Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Tommy Lee Goes to College: A Celebrity-based Reality TV Perfect Storm

The celebrity-based reality show hybrid vehicle just keeps on purring.

You can see the pitch meetings over there at NBC.

“How about Ed McMahon playing practical jokes on people, fool 'em into thinking they won the Publisher’s Clearinghouse sweepstakes thing?”

“Nah, old hat…”

“Liability alone…”

“Wait, I got it.”

“Oh, now he’s got it. Go ahead.”

“Tommy Lee goes to college in Nebraska.”

“Yes. You’ve got it. Make it happen.”

On August 18th, the world will get an inside (intimate?) look at Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee attending undergraduate classes at The University of Nebraska, going to parties (we assume), getting assistance (all professional, we assume) from “hot” tutor Natalie, and chilling out with roommate Matt.

Apparently, the university isn't concerned about any potential reality-based blowback caused by the program:

UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman has already seen a couple episodes featuring the Motley Crue drummer in a variety of fish-out-of-water situations, and they made him laugh.

"I thought the university came through very well," Perlman said. "I think the comedy is a joke on Tommy and not a joke on the university."

If promotional clips are any indication, the university will be in the middle of the action.

They include shots of Lee playing drums with the Huskers marching band during halftime of last year's Baylor game at Memorial Stadium. There are also scenes of him struggling in class and being assisted by tutor Natalie Riedmann, who's beginning medical school at the University of Nebraska come fall. (Lee, however, was not enrolled and did not receive actual credit for any classes.)


Will this be the true and pure train wreck that we can only hope for in our wildest and most vile dreams, or will it be a poignant portrayal of second chances, renewal, and profound personal growth?

I’m betting the former.

Let’s make it happen, people.

3 comments:

Staff said...

Now THAT would be Must See TV.

Anonymous said...

Since its football team has entered the dumpster, the U of Nebraska apparently has entered a panicky state in which it's grasping at anything to regain its place in the public eye. I hope the rosy-cheeked farmboys and farmgirls of that flat state don't view Tommy Lee as some sort of role model for their own matriculations.

Staff said...

It's kind of scary that a university's reputation might hinge on the football team's fate.

And even scarier that someone like Tommy Lee would be sought to help it climb back to prominence!