Tony Brown was “made over” for the MTV show MADE, but being a ladies’ man wasn’t as much fun as he hoped.
“I decided I did not want to be a ladies’ man because it’s too hectic,” said Brown, a political science sophomore. “I had to go on three dates in one night.”
Brown’s episode aired for the first time Sept. 27. The episode showed Brown’s “progression” from a social recluse to a confident man willing to ask out three women he did not know at a party.
The purpose of MADE is to “make over” people who want to change but can’t do it on their own. Brown had never dated before, and he wanted to learn the art of wooing a woman.
According to the MADE Web site at www.mtv.com, Brown had a closer relationship with his computer than with a woman.
Brown said although he no longer wants to be a ladies’ man, he is glad he sent in a video to apply to be on the show.
“I feel different now,” he said. “The show has really improved my self-esteem and made me more confident.”
Brown said his e-mail inbox has been bombarded since the show aired. He received 200 e-mails from people who looked up his address.
“I had a marriage proposal,” he said. “They’re totally random people.”
Though a few students from LSU e-mailed Brown, he said e-mails came from places as far away as California and England.
Brown said people e-mailing him because of the show has pros and cons.
“It’s like I’m popular now – I’m a celebrity,” he said. “But it’s freaky because someone showed up at West Campus Apartments asking where I live.”
Brown said he has not kept in touch with the women he met while filming the show.
“One was just using me to get on TV,” he said. “One hasn’t called back.”
Brown said he would not specify which woman used him to get on television.
Cami Slaughter is one of the women Brown met during filming.
Slaughter, a biological sciences freshman, said she genuinely wanted to get to know Brown.
“I didn’t want to be on TV – it was really weird,” she said. “I always try to be friends with people and make them feel welcome.”
Slaughter said she has a boyfriend but would like to remain friends with Brown, but he doesn’t seem to want a friendship.
“He never called after the night of the party,” Slaughter said about the party MTV sponsored for the show.
Brown is not the only person who thinks he has changed. His parents, Steve and Sylvia Brown, said they are proud of their son.
Sylvia said she likes the way Tony looks and feels about himself.
“He looks great,” she said. “He’s a lot more confident and he’s ready to go out there.”
Sylvia and Steve said they were worried about how the MADE producers would make Tony look when they first heard he would be on the show, but their worries were eased when the show aired.
“They promised to take care of him and that they wouldn’t make him look like a fool,” Steve said. “I think he came across very mature.”
Sarah Simon, a psychology junior who watched the show, said she felt sorry for Brown.
“He tried so hard,” Simon said. “You can’t make over someone’s personality with clothes.”
Simon said past episodes of MADE have been better because characters had more attainable goals, such as becoming a cheerleader.
“A ladies’ man was a weird thing to be made,” she said.