TV shows bring Reno publicity

RENO -- The portrayed image may not be flattering, but officials say two television shows debuting this month will bring publicity for Reno.

"Going for Broke," a Lifetime Television movie, is about a Reno woman who becomes addicted to gambling and embezzles thousands of dollars for a children's charity fund.

It airs 9 p.m. Monday.

"Reno 911!" is a Comedy Central series that spoofs the reality show "Cops." It's characters are deputies in a fictional Reno-area sheriff's office. It starts July 23.

Both programs were shot primarily outside the area, but Robin Holabird, deputy director of the Nevada Film Office, said the city could still capitalize on the publicity.

"A lot of people who will not see 'Reno 911!' will still be hearing Reno," Holabird told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "So when it comes to thinking of places to go, it's a name that might just pop up, and they won't even be aware of why."

Neither program paints a particularly attractive picture of the area. Deputies in "Reno 911!" are especially dimwitted. In the first episode, they assault a mime, wreck a police car and lose a bicycle to thieves.

But local officers don't seem offended or concerned.

"I have over 30 years in law enforcement," said Washoe County Sheriff Dennis Balaam. "During that time, I have seen the profession parodied in Hollywood and have laughed along with those around me.

"Are we offended? No. It had nothing to do with the Reno Police Department or the sheriff's office, nor did we have anything to do with the production. The group depicted is purely fictional in looks, actions and name."

Jim Weston, assistant chief of the Reno Police Department, said its obvious the cops depicted on the show have nothing to do with the Reno police department.

"I don't know why they chose Reno to do this as a location, but we're not too concerned people are going to mistake this for a real live training program or something," Weston said.

"Reno 911!" star and co-creator Tom Lennon said the series is set here because "Reno" sounds good in the title and because it's unique.

"There's a certain rural quality and a very fancy quality sort of mixed," he said.

"I don't think there's a town that's so high and so low altogether.

"It could have been 'Phoenix 911!' or it could have been Denver, but there's a certain sexiness to Reno, I think, that is really a benefit to the show."

Although the show isn't offensive to many area police officers, they haven't embraced it. Pre-screenings at the Reno Police Department and Washoe County Sheriff's Office garnered mostly negative feedback.

"I have to say that I was disappointed at the emphasis on racial jokes, digs on religion and sexual innuendo," Balaam said. "The skits that made light of other things were much more entertaining."

Deputy Michelle Youngs agreed.

"If they were to maybe clean it up a bit it might do better in the mainstream," she said. "Right now, it's pretty crude and it will probably appeal to a different kind of audience, I doubt the general public.

"I don't think it's prime-time material."

Holabird looks on the bright side.

She said it probably doesn't matter how the portrayal is perceived nationwide. The mere fact that Reno's name is on national TV should be beneficial.

"Name recognition is always useful, which is sometimes hard for people to believe considering the content of certain projects," she said.

"Within the film commission association . . . we've had studies done in the past and actually came up with a term called 'The Crocodile Dundee' Effect, in which an area is shown in somewhat negative terms -- you can go their and get eaten by reptiles -- and yet tourism increases."