TLC Looking To Replace Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes

Some two years after the death of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, the surviving members of TLC are moving on — by putting together a reality show to find her replacement.

Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas are signing on the dotted line this week with FOX Television Studios, sources familiar with the deal say, for a show that would document their search for a new member to join them for recordings and possibly a televised concert. The show does not yet have a network commitment nor a premiere date. Details are expected next week.

Following Lopes' passing, T-Boz and Chilli completed the fourth TLC album, 3D, without her, but made sure to pay tribute to their friend by using her previously recorded vocals in five of the songs. They also incorporated a few Left Eye-inspired images, such as the painted black mark under the eye as well as her name on clothes and clubs, in their videos for "Girl Talk" and "Hands Up."

The group played what was to be its farewell concert — despite shouting out that "TLC is forever" on the 3D song "Dirty Dirty" — seven months after the album's release (see "TLC Say Goodbye, Beleaguered Ja Rule Basks In Limelight At Zootopia Show").

"We take it video by video and project by project," T-Boz told MTV News at the time. "Lisa isn't here — that's reality. It's not easy to come up with how to incorporate her."

—Jennifer Vineyard I take it they need money. Kind of funny after they were saying how she cant be replaced and TLC couldn't go on. Morons.

i forgot about that bitch.

Originally posted by safety pin
i forgot about that bitch. nice

Originally posted by Nirvana
I take it they need money. Kind of funny after they were saying how she cant be replaced and TLC couldn't go on. Morons.

I have to agree with you. Not too long ago they said TLC would end because of Lisa not being there. :confused: :confused: :eek:

I was a TLC fan but this goes to show you what Lisa meant to them. I won't be buying any of their new sh*t. :mad:

Poor Lisa is probably turning in her grave.

It's pretty tacky when you think about it. If they want to continue the group as a trio, that's one thing. But to make a tv show out of finding a new member that comes as a result of someone's death, you have to wonder what they're thinking. Lisa's death has given them the opprtunity to make a reality series out of finding a replacement. Weird.

They should give it up anyway. 3D didn't do that well. They should let the group's legacy be what they've done already and just move on to other things.

that is so hypocritical.. IF they never said "Lisa was an integral part of TLC and we could never go on without her", then maybe this ouldn't look like such a slap in the face.

To recast the L in TLC via a reality show is the worst, let's hope it backfires for them

I don't think there is anything wrong with replacing Lisa, regardless of any statements they issued in the past. Many groups replace members who have died. It's how they make their living, and the name TLC is their best chance to continue on in the music business. Life goes on.

What makes this reprehensible is turning it into a reality show contest. It displays a total lack of class and respect for Lisa.

I read about this last week, and I'm still disgusted. LOL... can't they just continue on as a duo?

Originally posted by Janice
What makes this reprehensible is turning it into a reality show contest. It displays a total lack of class and respect for Lisa.

:yeahthat Seems like just a money scheme to me. ohno:

Originally posted by SBTB Geek
I read about this last week, and I'm still disgusted. LOL... can't they just continue on as a duo?

exactly, many of their biggest hits featured only the two who are still alive. Granted, Waterfalls and No Scrubs might feel incomplete without Lisa, but theyc an still do Unpretty, Diggin' On You, Red Light Special, Baby Baby Baby and others

Originally posted by vashti1999
It's pretty tacky when you think about it. If they want to continue the group as a trio, that's one thing. But to make a tv show out of finding a new member that comes as a result of someone's death

INXS is doing the exact same thing.

Originally posted by AKA
INXS is doing the exact same thing.

the fact that they're doing it is worse than TLC, because Michael Hutchense WAS INXS... whereas TLC had plenty of hit singles without Left Eye's imput in them. They should use another name if they insist on carrying on without Michael.

Originally posted by AKA
INXS is doing the exact same thing.

Really? INXS isn't doing it for tv too, are they? Didn't they have Terence Trent D'arby do a few shows with them a while back?

Originally posted by vashti1999
Really? INXS isn't doing it for tv too, are they? Didn't they have Terence Trent D'arby do a few shows with them a while back?

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/business/media/24rock.html?ex=1089345600&en=dcdec6ac1bf4dcbd&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1

CBS Bid Wins Rock Star Reality Show

The New York Times

CBS has won a bidding war for the latest reality show from the producer Mark Burnett, a contest that combines the elimination elements of "Survivor" and the performance components of "American Idol."

The series, which had been called "Rock Star" but which now may be titled something else, will feature contestants vying to be the new lead singer for the rock group INXS. CBS plans to broadcast the series next summer.

The show will have two hourlong episodes each week for 13 weeks. The first hour will deal with the contestants as they share a house in Hollywood. The second hour will consist of live performances. The contestants will be eliminated based on voting by three elements - the public, a team of judges and the band itself.

The series had been avidly chased by ABC and NBC as well as CBS. Mr. Burnett said he came up with the idea at least partly as a counterpoint to the Fox hit "American Idol," which deals with pop singers, not rock singers. Mr. Burnett has been unhappy with Fox for throwing together a boxing reality show after he sold his own boxing show, "The Contender," to NBC.

Network executives pointed out yesterday that CBS has the best opportunities for cross-promotion in music because its parent company, Viacom, has holdings in radio though its Infinity Broadcasting division and owns the cable music networks MTV and VH1.

Ok, I had heard about this and completely forgot about it. It's all tacky. It just turns the band into some sort of cartoonish joke. Can you imagine people going to an INXS concert and the interest will be "seeing the person who won the lead singer gig on that reality show." It tarnishes the group's legacy, I think.

Some members of groups just can't be replaced, and Chili and T-Boz REALIZED that after Lisa's death. They were admanant about never replacing her, and to turn around and change their minds is despicable. But turning their search for a new member into a reality show is even worse. What a couple of flaky bitches they turned out to be.

Don't even get me started on the INXS deal. That sucks royally too.

Idiotic bitches, thats horrible!

Originally posted by SBTB Geek
I read about this last week, and I'm still disgusted. LOL... can't they just continue on as a duo? Yeah. I do think it's a little surprising that they are looking to replace her, since they said that they never would.

But i have a question. it might be dumb, but oh well. Was Lisa just the rapper of the group, or did she actually supply the vocals to the main chorus and "non-rap" parts of the song?