THE BITCHES OF BEL-AIR
A TV Reality Series – with heart and humor

Synopsis – Five women and a gay couple from the affluent world of Bel-Air are all seeking the limelight. And they think they’ve found the answer to their ambitions: the fifty billion dollar pet industry. Our ambitious cast attempt to turn their cute pooches into pet celebrities, via commercials, TV shows, magazine covers, and doggie products.

The exclusive canine world we enter is a unique and fascinating subculture but in the series it is simply the catalyst to get inside the lives and minds of the cast. Over the coming seasons we’ll follow these adoring ‘moms’ as they focus all their attentions on their little micro-bitches. They might weigh less than a few pounds but potentially they can return fortunes.

We follow our six main characters as their lives unfold – for good and for bad. Each of the ‘moms’ has ‘her’ own story. They all have skeletons, they all have egos, and their personalities match their ambitions. The whole cast is in competition with each other. They attend the same events and the same auditions all wanting to be top dog. So they fight, cheat, and do whatever it takes to win.

There’s drama at every turn from the ensemble cast – Dazza, the master of manipulation, Tanya, the over-zealous drama queen, Marisa, the sexually confused trust fund beauty, Patrik & Pol, the protective gay ‘moms’, and Melanie, the society girl with plenty to hide.

The key to this show is the drama and the comedy surrounding these characters and their pampered pooches. We’ll meet them at the exclusive Hollywood canine clubs, the groomers, the dog hotels, at events like Yappy Hour, Bark-mitsva’s, therapy class, and doggie yoga.

They fight, they snarl, they bite …and they delight …cos there’s never a dull moment with The Bitches of Bel-Air.

Production Company – Edge West Productions (www.Edgewest.com)
Episode Length – One Hour

Creators and Producers ­- Philip J. Day & Paula Paizes

Representation ­-William Morris Endeavor – Ryan McNeilly

Intended Audience – Women, dog lovers and gay men – 25 to 55

Number of Episodes per season – 10 – 13

Bitches of Bel-Air
Potential Segment Story Lines

1. It’s the young royal Prince of Saudi’s annual party, and the Bitches of Bel-Air have been invited. The entire troupe turn up to the vast mansion with their pups dressed to the nines. All goes well until Prince Charming pees on the royal’ familys finest silk sofa, Princess Amber eats most of the cakes, and Khloe tries to have sex with the host’s pet cat. It leads to a huge scene with everyone yelling at each other and the group find themselves escorted out by security.
2. Prince is invited to participate in 2014 WOOF STOCK, the largest outdoor festival for dogs in the USA. This year it’s in Texas and the Bitches go on a road trip to support Prince Charming. Chaos, heartache and lost puppies turn this ‘family’ journey on its head.
3. Patrick and Pol invite Tanya and Gigi to a spa and hair day at The CLUB BEVERLY HILLS – the well known private members only dog club for LA’s rich and famous pooches. Gigi – the mop haired French poodle – has an attempted hair makeover, which ends in disaster. Pol & Patrik question her motives but Tanya defends her choice to allow Gigi to do the cover of new magazine LICK.
4. Dazza and Prince Charming are running the RUFF PUPPY doggie clothes line – from a warehouse in down town LA – from bejeweled evening robes to day-time casual, Ruff Puppy caters for expensive tastes. Dazza is stressed as she is straddling her canine business with her other interests including charities, fashion consultancy, even representing half a dozen upcoming fine artists.  Dazza turns her back on her other duties and runs off to do the Versace magazine shoot with Prince Charming.
5. English rose, Melanie Mar, is more than aware that Crumpet is a mutt. Cute and adorable but a mutt nonetheless. And as much as she loves him her ambition drives her to want a pure breed pup and train her for stardom – just like the other bitches. Who will she chose? How much will she pay? Who is destined for fame and fortune?  But when the new baby returns to the homestead Crumpet becomes insanely jealous. He barks, growls, howls and even bites the little pup. Will she survive or will Melanie be forced to put the little cutie up for adoption?
6. Khole’s sex tape has gone viral and so has Khole’s sex life. She can’t stop humping. Marisa’s father, Howard, a gay cardiologist encourages Marisa to find Khloe some help. Patrik suggests taking Khloe to see the “Animal Communicator”  – dog therapist associated with The CLUB.  Marjorie does not want to organize it, as Marisa and Khloe are not members. Pol convinces her to acquiesce and she sets up the session with Cassidy.
7. Tanya wants to join the CLUB – Marjorie Lewis – owner of Club with her daughter Alison are concerned that Tanya and Gigi do not have the right pedigree for the Club. Drama ensues as Harvard grad Tanya is offended by the rebuff. Tanya goes on a search for another Club that will accept Gigi e.g. the WAGS CLUB etc.
8. Melanie Mar and Dazza Brigette know each other from Bel Air social circles. They decide to co-host a Yappy Hour at Dazza’s house and invite a few pooches they know. All the bitches prepare for the big day. Pol gets busy and makes Snow White a new dress for the occasion. They all get primed and pimped out at the groomers with Paw Baths, Pawfume, Pawdicure’s etc.
9. At the Yappy Hour drama ensues when Pol calls Amber fat, Snow White falls in the pool and Prince Charming sniffs out Khloe, much to Dazza’s chagrin. Pol takes Snow White to a DOGA class to de-stress.
10. Patrik and Pol try to find Snow White an agent. They go to Le Paws and The Animal Agency to get representation. Patrik is completely dissatisfied with the experience so he decides to set up a Pooch branch of his own modeling agency. He starts pitching Snow White to the Pet Companies. Marjorie from the CLUB has a relationship with PET HEAD and suggests an introduction to them. Snow White gets the gig.
11. The entire crew are leaving town for a dog show in Austin, Texas. But they can’t take their pooches – South West Airline policy. So they decide to leave them overnight at D-Hotel, one of the most exclusive doggie sanctuaries around. The bitches battle over who will take the best rooms, the New Yorker, The Parisian, The Roman but for all of them there are webcams the ‘moms’ can watch their darlings at all times.
12. Daza has picked up a stray. But it’s a guy not a dog. She has a real taste for wealthy Arabs – and this dark, tall, handsome guy is certainly rich – he arrives in a quarter of a million dollar Lamborghini. He looks like potential boyfriend material, even if she has to keep him under the radar so that her sugar daddy doesn’t find out. But the problem is Prince Charming really doesn’t like the intruder. Every opportunity PC pees on the intruder, or bites his ankles, or sits between them during an intimate moment.
13. Ex Ms. UK, Liz wants to start an exclusive doggie pageant with Pol and Patrik. They hatch a business plan.  Liz can bring her Pageant expertise to the table; Pol can make the doggie couture and Patrik can rep the winners. It’s a perfect recipe for disaster.
14. Liz and Kahn plan their wedding in Malibu. Amber will be the ring bearer. Liz and the dog start dieting. Liz buys Amber the FIT FUR LIFE treadmill. Kahn is in training for the Mr. Universe competition. Liz and Amber and Pol, Patrik and Snow White are huge supporters and go with him to several muscle men events.
15. Dazza flashes back to how she found Prince. She takes us on her journey to Korea, to find her PURE BREED POM. She is hoodwinked, cheated and robbed but eventually finds her dream dog. A tiny white fluff ball that pees all over her Christine D’Or $10,000 dress. It’s instant chemistry. She coughs up $20,000 for her new accessory but immigration papers for the regally named Prince Charming are held up by corrupt officialdom and she’s forced to call on favors.
16. Melanie has started a new Eyelash lengthening company called ALL ABOUT THE EYES. The group attends her RED CARPET opening and has to fight off the PUPARRAZI. Melanie attends with her boyfriend, Scott. Melanie wants to have a baby and is attempting surrogacy. Her last embryo transfer failed so she is trying again. The question is who is the father? The Italian or Scott?
17. Melanie has a clothing line called LOVE for T- Shirts and shorts. Melanie decides to set up a doggie clothing line as part of her LOVE collection called LOVE PUPPY.  This makes Dazza furious and the real bitching begins!
18. The group attends a friend’s Bark Mitzvah at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Beach. It’s the biggest event of the year for the family and they have perfection in mind but when Princess Amber eats the birthday cake things get a little out of hand.
19. Patrik has registered Snow White as a show dog. Bitches support Snow White in her first ‘Dog Show’. But when one of the female guests tries to smuggle the new starlet out in her handbag, a desperate search finally discovers the culprit and the prize. Pol and Patrik need therapy and decide to employ a bodyguard for Snow White.
20. Khloe finally gets a magazine cover offer, Ciao Wowo. But Marisa’s girlfriend argues that Marissa and Khloe shouldn’t do it because the magazine is clearly anti-lesbian. Marissa is caught between her quest to make Khloe famous and falling in step with her new sugar-mommy. It’s a tough decision.
21. Patrik produces a Snow White 2014 calendar, Pol will be making all the clothes and Snow White will be the model & face of the calendar months. Each month will feature Snow White in a different costume theme & of course the June she will be in a bikini.
22. On the ‘tails’ of his success at Woof Stock, Prince Charming is offered a blog on The Doggington Post.  Dazza and Prince take meetings with the editors to try close the deal. But then the question of legitimate papers for Prince Charming’s pedigree put the deal into jeopardy.
23. Snow White starts to hit the big time. She has now done many covers, calendars, red carpets and “ shows” and is the poster pooch of many pet products. She is constantly recognized in the street and TMZ follow her everywhere. However, she is a PURE DIVA – Justin Beiber with fluffy white fur. They enroll her in Doggie Behavior School to get over herself!
24. Crumpet develops really bad breath. Mel takes him for Breath Treatment at The Club but nothing works.  All his regulars decide that they draw the line at halitosis and Mel’s phone stops ringing. Mel is worried that she might not recover her clients and decides now is the time to bite the bullet and get a new fresh faced pup.  Crumpet’s days are numbered.
25. Tanya wants to revive Gigi’s career and her own. She returns from Portugal after abandoning Gigi for nearly 6 months wanting to cut a new hit summer sound track with the two of them. But the reunion doesn’t go according to plan. Giggi has a massive heart attack… and dies.
26. Bel-Air’s tribute to Gigi has seen no equivalent – dog lovers from all around the country are invited to pay respects for the phenomenal poodle. Her tiny cask is paraded through the leafy suburb aon a horse drawn chariot. Leading the procession is Tanya dressed in black  and although no one is on the streets, she knows that behind the large portico windows of the vast mansions, that many are shedding tears for her dear, dear departed bitch.

It Girls are the top agency girls at Frazier Arts one of the most successful glamour talent agencies in the country. The family-run agency provides the most beautiful, the most provocative, and the most alluring models to the glamour industry. The Frazier family, led by artist and photographer, Mark Frazier, were the originators of body painting to the Playboy Empire twenty years ago – and have been providing spectacular models ever since. As well as wow the crowd they’ve also discovered many future glamor stars, like Kendra, to the world. These aren’t the skinny, six-foot models found on the fashion catwalks. These are the girls that every guy wants to live next door to – and every girl wishes she were her.

It Girls model anything and everything from bikinis to lingerie and from jewelry to just bare flesh. Whatever they wear, or don’t wear, turns heads wherever they go. These girls are the ultimate centers of attention. And that’s what the It Girls crave, to continue to be the center of attention.

Over the course of a year the agency provides hundreds of gorgeous models for commercials, promos, magazine covers, and as the star attractions at exclusive parties – wearing nothing but a layer of beautifully hand-painted lingerie. Each year the family agency picks out their special talent – a handful of girls that stand above all the others for their beauty, their character, and their charm. These are the inner circle, the It Girls.

As long as they remain an agency It Girl they get every luxury adorned on them, the best costumes, the best hairdressers and make-up artists, the finest clothes, the most attention and of course the most money. But even in this small clique of five or six girls there’s usually one who shines brightest of all. This is the family’s ultimate pedigree, the one who has everything – and who will make them the most money.

This year, like last, the It Girls are battling it out for the number one spot. Chloe, tall, outspoken and ready to do whatever she needs to get rid of the competition. Laci Kay, beautiful but street wise, she’ll not get pushed aside by anyone. Jessie, the Italian firecracker, with a personality and temper to match.  Kristen the beautiful small town girl with big ambitions. And Amber, the girl who was the IT GIRL but threw everything away for a guy, now she’s back and desperate to fight her way to the top again.  And.

While they are working for the agency the girls live in a large house in the Hollywood Hills run by former It Girl Molly. She tries to keep the girls on a strict regiment of physical training, proper food and good rest as well as organizing many different classes and programs to improve their skills in dancing, movement, style, conversation and even how to drive expensive Italian cars for when their date has had too much to drink. But Molly has her work cut out if her rules are to be obeyed – because one thing is quickly apparent – girls will be girls.

On the face of it these It Girls are friends, sisters-in-arms. But don’t be deceived. As the series digs just below the glossy surface there’s a mini-war taking place, with each of these beauties vying for position, in a no holds barred contest. Being second best is simply not an option for any of them.

Join us on this glamorous odyssey as we enter inside a world only glimpsed before. An exclusive world of luxury lifestyle, fast cars, and more claw marks than a lion’s den.

A couple looking to get some kicks in the bedroom ended their romantic evening in the emergency room after a kinky game went drastically wrong.

Michael and Josi, from Clarksville, Tennessee, decided to spice things up by melting a 5lb gummy bear on each others’ bodies.

However the searingly hot, sugary liquid left Josi with third-degree burns on her chest and in agonizing pain.

The couple, who didn’t share their last names, decided to reveal their embarrassing tale on TLC series Sex Sent Me To The Er, which airs on Saturday night.

The situation was made even more excruciating by the fact that Josi decided to call her mother for advice.

For Michael, who had yet to meet her mother back in 2011, it was a particularly shameful moment.

Michael told TLC: ‘When you’re in that moment, you don’t think.’

However the couple claim that they are not so embarrassed by the gummy bear fiasco that they would miss out sharing the experience with the viewing public – or local news site, Tennessean.com.

And all their friends and family know anyway, they added.

Despite the failed attempt at romance, the couple remain together three years later and are engaged.

For more woeful sexual mishaps, Sex Sent Me To The ER is on Saturday nights on the TLC network.

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While some of the stories on “Sex Sent Me to the ER” (midseason premiere Sat. April 12 at 9:00 p.m. on TLC) seem like unfortunate mishaps, some suggest the frisky people involved needed a good, hard shake. Michael and Josi, for instance. Who really thinks dumping melted gummy candy on delicate skin is a good idea?

In the clip below, we also learn that Josi has to call her mom before heading to the ER, just in case her boyfriend wasn’t embarrassed enough. Can’t wait for next Thanksgiving at her house! Oh, but do watch this re-enactment — though Josi has the more serious burn, Michael’s mouth is also hurting — and the dialogue is a scream. You’ll never look at butter the same way again, either.

Also in this episode, we meet Jessica and Anton. They decide to throw caution and their swimsuits to the wind while alone at a pool party. Unfortunately for Jessica, their quickie in the pool turns into a fiasco that gets them busted and sends her to the ER. Then, when Juan comes into the ER looking for meds to “help” him on his next big date, Dr. Aliasgher Hussain kicks him out. Minutes later, Juan is back in the ER after passing out in the hospital locker room, and Dr. Hussain must sort out what happened.

Are you watching “Sex Sent Me to the ER”? C’mon, just admit it.

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Tonight’s Premieres:
Discovery: Boss Hogg at 10p
HGTV: HGTV Dream Home Giveaway at 5p

Tonight’s Finales:
ABC: The Neighbors at 8:30p

Saturday’s Premieres:
Destination America: BBQ Pitmasters at 9p
HGTV: Kitchen Crashers at 9:30a, Best Ever Treehouse at 1p
ID: How (Not) to Kill Your Husband at 10p
OWN: Love in the City at 10p
Nat Geo WILD: Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet at 9p
TLC: Sex Sent Me to the ER at 9p

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So when one couple decided to melt down a gummy bear during foreplay – their own, ahem, fantasy – they though they were doing everything right. But oh, how they were wrong.

Speaking in TLC series ‘Sex Sent Me To The E.R.’, alongside a cheesy reenactment, Michael and Josi explain how the melted gummy bear was poured over the woman’s chest.

But her ensuing screams were far from sexual satisfaction, instead the red-hot gummy bear burnt her skin off, as her boyfriend discovered when when he tried to lick it off.

Watch the video for more. And steer clear of melted gummy bears.

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A couple in Clarksville, Tenn., known only as “Michael” and “Josi” made that gooey mistake and suffered terrible sugar burns.

The not-so-sweet sexual encounter happened in March 2011. Now, with the help of lookalike actors who recreated this moment of sweet love, they are sharing their story. The duo will appear on the April 12th season premiere of the TLC series “Sex Sent Me To The E.R..” Hopefully, other candy-loving couples will learn from their error.

The incident began when Michael, 25, gave Josi a giant gummy bear. The gift inspired her to get kinky with the candy.

“You know what’d be hot? Let’s eat this gummy off me,” she remembers telling Michael. “Oh! Let’s melt it and eat it off me. Yeah, that’d be a super hot idea.”

TLC declined to provide the couple’s full names “so as to maintain some level of privacy for them,” a statement said.

Ever the supportive lover, Michael tied Josi, 24, to the headboard of the bed and went downstairs to melt the giant gummy bear in the microwave.

“I’m waiting all excited [thinking], ‘This is gonna be so much fun,'” he remembers.

Michael cut off the head of the giant gummy bear and nuked it in the microwave. Then he ran upstairs with the bowl of hot gummy goo, which he then drizzled on Josi’s chest.

At first, she thought the warm melted candy pleased her. But unlike candle wax, it didn’t start cooling the moment it touched her skin.

“My chest was on fire,” she said.

Michael tried to help her by licking the liquid goo from her chest with equally bad results.

“Her chest is burning off while my tongue is on fire,” he said.

Despite the miserable experience, the couple obviously managed to survive.

In fact, they plan on having a huge party at their house when the show airs Saturday night, according to the Tennessean.

Their heated encounter with a melted gummy bear hasn’t dulled their sex life, but Josi tells the paper, “we stay away from hot things.

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Practice safe sex, you guys: otherwise you might end up in the Emergency Room — or, worse, on TLC.

To clarify, we don’t mean use contraceptives, though that is generally a good plan. Rather, don’t try anything that happens on TLC’s “Sex Sent Me to the ER.”

Also read: ‘Sex Sent Me to the ER’ Gets a Butt-Load More Episodes From TLC

In tomorrow’s mid-season premiere of “Sex Sent Me to the ER,” an adventurous couple gets into a sticky situation with their favorite candy, a California couple turns alone time at a pool party into a fiasco that gets them busted, and a doctor rejects a request from a man looking to score meds — only to wind up treating him anyway.

The below clip, exclusive to TheWrap, depicts that last storyline, where the guy came to the ER looking for Viagra and someone to get it on with. He proved more successful with the latter than with the former.

See video: ‘Sex Sent Me to the ER’ Preview: Woman Gives New Meaning to ‘Standing O’

The video shows his new lady friend is all disheveled, though she claims they were “looking for a quiet place to pray together.” An unlikely excuse, though she probably did spend some time on her knees.

“Sex Sent Me to the ER” airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. on TLC.

Watch the video:

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But then there’s Michael and Josi of Clarksville, Tenn., whose attempt to use candy to make things hotter in the boudoir got a little too hot. So much so that Josi landed in a local emergency room with third-degree burns — and then landed a spot on Saturday’s midseason premiere of TLC’s “Sex Sent Me to the ER.”

Turns out their idea to drizzle each other with melted cherry Gummy Bear was pretty dumb. And the decision to call Josi’s mother for help first? Awkward.

That was 2011. Josi was watching the TLC show herself years later and decided to send in the story. If other people are brave enough to share, she said in an interview today, she should be too.

Plus, Michael said, their story was more funny than some of the situations portrayed on the show.

“When you’re in that moment, you don’t think,” he said. A 5-pound cherry Gummy Bear was there, they were there …

Their last names aren’t on the show, and a “Sex Sent Me” representative refused to let them reveal those, but Michael and Josi admit that in a town the size of Clarksville, it’s unlikely they’ll slip under the radar once they appear on TV. Plus, all their friends know about the Gummy Bear incident anyway, and the couple aren’t embarrassed.

They plan on having a huge party at their house when the show airs at 8 p.m. Saturday. “Sex Sent Me” is not for the kiddos — in case the show’s title isn’t enough, there’s a warning before each segment.

Together for three years, Michael and Josi are engaged. And they still like to keep things interesting.

“But we stay away from hot things,” Josi clarified.

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Discovery Communications’ male-skewing Velocity is bringing back Dallas Car Sharks with two back-to-back episodes premiering April 2 at 10 p.m. EST/PST. The car flipping series, produced by AMS Pictures, centers on a group of Texas car experts who navigate Dallas auto auctions and compete with one another for the best deals.

Meanwhile, TLC’s sex-gone-wrong series Sex Sent Me to the ER will continue its debut season on April 12 at 9 p.m. EST/PST. The GRB Entertainment-produced show, which profiles stories of sexual exploits that have taken turns for the worse, premiered in December 2013 as a four-part series and will continue with 35 new episodes that will run through to the end of the year. In addition, the net’s budget bride series I Found the Gown, which follows the world of a discount bridal gown boutique, also returns for its third season on April 25 at 10 p.m. EST/PST. The show is produced by Half Yard Productions.

Returning for a second season is U.S. net National Geographic Channel’s survivalist series Life Below Zero, which premieres April 17 at 9 p.m. EST/PST. The Adjacent Productions-made series follows six Alaskans trying to withstand many months of winter in the region’s frigid bush country.

Finally, U.S. net Lifetime has picked up a 10-episode second season of docuseries Kim of Queens, set to premiere on June 17 at 10 p.m. EST/PST. The Relativity Television and Bogner Entertainment-produced series follows American beauty pageant coach Kim Gravel as she mentors aspiring beauty queens.

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In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, some people might have forgotten the dangers inherent in other natural phenomena. Volcanoes, often relegated to fantasy books and memories of exotic locales, are important geological case studies, and Discovery Channel is turning its ever inspecting eye on the fiery mountains.

Curiosity, the documentary series that airs Sundays at 9 p.m., will broadcast “Volcano Time Bomb” on Dec. 9. Experts on the program talk about the most volatile volcanoes in the world and how communities may face unprecedented destruction.

Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Dr. Andrew McGonigle, reader in volcano remote sensing at the University of Sheffield. McGonigle is interviewed on the one-hour special. Answers have been slightly edited.

In your opinion, is it possible to predict volcanic activity and eruptions? Could there be an effective early warning system one day?

The capacity to understand volcanic activity is expanding enormously and with every new eruption we learn something new about how the Earth works, with beneficial impacts upon our ability to predict eruptions. There have been some great examples of success in this regard: for instance a few days before the largest recent eruption, Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, an evacuation order was given, which saved many thousands of lives.

Likewise, technological advancements are enabling us to resolve what is going on beneath the ground far more clearly than before, showing great promise for effective early warning systems. A real key is the ability to piece together the different pieces of the puzzle, for instance, in measuring the earthquakes from volcanoes, the gases which are released from summit craters and the deformation of the ground in response to magma movements. We are getting much better now at integrating these different sources of information, to provide a far more robust assessment of the volcano’s status than possible from the individual data sources in isolation.

Is enough of the world tuned into the dangers caused by volcanoes?

This is a great question. We tend to be so preoccupied by our immediate concerns, that further away or less frequent phenomena drift off our radar screens. In many parts of the world, for instance Indonesia, or of course Hawaii and the Cascades in the USA, volcanic eruptions are frequent, or at least not too infrequent, events so people are mindful of them and of the various perils and inconveniences that they cause.

However, for those of us who live in more geologically tranquil locations, for instance in the UK, volcanoes seem a world away. Hence, the Icelandic eruption of 2010, with all the flight chaos it caused, was a rude awakening indeed to the fact that we live on a geologically active world! This event also revealed, to a certain degree, a lack of preparedness amongst civil authorities to cope with what, volcanically, was a relatively benign eruption. Hence we do need to be more aware of these kinds of events, and the far off effects they can have, and to plan in advance appropriate measures, for what we will do when they occur.

From your experience, what are some of the most volatile volcanoes in the world, and why?

My own work has taken me to some fairly volatile spots. Stromboli in Italy is a spectacular example of a volcano venting its fury, in explosions every 10 or so minutes. This is dubbed the lighthouse of the Mediterranean for these metronomic outbursts which have generated a natural firework show for at least the last few thousand years. I still find it truly awesome to think of the Greek and Roman mariners who witnessed the same sight in their sea passages during bygone millennia.

Vesuvius is currently inactive, but bursts into life sporadically and has every potential to repeat the level of violence associated with the AD 79 eruption that led to the fall of Pompeii. This is particularly troubling given the heavily congested population within the surrounding bay of Naples region. Finally, other volcanic targets show signs of resumed life: Krakatoa in Indonesia, which erupted catastrophically in 1883, has recently resumed low level activity; and Santorini in Greece has experienced earthquakes indicating restless subsurface magmas. During the 16th century BC this latter island volcano literally blew itself apart, collapsing into the sea, possibly leading to the origin of the Atlantis myth.

How did you get involved in this field? Is it dangerous, especially when working on site?

I started out doing a doctorate in lab physics where I designed sensors for monitoring pollutants in the atmosphere. I then took a research job using similar techniques but for measuring gas releases from volcanoes in order to understand the underground workings of volcanic systems. Somewhere along the line I became a volcanologist and started being able to tell people about what I did for a living at parties without them falling asleep!

The transition from working in a controlled laboratory environment to doing research on volcanoes, a tiny speck, clambering over these geological powerhouses, was also enormous, and never ceases to be exhilarating. This of course brings with it an element of danger, and one must always have a profound sense of respect for the force of nature. In this sense we are always careful to take every precaution, and certainly wouldn’t access craters during explosive episodes. Two days before the filming of the Discovery documentary we were showered in rock fragments from an explosion whilst working on the summit of Mt. Etna; that was our cue that our work was finished for that day.

Were you impressed by Discovery’s special? Why are TV programs like this important for understanding volcanoes?

I really enjoyed the documentary, and it was great to see a number of my colleagues from other countries also featuring on the program. I think the use of computer animations was brilliant in conveying eruptive processes, and it was great to see my colleague Ken Sims “climbing” down into the innards of a volcano with a little help from the special effects team. This was so realistic in fact, that I had to spend quite a long time afterwards explaining to my 5-year-old son that it wasn’t “real,” and that I couldn’t take him down to see a magma chamber next time I am on a volcano!

Scientific documentaries can now be as visually appealing as feature films in terms of their animation and some of this documentary’s computer generated pyrotechnics brought to mind volcanic scenes from the Lord of the Rings and Star Wars films.

In terms of the role that TV programs play in disseminating scientific knowledge, this is really important, and has a massive effect on public understanding (or misunderstanding!). It is really challenging to deliver factual programming which really captures the attention of viewers, while remaining true to the nuances of the science in question. However, in the case of this documentary, I think a good balance was struck: after all, it is hard to overplay what volcanoes are capable of doing!

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Could a supervolcano someday erupt in the U.S., burying most of North America in ash, dimming the sun and sending the continent into a volcanic winter? That’s the focus of the Discovery Channel’s “Volcano Time Bomb,” part of the network’s Curiosity series.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a supervolcano is one that possesses “a volcanic center that has had an eruption of magnitude 8 on the Volcano Explosivity Index (VEI), meaning the measured deposits for that eruption is greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers (240 cubic miles).”

A researcher descends toward the crater of an active volcano. (Discovery Channel)

The show focuses on volcanic giants that loom over Portland, Seattle and Vancouver and comes on the heels of Hawaii’s Kilauea spilling lava into the ocean. Using computer-generated imagery, the show will take viewers inside some of these volcanoes. But the show also focuses on the latest scientific efforts by researchers who are attempting to forecast when and where the next major eruption will take place.

Other supervolcanoes in the U.S. are located in Yellowstone National Park and Long Valley in eastern California. Outside the U.S., supervolcano sites have been identified in Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand and South America. The last known supervolcanic eruption took place approximately 27,000 years ago on New Zealand’s island of Taupo.

“These super volcanoes have the potential to bury most of western North America and dim the sun—plunging the world into a volcanic winter,” reads a release from Discovery sent to Yahoo News.

Watch an exclusive preview of the “Volcano Time Bomb” episode below, which airs on the Discovery Channel on Dec. 9 at 9 p.m. ET:

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Perhaps it is due to more frequent natural disasters, but the potential deadly impact of volcanoes is something that is frequently forgotten about when it comes to the average American. After all, it has been decades since Mt. St. Helens erupted in Washington, and in the span of time most of our attention has been diverted to fending off earthquakes and hurricanes.

However, some of this thinking may change for those who watch the latest “Curiosity” special “Volcano Time Bomb” on Sunday night, as it provides a series of harrowing reminders that there is still not only serious danger out there within populated regions of the world, but that these eruptions can destroy whole cities without the proper amount of caution exercised.

Is there any surefire way to prevent an eruption from happening? No, and as the title suggests, what we are generally looking at here is just a waiting game until the next one comes. However, there are ways to minimize the impact of and loss of life, and we see through this just what many brave scientists are doing at the moment to learn how to detect possible eruptions in their early stages, whether it be by surveying the land, reading vibrations underneath the surface, or detecting levels of CO2 in soil that can only be caused by magma. For those familiar with volcanoes already, this special may not teach you too much beyond what is already in your knowledge base, but what it does is present all of its information in a detailed, stunning format that includes both real and simulated footage of eruptions. No network produces a better visual way in which to display the information.

With some of these “Curiosity” specials this year, we have left wondering to ourselves a series of key questions, whether it be how effective the ancient Egyptian mummifcations were as a practice of preservation or whether a human being can really be hypnotized to commit a deadly act. With “Volcano Time Bomb,” you are getting something that is a little more informative and a little less open to debate. It is common knowledge that that eruptions are dangerous; the only thing that is surprising is how they continue to shy away from the forefront of public consciousness.

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On Sunday at 9 P.M. Discovery Channel will air “Volcano Time Bombs” on their Curiosity series, which will take viewers into the heart of a volcano in an effort to uncover how they actually work. The episode will also focus on the latest research in volcano eruptions and why they are so difficult to understand.

Phil Zimmerman’s media alert stressed how powerful volcanoes are and the massive destruction they cause to millions of people who live within their shadow. It also touched upon the recent eruption of lava from Kilauea on Hawaii’ Big Island, which is still flowing into the nearby ocean; and the eruption of Mount St Helen in Washington State in 1980, when it’s powerful forces obliterated everything in it’s path.

These are the volcanoes we know of, but according to the ‘Media release’ there are super volcanoes, presently unknown, that are a thousand times more powerful and have the potential to bury most of western North America, dim the sun, and plunge the world into a volcanic winter.

Volcano Time Bomb, which airs this Sunday at 9 p.m. was produced by NHNZ for the Discovery Channel. It looks at how the experts are monitoring these powerful forces and Earth’s natural reaction in the hopes of being able to predict the next big eruption. CURIOSITY is overseen by Howard Swartz, Vice-President and Simon Andrea Senior Vice-President, of Development and Production For users of Facebook visit facebook.com/discovery and Twitter followers can access it at twitter.com@discovery.

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content, that not only informs but entertains the consumer about the world and all it’s wonders. It is distributed to millions of U.S. homes and can be seen in over 210 countries. For more information visitwww.discovery.com

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Discovery Channel is to air Volcano Time Bomb, a one-hour special about the science of monitoring and predicting volcanic eruptions, on December 9.

Produced by New Zealand-based indie NHNZ, the program will air as part of the U.S. cable network’s ‘Curiosity’ strand.

The special follows scientists as they attempt to gauge potential eruptions and, more broadly, society’s long-term survival. The shoot took executive producers Craig Meade and Phil Fairclough, and Edge West producer Phil Day, to nine active volcanoes around the world, including many in North America.

The idea evolved from an idea based on the Mayan calendar doomsday scenario hype called The End of the World: Live.

“Our original idea was to see what events might actually have the power to bring about the end of the world, if it was going to happen on December 21, 2012 when the Mayan calendar ends,” Fairclough said in a statement. “We quickly boiled it down to a discussion of volcanoes, as the most devastating force on planet Earth and the least predictable force of nature about which very little is understood, especially in the field of forecasting.

“Surprisingly, in North America, we are all much more at risk of the effects of a volcanic eruption than most of us know,” he added. “A big eruption of a super volcano has the power to bring the entire U.S. to a standstill and kill millions.”

Volcano Time Bomb will premiere on Discovery Channel on December 9 at 9 p.m. EST/PST.

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December 4th, 2012

(Los Angeles, Calif.) – Volcanoes are one of the most powerful forces on Earth – capable of causing massive destruction for the millions of people who live in their shadow.  These giants loom over Portland, Seattle and Vancouver with the potential to cause complete devastation.  Last week, Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii erupted with lava flowing into the nearby ocean.  Is enough being done to monitor their potential eruptions? And is it actually possible to crack their code and predict when a deadly eruption might occur?

“Volcano Time Bomb,” airing Sunday, Dec. 9 at 9 PM E/P on Discovery Channel’s CURIOSITY series, will take viewers into the heart of a volcano using CGI technology to uncover how they actually work and why they are so difficult to understand.  The episode will also show the latest research in the field of volcano eruption forecasting and the scientists who risk their lives to find answers.

In May 1980, the world watched as Mount St. Helens unleashed its powerful forces and obliterated every living thing in its path.  But there is actually another type of volcano, unknown to many, that is thousands of times more powerful than Mount St. Helens.  These super volcanoes have the potential to bury most of western North America and dim the sun — plunging the world into a volcanic winter.  “Volcano Time Bomb” looks at how experts are monitoring these powerful forces and the Earth’s natural reactions – including ground deformation, gas emissions and earthquakes – to make their predictions about the next big eruption.

“Volcano Time Bomb” is produced by NHNZ for Discovery Channel. CURIOSITY is overseen by Vice President, Development and Production Howard Swartz and Senior Vice President, Development and Production Simon Andreae.  To learn more, go to www.discovery.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/discovery and on Twitter @Discovery.   Intel is a presenting sponsor of “Volcano Time Bomb.”

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NHNZ and Edge West dig into Volcano science for Discovery Channel’s CURIOSITY series:

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Discovery Channel has commissioned NHNZ to produce a one-hour special on the science of predicting volcanoes for the channel’s high-profile Curiosity series.

Volcano Time Bomb shows the latest work in the world of volcano eruption forecasting and to see how powerful science can be in helping to understand volcanism. No simple science given that each volcano is different, and there are 1500 of them around the world – 169 in the US alone.

With a tight schedule, and a gruelling list of shoots, including many North American sites NHNZ executive producers Craig Meade and Phil Fairclough worked with producer Phil Day from Edge West in Los Angeles to produce the show.

To understand the science, the crew had to follow the scientists and get up close to the action at nine volcanoes around the world – all of them active, and two of them erupting. For Phil Day, the chance to produce this show was a no-brainer.

“As a kid one of my favorite books was Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. Their point of entry was an extinct volcano in Iceland – and I know there actually is an extinct volcano in Iceland that you can now go down inside – and I was absolutely desperate to see it – so for me it was the adventure of a lifetime. But more than that, it’s the power of volcanoes that fascinates me. As explorer Geoff Mackley says in the film ‘It’s kind of hard to describe the amount of power required to boil rock and throw it through the air like water‘. And it truly is.

“I think Volcano Time Bomb brings a really important reality to the audience – monitoring and predicting when the most dangerous volcanoes will next erupt is fast becoming a crucial science for our society’s long-term survival,” says Phil Day.

NHNZ EP and EVP Development, Phil Fairclough saw Volcano Time Bomb grow out of a pitch originally calledThe End of the World: Live.

“Our original idea was to see what events might actually have the power to bring about the end of the world, if it was going to happen on Dec 21 2012, when the Mayan calendar ends. We quickly boiled it down to a discussion of volcanoes, as the most devastating force on Planet Earth…and the least predictable force of nature about which very little is understood, especially in the field of forecasting.

“And surprisingly, in North America, we are all much more at risk of the effects of a volcanic eruption than most of us know. A big eruption of a super volcano has the power to bring the entire US to a standstill and kill millions. We are all sitting on a volcano time bomb.”

Volcano Time Bomb premières on Discovery Channel’s CURIOSITY series on Sunday, December 9 at 9 PM.

CURIOSITY on Discovery Channel brings the ‘I wonder?’ moment to television with a unique array of provocative subjects. Testing theories on a scale never done before, CURIOSITY looks at the science behind the world’s most mysterious places and events.

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