Caley Meals

Features Editor

MTV is now developing a new reality-make-over show set to be titled “Camp Cool.” Building off the premises of past reality-make-over shows, “Camp Cool” will follow regular American teens on their quests from dud to stud.

The network first debuted “Made,” which offered professional help for teenagers wanting to accomplish goals such as recording a rock album or making their high school cheerleading squad. The popularity of the cheerleading episode prompted the “Made” spin-off “Camp Jim” which focused on a cheerleading training camp. Now, “Camp Cool” will spin off the spin-off.

Jessica Mennicke, a senior at the University of Wisconsin and part-time publicist for MTV networks is helping out with promotion for the upcoming show.

“The show is meant to target 16- to 21-year-olds. Kids who are sick and tired of hearing, ‘I like you, but just as a friend,'” Mennicke said.

The show, which is currently casting and accepting submissions until Dec. 5, will attempt to help teens “talk, walk, dance and date like a major leaguer,” according to the MTV website. Experts will train a group of participants who are admittedly “socially, stylistically and romantically challenged” to revamp their lifestyles and personalities in order to increase their chances of getting a date.

“The whole casting process is online,” Mennicke said. “As far as I know, the premise will be a lot like ‘Camp Jim,’ in that it will be a group of people going through the process together, rather than one individual per episode.”

UW freshman Amanda Blomquist is one MTV viewer who is psyched about the new show.

“I would totally watch it because no matter how dumb all those MTV shows like ‘Newlyweds,’ ‘Rich Girls,’ and ‘Camp Jim’ are they are entertaining to watch,” Blomquist said.

According to the MTV website, people who are looked at as “nerds, geeks, losers, wet blankets, buzzkills, dweebs, lunkheads, bores, chumps, or just plain clueless” will return home “a new person.”

For Blomquist, the list of potential participants would be long enough drawing from Madison alone.

“I would ‘nominate’ about every guy I’ve met since I’ve been here,” Blomquist said. “They’re all the guys you’d find on blind date that would terribly strike out. Like guys that try way too hard or guys that have no game.”

The dates or location for “Camp Cool” have not been announced yet, but people are encouraged to send in their applications or applications nominating their friends within the week.