In VH1's newest reality series I
Want To Work For Diddy thirteen contestants vie for the
opportunity to be media mogul Sean 'Diddy' Comb's personal assistant,
including a transsexual woman and an openly gay man.
The new reality series takes its cues
from NBC's highly successful show The Apprentice where
billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump searches for fresh
talent to help him manage his companies. The twist in Work
is the fact that Diddy is
offering a hip-hop empire, not Park Avenue penthouses.
The
entertainer/actor built a business empire almost entirely from his
hip-hop street cred. Business interests include Bad Boy Records,
Sean John and Sean by Sean Combs clothing lines, a movie production
company, and two restaurants.
The
show includes a diverse cast, including an openly gay man and a
transgender woman.
Laverne
Cox is an actress living in New York City who doesn't shy away from
her sexuality, “I am so excited for the historic potential of
someone like Mr. Combs saying to someone like me – a transgender
woman – I'd like for you to come work for me,” she says in her
interview.
Openly
gay Rob Smith describes himself as a freelance writer, blogger, and
media industry professional. An Iraq War veteran, Rob believes his
Army discipline will help him land the job.
He
writes about his sexuality on the webstie AfterElton.com, “Visibility
matters, and for both myself and my transgender competitor Laverne
Cox, I know that it was very important that we represented who we
were openly from the very beginning.”
Rob
also admits that he is competing to be a part of a “somewhat
homophobic hip-hop world.”
I Want To Work For Diddy
is broadcast on cable channel VH1.