TLC's new singing competition
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) - April 7, 2008 The duo will co-host "The Singing Office," a tongue-in-cheek
singing competition that pits different groups of employees against
each other.
Both Brown and Fatone were members of chart-topping pop
quartets; both finished in second place on ABC's "Dancing With the
Stars"; and both have starred in "Rent" on Broadway.
"It's not like `American Idol' or `Dancing With the Stars,"'
Brown told The Associated Press while filming at the Long Beach
Airport. "It's not a serious competition. It gives people a break
from their everyday lives to have some fun with their co-workers."
In each episode, Brown, 32, and Fatone, 31, surprise employees
at two separate workplaces with impromptu vocal auditions. They
then pick the five best singers. The makeshift groups are trained
by pros to perform a song-and-dance routine and compete in front of
a studio audience.
"I couldn't have thought of a better pair to do this," said
executive producer Scott Sternberg. "Both of them did really well
on `Dancing With the Stars,' so I think America really knows them
and is rooting for them now."
Brown recently wrapped up the Spice Girls reunion tour. Fatone,
who performed with `N Sync, has been hosting NBC's "The Singing
Bee," which wasn't included on the network's fall schedule.
There's one more thing they have in common: Brown said they're
both scheduled to return to the "Dancing With the Stars" ballroom
May 6 to dance for the show's 100th episode.