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Coral Smith

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Coral Jeanne Smith (born January 19, 1979) is a former cast member on MTV's The Real World: Back to New York. She currently participates on The Real World/Road Rules Challenge on a sporadic basis. Coral is better known for her wit, beauty and intellegence as stated in her bio on MTV.

The Real World

During her season on The Real World, she came into conflict with [Mizanin] (scroll down) over his stated on camera view that African Americans need not be well schooled because they are inherently dumb/ignorant and cannot retain information therefore they can not be taught, making any attempt at other than basic education a waste of time and energy. This belief he said was imparted to him from his uncle. Further he stated that his "uncle does not hire them" and that he (Mike Mizanin) agrees with his uncle. This is the point when Ms. Smith took exception and calmly but firmly reminded Mr. Mizanin that he was speaking to two African-American people. Mr. Mizanin was relentless in his pursuit attempting to convince Coral Smith and Malik Cooper of the "wisdom" and "innocence" of their "family policy" even while being told in a civil manner by Ms. Smith that she was offended at such a false and blatantly racist remark.

Real World 10:Back to New York cast mate Malik Cooper was there at breakfast on that first morning in the New York when Mike Mizanin made the remark and both Ms. Smith and Malik Cooper left Mike there in the restaurant after he refused to acknowledge that he had made a racist remark. Mike who stated that he had never walked on the same side of the street as an African-American, in his home town, insisted that his remark was typical and therefore innocent and therefore not to be taken "wrong".

Nicole Jackson, another room mate heard about the incident,third party from Malik and decided to side with Coral, however she played a relatively insignificant role in the interplay that ensued after the fact.

Mike plead his case to each room mate in turn and each told him that what he had said was out of line and that he should not have said it and further that he should apologize.

Smith challenged Mizanin to educate himself on African-American culture, including the life of civil rights activist Malcolm X and assigned him the task of discovering the basics of American culture and history to include African-Americans as pertinent.

A second incident happened shortly after the racist remark, in Episode 5 where Mizanin invited his own hometown girl friends to visit him at the Real World house but before they arrived he talked about them to the other room mates on camera as "whores and "freak panty droppers". He also decided to have a sexual encounter on camera to illustrate his point. Unbeknownst to the girls, they were marked from before they visited, by their friend Mike. When they (the female friends) got a cool reception, based on Mike's description of them, Mike got angry and the next day, decided to chastize his female housemates, much to his chagrin as Coral let him have it, recounting what he had said about his own friends.

Several episodes passed before Mizanin eventually apologized after trying to avoid it, finally, he relented and sat with her and gave as sincere an apology as he could muster at the time, to begin what was to be a lasting friendship of mutual respect. Smith graciously accepted and they have since become close friends, having been seen as close allies on one of the MTV Challenges.

Mike credits Coral for helping him to grow and he has thanked her on his website.

Smith still keeps in contact with her Real World cast mates Mike and Malik Cooper and to some lesser extent Lori. She says she doesn't get to speak with Rachel and Nicole often, and is not interested in keeping in contact with Kevin Dunn. [1]

Challenges

Smith won her first Real World/Road Rules Challenge, with Back to New York cast mate Mike Mizanin. She has been in five Challenges in all and has made it to the end of four. She was eliminated on Fresh Meat because her partner Evan developed an abdominal (athletic) hernia which progressed to a serious stage with internal bleeding, this he kept secret from Coral during the challenge. Smith sustained an injury to her knee also but after treatment, she was cleared for competition by her doctor. However, Evan's hernia was so severe that further competition was impossible and since this was a partnered event, when Evan became disabled, Coral was left without a partner and was thus disqualified from continuing with the competition. Evan has since had two surgeries to correct his hernia and has gone on to compete again in a subsequent MTV challenge.

Coral's latest Reality show deputed on the Fox network in January 2007 on Burton Roberts’ series Camp Reality.

In Smith's MTV television appearance on the Fresh Meat reunion special, she was as usual, strongly self-expressive, especially on the subject of race. She related an incident in which Melinda Stolp walked up to her and told her that she (Melinda) uses shampoo for Colored People. Melinda Stolp is from Germantown, Phil and her boyfriend is The Real World: Austin's Danny Jamieson who a majority of Real World/Road Rules and Challenge Alumni have cited as having a chip on his shoulder. Smith issued a challenge to all the newer members which none of them accepted. A second Battle of the Sexes was created after Smith jokingly brought up the idea on the The Inferno reunion special. Smith joking said her favorite challenge was The Inferno because she got to send Trishelle Cannatella home, however the two have since worked together on a number of projects. Namely "The Sexiest Women of Reality TV: 2005" calendar, produced by Beth S. and "The Battle of the Network Reality Stars" on Bravo.

Much curiosity and speculation has arisen over Smith's relationship with Abram Boise from Road Rules: South Pacific during Battle of the Sexes II. In response to a question by an MTV rep, Smith said: " I wouldn't expect Abram to invest his time or pursue a woman like myself, that's so mouthy and such a feminist I believe that I'm a strong woman and I believe that a lot of my morals and how I live my life was completely opposite than his. I really feel like he has come into a reality about meeting new people with me and I'm happy to be in his life, and I'm happy to teach him and help him, but it's not hard. We're going through this weird racial thing. He doesn't bring it up and it's not an issue with us, which makes it even more wonderful. It's just right and it's something that happened naturally. He didn't have to fight against this racist thing." and in response to the question "What opened him to this?" Coral said: "I give all the credit to Abram for his changes, and for who he is now. I believe that it was his ability to learn and be open to other people's words. We both get really angry and we both are really sensitive and we both put up this front and inside, I believe Abram is one of the kindest and most gentle people I've ever met. And I think it was his ability to get in touch with his own kind, gentle side that allowed him to like me anyway, despite my big giant mouth and how bitchy I can be. And I think that we found a common ground there, and because I was open to him, I feel like he was able to open up to me. And when Abram and I opened up to each other, it was a beautiful, beautiful friendship that I've never experienced before, ever. I've never met anyone like Abram. Never, and people underestimate him all the time." |url=http://www.mtv.com/onair/rwrr_challenge/battle_sexes2/interviews/?episodeID=79602&id=1492730 |title=Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes 2: Episode 3 |accessdate=2007-06-21 |work=MTV.com}}</ref>[1] However, according to another interview with Smith, the two were not involved in a girlfriend/boyfriend relationship and that it was only made to look that way on television to get good ratings.[2]

Personal life

Smith is best friends with The Real World: New Orleans cast mate Melissa Howard. They both participated on Bravo's Battle of the Network Reality Stars.

Melissa and Coral met on September 10, the night before 9/11, in Boston. Coral and Lori (Back to New York) attended the VMA's in New York. Coral decided to leave the NYC to take a flight originating in Boston because the flights out of New York were so full. Since Lori was from Boston and lived there, it was a great plan. Lori fills outlines the entire event on her website, as to how she and Coral actually made it out of NYC and headed to Boston, with Coral planning to return to California the next day. Once in Boston, they met up with Melissa (New Orleans), the events of 9/11 unfolded while the three of them were together, and that is where their friendship began.

Coral is involved with women's rights, charities for children, her family and friends and the pursuit of her career. She currently tours doing speaking engagements and interviews with a great tongue-in-cheek flair.

A freelance entertainment reporter since 2003, reportedly spoke with Coral on Gay Day, an annual event set at a theme park in the Bay Area. Smith reportedly answered questions, concerning why she was present at Gay Day, with the comment that her sexual orientation was "very cloudy" and that she was "venturing toward [her] lesbian qualities". OUTlook is a tabloid magazine that serves the gay community. [3]

Filmography

Television and Videos

Movies



Radio/Podcast

References

  1. ^ "Coral Smith". TV.com. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  2. ^ "Interview With Coral Jeanne Smith from "Battle Of The Sexes" and "The Real World"". Reality Reel. 2004-12-23. Retrieved 2007-06-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Pratt, Paul E.; "'Real World' Regular Coral Happy Exploring Her 'Lesbian Qualities'"; OUTlook magazine'; July 1, 2007.
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