An Academy Award can open doors for a performer. Starring roles, directing deals, their pick of projects in a multitude of mediums.
But Jamie Foxx, who scored a best actor Oscar in 2005 for his memorable portrayal of legendary musician Ray Charles in "Ray," made what may seem like an unusual choice for a man who can claim Hollywood's greatest honor. He cashed in a bit of his A-list clout for a seat on the D-list.
The actor is diving into the low-rent arena of celebrity-based reality television, often considered to be one of the last stops on the way down the ladder of fame. His new show, which premieres on MTV tonight, is called “From G’s to Gents” and represents a hip-hop flip on "My Fair Lady."
The competitive series centers on the would-be transformation of 14 young "G's," or self-proclaimed "gangstas," into old-fashioned gentlemen. The winner, who must exchange his streetwise bravado for a polished persona, is judged by Fonzworth Bentley, a former personal assistant to Sean "Diddy" Combs. Guiding the young men in their quest for refinement -- and a cash prize of $100,000 -- are other hip-hoppers, including Master P and producer Irv Gotti.
The Oscar winner, who will make an appearance on the show, said that, even though the show fits in the often outrageous mode of reality TV, he still thinks viewers will connect with the emotions and the heart of the aspiring Gs.
"It goes beyond entertainment or making money," said Foxx, who is executive producer of the show. "What we found was that these guys are really sincere, and they will touch you with their stories."
Foxx teamed up with Cris Abrego, one of the key creative forces behind "Flava of Love," "I Love New York" and other popular "celebreality" series whose treatment of race and gender drew its share of critics who complained they promoted offensive stereotypes.
Though enthusiastic about the show, one of Hollywood's most high-profile actors seemed a bit out of place last week at the Television Critics Assn., a semiannual gathering of reporters and critics who write about television. He appeared during a presentation of other upcoming “celebreality” series from MTV Networks featuring several stars no longer ready for prime time, including singer Bobby Brown, actresses Maureen McCormick ("The Brady Bunch"), Sean Young and Vivica A. Fox, actor Lorenzo Lamas ("Renegade") and singer Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips).
