Flavor Flav shopping new series featuring his return to high school

Flavor Flav apparently wants to prove that he has more to offer reality television than hiscrazy antics and  romantic escapades.


The former The Surreal Life, Strange Love and Flavor of Love star is currently shopping a new reality series that will follow him as he returns to high school to receive his diploma, The Hollywood Reporter reported Wednesday.

Flav -- whose real name is William Drayton -- said he dropped out of school in tenth grade.

"I just want to show the world it's never too late to get your diploma, and show kids they should stay in school and not wait until you're old to get it," Flav told The Reporter.

"Everybody sees me as this big love mogul. Now I got a baby girl, I've been there and done that and now it's time for the next episode."


After appearing as a The Surreal Life housemate in 2004 and attempting to woo Brigitte Nielsen on Strange Love in 2005 -- both of which aired on VH1 -- the network gave Flav his own The Bachelor-like reality dating series.

While he still selected a bachelorette during Flavor of Love's Spring 2008 third-season finale, he instead proposed to Liz -- the mother of his youngest son Karma -- at the conclusion of the pre-taped reunion show.

He since starred in MyNetworkTV's 2008 Under One Roof sitcom and was also roasted on Comedy Central, however he has yet to return to reality television.

Despite his absence, Flavor of Love's imprint has been evident on VH1 -- as the show's 51 Minds Entertainment production company also created such reality series as Daisy of Love, For the Love of Ray J, New York Goes to Work, two Real Chance of Love editions, New York Goes to Hollywood, three Rock of Love editions, three Charm School editions, two I Love New York editions, and My Fair Brady.

In addition, 51 Minds was behind Megan Wants a Millionaire -- which drew unwanted media attention that resulted in its cancellation after one of the show's bachelors, Ryan Jenkins, was charged with murdering his wife and successfully fleeing the United States to Canada before committing suicide in August.


Flav told The Reporter that hearing about Jenkins "really broke my heart."

"It's really messed up, love can make you and love can break you," he told The Reporter.  "This guy definitely couldn't handle it."

VH1 president Tom Calderone has stated that he'd like to take the network away from the myriad of ridiculous reality dating shows that it has become known for, and Flav thinks he could be the man to lead the change.

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

Eric Ortner -- who would executive produce the show with Ethan Goldman and Michael Hirschorn -- agrees that this is a good time for Flav to make his comeback


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

Flav won't be the first 1980s musician to return to school for reality cameras should the project move forward.  In 2005, NBC aired Tommy Lee Goes to College -- which followed former Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee as he enrolled at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and dealt with various collegiate situations.






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio