Mark and Donnie are famous. Now meet Paul and mom Alma in A&E's 'Wahlburgers.'
Mark, left, Paul, Alma and Donnie Wahlberg star in the new original series 'Wahlburgers.'(Photo: Zach Dilgard)
Mark Wahlberg is a big movie star. And Donnie Wahlberg has made a big name for himself in TV and music.
But Paul Wahlberg?
He's the chef, not the star, of the family.
That all changes Wednesday with the premiere of A&E's Wahlburgers (10:30 p.m. ET/PT). The famous guys' older brother, Paul, who is 49 and fifth of the nine Wahlberg children, runs the Wahlburgers restaurant in Hingham, Mass, and is about to steal a little bit of the spotlight.
The Wahlbergs are part of a new reality show trend: stars sharing their fame with family members. Bruno Mars' sisters just wrapped a season of The Lylas on WeTV. And that network's Braxton Family Values, which stars singer Toni Braxton — and her sisters — spawned spinoff Tamar and Vince, about the actress/singer and her husband.
This bit of TV nepotism serves two goals: It gives the family a chance to cash in on a celebrity's fame, and it gives networks a promotional hook to lure viewers.
Sometimes, though, having your family on TV can take a toll.
While the Kardashians, the Robertsons (Duck Dynasty) and the Honey Boo Boo families have so far found the fame to be just fine, Clint Eastwood's ex-wife, Dina, starred in Mrs. Eastwood and Company for E!, and when the couple split, People reported that the reality show had driven a wedge into their relationship. The Osbournes became household names with their MTV show, developed around heavy-metal star Ozzy Osbourne. But last year, Ozzy's wife, Sharon, said doing the show was the "biggest mistake" of her life.
Will the same fate befall the Boston Wahlberg clan? "Everything in our life causes arguments," says Paul Wahlberg, sounding baffled as to how TV will change anything. The good part about it all, he says, is that the family spends more time together, allowing the brothers to revert right back to childhood. "We become 10- and 12-year-olds again. We goof around."
Donnie, 44, isn't sweating it, either. "I'm not worried about showing too much of our personal lives. It's only a slice of life, not my entire life," the Blue Bloods star says via e-mail. "And I think it's good for people to get more of a sense of who we are and where we are from."
But it's not always easy for the non-star to suddenly step in front of the camera.
"I could be doing it for 20 years and not be comfortable," Paul insists during a call. The whole fame game is "just not what I do. I've been cooking for 30 years," he says.
When reminded that the show follows the brothers as they look to expand the restaurant business, Paul deadpans, "I can't figure out for the life of me who'd be interested in it. It seems mundane and dull to me."
Donnie Wahlberg has a much more lighthearted attitude about the series. "Why not do it? Life is boring if you take yourself too seriously."
Also stepping into the spotlight is mom Alma, 71. Like Mama June Shannon, Kris Jenner and Phil Robertson, she's the all-important leader of the family.
"I was very hesitant and nervous at first," she says about being on camera. But her sons persuaded her. "They said, 'You can talk to a wall, Ma. You won't have any trouble.'"
Also in the show is the real Johnny "Drama" Alves, on whom the Entourage character is based, and Henry "Nacho" Laun, another childhood pal.
For the Wahlbergs, family is everything. But one question, brought up in the first episode, lingers: Each son wants to know which one is Alma's favorite.
"I am Alma's favorite. There is no question about it," Donnie says. "Paul only substitutes when I am out of town. Mark can take solace in the fact that he was our dad's favorite."
Paul says "it depends on who's in the room."
And Alma? "Whoever I'm with at the time," she says. "They're all so unique in their own way. I'm really proud of them. Not just the success, but how they've turned out. They're really good people. I wouldn't care if they were ditchdiggers, as long as they're good people."
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Popular reality show families:
Keeping Up With the Kardashians on E!
Mom Kris Jenner and estranged second husband Bruce Jenner star with daughters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, and Kylie and Kendall Jenner, along with other friends, love interests and family members.
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo on TLC
Child beauty pageant contestant Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson and her family share their life in McIntyre, Ga.
Duck Dynasty on A&E
The Robertson family and their Duck Commander duck call business in West Monroe, La., are the focus of the show.
The Little Couple on TLC
Bill Klein and his doctor wife, Jennifer Arnold, are "little people in an average-sized world," notes the network. The show chronicles their lives, including the recent adoption of two children and Arnold's battle with cancer.
19 Kids and Counting on TLC
The show started out titled 17 Kids and Counting, and viewers have followed the ever-expanding Duggar family of Tontitown, Ark.
Braxton Family Values on WeTV
Grammy-winning singer Toni Braxton shares the spotlight with sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar, along with their mother, Evelyn. The show was so popular that it spawned a spinoff, Tamar and Vince, focusing on the actress/singer and her husband.
Joan Knows Best on WeTV
With Joan Rivers, daughter Melissa and Melissa's son, Cooper, involved, there's never a dull moment.
Kendra on Top on WeTV
Hugh Hefner's former girlfriend Kendra Wilkinson and her husband, former NFL star Hank Baskett, juggle business and raising baby Hank IV while also awaiting baby No. 2.
The Lylas on WeTV
Bruno Mars' sisters, Jaime, Tiara, Tahiti and Presley, move from Hawaii to Los Angeles to launch their music career.
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