The Facebook Watch series returns with an episode that explores different hair journeys with Tiffany Haddish and Yvonne Orji.
Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter, Willow, and her mother, Adrienne Banfield Norris, are back at the red table! The Emmy-winning Facebook Watch series Red Table Talk made its return on Wednesday, and the hosts kicked off their arrival with a revealing episode on their hair journeys.
The trio -- who all sport super-short cuts -- broke down the experiences that led them to cut their hair and welcomed special guests with similar experiences, including superstar comedian Tiffany Haddish, Insecure star Yvonne Orji and casting director Sidra Smith. They discussed how society makes women feel dependent on having longer hair to seem more attractive, especially in the Black community where women utilize protective styles for various reasons. More commonly, Black women use wigs and weave to assimilate without dealing with hair discrimination.
Jada, who shaved her head in July, revealed that her decision came from a readiness for "that kind of expression and release." She shared that the cut gave her a sense of "freedown," making her feel more connected to herself and "the great Divine in a special way."
"It was a huge relief," she said. "It was that moment, I was just like, 'I'm done. I'm done with the worry, I'm done with the care. I'm just done.'"
Tiffany, who "crashed" the discussion to learn why Jada shaved her head, shared similar sentiments during her time at the table. She explained that her decision to shave her hair came during the pandemic, from a desire of wanting to "know thyself." When it was time to shoot her film, The Card Counter, she had to remove her braids, so she decided to cut off her hair instead.
"When I felt my head [after shaving my hair] I've never felt that sensation in my life," she shared. "It was the most amazing feeling I have ever felt in my entire existence."
And while some people, like her mother, were upset with Tiffany's cut, she revealed that others, like her boyfriend, Common, were enthusiastic about the new look. And being able to see herself in a new light allowed the comedian to "fall in love" with herself.
Yvonne, who also shaved her hair during the pandemic, shared that her mother and other Nigerian women questioned her decision because "a woman's hair is her beauty." Sidra, who has sported a bald 'do for 20 years, recalled that people would ask her if she joined a cult because of her shorn look.
The episode ends by introducing three women who decide to shave their heads for the very first time. Jada, Willow and Adrienne take the three to their Red Table Talk barbershop, where they get their special shaves by Emmy-nominated barber Stacey Morris (also known as Stacey Kutz), Insecure and House Party stylist Lindsay Rogers and award-winning competitive barber Dominique Evans.
Wednesday also revealed that Jada, Willow and Adrienne made the 2021 TIME100, the annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
"Red Table Talk opens up a dialogue with grandmothers, mothers, daughters and granddaughters, where we can all share and relate to one another. They feature amazing guests, and help us see sides of them we’ve never seen before," Tiffany wrote on the hosts of the series. "For me, to watch those three Black women work together, each representing a different generation, there’s a lot of hope in that. And they look so good too."
Fans can tune in to watch new episodes of Red Table Talk on Wednesdays on Facebook Watch.
RELATED CONTENT
