The Beelzebubs have been chosen by NBC to compete in a new reality competition, "The Sing-Off." The program will feature eight a cappella groups from around the country, all vying for one grand prize: a Sony recording contract.
Beelzebubs President Eli Seidman, a junior, said the process began over the summer when the singers got a call from an executive in the show's casting department asking them to audition. To be eligible to audition, a group had to be fewer than 10 people, and the Bubs (as they are called on campus) usually have 14 or 15. "We told her it would really affect our sound, that we don't want to leave behind any guys, and just said no right there, that we couldn't go down to that number," said Seidman. "We didn't really give it any thought, so we just said no. The Bubs don't usually like to compete."
Evidently, NBC didn't want to take no for an answer, because the casting director soon called the group back, which allowed Seidman to voice the group's concerns about the size limit. "She looked into it," he said, "and, sure enough, they said we could audition with 14 guys."
The Bubs traveled to New York City to audition a few weeks ago with no expectations and "just had a really fun time," said Seidman. "We were just having fun with it, which may have been what made us stand out over other groups and let who we really are shine through."
The big news came last Tuesday when the casting director called to tell the group they had made the cut and had been chosen as one of the eight groups to compete on the program — and the only collegiate group. "We were thrilled but had to be tight-lipped about it," said Seidman, since the news was still confidential last week.
Now that the news is out, the real work begins. The program is set to tape in Los Angeles starting Nov. 28, and a live finale will air Dec. 21, meaning the Bubs would have to miss at least a few days of school. "If we don't win, it's possible we'd be there for three days and then come home," said Seidman. If they do win, it would mean missing the last two weeks of classes and the final examination period, which is the sticking point with the Tufts administration.
Seidman said all members of the Bubs are committed to working hard and doing all their schoolwork, and that they don't want or expect a "free pass." "We're asking [the administration] permission to work our butts off and do all the work beforehand so we can get a chance to perform on the show and promote Tufts," he said. NBC has also offered to pay for a Tufts proctor to fly out and stay in Los Angeles to administer exams, as well as for a tutor if need be, according to Seidman.
Due to Internet issues, Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman had just heard of the news Tuesday morning. He congratulated the Bubs on their achievement but said they will "have to figure out how to not waste the semester." Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser was out of his office for the week and could not be reached for comment.
Tufts Community Union President Brandon Rattiner addressed the concerns of both parties. Rattiner said that the Bubs need to show a commitment to their academics, "that they can do the work, do the reading, take the tests," but also that the university "needs to show a commitment back to them, show that they support them in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Rattiner said that he is very proud of the Bubs and that it speaks to their talent that they would be able to get onto the show and be the only collegiate group. He also sees it as a good opportunity for Tufts to gain some positive publicity, especially in light of the recent national media storm about the new ResLife sex policy. "The show would be a great opportunity to profile Tufts on a national level for the quality university that it is," said Rattiner.
Kimberly Thurler, director of public relations for the Medford/Somerville campus, cautioned that a lot of this discussion is premature, since it is not entirely clear whether the Bubs will participate in "The Sing-Off" or not. While she had no concerns about a university group appearing on national television, she stressed that no decisions have been made.
So, in Thurler's words, "let's see what happens."
