Last night it wasn’t just ABC’s housewives who were desperate. (And they were indeed pretty desperate: having Teri Hatcher sleep with her gay neighbor, but then reassuring us there was no sex? Rather lame.) On the premiere of VH-1′s Confessions of a Teen Idol, we were supposed to think it was an act of grand tragedy when Adrien Zmed rued the day he “walked away from TJ Hooker” instead of this just being an ego-fed bad career move. Now Zmed performs on cruise ships. Boo-hoo. Failure can often be fascinating when it happens to someone else: VH-1 has built its entire programming schedule around this idea. And if Christopher Atkins–whose sole claim to fame is co-starring with Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon–really does break his back these days toting wheelbarrows full of cement mix for steady employment, well, who can blame him for wanting to spend some time back in front of cameras, and living in a cushy reality-show house?
The washed-up 80s stars in Confessions of a Teen Idol call each other “bro” and “dude” incessantly, and are all pretty tedious (most amusing: MTV leech Eric Nies and his raw-food proselytizing), but the only person who interests me isn’t one of the washed-up–it’s one of this series’ producers, Jason Hervey. Yes, Wayne on The Wonder Years. When Hervey and the other producers pulled a stunt on the ex-teen idols too boring to detail here, it was the stubby, defensive Hervey who marched out to justify the show and mollify the craggy housemates. Unlike the teen idols here, Hervey has managed to stay involved in show-biz–not, for the most part, as a performer but as a producer of this and other shows. In that role, he comes across as likably pugnacious; he seems like a tougher dude than the whiny bros on Confessions of a Teen Idol.
Happy Monday. Did you watch this thing? Will you watch it again?
I have nothing else to watch at 8pm on Sundays, so I’ll continue to watch this show. It wasn’t that bad. And David Chokachi is still HOT!
Who was the hazmat team that scrubbed that place down after the Real World: Hollywood crew left?
I watched it early on Sunday morning. I might watch it again, but I’m not going to make a plan to do it.
I’m usually not that into reality shows, but for some reason I found this one interesting even though I had never heard of or couldn’t remember most of the guys. I will probably watch it again.
Yes ma’am, David Chokachi is still hot as hell and he’s 40 dude!
The show was sad and interesting. I will continue to watch the show to see if any of them will be able to accept the fact that their time in the mind and ego deteriorating sun is over for them.
Chokachi might still be hot but he needs to get over himself in a big way. His comment about being humiliated on “world wide tv” was hysterical. I hate to tell him but he already accomplished that by starring in the twilight seasons of Baywatch. As for the show…with a hook line like “Fame is a b*tch and they all want her back” of COURSE I’ll continue to watch.
Didn’t see the show but from what article says this is the reason kids need to stay in school even if they are “kid celebrities”. Welcome to the real world. All the fame and money isn’t going to do them any good if they are too stupid to know how to do anything but ride the fame wave. Quit the whining and get your education because everything ends eventually.
I have to say, I am a guy, and I am really looking forward to the show. Do I feel “bad” for them, no, but can I simpathize, hell yeah. Doesn’t every guy in their 40s at some point dream of going back and reliving high school sports? They are just doing the same thing, on a much larger scale. I actually wish them all the luck and success in the world. I would rather watch them, then the messes MTV has created with all their crap programs.
I thought most of the guys looked pretty good for their age. I was entertained. I’llprobably keep watching.
Don’t know why I’m bothering to comment when clearly the ‘reviewer’ wasn’t even watching the actual show (“cushy reality show house”? ‘Dude’, they’re staying on a soundstage, made pretty clear in every shot of the exterior of the stage that showed after every commercial break!). I thought it was engaging (and a bit heartbreaking), but then, I’m the target audience and they had me as a loyal viewer from the first time I ever heard about the show. Some of us actually remember these guys and are interested in their careers. Unlike a certain reviewer.
pugnacious
I will watch again!
The house they are staying in was actually the MTV Real World Hollywood house.
Hey I really liked this show. I’ll definitely watch it again.
How can you forget Chris Atkins in The Pirate Movie with Kristy McNichol? Those songs are classic.
Chokachi is the moron on this show. What a prima donna! Poor baby got his feelings hurt.
I hate to admit, I too loved this show and really felt for these guys… they are in my demo so I know who they all are, but I think it was very interesting and I actually can’t wait to see what happens to them in the end… I honestly loved this show
I really enjoyed this show and would much rather watch this then another Rock of Love or Shot of Love or any of the other embarrassing shows on VH1 (don’t get me wrong I’ve watched those shows in seasons past when I thought they were actually looking for love, silly me). I really felt for these guys and am rooting for them. I’m also enjoying watching the bonds form between them. Can’t wait for next week!