Reality TV Show

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Larry invited to be on reality TV show!

I know what you’re thinking . . . "There is no way you were actually invited to be on a national TV show. Your titles usually have nothing to do with the article anyway." I thought I was being "punk’d" when I first heard the director’s voice. After listening to my subliminal message answering machine, he laughed and said I was the exact person they were looking for to be featured in a new American version of the hit British show "Faking It." It turns out my friends at North Hollywood S. B. Church (Pastor Charles Cutney) had recommended me. In earlier Perihelions I have told some stories about being with them and naively trying to encourage academy award nominee Angela Bassett to do some skits in the church to help her with her interest in acting (in my defense, that was before I knew who she was). She led her manager, Kenny I., to the Lord.

You may recall my adventures in showing off some of the stuff Matthew Perry used to own, which Kenny gave me. So I called the director back and it turns out I was not being punk’d. The Learning Channel has a series called Faking It which takes a person from one profession, trains them for a few weeks to do something different than their normal job, and then tries to see if they can trick a panel of experts into believing that IS their real job. The award winning show in England has taken someone like a computer geek and turned them into a drag queen . . . or a Pious Vicar into a used car salesman. When I got the call they were looking for a preacher to train as a used car salesman in Las Vegas. It is quite a contrast in Britain but I’m not so sure they realized that in America some "TV" preachers are not that much different than used car salesmen!

When he asked me if I would do it, I was initially excited. Not only because of being on a national TV show, but I started to think of the offers that usually flood in afterward for those who are featured in ‘reality’ shows. I could envision getting offers to be on Leno, Letterman and of course, the QVC shopping channel (depending on how good I did at selling cars!)

I told him I would think about it and call him back. Since, I travel and am gone from home so much I was not thrilled about leaving Kristen for a month to film the show. Inviting me to go to Vegas is like inviting Siegfried or Roy to the local cat shelter to find some new additions for their act. (Don’t worry, I realize that connection makes no sense at all, I’m not totally senile yet!)

I had initial hesitations about being a used car salesman since I have not been overly thrilled with the few I have met (except, of course, the ones that may be reading this!) I began to consider how I could be an "honest, unmanipulative" used car salesman.

Then as I thought about it more, I realized that the whole premise is based on a lie and deception. If someone asked me how I got into selling cars, what would I say? "Well, after I got my Master’s from seminary, I started working with youth and then the next logical transition was . . . used cars???" I started to imagine some scenarios I may be in and that part of the "experiment" for some of the TV producers could be to see how far they could get this "Christian Preacher" to go in compromising his faith, ethics, morals and what he says he believes in. As I thought and prayed about it, God gave me an incredible peace in being able to turn down such a big TV opportunity which would have undoubtedly advanced my acting career . . . then as further confirmation, I remembered that I don’t even HAVE an acting career. So I decided to call a few of my "preacher" friends and pass the opportunity on to them. (Not, of course, that I wanted them to be corrupted by the TV producers!)

My decision was a little easier because of David Meece, an incredibly talented Christian musician. When I was in High School, I heard him in concert tell about a phenomenal offer he got from Hollywood regarding his songwriting (it seems like close to a million dollars!) The problem was he could not use lyrics about God. He prayed about it and had an overwhelming peace that he should not compromise from what he knew God had called him to do, even though it would cost him a lot of money and potential fame. He chose to do what was right regardless of the cost.

It all made me think how easy it is to compromise what God has called us to (could be our life vocation/job or future mate or a life of integrity). Sometimes it’s easy to go through a job or life "fakin’ it." If a panel of experts was to observe you at your job would they know you were a Christian or are you just fakin it? (Paraphrase of the old question if you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?)


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