Friday, January 29, 2010

Nick Lachey talks about new MTV show "Taking the Stage"

SOURCE


By RYAN McLENDON • Associated Press Writer • January 28, 2010

EW YORK — It's like "Fame" — the movie that showcased the dreams and disappointments of high school performers — but in real life.

That's how Nick Lachey describes the second season of "Taking the Stage," the
reality TV show that follows high school students at The School for Creative and
Performing Arts (SCPA) in Cincinnati as they work to break in to the entertainment
industry. The show premieres Thursday at 11 p.m. EST on MTV.

"It's a great kind of learning ground for anyone who wants to be in entertainment
and anyone who loves performing," says Lachey, the show's executive producer. "I think the school really prepares you for what the business is all about."

Lachey, a pop singer and actor, attended the school himself and knows firsthand the how an aspiring entertainer struggles to make it. After graduating from SCPA in 1992, he formed the boy band 98 Degrees and launched a successful solo career. In 2003-2005, he starred with then-wife Jessica Simpson in the MTV reality series "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica."

Other notable SCPA alumni include Sarah Jessica Parker, Carmen Electra and Lachey's brother and 98 Degrees alum, Drew.

This season's "Taking the Stage" follows Tyler, now a senior at SCPA and Mia, who has been trying to get her new band off the ground since graduation. We'll also meet new students — including Adam, Emily Silber, Emily Sones, Carlton and Ian — who all try to navigate their way to fame by way of high school.

The show resonates with viewers, Lachey says. "People are attracted to good
performance and seeing young people follow their dreams," he says. "I think we see
some of ourselves in kids."

For Lachey, that dream is to become a sports talk radio host. Meanwhile, he has been working on the follow-up to his 2005 album, "What's Left of Me," which has been delayed, he says.

But, he says, "Music will always be my home base. It will always be my passion."

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