OKLAHOMA CITY – Reality TV put the Steak and Catfish Barn on the map.
The Travel Network’s Man vs. Food guy, Adam Richman, even chowed down with restaurant owners, Dino and Maria Vitale.
The couple recently signed on with LA production company, Downtimew Productions, to do another reality show called Silly Spots and Places.
Dino said, “I said ‘Well, who’s the host?’ He said, ‘Billy Ray.’”
No, this Billy Ray doesn’t have an achy breaky mullet.
He’s bald and a self-proclaimed stand-up comic, dance artist and record producer.
Dino is convinced it’s all a phony act.
It is alleged Billy Ray, or B Re’, also sold himself as a ghost producer for the popular ’90s rap song, Tootsee Roll.
Freelance photographers, Ryan Nickell and Peter Adams, were hired by Downtimew Productions to film B Re’ during the three day Oklahoma shoot.
“The show is really ‘fake it until you make it’ starring Billy Ray,” Adams said.
“B Re can’t enunciate anything at all. He would slur his words,” said Nickell. “I remember one time, they started talking about sports and he made a reference to the Oklahoma City Thunders.”
The In Your Corner team has learned Downtimew Productions promised fame in exchange for services.
Club Albee in Bricktown offered the host and crew free transportation and liquor.
“They pull up with this entourage of girls that get out and no one would be proud of this entourage,” Nickell said.
We got our hands on more bizarre footage of Billy Ray trying to rap from inside the club.
Adams and NIckell claim the host forgot his lyrics to Tootsee Roll, the song he supposedly helped write.
“He gets two songs into it and looks like he’s about to pass out,” Nickell said. “This could have been an episode of the Biggest Loser because sweat is pouring down his head.”
Nothing about B Re’ or his show biz ventures is on the level. He was supposedly launching a reality dance show, dance.net, but it never panned out.
B Re’ and his crew skipped town months ago and they won’t even take my calls.
We did get this email.
“We are the production company for [Night Spots]. However, as we emailed you previously, we have no affiliation with your television station or [have any] comments to make. This will be the last email response.” -Shelly Ledson, Downtimew Productions
We’ve also learned Downtimew Productions pulled this same stunt in Fort Collins, Colo.
Alleged victims in our state include several businesses and four local freelance photographers. All of them allege Downtownw Productions still owes them thousands of dollars.
There was an out-of-town director who oversaw the three-day Oklahoma shoot.
He tells Scott he hasn’t been paid either.
Plus he still has all the footage, since no one from Downtimew Production seems to want it.
We’ll keep you posted on this one.
