Here comes the ‘Entourage’

I’ve always thought that there weren’t enough TV shows for the male populace in this country. Aside from your regular sports events, there are only a handful of shows tailor-made for men. And I’m not talking about those half-baked, half-interesting The Man Show rip-offs on local TV because those don’t count. I’m talking about a real TV series for men. Like how Sex and the City was for women.

Thankfully, Mark Wahlberg thought the same thing. Or at least I think that’s what he thought when he came up with Entourage, a sitcom revolving around the life of an upcoming rags-to-riches Hollywood star and his buddies and which is also based loosely on the life of Wahlberg himself.

Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) is the new Hollywood star on the scene and his career is starting to gain steam. Along for the Hollywood ride are Vince’s best friend Eric (Kevin Connolly), who also acts as his manager, his older brother and struggling actor Johnny "Drama" Chase (Kevin Dillon), who serves as his chef, and his buddy Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), who has driving duties. Vince and his entourage live together in the same LA mansion and, after growing up in Queens, begin to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Eric, despite not being the actual Hollywood star of the group, is actually the star of Entourage. He’s the character that has the most depth and the one who’s calling the shots. As the level-headed manager, Eric practically runs Vince’s life and makes sure he gets the roles he wants and needs to become a movie superstar.

Vince, on the other hand, is pretty much just the vehicle for introducing the group to the posh lifestyle. Without him, there is no entourage.

The other two characters, Turtle and Johnny Drama, provide the laughter. They basically leech off Vince’s stardom while not doing anything much apart from chasing chicks and getting wasted. Now, that’s what I call "The Life."

Vince’s acting career is being handled by his top-brass agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven), who, for me, is the highlight of the show. Ari’s brash, Hollywood attitude often collides with Eric’s small-town sensibilities. The battles that the two have over Vince’s career often provide the show’s best moments (Their arguments often end with Ari saying "Let’s hug it out, b*itch"). Together, they decide Vince’s future and ultimately the future of the entire group.

Entourage also features tons of celebrity cameos. Among the celebrities appearing are Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johannson, Mandy Moore, James Cameron, Jaime Pressley and Lamar Odom.

Think of Entourage as Sex and the City after undergoing testosterone therapy. It’s as honest and funny, but with a lot more eye candy and very little melodrama. Hot girls are everywhere, there’s a lot of naughty male humor and some frat-boy antics that every guy can relate to.

Watching this show is like being among your good friends. It’s really nothing spectacular but it’s comfortable, fun and it makes sense. There are no preachy moral lessons, no gay makeovers and no soap-operatic drama.

Thankfully, Entourage will start airing in the Philippines on HBO starting July 30 (I’ve seen the first three seasons, so if you don’t like the first few episodes that much, give it time. The show gets better as it goes on).

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For questions, comments, or corrections, please e-mail me at emailcarlramirez@yahoo.com