Worst. Concept. Ever.

<i>CBS Hopes Hicks Click in 'Hillbillies' Reality TV
Wed Aug 28, 3:38 AM ET
By Josef Adalian

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - CBS is resurrecting "The Beverly Hillbillies" as a reality series.

The network will soon begin casting for a weekly half-hour series that will follow the adventures of a rural, lower-middle class family -- yes, there will be a granny -- as they are transplanted from their humble digs to a Beverly Hills mansion. The project is tentatively titled "Real Beverly Hillbillies."

During their one-year stay in California, they'll be afforded a wide variety of luxuries they'd normally be unable to afford, from maid service to personal assistants. They'll also have a chance to earn a substantial income each week, either via a stipend or through some other means.

Cameras will watch their every move as the rural clan attempts to fit in with folks who eat at the Grill rather than use a grill, or who shop at Harry Winston instead of Wal-Mart. And while the series will focus on a group of five or six, it's expected their extended family will also stop by for a visit sometime during their stay in the mansion.

CBS vice president of alternative programming Ghen Maynard said the series will have a humorous tone, though with a respect for the family and some elements of drama.

"It's a great fish-out-of-water story," he told Daily Variety. "A lot of it will be funny, but a lot of it will be real. We want to fnd a family that's different from what most people know but still relatable, a family that loves each other a lot."

The concept was pitched by producers Gary Auerbach and James Jones and veteran documentarian Dub Cornett, and CBS bought it almost immediately.

"It's rare that you hear an idea and in the first 30 seconds, you instantly get it," Maynard said. It helped that CBS still owns the right to the "Beverly Hillbillies" title.

Maynard said that while there will be "some structure" to the show, most plots will come naturally -- a la MTV's "The Osbournes" or E!'s "The Anna Nicole Show."

"Imagine the episode where they have to interview maids," he said.

Maynard said the show is not designed to mock the rural family, unlike scripted entertainment that often takes a dim view of hick culture.

"The intent is to be respective but at the same time enjoy the humor that comes from the fish-out-of-water scenario of the show," he said. "We want a family who has a sense of humor about themselves."

Maynard expects to have several episodes of "Hillbillies" in the can before the show launches, but it's possible some future episodes will focus on how the fame of the Eye TV show further changes the clan.

While the family will be afforded numerous luxuries, they won't truly live like millionaires.

"It will be lavish, but not to the point of absurdity," Maynard said.

And while the new "Hillbillies" will borrow the overall structure of the original comedy, many elements of the first show will not be repeated. It's not a given, for example, that the family will get their own Miss Jane Hathaway.

A hotline is expected to be opened within days allowing potential families to audition for the show.

CBS aired the first "Beverly Hillbillies" from 1962 until 1971, producing 274 episodes. The series was one of the linchpins of the network's one-time dominance of rural communities, who tuned in for "Hillbillies," "Green Acres," "The Andy Griffith Show" and other countrified fare.

At one point, the show was TV's No. 1 program, attracting up to 60 million viewers weekly. Buddy Ebsen starred as Jed Clampett in the first "Beverly Hillbillies," while Irene Ryan played Granny. </i>

Oh dear, I've re-dorkulated!

• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,Bebo, 10:35 AM, 08-28-02
  • RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,ELCinOhio, 01:29 PM, 08-28-02
• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,PackMan, 11:00 AM, 08-28-02
• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,s_man, 11:16 AM, 08-28-02
  • RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,Loree, 02:51 PM, 09-03-02
• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,GTmike, 12:05 PM, 08-28-02
• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,Drive My Car, 02:50 PM, 08-28-02
• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,survivorscott, 04:33 PM, 08-28-02
• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,VampKira, 07:35 AM, 09-10-02
• RE: The Real Beverly Hillbillies,sticks, 08:45 AM, 09-12-02

I just read this and was going to post it out here too.

"Imagine the episode where they have to interview maids," he said.

Maynard said the show is not designed to mock the rural family, unlike scripted entertainment that often takes a dim view of hick culture.

"The intent is to be respective but at the same time enjoy the humor that comes from the fish-out-of-water scenario of the show," he said. "We want a family who has a sense of humor about themselves."

Uh, yeah. Right. There's gonna be loads of respect here. Yeah. Why am I not buying this?

Gee, between this and Celebrity Boot Camp, I don't know which one sounds more pathetic.

Evil, rude, snotty, and proud of it!

>
>
>Maynard said the show is not
>designed to mock the rural
>family, unlike scripted entertainment that
>often takes a dim view
>of hick culture.
>
>"The intent is to be respective
>but at the same time
>enjoy the humor that comes
>from the fish-out-of-water scenario of
>the show," he said. "We
>want a family who has
>a sense of humor about
>themselves."
>

Actually,

I think it would be funnier if they took either

1. A rich family and placed them in the hood

2. A suburban family and placed them in the middle of a farm land

3. Took Bill Clinton and sent him to Antartica

Sad...Just sad. It's amazing to me what some people get paid to do for a living. How hard is to really come up with this crap?

Maybe they can hold their casting call over at the Jerry Springer Show.

If you don't have time to do it right the first time, when are you going to find time to do it again? - Anonymous

I, too, was on the way over here to post this link to this story over on CNN.

I tend to agree:

Worst.Concept.Ever.

I thought it was just a joke when I first heard it. But they are actually going to do this???

I think that this could be really really funny......there are certain things that have to be met:
1. The family has to be WAY WAY WAY backwoods and ignorant in order to be funny.
2. CBS has to completely exploit the family like MTV did with Ozzy.

Of course since none of this will be met, this show will suck. There is potential for a really really funny show at the expense of this family.

----GTmike

I don't know, either really really bad, or funny as hell.

Am I the only one who was bothered by this line?

...a family that loves each other a lot."

Uhhhhhhh ewwwwwww

First time the refer to it as a cement pond, I am out of there!

Come in a stranger,leave a little stranger

ROTFLMMFAO!!

This is too much! I would love it if It wasn't so insulting, For some... I'll bet it sounds like the lap of luxury!

hick culture.

Wow!! I didn't know such a culture existed! How can I find out If I am one of them thar hicks? Gots a test I can take or sumpin'?

Sings for her supper.

My local radio station (in South Carolina) was talking about this show this morning. Apparently there is a number you can call to volunteer and try out to be the family on this show. The number is to some set-up the show has in North Carolina. Who would willingly volunteer for this show? Anyone listening to Top40 radio station would probably not be the type of family this show is looking for.

This show will be a bust.