Mon., Jun. 6, 2005, 10:00pm PT

Cinderella shows

By JOSEF ADALIAN
Emmy voters looking to shake up the reality races certainly have plenty of choices.

There are more than 20 never-nommed skeins eligible for the reality competition category this year. In the noncompetitive category, the potential for surprise is even greater: “Project Greenlight” is the only show with multiple noms back in the hunt.

Here’s a look at four shows that stood out from the pack this year, even as they flew under the buzz radar:

THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT (UPN)

Hardly anyone noticed this street-smart search for a superstar, and it’s no wonder: Most of its episodes aired around the same time “American Idol” began its fourth season.

Those who did tune in, however, saw a show that took the “Idol” concept, flipped it and reversed it (as host Elliott might put it). While “Idol” takes its sweet time, “Missy” took multitalented diamonds in the rough and immediately put them to work on Elliott’s tour bus. Taking the contenders into the real world produced true drama while presenting a much more raw and realistic depiction of the path to fame. While she didn’t have a memorable catchphrase like “You’re fired,” Elliott was as compelling as Donald Trump as the final arbiter of each round.

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Jessica Betts, a 24-year-old writer from Chicago, was crowned the winner in the live television finale of UPN’s dramality series THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT. The three remaining performers had an emotional final meeting with the judges and professional makeover before leaping on stage to perform before a live studio audience. While all three vocalists gave impressive performances during the show, Missy had to choose one winner, and Jessica took the title.

In Wednesday night’s finale, Jessica, Matthew Buckner and Deltrice Thorner individually met with the judges to review their experiences on the road, discuss their status as one of the final three performers and explore what they might do with their celebrity status if picked to be the winner. Then, each challenger faced the spotlight and sang for the judges, possibly the last time.

Finally, the finalists hit the stage before a live television audience to perform a remixed version of the series theme song “Get on The Bus” with their 10 previously eliminated challengers. After host Vanessa Minnillo (”TRL”) introduced the judges and caught up briefly with some of the former participants, Missy selected Matthew, who presented his original song “Girls in the Club.” Then, Vanessa explained that either Jessica or Deltrice would perform while the other would be eliminated. Feeling generous, Missy decided that both women should sing their songs. Deltrice sang her song “Six in the Morning,” playing up to the judges. Then, Jessica belted out a heartfelt rendition of “Why Me?”

In the end, as the trio held hands, the spotlight fell on Jessica, announcing to the world that she was Missy’s choice as winner.

As the winner of THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT, Jessica has been awarded a record contract with Missy’s label, a released single and $100,000.

Tune in tonight to UPN, where Madonna will be making an appearance on the show! In the episode, the final five performers take a private jet to Los Angeles, where they move into a mansion and later are surprised when Madonna drops by for a visit. The diva takes time from her busy concert tour schedule to meet with them and share some valuable advice on the music business.

Our favorite snarky website is recapping “The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliot.” Head on over to check it (and all their hysterical show recaps) out at: www.televisionwithoutpity.com.

Get On the Bus, Gus!
By Potes | Season 1 | Episode 1 | Aired on 2005.01.05

Missy Elliott! She’s one of the hottest-selling female artists of all time! She’s also an established record producer; a five-time Grammy award winner; star of many cool and trippy videos featuring large quill pens, giant puffy suits, and cornfields; and lollipop enthusiast. And now, inspired, we might assume, by the multiple threat that is Tyra Banks, Missy is star and producer of her own reality show, which is a search for “America’s next music sensation.” And what with Fantasia Barrino burning up the airwaves, I’m not sure if America might be sensationed-out by now. But Missy is looking for “an all-around artist who can not only perform, but write original songs as well.” Something tells me that this bodes well for lyrics featuring the words “baby” and “boo.” Out of thousands who auditioned, only thirteen performers were chosen to go on tour with and “be mentored” by Missy. The winner will receive a recording contract with Missy’s label, Gold Mine Inc., a released single, and $100,000. Not too shabby. A cute Missy, wearing an Adidas hat and sitting on a stool, tells us, “But you gotta be hot. ‘Cause if you ain’t hot, then it’s not goin’ down. Heh heh.” Oh, Missy. Why did you have to win my love forty-five seconds into the show?!? It makes it so hard to retain my objectivity.

Missy says that some of the contestants had talent. At this, we see the supremely untalented-seeming Matthew singing a song about dancing to his song, and Brooklyn rapper Frank B., who comes out with the kind of amazing lyric “If you ain’t in charge, I’d like to speak to your boss/ I’m like a dentist, you should watch me, I can teach you to floss.” That must be from the song “Once Daily,” which appears on the album, Spit Into My Sink, Yo (Good Hygiene Ain’t for Suckas), which he released under the pseudonym of “Oral B.” Missy then says that some of the contestants just gave her a headache, and should have stayed home. We see a rather husky girl whose size 3xx shirt says, “Ain’t no shame in my game,” rap about her love of Fruity Pebbles. Whatever, Missy. Fruity Pebbles are totally delicious and arguably superior to Pebbles of the Cocoa variety. Let the girl sing. There is also a guy who wears a necktie and does some song about chickens. Missy just shakes her head.

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THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT premieres tonight at 8 pm ET/PT on UPN.

Tune in to meet our 13 Contestants, and watch Host Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott and Judges Mona Scott, Teena Marie and Dallas Austin transform a pack of wanna-be singers and rappers into multitalented entertainers while they face weekly elimination challenges.

As the group meets music industry bigwigs ‑- like Jermaine Dupri and Missy’s pal Madonna (remember they did that Gap commercial together?) ‑- they’re under 24-hour surveillance, including their time spent in their new “home”: a crappy tour bus. The lucky winner receives a record contract with Missy’s label, $100,000 in prize money and, hopefully, fame.

Jan. 05, 2005

The Road to Stardom With Missy Elliott
By Erik Pedersen

Bottom line: “The Road to Stardom With Missy Elliott” has a solid chance to click with the network’s youthful demo.

8 p.m., Wed., Jan. 4
UPN

This 10-part UPN series doesn’t advance the “dramality” genre, but it doesn’t further besmirch it, either. More serious-minded than “American Idol” and “Popstars,” “The Road to Stardom With Missy Elliott” has a solid chance to click with the network’s youthful demo.

Thirteen aspiring rappers and singers are picked from a nationwide audition to go on tour with R&B star Missy Elliott. Ranging in age from 19 to a downright fatherly 29, the contestants endure an elimination process that will ultimately score one of them $100,000 and a deal for a single released by Elliott’s label.

The aspirants are a reasonably likable bunch in the premiere — though scenes from Episode 2 tease the growing conflicts among them. There’s lots of camaraderie to go with the underlying competitiveness and stated sexual tension. While it’s fairly easy to separate the have-its from the have-it-nots, their determination and heart are the keys. Rappers are judged for their look and originality as much as their delivery, and the singers — too often confusing soul with adding four or five syllables to each sung word — must show poise and personality.

The straight-shooting but hardly acerbic judges — manager Mona Scott, producer Dallas Austin and singer Teena Marie — offer genuine critiques rather than simply dressing down the performers for viewer amusement. That’s a major plus. Each week, they’ll nominate two candidates to lose their tour laminates; the lollipop-sucking Elliott then sends one of them home — and seems to enjoy doing so.

Add a villainous road manager and a truly crappy tour bus — “I’ve never experienced a smell like that in my life,” one contestant says — and there’s potential for a more realistic portrayal of the dues-paying struggle for fame than such shows usually offer. That alone makes “The Road to Stardom,” from Shapiro/Grodner Prods. in association with Monami Prods., worth the ride.

Tue., Jan. 4, 2005, 3:31pm PT

The Road to Stardom With Missy Elliott
(Series; UPN, Wed. Jan. 5, 8 p.m.)
By PHIL GALLO

Missy Elliott is judge, jury and co-exec producer in UPN reality talent mash-up “The Road to Stardom With Missy Elliott.'’

Filmed in Los Angeles by Shapiro/Grodner and Monami. Executive producers, Allison Grodner, Arnold Shapiro, Jay Blumenfield, Tony Marsh, Mona Scott; co-executive producer, Missy Elliott, Rick Ringbakk; supervising producers, Brianna Bruderlin, Jym Buss, Susan Hoenig; producers, Jeff Anderson Munkres, Trevor Baierl, Erin Comerford, Pam Griffiths, Brielle Lebsack-Cohen, Erin Paullus, Jessica Horowitz.

Judges: Missy Elliott, Mona Scott, Dallas Austin, Teena Marie.

A hot musical catchphrase of the past year, “mash-up” — the combining of two, seemingly disparate albums or singles to create a new work — has found its first TV example in Missy Elliott’s talent competition “The Road to Stardom.” The rapper has created a mash-up of “American Idol” and “America’s Next Top Model,” assembling 13 wannabe singers and rappers, taking them on the road and giving them musical tasks that a trio of experts judge.

Considering that both formats feel a bit worn, success of “Road” may well be determined more by contestants’ personalities and their conflicts than by any particular talent they demonstrate. This gang of 13 is a rough bunch, and not one of them particularly shines in the opening seg. To the creators’ credit, though, the interest here is in developing multifaceted performers and not just big-voiced karaoke champs capable of mimicking contempo radio hits. (As on “Idol,” expect an abundance of melisma singing).

Novel hook is that the group is traveling on a ragtag bus trailing Elliott’s tour. They’ll be asked to perform in different situations in various cities, hoping to win a recording contract and cash. Elliott’s manager, Mona Scott, heads the jury, with producer Dallas Austin and R&B singer Teena Marie; they are all honest and low-key. In the first competish, they smartly focus on the performers’ believability and, not surprisingly, the least credible is the first to go.

A disaffected Elliott takes the judges’ recommendations and then makes the cut. She’s a taskmaster who doesn’t suffer fools, which also means she doesn’t possess the warmth of “Top Model” host Tyra Banks. Elliott is here to find a winner, not offer emotional support. Wisely, voiceover is kept to a minimum.

With a steady hip-hop beat and some extraordinarily well-lit scenes, “Road to Stardom” has a sharp look. It will be interesting to see if that continues as the contestants start getting into the usual reality-show hijinks.

Camera, Peter Ney; editor, Jason Stewart; lighting, Joshua Stern, Dave Stewart; casting, Michelle Mock. 60 MIN.

UPN has officially announced the identities of our thirteen finalists that will be competing on the new reality series (premiering Wednesday, January 5 at 8PM ET/PT), so we can too!

Please meet our finanlists, selected from thousands of auditions across America, a diverse group of singers and rappers, ranging in age from 19-29:

• Akil, a 23-year-old teacher from Jersey City, New Jersey
• Cori, a 21-year-old recent college graduate from Orlando, Florida
• Deltrice, a 23-year-old clothing designer from San Francisco, California
• Eddie, a 25-year-old construction worker from New Orleans, Louisiana
• Frank B., a 21-year-old construction worker from Brooklyn, New York
• Heather, a 22-year-old student from Boston, Massachusetts
• Jessica, a 23-year-old writer from Chicago, Illinois

• Marcus, a 24-year-old security guard from Houston, Texas
• Matthew, a 25-year-old theme park entertainer from Orlando, Florida
• Melissa, a 19-year-old student from Plymouth, Minnesota
• Nic, a 29-year-old disc jockey from Aliso Viejo, California
• Nilyne, a 23-year-old make-up artist and student from Plainfield, New Jersey
• Yelawolf, a 24-year-old mural painting contract artist from Rainbow City, Alabama

The Road To Stardom With Missy Elliott is executive produced by Arnold Shapiro (Big Brother), Allison Grodner (Big Brother), Mona Scott, Jay Blumenfield and Anthony Marsh. Missy Elliott is co-executive producer. Mona Scott and Jessica Horowitz are creators. The Road To Stardom With Missy Elliott is a production of Shapiro/Grodner Productions in association with Monami, Inc.

Tue., Mar. 2, 2004, 10:00pm PT

Rap gets a UPN reality check

Elliott seeks all-around performer in skein

By JOSEF ADALIAN

A Missy Elliott-led search for a rap superstar is under construction at UPN. Skein will allow aspiring hip-hop entertainers the chance to compete for stardom while traveling on the road with Elliott during a portion of her upcoming U.S. tour. Shapiro/Grodner Prods. (”Big Brother”) is on board to produce the untitled project in association with Monami/Violator Prods.

“It’s ‘Survivor’ meets ‘American Idol’ meets a little bit of ‘Top Model’ meets ‘The Apprentice,’ ” exec producer Allison Grodner said of the untitled project, which begins casting Sunday in Los Angeles.

Arnold Shapiro, Grodner, Mona Scott, Jay Blumenfield and Anthony Marsh are exec producing the skein. Elliott will get a co-exec producer credit.

“The show’s about finding an all-around entertainer who can sing, dance, rap and give attitude,” Grodner said, crediting Scott and Jessica Horowitz with creating the concept for the show.

Scott, who’s also Elliott’s manager, said part of the show will explore “what superstars go through to get where they are.”

“We’re going to have contestants live that life and make sure they have what it takes to withstand the lifestyle,” she added. “It’s a lot of talent search, with competitive elements thrown in for good measure.”

Contestants will follow Elliott’s tour bus as it makes its way from Carnegie Hall to Los Angeles.

“They’ll be in a much less glamorous bus,” Grodner said. “They’ll have to figure out how to crew a concert, how to get into a VIP lounge, how to do all the things associated (with stardom),” Grodner said.

UPN has already found success partnering with celebs, both on the scripted and unscripted front. Most recent example has been “America’s Next Top Model,” from exec producers Tyra Banks and Ken Mok.

Untitled Elliott project will likely be in production for three weeks in May, with a debut date yet to be determined.

Shapiro and Grodner are working on the UPN skein at the same time they ready “Blow Out” (with Ben Silverman) for a summer bow on Bravo and “Big Brother 5,” which returns to CBS in June or July.

Duo have worked with Blumenfield and Marsh (a k a The Jay and Tony Show) before, most recently on Showtime’s “Family Business.”

Elliott is a five-time Grammy winner, most recently winning for the 2004 statuette for best female rap solo perf. She’s about to hit the road with Beyonce and Alicia Keys, though that tour will not be part of the UPN project.

Keep a look out — we’re in production on the show which will air at the start of next year on UPN.