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VH-1 Debuts Fantasia's New Reality TV Show In January 2010

 

R&B star Fantasia will let fans and viewers come into her world via reality TV on the VH-1 Networking.  With successful shows created around urban music acts Salt-N-Pepa, Irv "Gotti" Lorenzo, and Flavor Flav, Fantasia get the green light on an eight episode series titled "Fantasia For Real."

Read the synopsis below about the show from the VH-1 website.

Six years ago, Fantasia was a young single mother from High Point, North Carolina singing in her church choir and struggling to raise her daughter, Zion. On a whim, she tried out for the third season of “American Idol,” and seemingly overnight the world discovered Fantasia’s tremendous voice. Five years and 8 Grammy® Award nominations later, life couldn’t look more different for Fantasia. Her first album, Free Yourself, was a platinum-selling, chart-topping success, bringing her wealth, fame, and recognition as an accomplished artist. Fantasia has worked with many music industry legends, including Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, and Missy Elliot. In 2007 Fantasia was chosen to star as “Celie” in the acclaimed Broadway musical “The Color Purple.” Her book “Life is Not a Fairy Tale” made the New York Times bestseller list, and she also starred in a made-for-television movie based on her life.

As Fantasia’s fame has grown, her personal life has increasingly become more complicated. The sole breadwinner for her large family, Fantasia struggles to balance career, family, being single mother and the demanding life of a highly successful performing artist. Fantasia’s VH1 series delves into how she has dealt with the seismic aftershocks of fame, all while managing the daily demands of life on the road and writing and recording new music that will connect with her fans.

“Fantasia has engaged millions of fans not only through her music and her amazing talent but also by her incredible fairytale life story,” said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President, Original Programming & Production, VH1. “Our audience helped Fantasia become an American Idol and now, with this series, they get a backstage pass into her real life as she confronts obstacles to realize her true potential as an artist, a mother, a daughter and a sister.”

Flavor Flav Goes Back To High School

That clock around Flavor Flav's neck says it's time to return to reality TV.

The original basic-cable ladies man is teaming with producer Eric Ortner to shop a new series to networks in which he returns to high school to receive his diploma.

Flav (or as he was known in school, William Drayton) says he dropped out in the 10th grade.

"I just want to show the world it's never too late to get your diploma, and show kids they should stay in school and not wait until you're old to get it," Flav said. "Everybody sees me as this big love mogul. Now I got a baby girl, I've been there and done that and now it's time for the next episode."

Flav starred in VH1's "The Surreal Life," "Strange Love" and in three seasons on the popular dating show "Flavor of Love" that set ratings records for the network. Flav ended up settling down with a woman that he met outside the show.

"Flavor of Love" spawned sequels that ran into recent controversy when contestant Ryan Jenkins was accused of murder.

Hearing the news about Jenkins "really broke my heart," Flav said. "It's really messed up, love can make you and love can break you. This guy definitely couldn't handle it."

With VH1 looking to move away from lurid dating shows, Ortner -- who would executive produce the show with Ethan Goldman and Michael Hirschorn -- thinks the timing is right for Flav to return with a new format.

"It's perfect timing to change the type of show he was going to do and be more message-driven," Ortner said, noting the project was in the works before the Jenkins scandal.

"I've been known to be a leader and I've had a lot of followers and there's a certain franchise I've set up on VH1," Flav said. "This show can be big enough to change the direction of reality shows."

Source: Billboard