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[Newsweek Entertainment Report]

Bobby brown knows a thing or two about drama. Starting June 30, the R&B star, 36, will take his troubled existence completely public in his own reality show on Bravo. He spoke with NEWSWEEK's Allison Samuels.

So why a reality show? Haven't you had enough of cameras following you around?
I needed to do something to stay out of trouble. Too much free time ain't too good for someone like me. And now that I'm feeling healthy and off the drugs and other stuff I was doing—I feel like getting myself back on track. But honestly, the main reason I wanted to do this is really for my kids. They're always saying, "Daddy, why do they always make you look so bad in the press?" You know? They don't see their father as a screw-up.

In one of the first episodes, you make some really crude jokes about celebrities—like when you talk about Eddie Murphy wearing dresses in his downtime. Any worry that that might come back to haunt you?
No, no worries. I didn't censor myself at all while the cameras were on because that wouldn't be real. I don't mean anybody harm, but I've spent most of my career being the butt of somebody's joke, so I don't have too much concern about somebody's feelings getting hurt. If you can't take a joke, then you need to go somewhere and die—and definitely get out of this business.

What was Whitney's response to the show?
She wanted no part of it. (Laughs.) But then once the cameras started rolling and she saw how much fun I was having, I couldn't get rid of her. I had to tell her, "This is 'The Bobby Brown Show'—not 'The Whitney Show'!"

NEWSFILE: 19 JUNE 2005