Tonight on the CW at 8PM EST Famous in 12 premieres. On tonight’s episode, “Are We Famous Yet?” a family moves to Los Angeles in an attempt to find fame in the entertainment business in just 12 weeks.
FAMOUS IN 12 is an unscripted series/social experiment that will film one fame-seeking family around the clock for 12 weeks straight. The family will be guided by the TMZ machine, which will create a series of opportunities for them. TMZ and Harvey Levin will help, and additional experts will be brought in throughout the course of the series to provide input and guidance on the path to fame, but it is up to the family to pull it off.
On tonight’s episode there is a family in the U.S. that has what it takes to become famous. The question is: can they pull it off in 12 weeks? That’s the challenge in this unique social experiment that tracks the lives of one determined family as they move to the entertainment capital of the world – Los Angeles – and seek fame while being filmed around the clock for 12 weeks straight. Members of the family all have unique talents, and they will be guided by Harvey Levin and the TMZ machine, which will create a series of opportunities for them. Family members will also be constantly tracked via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to build their social media profiles. This information will be analyzed
Tune in tonight to catch the premiere of Famous in 12 on CW – we’ll be right here recapping it for you live! In the meantime, let us know what you expect from the show.
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates
Harvey Levin welcomes us to Hollywood where he says lots of people come to be famous. He says being famous is different now than it was a decade ago and has less to do with talent. He mentions that both Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian got famous horizontally. He says he went on a hunt for an ordinary family that wants to be famous and will bring them to LA for 12 weeks to try and get them famous. They will be on the CW, social media, TMZ and other sources but says they have to make their own luck.
It’s the Artiaga family that wants to become the next Kardshians. Harvey’s staff asks why they want to be the Kardashians and he says the $65 million net worth. The dad is a DJ, the mom is an aspiring erotic novelist plus three daughters. One thinks she’s a great model, one a great dancer and another thinks she’s a great singer. Harvey says they will become famous because they are shameless. Harvey says they really want it. They currently live in a small town called Beaumont.
TMZ plans to put them in the right situations and let them give it a shot. Harvey says he’s vouching for them and if it doesn’t work, he looks bad. His staff jokes that they are rooting against him and they all laugh.
Back in Beaumont, 22 year old Jameelah discusses her modeling talent. 19 year old Maariyah says she wants to show that virgins can be sexy and single mom, 27 year old Taliah says she can show her son she can be famous. The momager is married to Mike who is 10 years her junior and not the daddy of her kids. She says there is no plan B because they all quit their jobs. They all pile into the car.
Mike says he thinks his family will be the next famous family we’ll love, hate and give a f- about. In Hollywood, it’s week one and they are on the way to meet Harvey. They see a camera guy from another vehicle filming them and wave. Peter, the producer, greets the family and points out cameras and says they’ll get used to it. Other people ask if they’re famous and start snapping photos of them.
Harvey comes out to meet the family. He says no one has done anything like this before. He says they have 12 weeks to break through like other people have done. He says social media will tell us if it worked. Harvey says they have to connect with the people to make it happen. He says it’s all about scheming. He says you always need a scheme – shock value makes people famous in 2014.
Jameelah speaks in the third person and says she’s already a star and just needs other to recognize it. Taliah says she has a hashtag after her already. Maariyah says she will be famous for her singing talent and he tells them that Beyonce and Rihanna didn’t make it in 12 weeks. He tells them talent will not work. He says Paris and Kim had a plan and asks what their plan is. He says he’ll be back in a week and wants to hear about their plan.
Harvey says other people don’t care about you – how are you going to make them. The family says they’re scared but eager. He tells them to enjoy their new house. Taliah can’t wait to get into the house and they all squeal as they pull up and run inside. They are amazed at the size of the house. Angelique says to shut your faces down. They find a room with three beds and the momager says they have to share a room. The girls aren’t happy.
They all go out to the pool and discuss that they don’t want to go back to Beaumont – they want to stay and find fame. Harvey tells his staff that they’re in town and says they need to be seen. Harvey says he’s going to send the girls out in bikinis with free cupcakes but only for celebrities. Harvey says things will spread and the laughs get dirtier.
The girls discuss the cupcake plan and Jameelah says it’s definitely going to pay off. They talk about getting pictures taken with them and the celebs. They hang out with their signs and call out to passing cars. Maariyah is optimistic about their chances then Adrienne Maloof pulls up and takes a selfie with the girls and takes her cupcake. Nick Cassavetes from the Notebook pulls up and he says he has no Twitter because he’s not a 14 year old girl. They give him one.
Ariane Bellamar pulls up and they give her a cupcake and she says she can get them into the Playboy mansion. One guy says he’s an underwear model in Israel. Taliah says this will get them a lot of attention – the three girls all eat a cupcake together.
Harvey tells them they will help the family know which places to go – Katsuya is one. He says they need to give them tips on approaching celebrities are there. They discuss bathroom stalking celebrities. The girls and their mom head to Katsuya. They check out the sushi and sample it and spot Ray J. Jameelah makes a beeline for Ray J. He invites her to sit and she introduces herself. She says he’s awesome and that she’s doing a show about getting famous.
The guy with him asks it’s Harvey’s show and she asks him for a selfie and Ray J does it. He introduces the guy with him – David Weintraub – and they talk to the girls about fame. They tell him they want to take over for the Kardashians. Ray J is floored. He walks off to the bar and she follows him and asks how important the sex tape was to his career. He tells her if she’s good at sex, then she might want to do it and he may want to watch it.
Ray J says that his advice is that you can be famous in two weeks like that and says everybody has a freaky side and he loves freaky sides. They drink some wine together and he heads out. The TMZ people ask Ray J about his sex life and he chats with them before he goes.
At a club, the girls show up and they tell him that Stevie Wonder is there. They see him and then head up to the door to ask to be let in. They ask what list they are on. Then they ask the doorman if they can be on his. They have no clue then realize they need to be on the list. Jameelah introduces herself to people in the line. Her sister thinks she’s wasting her time.
Soulja Boy shows up and Jameelah goes to give him a hug. He checks her out and she introduces Taliah and he hugs her too. They tell him they’re trying to be famous and then asks if they can be on his guest list. He heads inside and they hope he will come back. An hour later, still no Soulja.
They tell the TMZ cameras that they aren’t getting in and wonder why they can’t get in. One of them disses Soulja. Angie says he’s an ex-celebrity. The bouncer tells them it won’t happen tonight and they give up and leave. The ladies say the people inside are missing out on all of this.
Harvey says if you act like a celebrity, you can become one. He talks about news people that have done it – he’s referring to himself. Taliah plans to interview her sister on a red carpet to make it look like hse belongs there. Faith Evans heads out and Taliah talks to her. She also talks to Lil Mama about waxing. Jameelah shows up and Taliah acts like she knows her.
She asks her about finding a hair in her shower and she says she would burn the house down. Other cameras are shooting her. They get in on some photos and are thrilled. They are with Gretchen Rossi, Ray J and others. Jameelah is excited and says they are meeting celebs and we see a bunch of selfies with them and the celebs.
Harvey says they need sexy pictures to hand out to people. He says he’s got a famous photographer friend and says they need to talk to him – they wonder who will be the Kourtney, the Khloe and the Kim and how will they take it. Angie takes them to the photo shoot. Will Sanford shows up to take their pics.
Will pulls Angie aside and tells her that the reality of the business is something she needs to know. He says that Taliah is at the end of her career based on her age and her height. He says shooting her would be a waste of town. She tells Mike that she has to break it to Taliah. The girls come over because their mom is crying and Mike tells her the bad news.
She explains that Taliah won’t get to be in the shoot and she cries. One of the sisters says it’s because she’s too fat. Taliah is annoyed and says she has a great bikini body. Jameelah asks Will to work with her but he doesn’t. Jameelah goes first the Maariyah. Will says with her body and face, she could have covers. Taliah is crying and says she needs to be someplace else right now.
After the photo shoot, Taliah is moping and asks what happened today. She asks why she was even there and Mike says no one was expecting that. She says why they wouldn’t know it before so she didn’t have to go. Taliah thinks her mom needs to be managing all of them so she’s not pushed into a corner. Mike says Angie was trying to open different doors for them. She says she’s not a model. Mike thinks she’s being selfish for accusing her mom of not watching out for her.
Angie says if they say no, it means no. Taliah says her mom doesn’t understand what she’s saying. Angie tells her that she should be thanking her and mad at the photographer, not her. Angie says what she will do is make sure she will get her seen in the proper forum. Taliah thinks this is about business not her being her mom.
They show up for “Harvey’s reality check” and they are nervous. Harvey comes in and asks how their first week was. He asks on a 1 to 10 and Maariyah asks one to 10 or as a group. Harvey says this is a very telling comment. He tells them what they did with Soulja boy was good and the cupcake stunt was great and so was the red carpet. He says they were convincing as reporter and celebrity.
Then he tells them they are squandering opportunities and says they are floundering and he has serious concerns right now. Harvey tells Jameelah that she blew it at Katsuya with Ray J – she says he’s saying you can be freaky and then she starts talking about being vegan. He says why don’t you talk to him more – he says she wasn’t being sexy and Ray J likes sexy girls. He says she should have been more charming and was painful and awkward instead.
He asks Taliah about the photo shoot. She says it was wasted time. Harvey says that’s no way to look at it and failure is a learning tool. He tells her boo hoo. He says welcome to Hollywood. Then he goes to Angie and talks about David Weintraub and her asking to be his friend. He says the answer to that is no – he says she is an unbelievable enabler. He tells her Kris Kardashian has much bigger balls.
He tells Marriyah to quit talking about being a virgin. He says it’s bizarre. He asks if her thing is being the sexiest virgin and he says maybe it will work. The notion is growing on him. He tells Mike that he’s been weak and asks if the women are destroying his manhood. He says they are either going to make it as a family or not. He says if there is dead weight, there will be resentment.
Harvey says he has hired a social team to track them on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc. He says they are going to have a composite number to rate them and their fame. He says liking and hating are both good, but neutral is not. He wishes them luck.
Back at the house, the family comes in and they start to head up but Angie calls them down for a family meeting. Angie tells Jameelah that she has to stay on point. She says her strategy was to talk to Ray J like he was anyone else. She says she’s still trying to figure it out. Taliah says she’s tired of hearing Jameelah repeat herself and Jameelah calls her a complainer. Jameelah asks her sister who she is in America. This quickly escalates to a hair pulling cat fight which Angie and Mike break up.
Angie says Taliah has a short fuse. Taliah screams at her sister that she doesn’t know who she is either. Angie tells them to stop it and Taliah asks why Jameelah gets to talk and talk and her mom promises her private time. Taliah says her pulling her sister’s hair wasn’t 100% necessary but it did let her family know this isn’t a game with her.
Harvey talks about the 24/7 experiment with cameras rolling all the time and lots of social media. He invites the public to chime in and follow on TMZ.com, CW, Instagram and Twitter.
The End!
