Strange Love
★ 4.8 · 2005 · 60m · Reality
Strange Love is a reality series featuring Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav that aired on VH1. Sparked by their on-screen romance in the third season of VH1's The Surreal Life, it is a spin-off that focused solely on Brigitte and Flav. The series premièred on January 9, 2005 and ended its run on April 24, 2005. Due to mutual jealousy, the couple was constantly fighting and yelling, and they went their separate ways in the end, with Nielsen choosing instead to live with her Italian boyfriend, Mattia Dessi. Flavor Flav would go on to have his own reality show, Flavor of Love, where he continued to search for love.
Episodes
▶1. The Flavor of LoveFlav goes to Italy and coaxes a reluctant Brigitte away from her fiancé, Mattia, to go spend some time in a Villa with him. At first, things aren't as easy as Flav thought they'd be, but by the end of the first night, he is sure that he will have his girl back in no time.▶2. The Smack Is BackFlav and Brigitte receive an invite to a Gala at lake Cuomo. Flav bends over backwards to become ""proper"" for the occasion, but he's only willing to go so far (he reluctantly takes an etiquette lesson and he buys a tailored suit, but a pimp suit). Mattia falls out of favor with Brig when he sends her clothes in a paper bag. Flav encourages the end of their relationship. Brigitte admits that when Mattia is bad, he has to sleep in the closet. Flavor says that he would never be like Mattia. They go clubbing, Flav raps. Brigitte kisses another guy AND another girl. Flav kisses another girl. Brigitte slaps him and he slaps her right back. Brigitte realizes she's with a real man ... and likes it.▶3. Balls Well That Ends WellThey travel to Lake Como with Brigitte's manager, Luigi, and his wife. They have an awkward lunch, and a clumsy ballroom dance lesson. Flav's pimp suit is finally revealed as they go to the Gala. Immediately Flav and Brigitte are not accepted by the horrified snobs. Brigitte realizes her friends are a bunch of pretentious jerks. She apologizes to Flav for the way he was judged. They make love for the first time since their reunion.▶4. The Wine, The Romance and The TruthThe lovebirds wake up in Como. Brigitte is feeling guilty about her trist last night. Flav feels her unease and coaxes her to take a bubble bath. Flav tries to be romantic, but blows it when he kicks over a glass of wine then goes ballistic on the chambermaid when she tries to clean up after him. They tour a vineyard and stomp grapes, and take a ferry to Bellagio where they go to dinner. They have a long conversation in which they open their hearts. Brigitte agrees to go to New York because she needs to see if she and Flav really still have something.▶5. Flavor's Fried ChickenIt's the final push for New York. After cooking a ""bonding dinner"" for her kids, Flav lets Brigitte go home to face her fiancé‚ and stresses that she might not come back. She surprises him and us by showing up with her bags packed. The couple departs for the Big Apple.▶6. Public Enemy Number 1In preparation for his upcoming Public Enemy show, Flav takes Brigitte shopping to ""pimp out"" his girl. Now in NYC, Brigitte finds that Flav's attentions are scattered and they have a fight about him making phone calls during lunch. That night, they go to the Russell Simons PE show. Brigitte makes a fool of herself and Flav destroys his dressing room. They fight and sleep apart. NY might not be all Brigitte thought it would be.▶7. Bronx CheersFlav takes Brigitte to the Bronx and she's warmly accepted by Beverly Johnson (his ex) and her family. They get her fitted for gold teeth and an adoring mob forms outside the jewelry/teeth store. They have dinner with Luigi and talk about their relationship, and Brigitte still has concerns. Flav straightens things out with Public Enemy and takes Brigitte to the next Public Enemy concert that night, giving her silver teeth as a token of his love. She comes onstage and flashes the crowd a silver smile. The fans go wild.▶8. The Family That Flav's Together Stays TogetherFlav takes Brigitte to church in his hometown of Freeport. They are enjoying the service until Flav's daughters show up (wearing deadbeat dad t-shirts). A big ugly fight on the church steps ensues. Back at Flav's mama's they have a family barbecue. Brigitte meets the family and is overwhelmed. Flav's angry daughters and their mother glare from across the street. Brigitte meets Flav's baby mama and gives her their phone numbers. Flav freaks out. Brigitte is at a loss how to deal with Flav and his baggage. Back at the hotel, Flav tells her they need to get out of New York. He has too much baggage here. He asks her to go to Vegas and she agrees.▶9. Flav Can't LoseVegas. Brig & Flav arrive at the Hard Rock and discover a suite full of gifts. They go gambling and to a strip club, but they bicker over each other flirting with other people. Brigitte gives a guy chips. Flavor gets a lap dance. The next morning, they have breakfast in the room and then a couple's massage. They have a conversation about their relationship where Flav tells her that Mattia is only after her for her money. At dinner, Flav tells Brigitte to move to Vegas. He wants to have a child with her. They go gambling; Flav snaps at Brigitte (he doesn't like to be touched while gambling) and she goes to bed alone. He stays up and loses all his money.▶10. You May Now Flav the BrideBrigitte receives her ticket home. She's leaving tomorrow. Her impending departure brings out the desperate side of Flav. He tells Brigitte that if she moves to America he will help her raise her kids. He tells her not to marry Mattias. If she has to go home, he wants her to at least stay single so they have a chance together. It's hard to tell where Brigitte's heart lies. She loves her Flav, but this whole experience has left her emotionally exhausted. She's confused about what to do ... and that's BEFORE they get to the wedding chapel.▶11. Reunion SpecialThis special episode of Strange Love reunites Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen for a weekend press tour in New York City. Since their last meeting, in Los Angeles at the VH1 Big In '04 awards, Brigitte and Flav have not been on speaking terms. The first night in New York, their relationship devolves into a bitter argument that leaves Brigitte alone in the hotel suite and Flav storming off into the night. The next day they have to do a radio tour and several TV appearances together. They are also given the opportunity to watch the first cut of the final episode of Strange Love. Will seeing their old romance on the big screen bring back old feelings for the two lovers or is their love truly too strange to last?