REALITY TELEVISION For one summer, geeks get girls
If this works on TV, why don't we see it in real life?
By HAL BOEDEKER
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Zany, excitable Richard looks like a cross between Jerry Seinfeld and Don Knotts. "The white Urkel," a woman dubs him. The nerdy perfectionist quickly grates on competitors.
So what? Richard is a bona fide reality star, one in the same league with Rob and Amber of "Survivor." Richard helps define the sweetly goofy charm of the WB's "Beauty and the Geek."
The series, debuting Wednesday, could easily have turned nasty. Consider the setup: Seven not-so-brainy babes pair off with seven socially inept fellows.
The men educate the women on history, geography and spelling. The women help the men learn to unbend and mingle. The most-improved team earns $250,000.
Think "My Fair Lady" as a reality game rather than a musical.
"This is not a dating show," says host Brian McFayden. "It's a social experiment."
The low-key McFayden can get away with such a highfalutin statement. Most crucially, he avoids condescending to the players.
That's not easy because the social experiment repeatedly puts the 14 players in embarrassing situations. The women have trouble answering simple questions. What state is east of West Virginia? (No, it isn't Massachusetts.) Who was the president during the Civil War? (Sorry, Hoover is incorrect.)
It's easier to forgive the men when they stumble on pop-culture references. The Madonna song that is also a magazine is not "Like a Virgin."
The men have more success pulling off new dance moves, but they also must share personal details that affirm their wallflower credentials.
Bill has trouble meeting women because he's busy as vice president of the "Dukes of Hazzard" Fan Club. Joe has never been on a date. Richard never expects to have sex. Medical student Chuck suffers nosebleeds at inconvenient moments.
They could be the butt of easy jokes. Yet something remarkable happens. Through the force of their personalities, the men emerge as real-life Barney Fifes deserving of audience support.
In responding to these unusual heroes, the women show surprising understanding and become more likable. They are still at a disadvantage: Their idiocy generates the biggest laughs.
Lingerie model Lauren puts her IQ at about 500. Cheryl thinks that 1942 -- yes, 1942 -- is the year Columbus sailed the ocean blue. And Mindi doesn't know the meaning of complacent.
After Mindi and Richard become a team, she fears he's a lost cause. His exuberance suggests otherwise, and he dominates the show.
In production notes, executive producer Ashton Kutcher explains the thinking behind "Beauty and the Geek." "We gave seven guys a fantasy, and seven girls a reality check," he says.
There's a reality check for everyone. Tolerance emerges as the main lesson when the men overcome unflattering situations.
"Beauty and the Geek" is the rare reality show that merits a reunion special.