Fatman Scoop and wife Shanda Talk Sex.
By Aisha Johnson
Fatman Scoop and his wife Shanda don’t bullshit. Watching these two discuss sex and relationships is like sitting in the living room and talking to your friends: it’s real, and relatable. Scoop and Shanda give raw and uncut advice from the comfort of their own home to the public, and are causing quite a buzz on the web. What could possibly set them apart from other advice shows? Their candidness and lack of concern for what may be considered too racy. Look at their most recent episode titled, “How to Eat Out.” Scoop begins by declaring himself as the certified ‘Pussy-ologist’ and takes the audience on a visual tutorial through the powerful act of cunnilingus. Talk about uncut.
Their show doesn’t only deal with the racy side of sex. With experience as an HIV/AIDS awareness counselor and caseworker, Shanda makes it her duty to enforce safe sex, but in a way that appeals to the general public. “All people are getting are statistics and why you should be tested,” says Shanda. “To people that’s scary, that doesn’t make me want to go and get a test when I hear that there are so many women that have it. It’s just a way of addressing and opening up the subject matter, and it’s gotta be in a way that young people can relate.”
College students are tired of being lectured, and what Scoop and Shanda don’t do is preach. “First of all, all that preaching crap means nothing!” exclaims Scoop. “I’m not going to listen to someone who preaches to me. People who are preaching to me are just like me anyway so I can’t take what they’re saying.” The difference between Man and Wife and the high school nurse lecturing your freshman health class is the way they approach each subject. Shanda feels that young people need to be listened to, rather than drilled with repetitive information. They answer the questions, and let their knowledge and experience speak for itself. College students love to talk about sex, and furthermore have sex-it is only natural that these two make it the main focus of their show. “A lot of college [students] are coming into their sexuality at that age. Although a lot of [students] won’t admit it, a lot of [students] are just coming into that freedom about being a young woman or man and what that means,” shares Shanda.
Scoop’s in-your-face personality and Shanda’s sweet spirit ultimately balance one another out, while providing fresh and much needed entertainment. Scoop originally had a radio show in mind, however after sitting down one night and talking to Shanda he realized this was exactly the co-host he was looking for. So he decided to put a new spin on things and take it to the bedroom. Scoop explains that, “It was a situation where I was looking for someone to do a sex and relationship show on the radio with. I had gone through a lot of tapes, and I was trying to audition people. I wound up just talking to Shanda in bed one night and realizing that this was actually the person that made the most sense, because I already had chemistry with ‘em, and I didn’t have to pay ‘em!” From watching these two in their series it’s not hard to imagine them having a truly genuine and loving relationship. Though Shanda claims that Scoop gets himself in trouble with her every day, she couldn’t help but be drawn to his all over the place personality, and according to Scoop, “She was there when I was broke! I didn’t have no money! We were eating cucumbers and tomatoes for dinner!”
This couple’s days of struggle are starting to ease since the show is scheduled to air on MTV this summer. Don’t think that’ll change the content any, they’ve been fighting to make sure it’s done the way they want it, and the way it’s always been-raw and unabashed. What makes the show is how down to earth it is. Scoop and Shanda make sure to keep that realness intact, and according to Scoop, “I think it’s going to increase the viewers. People got keen eyes-they can see bullshit a mile away.”
Fat Man Scoop is currently holding a college competition with Eventful Inc. to win a “LIVE TAPING” of the hit show ManandWife.tv. To have Fat Man Scoop come to your school go to http://www.eventful.com/manandwife and demand it!!
