Where Da Party At?
TV One’s “Party Boyz” has potential, but first, a reality check.
Monday, May 18, 2009
By Terry Glover
In anticipation of the airing of Party Boyz, TV One’s reality documentary about Washington DC’s biggest nightclub, people who know DC and know its subject predicred either an intriguing behind-the-scenes drama, or a train wreck. In the end, it was neither, and therein was the problem.
The premise of Party Boyz was to follow successful club owner Marc Barnes as he prepped for the nation to descend on its capital for the inauguration of Barack Obama. Barnes, owner of premiere night clubs, Love and The Park At Fourteenth, started on the circuit as a party promoter and poured years of sweat and equity into building a franchise frequented by ballers and rain makers. LeBron James hangs out in the office, as do Boris Kudjoe and Jamie Foxx.
Preparations get underway as Barnes and his partner Taz Wube, book talent and truck in supplies for the anticipated overflow crowds. Prep also means many, many meetings with the clubs’ staffs to get them to step up their game, POTUS style, or face the unemployment line. Barnes is sincere in his efforts to light a fire under everybody, and he confesses – half-jokingly -- his fear that inaugural preparations are going to cause him to have a stroke. Tabs at the two clubs have been down. The recession is keeping everybody close to home. For him, this is big, very big – “Like 5 Howard homecomings in a row; like 5 New Year’s Eves.”
Bigger, his barber agrees, than the Million Man March.
Adding to his anxiety is the fact that Taz is getting married – a huge ass inconvenience, as far as Barnes is concerned. Meeting before the club opens to go over what needs to be done? No can do. Taz has to check out invitations and sample menus with his fiancée Arlene. A breakfast meeting at Barnes’ place to iron out last minute details? Pre-empted when Taz is stuck in a pre-marital counseling session with a minister who tells the couple to quit cohabitating (Taz is clueless) and fornicating (what!) until the wedding. Fold in tempermental stars, local promoters leery of how “Black” the entire event will be, and you have, theoretically, the stuff of great reality TV.But in their haste to keep things moving, Party Boyz producers left most of the tension on the cutting room floor. Though we see bits of parties hosted by Jay Z, Diddy and Biz Markie – all revolving around the inauguration -- we have no sense of the time elapsed – a day, a week, several hours? At one point Barnes says, “We have three, four days to go – I don’t know. I’ve lost track.” So did I. The countdown clock as convention works every time. Too bad they didn’t employ it here. Thirty minutes in, I’m still waiting for somebody to bring the drama.
The most intrigue came from club employee, Antwan, whom Marc calls his adopted son. Brother Barnes has a big heart, and he attempts, many times, to school Antwan, who has a habit of giving celebrities a hard time at the door. Where’s your ID, Boris Kudjoe? You play for who, Damon Jones? Finally, Marc (it’s actually Taz who does the deed) is left with no choice but to fire him. Twan is so broken-hearted, he takes a call in the middle of his dismissal.
The anticipated Inauguration Day comes and goes. We find out, in the barber’s chair, that the clubs did about 65 percent of the business they expected. Given that this is the premise of the show, I would have expected this news to be handled with more fanfare. Does that mean the clubs are in financial straits? What’s on the line? Apparently not much; Barnes’ barber changes the subject.
In the end, Barnes takes it all in stride, toasting groom Taz at his wedding reception, “We’re in all the same clubs now!”
Party Boyz could work if producers rely less on watching the paint dry, and learn to squeeze the drama from every possible interaction. If real estate agents can make reality TV compelling, surely a night club setting stands half a chance.
Terry Glover writes about politics, culture and trends for EbonyJet.com
