THURSDAY, NOV.1, 2001
ENTERTAINMENT
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3B
New show features best and worst of dates
By Louise Stauffer Jayplay writer
You may recognize him from MTV's Singled Out, but Chris Hardwick is now the host of another show centered around relationships, the reality dating show Shipmates.
Chris Hardwick may be the host of Shipmates, but he turned the show down six times before he took the job.
"I was a hair's breath away from hosting Win Ben Stein's Money," Hardwick said. Instead, his job as the host of Shipmates is to comment on and "do whatever he wants" about the dates that are video taped and packaged into half-hour shows.
Shipmates shows the best—and worst
Shipmates shows the best and worst — parts of a blind date that take place on a cruise ship. The people on the date choose to be on the show and are paired with a stranger. Shipmates is on television station KSMO Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. and midnight.
“Sometimes I feel really bad, but then, they asked to be on the show,” he said. “I think if we all were to record everything we said and did on a microphone and put it under a microscope, we'd be like, 'God, did I say that?'
Reality dating shows such as Blind Date, MTV's Dismissed, and The Fifth Wheel are turning up all over television. Hardwick said he thought reality dating shows were marketed toward a younger audience.
"I think that people in their 20s are most likely to watch," he said.
"...people usually end up unloading on each other by the second day. The people get cranky with each other — it turns into a disgusting zit of unhappiness."
Hardwick said that at times he sympathized with the guests on the show.
"I tell my friends that the show is like Blind Date, except since it's three days long, people usually end up unloading on each other by the second day." Hardwick said. "The people get cranky with each other—it turns into a disgusting zit of unhappiness."
Chris Hardwick Host of Shipmates
"Voyeurism is the main reason why people like to watch reality shows — they like watching other people mess up."
Chris Hardwick, who used to host MTV's Singled Out, is now the host of Shipmates, a reality dating show. He said he gets to comment on and "do whatever he wants" concerning the blind dates in the half-hour videotaped shows.
Hardwick said that since playing host to the show, he has learned to never go on a blind date again.
"They just generally don't go well," he said. "You have to cram all of this information about yourself into the date. It's a pain in the ass. It's basically dating without a choice."
"After Trashed was canceled, I was a little more cynical about working in television, so when I started on Singled Out, I realized that it may not last forever," he said.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Hardwick said that although he writes his own lines for Shipmates, the show Singled Out was more spontaneous.
Singled Out of the Crowd
Although Hardwick's major at UCLA was philosophy, after graduation he got offered a job by a talent director as a host of the new MTV television series, Trashed. Trashed wasn't on the air for long, but Hardwick got another chance when MTV offered him a job as co-host of the dating show Singled Out.
"There was nothing planned on Singled Out. I could say whatever I wanted."
Some might think working with beautiful women such as both of his co-hosts, Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra, on Singled Out would be distracting, but not Hardwick.
"I don't really have that frat guy mentality," he said. He said if the girl contestants tried to hit on him, he never knew it. "Besides, I had a girlfriend practically the whole time I was on the show."
Behind the Scenes
Although television audiences may not have seen Hardwick on the screen since Singled Out went off the air, he has been busy.
"Most of the things I do don't get seen," he said. "I've done a ton of pilots that didn't get picked up. One was for ABC from the guys that do Friends."
Hardwick is now starring in the film Jane While is Sick and Twisted, and he will be appearing in next year's film House of 1,000 Corpse, directed by Rob Zombie.
o) Rob's a great guy," Hardwick said. "He's really normal. We hang out and have barbecues in the summer."
Hardwick also just finished taping for Comedy Central's stand up comedy show Premium Blend. The show, which will air on Comedy Central in late November, includes acts from other comedians as well. Hardwick started doing stand up in college and began to perform more regularly in 1999.
"in stand up, you get a rush of adrenaline," he said. "You can't worry about what happens if people don't laugh — sometimes that happens."
Hardwick's plans include doing more sitcom work and more film work. He realizes he is not the only one with such plans.
"That's pretty much what everyone else in this business wants," he said. "In this
business it takes so long to get to where you want to be. I'm still not even close."
A Cooking Comedian
Hardwick's favorite television channels include A&E, the Discovery Channel and the Food Network. He said the Iron Chef was one of his favorite shows on the channel.
"I love to cook. You can make anything taste good if you have the right spices, the right oils," he said. "I'm actually planning on cooking tonight. I'm making a Cajun chicken dish."
Hardwick said one of his most-liked recipes was a southern peanut butter chicken dish.
Hard wick said he had a few ideas for
incorporating cooking into his career.
"I would like to pitch a cooking show that had comics cooking, and they could even be drunk," he said.
Though Hardwick used to be interested in animation as a career, he is now a self-proclaimed "dooodler."
"Animation is really hard to break into — it's a long process," he said. In the past he has pitched show ideas for animation series, but has nothing planned at the moment.
The former philosophy major had a few words of wisdom to offer students.
Contact Stauffer at 864-4810
"Watch the show — it will improve your GPA," he said.
BOOK REVIEW
'Tunnel Vision' keeps its readers on the fast track to finish
By Carlos Centeno Jayplay writer
Tunnel Vision by Keith Lowe surprises the reader with a fast-paced, mesmerizing ride through the London Underground. The author sets up a 20-hour race through every Tube station in the rail system.
with his friend and rival Rolf. The bet sends him into unusual situations while trauy
As the story begins, Lowe draws the reader into the desperation of the main character, Andy, who gets himself into a be
eling in hundreds of trains beneath London.
However, this is not just a superficial adventure. Lowe's effort to portray the London Underground as an analogy to life is made clear in the decisions
Andy has to make throughout his journey.
Having to travel through the maze before he gets married is a good depiction of the struggle humans must face in life.
Funny, witty and sometimes
Perhaps trying to teach the reader some sort of moral lesson, Andy never gives up on his challenge. He finds alternatives to every possible problem presented the day before his wedding.
romantic, the novel is a definite page-turner. The faster the reader reads, the faster the reader appeases doubts about the destiny of Andy's decisions.
Tunnel Vision serves as a guide to London's most unusual everyday atmosphere and as a story of a man's struggle to understand his place and purpose in life.
Tunnel Vision by Keith Lowe
Contact Centono at 864-4810
The night before his wedding, Andy makes a drunken bet with his Tube-obsessed friend and rival, Rolf.
Tube-obsessed friend and fear. Run.
The challenge is to travel through every Tube station in the London underground. (via DRV)
Underground in the day.
Rolf has hidden Andy's credit card, keys, passport, travelcard and honeymoon reservations in various places throughout the Underground.
Andy must track them all down, and only when he has completed the whole system will Rolf give back the Eurostar tickets he needs to get to his wedding.
International Student Association Halloween Party
November 2, 2001
Admission $6.00 non-members
$5.00 members
Where: Holiday Inn, 200 McDonald Dr.
Time:10:00 pm to 2:00 am
Free transportation
pick up at Oliver, McCollum, Towers, Kansas Union and
Costume Contest, prizes,and much more!!
Tickets on sale at the SUA ticket box or at the door.
Co-Sponsored by: Asian American Student Union, African Student Association, Brazilian Student Association
DRINKING and POOL the only time in which women scratch more balls than men
623 Vermont • 749-5067 Mon.-Sat. 4 p.m.-2 a.m., Sun 6 p.m.-2 a.m.
MISS. STREET DELI inc 941 MASSACHUSETTS
Traditional Deli Burger
One third pound char-grilled burger served with choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion, steak fries, kosher dill spear and choice of dell bun. A real meal!
Save $1.00
Owner's Special Smoked Sausage
Some like it hot! A giant 7 oz. hot Smoked Sausage-split and grilled on either a French or Pumpernickel roll. Garnished with sautéed chopped green peppers, onions and mushrooms. Smothered with two thick slices of Jalapeno Pepper cheese.
$5.00
Save $2.00
Reuben
Good All Thru November
For the Young at heart. Hot Corned Beef, Big Eye Swiss Cheese and Bavarian Kraut served on Dark Rye or Wheat bread. Side dish of Thousand Island Dressing provided upon request.
Good All Thru November
THREE GREAT REASONS TO VISIT THE DELI IN NOVEMBER