Happy Birthday, MTV!

It’s hard to believe, but it’s no less true – today, MTV turns 30!

We take it for granted now, but I remember when MTV debuted when I was just a kid and all the crazy excitement that surrounded it – music videos, 24 hours a day?? I can’t even imagine what the music scene would have been like in the ‘80s (and beyond) without MTV. Music was now a visual medium; some of the most brilliant filmmaking in the last three decades have come from some of the amazing music videos we all first saw on MTV.

But the cable channel was so much more than that. There’s a reason folks my age are referred to as the “MTV Generation”; because MTV was just for us. While the parents were watching the news on broadcast networks or our little brothers and sisters were glued to Saturday morning cartoons, we were locked into MTV, letting us know what was hot in all aspects of pop culture. (Sound familiar? Ahem!)

“Yo! MTV Raps”... “Headbanger’s Ball”... “Total Request Live”... “Remote Control”... “The Real World”... Yep, if revolutionizing television and the music industry wasn’t enough, MTV pretty much invented reality TV too!

And MTV has not lost that cool factor at all. In 2011, the channel is still at the forefront of what’s new and exciting in the entertainment world. The “M” in MTV might have been since retired, but it continues to dictate pop culture trends and inspire artists and entrepreneurs everywhere – including yours truly. Oh yeah, I’d be crazy if I didn’t give props to MTV for inspiring what we do at Young Hollywood, helping shape the flavor of the new generation!

In kind of a cool, ironic twist, when MTV first debuted at 12:01am on August 1st, 1981, the words “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll” were spoken over footage of the first-ever Space Shuttle launch, which had happened earlier that year. Thirty years later, we’re celebrating this momentous anniversary for MTV after having just witnessed the retiring of the Shuttle program within the last month! Hopefully, though, MTV’s journey does not end here, and the revolutionary cable channel reaches for new heights. YH will be right there with them!

“Rookie Blue”: Canada Does Cop Dramas

Recently, I got the chance to sit down here in the YH Studio with the stars of the new summer-hit ABC police drama, “Rookie Blue.” Missy Peregrym and Gregory Smith play rookie cops fresh out of the academy, trying to make their way on the tough Toronto streets.

Along with their fellow rookies, they struggle with the realities vs. fantasies they have about their new job. As if that wasn’t enough to test their muscle, they have to deal with senior officers and detectives, at work and at the local watering hole after hours.

And for those of you who like a little romantic twist, don’t worry – there will be plenty of drama on and off the streets!

It’s already been called the “Grey’s Anatomy” for the police world. After just its third episode, it was picked up for a second season! A pretty impressive feat in today’s TV market, for sure.

With millions of viewers and a hot, young cast of talented actors, it’s no surprise that the show has been a top-rated hit for ABC this summer. I expect to be hearing plenty more buzz about “Rookie Blue” in the near future.

Check out my interview to see the scoop I got on all things “Blue”:

And don’t forget to watch “Rookie Blue” Thursday nights at 9pm on ABC!