About The Series
What's it like to pack your bags and move from one of America's biggest cities to a tiny town in America's heartland -- leaving
behind your big city profession and way of life? And how will residents of a small farming community react to newcomers who
don't have the slightest clue about country living? In CMT's original series, Popularity Contest, hosted by Jonathan
Torrens, 10 city slickers chuck the bright lights and the big city to immerse themselves in small town life as they compete
to be named the town's "most popular" resident. In a dramatic twist, all of the town's 936 residents have a chance to win
a piece of the grand prize. But this is more than a simple fish-out-of-water tale. In some amazing ways, the town and many
of the contestants are changed for the better.
The contestants hailing from big cities around the nation are dropped into the small town of Vega, Texas, where they live
for 28 days. There is a chef, model, computer analyst, psychic, opera singer, major league baseball scout, professional cheerleader
and business owner among the city slickers. In Vega, a farming town nestled along historic Route 66, contestants compete in
character-revealing challenges as well as service projects that give back to the community, including landscaping, fundraising
and construction. The local residents hold bi-weekly town hall meetings for no-holds-barred discussions of the merits and
flaws of each contestant. Ultimately only one winner is left standing.
"Vega has voted and your time in town is up," says host Torrens in each episode, as one by one, the contestant receiving the
least votes is escorted out of town by the local Sheriff. "Take a moment to say goodbye to your friends."
The winner voted "most popular" is awarded $100,000. The twist? At the first town meeting, the town's residents find out that
they will be in contention for a piece of the prize. The person voted "most popular" will award a cash prize to the resident
of his or her own choice. A game that begins with 10 contestants turns into a game played by the whole town.
