VH1′s hit reality show Mob Wives held a premiere party for their new season at Manhattan’s Frames Bowling Lounge on Sunday, but they were met with some surprisingly racist policies from the venue’s management. Through email correspondence, the venue’s marketing manager Frayda Resnick made it loud and clear they wanted no parts of any urban/hip-hop people or publicity.
“Please make sure there is no press leaked to any website or outlets that covers urban or hiphop events,” she wrote to Sibrena Stowe de Fernandez, who was running the party. “That is not our target demographic and feel it would send the wrong message about our low-key venue… We do not want any rappers or Love and Hip Hop artists.”
“I’m completely outraged at Frames Bowling Lounge and especially at the management. I can’t believe that in 2013 the ignorance of racism still exists. If I would have known prior to our contracts being signed I would have canceled,” Mob Wives star Karen Gravano, who has a bi-racial daughter, told RadarOnline.
An RSVP from a VIBE Vixen writer came back with a not-so-nice message as well. “You are welcome to come, and we look forward to hosting you! Just one request: we absolutely do not want to be covered on your site, as we feel it is not our target demographic,” Frayda wrote. “Please do not mention our venue on your VIBE site or HipHop Culture magazine.”
Yet Frayda maintains it has nothing to do with racism. Her response to the controversy:
“The MOB Wives event was set up as barter for positive press related to High Fashion, NYC Society and Gossip. We were specific when designing the barter as to which press outlets would receive the release, and what the story angle should be.
The night was designed to be about hosts and guests having fun and relaxing at an upscale venue, for the premiere of a new Season of the hit reality show. Any other requested press angles, relating to attendees other than the 3 hosts, or alternate press outlets were respectfully declined. The management and service staff at Frames were nothing short of gracious and accommodating towards the 150 guests and friends of the MOB Wives cast that came to celebrate the Season 3 Premiere Party on Sunday night. The 2 hours of open bar and 4 hours of bowling, passed appetizers and transportation for the hosts were all sponsored entirely by Frames Bowling Lounge.
Frames is a professional and meticulously run establishment, and we value patronage from all visitors, regardless of their race, gender, height, weight, professional background or ethnicity. We have a strict dress code, and expect all guests of the venue to respectfully adhere to it. Our security staff is set up to deny access to any hostile or combative guests, and they performed as instructed.”
Suffice to say, the Mob Wives won’t be returning to Frames Bowling Lounge.
