NYT TV critic Alessandra Stanley may want to hide out today. She has declared TV writer Shonda Rhimes an “angry black woman.” And boy is Rhimes hopping mad.
Stanley’s lede doesn’t mince words: “When Shonda Rhimes writes her autobiography, it should be called ‘How to Get Away With Being an Angry Black Woman.'”
The story concerns Rhimes’ new drama, “How to Get Away With Murder.” And as Stanley puts it, “yet another network series from her production company to showcase a powerful, intimidating black woman.”
Oh no she didn’t.
Stanley goes on: “Be it Kerry Washington on ‘Scandal’ or Chandra Wilson on ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ they can and do get angry. One of the more volcanic meltdowns in soap opera history was Olivia’s ‘Earn me’ rant on ‘Scandal.'”
Rhimes is — what else? — angered by Stanley’s story. What does anyone expect? When you’re declared angry, how else to react but get really pissed off and go on Twitter and rant about it?
Confused why @nytimes critic doesn’t know identity of CREATOR of show she’s reviewing. @petenowa did u know u were “an angry black woman”?
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
Apparently we can be “angry black women” together, because I didn’t know I was one either! @petenowa #LearnSomethingNewEveryday
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
Final thing: (then I am gonna do some yoga): how come I am not “an angry black woman” the many times Meredith (or Addison!) rants? @nytimes
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
Oh, but wait. Just one more thing.
Wait. I’m” angry” AND a ROMANCE WRITER?!! I’m going to need to put down the internet and go dance this one out. Because ish is getting real.
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
MSNBC is also really angry about this.
Nisha Chittal, the network’s social media guru, defended Rhimes, asking, “Did the NYT seriously just call @shondarhimes, the most powerful woman in TV, an ‘angry black woman’?”
The conclusion to Stanley’s piece only served to pour gasoline on the “angry black woman” fire.
“Nobody thinks Shonda Rhimes is holding back and nobody is asking to see the real Shonda Rhimes,” she writes. “She’s all over the place.”