Season 1
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 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.
Format
Round One
Sam 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 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.