Guilty pleasure alert — I totally watched Charm School. I’m not even ashamed. I’ll say it loud — I’m an intelligent, progressive, professional black female who watched and enjoyed Charm School. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know it’s another dumb reality show, but I did enjoy it. And I know that I’m not alone. Only God can judge me.
Of course, it’s reality television, so the show was trashy, totally over the top, and ridiculous. But nobody competed for the affections of a washed-up rapper, and shockingly, there were some good messages in there — Shay (Buckeey) learned to stand strong and weed out the bullies, Becky (Buckwild) learned to be true to herself, and Brooke (Pumpkin) learned not to be so slutacious. Without Charm School, we wouldn’t have that word. Thank you for your verbal creativity, Mo’Nique. And THANK YOU Rich for the recaps. I cannot WAIT to read his recaps of the upcoming Rock of Love. I swear, Rich’s recaps can make me laugh till I cry.
And speaking of crying, I know I’m not the only one who cried when Saaphyri won. And when she got her Uggs back. And when Mo’Nique hugged her. In her post-show interview, she reveals that she’s starting her own beauty brand, Lip Chap. I’d totally buy Saaphyri’s lip chap!
I won’t ever buy the Indian hair she’s planning to market, though. But I love that she’s planning to use her expertise to help others. In her interview, she says “I want to make full lace wigs for people with alopecia and cancer. I think that if your hair looks good, it’ll help you heal.” Very sweet, and a noble ambition. Of all of the way-too-many Flavor of Love girls, Saaphyri’s my favorite because she always kept it real, and learned from her mistakes. Hey, I learned from her mistakes right along with her. The most important lesson? Don’t take the bait.
Congrats, girl!
My mom even watched the last show and cried….that was a very moving show. I say this because there was mental growth in the last couple of girls. Monique knows that she taught the hell out of those girls… and got with them when they were out of line. I just feel like they should have bought Dara-(like dat) back when they found out that Boots took the picture. Other than that…the show was wild…emotional…and instructional….i learned a lot too! Waiting for the reunion….its gonna be da bomb!
I missed the finale! I know VH1 will play it again. I loved Charm School too!
From the very beginnig – I felt as though Mo’nique was the LAST PERSON TO BE A HEAD-MISTRESS OF A CHARM SCHOOL… although she is beautiful, very beautiful… her attitude is often very crass and she comes off a bit contrived when she ‘gives advice.’
However, the SHOW WAS VERY ENTERTAINING! From the camping trip on the first show, to the prom and then to the finale – which had me in TEARS. Saaphyri has been MY FAV all along – and it is my hope and prayers that she will never have to be homeless or in dire straits ever again!!!
They need to do a charm school for these guys out here lol, I’d watch that! 🙂
i think that mo’nique did a great thing. after the first show, i could tell how genuine mo’nique was in wanting to help all of these ladies help themselves. she didn’t really trip or judge, and she gave real valid advice. the finale was a great one to me. and even though leilene didn’t win, you could certainly see that she had truly transformed, and i really felt, as she did, that there were two winners. saaphyri was a favorite of mine because she always kept it real, but she seemed to be the only one who learned and applied the info that they were all taught, especially how she expertly avoided all of new york’s transparent interview tactics. praises to mo’nique for doing something that needs to be done on a much larger scale, and props to saaphyri for taking the ball, running with it and taking control of her life!
peace to afrobella for being down with the cause and lifting up a truly inspirational and beneficial show.
I CRIED AS WELL! SAAPHYRI HAS BEEN THE ONLY CONSISTENT GIRL ON THE SHOW. FROM DAY ONE, SHE SAID THAT SHE NEEDED A HOME AND SOME STABILITY. THE REST OF THOSE GIRLS WERE THERE FOR THE PUBLICITY. I FELT THAT LARISSA CARRIED HERSELF VERY POORLY. I WAS SHOCKED THAT SHE WAS 22 AND ACTED IN SUCH A CHILDISH WAY. I’M 22 AND MY MOM WOULD GO UPSIDE MY HEAD IF I CONDUCTED MYSELF LIKE THAT. ANYWAY, I AM HAPPY THAT SAAPHYRI WON;AND IF BECKY WOULD’VE WON, I WAS GLAD THAT SHE WAS GOING TO GIVE HER HALF OF THE WINNINGS….. 🙂
not for nothing, but pumpkin didn’t learn a thing on that show, as she followed up her act there by going on some mtv dating show & making out with some random black man. all the while her girl was talking about wanting some “black snake moan” after pumpkin put her head down his pants.
some souls are just lost!
Wow,Saaphyri won! I have to catch a marathon.
ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO CRIED… I HATE TO BURST YOUR BUBBLE BUT THIS IS ENTERTAINMENT..MOST OF THE WOMEN ON THE SHOW ARE ACTRESSES INCLUDING SAAPHYRI.
http://members.tripod.com/~Y2Kthemovie/index-33.html
HERES A LINK OF A MOVIE SHE DID. HER HAIR IS BEAUTIFUL AND DARK BROWN AND SHE LOOKS DECENT NOT LIKE SHE IS FROM 54 AND CRENSHAW. THE SHOW WAS A JOKE..EVEN HOTTIE IS A WANNABE ACTRESS WHO HAD SMALL ROLES IN FILMS..
MENTAL GROWTH? TRY ACTING LADIES…THATS WHY THESE REALITY SHOWS HAVE PEOPLE CONFUSED..ALL THESE BLACK PEOPLE GOING ON TV “ACTING” LIKE THEY HAVE NO SENSE DOES NOTHING BUT MAKE US LOOK BAD…I THINK AFROBELLA SHOULD DO A POST ON THAT..THESE WOMEN WERE FAKING FOR THE CAMERAS AND THAT IS A SHAME!
the “don’t take the bait” exercise was one of the best, Saaphyri really surprised me with how she able to bob and weave (lol) through that encounter with New York.
Those speeches at the end had me in tears. You could really tell that those women had really grown. I’m so happy Saaphyri.
Don’t take the bait was nothing for Saaphyri. She didn’t even know New York, so it’s not like she had any past negative experiences with her. I’m sure it was easy for her to not take New York’s bait. But she sure took Seashells, though. I’m fine with her winning, but let’s be real. She argued all up and through Charm School.
I was happy for Saaphyri as well. She seems like your little “hood” friend you had when you were like 13 and she was slightly embarassing, but that was your girl!
haha, yes, why do i luv that show too, and to think we have Flavor Flav to thank for all of this. VH1 sure has made a good marketing strategy from the first Flavor of Love. They got three shows out of it, I Love New York, Charm School and Flavor of Love, which have all entertained me to tha fullest. Damn, that episode where Monique called Pumpkin a slut was hilarious, the look on pumkin’s face was classic, like she aint ever heard that before! True comedy.
How could you’ll forget Leilene. I was rooting for her more than saaphyri tho. She showed class from day one (never got into cussing matches and super ghetto behaviour despite being a stripper), and came out much stronger in the end. Nonetheless the show WAS my guilty pleasure viewing for the past few weeks.
i had my heart on leilene, and i lost passion after schatar got kicked 😛 but yeah i had to keep watching til the end 🙂
I am happy that Saaphyri won. She seems really cool & deserving. IMHO I would have like to see Lerlein (sp?) win also. I really appreciate how she did not win & yet had so much grace & a positive attitude in regards to her experience.
When that lip chap comes out, I am getting some for my boo!!!
I cannot wait for the reunion, that shit is going to be off the hook.
Bygbaby
Hello Bellas! TOO TOT is so right! This is all an act. I saw those photos of Saaphyri . She doesn’t look bad at all without the weave. When you look at those photos she looks more intelligent. I remember seeing her Tyra’s Show (About Racism) and WHAT A REAL EMBARASSMENT!!!!
I even saw Schatar in that movie, “Waist Deep.” She is the bank teller! Check her out on imdb.com. She doesn’t look bad at all without that blonde wig! I have to agree with TOO TOT, although we all watched (couldn’t help ourselves) it is somewhat of an embarassment.
OK, Bella, are you really featuring this chick/that show?! Who cares?! It was a totally ignorant piece of crap. Also, as a couple of folks have already mentioned, they’re all actresses. I’ve met Smiley/Leilene personally, she’s friends w/ another actress acquaintance of mine out here in LA who was also on the first season of “Flava of Love”. Don’t believe the hype. C’mon now, WAAY better things to talk about… I actually just fired off an msg. to Essence’s editor Angela, about this same topic…
I don’t even own a TV, but even if they’re actresses, the fact that people respond to and relate to the characters they’re portraying is perfectly valid. Reality television is just a different genre, but if they’re able to be believable, what’s the problem?
Actually interesting blog – with thanks!