Saturday, June 25, 2011
Drew Lachey Is Hosting a New TV Show
Friday, June 24, 2011
Drew Lachey Hosts “America Sings”
Drew Lachey’s “America Sings” tonight (9 p.m., GMC) is different from the other singing competition shows on TV today. All the performances are on tape — on submitted videos, not performances taped by the TV producers.
“This is how the people want to be seen,” Lachey explains.
That’s true. But it also gives the don’t-call-us-the Gospel Music Channel cable channel a singing competition show without the cost of producing ”American Idol” or “The Voice.”
Over 100 singing groups – including Cincinnati’s Southern Gateway Chorus (Lachey says he had nothing to do with the selections) – compete for $10,000 in the eight-week series. You’ll see all kinds of singing groups ranging from a capella and barbershop to flash mobs.
“We have some amazing talent. They searched all of North America to get the best singing groups possible. We’ve got gospel singers, doo-wop, quartets, a women’s choir from a Georgia prison and a 300-member church choir. It would be pretty hard to bring 300 people to our Los Angeles studio,” Lachey says.
The show’s casting team goes behind the scenes to interview the singing groups and tell their inspiring stories. They also sent cameras to the streets to get people to sing a classic song (“Georgia On My Mind,” “We Are Family”) that will provide comic relief in each episode. Sounds like the same formula “Idol” uses in the audition shows, sprinkling in the good with the bad.
“This is a fun way for me to stay involved with music,” says Lachey, a 1994 School for Creative & Performing Arts graduate. We spoke last week, before news broke yesteday with Drew saying his brother Nick could get married any day now.
After singing with brother Nick in 98°, he starred in “Rent” and “Spamalot” on Broadway. He was back in New York auditioning three weeks ago. He says ”live performance is my passion.” He and wife Lea wanted to teach music theater at SCPA this fall, but withdrew from the school last week when they couldn’t run the program their way.
“America Sings” viewers will vote on the top singers each week online or by phone. He says 15 finalists will appear in the eighth episode in August, probably on video.
If ratings are good, Lachey says he hopes GMC will order more seasons. “We have high hopes this will be picked up and run for many years,” he says.
Drew Lachey talks Gospel Music Channel show, 'America Sings' (Video)
Lachey serves as host on the Gospel Music Channel show, which premiered on Wednesday. The singer and former "Dancing With The Stars" champ says the show has a more low-key approach than other singing competitions.
"'America Sings' is more of a grassroots interpretation of a music show," he told OnTheRedCarpet.com in a satellite interview on June 17. "This really is the people that are doing the singing. They're submitting videos of themselves to us in their natural area, the way they want to be singing. "
"You know if it's a church choir, it's them performing in the church. We have flash mobs that are coming for malls and all over the place, guys performing in subways and it really is just kind of a grass roots music show," he added.
The winner of the show, which is based on public vote, earns a $10,000 reward. "It's got a different take on it. It's not over the top and blown out," Lachey said. "It really is strictly about the music and the people that love doing what they do."
"We got some award-winning glee clubs and gospel choirs and concert choirs. Some of the guys in the subways just rock it out," he added.
Lachey's brother and fellow 98 Degrees band mate, Nick Lachey, serves as host of the NBC singing competition "The Sing-Off." It was announced on June 16 that Nick Lachey's fiancée Vanessa Minnillo will serve as host of the upcoming fifth season of the game show "Wipe Out."
"She has a new hosting gig and you know, we're just a hosting family for some reason now," Drew Lachey said. "Everybody's hosting but it's fun, we're having a good time with it, and I wish her the best of luck with it."
Drew Lachey said he was excited about the news for another reason; he wants to be on "Wipe Out."
"I've actually talked to the producers about it and I said, 'You know what? I would really well on that show," Lachey said. "You should put me on.' And for some reason they just haven't done it. I guess they don't want me to beat their course, 'cause I would dominate."
Speaking of his brother and his boy band past, with Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block hitting the road on tour and recording an album together, fans of 98 Degrees might be wondering if Drew Lachey and his band mates are planning to get back together.
"As of right now there's nothing in the works, you know we've always stayed in touch. We've enjoyed singing and making music together so, given the right opportunity -- yeah absolutely," he said,
"We would love to get back together and do something, you know, but the time has to be right," he added
