In one of the more surprising ventures to come out of television entertainment this summer, Fox recently announced the green lighting of a pilot based on the real life experience of Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo's time away from the rock universe as a Harvard Student.
The show's story will most likely be of the rom-com nature and neglect much of what made up Cuomo's actual time away from rock stardom (which included 2 years of celibacy, boarding up his windows, and doing 6+ hours of yoga a day). Producers have given some teasers of the plot saying it would focus on a rockstar going off to college in a fit of "quarter-life crisis", and feature his interactions with the non-famous and meet his future wife (which Cuomo actually did do).
This whole idea of tapping Celebrities' life-stories for television entertainment has made me wonder: what other celebrities are ripe for fictionalization? So, without further ado, I submit the following pilots for consideration.
Jason Lee
What's it Called: Reels and Rails
Genre: Sit-com
Network: ABC
Why:
Jason Lee first made a name for himself as a competitive skateboarder out of California. He founded the skate company Stereo with friend Chris "Dune" Pastras and was one of the first two skateboarders to receive a signature shoe from Airwalk (the other being Tony Hawk). Lee got his break appearing in the films of another friend, Kevin Smith, along with Ben Affleck and has since been known much more for his screen appearances than his skate work. Reels and Rails is a tale of a rebellious skateboarder who becomes a movie star when his incredible acting chops are discovered in some small indie films he made with a buddy. Our hero's character and friendships are tested by his sudden and sometimes tumultuous rise to fame. Jason has already gotten a early start with this as the inspiration behind a character in the Scott Pilgrim universe.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
What's it Called: The Builder
Genre: Drama
Network: Showtime
Why:
In many ways, Arnold's life story is the American Dream. There is a whole stable of potential choices for the "actor turned politician" route (another appearing on this list) but Arnold's ascent is so much more complex. He's not just an actor turned politician, he's a foreign body building champ turned action movie star turned politician. Content of the show can focus on some of the darker aspects of Arnold's life and the hero can be a charismatic and mysterious foreigner with a single-minded obsession to conquer all things. Also, there'll be a lot of sex.
Mase (The Rapper)
What's it Called: Drop the Mic
Genre: Drama
Network: Oprah Winfrey Network
Why:
Few stories are less remembered and more bizarre. Maybe it had something to do with Mase's rapping skills but in any case, this man walked away from the rap game at the peak of his fame to become a minister. Our hero has a profound religious experience and recommits himself to his faith but struggles to leave his past life behind. Are we sure this show doesn't already exist?
Henry Rollins
What's it Called: Parental Advisory
Genre: Drama
Network: FX
Why:
I should start out by saying I find Rollins' life to be fascinating. He has experienced a lot of amazing things and he is great at sharing these experiences. The part of his life the show would be based on was how he got his start: as a teenage fan of Black Flag that would go on to become that same band's frontman. This was the premise of a terrible movie Rockstar from about a decade ago but with the proper guidance this could be a gritty, fun show exploring not only the life of a civilian turned rockstar but the underground rock scene of the 80s.
Al Franken
What's it Called: Headlining the Hill
Genre: Faux Docu-Comedy
Network: NBC
Why:
I mean, c'mon. How easy is this one? This was already done as a movie with Robin Williams called Man of the Year. Just imagine if Stephen Colbert was suddenly a congressman? The hijinx that would ensue! Our hero would be a quirky and quick-witted comedian who finds himself running for and winning a seat in congress. The format would be similar to Parks and Rec and The Office.
Kim Kardashian
What's it Called: Why am I Famous?
Genre: Sit-com
Network: HBO
Why:
Bare with me. A highly fictionalized account on Mrs. Yeezy's life draws its inspiration from the point at which she gained her fame and runs with it. A female comic and aspiring actress is suddenly thrown in the spotlight when she makes a drunken sex tape with a sleezy wannabe famous rapper type (think Kevin Federline) that is stepping out on his shallow famous wife. She struggles to find a balance between keeping her dignity and cashing in on her new found fame. Sleeper hit here, folks.
K.H. MacLean | 
