Niecy Nash's TLC wedding special raked in nearly 5 million viewers, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the network gave the comedian her own show, "Leave It to Niecy." Although she is enjoying her new reality TV-found fame, she tells me she doesn't have to worry about becoming as famous as the Kardashians for one simple reason: She's black.
"The truth is black celebrities are not as sought after in the press as white celebrities, and that is comforting," Niecy says. "As a black celebrity, if we go out to a hot spot, you know there are going to be paparazzi there, but we aren't the girl who someone is jumping out behind your trash [for] when we get home. So it's nice to be able to live your dream and not be overwhelmed by what can be a downside of the business."
Niecy also points out that when readers flip through weekly celebrity magazines, they can count on one hand the number of times a black celebrity is pictured. But rather than find this trend disturbing, Niecy is grateful.
"There is no reason to talk about it 'cause it's a peaceful life," says Niecy. "I'm not saying we should be stalked -- I like it. I didn't get into this business for other people to know my name. As a little girl, my destiny was stamped onto the canvas of my imagination at 5 years old. I was watching soaps with my grandmother. ... The most gorgeous black women I had ever seen in my life came out, and I knew that that is what I wanted to do -- be fabulous and black and on TV."
So if Britney Spears or Kim Kardashian were black, would they have a very different relationship with the press, I asked Niecy.
"Yes," she replied.
Niecy's new show, "Leave It to Niecy," airs Sundays on TLC.