ABC has announced that pop singer Geri Halliwell, NBA legend John Salley and entertainment executive extraordinaire Suzanne de Passe will put teams of finalists through rigorous training in an effort to have one of their young women chosen as the ultimate American dream girl on ABC's upcoming "All American Girl" reality series.
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Hosting the show will be comedic actor Mitch Mullany. "All American Girl" will have a special, two-hour premiere WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
The 13-episode series kicks off with coverage of the nationwide open call auditions and the selection of 45 finalists. The coaches will whittle this group down to 24, then continue to narrow the group down to 15, with each coach then having a team of five girls. In forming their teams, the coaches may have to battle each other over candidates who demonstrate great potential. A girl with extensive singing and dancing skills may have to decide if she wants Geri Halliwell's live performance experience, Suzanne de Passe's genius for producing or John Salley's help in getting through the athletic challenges.
The show then moves to "training camp," as each coach puts his or her team through their paces in a vast array of disciplines that include athletic ability, mental agility, performance in the popular arts and beauty. Through a dramatic weekly elimination process, the coaches will reduce their teams from five to four, then three candidates. At that point, viewers at home begin voting on who they think should win the title of "All American Girl."
If there had been a similar show in the UK, Geri Halliwell would have easily walked away with the crown. As a member of the Spice Girls, she sang and danced her way to the top of the charts around the world, and her solo career has kept the gold and platinum coming. She also authored the UK's best-selling autobiography in 1999, and has devoted considerable time and energy to Breast Cancer Care and The Prince's Trust, as well as serving as a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador.
During his twelve-year stint in the NBA, John Salley's astounding athletic ability and grace under pressure served him well - he was a member of four championship-winning teams. He has continued to maintain a presence in sports as an analyst and commentator, and he is a regular on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period." He has become a star both in front of and behind the camera, appearing in such films as "Bad Boys," and "Book of Love," with Whoopi Goldberg, and had guest stints on series such as "7th Heaven" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." Mr. Salley has also served as an executive producer on films and television programs, and he is also active in the music industry, credited with discovering La Face Records recording artist Tony Rich.
Suzanne de Passe is arguably one of the most successful women in the entertainment business. Period. Her list of credits -- which range from an Academy Award nomination for co-writing the screenplay, "Lady Sings the Blues," to executive-producing the Emmy-winning "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever," the highly acclaimed miniseries "Lonesome Dove" and the hit series "Sister, Sister" and "Smart Guy" -- reflect only a small part of her career. Indeed her success is so legendary, she is the subject of two Harvard Business School case studies, and somewhere there's a trophy case laden with honors that include a Women in Film Crystal Award, a Revlon Business Woman of the Year Award and induction into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
"We are thrilled to have such an outstanding group of coaches," said Andrea Wong, senior vice president, Alternative Series and Specials for ABC. "They have excelled at the very disciplines in which we ask the contestants to demonstrate their skills."
"All American Girl" host Mitch Mullany gained notoriety playig the hilarious White Mike on the "Wayans Brothers" show. He has since gone on to starring in his own series, "Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher," and to supporting rolls in films such as "The Sweetest Thing" and "The Breaks."
"All American Girl" will have a special two-hour premiere on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET). The additional 11 episodes will air Wednesdays from 10:00-11:00 p.m., ET, beginning March 19. The winner of "All American Girl" 2003 will win lucrative contracts in numerous areas such as modeling, singing, acting, dance and sports as well as securing an exclusive management contract with Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment.
"All American Girl" is produced by 19 Entertainment. Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe are executive producers, Marilyn Wilson and Conrad Green will serve as co-executive producers, James Breen is supervising producer and Tom Boles is coordinating producer.