CSULB student takes over MTVU

By Brooke Karli
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer

Have you ever had an obsession? You know, the type of obsession that makes you camp out in front of movie theaters, have the local radio station on speed dial, or cry when your favorite television show has been cancelled? Eric Morago, a senior at Cal State Long Beach, has an obsession. But unlike the rest of us, he got the opportunity to live it out MTV University (an affiliate of MTV that is televised on college campuses)'s newest show, "Fifteen Minutes of Fame."

An MTVU associate contacted the theater department at CSULB several weeks ago looking for a student to participate in one of their shows. A friend of Morago's suggested doing a piece on Morago's obsession with Sarah Michelle Gellar. Without any hesitation, MTVU tracked down Morago, granting him the opportunity of a lifetime — attending the premiere of the newest Sarah Michelle Gellar flick "The Grudge," a thrilling horror movie, followed by a one-on-one fifteen-minute interview with Gellar herself.

After communicating with casting assistants and completing personality tests, Morago attended the movie screening last Saturday and began filming the next day. The crew trailed Morago and his friends throughout the day, asking questions about their personal lives while filming their every move. That afternoon proceeded when Morago was transported to the five-star Four Seasons Hotel in Century City to meet and interview Sarah Michelle Gellar. He may have had the last interview of the day, but he had the longest.

After the introductions, Morago pulled out a list of questions to ask Gellar. Gellar playfully took the paper away from Morago, promising to help him if he had any trouble. The interview was colored by talk of her new movie, her advice for college students, and her humble attitude. She advised that college students "should not worry about making it big, but rather concentrate on following your heart and persevering through struggles that come your way." During the interview, Morago confessed that he at times is embarrassed to admit that he is a "24-year old straight male who has seen every episode of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' at least 12 times. She simply replied in a way that reassured him that his obsession was totally acceptable. "I'll never be ashamed of that again!" Morago said.

The interview was called to an end and after Gellar departed, she returned to give Morago his list of questions, now autographed by Gellar. "Her day was so hectic, filled with interviews and signings, and yet she still went out of her way to make the day even more memorable and special for me," Morago said. When asked about what he got most out of the overall experience, Morago answered, "Many people confuse her for an ice queen, or, a person who is very cold, but she is the exact opposite. Her personality and humbleness made me realize that she is just as silly and hard working as any other human being."

MTVU associate Sharon Liveten stated, "Its goal is to be an incubator for the talents and tastes of college students. We play music probably unavailable anywhere but on college radio, and our talent, news and programming are geared to be of interest to college students." Some upcoming events and programs that will make their debut among college campuses this semester include MTVU VJ Search, MTVU Best Film on Campus, MTVU Tailgate Tour and much more. MTVU is broadcast to over 700 colleges across the country and has been declared as the most comprehensive television network just for college students. MTVU can be seen 24 hours a day, seven days a week in dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms on campuses.

For more information on MTVU visit www.mtvu.com and be sure to be on the look out for Eric Morago's "Fifteen Minutes of Fame" segment, to be aired this week on CSULB's MTVU.