Mockumentary series
James Van Der Beek lampoons Diplo.
Diplo is James Van Der Beek. James Van Der Beek is Diplo.
Diplo, a former Broward County resident and Mad Decent Block Party founder, will be remixed by Van Der Beek in Viceland’s new scripted comedy series “What Would Diplo Do?”
But this is neither a straightforward retelling of Diplo’s success in electronic dance music nor a showcase of his highprofile collaborations with Justin Bieber (Jack Ü), Jillionaire and Walshy Fire (Major Lazer) and Beyonce (“Lemonade”). Instead, “What Would Diplo Do?” is an exaggerated (and fictitious) version of Diplo’s life, described by the network as “‘Louie’ meets WorldStar HipHop crossed with ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ ”
So is it really flattery when James Van Der Beek, best remembered for the angsty 1990s drama “Dawson’s Creek,” imitates your life? Apparently not. In a trailer released late lastweek by Viceland, Van Der Beek-as-Diplo demands to hear “new sounds” fromhis entourage, and proceeds to stuff a violin into a blender.
The idea to lampoon the Grammy-winning DJ (born Thomas Wesley Pentz) stems froma promo advertising the 2016Mad Decent Block Party. In that satirical video, Van Der Beek walked viewers through a day in the producer’s life, which included studio engineers forced to dress up like Christmas elves, excessive use of the millennial word “fam” and inexplicable fights with a gang of ninjas.
Van Der Beek also wrote the six-episode series, and he and Diplo will serve as executive producers.
News of Diplo’s mockumentary-style sho warrives amid the South Florida absence of his popular Mad Decent Block Party. Until this year, the EDM bonanza had visited Revolution Live every summer since 2013 and featured a caravan of dance-music producers and performers sponsored by Diplo’s record label of the same name.
“What Would Diplo Do?” will premiere Aug. 3 on Viceland.
pvalys@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4364