Iyanla Vanzant Denies Using Evelyn Lozada for OWN Ratings

Evelyn Lozada’s appearance on Iyanla Vanzant’s OWN Show, ‘Iyanla: Fix My Life’, garnered record-breaking numbers (1,136,000 million viewers) for the network.

While some are thrilled that OWN’s numbers are getting better and better, some question the motivation for having the Basketball Wives reality star. Some even suggest that Iyanla and the network used Evelyn to help them with ratings. In an interview with The Grio, Iyanla disputes these claims, explaining:

“The show was done prior to the upheaval with her and Chad, and it was scheduled to be the third show, not the first show. The reason it was the first show was, because of the upheaval with her and Chad, it was timely…And so, you know, at my age, I can’t care what people say, and most of it, I forget. She wrote me, just like every other guest. That’s an indication of willingness.”

As the Grio reports:

Following the show’s taping, Vanzant says she continues to speak with Lozada nearly ever other day, and that the reality star “swings between gratitude and embarrassment.” Vanzant blames social media for attacking her, calling it a “veil” for “cowards.” Nevertheless, Vanzant doesn’t justify Lozada or anyone else’s actions or feelings; rather she seeks to understand and grow from them. When asked about Lozada throwing a bottle at her cast member’s head, the life coach replied, “Have you ever been a Puerto Rican from the Bronx?…She was raised by a thug.”

What are your thoughts? Do you think Evelyn was used to garner ratings? Or is it quite natural to networks to secure programming that viewers are interested in?

[Madame Noire, The Grio]

There are 3 comments for this article
  1. Choclatefox at 9:31 am

    So Evenlyn’s mother was a thug? I didn’t get that in the interview. So is she saying every PR raised from the Bronx who might have been in a unflattering environment acts like this still at her age after being exposed to a different environment. Hmmmm?? sounds suspect to me. After leaving the Bronx when she was younger and pregnant, later with NBA player, all before BBW, owning a business, she was throwing bottles and jumping tables. Ok, Vanzant we get it.

  2. vanessa at 11:33 am

    Oh please people, it was great therapy and an awakening for Ms. Lozada the programme helped all of us with difficulties to face our truths. So what if the ratings went up, well we expected that Evelyn was on come ooon geeeeeeez.

  3. Jenee at 12:28 pm

    Evelyn reached out to Iyanla/OWN for what was supposed to be pre-marital counseling and ended up getting counseling and therapy due to what had transpired between her & her husband. In the end, it worked out for everybody, and hopefully Evelyn will take heed to the great advice that she received.

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