Web Video / Got 2B Real

Title card for Season 1 of the show featuring some of the lead characters

Got 2B Real: The Diva Variety Show, more simply known as Got 2B Real, is a YouTube web series created by Andrea Lee under the pseudonym "Patti LaHelle." It is a parody series focused on a group of popular singers interacting with each other, throwing shade, and rehashing old feuds. The series ran from July 29, 2011 to December 13, 2015.

Patti LaBelle (voiced by LaHelle) stars as the lead character of the series. Aretha Franklin (also voiced by LaHelle) serves as LaBelle's main antagonist. Other artists featured in the series: Beyoncé, Dionne Warwick, Rihanna, Diana Ross, Toni Braxton, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston and many more.

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Episodes

Prequel

1. "Lifetime Achievement Award, Pt. 1 (Got 2B Real Prequel)" (published June 14, 2011)
2. "Lifetime Achievement Award, Pt. 2 (Got 2B Real Prequel)" (published June 28, 2011)

Season 1

1. "Guess Who's Coming To (Patti's) Dinner" (published July 29, 2011)
2. "Arrest My Case" (published August 24, 2011)
3. "Happy Baby to You" (published September 2, 2011)
4. "The Final Round" (published October 3, 2011)
5. "Reunion Special" (published October 23, 2011)

Season 2

1. "Drawing The Line" (published January 1, 2012)
2. "The Uninvited" (published January 22, 2012)
3. "Rights, Wrongs, and Receipts" (published February 24, 2012)
4. "Don't Call It a Throwback" (published March 29, 2012)
5. "Crispy Business, Pt. 1" (published May 7, 2012)
6. "Crispy Business, Pt. 2: Long Time, No Seat" (published June 25, 2012)
7. "The Finale, Pt. 1" (published December 25, 2012)
8. "The Finale, Pt. 2: The Goodbye" (published May 9, 2013)

Post-Finale Specials

1. "Oprah's Next Chapter: Life After the Cast of Got 2B Real" (published December 6, 2013)
2. "Iyanla, Fix Their Life" (published October 5, 2014)
3. "Got 2B Trill: The Untold Story" (published December 13, 2015)

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Got 2B Real contains the following tropes:

• The Cameo: Several public figures make cameo appearances throughout the series:
  • Tyra Banks comes in to scold the divas for their appearances (or lack of) at the BET Awards as Patti received her award^note Referencing her yelling at America's Next Top Model Cycle 4 contestant Tiffany Richardson ("Lifetime Achievement Award, Pt. 2").
  • Tina Knowles Lawson: Beyoncé's mother who comes to stir the pot every now and then.
  • Miss Lawrence and Mama Joyce from The Real Housewives of Atlanta appear as onlookers to the fight between Janet and Brandy ("The Uninvited")
  • Cissy Houston: mother of Whitney, aunt of Dionne, and contemporary and background singer to Aretha.
  • Brandy: Who gets dragged (metaphorically and literally) by Janet. ("The Uninvited")
  • Ray J: Appears with his sister, Brandy, to take a selfie with Patti.
  • Joseline Hernadez and Stevie J: A bitter Joseline can be seen snarking about the cast after being denied entry. Stevie sticks beside her stroking her ego ("Iyanla, Fix Their Life").
• Disproportionate Retribution: Iyanla lays solely into Beyoncé her making snarky remarks at her despite other ladies on the cast doing so as well.
  Iyanla: "Every woman is your sister."
  Patti: "Says who? I had three sisters. They're not here anymore. Just me."
  Mariah: "I'm an only child."
  Beyoncé: "Solange was adopted."
  Iyanla (to Beyoncé): "Excuse me! Every song you claim to write is adopted!"
• Enemy Mine: The ladies stop the in-fighting for a moment to gather Iggy Azealea.
• Feuding Families: Downplayed. In the first episode of Season 2, the divas are separated into two teams: Team Class, led by Patti; and Team Sass, led by Aretha.
• In Memoriam: "Rights, Wrongs, and Receipts" was published on February 24, 2012—thirteen days after the death of Whitney Houston in real life. The end of the episode features a parting message from her character to the audience.

  • This is done once again in "Got 2B Trill" which was uploaded five months after the death of Whitney's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was a fan of the show.

• Real Life Writes the Plot: Many of the personalities and interactions on the show are shaped by interviews of the singers in real life and known history between them. Their traits are exaggerated for the entertainment value of the show.
  • Played extremely straight in "Rights, Wrongs, and Receipts" following the passing of Whitney Houston. Aretha was scheduled to perform at Whitney's funeral and was listed on the program, but she did not show up. Her absence is questioned and mocked by the ladies on the show.
• Title Theme Tune: The series' theme song is "Got to be Real" performed by Patti and Mariah.^note Originally by Cheryl Lynn