PAX TV's has announced that Model Citizens, its new reality series hosted by former Average Joe Hawaii and Miss USA finalist Larissa Meek, will premiere Monday, October 4 at 9PM ET/PT.
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In Model Citizens, members of the five person “Model Squad” will go from the catwalks of Paris and New York to the sidewalks of Main Street, USA in an effort to provide a helping hand to local communities. Whether it’s hammering a nail or just breaking one, the rotating all-model cast will have to harness their beauty, charm, and most of all, common sense to get the good deed done in just five days.
As with all reality series, conflict and drama will be an inherent part of the series, but executives of the family-friendly channel (which is partly owned by NBC) promise that their show will be "philanthropic to the core." In announcing the series (which will join Cold Turkey and Second Verdict as the network's first unscripted series), NBC Entertainment Senior Vice President Sheraton Kalouria took care to make it clear that the ratings-hungry network is not turning its back on family-friendly programming in an attempt to gain viewers. "We re-emphasize that families are looking for a safe haven," Kalouria told The Hollywood Reporter. "We don't want to shift away from that at all."
However the seven year-old network also acknowledges that given the present popularity of such shows as American Idol, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and Survivor, unscripted programming is now also a significant part of the family-friendly programming landscape. "The definition of appropriate family viewing has really expanded to include shows like American Idol and Fear Factor," Kalouria stated, while adding that not everything on Fear Factor will be suitable for PAX. "We can't close ourselves off to being more adventurous."
Projects features on Model Citizens will include visiting the Bayside Community Center in San Diego, California to landscape the newly remodeled site; travelling to A Place Called Home, a youth center in South Central Los Angeles to build a new basketball court for at-risk youth; and visiting the beaches of scenic New Hampshire to clean up the polluted shoreline.
The five rotating models appearing on the show will be:
• Ben Patterson, a 28-year-old male model from Ontario, CA. A runway and print model, Ben Patterson can be seen in numerous national ad campaigns including television commercials for Macy’s and Pepsi’s campaign featuring Britney Spears and Austin Powers star Mike Myers. Ben’s print credits include work for Target, Skyy Vodka and Anheuser Busch, as well as a national billboard ad campaign for Bud Light. He has had recurring roles on Days Of Our Lives and recently co-starred in the independent feature, White Papers and Dark Rooms.
• Chantille Boudousque, a 24-year-old female model from New Orleans, LA. Chantille Boudousque has appeared in numerous print campaigns, television commercials for Nokia and a national television ad campaign for Firestone. Her television acting credits include co-starring roles on shows such as the WB’s The Help, as well as hosting Sobe In The Night for Miami Cable. She also appears in New Line Cinema’s upcoming release, Cellular, starring Kim Basinger.
• Daniela Melgoza, a 25-year-old female model from Berkeley, CA. A Hispanic actress and model, Daniela Melgoza has appeared in films such as the recently released Mean Girls, and Spanglish, a film starring Adam Sandler and Téa Leoni scheduled for release in December 2004. Daniela, who is bi-lingual, has guest starred on various television shows including Monk and Nash Bridges and has hosted Hablemos De Cine for Los Angeles’ Hollywood Channel. Daniela also has a successful voiceover career, working on spots for Sprint’s PCS Cube Phone and voicing ESL Spanish Chapter Books.
• Gretchen Eakins, a 24-year-old female model from Columbus, OH. A former cheerleader and member of the Ohio State Dance Team, Gretchen Eakins’ television credits include guest starring roles on series such as Dawson’s Creek, a co-starring role on Nickelodeon’s The Drake and Josh Show and as a news anchor for FOX’S News Center at 7 AM. She also appeared in the film, The Girl Next Door for 20th Century Fox.
• Kellan Lutz a 19-year-old male model from Encino, CA. A Ford Agency model, Kellan Lutz has participated in ad campaigns for Macy’s, Old Navy, Target, Levi’s Jeans Co., Lee Jean Co., and Saks Fifth Avenue magazine. His print ads have appeared in publications such as GQ, Vogue and Rolling Stone. He currently graces the cover of Abercrombie and Fitch’s latest catalogue. Kellan has also appeared in numerous music videos and has held a recurring role on CBS’ daytime drama, The Bold and the Beautiful. Kellan recently appeared in Bravo’s Blow Out reality series.
