April 25, 2005 Ryan Cabrera to Star in MTV Dating Show
NEW YORK - MTV is pointing to spikey-haired singer Ryan Cabrera to host "Score," a new reality dating show. Unlike his ex-girlfriend's "The Ashlee Simpson Show," Cabrera's affair won't impale his personal life.
"It's been done," he told The Associated Press. "It's been captured. The idea of that came up a long time ago. We've seen that. We've watched someone's life on the road, what it's like to see someone make an album. This is a way to incorporate both."
In "Score," Cabrera, his band and some celebrity guest stars will mentor two lovelorn songwriters, who will be asked to write a tune in one day. Sight unseen, the object of their affection will choose the crooner with the best serenade for a date.
Cabrera, 22, knows something about songwriting. His album "Take It All Away" went gold. What about playing Cupid? His relationship with Simpson went south.
"We broke up once then got back together then broke up actually a long time ago," said Cabrera. "We haven't been that vocal about it. We haven't been together in a very long time."
"Score" marks another reality TV collaboration between MTV and Joe Simpson, who manages Cabrera; his daughters, Jessica and Ashlee; and executive produces their respective reality shows.
"For us, it's always about the idea," said Brian Graden, MTV president of programming. "He had another good idea."
MTV has ordered 20 episodes of "Score," which will debut this fall. Casting will begin this summer.
"It's not a crazy show," said Cabrera. "It's a fun show that anybody can watch."
