#series: vhi

[ridiculously-over-obsessed]

VHI 3.4 - SHE AIN'T ME

Rating: T Oneshot Pairings: Bechloe, Staubrey Summary: Emily, sick of the way her curse robs her of her life, decides to take matters into her own hands with disastorous consequences for all Pitch Perfect SpookFest 2023 - Day 5: Came Back Wrong

This is my favourite trope ever I won't lie 😭😭 here's hoping I do it justice 🤡 This is so late, I'm sorry for the delay 😭😭 I'm also not doing Found Footage because I both don't have the time and I'm not really feeling it for VHI, so hopefully another fic on Monday??

@pitch-perfect-spookfest

[rockandrollsgroupie]

Gold Dust Woman

When asked about the song in an interview with Courtney Love for Spin in October 1997, Nicks said:

“You know what, Courtney? I don't really know what "Gold Dust Woman" is about. I know there was cocaine there and that I fancied it gold dust, somehow. I'm going to have to go back to my journals and see if I can pull something out about "Gold Dust Woman". Because I don't really know. It's weird that I'm not quite sure. It can't be all about cocaine.”

In an interview for VHI's Classic Album series, Nicks offered further insight into the song's meaning:

"Gold Dust Woman" was my kind of symbolic look at somebody going through a bad relationship, doing a lot of drugs, and trying to make it. Trying to live. Trying to get through it.

Photos: outtakes of the “Rumours” album cover

[sunshine-and-raincloud]

Bechloe Writers Appreciation Post (part 2)

the response to the first part was really positive, i’m happy you guys like this little idea of mine. i hope this can make a difference, even a small one.

dear writers, thank you. you are appreciated 💖

@aliciameade

ao3: aliciameade

major work(s): Finding Harmony, Desperate Measures

the smut queen. or a witch, ‘cause how can one person hold this amount of talent? guilty of increasing her readers’ expenses due to the amount of cold showers they need to take and new underwear to buy after reading her works. the phrase “i need a moment” will never sound innocent again. her expertise in writing love scenes is well-known in the fandom, but Meade can also write delightful fluff when she feels like it.

@beca-mitchell

ao3: iPhone

major work(s): she is the flint that sparks the lighter, remember the day

angst demon. don’t let her blindside you with a fluffy moment, you always need to be prepared to be devastated by this one. but all jokes aside, T has an immense talent, and despite her propensity for hurting our two favorite idiots, most of the time it all ends well eventually. in her huge collection of works, you can find anything from pure fluff through angst and drama to shameless smut.

@ridiculously-over-obsessed

ao3: RidiculouslyOverObsessed

major work(s): Vampire Hunters Incorporated (a series)

creative angst-fiend. they turned what started as a small one-shot into a whole series about vampires and other supernatural creatures with so many twists and turns that will make you lose your breath. seriously, if you’re not reading VHI, you’re missing out. they have a great sense of humor (the turkey and the goose, anyone?) but they can also crush you with angst.

@massivedrickhead

ao3: massivedrickhead

major work(s): Home Is a Person, Guiding Light

hurt/comfort-er. prompt fulfiller. this writer is not afraid of depicting really heavy topics, and she does it so well. her characters often go through very tough times, but they help each other and eventually heal together. her longer works will definitely make you emotional. she also does prompts, which range from sad and angsty to warm and fluffy.

@asweetmelodytrickling

ao3: when_you_know_you_know

major work(s): Bechloe High School First Time AU, Two Years On

miss productivity. this writer, also known as Doc, is unmatched in the amount of fics she can write in a week. want to see your favorite ship in a specific scenario? ask nicely, and you shall receive. apart from hundreds of one-shots, Doc also has short multichapters and a long, ongoing one. what’s more, she also wrote a script for PP4 which features bechloe—something we all know we deserve.

Part 3 is already in the works, but it will probably take a little longer than this one. Bear with me.

Just as before, interact with this post however you see fit. Let’s show our amazing writers that we care 💖🌈

[muquesko]

*This particular series is deemed for kid’s, please don’t comment otherwise*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Camera used: Nikon Backside Illumi-nationCMOS

The location that photo was taken: Illinois

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Series: Mr. Jenkins’ Belly*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s Coby! My little Gay bean!

Where I got vhim: I bought vhim at Goodwill.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Characters:

1.Coby_Amber_Green (Cat, Blotch Cat)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* 28thDimension English Dictionary:

1. Cat: There’s a long history behind this, but due to the term “breed” being speciesist (see speciesist) cats are considered a species. Also Cats are the only species with domesticated roots, that did not give themselves a domestic name.

2. Blotch Cat/n: A type of cat that has multiple colors, that can either be natural colors or neon colors.

3. Vhe/Vhim/Vhis (Pronoun): Someone who is multi-gendered and identifies as both male and agender, but doesn’t fluctuate with the multiple genders they identify with.

[weeklyhumorist]

Upcoming 2020 Holiday TV Specials

The 3 Wisemen Meet The 4 Horsemen (CMT, Tuesday Dec 15, 3 AM) Animated special from the creators of The Proud Boys Introductory Guide To Dental Hygiene, voiced by a bevy of your favorite wrestling stars, plus Tim Allen as the voice of a wisecracking baby Jesus. (Some material may be unsuitable for those with an IQ of over two digits)

Dildo Dan’s Holiday Bonanza (SyFy, Thursday Dec 17, 7 PM) Country / western hip-hop artist Dildo Dan returns to the network that once filed a series of restraining orders against him and his ex-wife Joanne. All seems to be forgiven, as Dildo Dan launches right into a medley of twangy hip hop favorites, ably accompanied by a slew of semi-famous folks who checked themselves out of rehab early just to join in on the fun. From graphic footage of Santa receiving his yearly colonoscopy to hand-puppets that suddenly burst into flames for seemingly no reason, this special has something for everyone who’s mind has already been systematically numbed by the preceding year.

Kid Rock’s Rocking Your Stocking Christmas! (FOX, Friday Dec 18, 9 PM) Kid Rock spends an evening doing what he does best! Since we’re not really sure what that is exactly, this special is certain to provide a night of intrigue and confusing emotions. This is his first appearance since last month’s traumatic goat bite incident, so expect plenty of feverish rambling and incoherent racist tirades (actually, much like a typical Kid Rock concert).

Orange Christmas (Newsmax, Friday Dec 18, 6 AM) President Trump finally discovers a suit that fits him nicely, and is dismayed to realize that it’s a Santa suit. Vowing revenge, he visits the home of every child in America on Christmas Eve night with a bag of Covid-soaked leftovers from his numerous Christmas get-togethers. (No Spanish subtitles, as they should learn to speak the language if they’re going to live in this country)

The Little Drummer Boy’s Hep C Christmas (VHI, Monday Dec 21, 9 PM) Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee crashes his car into the front wall of a local free clinic, and while paramedics assist him and the other injured parties in the clinic, he recounts his favorite holiday half-memories, which are realized through the miracle of Claymation. Special guest appearance by Pamela Anderson as Ghost Of Christmas Alimony Payments.

All I Want For Christmas Is A Netflix Adam Sandler Special (Netflix, streaming from Dec 19) Please remember, due to the current pandemic, new television content is increasingly difficult to come by, and so it’s better to not be so picky. Alright? Here’s some new tv for you!! Also, this is the time of year when you’re supposed to be grateful for stuff. At any rate, will Rob Schneider and David Spade get around to messily making out beneath the mistletoe? They will if they’d like to be included in more of Sandler’s Netflix exclusive movies! Also, Sandler sits on Santa’s lap and farts a lot.

Upcoming 2020 Holiday TV Specials was originally published on Weekly Humorist

[globalsonglyrics]

B Praak New Song | Jinke Liye Neha Kakkar | Arvindr Khaira | Bhushan Kumar | globalsonglyrics.com

B Praak New Song | Jinke Liye Neha Kakkar

Jinke Liye Lyrics by Neha Kakkar is Latest Hindi song written by Jaani. The music of this new song is given by B Praak while video is directed by Arvindr Khaira.

Jinke Liye Song 

Jinke liye song details

Song: Jinke Liye

Album: Jaani Ve

Singer: Neha Kakkar Feat. Jaani

Music: B Praak

Composer & Lyrics: Jaani

Music Label: T-Series

Film by: Arvindr Kaira

 Female Model: Siddhi Ahuja

 jinke liye lyrics

Tere liye meri ibaadtein vhi hai’n,

Tere liye meri ibaadtein vhi’n h,

Tu sharm kar teri aadtein vhi hai’n,

Tu sharm kar teri aadtein vhi hai’n,

  Jinke liye hum rote hai,

Oh jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Vo kisi aur ki baaho’n main sotey hai’n,

jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Vo kisi aur ki baaho’n main sotey hai’n,

  Hum gliyon m bhatkte phirte hai’n,

Vo samandar kinnaro’n pe hotey hai’n,

 jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Vo kisi aur ki baaho’n main sotey hai’n,

  Pagal ho jaao gye ana kbhi naa,

Galiyo m unki jaana kbhi naa,

Jaana kbhi naa,

Hum zinda gaye the qareeb unke,

Ab dekho mareyy huye lautey hai’n,

Jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Vo kisi aur ki baaho’n main sotey hai’n,

  Lalla Lallla Lalla La La….

Haatho’n se khelte honge ya pairo’n se,

Fursat kahan a bunko hai gairo’n se,

Haatho’n se khelte honge ya pairo’n se,

Fursat kahan a bunko hai gairo’n se,

Unki mohhbtein har jagah,

Vo jo kehte the hum iklautey hai’n,

jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Vo kisi aur ki baaho’n main sotey hai’n,

  Kabhi yahan baat kartey ho,

Kbhi vahan baat kartey ho,

Aap bade log ho sahib,

Humse kahan baat kartey ho,

  Aaj us shakas ka naam btaayenge,

Jaani tha jaani miley jis qaayar se,

Galti thi choti mohhbat kari jo,

Galti bdii thi k kar baithe shaayar se,

Aag ka darya zafaa unki,

Har din lgaane gautey hai’n,

Jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Kisi Aur ki baaho m sote hai’n,

 Jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Kisi Aur ki baaho m sote hai’n,

  Oh Jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Kisi Aur ki baaho m sote hai’n,

Jinke liye hum rote hai’n,

Kisi Aur ki baaho m sote hai’n,

Jinke liye Mp3 download

Jinke liye ringtone download

Jinke liye official video

Read Full Lyrics at iLyricsHub: https://www.globalsonglyrics.com/

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  from Blogger https://ift.tt/3iDkueq

[musemash]

PURGING AMERICA'S GUN CULTURE – updated Jan 23, 2022 – by David D. Fowler

Multi Facet Fables presents an examination of THE PURGE series, featuring links to an abundance of trailers, film clips, and other resources. These movies have been understandably quite controversial, with their unique and challenging mix of action, horror, satire, and heartfelt social commentary.

Unlike most franchises, however, each successive film in the series has presented a fresh and imaginative take on the original premise; and the upcoming final entry, THE FOREVER PURGE,  promises to bring the saga to a satisfying conclusion. The series has served an important purpose: it is one of the few attempts to use mainstream pop culture to confront America's horrific epidemic of gun fever.

These flicks are not flawless, by any means. But while they have been undeniably bleak, gruesome, and sometimes overly lurid, they also demonstrate some key values: a genuine concern for victims of senseless violence; a desire for positive changes to a sick society; and overriding everything, a palpable sense of redeeming human decency. These qualities transcend the grotesque terrors and violence that writer & director JAMES DeMONACO depicts.

To help you make an informed decision on whether this franchise is worth your time, attention and hard-earned money, we have included complete copies of most of the films, at the end. We also recommend you check out the film excerpts, interviews, reviews, featurettes, commentaries, and satirical items at the links below. Caution: Some of these materials contain significant plot spoilers.

The Purge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbUTbqwKtEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tSi-wyuccs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3mwmwPhr08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBMv724lzZI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo70vB9nubo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyotYUKsVyw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j_ufc9wHmY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l51fnzJxYUE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qfIfbYkBUk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEfbID-2TlQ Body Count https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIOdfNAw9DI Promos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpoFkEboxOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmiooW4MVNU The Purge: Anarchy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ7wMMMYWiY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hykfRjl6Qk4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsTyKFkGPuM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYHCKF2WLA8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edBNDiSwnlg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOo2x6MlAtI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a3OH0EcieY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlAEXT0Hg70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moH3FSt88FY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIv1kqivuZc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x6usdVsGbI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fkatAePOnI Promo http://www.hollywood.com/movies/whats-new-in-the-purge-election-year-interview-60599016/ The Purge: Election Year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQVTEBEpUDw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI1t9t-jOdY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fVZyNBZ3yQ Behind The Scenes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep-AyU-lxpU Gangs & Groups https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE21mbeZvfM The First Purge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UAhxIu-vhI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25yzf1V9cTY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEL5reRoNk8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQP_cY7FAyQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdbZtOpgsUY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxAcodjpCo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oDSPSwMw5k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX1-VvE01iw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCL7DI3ah40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVHPmsWZnb4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9jJ6Bejayg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV05-E5FF2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjxOq1oZdws The Purge Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrqcihmSpSU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x3tziB7MtU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBgRQ5WyIXA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNSNVlcGRgA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ra_JLJZZo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zX5KLkAE7U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T9I_B1721I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeCT5ESz1b8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E5lGQ4o1_U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfKlqW7LDfE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6QD0A_Zj-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClId2pjOU7w Interviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5RFw95GfAo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReL_Bt3Mm7o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX0C2MON8sI http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3231889/interview-director-james-demonaco-talks-the-purge-at-the-stanley-film-festival/ http://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/exclusive-interview-director-james-demonaco-purge-anarchy/ http://pro.boxoffice.com/anarchy-usa-interview-purge-election-year-director-james-demonaco/ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rapid-round-purge-election-year-908136 Reviews http://www.cinemasight.com/review-the-purge-2013/ http://moviemezzanine.com/the-purge-anarchy-review/ http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/29/12058970/the-purge-election-year-review-zombies-gun-control http://ca.ign.com/articles/2016/06/30/the-purge-election-year-review http://www.thefrightfile.com/reviews/p/16_purge3.htm http://www.thefilmyap.com/movies/the-purge-election-year/ http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/the-purge-election-year-review-frank-grillo-1201805317/ https://thirdcoastreview.com/2018/07/04/film-review-first-purge/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXzSoaH5MNA Blaming The Purge http://1428elm.com/2016/06/05/the-purge-blamed-for-real-life-killing-spree/ http://guardianlv.com/2014/08/real-life-purge-copycats-threaten-cities-across-america/ http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/theres-not-going-to-be-a-purge-in-your-town-817 http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/purge.asp If The Purge Was Real http://moviepilot.com/posts/2226094 https://filmschoolrejects.com/would-a-real-life-purge-work-8354f836140c http://theweek.com/articles/445216/what-purge-real Should We Have A Purge? http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-we-actually-have-a-purge How To Survive The Purge http://moviepilot.com/posts/3954662 http://www.dorkly.com/post/65882/8-tips-for-surviving-the-purge Could The Purge Really Happen? http://uk.complex.com/pop-culture/2014/07/sociologist-the-purge-real-life-possibility-interview The Purge Vs The Real World http://www.salon.com/2016/07/02/which_is_stupider_the_purge_election_year_or_the_total_insanity_of_the_real_world/ The Untold Truth Of The Purge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGzTybrN5RM Dumb Things People Ignored https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg478KYbVmM Things Not To Do On Purge Night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0J-m6lso-M Purge Prank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_LyC8sYrE8 Fun Purge Trivia https://creators.co/preview/posts/3954663 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5UYbSZt7cQ Meet The Blacks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTBjofwwRpU Trumping The Purge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FPSfj4MCI Party In The USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX9jkKhJC9E I Purged https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-MJwYElCJ8 The Purge https://archive.org/details/the.-purge.-2013.720p.-blu-ray.x-264.-yify/The.Purge.2013.720p.BluRay.x264.YIFY.mp4 The Purge: Anarchy https://putlockers.fm/watch/eGLlkEGV-the-purge-anarchy.html The Purge: Election Year https://putlockers.fm/watch/mxyqJJxN-the-purge-election-year.html The Forever Purge https://putlockers.fm/watch/ox0oPDVv-the-forever-purge.html

[mistermaxxx08]

the Breaks on vhi when Rap was becoming big business in the 80's

the Breaks on vhi when Rap was becoming big business in the 80’s

watching this show is part “empire” Part the Wire” part Juice part def jam, East coast scene.

you see and feel glimpses of  various films, shows

and other  parts in a stew all as one.

shows like this are always compelling because having lived through this

and watching it unfold as this and all the things heard on the street

and you start to fill in the blanks as to who is who

and what the climate…

[ridiculously-over-obsessed]

VHI 3.3 - I JUST CAN'T LOOK (IT'S KILLING ME)

Rating: T Oneshot Pairings: Bechloe, Staubrey Summary: VHI scramble to figure out what's put their friends and family into a state of deep, unwakeable slumber Pitch Perfect SpookFest 2023 - Day 4: Waking Nightmare

More SpookFest content while I listen to Clean (Taylor's Version) on repeat and weep 😭✌🏻

@pitch-perfect-spookfest

[sandeep0402]

Valhi cancels 6% Series A Preferred Stock (NYSE:VHI)

Valhi cancels 6% Series A Preferred Stock (NYSE:VHI)

[ad_1]

Dixie Rice Agricultural L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of Contran Corporation and ~92% owner of Valhi’s (VHI) common stock has voluntarily contributed 5,000 6% Series A Preferred Stock to the capital of Valhi for no consideration and without issuance of additional securities.

No shares of the 6% Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, and none will be issued.

Source

window.SA =…

[mundo-misterio]

RuPaul & # 39; s Secret Celebrity Drag Race: VH1 lanza una nueva serie: cancelación + renovación de programas de TV

[ad_1]

por Regina Avalos, 11 de abril de 2020

Otra serie de RuPaul llega a la pequeña pantalla. VHI ha comisionado la carrera de famosos de RuPaul Secret. Habrá cuatro episodios de esta serie de eventos, y el primero se emitirá a finales de este mes.

VH1 reveló más sobre la serie de eventos en un comunicado de prensa. Mira esto a continuación.

"VH1 anunció hoy que RuPaul & # 39; s Secret…

[bluewatsons]

Rachel E. Dubrofsky & Antoine Hardy, Performing Race in Flavor of Love and The Bachelor, 25 Crit Stud in Media Communication 373 (2008)

Abstract

Using the reality TV (RTV) shows Flavor of Love and The Bachelor, we ask how the space of RTV is raced. Might the use of surveillance footage and reliance on notions of authenticity create a space where people constructed as a certain race are privileged? Are the qualities valorized in a participant on a White-centered show--comfort with being under surveillance, appearance of not performing--aligned with discourses of Whiteness? How, then, to understand the construction on Flavor of Love of participants self- consciously claiming and performing an identity? We argue that while it is true Flavor of Love animates racial stereotypes, it also allows for fluid and complex understandings of Black identity through active claiming of identities*in contrast to the restrictive naturalized White identities presented on The Bachelor. As RTV shows emerge featuring people of color, it will be the critics’ responsibility to identify if RTV becomes a Televisual ghetto where only certain performances of race are allowed or if RTV can be a space where diverse conceptions of race are animated. Scholarship on RTV needs to find new ways to express the complexity of surveillance and notions of authenticity as they intersect in the display of raced identities.

Ghetto is as ghetto does, but where I live in the ghetto there aren’t too many White girls up in there being all ghetto like that. I can’t really figure out if that shit is real or not.

-- Darra ‘‘Like Dat’’ Boyd, Season two, Flavor of Love

Since the success of the first season of Survivor on CBS in 1999, contemporary reality TV (RTV) has become a mainstay of prime-time television programming. Scholars have taken note, producing a rich body of work on the topic. A remarkable aspect of the genre is the fostering of unprecedented racial diversity on the smallscreen. Accordingly, the topic of race on RTV is attracting increasing attention from scholars, although this is limited to how race figures in predominantly White shows: The Bachelor (Dubrofsky, 2006), Real World (Kraszewski, 2004; Orbe, 1998; Orbe & Hopson, 2002; Orbe, Warren & Cornwell, 2001; Schroeder, 2006), Road Rules (Andrejevic & Colby, 2006), America’s Most Wanted (Derosia, 2002); Survivor (Delisle, 2003; Hubbard & Mathers, 2004; Vrooman, 2003), and The Amazing Race (Harvey, 2006).

In the last two years, hip-hop’s cultural and corporate cache ́ (Neal, 1997, 2002; Ogunnaike, 2006; Watts, 1997) has cross-pollinated the RTV genre with Black1 hip- hop programming such as The Ultimate Hustler, Making the Band, The Way It Is, Soul of a Man, Welcome to Hollyhood, The Salt-N-Pepa Show, Gotti’s Way, Life in the Fab Lane, Run’s House, and the series that is the focus of this article, Flavor of Love. The paucity of scholarship on these programs may be due to their varied commercial success compared to major network shows and to their newness, since it can take several years for scholarship to emerge.

This article adds to the discussion of race and RTV but focuses on the subgenre of romance in VHI’s Black-centerd show Flavor of Love. As a critical counterpoint, we use ABC’s The Bachelor, a longer-standing show often considered the prototype of Flavor of Love. Like many RTV scholars, we are interested in notions of authenticity, surveillance and the ‘‘real,’’ but we also look at how these intersect with discourses of Blackness and Whiteness. Gray (2005) insists discussions of race look at how the television industry governs representations of Black bodies and constructs race in a particular way, reminding us that television representations of Blackness inform the way our culture engages race. We ask, what are the ways the space of RTV governs Black bodies? How might the demands of RTV--the use of surveillance footage and the reliance on notions of authenticity--create a space where certain racial performances are privileged?

Race and Ghetto

While we see race as a social, cultural construct, not a biological fact determinative of behavior, we understand race to be both fluid and grounded in contextual experiential realities often connected to physical bodies. As Hyun Yi Kang (2002) suggests, scholarship must not reduce race to bodies when dealing with a visual medium, so as to trouble understandings of racial categories. However, we need to keep in mind that ‘‘what matters . . . is the illusion of human bodies’’ (Hyun Yi Kang, p. 99). At times, we base our noting of race on visible racial markers, which is necessary to address the social construction of race in media culture. In noting race, we also include participants’ comments about their ethnic background.

While both shows feature multiracial casts, The Bachelor centers Whiteness, and Flavor of Love Blackness. Though we analyze both series, we explicitly center Flavor of Love and Blackness, as one of the authors has published several articles on The Bachelor (Dubrofsky, 2007; Dubrofsky, in press), including one on The Bachelor and race (Dubrofsky, 2006); we discuss The Bachelor and Whiteness only to articulate the complexities of Flavor of Love and Blackness.

Flavor of Love is often referred to in the popular press as the ‘‘ghetto’’ version of The Bachelor (Barney, 2006). The increasing use of the word ‘‘ghetto’’ to signify Blackness reflects the crossover of hip-hop culture’s use of this term into mainstream culture (Smith, 1997). ‘‘Ghetto’’ can be deployed as a label for allegedly dysfunctional behavior (hypersexual, uncouth, criminal, violent, loud) and values (nontraditional family values, materialism) of Black people from urban neighborhoods. Conversely, ‘‘ghetto’’ can articulate pride in struggle, creativity, and the ability to survive amidst economic and criminal dysfunction (Daniels, 2007; Forman, 2000; George, 1992; Kelley, 1997; Watkins, 1998). ‘‘Ghetto’’ is used on Flavor of Love to engage in a self-referential process of ‘‘naming’’2 (Burke, 1950), activating an aesthetic that proudly affirms a Black identity authenticated by poor urban roots (George, 1992; Keeling, 2003; Kelley, 1994, 1997; Neal, 2002, 2006; Watkins, 1998); performance of ghetto as a dysfunction is thus conflated with its performance as a signifier of Black pride.

We are not interested in race as a stable and immutable category, but rather in how the shows construct race: who is conceived of as White, who as a person of color, and the consequences of these conceptions within the space of the show.

The Real, the Authentic, and the Performative

As Kilborn (2003) notes, reality on television is ‘‘shaped and offered for sale like any other consumer product’’ (p. 65), and contingent on many factors, including context (Delisle, 2003; Dubrofsky, 2007). We do not assume there is a true, essential ‘‘real’’ or ‘‘authentic’’ that can be accessed. Hereafter, we will not put the words ‘‘real’’ and ‘‘authentic’’ in quotation marks, but they should be understood as such to mark their instability.

We take as a premise that what happens on a RTV show is similar to what occurs on a scripted show, with the difference that the raw material creating the fiction of the RTV series is footage of real people doing real things: the magic happens in the editing room, through the decisions of producers and TV workers (Delisle, 2003; Dubrofsky, 2006; Kraszewski, 2004). Though RTV features real people as the stars, the events are ‘‘essentially Televisual production’’ (Kilborn, 2003, p. 74), with participants producing identities in line with ‘‘the logic and rules sanctioned by the show’s producers and director’’ (Andrejevic & Colby, 2006, pp. 197 198). Participants on RTV shows perform for the camera, either unwittingly or explicitly, just as people perform in their daily lives to suit the imperatives of a given situation (Goffman, 1958; Hill, 2005). We are interested in how the space of a RTV show constructs participants as performing or not performing, not in assessing if participants are performing or not. We view all behavior as performance.

The Black-chelor

Flavor of Love has a Black star and predominantly Black cast but self-consciously acknowledges its appropriation of The Bachelor, a series with a White star and predominantly White cast. In the first episode of the first season, Flavor Flav (hereafter ‘‘Flavor’’) tells viewers, ‘‘I know many of you have seen that show The Bachelor, but Flavor is the Black-chelor!’’ Flavor of Love and The Bachelor are very different shows with different budgets, appearing on networks with different mandates catering to different audiences. However, the shows represent how race is distributed in the Televisual world. Flavor of Love is the only version of a love story3 about Black people in the RTV landscape, which exhibits what Projansky and Ono (1999) call ‘‘strategic Whiteness:’’ recentering Whiteness without calling explicit attention to this fact. While it is true that more diversity exists on the smallscreen than ever before, especially with the advent of RTV, it is also true that the landscape of television centers Whiteness by featuring White-centered shows on the major networks with the most money and shows about people of color on smaller cable networks.4 In this landscape, we contend Flavor of Love enacts the Black tradition of ‘‘appropriation’’ (Gates, 1989), creating boundaries in relation to the dominant form (The Bachelor) to produce authentic Black cultural spaces (Johnson, 2003; Langellier, 2003).

The Shows

The popularity of the shows is significant in locating them as important cultural products. The Bachelor is one of the earliest contemporary RTV shows*one of the original shows focusing on romance and the most enduring of these.5 Since it first aired in March 2002, ABC has broadcast an average of two seasons a year, now totaling eleven seasons, with a scheduled twelfth season for early 2008. The show engendered three seasons of a spin-off, The Bachelorette, with plans for a fourth season in 2008. The Bachelor has proved its mettle through consistent ratings (even when low, ratings have always been respectable), with viewership ebbing and flowing between 7.9 and 16.7 million viewers (Azote, 2006; Oldenburg, 2004; Patsuris, 2004; Roccio & Rogers, 2007; Rogers, 2006).

In 2006, Flavor of Love became one of the highest rated television shows in cable history (Martin, 2006), attracting over six million viewers for the season finale of season one (Ogunnaike, 2006). The second season, airing in late 2006, garnered 7.5 million viewers for the premiere, shattering its own cable television record (Martin, 2006). While popular in several demographics, the show is a favorite with Black viewers: one in three tuned in to the season finale of season two, making the show the highest rated among Black adults (Pepitas, 2006; Wiltz, 2006) in its time slot. A third season began airing in early 2008.

Flavor of Love is the third RTV series for former Public Enemy member and star of The Surreal Life and Strange Love. Flavor of Love spawned three spinoffs: I Love New York; starring former Flavor of Love runner up Tiffany ‘‘New York’’ Pollard; Flavor of Love Charm School, a program ‘‘reforming’’ the past ‘‘dysfunctional’’ Flavor of Love contestants; and Rock of Love, a White working-class rock-and-roll-based version of Flavor of Love starring Poison’s Brett Michaels.

The aim of The Bachelor and Flavor of Love is similar: help the starring men find the ‘perfect’ woman. On each season of The Bachelor, a man selects one woman from among twenty-five eligible (mostly White) women to be his potential bride. He goes on a series of dates with the women. At the end of each episode, participants are eliminated at a ‘‘rose ceremony’’ during which the bachelor gives a rose to each woman he wants to keep for the next week (the others leave the show), until he makes his final choice.

On Flavor of Love, twenty women (mostly Black) vie for the chance to be Flavor’s lady. Flavor submits the women to a battery of tests, after which certain women are granted ‘‘one-on-one time’’ with Flavor so he can assess their potential to be his ‘‘wifey.’’6 At the end of each episode, Flavor rewards the women who pass the tests with a huge golden clock medallion worn around the neck--losers are sent home. Although Flavor has yet to find lasting love, Black women who claim a ghetto identity have an enduring presence in both seasons: winners Hoopz and Deelishis claim this identity by emphasizing their roots in inner-city Detroit and their predilection for violence and confrontation.

Authenticity & Surveillance: Inferential Ethnic Presences

Andrejevic and Colby (2006) engage an insightful discussion about race and ghetto identity in Road Rules, a predominantly White cast RTV series. They note how ghetto signifiers are used to authenticate Gladys, a Black woman, as real and Black*thus disqualifying her from the action (Andrejevic & Colby, 2006). When Gladys becomes aggressive and confrontational, she is constructed as authentically ghetto and thus unsuitable for the series. What is key is that ‘‘the reason she had to leave was the reason for her being recruited to the show in the first place’’ (Andrejevic & Colby, 2006, p. 207); she is cast because she personifies ghetto, and eliminated because she performs this role too well. This example gets to the crux of the matter: Gladys is verified as authentically ghetto, therefore authentically Black and an inappropriate participant for long tenure on the series. Thus, ‘‘Gladys confirms that being ‘ghetto’ is no justification for acting Black. She ought to simply choose to do what White people do within this reality: Choose to be White’’ (Andrejevic & Colby, 2006, p. 210). Acting White (and middle-class) might secure Gladys a more enduring spot on the series, but therein lies the bind; this would code her as not authentic, as performing an identity. And so the conundrum: White-centered RTV shows seek participants who appear not to be performing but rather comfortably revealing an authentic identity, an often difficult position for Black subjects to occupy in this space.

Shohat (1991) insists we look at ‘‘inferential ethnic presences, that is, the various ways in which ethnic cultures penetrate the screen without always literally being represented by ethnic and racial themes or even characters’’ (p. 223). There is an inferential ethnic presence in requirements for subjects in White-centered RTV shows: the normative White subject who iterates through the ideal of appearing to not-perform, of being comfortable under surveillance.

Discussions about the intersection of authenticity and surveillance in the space of RTV (outlined shortly) align with how Whiteness is conceived in popular discourse: as a norm, familiar, not strange. Whiteness in popular culture stands for the nonsignification of race, an absence of race, and as such it ‘‘resists any extensive characterization that would allow for the mapping of its contours’’ (Nakayama & Krizek, 1999, p. 88). The privilege of Whiteness is that it couches itself in an absence of explicit signifiers. This is mirrored in the imperative to not-perform on a RTV show, which means an erasure of explicit markers of race, class and background* rather, an erasure of explicit references to these. This reflects Hall’s (2003) notion of ‘‘inferential racism,’’ where racist premises are hard to pin down because they are naturalized and unacknowledged.

The unself-consciousness with which Whiteness is performed in popular discourse is mirrored in the unself-consciousness a good RTV participant exhibits under surveillance. The role of surveillance in RTV is a popular topic among scholars (Andrejevic, 2004, 2006; Corner, 2002; Couldry, 2002; Dubrofsky, 2007; Gillespie, 2000; McGrath, 2004; Palmer, 2002; Pecora, 2002). Foucault’s (1995) ideas about the panopticon as a disciplinary mechanism that organizes and monitors individuals while simultaneously classifying them as a particular subject are often cited. Much RTV scholarship argues surveillance is presented as a means of verifying the authenticity (realness) of participants (Andrejevic, 2004; Couldry, 2002): authenticity is verified when participants appear to be themselves despite the highly contrived panoptic nature of the settings in which the action unfolds (Andrejevic, 2004; Couldry, 2002; Gillespie, 2000; Tincknell & Raghuram, 2002). Articulations of the meaning of surveillance on RTV suggest that ‘‘for a growing number of people in contemporary Western society, surveillance has become less a regulative mechanism of authority (either feared as tyrannous or welcomed as protection) than a pluralist path to self-affirmation’’ (Pecora, 2002, p. 348), reflecting the idea that people are comfortable with surveillance and welcome it into their lives as a way of affirming who they are (Andrejevic, 2004; Dubrofsky, 2007). Andrejevic (2002) suggests that part of the work of RTV is to equate surveillance of the self with comfort with oneself and self-knowledge, and with normal and real behavior.

Participants’ comfort with being on display must translate into a performance of not being on display*behaving exactly as they would if alone; authenticity is measured by one’s ability to remain consistent across disparate social spaces (Dubrofsky, 2007). Hence, being real means acting under surveillance as one would if one were not under surveillance. Participants unable to do this are cast as performing for the camera (Hill, 2007). Kilborn (2003) explains that all RTV participants agree to participate as television performers and that part of this process involves how participants are constructed in relation to performativity: either as performing (not being authentic), or as not-performing (being authentic) (Hill, 2007). Good RTV participants perform not-performing.

Performing Race in Flavor of Love and The Bachelor

The valorization of surveillance as a tool to affirm self-knowledge and comfort with oneself (Andrejevic, 2002) assumes one is dealing with an identity that need not first be established, an identity that is presumed. As Hill notes in quoting Van Leeuwen, something is perceived to be authentic if it is ‘‘thought to be true to the essence of something, to a revealed truth’’ (Hill, 2005, p. 74). On The Bachelor, the rules of the game are to properly reveal one’s authentic nature under surveillance. The identity of participants need not be spoken or identified; it is always already there, ready to be revealed, assumed, just like Whiteness. Black identity, on the other hand, must often be actively claimed and affirmed: on Flavor of Love, the requirement is to prove one has an authentic identity and to actively claim it.

Actively claiming one’s identity works counterintuitively in the space of White- centered RTV shows, since claiming an identity*explicitly articulating oneself*is associated with performing an identity, which does not fit the imperative to appear as if one is not performing.

We argue that the space of the two shows we examine is raced, a space where a particular race is privileged (Dubrofsky, 2006). The ways that participants authenticate themselves under surveillance and become viable participants on The Bachelor privileges a White subject whose race is unseen, unmarked, whereas Flavor of Love privileges a range of Black subjects who can claim a multiplicity of identities* although certain identities are privileged.

Confession & Authenticity

The difference in how the trope of confession is used on each series expresses the raced rules that regulate that space. Ferguson (2004) argues that confession takes a unique racialized angle for Black subjects, who are often invited to confess on behalf of their race*generating a subject who confesses racial knowledge of ‘‘otherness’’ (to Whiteness) and speaks a discourse of ‘‘truth’’ about Blacks as a collective (Yancy, 2004). This is a burden not carried by White subjects. Hence, we watch women on The Bachelor confess their feelings about the bachelor, each other, and the process, while the confessions of women on Flavor of Love sometimes address these things but more often monitor the authenticity of other participants. For instance, on season two, Chandra ‘‘Deelishis’’ Davis, Shay ‘‘Buckeey’’ Johnson, and Larissa ‘‘Bootz’’ Hodge use confession time to call out other women for not ‘‘keeping it real,’’ not being ghetto; they become the gatekeepers, confessing the parameters of authenticity for a particular type of Black identity.

To put this in perspective, White subjects on The Bachelor are not framed as speaking on behalf of their race. Their authentic identity is not contested: Whiteness and middle-classness is the default authentic identity that need not be actively claimed. It is assumed. The series acts as if color is irrelevant, implying racial differences do not matter (Dubrofsky, 2006), but a survey of the women locates them very clearly as educated, middle-class (Johnston, 2006) and, for the most part, possessing White bodies. Color matters--it grants access to the action and rewards of the series*but is never mentioned. This is the imperative of a space that privileges Whiteness.

Whitened Identities

Ethnic markers of certain women of color are made invisible on The Bachelor, Whitening their identity since absence signifies Whiteness. Beltran (2002) uses Jennifer Lopez as an example of racial hybridity: her body (her derriere) can be framed sexually, but her pale skin and middle-class behavior can be framed as White. In RTV, Women of Asian and Hispanic descent are often exemplars of such hybridity. As Dubrofsky (2006) discusses, discourses of exoticism bubble underneath on The Bachelor as the ethnicity of Mary Delgado (Cuban American) is erased in favor of a performance of Whiteness. Mary, who appears on season four and six, is marked consistently on season four (where she is eliminated by the fourth week) by her Cuban ethnicity. However, when she returns on season six, her ethnicity is almost never mentioned and she wins the bachelor’s heart. We do not want to repeat the work of Dubrofsky’s article, but rather to continue the argument: Tessa Horst, winner of season ten of The Bachelor (Dubrofsky’s article covers seasons one through eight only) is Whitened much the same way as Mary.

Visually, Tessa appears bi-racial (Caucasian and East Asian American), but her racial heritage is never mentioned on the series. Race is not even addressed when Tessa’s mother appears, though she looks East Asian American (more pronounced East Asian features, visually, than Tessa). As Takagi (1993) and Omi and Takagi (1996) suggest, discourses around race in the United States tend to divide along lines of Black and White, with the experiences of Asian Americans defined in relation to those of other races (Takagi, 1993). As Tuan (1999) contends, Asian Americans are classified as not real Americans and not real Asians, existing in a kind of ethnic vacuum. In addition, Osajima argues (2005) that Asian Americans are constructed as a model minority: an ideal (resembling Whiteness) other minorities should strive to imitate. In other words, there is a fluidity to the category Asian American that fits the presentation of Tessa as not having a racial identity (hence, as White) despite visible racial signifiers.

One clue that the series works actively not to forefront Tessa’s ethnicity is that her mother is given no screen time, though mothers are usually the focal point of the hometown visits*suggesting an effort to avoid drawing attention to Tessa’s ethnic background. For instance, on this season, as is typical of the hometown visits, when the bachelor meets Bevin and Danielle’s families (two White women), we see the mothers express their concern about their daughters moving far away and falling in love so quickly. A focal point of the visit with Bevin’s family is Bevin’s mom giving the bachelor and Bevin a painting she made. With Danielle’s family, a central scene is of Danielle’s mother showing the bachelor how to belly-dance. Indeed, the hometown visit with Amber, another White woman on this same episode, is presented as unsatisfying specifically because her parents refuse to meet the bachelor: Amber is eliminated at the end of the episode. Not only is the minimal presence of Tessa’s mother surprising, so is the fact that this is not presented as an issue.

The series animates the idea that under the best of circumstances (when the bachelor likes a woman of color), race, and potentially racism, is illusory and can be transcended (Crenshaw, 1997). As Dubrofsky articulates (2006), the race of women of color becomes visible if they are eliminated. Not only is race mutable, it is so in ways that privilege Whiteness. This is in contrast to Flavor of Love, where playing up one’s racial identity is encouraged: the nicknames for some participants, such as ‘‘Miss Latin’’ (for a Latin American woman) and ‘‘Red Oyster’’ (for an East Asian American woman) highlight this imperative.

Black Subjects: Surveillance and Authenticity

Conceiving of RTV as a space where participants must show their comfort with surveillance assumes the object of the surveilled gaze can become comfortable under this gaze, use it to affirm itself. This not only naturalizes qualities performed successfully virtually exclusively by a White subject in this space, it also imagines a subject that does not view surveillance as working against it. This assumption needs to be troubled to understand how Black subjects are often articulated in the space of RTV.7

For a Black subject, the relationship with surveillance can be uneasy. In discussing surveillance as a law-enforcement mechanism for maintaining order in his work on performativity in the space of RTV, McGrath (2004) notes that ‘‘the impact of this policing voice is not felt evenly; certain bodies can more confidently expect to be believed when they protest their innocence in response to the policing voice’’ (p. 22). Hence, while surveillance is often justified for purposes of crime prevention and criticized as an invasion of privacy, this does not address the experiences of, as McGrath (2004) puts it, a ‘‘Black man under surveillance in the streets of New York or London’’ (p. 23), since the camera targets him in ways that exceed issues of crime prevention and invasion of privacy (McGrath, 2004). Add to this the fact that surveillance is used to verify the authenticity of participants in the space of RTV, and things become complicated*as notions of authenticity are often integral to the construction of Black identity in a White nation (West, 1992). For instance, the desire to articulate ‘‘authentic Blackness’’ for many, often middle-class Blacks, is driven by a civil-rights edict to disprove historical racist stereotypes used to define Blackness (Dyson, 2001). Conversely, for some, often working-class Blacks, authenticity is a postcivil rights discourse of defiance and subjectivity which rejects the goals of the Black community and the social opinions of Whites, opting instead for local and specific ideas and goals found in the ‘‘neighborhood they are restricted to’’ (Keeling, 2003, p. 35).

We see possible implications of the convergence of surveillance with notions of authenticity in Shugart’s (2006) work on court TV shows. She writes that surveillance frames people of color as individuals who are personally irresponsible, lacking in self control and undisciplined, displaying racial stereotypes that classify their actions as indicative of their race. It is a double-bind: people of color under surveillance have the added burden of speaking for their race, while also, paradoxically, having their predicaments individualized.

How, then, to understand the presence of Black subjects in this space when authenticity and performance are tightly intertwined? Johnson (2005) suggests:

Blackness does not only reside in the theatrical fantasy of the White imaginary that is then projected onto Black bodies. Nor is Blackness always consciously acted out. It is also the inexpressible yet undeniable racial experience of Black people*the ways in which ‘the living of Blackness’ become material ways of knowing . . . The interanimation of Blackness and performance and the tension between Blackness as ‘play’’ and material reality further complicates the notion of what constitutes a Black ‘‘performance’’ and of what playing Black is and what playing Black ain’t. (p. 606).

Johnson identifies the complex nature of performing Blackness as more than just a reaction to the demands of White surveillance. Black performativity highlights the slipperiness of ‘‘authentic Blackness’’ and suggests how culturally intrinsic authenticity can be to Black performance (Asante, 1998).

Performing Identities

The tone of each series conveys its valuation of performativity. The Bachelor tells its story of love with earnest sincerity, devoid of irony or self-consciousness, mirroring the way it portrays its subjects as unselfconsciously and undoubtedly White and middle-class. Flavor of Love, on the other hand, is self-consciously humorous, with over-the-top antics, poking fun at participants through funny graphics,8 fanciful music, and outrageous action.9 We watch as producers humorously subtitle Flavor or Darra ‘‘Like Dat’’ Boyd when they speak in heavy slang-filled dialect. The subtitles suggest that the behavior needs explanation, translation, that it is not natural, foregrounding that the activities are a performance and calling attention to the producers’ intervention to give the action meaning: we are seeing a mediated product.

Both shows are excessive, but only Flavor of Love is self-consciously so. The Bachelor maintains a tact of normative nonperformance despite its over-the-top, fairytale notions of romance, heteronormativity, materialism and Whiteness. For instance, though the producers make sure the men on The Bachelor have jewels, designer clothes, sports cars, castles, mansions, and private jets at their disposal, the men are not shown self-consciously performing the role of ideal prince charming but rather as naturally embodying the qualities of a prince charming, easily laying claim to the luxuries inherent to the role. Flavor, on the other hand, is the urban pimp10 (Ogunnaike, 2006), with his audacious outfits, rhyming dialogue (Quinn, 2000, 2004) and horny hijinks (Dickerson, 2006). He is a good man in pimp’s clothes* underneath the pimp lies a heart of gold, but no prince charming. His persona is marked by self-conscious excess and over-the-top behavior.

The performative aspect of Flavor’s presentation is made clear in season two when New York’s parents come to visit. We watch as New York’s mom, Michelle Patterson, displays her distaste for Flavor. Runner-up on the first season, New York is invited back the second season, where she is again the runner-up, and on both seasons Mrs. Patterson harangues Flavor about his gold teeth and outrageous personality. She asks ‘‘how long does he plan on playing Flavor Flav?’’ and demands to ‘‘see the man, William Drayton.’’ Flavor responds, ‘‘You are seeing William right now, I’ve taken Flavor Flav away from the table.’’

By including this scene, producers call attention to the constructed nature of the star’s identity, conjuring questions about the performative nature of participants and the stability of claims to authenticity. This makes for a different series than The Bachelor, where participants must never enact different identities lest they be labeled mentally unstable (as happens to Lee Ann in season four when fellow-participants accuse her of performing several personalities), become suspect, are accused of inconsistency, or of performing for the camera and camouflaging who they are. Flavor of Love, on the other hand, opens up a space where Flavor can be not only a man looking for love, but also an entertainer and a performer (performing a persona). While ghetto identity can be constraining, the series exceeds that identity and the demand to conform to any single identity.

Deelishis animates long-held stereotypes about Black women as unbridled sexual animals who invite physical objectification (Giddings, 1984; Hill-Collins, 2004; hooks, 2004; Jhally, 2007; Morgan, 1999; Neal, 2006, Omolade, 1994; Rose, 1994). Holmes (2006) and Netto (2005) remind us that the 19th-century exploitation in European sideshows of the ‘‘abnormally’’ large posterior of Sarah Bartman, the South African ‘‘Hottentot Venus,’’ set in motion the stereotype of Black women as hypersexual and of this hypersexuality as something to be gazed upon and commodified. We see this on Flavor of Love, fanciful music playing as the screen fills with close-ups of Deelishis’ posterior in too-tight clothing. Deelishis remains in the background until her derrie`re becomes a focus in episode three of season two. Her butt is presented as both excessive (Hill-Collins, 2004; Omolade, 1994; Wallace, 2004) and oversexed. She is the recipient of Flavor’s many sexual attentions (posterior as focal point), and she is shown welcoming and encouraging that attention. However, Deelishis articulates a complex personality: she is not simply a sex object. For instance, in many scenes we see her emotionally confessing her deep feelings for Flavor, and in one scene she bonds with Flavor’s children.

New York is also presented in complex ways. She animates racial stereotypes about Black women with her body presented as excessive (cast-mates refer to her as a ‘‘drag-queen’’) and behavior that locate her as the stereotypical too strong, aggressive Black women*a typification implying lack of femininity (Giddings, 1984; Wallace, 1979). As well, while New York never claims a ghetto identity, she personifies the loudness and hypersexuality linked to ghetto behavior.

New York establishes her role as volatile manipulator and calculating temptress, pitting the women against each other and spouting hilarious put-downs. In episode six of season two, she tells Becky ‘‘Buckwild’’ Johnston ‘‘You look like a fairy princess . . . that resides over the pits of Hell.’’ She also makes over-the-top claims of superiority, saying things like ‘‘I don’t apologize because I never make, you know, mistakes.’’

However, the series also shows New York repeatedly confessing devout love for Flavor, proclaiming her affection in a dreamy voice, eyes closed, and fantasizing about their future together. We witness tender moments between Flavor and New York, with Flavor openly appreciating New York’s deep feelings for him and expressing strong feelings for her. New York also shows a vulnerable side when she pleads with her mother to accept that she is in love with Flavor.

Though New York’s excessive behavior, emotionality and intensity are presented as the reason for her elimination, these are nonetheless allowed to thrive. In fact, it is her excessive and intense emotions for Flavor that win her favor with him. Conversely, such behavior on The Bachelor *especially the variation in behavior* is sure cause for early elimination and a spectacular fall from grace. Christi on season two, for example, is labeled a ‘‘Fatal Attraction Girl’’ because she reveals such strong feelings for the bachelor. She begins as the perfect match for the bachelor, but when she becomes emotional and displays strong feelings for him, we are led to believe excessive emotion overshadows her good qualities (Dubrofsky, in press). New York, on the other hand, is not shown falling from grace. She is the same from beginning to end: spectacular, excessively emotional, angry, exhibiting over-the top behavior, and consistently highly appealing to Flavor. Indeed, her spectacular performance wins her favor with fans (Denhart, 2006a, b), thus landing her a starring role in her own show, I Love New York.

The allowance for women who are excessive is not limited to New York. Some of the most notable examples have to do with bodily functions: in the first episode of season one, a woman drinks too much and vomits copiously and another reveals her love for masturbation; in the first episode of season two, a woman defecates on the floor. Flavor is shown accepting these things, just as he accepts New York. He and fellow cast-mates poke fun at the women and even get angry at them, but ultimately the women are presented as multidimensional, their outrageous actions not the sum of their identity.11

Claiming Identities

As the earlier Gladys example from Road Rules illustrates, one of the few ways Black participants can appear authentic in the space of RTV is by performing ghetto, though this ensures their tenure on the show will be brief and dramatic. Perhaps the logical offshoot of a paradigm in White-centered RTV shows that consistently situates participants like Gladys as unfit for the space of the show, Flavor of Love provides a predominantly Black space where participants can claim a number of different identities without White as the default identity against which all is measured. Significantly, participants on this show do not reveal an identity (as if it were always-already-there), but claim it, sometimes several at once. While explicitly claiming an identity (one that is not White, since White need not be claimed) immediately disqualifies a participant from The Bachelor, on Flavor of Love this is often an integral part of proving authentic identity, a core quality of successful participants.

One example of how identity is explicitly claimed on Flavor of Love emerges with Black participant Like Dat, a woman from New Jersey on season two. Like Dat fits the ghetto stereotype: she wears ostentatious clothing, uses heavy slang, exhibits a lack of manners and is prone to arguing. She has pride in being from the ghetto, and repeatedly claims her love for her ‘‘hood.’’ We watch as she praises herself and Flavor for never forgetting where they came from. Identification with a specific background and racial identity is rarely seen on The Bachelor, except in the case of Mary on season four (the season she is eliminated) and with some of the women of color who are banished early on.

Like Dat’s ghetto identity is shored up by a focus on her evaluation of Buckwild, a White woman who espouses the same values and attributes (love for her hood, audacious sexy clothing, and heavy slang). We see Like Dat recoil as Buckwild talks to Flavor in heavy ‘‘Black slang’’ and seduces Flavor with erotic dancing. Like Dat tells the camera, ‘‘Ghetto is as ghetto does, but where I live in the ghetto there aren’t too many White girls up in there being all ghetto like that. I can’t really figure out if that shit is real or not.’’ Like Dat situates hip-hop slang and over-the-top behavior as signifiers of ghetto that can only be performed by a Black body.

Like Dat inquires about Buckwild’s background and discovers Buckwild is from Rancho Cucamonga, which she states ‘‘ain’t no ghetto . . . You can’t be ghetto if you ain’t from the ghetto, you can’t redo that shit.’’ Like Dat’s suspicions are affirmed. We watch as Buckwild’s ghetto voice intermittently disappears and reappears, till she quits the show in frustration with the other participants’ constant questioning of her authenticity. In her departing scene, Buckwild completely loses her ghetto voice and Flavor asks her, angrily and incredulously, where her accent has gone.

Closing Thoughts

Readings of race in the space of RTV must recognize the presence and potential influence of racial stereotypes and be mindful of the constraining and pervasive nature of discourses of Whiteness.

Some media columnists, media activists, and Black viewers have decried the representation of Black women on Flavor of Love as hypersexual and angry, exhibiting the worst characteristics of ghetto behavior. They suggest the series is a 21st century minstrel show (Moody, 2007; Ogunnaike, 2006; Wickman, 2006; Wiltz, 2006). While it is true the series displays some of the worst stereotypes about Blacks, it also opens an interesting space for complex identities to be performed. The imperative to actively claim an identity on Flavor of Love, versus revealing an already established identity on The Bachelor, opens up possibilities for claiming a variety of identities at once; for foregrounding performativity and the constructedness of identities in the space of surveillance; and for complicating the requirement for authenticity in the space of White-centered RTV shows. The Bachelor, by contrast, is a fairly flat text, where most participants are presented as having an already established White and middle-class identity, with little opening in the text to question how these identities are constructed.

Molina-Guzman and Valdivia (2004) argue that spaces of hybridity are ‘‘where bodies and identities resist stable categories and meaning is contradictory and historically shifting’’ (p. 214). In such a space, marginalized racial bodies operate as hybrids, a combination of many cultural influences that can perform within the boundaries of accepted Whiteness while attempting to maintain their own racial perspective (Molina-Guzman & Valdivia, 2004). This definition could describe the discursive space of Blackness on Flavor of Love. The women on Flavor of Love often resist normative rules of female behavior valorized on shows like The Bachelor by reifying Black stereotypes of female behavior.

The complex space of RTV animates a need for reassessment of performances of Blackness: RTV fosters the proliferation of long-held and pernicious stereotypes of Blacks, yet sometimes allows for complex performances of Blackness not permitted in traditional television programming. Participants on Flavor of Love can embrace their sexuality, show a three-dimensional ‘‘ghetto-girl’’ or ‘‘pimp’’ persona and express a desire for Black love absent in mainstream television. Here, women can sob, fight, laugh, get revenge or reconcile without penalty or overt judgment.

However, such performances must adhere to a ‘‘test of authenticity’’ (Hall, 2003) by confessing an ‘‘otherness’’ that invariably ‘‘preserves Whiteness’’ (Shugart, 2007, p. 115). As Gray (1995) points out, Black representations on television must adhere to the standards of middle-class Whiteness or function as a site of difference or otherness. Hence, the excessive sexualized discourse and hyperbolic ghetto attitude is personified as authentically Black and far removed from the normative nature of Whiteness, erecting the parameters of Blackness in the space of RTV.

In looking at race in RTV, it is important to interrogate the range of issues managed by participants, as well as the moments of critical resistance to surveillance revealed in the shows: how might performances of race create cultural spaces that work within the dominant ideology? As more RTV shows emerge that feature people of color, it will be the critics’ responsibility to identify if the RTV genre becomes a Televisual ghetto where only certain performances of race are allowed under the omniscient eye of surveillance, or if RTV can be a cultural and discursive space where diverse conceptions of race are animated. Scholarship on RTV needs to open up possibilities for articulating how identities in this space are constructed and find new ways to express the complexity of surveillance and notions of authenticity as they intersect in the display of raced identities.

Notes

We use the term ‘‘Black’’ rather than ‘‘African American’’ to describe people of African descent residing in the United States. The term ‘‘African American’’ is less specific as it can be applied to African diasporic people throughout the American continents.

Burke (1950) argues that naming can be creative and disruptive, serving as a behavior guide. Naming does not describe the conditions surrounding people, but reveals the motivations for their actions.Since only two of the 11 couples from The Bachelor remain together, and none from Flavor of Love, it might be more apt to say the shows are about failed love.

Since only two of the 11 couples from The Bachelor remain together, and none from Flavor of Love, it might be more apt to say the shows are about failed love.

In recent years, cable television shows starring people of color have had commercial success. See Comedy Central’s Chappelle Show and Mind of Mencia, and MTV’s Run’s House and Making the Band.

We do not include longer-standing dating shows (i.e., The Dating Game, Blind Date) in this category. We are interested in romance RTV shows that serialize the activities of participants over time. Dating shows follow the activities of participants in a single episode with no carry- over into the next episode.

A term used in Black urban music, ‘‘wifey’’ was coined by the group Next in their 1999 single ‘‘Wifey’’ to emphasize the seriousness of a relationship without the legal commitment.

Though we do not have time to explore this in detail, it is important to ask how these

practices work for a queer subject or other subjects of color: an Arab subject, for instance, faced with the growing use of racial signifiers to identify them as the ‘‘face of terror’’ which, as Gates (2005) argues, underpins the development of biometric surveillance technologies for US national security purposes; or a female subject, already always on display (Berger, 1977; Walters, 1995), who is held in the popular media to a standard for appearance and behavior and thus at greater risk of transgressing the expectation of meeting the standard.

For instance, cartoonish images of a clock ticking often appear when a woman talks for a long time, and when Flavor uses heavy slang, an animated graphic called a ‘‘Flavor-a Lation’’ attempts to decipher his comments.

The tasks are often the focus of media controversy as they shore up stereotypes about Blacks: Women cook fried chicken to demonstrate their domestic skills, go to church to connect with Flavor’s mother or swing on a stripper pole. There was also the infamous ‘‘five senses’’ test on season one, where Flavor was blindfolded and used his five senses (licking, fondling, looking, smelling and listening) to decide who was most appealing.

Quinn (2000, 2004) notes that the pimp is a hero for rappers, representing a way of life that earns respect and power, a role model for poor Black youth.

Perceived inauthenticity about one’s intentions is judged harshly on Flavor of Love. In season one, Schatar ‘‘Hottie’’ Tyler and Brook ‘‘Pumkin’’ Thompson are dismissed for appearing on other reality television shows and not telling Flavor. Cristal Athenea ‘‘Serious’’ Stevenson in season one is eliminated for allegedly trying to use Flavor to spark her modeling career. In season two, Heather ‘‘Krazy’’ Crawford is sent home for being more concerned with igniting her music career than being with Flavor. These violations stem from behavior perceived to be inauthentic (pretending to look for love when they really want fame), not from allowing their authentic (and inappropriate for the show) identity to be revealed.

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[muquesko]

*This particular series is deemed for kid’s, please don’t comment otherwise*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Camera used: Nikon Backside Illumi-nationCMOS

The location that photo was taken: Illinois

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Series: Mr. Jenkins’ Belly*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The plush reference of Andromeda.

Where I got vhim: I bought vhim at Goodwill.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Characters:

1. Andromeda_Sol (Condylura, Constellation Condylura)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*28thDimension English Dictionary:

1. Vhe/Vhim/Vhis (Pronoun): Someone who is pan-gender and identifies as both male and agender.

2. Condylura: A mole that can feel with their nose, because of a hand like nose.

3. Constellation Condylura: Unlike other Condyluras the Constellation Condylura, has fur and a long tail with a poof. These Condyluras are either be blue, black, or purple in color and can caste magic. They also have bright glowing star patterns on their fur. They have the ability to not need oxygen for a whole hour and can cast fire and lightning.

[megadavestewart]

WFS 095 - Fly Fishers International with Len Zickler - Mel Krieger, Casting Awards, Learning Center, Orvis, PHWFF, Dire Straits

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/ffi

Show Sponsor: TheGreyDrake.com

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Len Zickler, the CEO of Fly Fishers International is on the podcast to tell their story and how you can connect with an amazing resource.  Whether it's fly tying, casting or conservation, FFI is all in on helping you become a better angler and conservationist.

Find out about the Fly Tying Skills Award Program and other activities that are helping to engage people in fly fishing.  Len talks about his grandfather and the fly rod that planted the seed.  

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  Show Notes with Len Zickler

The Clearwater Orvis fly rod outfit was the first solid intro outfit that Len picked up when he got started.

The "movie" comes up here.  Here's another random link.

Dec Hogan was hosting a trip to a private lake and helped Len get started.  Dec was on the podcast in episode 20.

Mel Krieger was one of Len's mentors.  Len talks about how Mel came up with the casting certification.  Here's a video with Mel providing some casting tips.

I noted that Joan Wulff is going to be on the show soon.  Here's a placeholder to note the Joan Wulff podcast.

Len talks about the difference between Trout Unlimited and FFI.  FFI is set apart because they cover all species around the world.

Jeff Courier was on the podcast and talked about his 400 fly caught species.  Indonesia for example, is a strong part of the FFI community.

Project Healing Waters is a partner of FFI and is all about helping veterans get healthy through fly fishing.  I interviewed PHWFF back in this episode.

The Fly Tying Skills Award Program and now the Fly Casting Skills Award Program are very popular processes that help people to stay active and take it to the next level.

The FFI magazine can be found at the Fly Fishing Show or any of the regional events around the country, including the Expo in Bozeman.

Len notes the issue with paper and was noted in a past episode here.

The Anthem video was produced out of Bozeman.  This video explains who FFI is and where they want to go.

Pat Flynn says to be everywhere these days which isn't always easy todo.

The Learning Center is a great resource for anglers and are not as well known.  Here's a link to the Learning Center.  Share it if it's helpful for you.

TFO and Echo have done a good job finding a mid range and affordable fly rod.  Sage has now created a wider range package as well.

We talk about Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.  Here is a great VHI Documentary series on youtube.

Mike Mercer created the Missing Link fly pattern.  Here's the episode with Mike Mercer and I tell my Missing Link story.

Patrick Barry is the new CEO of FFI and has the ability to bring some new tools for FFI and all of us.  Say hi to Patrick here.

You can reach Len at FlyFishersInternational.com

Resources Noted in the Show

Orvis Clearwater Outfit

The Learning Center

  Videos Noted in the Show

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Here's the VHI Video Documentary

Dire Straits Sultans of Swing

  Conclusion with Len Zickler

Len Zickler does a great job providing some tips on how to take advantage of the Fly Fishers International and talks about how they are trying to change makeup of the orginization.  Getting away from the "old white guy" syndrome.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/ffi

Show Sponsor: TheGreyDrake.com

Show Sponsor: DeliFreshDesign.com

Check out this episode!

[ngpride-blog]

Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde invited to join Oscar voting academy

Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde invited to join Oscar voting academy Veteran Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, popularly known as ‘Omosexy’ was on Monday invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science popularly known as the Oscars News Agency of Nigeria reports that Omosexy is listed among the record-breaking 928 members to be admitted this year. The Academy invites notable industry professionals ranging from Actors to Writers, and two categories, Members-at-Large and Associates to accommodate individuals who have no defined branches in motion picture. It is the world’s pre-eminent movie related organisation, comprised of over eight thousand accomplished men and women working in cinema. Academy membership is limited to film artists working in the production of theatrically-released motion pictures. According to the list, Omotola’s invitation stemmed from the recognition she got in the 2010 romantic drama ‘A Private Storm’ and the 2012 thriller ‘Last Flight to Abuja’. ‘A Private Storm’, co-directed by Lancelot Imasuen and Ikechukwu Onyeka, received three nominations at the 7th Africa Movie Academy Awards including awards for Best Makeup, Best Supporting Actor and Best Nigerian Film. ‘Last Flight to Abuja’, written by Tunde Babalola; directed and produced by Obi Emelonye won the Africa Movie Academy Awards award for ‘Best film by an African based abroad’. Since Omotola’s Nollywood debut in 1995, the screen diva has appeared in over 300 films, selling millions of video copies. NAN also reports that aside her show business accomplishments, she is also applauded for her remarkable humanitarian efforts. In 2013, she was honoured in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world alongside Michelle Obama, Beyonce and Kate Middleton. In early 2013, Omotola made her US television debut in VHI’s scripted series, `Hit the floor.’ In 2014, she was honoured by the Nigerian government as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR for her contributions to Nigerian Entertainment Industry. Read the full article

[usabilityrocks]

Personality Breathes Life Into The Customer Chatbot Experience

Make those interactions with chatbots come alive. Here’s how…

If legendary actress, chanteuse, comedienne, and style icon Mae West was an expert in user experience (UX), she might now be famous for the chatbot design principle: “It’s not the bots in your life that matter, it’s the life in your bots.”

Mae West in 1936 (Wikipedia public domain image)

Actually, both parts of that would-be statement are correct:

The work that your chatbot will carry out is vital because it provides the reason for the botification of that task in someone’s life.

But the style, tone and attitude of the chatbot — the personality — that is defined during the design process is what will determine the success of the chatbot. This personality is the key to bringing the chatbot user a great experience, and not there is nothing better than a reputable experience to get more customers and retain existing ones.

Exploring the fascinating personality of the Spanish language Politibot.io chatbot for Facebook Messenger and Telegram. That’s a great introduction to the start of a beautiful chatbot relationship!

Personality: an uninterrupted series of successful gestures

 — F. Scott Fitzgerald (“The Great Gatsby)

Yes, friends, personality is the new user experience. But, designing that personality to resonate with the chatbot user is a science and, at the same time, an art.

“It’s no coincidence that both Howdy and X.ai , a startup whose robot intelligently schedules e-mail meetings, will hire writers with performing arts funds to help define the UX of their products.” — The next phase of UX: design of Chatbot personalities .

Fortunately, little by little we are experiencing the death of that hostile concept of “the user” and of “using” a “system”. Instead, we’re see the emergence of a human design narrative focused on the dialog between people and machines by having a natural conversation .

Personality, therefore, is fundamental to the success of this seemingly natural interaction between the human and the machine. Personality, like true user experience, goes much further than the transaction.

For UX professionals, what we are talking about here is anthropomorphism(not to be confused with personification). In general, you can think of anthropomorphism as the attribution of human motivations, beliefs and feelings to inanimate things like computers, vehicles, robots, and so on.

Herbie the Love Bug . One of the most famous anthropomorphic vehicles. The concept of anthropomorphic vehicles has been around for a while; all have different personalities. (Image shared via Wikipedia )

It is important to realize that anthropomorphism does not mean the application of every subtle nuance and whim of human personality to the human-machine interaction. Rather, it means focusing on the dominant, memorable, and more key personality traits that are useful for the chatbot interaction in that particular context.

Ah, there’s that critical UX concept again: context. Or if, you like, “it depends”.

Therefore, for chatbot developers it is vital to make use of important and contextually relevant anthropomorphic principles to create solutions that resonate with customers in the moment, at the right time and in the right place .

When we interact with machines, we tend to project human emotions and beliefs into the inanimate computer. When the interaction is simple and pleasurable, we attribute the pleasure to the machine in the same way that we blame it when things do not work as we wish. — Don Norman, Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things.

To a certain extent, anthropomorphism of chatbots and participation in a digital conversation is determined by the artificial intelligence capability that your chatbot platform can provide. However, designers (or artists or performers if you wish) now have a central role in creating the attitude, style and tone of chatbot to reflect an appropriate personality to suit the user’s intent, either by writing prompts or messages or by recording the voice of the chatbot.

Make that personality truly personal

I have already outlined how language development and conversational scripting skills are at the center of the UX design of a chatbot, but I would like to mention some key considerations in the design of personality.

Determine the appropriate attitude, tone and style of your chatbot (i.e., the personality). This means understanding what the personality of your chatbot is, based on the context in which it will be used.

Writing about personality design is worth another article in its own right, but you can check out this piece on Medium and this webinar on how companies can create a tone and voice that really connects with their customers.

If there are toolkits available to help you craft an online personality, then explore their use to do some heavy lifting. Check out the Apple Magic Sauce tool from the University of Cambridge Psychometrics Centre for example, to see what a derived digital personality might look like, but remember to refine and then test your chatbot’s personality with real customers in real situations.

Introduce your chatbot conversation saying “hello”, “hello”, etc., and respond to greetings, ask how people are doing today, and so on.

Bae by PayPal: A “quirky” fashion chatbot on Facebook Messenger. Bae ?

Remember that the chatbot is not a human and therefore cannot do the same things, therefore, so do remind customers at all times what the chatbot is capable of. Know your limitations!

HubSpot ‘s GrowthBot on Slack introduction

After the user’s “why are you here?” question is answered, ensure your chatbot stands out from the competition by using those personality traitsto create an memorable user experience. True, there is a debate on whether it is necessary to name a chatbot or not, but again, that is another article!

Avoid lazy, tortuous, and repetitive responses. At some point (perhaps the second attempt at the customer asking a question of the chatbot), admit defeat and seek clarification of the user intent. Imagine how a person would react if you did not stop repeating the same phrase to them constantly!

Learn from past conversational interaction decisions and behaviour, and make recommendations accordingly. For example, how your server in your favorite restaurant recommends the new specialties that they have on the menu as well as remembering your “usual”. But do this sensibly. Context is the key to achieving an excellent user experience.

Indicate that the chatbot is reflecting on a question raised, instead of giving a rapid quickfire response. Considering that, the “ I’m thinking”indicators are important. After all, chatbots are still based on emerging AI and ML technology …

Use humor (perhaps the word “wit” is better) wisely, in context, and in places and ways that make sense. Although us Irish like to say “I was only joking!” when things get complicated, I can tell you that most of the time we’re not kidding. That said, without context, sometimes chatbots making a joke about a transaction can be a little unnerving …

Hipmunk on Facebook Messenger “just kidding”. Your mileage may vary on that kind of joking! Use humor wisely.

Manage the usual chatbot interaction chit-chat (“tell me a joke”, “what is the weather”), answer the question “what can you do now?”, and participate in topical events. This apparently “disposable” part of the a chatbot conversation is also an important part of the personality. For example, know which team won last weekend’s game or certain dates such as when International Women’s Day or Christmas is. These kind of issues seem boringly normal, but they are also a UX vehicle to get customers engaged and to smooth the path of the chatbot conversation towards their main intent.

GrowthBot on Slack: Cartoons and jokes are provided regularly.

Try to be somewhat tolerant of chatbot input errors such as typographical mistakes and grammatical blunders, as much as how people talk and write IRL, ways to which people are already accustomed.

Be able to process jargon, abbreviations, urban lingo, emoji, and so on. This part of personality design may depend on customer tolerance and require more research and is something of a a black art. Emoji are now in use frequently in business and in everyday life, almost as a second language, so we should not lose sight of their importance and potential. Obviously, the capability of your chatbot platform again will determine to what extent you can focus on such aspects.

Donut.ai bot on Slack : Talking in emoji. Could emoji be considered anthropomorphic in their own right?

Respect some basic rules of conduct and manners such as the expressions that we take for granted, like saying “thank you”, and recognizing when something is done. Also, do not forget to include clarifications to help the chatbot’s comprehension of the customer intent (“help me out here!”). In the end the goal is to recreate familiar, decent human behavior without being too human.

VHI’s Vee on Facebook Messenger : Scarlet for me. This is Dublin, Ireland slang for embarrassment!

Be polite and understanding. For example, Amazon Alexa (Echo) can diplomatically tolerate many daft and even rude conversations, more so that real people can. It has been programmed to deal kindly with profanity or user frustration, regardless of age and expertise! You can learn from that design decision!

VHI’s Vee on Facebook Messenger handling the more profane language aspect of runner frustration!

Avoid prolonging the conversation and try to connect with the customer intent at all times. Do not forget the problem that the customer brought to the chatbot in the first place, but also know when to close the conversation. Ask if the customer has finished with their task or if they want to continue exploring other features of the chatbot .

Avoid open questions; give options so that the user can choose. “Do you prefer Hip Hop Beyoncé or Glamor Beyoncé?” is a much better way to garner a response and to shape the customer intent that an open question like: “What do you like about Beyoncé?”

PayPal Bae fashion chatbot on Facebook Messenger: Those Beyoncé options

Direct the conversation. Remember that the goal of the chatbot conversation is to solve a problem, so keep on guiding the conversation tree towards the objectives that the bot has . And when will you know when the conversation is really over for now? When the user problem or the intent is resolved.

VHI Vee chatbot on Facebook Messenger adds value to get that running conversation to get you across the finish line. Until the next time!

Lead by example

In conclusion, the design of a chatbot conversation as a natural way of interacting with technology means that we are now in the era of a human-centered design approach in the digital space, and beyond a mere user-centered design. And personality is at the core of that interaction.

Who wants to be called “user” in any context?

Just imagine. What would happen if Amazon “Alexa” were an “Alex” or if all the digital assistants were of a single gender and each had the same personality, style and tone? Think about how this might change your experience and your willingness to engage, depending on the context.

A post shared by Ultan Ó Broin (@dublinrunningdad) on May 5, 2018 at 10:13am PDT

Or would it?

You must investigate and test the impact of personality nuances and differences. Very often a gut feeling based on UX guerrilla research and simple observations about how we live and work with real people with real personalities in real situations is a good starting point to understand how chatbot personality can shape the digital experience.

The personality design side of shaping a chatbot conversation is a true skill and talent; a commodity that is booming in demand. This area is a dynamic space, with many ideas that cover many domains and disciplines, but one thing is clear: thoughtful design of your chatbot’s personality is critical to making your user experience shine.

As Mae West herself said of communicating with your audience:

Personality is the glitter that sends your little gleam across the footlights and the orchestra pit into that big black space where the audience is.

Your opinions and comments on the subject are welcome, hopefully reflecting your personality!

Ultan O’Broin ( @ultan ) is a senior customer experience journey professional in the technology industry and also communicates at events, and on blogs about UX and technology. He is a member of the editorial board of MultiLingual. His opinions here are personal and not necessarily those of any employer.

All screen images are by Ultan O’Broin.