10:00pm – Friday, February 17 on TV 3
WANNA-BEn – the little New Zealand TV show that grabs international headlines and huge international guests returns with its highly-anticipated second series on to TV3 on Friday, February 17 th at 10pm on 3. Ben Boyce, the world’s biggest “wanna-be”, is back with six celebrity-laden, gag-packed episodes of WANNABEn made up from a smorgasboard of skits, parodies, pranks and interviews. Each episode of WANNA-BEn follows Ben’s attempts to live the life of someone rich and famous. For series two Ben interviews and emulates the likes of talk show host Jerry Springer, “The Fonze” Henry Winkler, rockstar Bret Michaels, wrestler Hulk Hogan, Playmate and reality TV star Kendra, the real Erin Brockovich and many, many more.
“It was great to get the opportunity to do a second series and make a few tweaks to the show,” says Ben. “I’m just thankful I put my name in the show’s title otherwise I’m sure I would’ve been replaced!”
In mid-2011, the former host of Pulp Sport, who lost his trademark dreadlocks to raise money for the Telethon for Christchurch, spent three weeks travelling around America and somehow managed to chat to 13 international stars and find out what it would take for an everyday New Zealander to be like them.
“I was pretty surprised I got to talk to these people. It’s awesome they gave me time out of their busy lives. Well except for Gary Busey – that dude is nuts!”
Ben’s weird encounter with the eccentric Hollywood actor is just one of the many celebrity interview highlights of the series. “I think I asked Gary about two questions, then spent the next 45 minutes wondering if he was actually insane or just screwing with my head! At one point he tickled me for about a solid minute then made me drop my pants to check if I’d peed myself. He also attempted to burn me with his cigar a bunch of times and even tried to make me sit on some weird sex toy!”
During his informal chats, Ben learnt a lot of the secrets to being like his celebrity idols. Jerry Springer taught him the one and only thing you need to know to be a TV host, Bret Michaels shared his secret to winning the ladies, and Kendra explained the many benefits of breast implants.
Make sure not to miss the first of these lessons when Ben tries to be like “The Fonze”, Henry Winkler and Playmate Kendra in this week’s WANNA-BEn season premiere, screening on Friday, February 17 th at 10pm on 3.
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