Mandela Reality Show Has Name And Is Headed To U.S. Networks

Mandela Reality Show Has Name And Is Headed To U.S. Networks


Last month we posted about the forthcoming reality show on the lives of three of Nelson Mandela's grandchildren: Swati Dlamini, 32, granddaughter of Winnie Mandela, Swati’s older sister Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, 34, and their cousin, Dorothy Adjoa Amua, 27.

Well, the show has acquired the name Being Mandela and is set to start shooting in December. A single episode hasn't even made it out of the gate and the show's already been sold to networks across Africa. The American producing partner on the series, Rick Leed (the Executive Producer of the reality tv show Dr. 90210) says that the U.S. networks TLC, USA, A&E, Lifetime, Oxygen, E!, TNT, TBS and Bravo have also expressed interest in the show, adding: “We’ll be in L.A. taking a very intense round of meetings with broadcasters next week... It’s a very competitive situation and a very hot show.”

Some argue that the Mandela name isn't well-known enough for the show to be successful in The States. We argue that the show just isn't gonna be trashy enough to make it in the U.S. Being Mandela is coined as the anti-Kardashian reality TV show, which we can appreciate. But unless we have the mathematics wrong, what makes a reality TV show successful is not the kind of poise and class these thriving women will exhibit on the series. We don't want to be skeptical, but maybe we've seen Snooki eat one too many pickles to hope for anything elegant on American TV.

 

Get More: MTV Shows

Thandiwe Newton in a grey sleeveless dress, wearing red lipstick and crystal earrings, poses against a pink background
Arts + Culture

What's in A Name: How African Names Get Lost in Translation

From NBA stars to Grammy nominees, prominent Africans have often had their names misspelled or mispronounced. While some have pushed back and reclaimed it, others embrace it.

A man stands on a stage, wearing a denim jacket and pants while holding up a hand fan.
News

With “Sade,” Adekunle Gold Challenged The Nigerian Music Industry

As “Sade” turns 10, we take a look at how Adekunle Gold provided an alternative template to being a Nigerian superstar by making music with soul and commercial merits.