By Natalie Williams
If the name Julie Stoffer rings a bell in your mind so should names like Neleh Dennis, John Preator and Jon Peter Lewis.
They are the few, the proud -- the Mormon-reality TV stars.
Reality TV shows can be watched on any day, at any time, on any channel these days. Don''t be surprised if you see a member of the church participating in the action, and don''t be surprised if they''re headlining the show.
Tuesday night, Jon Peter Lewis, a member and a student at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho, placed his fate in the hands of millions of people watching him compete in the top twelve finalists on 'American Idol.'
Neleh Dennis, contestant on 'Survivor: Marquesas,' was able to take one luxury item with her before she departed from civilization -- she took her scriptures.
Why do producers throw a Mormon into the mix?
Reality shows need people who are not afraid to openly explore all kinds of religious, moral and emotional issues, said Rob LaPlante, an MTV casting call coordinator in a 1999 interview. MTV had an open casting call in Provo for its hit shows 'The Real World' and 'Road Rules.'
According to LaPlante, MTV chose Provo as a casting location because it had the potential to offer that unique and interesting perspective his MTV shows needed. Both shows need people who are not afraid to openly explore all kinds of religious, moral and emotional issues, he said.
'I think producers put Mormons into their reality shows because the general public are somewhat fascinated by Mormons,' said Melissa Harrison, 20, from Centerville, Utah. 'They want to see for themselves what the hubbub is all about -- what makes Mormons so different from the rest of the world.'
'I think anything that gets people talking about Mormons is a good thing,' Harrison added. 'Though people talk about Julie in a slightly different way than they do Carmen or Neleh .'
Will placing Mormons in reality shows increase LDS viewership?
'I''d be more intrigued to watch,' said Garrett Martin, 22, from Corvallis, Ore. 'But also more annoyed,' he added.
Nate Earl, 22, a sophomore from Las Vegas, thinks Mormons definitely tune in when Mormons are on TV.
'Look at that Mormon kid on ''American Idol,''' he said. 'He''s going to place in the top finalists because he has all of Mormondom voting for him.'
Whatever the reason may be, tune into your favorite reality show, any time, any day and more likely than not, you''re going to see someone wearing a CTR ring, refusing alcohol or explaining the church''s standards beliefs.
Who ever said Mormons couldn''t be famous obviously hasn''t watched TV recently.