What can I really say about WWtbaSH? It’s a pleasure, a really guilty one, but I’m wallowing in it. I’m not a big reality show fan; this is the first one I have ever watched start to finish. And it was obvious from the start that the show was at least partly scripted. The transformation of the Iron Enforcer into the supervillain Dark Enforcer. Come ON. Like THAT wasn’t there from the start. The other superheroes dissed him all the time, even Stan Lee ripped on him every single time they came to the roof of the lair for the elimination.
But anyway. Back to the beginning.
Who Wants to be a Super Hero was meant from the beginning to be slightly silly. And for sure, the superheroes themselves were in on the gag. A reality show about superheroes who actually have no super powers? Mystery Men on live TV?
Major Victory was forever hamming it up for the camera and talking straight to the viewers, reveling in his stripper background. Fat Momma’s whole gig was, she was a single mom. Mom to her kids, surrogate mom to the superheroes. Cell Phone Girl took the “I answered the phone and suddenly had my costume idea” silliness and ran with it. And Monkey Girl took every Tarzan cliche to heart.
The only one of the eleven (originally twelve, but one was a plant revealed in the first episode) who seemed to take it at all seriously was Feedback. Intense, deliberate, never a false step. He had the best costume, both his home-made one and the one the show made him were way above the others. Athletic, intense, intelligent and compassionate. His major personal fault? A messy desk. Was there ever a chance he wouldn’t win? No… it was like he was meant to win from the beginning.
I didn’t believe any of the show was “real” until I saw the WWtbaSH panel at the San Diego Comic-Con. Major Victory, Cell Phone Girl, Fat Momma, TyVeculus, and Stan Lee were there. And by gosh, they said it was real. IGN interviewed all the superheroes and my God, it really was real. The arcs and spin were added by the producers.
This made it that much better for me. These guys really were cooped up with each other for six weeks, did the best they could on the challenges, didn’t know Iron Enforcer would return as Dark Enforcer, just wanted to do the best they could on the show. And so I want to finish this up with a fangirl’s memories of twelve heroes.
Rotiart – A chubby guy in camo with “ROTIART” in a big velcro strip on his chest. I dunno… how many kinds of dumb do you have to be to not notice after awhile that maybe that word spells something backward? Yeah, he was the producer’s spy to decide on the first elimination, assuming the roving camera crews didn’t catch it.
Levity – He was a geek. He was so into superheroes, he came to LA to try to get a movie role as one, and spends his spare time making models of ordinary people as super heroes. He now works as an animation supervisor at DIC. I didn’t know he was gay! Levity has been his alternate persona for years, but now SciFi channel owns it, so he is reinventing his superhero side as Zephyr.
Official reason he was booted off show: Said he was there for purely for commercial reasons. His reason: he wasn’t telegenic enough. Where he goes from here: trying to stay in the animation industry.
Nitro G – He didn’t make any impression at all on me. His official site and MySpace are pretty meh. He’s an actor and wannabe film producer.
Official reason he was booted off show: When asked to change into his superhero costume in secret, did it in the open with lots of people watching. His reason: he didn’t mention it. Where he goes from here: acting and film production.
Cell Phone Girl – First time I saw her, I thought to myself: This is the stupidest superhero idea ever! What’s her power? Calling when rates are low? Texting at 90 words per minute? She didn’t have a chance to change that impression, since she was the first eliminated in the second show. She had one of the nicest costume updates, though she couldn’t wear it on the show due to being eliminated before then. She wore it at the Comic-Con and made me wonder if the superheroes had gotten their costumes before the show began, and just pretended to be surprised? But no, she got hers after for publicity photos.
Official reason for being booted: Giving up on the second challenge after four seconds. Her reason: She figured she was doomed after that. Where she goes from here: Acting.
Iron Enforcer – Out of all the superheroes, he’s the one most likely to be a shill. Deliberately failing challenges (he got right up to the door in the dog attack challenge, then gave up, whereas all the other men finished it in seconds). His suspicious return as the Dark Enforcer and thereafter being the bad cop to Stan Lee’s good cop. I dunno. Doesn’t add up. His official site lists all the bit parts he’s been in. Oh yes: he claims his real name is Steel Chamber. Gimme a break.
Official reason for being booted: Failing all challenges and being a dick. His reason: Who knows? Man’s a cipher, but apparently all the other superheroes liked him (despite what they showed on the show). Where he goes from here: More acting, I guess.
Monkey Woman – Monkey Woman was one of my favorite characters from the start. Loved her character conception, loved her costume, loved how she competed in the challenges. I was crushed she was eliminated so soon, while Creature was allowed to continue. She was my #1 favorite to win, followed by Major Victory and then Feedback. Well, at least I came close.
Official reason for being booted: Revealing her secret identity unasked and for being an actress. Her reason: Half the people there were actors, she doesn’t buy that’s why she was booted. Where she goes from here: She’s doing improv in LA. Click on her link and read her blog entry about the ComicCon. It’s hilarious 🙂
TyVeculus – I thought he had the most professional-looking costume coming in, and he had put a lot of time into making it. He was really into the superhero game, even having a custom comic made of his character for his sons. He was quiet, but intense. He did the superhero rap for the last show as well. I wasn’t a huge fan, but I wouldn’t have been unhappy if he’d won. His makeover gave him a really stupid costume. Everyone made fun of it. He got Stan Lee to let him wear his original costume.
Official reason he was kicked: Asking for Lemuria to be kicked because she was whiny and fake. His reason: He thought he was being penalized for being honest after he’d been penalized earlier for not being honest. Where he goes from here: back to firefighting.
Creature – I admit I didn’t like her much in the show, but on her website she’s a genuinely free spirit. Toured with Stomp for years; was on America’s Got Talent just before this show; her superhero costume was just her normal clothes. She runs her car on waste vegetable oil and hates television. I wish more of that had been on the show, but it wasn’t, and so I wasn’t a Creature fan.
Official reason for being kicked: Was a litterbug in the past. Her reason: was just there to have fun as long as it lasted. Where she goes from here: Dancing, acting, anything.
Lemuria -Â I thought she was a shallow flake from the beginning. After learning more about her and reading some interviews, I can’t really say my opinion improved. But she’s a real person, and I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. She joined the show because her cancer-stricken cousin heard about the show and remembered she had loved acting out superhero parts and telling stories and thought she’d be great for it. She has the best “origin” story of any of the heroes.
Official reason she was kicked: Couldn’t complete the prisoner challenge. Her reason: She figured she’d be gone after that. Where she goes from here:Â I couldn’t find out one thing about what she does when she’s not on the show. She hangs out on MySpace a lot. In fact, she’s on right now…
Major Victory – Well, I already said how much I liked him. I liked his humor and silliness. And so did each and every one of the other heroes — not one person had anything bad to say about him and went out of their way to praise him. I wanted him to win, but it was clear to me by that point that the producers wanted Feedback and Fat Momma to face off. After he was eliminated, the producers put him in touch with the daughter he’d not seen in years (he himself having a disreputable stripper past), who told him he was her hero. Everyone was in tears; me too. He was the favorite to win before this point among us fans.
Official reason he was kicked: His silliness and humor made him a parody of a super hero. His reason: Can’t find anywhere he talks about it. Where he goes from here: Acting, comedy, DJing (apparently)
Fat Momma – Saw the ad for the auditions on TV, decided right there and then to go pretty much as herself (“I’m fat and I’m a momma, so Fat Momma!”). She had her own theme song and was basically everything you’d want your mom to be. Given all that, I still felt it was a stupid idea for a super hero. They kicked Major Victory out for making a parody of heroes? Fat Momma is a hero as a person, but as a super hero… it would be hard to take her seriously. Still, her personality got her to the final elimination.
Official reason she was kicked: Just wasn’t as heroic as Feedback. Her reason: She kept trying to quit the show in favor of Feedback because he wanted it more. She deliberately failed the Track the Supervillain challenge, asked to be eliminated in favor of Feedback (though it was Major Victory that left that time), and in general… bowed out in favor of Feedback. She’d gotten her message across about self-acceptance. Where she goes from here: She’s a single mom. She’s plenty busy.
Feedback – He quit his job to be on the show. He molded his life after Spiderman after his dad committed suicide. He had one of the best costumes. He loves comic books; idolized Stan Lee; was utterly determined to be the best and to win. How could anyone not respond to that? I loved Monkey Woman’s sweetness and Major Victory’s humor, but it was Feedback who was there to be a superhero. The last episode, when he and Fat Momma were learning stunt work as their last challenge, the expression on his face… the sense of joy and of having his life come to its best moment ever, there on camera… I’d never seen anything like that and I hope it was genuine.
When his wife, family and friends came in at the end; when Stan Lee stepped off the video screen to hug him in real life; when the super heroes who’d been cut previously came to congratulate him, it was like the best day of his life kept getting better.
I’ll be reading his comic book and watching his movie.
WWtbaSH was a silly show, but it was fun to watch, the contestants liked each other, the show was all about bringing out the best in people, and I tuned in week after week to watch it. I started out not liking it but was drawn in.
Catch it in reruns if you didn’t see it first time around. It’s worth it!
