F06 :: Feminist Film Studies

Flava Flav!

Love it or hate it--the Flavor of Love is on VH1.

This "reality" TV show (or as VH-1 dubs it "celebreality") pits women against each other (physically and mentally) for the "love" of an old rap star named Flava Flav. The show completely objectifies women. Remarkably, the women in this show eagerly chomp at the bit to give away their pride and self-esteem. This could be a result of conditioning throughout their lives or the fact that they are all, in fact, gold diggers to the nth degree.

The basic format of the show reinforces the patriarchal system of dating. The man, Flava Flav, has all the control over any and all decisions--including whether to keep someone around. The contestants also exhibit the exhibitionism and projection of a perhaps regressed desire that Mulvey describes of women and men alike through their fights and sexual conquests.

The contestants use sex overwhelmingly to gain favor with Flava which turns the show into the Harem of Love. Perhaps this could be aimed at the males in the audience as a projection of a regressed desire. The gaze utilized in this series does nothing but support that claim--especially through the screening process. You could have a picnic on her ass! Flava and the audience receive a strong scopophilic gratification by watching this program (Mulvey 39). The actual film construction of the piece is very bare bones--a two person crew consisting of a camera operator and a sound engineer give it its shaky and/or real feeling to the show.

No matter who you are, you will receive pleasure from looking at bodies. It's the nature of life. But looking is powerful. Flavor of Love is no different as we sit in a powerful position that can scale bodies based on features and traits of the women presented to us. Beauty and attractiveness are defined and reinforced through this show (Young 123). This can translate into our everyday lives and therefore perpetuate the status quo.

Why do women watch this show? Perhaps the Flavor of love shows an oversexed nature of the women. Women identify with a women who lives in puritanical societies that frown upon women seeking sexual gratification. These women use sex to get what they want--either Flava, money, fame or all three. Or maybe it's all just one big freak show we now call entertainment.

In the end, love is never truly an issue, but rather used as a means to legitimize the actions on the program. This program creates an “illusion of reality� that aligns itself closely with the fictional cinema. Libido and ego drive this show through Flava and the responsibility to identify this falls on us (Mulvey 39).

VH-1's stake in the activities and the show's program is based on the dollar. Truly his show is not about creating high moral fiber or challenging any status quo. It uses the tatics used by patriarchy to generate revenue.