Just how much reality is in the "reality" shown behind the scenes on MTV's "Rock the Cradle"? Not a lot, to hear father and son Dee and Jesse Snider tell it.

The Thursday night program is pitting offspring of famous recording artists against each other in a show that's part competition and part cameras-follow-contestants-drama. Except, "Here they're creating tension and drama that's not really that … that's a product of creative editing," according to Twisted Sister frontman Dee.

"We have a bit of frustration because of Jesse being the dominant figure. They've decided he's going to be the Apollo Creed to Crosby Loggins' Rocky. It's really unfair," he adds. On the other hand, Dee acknowledges, "I told my manager he's being painted as this arrogant, cocky rock star, and my manager said, 'So? That's the definition of a rock star.'"

Jesse concurs. "The second week I saw how they were choosing to portray me, and I buttoned up and stopped talking. But now I just embrace it. If they're going to say I'm cocky, I might as well be. I think everybody should be cocky and think what they're doing is great."

Still, he says, "Me and Crosby are actually the most alike on the show. We've done our time on crappy tour vans. We get along great. We went to dinner the other night with our girlfriends. People think we're arch nemeses, but no, we're not."

What's more, he says, Landon Brown (son of Bobby) is one of my best friends, as well as Lucy Walsh (daughter of Joe) — we all hit it off, really, but they don't show that."

Jesse says his primary goal in doing the show is, "I want to pave the way for the resurgence of big rock. Now rock 'n' rollers are the uncool kids in school. It's all about hip-hop, and Emo has prevailed — being down on everything. We need rock — a shot of aggression and exuberance."

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: "Gossip Girl" came back from hiatus with a string of racy ads, which star Ed Westwick, who plays Chuck Bass, deems completely appropriate for the direction in which the show hopes to go. "I think they're great. With the campaign, it was focused more on connotations of sex and mystery, and there's something dark and sexy and elegant about them," claims Westwick of the show's steamy commercials portraying some of the characters engaging in sexual activity. "During our time off, I believe the network realized more of who their audience was. They probably realized that the younger demographic, which is our bread and butter, wasn't going to go anywhere, but there was a potential to get more of these 25 and older people watching it."

While the CW show continues to be popular, the British actor is proud of his latest project, "Son of Rambow," which opens in New York and Los Angeles tomorrow (5/2) with a wider release to follow. In the movie about two young boys, who are inspired to shoot home movies after watching "Rambo," Westwick plays the obnoxious older brother. "It was a nostalgic thing for me. In my own life, I was the younger brother, and I had the older brother who didn't treat me in the best ways. When I was a lot younger he used to have fun at my expense, but when I got old enough to fight back for myself, it didn't really happen anymore." Westwick says he walked away from the project with happier memories. "It takes you back to the imagination of a child, which is something that is very beautiful."

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: Michael O'Keefe reports the cult leader he plays in tomorrow night's (5/2) episode of CBS's "Numb3rs" is not based on any high-profile cult figureheads we've come to know and abhor. "This is a pretty whacked out cult," says O'Keefe. "They believe when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939 that it was the beginning of the Apocalypse and that we've been engaged in a 70-year-old battle with Satan ever since. There are some rather bizarre tenets these guys are keeping." Ya think?

O'Keefe says his biggest motivating factor in taking the role was the chance "to work and spend time with" "Numb3rs" co-star Rob Morrow. "I knew Rob from years ago when he was an extra on 'Caddyshack' in Florida. He played hooky from high school for about five to six weeks and worked on the movie. He cornered me at one point and said, 'Hey, I really want to be an actor,' and we talked about it. Then as he started working in the business, we maintained the friendship."

TRIPLE TIME: Continuing her regular role on daytime's "The Bold and the Beautiful" while making the Lifetime movie "A Teacher's Crime," which airs Saturday (5/3) — as well as the cable network's forthcoming "Dead at 17" telepic — was "a little tough," admits gorgeous blond rising actress Ashley Jones. "I was taking redeyes back and forth to Canada and doing a few shows at a time in between."

Jones has been looking to expand her range professionally, not only as an actress, but also behind the scenes, with an eye toward producing. She plays a teacher and mother who is being blackmailed via threats of a sexual impropriety accusation in "A Teacher's Crime" and in "Dead at 17," she's an "adult" dancer.

With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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