MUNCIE, Indiana, Jan. 30, 2007
CBS Axes "Armed & Famous" After 4 Shows
Network Pulls Reality Series That Gave Celebrities Chance To Be Cops
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Play CBS Video Video 'Armed And Famous' On CBS ShowBuzz RAW: A new reality series on CBS showcases five celebrities who are trained to be cops. They perform the duties of a regular police officer.
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"CHiPs" star Erik Estrada, above right, starred in the CBS reality show. (CBS/Cliff Lipson)
It is has been axed after four episodes.
Producers planned seven episodes of "Armed & Famous," whose stars included former "CHiPs" star Erik Estrada, singer La Toya Jackson and Jack Osbourne. At least one unaired episode is to be shown this weekend on the cable channel VH1.
The show was broadcast on Wednesday nights, opposite Fox's top-rated "American Idol." "Armed & Famous" was 44th in the TV ratings its first week when two episodes aired, but fell to 70th for its Jan. 17 episode, according to Nielsen Media Research.Photos: Shooting For TV
"It came down to ratings," CBS spokesman Chris Ender said Monday. "Going up against 'American Idol' was a tall task for the show."
VHI will air the one new episode and the four already broadcast at 5 p.m. Saturday, said Laura Nelson, a spokeswoman for the channel. She said VH1 expected to show the last two "Armed & Famous" episodes if they were completed by its producers.
Muncie Mayor Dan Canan said the producer had predicted the show would have a tough time going up against "American Idol."
"I don't understand that part of the business," he said. "I'm just pleased with how the city was portrayed and how the department was portrayed."
Canan said police officers told him they believed the show gave a fairly realistic look at local police procedures.
"It's showing the general public what they're doing in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep," Canan said.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- "Going up against 'American Idol' was a tall task for the show."
'Ya think? this show would have lost against C-Span - Reply to this comment
- My daughter & I loved this show. It is so funny & you get to see these semi-famous people go through so much & see them learn new things. It really is a great show. You got to see the real police officers learn from them.
- Reply to this comment
- Why did it take four shows to cancel Armed and Stupid?
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