Kenya treated Kim Fields in szn 8 of RHOA. But it all boils down to Kenya being jealous of the acting career she never got to achieve.
1999
As Kenya wrapped up her decade of being casted as “girl by coffee machine”, she finally landed her FIRST reoccurring role, playing Valerie Bridgeworth on ‘In The House’.
Kenya landed a role that lasted for the final season [5] of In The House. Sis had six episodes…SIX! 💐
I am sure she thought, FINALLY, I’ve made it to a recurring role. But she joined the all-star cast a little too late, because ratings were so low that their final season only had six episodes, compared to the 20+ episodes that were in the previous seasons.
In addition to her six-episode shine on In The House, Kenya had her usual one-episode cameo during szn 3 of The Jamie Foxx show, episode 17 if you want to catch a glimpse.
Well twirl friends…
See ya, when I see ya friend! I promise it won’t be another long wait. I have some really great topics in queue for us to cackle on.
xo, Jemia
p.s. I do have a soft spot for Kenya, at times. Her very troubled childhood absolutely gets in the way of her being a decent friend and human being, at times. But she does deserve some flowers…💐
p.p.s. I am very proud to announce that I made MOST of the Kenya gifs I shared. Now sis has more hits when you search ‘kenya moore’ in Giphy…thanks to me. 💋