'COOL,' 'SURREAL' and 'STRANGE' New Series and Specials Build on VH1's Record-Breaking Momentum

Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen, six new celebrities living the surreal life, Jerry Hall and 15 eager Romeos, artists turning over new leaves, eight celebrities losing weight to win, the coolest stories about growing up, what's hot in pop culture, outrageous motoring singers, the birth of Velvet Revolver and the impact of politics on pop culture all hit the air soon

NEW YORK, Oct. 14 -- How do you top your most watched quarter in your 19-year history? You put the pedal to the metal. VH1 has greenlit a number of new pop culture and music series and specials to keep its record- breaking pace going into 2005.

VH1 has ordered seven new series including "Strange Love," "Kept," "Remaking," "My Coolest Years," "Celebrity Fit Club," "Motormouth," and "Redlight - Greenlight," picked up the fourth season of "The Surreal Life," followed the rise of Velvet Revolver and turned its pop culture lens on the world of politics.

"STRANGE LOVE" -- SERIES

VH1 reunites Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav in a 10-episode series premiering January.

"THE SURREAL LIFE" -- SERIES

The fourth season of this 9-episode weekly series returns to VH1 on January.

"KEPT" -- SERIES

Jerry Hall looks for her next "companion" in this 10-episode series that premieres Spring 2005.

"REMAKING" -- SERIES

The series that reinvents our favorite artists of the past premieres in January.

"MY COOLEST YEARS" -- SERIES

10-episode weekly series premieres December.

"CELEBRITY FIT CLUB" -- SERIES

This 8-episode series premieres in January.

"MOTORMOUTH" -- SERIES

20-episode hidden-camera series premieres Monday, October 26 at 11 p.m. ET/PT

"REDLIGHT - GREENLIGHT" -- SERIES

Weekly series that reviews what's hot and what's not in movies, music and TV. Premieres November 17.

(INSIDE)OUT: THE RISE OF VELVET REVOLVER -- SPECIAL

Once former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum decided they wanted to continue to make music together, they searched far and wide for a lead singer. It all clicked when former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland stepped in. However, Scott was soon arrested for drug possession, slipping back into the addictions that plagued him with his former band. But he and the band have overcome personal challenges, and landed on top with a platinum debut that has reached #1. VH1 cameras capture it all in this evocative hour.

"(Inside)Out" is a VH1 Production. Executive Producer is George Moll. Producer is Alex Castino.

VH1 NEWS PRESENTS "POLITICS: A POP CULTURE HISTORY" -- SPECIAL

Building off the success of last year's award-winning "AIDS: A Pop Culture History," this one-hour special gives politics the same treatment. Premieres Wednesday, October 20 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

More Programming Details:

A "SURREAL" AFFAIR GROWS INTO "STRANGE LOVE" WITH BRIGITTE NIELSEN AND FLAVOR FLAV

Fans of "The Surreal Life" on VH1 this season know that Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav made a splash together in and out of that swimming pool in the back of that mansion. VH1 is reuniting the ghetto-flash and Euro-trash pair to see if their love is true. Flavor visits Brigitte in Milan to meet her elite royal friends and mother, brother and son. Brigitte then travels to Flavor's hometown of the Bronx to meet his children and go to church with his mother and sisters. The two then go to Vegas where viewers will have to see if they get hitched or one of them gets ditched.

"Strange Love" is a production of Mindless Entertainment and 51 Minds. Mark Cronin and Cris Abrego are executive producers.

"THE SURREAL LIFE" SPAWNS A FOURTH SEASON

VH1 has given the green light to a fourth season of "The Surreal Life," the weekly series that chronicles the lives and adventures of six unlikely celebrities living together in a Hollywood mansion for an extended period of time.

The third season of "The Surreal Life" debuted on VH1 last month, blowing up the network's prime time ratings in the key 18-49 demo in its time slot by over 200% compared to the same time period in September 2003. The third memorable season featured Brigitte Nielsen, Flavor Flav, Charo, Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block, Dave Coulier from "Full House" and Ryan Starr from "American Idol."

"The Surreal Life" is a production of Mindring Entertainment. Mark Cronin and Cris Abrego are executive producers.

JERRY HALL SEARCHES FOR THE PERFECT YOUNG ROMEO WHO WANTS TO BE "KEPT"

In this new 10-episode weekly series, 15 eligible bachelors vie to be "kept" by the former Mrs. Mick Jagger, hoping to win a six figure "allowance" while living in the lap of luxury for a year. Jerry Hall, the confident jet- setting supermodel from Texas, searches for the ideal male companion with whom to share her life and have fun. Each week, Jerry will put her eager Romeos through a selection process consisting of star-studded jet-setting events in such locales as her ranch in Texas, fashion shows in New York, her family home in London and the sunny beaches of St. Tropez. The young suitors will all share a deluxe bachelor pad near Jerry's home in London as Jerry's A-list family and friends advise her in each episode to help narrow down the field from 15 to the "one."

"Kept" is a VH1 production. Executive producers include Sam Korkis, Mark Ganshirt, Debbie Meyers and Michael Cantor.

VH1 MAKES A SERIES OUT OF "REMAKING" OUR FAVORITE ARTISTS OF THE PAST FOR SUCCESS TODAY

VH1 sets out to prove in this series that all our favorite proven artists really need to get back to the top of the music world is some attention. Not media attention, but guidance and support from a team of experts ranging from therapists, plastic surgeons and fitness trainers to the music industry's current top producers, songwriters, and stylists. Each episode focuses on one iconic artist's sometimes comic, sometimes emotional, but always intense 90- day transformation designed to return the artist to center stage and prove that the best days of their careers are still to come. First up: Vince Neil, former lead singer of Motley Crue. "Remaking" is a VH1 production. Executive producers include Rico Martinez. Lisa Matsukawa is producer.

"MY COOLEST YEARS" SERIES RELIVES THE SURVIVAL TACTICS OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS

Forget grades, the most important thing about high school for most of us was being cool. Who you hung out with, what you wore, and what you listened to were all meticulously calculated elements in our quests to be considered cool. This new weekly series relives the choices we made in order to fit in with the jocks, the cheerleaders, the geeks, the b-boys or the metalheads -- one clique at a time. Each episode will feature a melting pot of rockers, rappers, actors and gadflies proudly sharing memories of the friends they picked and the stunts they pulled in order to survive the coolest years of their lives.

"My Coolest Years" is VH1 Production. Producer is Michael Dutton.

EIGHT STARS JOIN VH1'S "CELEBRITY FIT CLUB" TO LOSE WEIGHT AND WIN

In this emotional and often hilarious reality series, eight celebrities bravely step forward and acknowledge that they've been losing the battle of the bulge. After being divided into two teams, Daniel Baldwin, Kim Coles, Joe Gannascoli ("The Sopranos"), Biz Markie, Ralphie May, Judge Mablean Ephriam ("Divorce Court"), Mia Tyler and Wendy the Snapple Lady will endure our Fit Camp to face challenges ranging from belly dancing and ballet to synchronized swimming and limbo. Each week, the celebrities must then face the loneliest walk on television as they step on the scales to see if they've helped their team to win by losing weight.

"Celebrity Fit Club" is a Granada Television production.

"MOTORMOUTH" SERIES TAKES UNKNOWING CONTESTANTS FOR A RIDE

Keep both hands on the wheel America because VH1 has a new hidden- camera competition series that's literally taking to the streets in search of America's worst singers and most outrageous drivers.

Each episode features contestants from two cities, all unknowingly vying for the title of "Motormouth" for that town as chosen by VH1. At the end of each episode, the dubious vocalists square off as we crown that episode's Ultimate Motormouth.

"Motormouth" is a VH1 Production. Executive producers are Russ Heldt, Toni Gallagher and Paul Hardy.

"REDLIGHT - GREENLIGHT" -- SERIES

A trio of opinionated yet hilarious hosts gives VH1 viewers the scoop on the latest movies, music and television shows coming out that week. Ant ("Last Comic Standing,") Chris Coppola ("Simone") and Loni Love ("I Love the ... ") debate the highlights and lowlights of each project. Each host will then give viewers either the "greenlight" or the "redlight" to check it out for themselves.

"RedLight - Greenlight" is a production of Dalaklis McKeown Entertainment.

(INSIDE)OUT: THE RISE OF VELVET REVOLVER -- SPECIAL

Once former Guns N'Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum decided they wanted to continue to make music together, they searched far and wide for a lead singer. It all clicked when former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland stepped in. But Scott was soon arrested for drug possession, slipping back into the addictions that plagued him with his former band. VH1 cameras capture it all in this evocative hour.

"(Inside)Out" is a VH1 Production. Executive Producer is George Moll.

VH1 NEWS PRESENTS "POLITICS: A POP CULTURE HISTORY" -- SPECIAL

This VH1 News documentary is the next installment of the VH1 series that began in 2003 with the award-winning "AIDS: A Pop Culture History." Pop culture has always reflected and commented on America's political mood, ranging from "Rambo" to "West Wing" and from Bruce Springsteen's working-man anthems to Toby Keith's songs of a nation ready to go to war. But this election year has firmly established that politics has become pop culture and vice versa.

"Politics: A Pop Culture History" is a VH1 Production. Producer is Jennifer Wagman. Supervising Producer is Mark Anstendig.

Learn more about these and all other VH1 programs at http://www.vh1.com.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in over 87 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH Uno, VH1 Mega Hits and VH1 Country. Connect with VH1 at http://www.VH1.com.

SOURCE VH1
Web Site: http://www.vh1.com