or


[12/05/08 - 01:29 PM]
VH1 and 495 Productions Teach Helpless 'Tools' How to Repair Their Broken Relationships
"ToolAcademy," hosted by Jordan Murphy, is slated to premiere January 11 at 10:00/9:00c.

[via press release from VH1]

VH1 and 495 Productions Teach Helpless 'Tools' How to Repair Their Broken Relationships

"ToolAcademy" Premieres January 11, 2009 at 10pm*

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5 -- We have all encountered them before: those strutting, preening, over confident alpha-males who lie, cheat, and treat their girlfriends like door mats. They are "tools," and they desperately need a wake up call. VH1 and 495 Productions are taking 9 of these unsuspecting bad boys and sending them to relationship boot camp in a new series titled "ToolAcademy." The eight episode series, hosted by Jordan Murphy, is slated to premiere January 11 at 10pm.*

The guys, all secretly nominated by their girlfriends, initially believe they are taking part in a competition in search of "Mr. Awesome." But the tables are turned almost immediately and they quickly learn that they are actually recruits in the "Tool Academy," where they will be schooled in proper boyfriend behavior--covering topics like honesty, fidelity, maturity, and communication with resident relationship counselor Trina Dolenz. Each week the guy who shows the least progress in the group is deemed a hopeless tool and dismissed from the academy. But there's a twist: he must then plead his case before his girlfriend, who decides on the spot if she wants to keep him or kick him to the curb. In the end, only one man will be rewarded for his transformation with a $100,000 cash prize and the title of "Mr. Awesome."

"This show carries the hope that buried deep inside even the world's most incorrigible tool, there may actually be a good boyfriend waiting to be revealed," said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President of Programming & Production for VH1. "Sometimes all it takes is a little self reflection...and eight weeks of intensive TV therapy."

Jordan Murphy's previous hosting duties include all four seasons of NBC's For Love or Money, USA's Before & After'noon Movies, and Reality Remix. He has also appeared on such shows as Las Vegas, Scrubs, Charmed, and JAG among others. Murphy is represented by IMG Broadcasting's Babette Perry and continues to be managed by Kathy Carter.

Trina Dolenz trained as a couples counselor in Cambridge, England, obtaining a Graduate Certificate in Marital and Couples Counseling, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Couples Therapy from the University of East London. She has run private practices in couples therapy in London as well as her adopted home of Los Angeles.

The series will be produced by SallyAnn Salsano for 495 Productions. Jim Ackerman, Dave Hamilton, Mike Riley and Jeff Olde will oversee the series for VH1.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 95 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

*all times ET/PT





  [december 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· FOR LOVE OR MONEY (NBC)
· TOOL ACADEMY (VH1)





[10/17/25 - 01:16 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Hits Season Highs with Best Audience Performance Since July
"Live" has now ranked as the No. 1 talk show in syndication for 139 consecutive weeks across all key measures.

[10/17/25 - 10:38 AM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues Historic Hot Streak - Rising for Fourth Straight Week Since Premiere with 6 Million Total Viewers
Plus: "High Potential" dominated the 10 p.m. hour with 4.15 million Total Viewers and a 0.33 rating among Adults 18-49.

[10/17/25 - 10:01 AM]
51st Season of "Saturday Night Live" Continues with Three Back-to-Back Shows in November
Miles Teller is on tap to host on November 1, followed by Nikki Glaser on November 8, and Glen Powell on November 15.

[10/17/25 - 09:05 AM]
All-New Season of "The Last Woodsmen" Premieres Friday, November 14 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Deep in the untamed wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, veteran logger Jared Douglas returns to put everything on the line in the new season.

[10/17/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia" - Sneak Peek - Netflix
A brutal mob war between John Stanfa and Joey Merlino plunges '90s Philadelphia into chaos and bloodshed in this captivating true-crime series.

[10/17/25 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Me late que si" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A desperate, ordinary man, fed up with his misfortune, hatches a daring heist and assembles a very unusual group to attempt the impossible: stealing a live lottery jackpot.

[10/17/25 - 08:00 AM]
"Weapons" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max October 24
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at 2:17 a.m., a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

[10/17/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "My Secret Santa" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A vivacious single-mom (Alexandra Breckenridge) in need of a job decides to disguise herself as a man in order to get hired as the seasonal Santa at a luxury ski resort.

[10/17/25 - 07:01 AM]
"Euphoria" Season 3 Is Coming Spring 2026
Newly announced cast members include Gideon Adlon, Bill Bodner, Colleen Camp, Danielle Deadwyler, Homer Gere, Jessica Blair Herman, Natasha Lyonne, Hemky Madera, Kwame Patterson, Trisha Paytas, Rebecca Pidgeon, Bella Podaras, Cailyn Rice, Eli Roth, Madison Thompson, Jack Topalian, Sam Trammell, Matthew Willig.

[10/17/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Eloa the Hostage: Live on TV" - Official Trailer - Netflix
This gripping documentary explores the case of a teenage girl who was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend in one of Brazil's most shocking hostage situations.

[10/17/25 - 06:01 AM]
Apple Is the Exclusive New Broadcast Partner for Formula 1 in the U.S.
Apple TV will deliver comprehensive coverage of Formula 1, with all practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions, and Grands Prix available to Apple TV subscribers.

[10/16/25 - 02:11 PM]
Video: National Geographic Unveils First Look at "Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember" - A Powerful and Heartfelt Special Featuring the Global Movie Star on His Most Personal Journey Yet
The one-hour documentary, from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa, Jane Root's Nutopia, and Chris Hemsworth and Ben Grayson's Wild State, premieres November 23 at 9:00/8:00c on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

[10/16/25 - 12:58 PM]
Lifetime Announces Annual "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" Holiday Movie Slate Kicking Off November 29th
Featured talent this year includes Brandy Norwood, Kane & Katelyn Brown, Loretta Devine, Debbi Morgan, Arielle Kebbel, Tyler Hilton, James Lafferty, Vivica A. Fox, Jackée Harry, Sy'Rai Smith, Nischelle Turner, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and others.

[10/16/25 - 12:31 PM]
Video: "The Witcher" Season 4 - Character Trailer - Netflix
Scattered to fates unknown, Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri traverse the war-torn Continent and its countless enemies in the hope of finding each other again.

[10/16/25 - 11:32 AM]
A+E Global Media and Rachael Ray's Free Food Studios Cook Up Expanded Programming Partnership with Over 100 New Episodes Ordered
The network has ordered 110 new episodes of Ray's programming, including new episodes of "Meals in Minutes," that will continue to focus on her approachable and comforting cooking style.