Former member of R&B group TLC, Chilli is reported to become a reality star…
TLC’s Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, ex-girlfriend of R&B star, Usher, who has a child with producer Dalla Austin, is working with VH1 on a reality show called ‘What Chilli Wants’, featuring the star’s search for love, with the help of relationship expert Tionna Smalls.
Chilli is the latest celebrity to land a reality show trying to find “true love” ... 0_o
I remember back in the day when celebrities were known for being… well, talented, the world was graced with incredibly gifted and entertaining people; who sang, danced and kept us smiling.
But as the years went on and time passed and the world has become incredibly more celebrity-engrossed and media savvy; the once gifted stars of the last decade or so, have been replaced with wealthy socialites, size-zero celebutantes, and reality stars.
Former favorites, Salt & Pepa, Brandy, Hulk Hogan [former WWE wrestler], Tommy Lee [former drummer for Mötley Crüe and Methods of Mayhem], Pamela Anderson, Carmon Electra, Denise Richards [actress], Tori Spelling [actress], even Playboy owner Hugh Hefner have all resulted in signing on to become reality stars to reinstate their stardom from the clutches of demise.
Although reality has always been a form of entertainment for many years, [I believe that] the public really began to pay attention to reality TV hit when MTV thought to throw a medley of people together in one awesome house to create ‘The Real World’, which then created an explosion of reality shows such as ‘Big Brother’, ‘Pop Stars’, ‘American Idol’, ‘Fear Factor’, ‘Survivor’, “Temptation Island’, ‘The Apprentice’. Which lead to reality shows for “real people”, such as ‘Laguna Beach’, ‘The Hills’, and eventually onto celebrity reality shows, ‘The Anna Nicole Show’, ‘The Osbournes’, ‘Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica’, although not specifically in that order, but you get my drift.
Reality TV eventually branched out to become the twenty-first century’s form of celebrity dating.
In 2006, when ‘Flavor of Love’ first aired, the rapper (formerly of Public Enemy) had twenty suitors (all female) to compete in weekly tasks for Flavor Flav’s (ahem) heart, and then eliminated one by one until only one final suitor remained. The show also helped spin off a string of similar VH1 "Love" shows, such as ‘I Love New York’ and ‘Rock of Love.
Now, the people (if you wish to call them that) in these shows are all odd, fame-hungry, questionable people [including the men who appeared in ‘I Love New York’], who are humiliated, disgraced and ridiculed, just for their search for their fifteen minutes [of fame].
‘I love New York’ is one dating show spin-off dating reality show with the former contestant from ‘Flavor of Love’, Tiffany “New York” Pollard (she was infact a finalist in two consecutive seasons of ‘Flavor of Love’). In both seasons of her show, Tiffany failed to secure a love interest/soul mate.
‘For The Love of Ray j’ is yet another dating reality show, this one featuring Ray J (brother of R&B singer Brandy) that aired in 2009.
The winner of Ray J’s show was 26 year-old, Joanna “Cocktail” Hernandez; however, the relationship soon came to an end when rumors circulated that Ray J and Tila Tequila were together. Also late last year, a contestant from the show, Monica “Danger” Leon reportedly spread rumors questioning Ray J’s sexuality as well as proclaiming to the media tat she was in fact ‘pregnant with Ray J’s child’.
*sigh* Am I on my own when I say that reality TV has become a misnomer and even ironic, as many scenes are infact “scripted” or “planned”, where the producers are trying so hard for ratings they carefully calculate and devise scenarios, challenges, events, and settings to encourage particular behaviors and conflicts. (ahem, The Hills – but still love this show though). It’s now become a load of old saturated nonsense.
Chilli may not have been the strongest vocalist in TLC, but look at Madonna, she doesn’t but somehow she has become an icon, with great styling, producers, backing singers and few babies. There are other ways to get back on the scene… consult your manager Chill!
For someone as gorgeous, smart, classy and respected as Chilli to fall into the pitfalls of Reality TV, not only does it immediately make you lose respect for her, but also makes you consider just how bad her life is to result to this. I seriously think we’re in trouble here. The audience (who would even old enough remember her) are already over-saturated with constant celebrity-endorsed adverts, publicity-stunts, multi-million-pound-magazine-deals, fake celebrity relationships for column-inches, internet based gadgets, blogs, tabloids AND un-reality celebrity TV, I think it’s safe to say… are “over it”.
