MTV describes her as a former cheerleader who hides her real-life problems behind her pretty smile, but LSU knows her as Brittney Brettin, mass communication freshman, Zeta Tau Alpha sorority sister and honors student.
Brettin will make her reality television debut tonight, Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 p.m., on MTV’s new weekly reality show, “Miss Seventeen.”
Seventeen Magazine and MTV joined forces to find the ultimate role model over the show’s 10 episodes, said Brettin.
The 17 competitors are 18- to 21-year-old female college students, who lived and competed together in New York City this summer.
The contestants face “Apprentice”-like eliminations at the end of every episode.
The winner of the reality show will get an internship at Seventeen Magazine, a college scholarship and an opportunity to be the cover model for the magazine’s February issue, Brettin said.
She said she auditioned for the show for financial reasons.
“I knew we need the financial help,” Brettin said. “My dad’s been in Dubai for a year and a half [working].”
Brettin said her father moved overseas by himself so she could finish her senior year in America.
“He can only come back five weeks a year,” Brettin said. “I felt bad because my brothers – they didn’t have their dad there.”
She said the rest of her family will move to Dubai as soon as they can sell their Peachtree City, Ga., home.
Skyler Johnson, a Harvard sophomore and Brettin’s former high school classmate, is also a contestant on the show.
Johnson said it did not shock her to find Brettin on the show.
“It didn’t surprise me,” Johnson said. “She’s really a great role model.”
Johnson said the contestants were unique women with strong personalities.
She said she thinks her strong beliefs and academic credentials got her into the show.
Brettin said the other contestants motivated her.
“There were so many wonderful opponents,” Brettin said. “Being on the show with all of these ambitious girls – was very eye-opening.”
She said when she left the show, she came home wanting to make a difference.
“I realized I could be doing so much more,” Brettin said.
She said she took a more proactive role in her church and began volunteering.
Brettin said the show has competitions, but she would not reveal what they were.
“We want it to be a surprise,” Brettin said. “It’ll be a surprise for me, too.”
The competitors will not see the edited show until Monday night, Brettin said.
“I was a little scared and a little nervous,” she said. “I was nervous about how I’d be portrayed because they can skew things.”
Brettin said she expects the show to be very true-to-life because most of the girls were straightforward and honest.
She said that there were some arguments during filming that she expects to be on the show.
“Some girls had strong issues and beliefs,” Brettin said. “[But] I walked away with 16 new friends; I didn’t leave with bad feelings.”
Johnson said she is nervous to see the show’s premiere because every moment was filmed.
“It was kind of weird and very awkward to have cameras in your face all the time,” Johnson said. “You realize how many private moments you have.”
Brettin said she does not know how she will handle strangers recognizing her from the show.
“I’m not a person who likes to be in the center of attention,” Brettin said.
Johnson said her friends want to have a party for the show’s premiere.
“I find it a little weird to have a party to watch me on TV,” Johnson said.
Johnson thinks the show will be very popular because it appeals to young girls – who make up the demographic for both MTV and Seventeen Magazine.
“I think it’s going to be great entertainment,” Brettin said. “You get a group of girls together and anything can happen.”
Contact Julie Chance at [email protected]