We know James Van Der Beek from “Dawson’s Creek,” the series that left Lynn in tears many a time. Now he’s got a new show on Viceland called, “What Would Diplo Do?” Never mind what would Diplo do. Who is this guy and what does he do? James is giving Deco some answers.
Jamar Malachi Neighbors (as Jamar): “You got first fame syndrome. You’re high off your own myth.”
James Van Der Beek (as Diplo): “I’ve never done meth!”
Meet Diplo, or at least a parody of him, played by James Van Der Beek. The real Diplo, on the other hand …
James Van Der Beek: “He is probably the most famous guy you’ve never heard of. I describe him as the Frank Sinatra of electronic dance music.”
He’s a DJ and record producer who’s worked with the likes of Justin Bieber and Madonna.
James Van Der Beek: “If you’ve heard popular music at all in the last 10 years, you know his music.”
And now he’s the executive producer of “What Would Diplo Do?” It’s a show and concept that Van Der Beek gets to have a lot of fun with.
James Van Der Beek: “This could be ‘Musical Jesus Sucks at Life.’ We would just layer stupidity and ridiculousness on top of it and tell these weird, whacked-out little experiments.”
James Van Der Beek (as Diplo): “We need new sounds!”
Michael Croner (as Kröner) : “Sometimes I feel like your head is a little oven that bakes only bad ideas.”
James got to secretly fill in as Diplo at a real concert, and that experience gave him a better appreciation for what DJs do.
Because really … What do they do?
James Van Der Beek: “They read the crowd. They figure out what they want. They figure out what they don’t even know they want yet.”
So they’re DJs … and wizards? Huh, O.K.
The show’s filmed in Los Angeles, but Diplo grew up in SoFlo, so we wanted to know what an episode on South Beach would be like.
James Van Der Beek: “Wow. (laughs) I don’t know if I’d be allowed to say on TV exactly what would go down.”
C’mon … Give us something.
James Van Der Beek: “Lights and lasers and girls dancing and sweaty bodies all packed together.”
James Van Der Beek (as Diplo): “I’ve got one of these, don’t I?
Jamar Malachi Neighbors (as Jamar): “So does Milli Vanilli.”
“What Would Diplo Do?” premieres Thursday at 10 p.m. on Viceland.
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