Yo Momma is an American reality television game show created and executive produced by Wilmer Valderrama which pits trash-talkers against each other in a battle for $1,000 cash and a chance to advance to the final tournament for the chance at another $1,000 in cash and some extra prizes.
The series premiered in the USA on MTV on 3 April, 2006. There are three seasons to date - Yo Momma: California, Yo Momma: New York and Yo Momma: Atlanta.
The first two seasons were hosted by Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Everhart and Sam Sarpong. Sarpong was replaced for the third season by Destiny Lightsy.
Yo Momma airs in South Africa on DStv's MTVbase channel.
Season 3 premiered on MTVbase on Thursday 14 August 2008, at 22h00. There are 21 half-hour episodes in the third season, as well as a special called Best of Atlanta.
Season 1 Synopsis
The series is based on "the dozens", an African American oral tradition in which two individuals trade insults, typically directed at an opponent, his/her mother, or another member of his/her family, until one is unable to offer a comeback.
In each episode, locals from various neighbourhoods in a large city compete to win $1,000 by winning several rounds.
The first phase is "freestyle", with Sam or Jason selecting two finalists from the five or six contestants, who go up against each other. Sam or Jason picks the neighbourhood winner, and they meet up at the other player's house with Wilmer to make the final round that day "real personal".
In the final round each day, there are three rounds. The first is strictly based on the traditional "Yo Momma" jokes, with the second round based on what the other saw at their opposition's residence, and is followed by the final one-joke round, a.k.a. the "knockout".
Wilmer, Sam and Jason then pick the best, agreeing by saying "Tu madre" (Spanish for "Yo Momma").
The daily winners then go on to trash-talk it out for the weekly winner and then come the best of the best, with contestants vying to be the best trash talker of the season.
Season 2 Synopsis
Yo Momma' is back, and this time around she's in New York City.
The no-holds-barred trash talking competition has never been fiercer as the competitors have the pride of their 'hood, their borough and all of Gotham on their back as they're runnin' the dozens to gut-busting glory.
The competition breaks down each weekday with freestyle verbal sparring on the streets of one of New York's storied boroughs - Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens - until the end of the week when host Wilmer Valderrama crowns one snapper as the best of his/her borough.
Joining Wilmer on the quest to find the best of the Big Apple are his lieutenants Sam and Jason - and of course, special celebrity guests including the likes of Fat Joe and Chamillionare, who stop in to check out the live action.
Season 3 Synopsis
In this run of Yo Momma, the trash-talking heads to the Dirty South for a no-holds barred comedy competition that pits the funniest amateur trash-talkers against one another.
In each episode of Yo Momma, Wilmer Valderrama searches different neighbourhoods in Atlanta to find the most original and skilled clowners.
After street-corner style comedy rumbles in each 'hood, Wilmer takes the local champion to his rival opponent's crib to gather comedy ammunition for the final battle.
Armed with personal information from the home invasion, the two finalists go head-to-head in the final trash-talking battle; each joking for respect, bragging rights, cash money, and an opportunity to move on in the tournament to represent the best trash talker of the week and eventually a chance to perhaps be crowned the "Best of Atlanta" in a special episode that features the only four remaining undefeated jokers in the city.
Format
Round One
Sam/Destiny and Jason comb the names of one area and take two groups of free-form trash-talkers through their paces.
Round Two
Two finalists from each group go head-to-head to determine who will represent in the last round.
The winners each go with Wilmer on a reconnaissance mission to the other's home to meet family, raid closets, peep old photos and load up on "ammunition" for a very personal finale.
Round Three
The finalists, posses in tow, face off in a round robin at a battleground in neutral territory. Wilmer officiates with Sam/Destiny and Jason on hand to help determine the winner.
At the end of the week, Yo Momma pits the daily winners off in a Best of the Best battle to claim the title of Best.
At the end of the tournament, the borough champions will face off to snap, crack, burn, rip and rank their way to the glory that can only come from being crowned.