Reality TV rules — and draws ratings — at VH1

< Prev | 1 | 2

Television video

Kate Sackhoff: ‘When Do I Get To Kiss Freddie Prinze Jr.?’
Nov. 25: Sackhoff chats with AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman about her character on the new season of “24.” And, will she ever get to kiss co-star Freddie Prinze Jr.?

Julie Bowen: A new ‘Modern’ Woman

Donny crowned ‘Dancing’ champion

‘Loser’ winner: Show was ‘such a blessing’

No ‘favorite things’? Say it isn’t so-prah!

A haven for has-beens
Their initial idea was to create a “real-life sitcom” with former TV stars, a way to revive the faltering comedy genre. What they came up with was “The Surreal Life,” which debuted in 2003 on the now-defunct WB network and threw together the faded famous as roommates, including Corey Feldman and M.C. Hammer.

Where unemployed celebrities once angled for cameos on “The Love Boat” or “Fantasy Island,” said Cronin, now they had reality as their outlet.

Flavor Flav starred in a subsequent season of “The Surreal Life,” on which he “exploded as a character,” as did his affair with Brigitte Nielsen, Cronin said. The Flav-Nielsen relationship begat “Strange Love” which begat “Flavor of Love” which begat “I Love New York.”

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

Abrego and Cronin are willing to stack their shows up against any other, including the elements that detractors condemn as coarse or tacky.

“I think our reality shows are more real than a lot of the reality shows,” Cronin said. “In the case of ‘The Bachelor,’ they present a very gauzy halo of romance, the prince and the princess, which doesn’t seem very modern or connected to the real world.”

Slideshow
Celebrity sightings
Adam Lambert talks about AMAs fallout, Richie Sambora finds his way in New Jersey, Spike Lee follows his Knicks to L.A. and more.
more photos
VH1 responds to criticism
VH1 listened to the complaints that swelled last year, Hirschorn said, responding with such shows as “Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School,” in which Mo’Nique helped refine the losers, and an upcoming show about Salt-N-Pepa (not from Cronin and Abrego) about the rappers’ values clash.

“We’ve taken that criticism and responded to it. We’re also really trying to present all types of people on our air,” Hirschorn said.

Some observers appear unconvinced, with recent online postings dissecting every VH1 move and motive, especially regarding the channel’s images of black women.

Click for related content

Desperate celebs find home on reality TV

Abrego and Cronin say they are starting to use their success to turn out more thoughtful projects, citing the Gotti series, debuting Oct. 15, which they describe as an “epic” look at the Murder Inc. record label head’s effort to rebound after being acquitted on money laundering charges.

That said, they’re not in the business of social commentary. “Flavor of Love” returns for season three next year.

“We don’t produce our shows in a large context. We produce shows to be entertaining, moment to moment and episode to episode. We produce them for great characters and great storytelling,” Cronin said.

< Prev | 1 | 2