Our expansion into TV (Ocean Style TV) has required that the limited time I do spend watching television necessitates that I look at various shows to learn more about the format and understand what works, works well and not at all.....in a word, research.
So a couple of days ago I stumbled onto a "hidden gem" called 'For the Love of Ray J' on VH1. Now I have to say early (lest someone starts reading and tunes out early and leave with the wrong impression) that this show is the visual equivalent of watching a train wreck. Horrified, appalled, disgusted and (unfortunately) captivated are words that immediately spring to mind. A friend of mine who I called after 15 minutes of watching this tripe described it as "taking Black people back 20 years". I am not sure I would give it such cultural significance but suffice to say it is absolutely fascinating to me to watch someone this narcissistic try to be serious about his 'journey' of selecting a suitable mate.
I am a fan of Brandy and appreciate her talent. But family ties notwithstanding she needs to keep her love for her brother separate and (far far) apart from any further episodes of this show -- there is nothing positive that can come of her aligning her image with such a fundamentally flawed concept. So for those of you who haven't (for the purposes of research or otherwise) stumbled across this show the concept is: young, rich and single "hottie" (that would be Ray J) is looking for a "woman to spend his life with" (that would be the misguided young women) via a series of evaluations (random at best and while always speaking in terms of long term seems to be predicated on who's willing to 'show Ray the love') through which they are eliminated....and I am assuming the best choice will be left at the end.
Of course Flava Flav should've taken a copyright on how to make black men and women (of varying shades) look retarded and desperate but at least when he displayed his narcissism it was with a healthy dose of humour and, after all, it was Flava Flav (boyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) so how seriously could you take it..........but in this most recent incarnation of that now-tried (and tired) format we have Ray J acting as love police for his own purposes with these women demeaning themselves and funnily enough not as much by what they do (think Flava Flav -- boyeeeee) as what they say to win his affections and as Ray would say be his 'one (h)undred'.........of course we all know (that is the population with 17+ IQ) none of this could really have any credibility with the stated purpose of the show.....you would have to be a royal idiot to choose a long term mate in this manner.....so that it comes down to 'getting yourself known' and what that 'fame' can translate into after the fact...yes we know all that.....but this show is so sad that it moves past that simple recognition....this megalomaniac is either completely delusional or one helluva a good actor because based on what I have seen, I am convinced that he considers himself such a good catch that these women (a number of which are physically attractive) should, in fact, be embracing this 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to win his vaunted affections.
Of course I don't anticipate being there 'to the end' but like any good train wreck......the question isn't whether there is collateral damage it is knowing that you cannot do anything about it and STILL sticking around to watch.....
Have a fuss, idea, suggestion or something nice to say?
e mail me at: douglas.gordon@oceanstylemagazine.com
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