Andy Warhol said everyone is bound for 15 minutes of stardom. Be on your best behavior, because MTV might grant that wish in its venture into downtown State College this weekend.
In an effort to launch MTV University, a channel specifically geared towards college students, the music network will be touring around State College hoping to garner a glimpse of the demograph in action today and tomorrow.
"We'd love to follow students around," MTV spokesman Morgan Hertzan said. "We want to know where the hot spots in town are."
Deployed camera crews will parade up and down town, on and off campus, trying to seize sizzling footage of a typical Penn State football weekend. They seek happening bar atmospheres, off-campus festivities as well as a peek at students tailgating at the Penn State-Ohio State game.
"We're trying to find the ultimate Penn State fan, the ultimate tailgate and talk with the Lion," Hertzan said. "We're excited for the huge football game."
Penn State is the last of four schools filmed for MTV University.
"So far, we've been to the University of Connecticut, Rutgers and Montclair State," he said.
Being the fourth largest school in the country, Penn State is also the biggest school MTV plans to visit.
"I think (Penn State is) the most fun school on the East Coast," Hertzan said. "Penn State has 40,000 college students with one thing on their mind — college."
MTV University is already being piloted at the University of Michigan, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, University of Georgia and the University of California-San Diego. Footage taken this weekend will air at those schools on Nov. 8.
The new network, hoping to launch in September 2002, will air 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"This is a totally new initiative — we're excited," Hertzan said. "Rather than just ignore your generation, we're trying to pick a group of people that we want to watch us."
MTV University will air episodes of Beavis and Butthead, The Tom Green Show, classic spring break moments and documentaries pertaining to the tastes of college students — sex, drugs and night-life, to name a few. Also, it will play a selection of new and old music videos catered to the taste of students.
"It's going to be MTV from the last 20 years minus all the stuff you didn't like," Hertzan said. "People your age grew up watching MTV. We're pulling great stuff out of the video vault that you grew up and loved."
Bars have expressed anticipation of a possible MTV ambush.
"We're obviously excited," said David Wells, general manager of the Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave. "They've done more to provide the live aspect of music than any other medium."
Earlier this semester, MTV popped in on Players Nite Club, 112 W. College Ave. Another stopover would be great, said Mike Desmond, partner of Players.
"I look forward to giving them a favorable impression," Desmond said. "Our guests usually have a good time. Hopefully, MTV will be able to capture them."
Students are also looking forward to MTV's arrival.
"I think most people will be welcome to the idea," said Michelle Poma (junior-telecom).
Kyle Gilfillan (junior-telecommunications) agrees.
"I think a lot of people have an obsession with being on tape," Gilfillan said. "I can see people either running towards the camera for attention or screaming the other way."
