Written by Nicole Pedersen

I was hoping that the remake of “Fame” would go away, but no… they have gone and hired a director for the ill-advised adaptation. And the winner is? Some guy named Kevin Tancharoen. He is a 23 year old choreographer best known for working on the reality show “Search for the Next Pussycat Doll,”… wow, I’m sort of speechless here. He is also younger than the original film, if you do the math.

Now, hiring a young guy to helm “Fame” isn’t the problem: it’s a bunch of kids singing and dancing in high school, after all… no big introspection and life-experience is required. No, the problem is that they are re-making it at all. I know “Fame” was a big hit for young gay teens in the 80’s, but does it really merit a do over? Couldn’t they just digitally clean the original print and release, like, an anniversary edition or something? Wasn’t it bad enough that they put it on TV, then Broadway?

Shooting this summer from a script by Alison Burnett suggests that “Fame 2.0” will follow the original 1980 film as opposed to its ‘all singing’ Broadway musical spawn. There will obviously be music (How else could the kids express their feelings?) but it probably won’t be a standard musical. That’s something, I guess.

Aside from hiring a choreographer to direct (and we all remember how well that turned out for “The Producers”) Lakeshore Entertainment and MGM are going all out to find the next Irene Cara for their updated “Fame.” Open auditions will begin next month in LA and NYC…. Hey! I smell a reality show! Woops, I mean, another reality show. “Fame” already had the reality treatment once… apparently. Seriously, guys, don’t you think this idea has been played out?

Full disclosure: I went to a performing arts high-school and I was asked constantly “Hey! Is it just like in ‘Fame?’?” It got old fast. Yes, sure… we all got up and danced on the tables at lunch, whatever makes you happy. Consequently I have an avid dislike for “Fame” and all related subjects. It just seems that with all of the singing/dancing and behind the scenes of singing/dancing media that we have nowadays, a “Fame” re-dux is one lazy man’s remake I could live without.

I already paid in sweat, do you take cash?