Last year, former Emeryville Mayor John Bauters surprised residents with an appearance on the Fox reality show “The Snake.” While many viewed it as an unconventional—and perhaps ill-advised—move for a public official, city staff now say it may have had unexpected economic benefits the city hopes to replicate.
City Council was tasked last night with reviewing a plan to pursue additional reality show contracts aimed at boosting revenues and addressing the city’s long-term structural deficit.
Former councilmember John Bauters’ appearance on the Fox reality series “The Snake” inspired the idea of leveraging entertainment to close budgetary shortfalls.
“We’re looking at annual by the end of the decade,” City Manager LaTanya Bellow cautioned during the presentation. “We need to get creative, and we believe we’ve identified an option that won’t require new taxes.”
According to Finance Director Sharon Friedrichsen, staff observed a measurable increase in online searches for “Where is Emeryville?” during and immediately following Bauters’ appearance, coinciding with a modest uptick in hotel tax revenue.
“While causation is difficult to prove, the correlation was strong enough to warrant further exploration,” Friedrichsen said. “This show helped put Emeryville on the map in a way few of our traditional initiatives have.”
The proposal, developed during a recent Budget and Governance Committee workshop, outlines a strategy to “leverage emerging entertainment platforms to expand the city’s national profile.” With polling showing little appetite among voters for new taxes or bond measures, staff emphasized that “all options remain on the table.”
“We’re always talking about economic development in terms of office space and retail,” said EDAC Chair Mary Lou Thiercof. “But there’s an entire creator economy we haven’t tapped into. Emeryville could position itself as a destination for content production and personality-driven media.”
“If we experience a wave of commercial vacancies along 40th Street as businesses are predicting, we’ll need to offset that revenue somehow,” added Budget Advisory Committee member Fran Quittel. “This approach at least shifts the burden away from residents.”
City staff confirmed they have already initiated preliminary conversations with network producers.
“We’ve reached a tentative framework that would place all five councilmembers on established reality television programs,” Bellow said. “We’ve done our best to align each placement with the individual strengths of the council.”
For starters, Mayor Sukhdeep Kaur is expected to appear on the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.
“This is not what I envisioned when I ran for office,” Kaur said. “But if representing Emeryville means learning the foxtrot on national television, I’ll do my best to serve.”
Kaur with DWTS Host Alfonso Ribeiro.
Vice Mayor Matthew Solomon is slated to compete on the reboot of Fear Factor, hosted by Johnny Knoxville.
“As someone whose professional focus involves sustainability, I’ve already asked producers about the sourcing of the insects,” Solomon said. “If I’m going to eat a tarantula, I’d prefer it be locally and ethically raised.”
Emeryville’s youngest Councilmember will test his fears in the recently rebooted show.
Courtney Welch will appear on The Bachelorette, filling the role recently vacated by Taylor Frankie Paul who became embroiled in an abuse scandal. “I’m totally chill compared to her!” Welch said affirming her commitment. “Less drama, more vibes. I think America’s ready for that.”
Is America ready for Courtney? We shall see!
2025 Mayor David Mourra will showcase his skills on America’s Got Talent.
“I’ve been preparing for this moment for years,” Mourra said. “Close-up magic is about misdirection—and frankly, so is local government.”
Mourra noted he abandoned his childhood dream of being a magician and was eager to prove he still had the chops.
Councilmember Kalimah Priforce is expected to appear on Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid.
“Who signed me up for this?” Priforce asked from the dais. “I’m from Brooklyn—I don’t do jungles. But , so I think I can make it through 21 days.”
As the name implies, Priforce will appear “in the buff” for the duration of the show.
The motion was approved by a 4–1 vote, with Priforce dissenting. City Attorney John Kennedy will now prepare a draft resolution that, if approved, would codify the plan into the municipal code.
Once agreements with the networks are finalized, discussions would proceed regarding filming schedules, wardrobe stipends, hazard pay for stunt scenes, and whether any prize winnings should be recorded as “municipal revenue” or simply “cultural enrichment.”
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