Miss Jones: Literary Genius or Tired Tell-All??

Miss Jones: Literary Genius or Tired Tell-All
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White
July 15, 2007

On the threads and throughout internet chat rooms there is a fine line where women stand either, defending or blasting this new, somewhat disturbing, somewhat intriguing trend of urban tell-all books. Amidst the literary tales of Carrine Stephans and her disturbingly romantic accounts of sex and pain with some of the industries A and B-list rappers, and the non-fictitious exploits of Carmen Bryan with her baby’s dad and his sworn enemy, comes yet another tell-all book people have been buzzing about from Miss Jones, morning radio host on Hot 97 in New York.

The book is titled, “Have You Met Miss Jones? The Life and Loves of Radio's Most Controversial Diva.” In this memoir, Miss Jones shares aspects of her life and career with readers, including what everyone is talking about, her bedroom tale-tales with rapper Busta Rhymes, which includes some unwarranted details regarding his performance and his lack of interest after “it” was over. (If you want to know the specifics, Google it or go buy the book.) It also includes more information about her open disdain for Beyonce along with drama between Lil Kim, Biggie and Faith Evans from back-in-the-day. This memoir is mainly an account of her rise to radio stardom.

What is interesting in all the chat rooms and vent sessions is how divided women are on the subject of Miss Jones and all of the other women who have written tell-all books. With no surprise, many women are simply stating that these books are garbage and irrelevant. These women say that this is just another way for a gold-digger to “come up” and it’s an obvious display of lack of respect and plain old ho-ism. On the other side, there are many women that are defending these women and their tell-alls. These defenders believe for years men have had their way with women using and abusing them to get what they want. Some of the authors of these tell-alls have been the subject of hit songs and have been used as pawns in a game where everyone is gaining except that woman. These women believe that finally, this is a way where the woman has a voice where people can finally know the other side of the story.

I understand both points; however we need to ask ourselves what is the real agenda of Miss Jones. What is the purpose of an educated, successful, fairly intelligent radio personality adding this specific and rather boring sexual encounter to her so-called memoir? How does this brief story of her relationship or lack thereof, show what she had to go through to make it in the tough business of radio? With Carmen Bryan it seemed like people really wanted to know her side, since she has been publicly bashed, it seemed only fair for her to respond. But with Miss Jones, the “shock-jock,” why did we need to know about this minor detail of her life? I think we all know the answer, and at the end of the day Miss Jones knows also – sex sells, even the boring, lackluster, pointless kind described in her memoir. Radio is a tough business, especially NY radio, and to make it to where she has is impossible for most. Miss Jones has rarely used her position to promote anything positive. This minute detail has derailed any helpful advice or any positive statement she could give to those out there trying to figure out the dynamics of radio and its corporate culture. Miss Jones has been the subject of much negative controversy, and this newest ploy for attention really puts some stank on her success. Miss Jones may sell plenty of copies of her memoir, but her status as a pioneer of radio seems sad and tarnished.