BY DC CUEVA
Imagine this: being someone who's had the opportunity to meet some of the most well-known people of the moment in sports and entertainment, and all of this before you get to make your debut on national television. Meeting just the one person you worship the most out of anyone else would someone's life so great -- I can attest to that when I met Linkin Park and the late Chester Bennington more than a decade ago. But, how about meeting multiple famous figures of the moment from entertainment, sports or just plain-old pop culture?
If you're one of the millions of people who live in America's two largest metropolitan areas -- New York City and Los Angeles, then you know that the more than half of the television production that airs on national networks are shot and filmed in these areas. They range from network newscasts and late night talk shows to the reunions and after shows for MTV reality series which we covered before on here, and the major big awards shows that gives this pop culture aficionado reason to tune in.
DCBLOG's ExtraTime frequently showcases those times when the people of the MTV reality TV world get a chance to meet many of the biggest figures in pop culture: Chet of Real World Brooklyn meeting Ryan Seacrest, Zac Efron and the one who is our President; Challenger Kailah meeting Kevin Hart, Pauly & Ronnie from Jersey Shore, Floyd Mayweather and her idol Halsey (before "Closer" and G-Eazy); and Michael of Are You The One? Season 6 meeting Fergie and Neil Patrick Harris... and so is another guy from last fall's lovefest.
If you're one of the millions of people who live in America's two largest metropolitan areas -- New York City and Los Angeles, then you know that the more than half of the television production that airs on national networks are shot and filmed in these areas. They range from network newscasts and late night talk shows to the reunions and after shows for MTV reality series which we covered before on here, and the major big awards shows that gives this pop culture aficionado reason to tune in.
DCBLOG's ExtraTime frequently showcases those times when the people of the MTV reality TV world get a chance to meet many of the biggest figures in pop culture: Chet of Real World Brooklyn meeting Ryan Seacrest, Zac Efron and the one who is our President; Challenger Kailah meeting Kevin Hart, Pauly & Ronnie from Jersey Shore, Floyd Mayweather and her idol Halsey (before "Closer" and G-Eazy); and Michael of Are You The One? Season 6 meeting Fergie and Neil Patrick Harris... and so is another guy from last fall's lovefest.
Members of seat-filler clubs are given free tickets to members if there are unsold seats at sports events, concerts, movie premieres and the like. The most prestigious "seat filler" jobs goes to those who go to the Oscars or other major awards shindigs, where while the winners or presenters are going through the task of going onstage to accept their award, going into the press room to talk to the media backstage and pose for the paparazzi, or for longer stints if they are performing.
It's because of his experiences being a seat filler and being a normal fan at awards shows that, you might say, that he's become in a way, "The Famous Dave Shad." And along with the occasional meeting outside these events in bars and in the streets around the entertainment capital of the planet, below are snapshots of him getting to meet some notable figures in the sports and entertainment worlds, spanning basketball, UFC, music and even an event that took place just two nights ago. And one of them is someone who MTV fans may be familiar with from the past year.
● JOEL EMBIID
● MARK CUBAN
● UFC's CHUCK LIDDELL
● TY BURRELL from Modern Family
● NICK VIALL of The Bachelor
● JOSH MURRAY of The Bachelorette and Champs vs. Stars I
● KANYE WEST & KIM KARDASHIAN - at 2015 Grammys
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Earlier this summer, one of music's big breakout stars of the past few years, Twenty One Pilots, emerged from a year-long hibernation from both music and from social media. The duo of Tyler Joseph & Josh Dun released several songs over the summer from their newest album Trench which drops next month, and it has a tall task to follow up their mainstream breakthrough, Blurryface. "Stressed Out," "Ride" and "Heathens" off of the Suicide Squad soundtrack ascended them into the Top 10, and the album itself went to #1 and a platinum record for the guys.
Twenty One Pilots' crowning moment came at the 2017 Grammys, when they found themselves against The Chainsmokers & Halsey's mega-hit "Closer," Rihanna & Drake's "Work," Sia & Sean Paul's "Cheap Thrills" and Lukas Graham's "7 Years" in one of Grammy night's most deeply-packed & competitive categories, Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Life changed for them when Nick Jonas opened the envelope to reveal the Pilots' taking out the win, and what made Tyler & Josh even bigger stars was of fulfilling a promise they made to themselves if they won a Grammy: accepting the award by taking off their pants and deliver their thank you's wearing just their boxers.
And in the midst of this ultimate of life-changing of nights for Columbus' two biggest rock stars, the Shad got the opportunity to take a selfie with Twenty One Pilots.
Something to consider for those who travel down to L.A. and scroll around Hollywood, or those who live there, is to attend a live taping of a TV show. One of the most sought after ones is for The Price is Right, and it's one that Real World & Challenge fan favorite Trey Weatherholtz got to do after he & partner Zach were surprisingly eliminated on their Rivals II season on a rules violation. In March 2015 - and two years before he went to AYTO, Shad made his way to The Price is Right and like Trey, he won his way on stage to join Drew Carey... find out below if he wins more than just a prize for being the closest to the actual retail price.
And just two nights ago, the Shad was at it yet again: this time at the 70th Annual Emmy Awards. On Monday night in Los Angeles when the TV industry feted its own - and saw live TV director Glenn Weiss make his now-famous marriage proposal, Dave added three notable people to the list of those who have take a Shad Selfie - one which he posted last night on Instagram: Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel and Tracy Morgan.
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But something that wasn't mentioned at all during that season in the Big Easy, his MTV bio or social media sites was of something he is most passionate about, and it's certainly more important than just getting to hang with an increasing number of stars, going on TV or most anything else.
It took until the first weekend of last December, and three days after the AYTO6 finale, for the Shad to become the 22nd & last member of a cast that pulled out 2017's single biggest comeback and win $1 million to join Twitter. There and since then, he posted only one tweet that perhaps had more positive meaning than any post from the leader of the free world that has divided our country or something to make us laugh.
On the Friday after the miracle in the Bayou, TED-affiliated TEDx posted on its YouTube channel Dave's TED talk that took place the previous month outside San Diego. There, it was revealed that his true passion is not of taking pictures with famous people and going on a reality show to look for love, but something much deeper: he is an engineer focused on finding a solution to the energy crisis facing the world right now as it fights the always prevalent issue of global warming.
As a solution provider who's been certified with professional credentials with ASHRAE and LEED in buildings which are environmentally friendly, David's goal in post-AYTO life is to not follow his castmates into multiple MTV shows, but by making an impact in the world of ideas just as he and other millennials will ultimately rule the world. In that video embedded below, he revealed plans to replace current means of producing energy for sustainable methods which are friendly to the environment and provide energy sufficient enough to offer power to the world in not using traditional energy companies.
When that video was posted on social media after the biggest comeback in AYTO history, it received 75,000 YouTube views, been viewed over 150,000 times on Shad's Instagram, and was shared by all of his AYTO6 cast and some of their fellow alumni.
Even with the bickering many of those got to endure both in and outside the house, his castmates all paused to give Dave his time in the sun and spotlight who he really is: a guy who, even with meeting celebs, being on a romantic reality show and that smile, is someone who cares deeply about an issue affecting our world and contributing his efforts to make this a better place to live. That is certainly much more long lasting than the afterglow of being on television.
One would dream to getting the opportunity just to meet one famous person, no less get the chance to meet so many of them, especially when it's the place where the showbiz world calls its backyard. But when you have the opportunity to do this on a regular basis just like those who report and follow the Hollywood beat, than it is not only a privilege but also a fact of life. That's something that Dave Shad has been able to enjoy before and after he got his chance to be a star of sorts on an MTV show. And even that is a side job compared to what he has going for now: having an impact on the world that is much greater. Aren't we glad we have someone from AYTO just as smart as him?
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Tonight, the twenty-two singles who succeeded Shad and his Season 6 castmates as the current incumbent cast of Are You The One? have a big task at hand to try and bounce back from their first major setback in their race for love and money. It's a two-hour episode tonight of the Season of Fate... and DCBLOG will be covering that, last night's high-stakes drama of The Challenge and this week's emotion-packed episode of Floribama Shore coming up over the weekend. Till then, follow the live interaction of all of these shows over on DCNOW @DC408DxNow.
- I AM DC
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