Olivia Jade's Red Table Talk Appearance and the Power of Forgiveness for Black Women

Olivia Jade, YouTube influencer and daughter of Full House star Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannuli, made her first public appearance Tuesday on the Facebook Watch show Red Table Talk. More than a year after the college admissions bribery scandal involving Jade and her parents came to public attention (Lauryn and Giannulli are currently serving (opens in new tab) a short prison sentence for bribing the University of Southern California with $500,000 so that their two daughters Olivia and Isabella could attend (He is currently serving a short prison sentence).

Hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow, and her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Red Table Talk began as a forum for generations of black women to engage in candid conversation. Since then, it has evolved into a forum where celebrities are invited to discuss uncomfortable personal situations. Former guests include Jordyn Woods, who spoke about her falling out with the Kardashian family after her alleged affair with NBA player Tristan Thompson, and Leah Remini, who discussed her involvement with the Church of Scientology.

But the beauty of the show lies in its conception. It gives a voice to millions of WOC across the United States. Pinkett Smith and her family are not afraid to say what many others are thinking, backed by a broad audience and a dedication to addressing underlying issues. Perhaps that's the secret to the show's success: it's rare and refreshing to see the elite and privileged so publicly confronted with reality.

However, Banfield-Norris, also known as "Gammy" by his family, was initially reluctant to even give Jade a voice. It would have been the same for many viewers: three successful black women on a talk show need to set a literal table for a white woman in a PR crisis."

Jade was seeking approval and validation from communities of color just to make herself feel better. It was.

"I thought it was really ironic that she chose three black women for her redemption story. Her being here is the epitome of white privilege." [To which Pinkett Smith responded: "I never want to be what they did to white women."

Forgiveness from women of color is a powerful weapon for white women seeking to clean up their image. Jade, however, insisted that this was not the reason she asked to be on the show.

"I'm here because I want to put it on the table," Jade said. 'I don't want to drag this out for the rest of my life.'

The interview, while predictably awkward, was surprisingly insightful and rewarding. The highlight was not due to Jade's remarks, but to Banfield-Norris's tough questions.

She grilled a visibly nervous Jade on everything from her understanding of what white privilege is to her very presence in the program. Jade made it clear that she was "ashamed" of her admission to the college and promised to do better, but still believed she "deserved" a second chance. The question is, what is a second chance for?" pursuing a beauty blog, regaining social media followers, and signing brand deals with Sephora and TRESemmé (opens in new tab).

In response, Pinkett Smith told Jade that she "didn't have to do anything" to get back on her feet and that she was "fine." Just look at Felicity Huffman, the actress best known for her roles in Desperate Housewives and American Crime. Huffman was also named in the college bribery scandal and was indicted and convicted for fraud related to her daughter's SAT. However, she served only 11 days in prison. Just two months later, she is set to appear in a new ABC comedy (opens in new tab). It seems that if you are wealthy and white, life goes on.

Black mothers like Kelly Williams-Borer (open in new tab) were sentenced to 10 days in jail and three years of probation for "lying about their residency" to get their daughters into better school districts. Nearly 10 years after being charged with this felony, Williams-Bowler continues to receive this unjust treatment, including still being unable to obtain her teaching license.

Alternatively, Tonya McDowell used someone else's address to enroll her son in a better school. She served 2 years and 10 months in prison for that crime. In an interview with Dr. Phil (opens in new tab), she spoke about the clear double standard she faces: "[Felicity Huffman] has money and she bribes people. She has a few days, I have a few years. It's disgusting."

Jade admitted that she knows she is the "poster child for white privilege," but that she was previously ignorant because she lives in a wealthy bubble where large donations to universities are considered normal. However, Banfield-Norris challenged her every step of the way. She explained that these social inequalities have existed for years and all Jade had to do was watch the news.

"Please, I can't put all my energy into you losing your recommendation or not attending school now. You guys are going to be fine and you can live your lives," Banfield-Norris said. 'It's just very hard to care about that.'

No clear winner emerged from the surprisingly civil debate between the women, but the losers here continue to be black mothers like Williams-Bowler and hardworking high school seniors who have lost their eligibility for admission to elite colleges because the system was built against them. It is clear.

Be that as it may, Jade's appearance on Red Table Talk provided a much deeper and more honest discourse than her appearances on other talk shows. Frankly, it is probably not the right space for someone like Olivia Jade.

In reality, when positions are reversed, black women are not offered the same compassion by white women. Platforms like Red Table Talk rarely, if ever, exist. This interview made it clear once again that it is time for that to change. We cannot leave the hard work of educating privileged people about social inequality solely to women of color.

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