A CBS reality show will be shooting in my city, Muncie Indiana. The show will be involving a group of "celebrities" that will train to be reserve police officers and then patrol the streets. They're supposed to start sometime this Thanksgiving weekend.

This is just a few days after the high school I graduated from, Muncie Central High School, turned down an invitation for MTV's "Two A Days" to document our eight-time state champion "Bearcats" basketball team (The movie "Hoosiers" is based on the 1954 game where the small town underdog Milan basketball team beat the favored to win larger Muncie Central team back when Indiana had a single-class championship tournament.) this season because of concerns that they would exploit the students and be distraction for the team.

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5721169

Don't let the fame get to you...

...now taht you hang out with all those starlets.

That's cute, crc!

I doubt this show (reportedly, it will be called "Armed and Famous") will ever make the air. But, yeah, I'm gonna have to get arrested on purpose so I can meet some D List celebrity. WOOHOO!!!

Kidding aside, I have a feeling that this is going to make Muncie look like some hick town. Not that I'm saying it isn't, but still... I don't know where Kenny's at, if he'll read this thread, or if he has ever stepped foot in Muncie, but I'm sure he can attest to what type of people live in Indiana, at least the ones that will probably wind up on this reality show. Heck, we even have a neighborhood called Shed Town.

Once they announce what celebs will be participating, I'll post them. And if I have an encounter with one of them, legal or otherwise, I'll post that, too. LOL!

I doubt this show (reportedly, it will be called "Armed and Famous") will ever make the air. But, yeah, I'm gonna have to get arrested on purpose so I can meet some D List celebrity. WOOHOO!!!

Kidding aside, I have a feeling that this is going to make Muncie look like some hick town. Not that I'm saying it isn't, but still... I don't know where Kenny's at, if he'll read this thread, or if he has ever stepped foot in Muncie, but I'm sure he can attest to what type of people live in Indiana, at least the ones that will probably wind up on this reality show. Heck, we even have a neighborhood called Shed Town.

Once they announce what celebs will be participating, I'll post them. And if I have an encounter with one of them, legal or otherwise, I'll post that, too. LOL!

LoL! I can certainly attest! This is awesome! I'm gonna have to come to Muncie and get arrested for something really, really weird... something that'll make it on tape. I'll dress up as "Baby Jane" and prostitute. Think that'll work?

LoL! I can certainly attest! This is awesome! I'm gonna have to come to Muncie and get arrested for something really, really weird... something that'll make it on tape. I'll dress up as "Baby Jane" and prostitute. Think that'll work?

Now that, I'd have to see!

The celebs that will participate in the reality show have been announced. Erik Estrada, La Toya Jackson, Wee Man, Trish Stratus, and Jack Osbourne have started shooting the show over the weekend. The stars and the crew for the show are staying at the Muncie downtown hotel, Hotel Roberts. It was recently closed but they re-opened it for the production of the show. A friend of mine that works for Pizza King delivered pizza there on Saturday and said he saw and recognized Erik Estrada. So, that was the first person I knew about. Here's a picture that's in the paper this morning of the cast. You can barely make out Le Toya between Erik and Trish:

Here's the article in today's paper, too:

Armed and famous

Erik Estrada, 57: Estrada became a teen idol and general heartthrob as Francis "Ponch" Poncherello, an Italian-American California Highway Patrol officer from 1977 to 1983 on the television series CHiPs.

More recently, he has appeared in VH1's Surreal Life celebrity reality series in 2004 and had a regular role doing voiceovers for the Cartoon Network show Sealab 2021.

In the early 1990s, Estrada played in a Mexican soap opera. The New York native with Puerto Rican heritage didn't speak Spanish, so his lines were fed to him through an earphone.

Estrada is also a spokesman for anti-drug organization D.A.R.E.

La Toya Jackson, 50: Jackson, a native of Gary, is a singer and member of the musical Jackson family that includes Michael and Janet. Jackson posed for Playboy magazine in 1987 in a copy that went on to sell 8 million copies in a month, more than any other issue in the 50-year history of the publication. She was also the highest-paid model ever in the history of the magazine.

Jackson was also a spokeswoman for the "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign and included a song called Just Say No on one of her albums.

Jack Osbourne, 21: British-born Jack Osbourne is gained notoriety as the son of Ozzie Osbourne on the rock family's MTV reality show The Osbournes. Osbourne, a recovered drug abuser, has also appeared in "Jack Osbourne, Adrenaline Junkie" a British television show that follows Osbourne through kick boxing camps and mountain climbing adventures.

Trish Stratus, 30: Stratus, whose real name is Patricia Stratigias, is a Canadian-born fitness model and former WWE professional wrestling babe. The 5-foot-4 blonde bombshell retired from wrestling in September after winning a record seven Women's Championships. Her trademark moves included the Stratusfaction, Chick Kick and Air Canada.

Stratus is a spokeswoman for World Natural Sports Association, which promotes drug-free bodybuilding.

Wee Man, 33: At 4-foot-7, Wee Man will wear a Muncie Police uniform that will have to be heavily tailored, his new boss MPD Chief Joe Winkle said. Wee Man's real name is Jason Acuña. He is a professional skate boarder who gained fame in the MTV show Jackass, which featured Wee Man dressed as a a skater Oompa Loompa for one episode. He has appeared as himself in 18 television shows.

Wee Man has Achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.

MUNCIE -- Erik Estrada's latest police uniform lacks the knee-high riding boots and tan tones that he is familiar with.

Plus this time it's real.

The former CHiPs star joined La Toya Jackson, Wee Man, Jack Osbourne and Trish Stratus on Sunday for their first day in training as reserve officers with the Muncie Police Department for an upcoming CBS reality show.

"I think the cast is going to be very entertaining," Jeff Catron said from a High Street sidewalk as he watched camera crews film the celebs outside City Hall.

Producers of the show had kept the identify of its cast secret until they made their first public appearance Sunday morning.

The cast was dressed in street clothes and standing in front of a black limousine as Muncie Police officer Scott O'Dell barked orders to them from the steps of City Hall.

"You the new recruits?" he asked them as they stood in front of the limousine. "You got what it takes to be Muncie's finest?"

O'Dell, an investigator with the Muncie-Delaware County Drug Task Force, wore a uniform, though he is more regularly seen wearing a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off or a hooded sweatshirt.

His friends, Natalie Gibbons and David Long, watched about 40 yards away from across High Street.

They guessed he became the face of the Muncie Police Department because of his funny personality and intimidating stature.

Gibbons and Long were part of about a dozen curious gawkers along the street at 11 a.m.

"The only ones I really knew about was Wee Man and Jack Osbourne," Gibbons said. "But my mom was really excited about that other man (Estrada). She said he played a police officer a long time ago."

Producers filmed three or four takes with O'Dell and then moved the celebrities inside City Hall, which was off limits to media and public.

Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle said much of Sunday was spent choreographing the arrival of the celebrities and issuing uniforms. They were also expected to study constitutional law and ethics with training supervisor Sgt. Rick Eber.

The day was slow-going, Winkle said, but smooth.

"It's a little overwhelming sometimes when you see that much camera equipment and that many people in City Hall," Winkle said. "But being a Sunday, it worked out pretty well."

Muncie resident Martin Dauenhauer was caught on film outside City Hall and signed a release authorizing the producers to use his image in the show.

Dauenhauer said he would like to meet Jack Osbourne, whose father is rock star Ozzy Osbourne.

"I'm an old Black Sabbath fan from a long time ago," Dauenhauer said.

Arlena Kirschling, however, was less than star struck and said she wished the celebrities would move along to another town.

Kirschling said a security guard threatened her and two other people with arrest as she stood across the street from Hotel Roberts hoping to catch a glimpse of the celebs who are reported to be staying there.

"This is a free country and I can walk up and down that damn street whenever I want," she said.

Contact news reporter Nick Werner at 213-5832.

Source: 11/27/06 The Star Press, Muncie, IN

OMG! Guess who's going to Muncieeeee, LoL

I think that my sister and I are driving to Muncie tonight and stalk out the hotel!

I think that my sister and I are driving to Muncie tonight and stalk out the hotel!

Are you a fan of any of these people? I know there's some La Toya Jackson fans on this board.

Here's another update. There's nothing too spoiler-y but it does reveal that one contestant is struggling to pass the fitness test, so if you don't want to know who, skip the quoted article:

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Celeb cop candidate fails to pass push-up test

Police Chief Joe Winkle reported La Toya Jackson 'struggled' during Monday's physical fitness assessment.

By NICK WERNER

MUNCIE -- La Toya Jackson failed to complete enough push-ups to pass a physical fitness assessment in becoming a Muncie Police officer for an upcoming reality show, Police Chief Joe Winkle said on Monday.

The rest of the cast -- Erik Estrada, Jack Osbourne, Trish Stratus and Wee Man -- passed, Winkle said.

"La Toya struggled with the push-ups, but we are going to spend some time working with her," Winkle said.

A passing score included 25 push-ups in a row, 30 sit-ups in a minute and running 1.5 miles in 16 minutes and 28 seconds.

The celeb recruits arrived this weekend to begin a month's worth of filming for a reality show on CBS produced by Tom Forman, creator of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The cast will carry guns and respond to emergency calls with their individual training officers, but must first pass the same tests and requirements of any other reserve cop.

Reserve officers are not required to pass the physical fitness tests, Winkle said. Nonetheless, the department will analyze fitness tests and physical performance in self-defense classes and firearms training to determine whether the recruits are strong enough to continue.

Should police determine Jackson is too weak, she could be rejected as an officer, Winkle said.

Training is expected to last another eight days.

A representative of Forman Productions referred questions regarding the physical tests to CBS spokesman Phil Gonzales.

Gonzales, who is in Los Angeles, said late Monday that he was unaware of the situation.

In a previous interview with The Star Press, producer Tom Forman said he chose celebrities who were physically fit.

No doubt fitness trainer and former pro-wrestler Trish Stratus, 30, is in top condition and Osbourne, 21, reportedly lost 70 pounds since spring by jogging, kickboxing, rock climbing and giving up drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

At 4-foot-7-inches, professional skater and Jackass star Wee Man might have been at a disadvantage for at least the running segment of the assessment, and Jackson and Estrada are both in their 50s.

Forman said he became familiar with Muncie through another one of the show's producers, who is from here and decided on the city because it represents quintessential American communities.

Source: The Star Press, 11/28/06

Oh my, Erik Estrada! One of THE most annoying d-list celebs.

Remember his guest-stint on B&B and Tony's (Kirsten HIV+ hubby) dad?

LaToaya, Jack Osbourne...

Is Muncie famous for its rehabiltation centre for drug and nip/tuck addicts?

^^^

Here's another article from today's paper on "Armed & Famous."

More photos here (I'm not sure if you have to sign up to see them or not):

http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...0801&Ref=PH

Traffic stoppers: Celebrities trained to stop motorists

By NICK WERNER

[email protected]

MUNCIE -- Erik Estrada found himself in a familiar situation Tuesday afternoon.

"Sir, will you please step out of the vehicle with your license and registration in hand," he told a man pretending to be a motorist while both were surrounded by cameras. "I'm officer Estrada with the Muncie Police Department."

The former CHiPs star and four other celebrities conducted traffic stops on a car at the city's Fraternal Order of Police gun range as part of training for the upcoming CBS reality show Armed & Famous.

The show will chronicle the lives of Estrada, La Toya Jackson, Jack Osbourne, Trish Stratus and Wee Man as they become reserve Muncie police officers this winter, carrying real guns and responding to actual emergency calls with their training officers.

"They're trying real hard and paying attention to their instructors," producer Tom Forman said in a whispered interview as cameras rolled.

Tom Forman Productions and CBS granted The Star Press behind-the-scenes access during about an hour of filming for Armed & Famous Tuesday at the FOP facility off Butterfield Road on the city's east side.

Boxed in on all four sides by 30-foot-high mounds, the gun range and its paved lot are accessible only through a gated drive, which remained locked during most of the filming.

The celebs, dressed in navy cargo pants and sky blue T-shirts with the word "cadet" emblazoned on the chest, took turns approaching on foot officer Doug Narramore as he sat behind the wheel in a green Saturn sedan.

They practiced both typical car stops and those where the motorist is ordered out of the car and onto the ground.

"A traffic stop can be one of the most dangerous things we do," Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle explained later. "You never know for sure who you are stopping. You might be stopping someone who just escaped from prison."

The process was documented by three camera men and their three corresponding boom microphone operators.

Officers Jeff Lacy and Rick Howell provided the instruction and could be seen teaching the cast how to hold a driver at gunpoint while seeking cover behind a squad car.

The 15 or so young men and women in the production crew stood behind a passenger van about 30 yards from the action to avoid being caught on film.

Dialogue between the celebrities and the officers was inaudible at this distance to those without earbuds that relayed audio.

The crew spoke on cell phones and radios in hushed conversations, including at one point the need for cappuccino.

"This is terrific," Forman said after a successful Jackson pullover.

Forman told The Star Press that the footage from Tuesday, about 15 hours worth including all the cameras, would be shipped by courier to Los Angeles today.

Editing would begin as soon as the footage arrived, he said.

It remains unclear when the show will air.

Celebrities are expected to undergo another week of training before they become police officers, and will remain in Muncie though mid-January.

While Wee Man and Jack Osbourne appeared together in an episode of MTV's Punk'd, the remainder of the crew had never worked together and only just met, Forman said.

Jackson and Osbourne, however, traded high fives after one pullover.

"For people who just met, they're doing the best to support each other," Forman said.

The celebrities were unavailable for comment and will be until interviews can be arranged through CBS publicity representatives and the celebrities' own agents and publicists.

They are expected to undergo CPR and basic medical training today.

Contact news reporter Nick Werner at 213-5832.

Source: The Star Press, 11/29/06

Yet, another article. Today... CPR training.

You can find more pictures here: http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...0801&Ref=PH

Celebrity cops go to class to learn CPR techniques

By NICK WERNER

[email protected]

MUNCIE -- Sometimes reality is boring.

Jack Osbourne rubbed his eyes and yawned.

Trish Stratus leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm while she, Osbourne and the rest of the celebrity cast of Armed and Famous watched an educational film on providing CPR to infants Wednesday afternoon.

A large portion of the cast's training time in becoming Muncie cops for a CBS reality show is spent in a classroom chair, and by the time the cast took a pop quiz, cameras were no longer rolling.

A hands-on CPR exercise with what looked like baby dolls, however, provided plenty of material for the show as Stratus, Osbourne, Wee Man, Erik Estrada and La Toya Jackson hammed it up for the camera.

"I save babies left and right, from the east coast to the west coast," Wee Man bragged after practicing CPR on one of the dolls.

Minutes later, Estrada held a similar doll up to the camera and provided it with a gravely Spanish accent.

"Hola muchachos!" he said, playing a ventriloquist of sorts. "I'm the next Ponch."

From 1977 to 1983, Estrada portrayed California Highway Patrol officer "Ponch" Poncherello on the NBC-TV series CHiPs.

Whether or not all the celebrities passed CPR training was unclear Wednesday.

At the end of training, though, officer Sherri Barr congratulated the celebs on their performance.

"We're really proud of you," she said.

Another training officer, John Kowalski, earned the nickname "Killer Kowalski" from Stratus, a former pro wrestler.

Walter "Killer" Kowalski -- not a member of the Muncie officer's immediate family -- wrestled in more than 6,000 bouts from 1947 to 1977 in a number of wrestling organizations.

Contact news reporter Nick Werner at 213-5832.

Source: The Star Press, 11/30/06

The celebs receive a PowerPoint presentation...

It's PowerPoint time for celebrity cops

THE STAR PRESS

MUNCIE -- Thursday marked a day of study for the Armed and Famous celebrities in training to become reserve Muncie police officers.

Erik Estrada, La Toya Jackson, Jack Osbourne, Trish Stratus and Wee Man will begin work as reserve officers this month, carrying real guns and responding to actual emergency calls with their training officers.

Filming of the CBS reality series is expected to continue through mid-January.

Sgt. Rick Eber, training director for the Muncie Police Department, said the five trainees spent 8-10 hours Thursday in front of computers, "studying the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy pre-basic PowerPoint" presentation on topics ranging from "ethics to law."

"It attempts to cover everything," said Eber, adding that the officers in training would have more computer-assisted study to look forward to on Friday.

Source: The Star Press, 12/1/06