Flavor of Love

Description

While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life. Those two series as well as Flavor of Love (seasons 1–2 only) have aired in repeats on TV Guide Network. The third season of Flavor of Love premiered on February 11, 2008 at 9/8c.

On May 14, 2008, it was announced that Flavor of Love 3 would be the final Flavor of Love. After 3 seasons, Flavor Flav chose to not marry or date any of the winners from any of the three seasons. Instead, it was revealed that he would marry Liz, the mother of his seventh child, Karma, on the season 3 reunion show.

The show was a ratings success for VH1. The Flavor of Love 2 finale was the second highest-rated non-sports basic cable show of 2006.

Show format

The show was part of VH1's Celeb-reality lineup and its format is similar to that of The Bachelor. Twenty different ladies compete for Flavor Flav's heart as they live together in a mansion in Encino, California. He is helped in his quest by his bodyguard and chauffeur named "Big Rick." He was also assisted by his mother, as well as his former romantic partner Brigitte Nielsen in the first season, and Tiffany Pollard in the second. The show also helped spin off a string of similar VH1 "Love" shows, including I Love New York, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, and Real Chance of Love. There were secondary spin-off shows featuring contestants on Flavor of Love, such as Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School, and I Love Money.

In the show, each contestant is given a nickname by Flav and is referred to by that nickname for as long as she remains in the competition, as Flav says he can remember nicknames more so than real names. Flavor of Love features a clock ceremony where contestants who are not eliminated receive gold clocks to wear around their necks with their picture and nickname behind the hands of the clock. When a contestant is eliminated, her real name is then revealed, followed by a champagne toast.

There were a few basic elements of the show's format that remained consistent through each season of production. Throughout the season the contestants competed for intimate dates with Flav by competing in various challenges. Also, Flav brought the few remaining women's parents on in the third or second to last episode. Finally, the season finale took place in a tropical destination. The two finalists and Flav spent the last two days at a luxurious resort preceding his final decision.

The week following the finale an all-cast reunion was typically aired. The host, La La Vazquez, spent this time reviewing the most memorable moments and interviewing the contestants after they had seen the season. This was also when the viewer found out if Flav was still with the woman he chose and what they had been up to since the season wrapped.

VH1 also introduced an internet component into the show. Viewers could create profiles, interact with contestants and other fans, and stay current with news at flavorofloveworld.com. In season 3, fans even got to vote online to elect five of the contestants, though Flav sent four of them home in the premiere episode.

Cast

Flavor Flav

William Jonathan Drayton Jr. (Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy) is the bachelor looking for love.

Hoopz

Nicole Deannae Alexander is the winner of the first season. After the show, she started acting and modeling. Hoopz and Flavor Flav broke up soon after the show ended. She has since gone on to compete in the VH1 series I Love Money, winning the grand prize of $250,000. She dated Shaquille O'Neal.

Deelishis

Chandra Davis is the winner of the second season. She has her own line of jeans called D-Cut, and participated in a 2009 national tour of the Vagina Monologues with an all-black cast, most of whom are also former reality show contestants. Davis also appeared on I Love Money 3 along with Buckeey.

Thing 2

LaTresha Hall is the winner of the third season. Tresha entered the competition with her sister Trisha (Thing 1, who was eliminated after the "Never-Wed Challenge"). Although LaTresha eliminated in episode 12, she was brought back in episode 13, and subsequently won the competition. She was dumped on the reunion show when Flav decided to reunite with Liz, the mother of his son Karma.

Elizabeth "Liz" Trujillo

The mother of Flav's youngest child, Karma. Flav said she was the right one the whole time and proposed to her on the reunion show of Season 3.

Big Rick

Big Rick is Flavor's assistant and bodyguard. He and Flav met in 2004 while in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel Casino while shooting for Flav's other show, Strange Love. Big Rick used to work at a detention facility in Florida.

New York

Direct spin-offs

I Love New York

After the second season of Flavor of Love, VH1 first aired a spin-off series entitled I Love New York, featuring the twice rejected Flavorette Tiffany "New York" Pollard. The first season premiered in January 2007, following a similar format to The Bachelorette and Flavor of Love. After the first season concluded, a second season premiered in October of the same year.

Charm School

The first season, Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School, premiered on April 15, 2007, featuring 13 contestants from the first two seasons of Flavor of Love. The contestants strive to develop proper etiquette and to become strong women, with the ultimate prize of $50,000 and the title of "Charm School Queen". Season 2, Rock of Love: Charm School, premiered on October 12, 2008, featuring contestants from Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. Season 3, Charm School with Ricki Lake, premiered May 11, 2009, featuring contestants from Real Chance of Love and Rock of Love Bus. Seasons 2 and 3 doubled the prize money to $100,000.

I Love Money

A number of contestants from Flavor of Love, Real Chance of Love, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels and I Love New York are brought together in a mansion in Huatulco, Mexico to compete in a co-ed battle of mental and physical challenges to win $250,000. The first season's winner was Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander. The second season's winner was Angela "Myammee" Pitts. The fourth winner was Mindy Hall. The canceled third season winner was Ryan Jenkins, but it has never aired.