Charm School

For nearly three months, comedienne Mo’nique served as the “Headmistress” of VH1’s Flavor of Love: Charm School, a reality series that featured 13 of the rudest participants from the first two seasons of Flavor of Love.  Mo’nique was joined by pageant coordinator Keith Lewis and Essence magazine editor Mikki Taylor, both of whom served as “Deans” on the show. The aim of Charm School was to turn the wild nicknamed bunch into a group of well-mannered ladies.

Each week, the three celebrity judges introduced the girls to a particular Charm School commandment, after which the girls were subjected to a corresponding challenge.  The girl who showed the least improvement was expelled by the end of the episode. By the season finale, only four girls remained: Shay “Buckeey” Johnson, Becky “Buckwild” Johnston, Leilene “Smiley” Ondrade and Saaphyri Windsor.  The last commandment they were made to master was called "Thou Shalt Be Fully Fabulous."

Saaphyri, Becky and Bucky ganged up on Shay during a unique Q&A game, which consequently sent the latter home.  Down to three, the next challenge was to give speeches on what winning the $50,000 cash prize meant to them.  The judges decided to expel Becky next, sending Leilene and Saaphyri to the Final two.  Ultimately, Mo’nique ruled that Saaphyri had changed the most, making her the first winner of Charm School.  As a consolation prize, Leilene earned the chance to pursue a career in modeling.

Ironically, Saaphyri was the first to be eliminated from the second season of Flavor of Love, and had been the only one not to receive a nickname from rapper, Flavor Flav.

The reunion episode, which was hosted by Lala that followed Charm School’s season finale, featured some of the most memorable moments from the show.  It also gave the viewers the opportunity to see Shay and Larissa "Bootz" Aurora  together again.  Initially, the two girls showed signs of being good friends.  However, their friendship quickly dissolved when Shay confessed that she and Larissa hid Leilene’s pictures under Schatar "Hottie" White's mattress in order to frame the latter and cause turmoil in the group.

At the reunion, Larissa picked a fight with Shay and when Mo’nique went out to stop it, Larissa turned her fury on the comedienne.  Mo’nique’s security personnel walked onto the stage, as well as Larissa’s mother, to whom Mo’nique apologized.

The reunion episode also showed what some of the girls have done post-Charm School.  Courtney "Goldie" Jackson pursued her dream of becoming a comedienne, but had gotten into hot water for making a joke about Mo’nique.  Despite this, Mo’nique graciously considered the issue as part of the “Growing Pains” of being a comedienne.


-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: VH1, Hub Pages
(Image Courtesy of VH1)