It looked like a mini Hollywood movie premiere as “the roommate”
showed up at Iguana’s Tuesday night. Flashbulbs popped and people
cheered as Matt Ellis walked up the red carpet for the debut of
Tommy Lee Goes to College.Episode recaps
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At 8 p.m., waitresses — wearing “Forget Tommy. I heart his
roommate.” T-shirts — shut off the music and turned the big-screen
TV to NBC.
And people cheered again when Tommy Lee pumped his fists in the
air and shouted, “I love Nebraska,” at the beginning of the
show.
Sure, some grumbled about the misnomer: “reality TV.” And some
said the show didn’t have much substance.
But, overall, Tommy Lee Goes to College got a lot of laughs and
about 100 thumbs up at Iguana’s Tuesday.
“Everyone had worries” about how Nebraska would come off in the
show, said Kevin Koenig, 22, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln
student. “But so far it’s nothing but positive.
“Everyone’s pulling for Tommy.”
UNL student Eric Rasmussen agreed — though he had his
criticisms.
As college women volunteered to be Tommy’s roommate, he
muttered:
“Cause it really works like this. This show’s way too
staged.”
However, he said, worries that the show would portray Nebraskans
as simpleton hicks can now be put to rest.
“It does show off Nebraska,” he said.
Marita Sanchez and Ann VanDeWalle, who both worked on the
production of the show, were happy to hear laughter.
“I’m glad to see everyone having a good time,” Sanchez said. “In
no way does (the show) demean the university.”
At Iguana’s, Ellis poured 50-cent shots of Jack Daniels — Tommy
Lee’s favorite — as the former rock star bought chemistry and
criminal law books, signed shirts and guitars and met his “hot
tutor,” played by Natalie Riedmann.
The cheers grew louder as he tried out for the marching band and
failed to comprehend vectors and quantum theory to the dismay of
stern professors.
Tim Menke, 30, a UNL student, wasn’t overly enthusiastic about
the show.
But it was entertaining, he said.
“Seeing your local haunts on TV, it’s just kind of cool.
