'MTV Cribs' Gives Peek Into Stars' Homes

April 10 -- They're young, rich and seem to have the world at their feet. So what do the latest generation of rock stars spend their money on? Fountains, fancy stoves and security systems, if the hit show MTV Cribs is anything to go by.

The show, which goes into its fifth season next month, has generated a loyal following among MTV's audience of teens and 20-somethings. A Cribs appearance by rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has led to a new show, The Osbournes, which is MTV's most successful new series in the cable network's 21-year history.

"We seem to have struck a chord, culturally," says Cribs executive producer David Sirulnick.

Like its predecessor from the 1980s, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Cribs offers a voyeuristic glimpse at the fabulous, over-the-top mansions that stars use to celebrate their success.

"I think everybody wants to see what other people have," says Sirulnick. "I think it's a real fantasy element of, you know, 'If I had that much money, if I was that successful, would I do stuff like that?' "

But unlike the glitzy Lifestyles, the MTV show has a down-home feel, with the aim of giving fans an intimate, personal look at their idols. Fans learn, for instance, that rapper Redman does not make his bed, and that actress Jaime Pressly's favorite cereal is Froot Loops.

The show tries to show that celebrities, despite their eight-car garages and custom-built swimming pools, are "just people like everybody else," says Sirulnick. Cribs always makes a point of going into the stars' kitchens and looking in their refrigerators. "There is sort of a common denominator element about that," he says.

Cribs appeals to Americans' fascination with the famous and wealthy, says Leonard Steinhorn, a media professor at American University. "But we also want to see how they lead their daily lives. Are they different from us? Are they the same as we are? This stuff helps us figure that out."

‘Welcome to My Crib’

From the outset, the producers wanted Cribs to feel as much as possible like a personal tour of a star's home. They decided not to have the show presented by a host, so it would seem more intimate — "as if they were a friend of yours," says Sirulnick.