Yoh, if we thought “The Real Housewives” was where the jaw-dropping drama was at – especially with the Durban iteration – think again.
Curiosity led me to start watching “This Body Works for Me” on Showmax. Also, I’ve noticed the streaming platform has put more stock into creating risqué original content.
They recently announced that “Sex and Pleasure” would be airing early next month.
Last year, “Sex in Afrikaans” debuted on the platform. It piqued curiosities, for sure. However, most streamers binged in private and so it didn’t make a lot of noise on social media.
A taboo subject it may be in homes and communities but a pertinent one, it remains.
If “Sex in Afrikaans” proved anything, it is that there is a healthy appetite for sex, experimentation and education in Mzansi.
Admittedly, when I pressed play, I didn’t imagine that I would be on episode 10 by the end of the night.
Firstly, the cast comprises strong, confident black women. They are Xoli Mfeka, Wandi Ndlovu, Anele “Nelly” Mahlakatha, Prudence “Primadonna” Matshweu, Samke Nkwanyana, Noluvuyo “Bubbly” Sodela, and Refilwe “Gina” Molwantwa.
Of course, each person isn’t without personal struggles and setbacks as they get their hustle on.
In episode one, viewers got to understand a little about each of the women and how their worlds intersected with some new to the industry, one or two capitalising on their OnlyFans status while the rest made their claim to fame as exotic dancers.
With reality TV, personalities sell the show. And in this case, there are plenty of powerful personalities in the group. This, in turn, means plenty of clashes.
And, boy oh boy, can these ladies throw down. Actually, I should say some as not everyone tries to be at the epicentre of the drama.
Xoli and Wandi are BFFs and they collaborate on content for their OnlyFans account. Xoli is calm, rational and very much the peacemaker in the group. She is also very focused and business-orientated.
We also get to see her beau.
Wandi is the Batista of the group. If you piss her off, she will take no prisoners in settling a score.
She comes from the township but she is no stranger to the affluent lifestyle. She likes nice things. So much so that her boyfriend cannot convince her to give up her line of work.
Also, she loves what she does.
When it comes to body positivity, Wandi and Xoli are wonderful anchors for embracing God’s gifts, curves and all.
Nelly has a bit of fire to her but, more often than not, she’s more talk than action. Coming from a very Christian background, her career path has caused tension in her family.
An aspiring artist, she is trying to change the perceptions of people in her profession.
Gina is in a similar situation in that she’s estranged from her family because of the path she’s chosen. But she’s made her peace with it.
The firecracker in the group – there has to be one, of course – is Primadonna. And she lives up to her name and then some.
Ragged for her twang by her girlfriends, she ends up becoming a bone of contention in the group after getting Nelly and Gina fired by posting a video she wasn’t meant to.
Let’s just say, exotic dancers have to abide by very strict rules – even in their downtime.
Samke is the shy one in the group. A young mother of two, she’s got a prickly relationship with her mother. There’s childhood hurt that hasn’t been dealt with. And her choosing her career over her kids is one of her biggest struggles.
Last, but not least, Bubbly is Switzerland in the clique. Well, she tries to be.
A former exotic dancer, who spends her time between PE and Jozi, she built a career in the massage space and her vagacials (it’s like a facial but for your lady parts) are quite popular.
This show crosses into trashy territory for sure. But the struggles of the cast eradicate the stigma attached to sex workers and those that fall under the umbrella of this profession.
Viewers form an affinity with the characters, rooting for them every step of the way.
Even Primadonna, who comes across as very offish with her bad b**** ways, redeems herself. She is tough and guarded because she has had such a tormented childhood of dealing with abuse.
“This Body Works for Me” isn’t just a show where viewers can be a fly on the wall in the life of sex workers. No. It goes deeper than that.
The gender-based violence, poverty and broken homes experiences of some of the ladies become stepping stones to a more positive outlook where empowerment, confidence and happiness become the cornerstones of their life.
Video below is not for sensitive viewers:
Of course, the spirited nature of some of the cast means a war of words, catfights and producers having to step in to calm the situation. But viewers will never be bored with the show – that’s for sure.
“This Body Works for Me” is available on Showmax.