The Untold Truth Of Amanda Seales
Amanda Seales, who has been co-hosting TV talk show The Real since fall 2019, recently dropped a shocker of an announcement: after just six months as a permanent co-host, she has opted not to renew her contract and will not be returning to the show. Her reason? In an Instagram Live video (via TV Line) she shared that "the people at the top are not respecting the necessity for Black voices at the top, too." In a followup video, she clarified that she did not have any issues whatsoever with her co-hosts, calling that rumor "false dissension" and saying, "What I gotta do with my business ain't got nothing to do with them sisters."
Seales has always been very outspoken and politically active, particularly concerning matters of racial justice – Fast Company reveals that the comedian even earned a master's degree in African-American studies. She feels that "comedy is the filter through which information is shared," adding that the information she wishes to share "strongly points to black history, black culture, and the black experience." Sadly, after a few months on The Real, Seales wound up feeling that it was "a place where I cannot speak to my people the way they need to be spoken to... not... a space where I can, as a full Black woman, have my voice."
Amanda Seales has spent nearly 30 years in the spotlight
Seales came fairly late to comedy, admitting to the Daily Beast that it took her until she was in her thirties to get around to giving stand-up a try. At the age of 38, however, she has had quite a lengthy showbiz career. Her first film experience was as a child actress when she played a minor role in 1993's Cop and a Half. This was followed up by a recurring role in a Nickelodeon sitcom, My Brother and Me, a show that CheatSheet says only lasted a single season, but lived on in a rerun afterlife for nearly a decade.
According to IMDb, Seales has acted in 12 different TV shows and movies, with her biggest role being that of Tiffany Dubois on the HBO series Insecure. The multi-talented Seales also has credits as a writer, producer, editor, and even cinematographer. Many of these credits were for a 2015 – 2017 series called Get Your Life, in which she also starred.
Amanda Seales is also a musician
In addition to working as an actress, Seales also appeared on MTV as a VJ. According to CheatSheet, she once hosted the hip hop video countdown show Sucka Free Sundays under the stage name "Amanda Diva." She's also a performer and once even toured with R&B girl group Floetry, although during an interview on The Breakfast Club (via I Love Old School Music), she shared that this was not an experience she'll ever look back on fondly.
She came in to replace original member Natalie Stewart who had just left the duo, and fans had not been told of the substitution prior to the tour. Seales was unhappy about the poor reception the fans gave her (one even going so far as to physically assault her), and also about the lack of support she received from remaining Floetry member Marsha Ambrosius. Seales had a better experience with another musician, rapper Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Together the two recorded a song called "ManWomanBoogie".
Amanda Seales was once a competitive gymnast
In addition to being an actress, comedian, and musician, Amanda Seales has even been an athlete. Like, a serious, professional-level athlete. Madame Noire says she competed as a gymnast for six years, and she has also tweeted out several throwback images of herself back in her tumbling days. According to the caption of one of her pics, "Aside from being a Stand up comedian, nothing has made me more proud than being a competitive gymnast. I carry the lessons of discipline, perseverance, and poise that I learned in that chalk filled gym with me every day."
According to a video she posted on Instagram just two years ago, Seales is actually still able to perform some pretty amazing handsprings and backflips. She's also shared social media love with some gymnasts of color who've gone on to compete at an even higher level, namely Olympic champions Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles. According to Seales' tweet prior to the 2016 summer Olympics, the young gymnasts showed the whole world "black girl excellence."
How fans are reacting to Amanda Seales leaving "The Real"
While Seales' fans are sad to see her go, they are also very supportive of her decision. One Twitter user from Kenya stated her opinion: "I can't say I didn't see #AmandaSeales exit from #TheReal coming. She is too vocal and passionate about black community racial issues. She definitely elevated the social issue conversation. Her voice is very necessary all things considered." Other tweets included such statements as: "I LOVE YOU YOUNG LADY...KEEP YOUR SOUL CLEAN & YOUR HEAD UP...... ," and "We love you Amanda!!! Create your own content and we will always support you. Take it to YouTube, take it to Netflix! Run your own show and we will be with you."
While Seales has yet to reveal what her future plans may be, perhaps that last Twitter comment is making an accurate prediction. Seales may well choose to go solo once again, so that way she can create whatever content she wishes. Whatever platform she chooses to share her many talents, she's sure to be a success — after all, is there anything Amanda Seales can't do?