By Leila Cobo
Welcome to "Viva Hollywood," the first Latin-themed show on
music channel VH1.
A reality show where contestants vie for a role in a
Telemundo soap opera as well as a cash prize, "Viva" is a loud
celebration of soap opera culture, featuring singer/actors
Maria Conchita Alonso (dressed in brazenly provocative outfits)
and Carlos Ponce as hosts and Latin fortunetelling icon Walter
Mercado (who is known to Latinos everywhere for his flowing
cape and lipstick) as sidekick.
The soundtrack to "Viva" is mostly reggaeton, and its theme
song has Spanish lyrics, but it's not a music-themed show. Its
absolute embrace of Latin culture, however, is compelling and
noteworthy for a channel that has generally been closed to
Latin content, Spanish-language fare in particular. In the past
decade, VH1 has played only a handful of Spanish-language
videos in its rotation.
"We realize that every time we tap into an audience that
hasn't seem themselves in mainstream television, we win," VH1
executive vice president of programming and development Jeff
Olde said. "And there were 12 million viewers that didn't see
themselves in the network. We were looking for something."
"Viva" was developed by Miami-based entertainment company
Latin World Entertainment and Los Angeles-based production
company World of Wonder, whose productions include "The RuPaul
Show."
CULTURAL OBSESSION
"We're obsessed with pop culture and very much in love with
Latin culture and the intersection of the two," said filmmaker
Randy Barbato ("The Eyes of Tammy Faye," "Inside Deep Throat"),
who's a partner in World of Wonder and executive producer of
"Viva." "And we're very aware that while so much of Latin
television is hugely popular in America, it isn't always
translated into mainstream channels."
Barbato partnered with Latin World and developed "Viva" for
the Oxygen network as a reality show for actors with crossover
aspirations. But its content changed dramatically when
producers pitched it to VH1.
"Viva" also stands out because many of its contestants
speak heavily accented English. And its telenovela scenes are
in Spanish, with English subtitles.
"We wanted that crossover MTV/VH1 audience that has grown
up watching telenovelas at home and can feel them and
identify," Balaguer said.
But, perhaps because it reflects an increasingly culturally
diverse American mainstream, the show manages to strike a
balance, attracting viewers who aren't Latin as well as those
who have never seen a soap. According to Olde, "Viva," which
airs Sundays at 10 p.m. and has entered its third week, has
already garnered a 21 percent jump in viewership.
If the audience for "Viva" continues to build, Barbato
said, "the hope is to begin a franchise that not only
celebrates telenovelas and Latin stars but most specifically
Latin music."
Already in the works is a reality show based on Mexican
American singer Jenni Rivera's life. "She's fabulous," Barbato
said.
Reuters/Billboard
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