Whoa. Who knew that Anita Dupree could be insecure and anxious about her talents? We’ve seen her be anxious for her family, mainly Dani, for valid reasons. In the Monday, April 21 episode of Beyond the Gates, Naomi and Dani’s plan to get the family’s matriarch up there on stage for a round of karaoke hit a snag.
Karaoke Night at Uptown
Witnessing Anita (Tamara Tunie) suddenly anxious and unwilling to step onto the karaoke stage felt wrong. We’re used to seeing her confident, cool, and in control. But it turned out that she is human and has insecurities of her own. While it made us anxious, it was also very relatable.
She turned to her husband, who sang her praises and tried to reassure her that the performance was basically for the family that gathered at Uptown that night. The Duprees, after all, took up half the place. She told Vernon (Clifton Davis) that anytime she got up on stage or performed, she was prepared. This impromptu request from Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) and Dani (Karla Mosley) threw her for a loop. And it could very well throw her off her game.
READ THIS: Here’s what to expect this week on BTG.
But Anita admirably got up there, and after a slight hiccup, when she asked the host to rewind and restart the song, she, her daughter, and granddaughter gave a fabulous performance. Her voice sounded beautiful. Naomi and Dani were perfect backup singers. It was like they were a girl group for real.
But we’re never going to be able to get Anita’s nervousness and anxiety out of our heads. She was afraid somebody would record the performance and she would not sound her best. She didn’t want to shatter the illusion that she had worked so hard to build for decades. It was not what we expected from the former Articulette, who’s usually all joy and light. And this brief descent into the darker, more human side of her was very welcome.
It’s always good to see that a character isn’t perfect. They have their moments of floundering just like everyone else. Plus, Anita, Naomi, and Dani’s karaoke performance was fantastic – their voices and dance moves were on point. And seeing the family Dupree support Anita like that was wonderful. And if you watched the BTG weekly video preview, it seems like this karaoke performance will lead Anita’s world to open up to an opportunity.
READ THIS: Check out BTG’s moments to watch this week.
ETC….
And as an aside, it was also great to see Dani so joyful and light at Uptown as opposed to dark and stormy while she drinks herself to oblivion at home. Also, did you catch Martin (Brandon Claybon) and Smitty (Mike Manning) talking to Vernon about Tyrell’s (Jaden Lucas Miller) cyberbullying? They wisely turned to Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla) for advice.
Was it just us, or did Martin and Smitty seem closer than they’ve ever been before? They were downright cute together, and it felt like Martin relaxed for once. We loved how Smitty mentioned how he didn’t fit in back in his school days. We would like to hear more about his story, please.
READ THIS: Here’s what’s coming up next on BTG.
So, what did you think about the episode? Along with the karaoke drama, Doug (Jason Graham) and Vanessa (Lauren Bugioli) were able to communicate, which was lovely. Unfortunately for Doug, it was after Joey (Jon Lindstrom) put the screws to him. Eva (Ambyr Michelle) and Tomas (Alex Alegria) also had a real conversation, and it seemed more real than any conversation Tomas has with Kat (Colby Muhammad). Also, Leslie (Trisha Mann-Grant) bought new wigs along with a whole host of luxury items. Does she have any new alter egos in store for Ted (Maurice Johnson) and us?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
