Any true Star Trek fan knows George Takei as Sulu from the original sci-fi series from Gene Roddenberry.  Country music followers have little doubt that Clint Black is one of their Grand Ole Opry gods.  Die-hard Olympic viewers know that Sasha Cohen is the quintessential ice princess.  But what if they left their day jobs and tried to be something else?  That's exactly the premise of an upcoming reality competition aptly called Secret Talents of the Stars.

Yes, CBS, the same network that delivers Big Brother, Survivor and The Amazing Race in all their zany, unpredictable, surreal, fiercely competitive and outrageous glory is bringing Secret Talents of the Stars to our TVs beginning Tuesday, April 8.

The latest reality show soon to emerge from the eye network will showcase 16 famous personalities as they try to outperform each other in skills unknown to the public and perhaps, even to themselves.  The competing celebrities will go through the rigors of practice and training, much like they've always done in the past, only this time, to learn and perfect a talent not inherently theirs.

For instance, country crooner Clint Black will endeavor to deliver punch lines with a wallop as a stand-up comedian.  Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known as one of Bill Cosby's brood on The Cosby Show, will take on the bass and perform an original song together with a hip-hop orchestra.  Star Trek's George Takei will try and assume Clint's profession by taking a shot at becoming a country singer.  Olympic figure skating gold medalist Sasha Cohen will attempt to take her nubile form to new heights as a contortionist with the New Shanghai Circus.

They are but a few of the mind-boggling possibilities to watch out for on Secret Talents of the Stars, scheduled for a seven-week competition format.  During the first two weeks, viewers will cast their votes at the end of each episode to determine two semifinalists out of the four acts scheduled to perform.  On week 3, the semifinalists from weeks 1 and 2 go head to head, after which viewers will again vote, this time to pick the two they wish to send to the finals.  The cycle repeats from weeks 4-6 to determine the next two finalists to join the week 3 winners for the seventh episode finals scheduled May 22.


-Rosario Santiago, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: CBS
(Photo courtesy of CBS)