A Toni Childs Deep Dive: The Complicated Bougie Woman we can ALL LEARN from..

[@riritheedon8967]

I loved Toni’s fashion and her face card was always valid 😍😍😩🥹

[@ddoubleu170]

NEVER declined, baby!

[@AFocusedLiving]

I literally copied some of looks and I received a lot of compliments

[@jewlzn7130]

Still is 😂

[@AlaysiasWorld]

Except that Botox episode 😂

[@cll27]

Jill Marie Jones is one of the most beautiful woman ever seen shes flawless

[@nicolesherman8974]

Jill Marie Jones’ face card will never decline, I mean look at her ❤️❤️❤️. I always say her and Yvonne Oriji (Molly from Insecure) somewhat look alike lmao

[@iconicallyiconic]

She is absolutely gorgeous and hasn’t aged 🩷

[@BelleReign1]

She has features that people literally pay for.

[@shalbec3232]

For real especially her big lips ppl out here trying to have that😂 and she was the most beautiful for me

[@A.Light33]

@@shalbec3232Todd said that when she first him requesting a lip reduction.

[@skylerhmoore]

my mom LOVED this show when i was a kid, she always watched reruns while doing my hair. i was always stunned by toni’s beauty, it’s almost angelic like. soft and feminine, but dominated every room she walked in.

[@jemimajanvier4706]

I hate the character assassination that was done to Toni. She began to mature after her and Joan reconciled following season 2. But then they made her regress by painting her as a vindictive ex wife, a bad mom, AND, a bad friend. She could have still been the selfish, boujie friend, just with a bit more emotional intelligence and awareness.

[@chaosspy6723]

They never even consider possible postpartum issues. They just assumed she's a bad mom

[@CarringtonKelleys]

It must be said: Toni's hair was goals; in every episode

[@yourfavnurseb9699]

except for when they put that really short wig on, i got tired of it real quick, I loved the bob though

[@DavidRichardson95]

Toni made the show. When she left the show at the end season 6 it was a done deal. When a major character of a show leaves and a replacement step in, it's hard to fill that void that the OG left.

[@abubarrie88]

she was funny entertaining and driven. She had her own money and could afford the lifestyle she wanted. She was made out to be a gold digger when she really wanted her equal or better in terms of money

[@Mocahontas_317]

My family used to call me Toni Childs and I would be so offended even though Toni was my favorite character. I absolutely hated being thought of as “bougie”. That was negative word to me, but now I could care less if that’s what people think of me simply because I gravitate towards things they don’t like or deem pointless. I wasn’t putting them down for their lifestyles so don’t put down mine. I walk in my bougie proudly, unapologetically now.

[@RoboThot3000]

I’ve kind of always liked being called bougie tbh like yes thank you for recognizing that I have standards 💁🏾‍♀️💅🏾 lmao 😂

[@sandirichard5461]

I've accepted being bougie by black people standards! 😂😂😂

[@MiracleBadu]

She’s such a well written character and her development through the series is brilliant. The juxtaposition of her superficial demeanor with her complex innerworld makes her the most dynamic and layered character imo

[@rewbi2196]

Beautifully expressed!!

[@nivonchel]

Tbh toni inspired me to work hard for the life I want. Including fashion, body, career and type of man. I’m proud to say I’m engaged to a high earner and work in tech for a Fortune 500. NOT EASY but toni was a big drive while studying hard in uni.

[@rewbi2196]

I love that, may you have more happiness, love and luxury in your life. Congrats on the engagement.

[@veronicajata3121]

Yes! Congrats!

[@hazelhairco88]

I have always related to Toni on so many levels, from mommy issues, to chocolate skin, to real estate, to the fashions, to not settling. Honey she is me and I am her!!!

[@Ohmylantaa]

She set high standards for herself and other around her and I can’t fault her for it. We should all strive to have a similar level of self respect

[@MsTrueTy]

I actually liked Toni and Joan friendship arch. And it's a shame that we never get to see that relationship fully mended. I feel Toni became toxic and Joan enabled her bad behavior. This is such a great show we need a reboot or a musical or something. But I was never mad that Toni knew her worth. They only shamed her cause she wanted more then what she actually made. But in reality she was no different from Joan. Joan just so happen to be the rich man so she wasn't looking for that. But she had way heavier almost unrealistic standards then toni did.

[@candygirl20048]

Jill Marie Jones is such a beauty.

[@henxaigaming1682]

I loved Toni. Girlfriends was so realistic in showing different type of black women.

[@mooninrosequartz]

I’m still mad she ended up marrying Todd, after denying her standards

[@veronicajata3121]

Same.

[@chakrakhan8624]

I agree the did Toni dirty because she was so misunderstood and the audience didn’t like her but turning her into a single mother was unrealistic she never would have allowed that

[@Truthteller978]

I think she would have given she didn’t want to settle for anything less than she deserved. Toni doesn’t beg a man to be with her,it doesn’t matter if a child is involved. Your method is outdated and doesn’t suit anything that has to do with her character

[@handsomemahlambi]

@@Truthteller978yeah I think she would be a single mother but still never settle on the man who came into her and the child’s life after or more so bc she had a child, those standards would totally elevate bc she knows she’s got money and unconditional love, what will you bring to the table?

[@chakrakhan8624]

@@Truthteller978 my method? You mean my opinion. On a fictional character. My extended opinion is she would have had to have a growth arc like most adult women. Found a man more than likely and matured with therapy and age. Whether she got back with Todd idk but like I stated she wouldn’t have been a single mother forever like the show was implying. But the writers did her dirty like she wasn’t in therapy for multiple episodes or capable of changing just because her mouth was reckless but she always had high self esteem and was self sufficient. Todd lied to her and she couldn’t accept it. It crushed her and her opinion of him changed

[@Bluemoonsouth]

@@nicolevm7 I’m sorry but I was happy when Todd left her. She was doing way too much. But he should’ve told her about that debt before he married her.

[@khatreenuh]

I love Toni because she has that “take me or leave me” attitude. She’s a bit problematic but she’s unapologetically her‼️ They wanted Toni to be an example of you can’t have it all (love & money simultaneously) and we (BLACK WOMEN) have to settle but that’s not true!

[@khatreenuh]

Also, Toni’s biggest fear was being poor so ofc she wanted a man to be able to financially provide.

[@shebjess]

I was never a fan of Toni but i was absolutely on her side when Todd started tripping. Sir, you knew the woman you married and you wanna be surprised when she acts like this? No, no. Toni was a lot of things but I respected how honest she was

[@user-pm3yj3tl5v]

She WAS the show! Love her or hate her, she made your watch. It was nice to see our "Features" in a positive and beautiful light.

[@AminaPhilosophy]

I modeled my bedroom after Toni’s. She was such a princess.❤

[@katlap3101]

I loved this show, and I forgot how beautiful Toni is, we now live in plastic world, those actresses were beautiful and also all natural

[@handsomemahlambi]

In this day and age a Toni Childs would travel, be free, love themselves and get a man if and when she wants to Like real life Tracee Ellis Ross

[@hmmm2564]

Traci is nowhere near Toni childs. Traci gives me cool girl vibes

[@handsomemahlambi]

@@hmmm2564 oh yes obviously but I mean if she wasn’t written in this day and age she wouldn’t be trying to rush into something that doesn’t do anything for her like Tracee who is very intentional with how she lives

[@theducksauce00]

To me it felt like the writers used Todd’s lack of finances to “humble” Toni. Like they wanted her to settle.

[@rewbi2196]

I feel that 100%!!

[@yococomanolo]

I always wanted to be like Toni growing up and here I am a whole Lynn 🫤

[@TheAccountabilityChannel]

Hahahaha 😂

[@TiannaEss]

Lol!!! 🤣

[@Chani-uk4wf]

If that ain't the truth 😭 man is life rough

[@rinabobina8453]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@dimetwotimes_]

Mannnnn😂 felt this lmaoo

[@bougiegirlK]

Toni is my fave! I agree the way she spoke to Todd wasn’t okay because he really loved her but like you said she needed a lot of therapy because of her childhood. Finances definitely play a major part in a marriage and some people try to pretend like it doesn’t matter (which are the people I stay far away from) especially when you add children because you have to support your children and think about their future.

[@gazellehelene5380]

“Why does this Ruffle the lint in your pockets so much!” I love that! It’s so true too; why complain about a woman who doesn’t even want you. You are not on her radar. She is on to bigger and better things and you just cannot keep up. So, fall back and keep quiet. That’s what these guys need to hear because they are really acting illogically. I love this video and I love your voice. You drop so many gems and you keep it classy!❤️🌹🌸🌺🌷

[@larkaraniakim7832]

I loved Toni because she had boundaries with men, didn’t mind standing up for herself, and when we least expect it she had something real to say that I still take with me. “Work with what’s working”. I didn’t mind her boogie-ness because she worked hard and she hustled when needed. She was a go getter and she definitely deserved someone who would go with her to get what she wanted. She had great potential suitors. I didn’t like the plot with Todd she was very disrespectful to him. They weren’t together for long and neglected to talk about real things that needed to be discussed d before marriage. They really didn’t let time reveal themselves to each other. I hate how they wrote her character because she seems almost too shallow and selfish. They really didn’t give her a redeemable trait until her life would fall apart.

[@lisag.4054]

As a kid watching this show, I didn’t like Toni. Never did. But when I turned 30 I rewatched the whole series and now she’s my favorite character. I try to channel her energy often!

[@ryansingletary7018]

Why was the show canceled

[@BlackGirlLovesAnime6]

I think that’s shows that people who don’t like women like Toni are emotionally immature. She wasn’t perfect but she stands for what all women should stand for and how they should take on dating. I used to look down on women like her as a kid as in my early 20s too until I matured and learned the realities of men

[@aviianna]

I think I thought Toni was annoying at times, but I liked her. I liked her representation as a beautiful fabulous woman who is also deeply flawed.

[@yukijames1321]

@@BlackGirlLovesAnime6I think you can only take away her dating lessons. At the end of the day she wasn’t a good person. She was notably selfish and unreliable. Not something to aspire to

[@jenniferwade7861]

​@@ryansingletary7018The show took a hit during a strike around 2008. That's why they were cheated a series finale.

[@handsomemahlambi]

One thing we never talked about though is Toni and Joan being successful black female friends who never hated on each other’s riches I’ll have to give them that, they grew up together, they both worked hard and always celebrated each other’s professional accomplishments The only problem came with men, dun Dun DUN, and personality clashes but never about “she talked about my job or success”

[@LoveAndSnapple]

They both saw each other as equals, but they were definitely hating on Maya for doing things "the wrong way." With Maya getting pregnant as a teen and haivng a living room wedding, Joan was very uppity with how she tried to show "support" for her friend. When Maya tried to actually leave from under Joan's foot, Joan would not support her and made it seem like she was too dumb to go off of her own. Toni just outright let Maya know how she felt about her, but that was Toni with everybody. 😆

[@LaReginaPatrizia]

I admired her style but I don't like the way they portrayed her interracial marriage at all.

[@LaLaKnight]

I saw my child hood shero and automatically liked! Toni Childs is was and will always be “That Girl”

[@mindyourmanners3784]

High standards and boundaries always make people who don't have them uncomfortable and upset.. the pick-me women get mad because they settled for the bottom of the barrel men and the men get mad because they want the woman who is out of their league and think belittling them will make them get chosen when it does the opposite. sir go get up and get some money why are you yelling online, they don't have 5k in their savings 🙄all of that energy could go into getting to the money

[@TheLovesnowangel]

I liked all the characters. None of them were perfect which I liked, but they were all decent human beings. So they all felt relatable.

[@sophietessier8998]

She just so pretty, my Pinterest is full of her, her style and attitude is just nice you know

[@Princessdollamanda]

I loved how they didn’t make Toni a pick me but I hated how they vilified her especially when Joan told her she could be the one to provide for Greg 🙄 and praising the fact that he “ greased her scalp and gave her massages” those things don’t pay the bills! lol and those dynamics never work because the man becomes resentful and the woman becomes resentful as well and loses respect for him- I don’t even understand how a man can feel comfortable in that position

[@MsASJ]

Mara Brock Akil so that Tyler Perry could RUNNNNN!!!

[@FlutterMouse]

Joan was the pick me. And she got dogged out in every relationship.

[@rewbi2196]

@amandal.3759 @MsASJ @@FlutterMouse All of you ladies CLEARED.

[@themotherlander]

let’s be clear. No one had a problem with Toni Childs and what she asked for. They had an issue with a dark skin black women asking for those things. If the Persia White was Tony Childs, chileee.

[@LV2308gmail]

Idk I disagree, bx I had a problem with HER, meaning her character.

[@BanquetHallManager]

This!

[@oxtailsan9681]

One of the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. They all were so incredibly Gorgeous. Ugh.

[@Ariescertified]

I watch Girlfriends all the time! At first I didn’t like Toni but she’s grown on me and I respect her character in the show. I always get sad towards to end of season 6 😢. I wish that Todd and Toni took time to fall in love instead of rushing to get married. I wish we got to see more of them together before they got married.

[@leiiib]

She is gorgeous and always had the best fashions and she most certainly was on point about dating the dusties and the pick-me’s and dusties hated her for it and lmaooooo 3:20 my sentiments exactly “50/50” what is thattt ???? 😂

[@Sondreyah08]

I definitely couldn't stand her when I was a child. As an adult and therapist, I see Toni learned a lot of her toxic behavior from her upbringing and trying to survive. Mommy issues are real too.

[@TheRetroWoman80]

Most definitely. And the bougie approach to life never made her happy nor healed her. It was her protection from pain.

[@Chuuzus]

Toni Childs' face card was literal!!

[@barbiesinspiration8799]

Had to come comment this because this video is so important for women and BW especially. The situation that took place with Keke Palmer recently is why you don't ever settle and lay down with a bum who can't provide, they become hateful, abu$ive and jealous because they aren't your equal (yes we know men with money can be abu$ive as well) and it's why they fight back with women so much who have high earning jobs and it's always a certain group of men who think like this and have this "it's impossible to provide, we need help, we don't have degrees" * in other countries men make a way to *provide* and don't *cry and complain* about having to do the bare minimum 😴 but only in the most progressive country here do we have BM making excuses as to - - - why they can't work, why they don't go to school and make something of themselves , why as a grown adult they believe people owe them something I mean the level of entitlement is sickening 🙄🙄 y'all are not the only group of men to have struggles and have pull yourself out of it but instead of getting out of that mindset they blame everyone else as to why they are where they are.

[@Hdwumfuor1]

I remember watching the episode Toni was considering moving back home. She had $250,000 saves as a safety net. I always remember that!

[@The_Ki_]

She had $500,000

[@ravanjanae]

I am Toni Childs (standards wise) and get gas lighted all the time LMAOO even from my own mom who let men use her then leave her i refused to change my high standards

[@Truthteller978]

Never lower your standards,ever!

[@StudiousSu]

I agree with you regarding Tod leaving Toni. It didn’t seem like something his character would do. If anything Toni would have been the one to leave him. But I do like how her character developed towards the end once she had a kid and began to mature. It would have been nice to see how she ended up, instead of having her relocate or whatever happened at the end

[@keirramichelle8644]

I'm rewatching the series for the fourth time. Now that I look at it Toni wanted what she wanted and would not take less. She came from a country working class family with an alcoholic mother so when she got older she wasn't having it. She really loved Greg, but he would throw it back in her face that she was the bread winner of the relationship

[@Blackcubin1]

Love this deep dive. However, I fully disagree with your view on making Toni a single mother. She literally was in therapy and still choose her friendship with Joan over her own Husband. How many times can Todd sit around and be disrespected by his WIFE? She even went to see her ex and called him the love of her life. I think her becoming a single mother taught her a valuable lesson that she isn’t the most important thing in the world. Had she stay on the show longer, then I think she would have grown to be more compassionate and understanding to Todd and we would have seen that growth.

[@beautelle1065]

Well she did say that in the video that Toni wasn't ready for any relationship because she didn't get enough therapy it was just like here and there and that she needed to break away from Joan. I like to think that when she left and moved to New York away from the girls that her and Todd worked out lol. but like she said in the video sometimes people involve too many outsiders in their relationship and that's when it begins to crumble. privacy and also respect are important in a relationship and some people still can't figure that out and why outside noise can sometimes hurt your relationship

[@marywatkins9438]

Absolutely here for this. We need more black women being humanized.

[@jdozier4025]

Speaking of Girlfriends, can we talk about how Maya's character was there to promote struggle love and humble beautiful women

[@kymberlycourage]

Yes!!! I absolutely love Golden.

[@gracejargba2104]

Right. Because she was the only one with a man. They were telling ppl to settle

[@cadyg2531]

plssssssssss - because too many people when talking about the show always talk about maya being the most relatable one and im just like innntterrrressttttinnnnggg 👀

[@AllthingsZsa-2727]

That was VERY relatable at the time

[@beautelle1065]

I said the same thing. which is why I dislike Tyler Perry so much 🙄 that man thrives off of struggle love flicks and wanting women to settle for less

[@VauveAnais]

They all had their issues as well all do - I think that's what made it so relatable. As an adult I pick up narcissistic tendencies in Toni, but your commentary helps me to see her in a different light. We all know a person like her. When I re-watch the series I often wonder if her behavior was bad enough to let her go as a friend or was her love enough to wait to see her growth. Joan and Toni's dynamic remind me of how our relationships are a reflection of where we are in life; you make adjustments as needed as you gain self-awareness.

[@creativeideator]

She is soooo gorgeous

[@haleywilliams5839]

I really like this show. I don’t, however, like the way they portray black women friendships. Like black women can’t be friends unless one is taking care of all of them and the rest take advantage of her.

[@roxywyndham]

That’s my friendship one of my friends now is tryin to show me she won’t be like the rest or the past. I’m willing to let her but I still don’t believe it until I see it.

[@TheRetroWoman80]

Exactly. Generalizing like all female black friendships are default in being sustained through drama/toxicity.

[@LoveisKiing]

Toni was soooo problematic but STUNNING!

[@AminaPhilosophy]

I watched Girlfriends just to see Toni. She has main character vibes.❤❤❤

[@Melanatedbeauti]

After all the men she dated she still ended up 50/50 with Todd 😭

[@albertamathurin7084]

What do you mean? They divorced then he took all of the debt

[@Melanatedbeauti]

She stated in one of the episodes she was still going to have to work, and Todd wasn't super rich or something like that. He was also hiding massive amount of debt from Toni before they got married. @@albertamathurin7084

[@rewbi2196]

Please omg, this pisses me off just thinking about it. The ULTIMATE downgrade.

[@ashleysalazar2012]

I watched Girlfriends strictly for Toni. ❤

[@altonjohn6348]

I love Toni her fashion, comedic time, her honesty

[@beautelle1065]

So many iconic moments in this video 😂 the 'we are farmers' remix, the dragging of the dusties lmao we love to see it. but this video really dived into how Toni's relationship with her mother affected both her friendships and relationships and it's something I haven't seen anyone talk about. her mother was just insufferable and then she came into their home disrespecting her husband. she always had to make things about her and I think that Toni internalized that and because she may not have gotten the attention she needed as a child, it resulted in her having selfish ways. I love Toni and how she was a realist when it came to finances and what she wanted. when she left the show it just went downhill

[@nauticabc]

I loved her character. Even though she had a few issues, she knew her worth and had high standards

[@Peacebewithu34]

Chile, it's the "we are farmers" remix for me 🤣🤣

[@pringles0111]

Toni was my least fav character growing up 😂I learned early on that was not the type of woman I wanted to be. Lynn was my absolute favorite ❤️ because she was down to earth 🌎 and I felt like a lot of women in their early and late twenties could relate to her, not everybody had their own house straight out of college and some struggled a lot trying to figure out what they wanted to do in life.

[@lala_d334]

My favorite and the show was not the same when she left

[@larrywigginsjr.3355]

Antoinette Marie Childs!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@B.B.H2.0]

Not only are women a huge contributor to the workforce. We are also the biggest consumers. We browse, shop, and buy way more than men do. Take a look at commercials, and you will find that the target audience is Women.

[@rewbi2196]

We make the world go round.

[@milaakajau861]

Now THIS is what I call a deep dive! I like how you spoke about needing to heal before entering any relationship because it's so important and sometimes you push good people away because you're afraid of getting hurt and haven't dealt with your issues. I agree she needed to be apart from Joan for at least a year of her marriage because she was so co-dependent on her it was like Todd didn't matter and it was unfair to him. this is one of my favorite deep dives on a character you've done thus far 💕

[@thebuttermilkgirlisback]

I think Toni was a good friend. She had her ways, but when it really mattered, she was there. She was always smacking sense into Joan like when she told Joan to keep her restaurant and make it a classy sports bar or when Joan was being played by men, Toni was there to check them. Joan, wasn’t there for Toni and the girls when they were fighting outside the club. Joan didn’t support Toni when she was starting her own real estate company and she was jealous as hell when Toni was getting married. And let’s not forget Joan wasn’t there for her when Toni had the baby and especially when she needed her for the custody battle.

[@kimberlydaniels6357]

Thank you. I also believe that Toni had the most character development ❤

[@rewbi2196]

All of this!! She also supported Maya with her book tour and brought (constructive) comfort to Lynn during her mental breakdown with Finn and when she embraced her passion for music.

[@BlessinGiraldo]

Hands Down Best Dressed the entire sitcom #MissTonyChilds 😍💅🏾

[@ninawestlake14]

I love Tony, her fashion and her high standards. Period❤❤❤

[@ashleylarose7473]

Toni was my favorite because she showed up as who she was. She and Joan were the only two I could see actually being friends in real life but I know in real life if their friendship were to ever last, they both would need to do a lot of growing. Thank you for this analysis!

[@Mr.Zodiac_Garcia]

I swear when toni left after season 6 i stopped watching girlfriends for a while cause she was my favorite character

[@aiaimonkey9085]

I can't relate to never liking Toni lol. As a little gay boy she was basically the embodiment of so much of what drew me to female characters. Fashionable, drop dead gorgeous and a straight up Diva. She was the unfriendly Black hottie and i was here for it 😂

[@truthorlies5282]

She is the reason I'm bougie 😆,she was selfish and loved herself in the best way I really wish they would redo a girlfriend series for bw

[@AsiahAaliyah]

I loved Toni Child’s! She was my fav beauty and fashion wise her outfits killed everytime! BUT Toni’s character was VERY problematic! Before I go into that I also love that she represented as such a beautiful dark skin woman. Similar to Foxy in the 90s. Now yes indeed Toni had a mother who was emotionally dismissive and cruel but I still feel like that doesn’t excuse how she treated Joan and several people around her. Toni was selfish, self centered and extremely narcissistic. Yes she was a straight shooter when it came to telling others about themselves but she could only dish it and NOT take it. She wanted the best and had her standards, worked hard for her coin because she wanted the high life, to be fabulous, and that’s great! BUT she used people around her to build herself up emotionally by tearing them down. She was a bully and I don’t think she loved Joan. She loved what Joan could do FOR HER. The second Joan couldn’t come through it was a problem everytime. Now Joan needed boundaries and eventually went to therapy. But Toni also went to therapy more than once and never really changed! The show showed how she never took accountability! She also “got saved” in church one episode and had a mild change but eventually went back to her ways. I hated how things ended between Toni and Joan but ultimately they did not need to be friends. Joan was no saint either by the way. But Toni was wayyyy more ruthless to her. Also Toni’s selfishness is ultimately what made her end up as a single mother. Again she wanted Todd for HIS MONEY. She barely liked him at first but she fell in love with how he worshipped her and what he could PROVIDE. That’s why she was always talking to him crazy. She was wildly immature and she refused to HEAL. 😮‍💨 Toni’s downfall was that she was all about TONI.

[@Fueunachimba]

I agree with everything you said. The first time I saw Girlfriends I had a raging hatred for Toni because I did not like how she treated everyone around her. She treated everyone like her competitors instead of her friends. She constantly tore her friends down. I respect Toni’s hustle, her beauty, and her desire for more than what she grew up with, but she had A LOT of flaws. People are quick to say that Toni is their favorite but it’s very difficult for me to say that 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@leiiib]

You have to go to therapy consistently and there are some people who need to go for good. Toni going here and there doesn’t count because it wasn’t consistent and the facts are that this show was never going to let Toni be the character to mature and grow because they hated women like her especially Mara Brock Akil- considering her relationship with her husband and how she treats other women it explains ALOTTTT

[@nakairoberson3057]

I think you said I t right there. Toni was all about Toni without really being about Toni.

[@rewbi2196]

@@leiiib Wait "considering her relationship with her husband and how she treats other women"?? Is this about Mara?? What is the tea on that...?? Do tell. 👀👀

[@LoveAndSnapple]

My only issue with Toni is that it felt like she wanted the same adoration from her friends that she wanted from men. She could never just turn off, she always had to be ON. Like babe, I'm totally fine with you being boujie, but if we're going to be friends then you need to keep that part of you out the door. Keep that energy for the man you're trying to catch, but I'm not your man nor am I trying to be. Especially if you're going to have people like Maya and Lynn as friends.

[@brianawhittaker8152]

Yeah Toni was a good friend for the most part especially when she apologized and owned up to what she did if she hurt one of her friends. But she was too much sometimes and didn't know how to just chill out it's okay to not be on all the time.

[@Victoriaistalented]

They said after she left the numbers went wayyyyyyyyy down!!!❤️❤️❤️

[@no.6377]

When I tell you I loved Toni. I had such terrible self worth growing up in the Caribbean, where people(men, women, grandparents 😭) are very frank about a preference for light skin with "nice" hair. Toni is later revealed to have been affected by colorism and that kind of insecurity added depth and vulnerability to her character from my POV. The fact that she was still unapologetic about her standards and confident in her looks with this insecurity was pretty inspiring to me. BTW Greg never happened. I have blocked that dust from my mind. Maya...IDK I hated how male centered she was in the beginning but she was great later on when she and Toni got closer. She's so funny sometimes. Toni is always #1 for me, though.

[@Alore_08]

Can you do a video on Monica? After rewatching Girlfriends as an adult, I learned to like Monica. She was similar to Toni IMO.

[@cocobanks3536]

This!! I actually loved Monica

[@BanquetHallManager]

Yeah, we didn't get enough of her. She was a beautiful darker skin woman too, and she had a pretty smile. She definitely knew her worth and never settled for less.

[@rewbi2196]

Yess, I said in my comment that she's the extreme version of Toni. I was neutral with Monica at first, but loved her fully the more I would rewatch the show. She's a gem.

[@TheRetroWoman80]

Similar acting, yes, but derived from different backgrounds. Monica came from money and Toni acted like she did when she only climbed to that "new money" level through her real estate career.

[@lovefromwonderland]

Toni was the character that underwent the most growth in my opinion. Lynn went in circles, Maya was too stubborn for development, Joan went through a ton of ups and downs, but Toni actually made an effort to change so she could maintain the relationships she cared about. While not all of them worked out, you can tell she was really trying to make herself a better person.

[@rewbi2196]

A true phoenix rising from its ashes.

[@ks-mn4tw]

She had the best growth I the show in my opinion.

[@barbiesinspiration8799]

NOT "WE ARE THE DUSTIES" lmaooooooo I am hollering. I was not expecting that 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 this is now one of my favorite videos from you its so true that women put in more in the relationships that are "50/50". There are grown men who can't cook for themselves or know how to wash their clothes like what were you doing before you got into a relationship/marriage ? it's a hot mess with some of these men

[@Ummnowtfc]

When it come to great value products , I AM TONI 😭

[@maymay5600]

Growing up watching girlfriends Toni was funny, but she treated her friends like absolute dogshit

[@MICHELE1934]

I hated the Toni/Todd relationship. The marriage was trash from the start.

[@starting21over]

No one can ever get me to hate Toni😂 She was a self made woman with high self esteem and I think a lot of women can learn from her. Yes she did have problematic moments but I have a hard time believing that’s the reason people didn’t like her. I think viewers disliked her because she was a successful black woman with standards that practiced hypergamy and sought after a certain lifestyle and that makes people uncomfortable. Edit: I made this comment before watching the video; glad to see we were on the same page😂

[@Luckimee]

Toni is my spirit animal 😂

[@13unnyjpg]

I’ve rewatched this show at least 5 times throughout my life… lol you bout to make me watch it again.

[@thetruesoulofanaquarius9302]

Jill Marie Jones was and still is beautiful and her style/hair was always on point❤. You spoke nothing but facts in this video. To be honest it is not really an issue with black women wanting a luxury life it is brown/darkskinned women wanting and deserving a luxury life. If Joan or Lynn character was like Toni when it came to men I guarantee it wouldnt be any issues. Biracial, lightskinned and non black women luxury life. Brown and darkskinned women struggle love and life.

[@izzyNFT69]

I see toni as the precursor to the insecure character of Molly Carter. She was also clowned for wanting a man who could match her and provide for her. Although she could be very nit picky.

[@dovblea]

this!! molly has to be based on her to some extent

[@rewbi2196]

@izzyNFT69 @@dovblea I do feel Insecure as a whole was inspired by the Girlfriends, there were too many similarities.

[@liljay3006]

Toni definitely out boogies all her counter parts like Hilary bank Regine and Whitley

[@mojjim2177]

I don’t know Whitley is tough competition

[@therealkenj98]

@@mojjim2177 very tough! Whitley was IT! Toni and Whitley are my favs for bougie representation!

[@rewbi2196]

OMG Regine.... my Taurus Moon sister.

[@kiaraolivier6785]

I really enjoyed this deep dive bc Tony wasn’t just one thing. She was a real person in the aspect that she was complex. You definitely won a loyal subscriber in me ❤🥰

[@goldenari295]

I loooooooved her lol. When she left the show I stopped watching 🤣👏🏽💯 she carried.

[@altonjohn6348]

Toni had great character growth

[@wyvonne1996]

Hi I'm new here. I love all things Toni Childs OK.

[@ejnichols05]

My alias is Childs...🤣 Toni Childs was one of the first beautiful darker skin females I saw growing up and she made me proud to be black and beautiful...💕💕💕

[@sophietessier8998]

This show suffer from 2000’s dating life and misogyny, many of the writing make them pick me and always idolize the not like other girl. I really wish we could have a second dimension where to watch the show. where the character grow better and get their ideal ending. We can have a lesson learned and something different from what they expected but still something that feel deserve and nice

[@uptowngirlup3191]

I thought Toni was funny. Along with the other characters all of them had their ups and downs their flaws and good characteristics. I thought every character had the ability to grow and also break down so although these girls weren’t saints they where not monsters either. It was something that I can laugh at and even relate to on certain levels.

[@rachelm.3173]

💯

[@Africangoddess97]

I love Tony despite her antics

[@DollMeUpp]

Thank you for mentioning @ 14:53. I always felt the writers did the entire a show a horrible disservice when Toni’s marriage started to fail. Finally, we had a classy, prissy, beautiful, hypergamous BW portrayal in television and the writers/CW turned it into a joke. Abandoned, single mother, man begging, and fighting for custody of her child 🙄. Things we see too often. I noticed even her makeup, hair, and wardrobe seemed to slack with this story. The lines they wrote for her were also bad. I feel like Jill Marie Jones left because she had too much dignity to keep playing a caricature.