A look back on Bill Bellamy: A comic, mack and true playa

It is spring break circa 1994. My eyes are glued attentively to the television screen as I… It is spring break circa 1994. My eyes are glued attentively to the television screen as I watch the sun beam down on hundreds of scantily clad, golden-brown bodies. DJ Scribble finishes off the show’s opening song – rightfully, allowing the women on the beach to finish doing their thing – and then announces the show’s hosts as the camera pans toward a spunky little redhead named Kennedy and a debonair and hilarious gentlemen known as Bill Bellamy.

Yes, folks, Bill Bellamy. What happened to one of the most popular hosts in MTV history?

You think you know, but you have no idea: This is the true story of Bill Bellamy, the man, the legend, the hero who made “booty call” a household phrase.

Growing up in Newark, N.J., Bill was the eldest of three children. After graduating from high school, he would attend Rutgers University where, strapped for cash, he entered a male beauty pageant and won after showcasing his comedic talent.

He would go on to win numerous amateur competitions and work his act in some of the top comedy clubs across the country. He made his national television debut as a featured guest on “Showtime at the Apollo.”

He would soon spin all of these early accomplishments into a successful stint on MTV. It was there that I first noticed the talents of Mr. Bellamy. I can remember many an afternoon, coming home and watching the “MTV Beach House” or “MTV Jams.”

At first, I watched for the various women who were constantly parading across the screen in what looked like their finest unmentionables, but slowly the comedy and style of the shows’ host – and the fact that they added Jenny McCarthy – made me a devoted viewer.

With all of this going for Bellamy so early in his career, it is amazing that it seemed to fizzle. How could the host of two great shows fall off? How could the public resist such a charismatic and hip character as Bellamy?

Well the answer, many would say, lies in his career choices. After a very good year in 1997, where he played a very strong supporting role in the film “Love Jones,” as well as a starring role in Def Jam’s “How To Be a Player” and two more stellar performances in the films “Any Given Sunday” and “The Brothers,” how did this rising star end up with a cancelled Fox series and a new independent film on the way?

One word: “Fastlane.” This show was advertised as “‘Miami Vice’ meets ’48 Hours’ meets ‘Lethal Weapon,'” while in reality it was viewed with the same intensity as “Waterworld” except that there were a few more explosions. Needless to say, the show was soon cancelled, which brings us to where we are today, in search of a ’90s icon.

Our generation owes Bellamy for the years of entertainment in between various music videos as well as the invaluable teachings offered on “How to Be a Player.” That movie alone revolutionized the thinking of thousands and helped to shape the mindset of a new generation of macks and playas.

Bellamy revolutionized the VJ role by ushering in cool alongside of comedy. He forever changed the game by providing everyone with access to what it takes in order to be a playa. He made us reassess how we would view the role of the wide receiver in football films and the shady best friend from the poetry bar in “Love Jones.”

He has made us laugh, he has made us cry and he has entertained. And for that I commend Bill Bellamy and all he has done for the entertainment industry and my generation.

So I ask of you, my fellow Pitt students and Generation Nexters, to remember Bill Bellamy this holiday season, because my sources tell me he is scheduled to make a comeback. Bill Bellamy will return people; the question is, will you be ready?

E-mail Brandon at ble34@hotmail.com.