Loni Love is getting used to making headlines.
Recently, her comments about the Black community’s relationship with eating poorly caused the latest viral debate on social media. On a segment during The Real last week, Love said through tears, “I did not know how to eat. Growing up in the projects, we just had to eat what we could. I know it sounds funny, but a lot of women in the African American community, we don’t know how to eat because we grew up that way.”
The comment grew flack from many on social media, including a side-eye from her co-host Amanda Seales. Some even thought The Real co-host was generalizing and speaking for the all Black folks during the WW-sponsored segment, while others noted that food choices are tied to access.
The comedian, who is an ambassador for WW (formerly Weight Watchers), cleared the air in a recent interview with Madame Noire.
On her daytime talk show, Love said she was referring to her days growing up “in a project environment” back in Detroit back when she used to eat processed foods, including government cheese.
“I didn’t say all women and I don’t speak for us. I’m giving you a tool to try to help you. I try to work with brands that want to help our community,” Love said, taking a minute to explain her comments.
She added that if people “understood my heart” they would know where she was coming from.
The comedian added that her goal was to start a conversation, not to put anyone on blast on lump everyone in the same category.
“That’s more important to me to start the conversation,” she said. “And they’re conversations that we need to have as a community. It’s not meant to embarrass. It’s meant to have conversations. That’s my whole goal and that’s what my platform is.”
And while some tried to read into the side-eye Seales threw during the segment, Loni said it’s all love between the two and that the Insecure star is a welcome addition to the roundtable, which also features Tamera Mowry-Housley, Adrienne Bailon and Jeannie Mai.
“It’s hard being on a talk show when you’ve never been on a talk show,” she told the site. “For Amanda, this is new territory for her. And I think she is actually maneuvering it very well. You have to respect the space that she’s in. She studies African American history. There was a reason they put her on the show. And we as a group have no problem with it.”
The Real airs weekdays on Fox. Check your local listings.