Charm School Reunion draws national backlash, "made Don Imus proud" 
News: DC Livers invited to Young & Restless set. Meet the cast starting July 24.
(BlackPressMagazine.com) - There was nothing charming about the reunion of VH1's Charm School girls. Fighting, back biting and many opportunities to hear Black women call each other B*^&%@! were overflowing.
Even Charm School "teacher" Mo'Nique got in on the fight, nearly knocking Larissa "Bootz" Hodge Aurora out. In the end, Mo'Nique gave a speech filled with words of redemption, but most, especially Larissa, the youngest girl on the show, had already seen the look in her eyes saying: "I'm gonna knock this B%#@! out." Mo'Nique reverted to her Baltimore street fighter days which prompted a quick reaction from Larissa's mother.
Many of us had already seen Larissa's mom behind-the-scenes at the BET Awards, so we knew what drama and heat she packs. But, she and Mo'Nique....well let's just say even Floyd Mayweather couldn't get Mo'Nique out of that one.
"It was disappointing," said DC Livers, managing editor for Black Press Magazine and who has interviewed both Shay "Buckeey" Johnson and Larissa. "It was a chance for people to see Black women in a good light, but that experiment clearly failed. There were moments when I'm sure Don Imus was proud."
The reunion featured a serious fight between Shay and Larissa, the two women who were most often viewed on-camera during the taping of the show as very good friends. During podcast interviews with BlackPressRadio.com, both women acknowledged nothing could be further from the truth. Websites buzzed for weeks about an alleged nightclub fight between the two in New York City, though they each denied it. But, during the Charm School Reunion show, the women had to be separated on the show to control their fighting.
Some people admire the fight in these two women, and it's not just men.
"At a recent Black book convention, author Deja King gave me an autographed copy of her new book, "Bitch Reloaded" that was made out to Bootz," said Livers. "Watching Bootz during the reunion show reminded me of the book I recently reviewed by Sherry Argov entitled, "Why Men Love Bitches," which explores the attraction men have toward dangerous women like Shay and Larissa."
"Men are highly competitive, and it’s inborn," she wrote “They love the thrill of the chase.”
That could explain why doing a segment for the upcoming VH1 reality show spin-off, "I Love New York 2" one man said something like, "I've managed to train my pitbull so I can certainly tame New York." The men who watched the show seem to long for women with Shay and Larissa-like qualities so many fear that the girls watching the show might soon start to emulate them.
Everyone knew things would get explosive with these women. So, did VH1 exploit the situation for ratings or did the network act responsibility related to the reunion show?
Message boards were buzzing seconds after the show aired with many people saying that everyone was a loser.
Bambi, a poster on the VH1 blog wrote, "Just for the sake of argument Lorissa [sic] ..let's just say that Monique's show was 'legitimate' and that she wasn't 'being fake' or just 'out for a check (despite the fact that the woman is a millionaire and didn't need to pull a check from VH1) what did you go on the show for? If it wasn't for real.. and that was how you felt from jump..doesn't that make you fake? What were you looking for? Because if you weren't looking to change, what you're saying is that you just wanted to go on there to keep crap brewing.. and to be a royal pain in the a**, which is what you did. I don't feel good about what I saw tonight. As a black woman, I feel sick.. and saddened..and embarrased [sic]."
Another poster who wrote under the name of 'Enough is Enough' blamed bad parenting for the breakdown of Larissa's morals.
"I was so upset and appalled by what I seen tonight. I no longer blame Larissa for her actions. As a parent, you are suppose to raise your child with respect for self as well as others. And for Larissa to stand up there and curse Mo' Nique out and for Larrisa's mother to defend her, was pure trash, ghettoness, and lower class. Mo'Nique is older, I was always taught to respect elders. I was also taught to watch my mouth, and not to curse, especially in front of my mother. How can her mother defend her actions and not see where she went wrong with raising Larissa, if raising her at all."
Another VH1 message board poster said, "I just finished watching the reunion show and everything makes sense: Poor Larissa victim or her lezard [sic] looking mother. What did she come up for by the way? beat up Mo? With an immature mother like that, it is understandable that Larissa thinks that violence and wildness are the solution to everything."
But on MySpace it was a different thing. Many felt that Larissa was unfairly attacked on the show, in the press and of course by Mo'Nique.
MySpace user 'Loveujoelle' said, " I'm s[ick] and tired of people (Black) alwayz saying thiz making Black women or people look bad. Itz not making them look bad so I think ya'll and everyone need 2 just shut up and calm down ova a dumb azz show. And ya'll just hating on Larissa. She the best and she stand up 4 herself and that's a good thing so all her hates [sic] just fall back and let her do her. Mo should've [not] walk into her face like she hard!!!"
Sadly, he has a point.
Few will be arguing that Mo'Nique exhibited teacher-like behavior during the show.
"It's common practice in the Black community that if you're sitting down and someone steps to you and stands over you that a fight is required so Mo'Nique really played herself there," said Livers. "Besides, only a fool expects rational behavior from someone is completely irrational and Larissa rarely seems rational. There's no getting to Larissa. If and when she changes, only she can determine that."
The show had twinges of racial tension as Becky a.k.a. "Buckwild" continued to play the confused White girl role but was called out by Brooke a.k.a. "Pumpkin" who reminded America of the cultural differences between White and Black women.
"For blonde, White, blue-eyed girls, I was just a big flirt...right Becky?" Brooke said about her "raunchy" behavior during the Charm School prom set up by relationship expert Tariq Nasheed, who wrote the book, "The Art of Macking." When Becky tried to deny that she had gotten drunk and hooked up with a guy, Brooke wouldn't back down saying, "I'm going to stand strong on this because I represent you [and White girls] on this. Culturally, Black women are more conservative. I was just having fun."
Whatever you say about Brooke, you have to say she's honest because her comments were very truthful. She did represent White women on Charm School. That's why Brooke's popularity soared after spit flew from the mouth of the blonde haired, blue eyed White woman and landed on the face of a Black woman. Like it or not, Brooke did what many White people want to do.
While Charm School Reunion will likely pull big ratings for the VH1 network, it is sure to viewed as a loser for the reputations of Mo'Nique, Larissa and even Shay, who wisely apologized to America and even Larissa for her behavior saying, "I'm not about to do that on national TV."
But, no one lost bigger than the global image of Black American women. Somewhere in his bed, I'm sure Don Imus was very, very proud because his position was validated on television during the Charm School Reunion.
Back Talk: Tell us what you think! If we use your comment, you will win a BlackPressRadio.com baby-tee or wife beater. Email [email protected].
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