| Tinseltown | |
| Air Date | November 2, 2007 |
| Written by | Brian Henson, Bill Barretta and Del Shores |
| Director | Brian Henson and Bill Barretta |
Tinseltown is a television series produced by the Jim Henson Company for the Logo network.
The 15-minute pilot episode of the show debuted on Logo on Friday, November 2, 2007 as part of the Alien Boot Camp program block. Additionally, the entire pilot is currently viewable on Logo's website.
The show follows the lives of a gay couple as they try to balance their work, their relationship, their family and their lives in Hollywood. The series, a mock-reality show, showcases the life of fading Hollywood star Bobby Vegan who is an outspoken and struggling entertainer (and a pig). Bobby's life-partner, soul mate and manager is Samson Knight (a bull). The two puppets have a 13-year-old human foster son named Foster.
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The Henson Company started shopping the project around to networks in 2006 after producing a five-minute presentation tape for the project. [1] The sample of this pitch tape was shown at the 2007 Comic-Con International. Brian Henson and Bill Barretta are serving as the lead producers, writers, directors and stars of the series.
Along with Henson and Barretta, Del Shores is attached as a producer and writer for the show; and Eric Poticha is serving as a co-producer as well. The human cast of the pilot includes Paul Butcher (as Foster), Mia Sara (as Lena) and Francesco Quinn (as Arturo).
According to casting director G. Charles Wright, Logo did not pick up the pilot presentation for any more episodes.[2]
The cold open of the episode opens with Samson and Bobby enjoying a romp under the sheets. Samson says he has to get up, but Bobby begs him to go one more time and the show cuts to the opening title.
Samson has lined up an exciting audition up for Bobby. On the way to the audition Lena helps read lines with Bobby in the limo. Samson calls to check-in with Bobby – making sure they are running lines and are on their way to the audition. However Bobby isn’t interested in working, so he tells Arturo to "turn this bus around" because he wants to go shopping.
In a lavish musical montage Bobby, Lena and Arturo hit the town to shop 'til they drop. Their day is filled with shopping, trying on clothing, getting their hair done, flirting with guys, looking at jewelry and plenty of drinking.
The trio returns to Bobby and Samson's house where Samson is preparing dinner. Lena is smashed so Bobby tells Arturo to take her home. Bobby inquires as to what Samson is preparing. The menu includes snap peas, duck – two foods that Samson knows Bobby can’t stand. Bobby detects that Samson is upset, and soon Samson asks how the audition went. Bobby lies about going and being brilliant, but Bobby soon realizes that Samson already knew Bobby blew it off.
Foster enters the kitchen, grabs a beverage from the fridge and leaves. Samson realizes that Foster just grabbed a beer and is concerned as Foster is only 13, but Bobby brushes it off, saying, "Oh it’s a light beer". The couple continues to fight about the missed audition. Samson is upset Bobby continues to blow the auditions off; Bobby is upset Samson keeps lining up minor roles. Bobby says he doesn’t want to keep doing auditions for pointless pilots – he wants a substantial role in a network show. That’s when Samson reveals he has lined an audition up for "The Lisa Kudrow Show" which excites Bobby and the couple ends their feud. They excitedly dance around the kitchen until Bobby, still slightly intoxicated, wipes out across the floor.
Later that night Samson is in bed reading while Bobby is in the other room, trying to figure out what to wear to the big audition. Samson tells him not to worry about it, as whatever he chooses will be fine. Bobby then tells Samson that he has a surprise, and to close his eyes. Bobby enters the room dressed in some newly purchased "leather daddy" apparel. Bobby says he wants to show Samson, who is stunned and a little excited by the sight, some appreciation. The episode concludes as Bobby pounces on his lover.
Bobby Vegan is a homosexual pig, an outspoken and struggling entertainer living in Hollywood with his life-partner, soul mate and manager, Samson Knight and their foster-son named Foster.
Bobby is an entertainer probably best known for his role in the 1980s sitcom "The Other White Meat". However in recent years his public image as a celebrity has faded and Bobby has become somewhat of a "has-been" (this is an issue Bobby is very sensitive about). In 2007, in an attempt to revitalize Bobby's image, Samson Knight struck a deal that would allow a camera crew to enter their home and document their day-to-day lives with a reality show. Like The Osbournes, Nick & Jessica, Hogan Knows Best and My Life on the D-List, the reality series follows the very candid and personal day-to-day life of Bobby, his family, his friends, and his career's revitalization.
Bobby is in a committed and loving relationship with Samson Knight, a bull who also serves as his manager. The couple has foster-son named Foster.
Bobby and Samson meet circa 1990 when Bobby was a guest on a radio program Samson was hosting. Bobby and Samson hit it off at once – Samson immediately wanted to manage Bobby, but as Bobby tells it, Samson also just wanted to fuck. The committed couple expanded their family several years later when they brought Foster into their home; Bobby chose to name him Foster in order to always remember where he came from.[3]
Bobby's best girlfriend is Lena, who is Samson's ex-wife from the days before he realized he was, as Bobby put it, "swinging the wrong way". [3]
Bobby enjoys a few cocktails now and again and occasionally "self-medicates" with Vicodin. When asked about the rumors of a chemical dependency problem Bobby replied, "It's a rumor? I can just tell I have one, it's not a secret." [3] Bobby admits to being "smashed" 17 out of 24 hours a day; however to avoid drinking and driving, Samson insists that Bobby uses a driver and as such the actor employs Arturo as his personal driver.
Samson Knight, a homosexual bull, is the manager and life-partner of Bobby Vegan.
Samson was married to Lena before he realized he was, as Bobby put it, "swinging the wrong way". [3]
Now Samson Knight is in a committed and loving relationship with the celebrity Bobby Vegan, whom he also manages. Samson and Bobby met circa 1990, when Bobby appeared as a guest on a radio program Samson was hosting. Bobby and Samson hit it off at once and have been together ever since.
Lena is Samson's ex-wife, and a close personal friend of Bobby.
Foster is the 13-year-old human foster-son of Bobby and Samson. Bobby decided to name him Foster in order to always remember where he came from. [3]
Arturo is Bobby's limo driver and "man servant". He is a Hungarian immigrant of Italian decent.
When each major character first appears in the series the camera freezes and brief introductory text appears on screen with a computer-typing effect (complete with sound effect). The text briefly describes the character, giving the character's first name along with 3 key bullet points.
Bobby
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Arturo
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Samson
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Foster
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Lena
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