Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has been talking about TV opportunities ever since his most recent Olympic run pushed him under the spotlight, again. A few guest stints—including one on NBC’s 30 Rock--gave him a taste of the spotlight and his brand new reality series on E! should inflate his celebrity a bit more. What Would Ryan Lochte Do? premieres Sunday night at 10 p.m. ET and Lochte has stepped out to discuss the series just prior to its official release.
Lochte spoke with TV Guide on Friday to discuss his brand new, eight-episode series. As usual, the celebrity aspect Lochte hungers for is present, but the young man also seems to have a keen desire to share the world of swimming with fans.
"I want you to see me as who I am. During the Olympics, the biggest, most-watched sport is swimming. But people forget about us in the years before the next one. A lot of people don't know that we have world championships, Pan Pacs and these little meets in the U.S. that are televised. That's one of the reasons I wanted to do this--bring swimming into people's living rooms. I don't want the next time you think of me to be in Rio."
I think it's say to say his fight for fame will allow him to remain relevant for at least a little while.
Lochte’s new series was just announced in January and it came together pretty quickly. E! has already released a pretty ridiculous ”supertease” for What Would Ryan Lochte Do? which takes a look at Lochte’s signature catchphrase, “Jeah,” as well as his fashion wardrobe, some swimming races, friendships, and his tactics for hitting on women. The whole thing sounds a little ridiculous, but it can’t be any weirder than Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
