Want full treatment at a day spa? Skylar Stone can tell you how to get it.
All you need is some fast talking and a reality show with cameras following your every move.
The premise is simple for the Comedy Central series, "Con," which debuted Wednesday.
Stone is a blonde-haired, 20-something, small-time actor who cons people into getting him things for free.
In the premiere, he announces he wants to look like a million bucks without spending a dime. To do this, he invents a fake reality show called "Extreme Homeless Makeover" and convinces a limo company and a spa to offer him their services in exchange for exclusivity rights as soon as his show is picked up by a network.
While the show has some funny moments, the big draw comes from the amazement of watching Stone succeed in his cons. While watching I found myself wondering out loud, "How does he do that?"
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But the show takes a sour turn. To prepare for "Extreme Homeless Makeover," Stone and his buddies find a couple of bums and get pointers on how to act and dress like they do. The bums participate willingly, and in the end, Stone is covered in mustard, dirt and whatever else they can smear onto him before the audience can realize to what extent the homeless were openly mocked.
Once Stone arrived at the salon, the show became entertaining again, mostly because the people he cons now aren't being mocked as much as they are tricked. By the end of "Extreme Homeless Makeover," Stone has gone from filthy to freshly groomed. The employees weep as Stone and his "long-lost" best friend reunite, prompting Stone to pursue his dream of being a tap dancer and pick himself up off the streets.
In an age when the Joe Millionaires and the dozens of swapped wives are considered wholesome entertainment, a show like "Con" needed to come by and abuse the reality show idea.
In the first episode, Stone doesn't con people as much as he shows how the concept of a reality show can get him what he wants.
Of course Hollywood businesses are going to give him free things as long as he promises he'll feature them on television. Both the limousine service and spa service Stone used have participated in reality shows before, so they don't question the idea of another reality show.
The next episode could either be Stone getting his house cleaned by strippers or singing the national anthem at a San Francisco Giants game. Comedy Central has yet to make a decision.
Either way, I know I'm tuning in to find out how he pulls it off.
