Interview With Fonzworth Bentley

If you were to look up the word Gentleman in the dictionary, a picture of Fonzworth Bentley is sure to be present, for he is the incontrovertible authority on the subject. Bentley is a hip-hop artist, author, entertainer, fashion designer, and former personal assistant to Sean “Diddy” Combs; he can now add TV host to his resume.

On Tuesday July 15, MTV will premiere their new show, From G’s to Gents. Jamie Foxx acts as executive producer, along with Cris Abrego known for his shows, The Surreal Life, Flavor of Love, My Fair Brady, Gotti's Way and I Love New York. The purpose of the show is to take 14 young men and transform the one left standing (after a series of successfully completed tasks) into a gentleman. The challenges will be in various areas such as style, etiquette, chivalry, business and more. Bentley will serve as mentor, life-coach and confidante to the contestants.

MTV has never aired a show quite like this and it is certain to have a positive impact on viewers. Making cameo appearances in select challenges are music and business mogul Master P, food and wine expert Ted Allen, music producer Irv Gotti, designer Ozwald Boateng and platinum recording artists Danity Kane.


From G’s to Gents will not be a show to fly under the radar. This show will make a statement, a look at what many young men struggle with in America. Fonzworth Bentley discusses this and more with Katrina-Kasey Wheeler.

From G’s to Gents is a new show premiering on MTV, July 15. On the show, you serve as mentor, life-coach and confidante to the 14 young men who all believe that they have what it takes to shed their bad boy image and make life altering choices. What has it been like to work these young men?

It has been great. When I wrote my book on etiquette, Advance Your Swagger released in September of 2007, my goal was to reach at least 80 schools in two years. Currently, I am at about 65; I have been everywhere from Harvard to different boys clubs, HBCUs, and I have been targeting single-gender schools. So this is essentially what my work has been. To be able to do this, to be an arbiter of good taste and choose A-listers to help teach the lessons, challenge the men, and show it on television is going to be great. What is going to happen is there will be some young man watching the show that goes “He reminds me of myself,” or, “I had that same problem. “He has those addictions and he has been able to overcome them and so can I.” I see it as an opportunity. It is a window into America, to show exactly what is going on. It is easy to be a “G” and it takes a lot more effort to become a gentleman.

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Article Author: Katrina-Kasey Wheeler

Miss. Wheeler is a free lance journalist, model and aspiring actress. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from a private Jesuit University and is pursuing a Juris Doctorate, focusing on Entertainment Law.

Visit Katrina-Kasey Wheeler's author pageKatrina-Kasey Wheeler's Blog

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  • 1 - Focus

    Jul 06, 2008 at 12:43 am

    Bentley is the truth! This is the future of next generation entertainers!

  • 2 - mrs.kesan

    Jul 27, 2008 at 9:19 pm

    kesan is so sexy 4get all the hataz that don't want him in the house the just hatin b'cuze he's the sh**

  • 3 - Noel Carr

    Sep 04, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    I think your style and personal appearance is great and that show g's to gent is off the chain in other in enjoy it and is is starting to make sense.

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