So for those potential reality show applicants, you need to figure out what category you fit in naturally and go with that. Otherwise, you'll find it really hard to maintain an image that simply isn't you for 30 days, the typical life cycle of a reality show. Next, look around you at the other applicants and see who naturally fits into which categories. Once you've figured out your position, work it. On Season Two of
Who Wants to be a Super Hero?, there were two applicants that made it onto the show simply by playing their roles. Hygena didn't fit into any particular category, so she played up the role of the underdog all through her time on the show, and while she didn't win, she was able to hang on for a while. Mr. Mitzvah, well, he was simply interesting. If you saw the show, you know what I mean.
Jarrett explained that when he first applied to be on the show, being an 18-year veteran police detective on the Austin, Texas police force he, "caught a lot of crap" from his co-workers. The comments and jeers were rude and mean-spirited at first, but since he was a senior officer, it never got really bad. Once he made it onto the show, then it became a little more cool and when he won the show, well, you can imagine. These days, The Defuser still dons his spandex tights and taser gloves, both as a speaker and to act as a moderator at various Wizard World Conventions. He does a great job of getting the crowds pumped up for the speakers. More importantly, Jarrett and his wife run an organization called "Scare for a Cure", something that started as a small haunted house in their backyard, but has grown to a fully interactive haunted experience that opens for a few days around Halloween every year in Austin. Each year, they raise money for a different charity and their current cause is breast cancer. Jarrett says it like this - "they want to put the 'boo' back in boobies." Further, Jarrett started a program called "Being a Hero in Your Community" which enlists local kids to feed the homeless, visit nursing homes and clean parks. We think The Defuser and his team are doing great things. Look for an interview with him in the coming weeks that goes more into depth about Jarrett, his experiences as a real life superhero and his causes.
