The Insider: Why did MTV star stand in the Vols' corner?

Photo by Adam Brimer // Buy this photo

Entertainer Nick Lachey, right, poses with Ashton Davis before the game against Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 at Neyland Stadium.

Ah, the life of a former boy band singer isn’t all “oooh, la, la.” MTV star and winnit.com co-founder Nick Lachey spent all night on a bus, traveling from Reno, Nev., to Knoxville to make it here to help out Second Harvest this past weekend — but he was determined to get here.

A little sleep deprived, he got to the University of Tennessee campus around 10 a.m. Upon arrival, he chilled out on his bus for a while, drinking beer and preparing to enter the throngs zombie-walking to Neyland Stadium before the game.

He got here too late to take a tour of Second Harvest’s facility as originally planned. But he helped the group nonetheless by handing out orange towels for an hour, charging $5 per towel. The proceeds went to Second Harvest.

Fans were more interested in getting a snapshot with Lachey. Seeing he was taking more photos than selling towels, Lachey decided to charge fans $5 for a photo with him, and that money went to Second Harvest.

A huge football fan, Lachey wore a huge smile as he was escorted onto the field at Neyland.

“I’m a Top-10 kind of (fan),” he said as he walked to the stadium. “But, I’ve got to say, (the Vols) are right up there on my list of favorite teams ... Give them a few years, and they’ll be back up there (with the best).

“There’s no doubt they are in a rebuilding phase.”

Before he could meet Lane Kiffin, Lachey was bombarded by the University of Georgia cheerleaders, its pom-pom squad and band members, all of whom wanted photos with him. Even security guards at the game wanted a photo with him.

Lachey was taken onto the field only seconds before the game to briefly meet Kiffin and his staff of coaches. Then, once the game began, Lachey had the best spot in the stadium — standing beside the Vols players.

He took out his cell phone and recorded plays up close. He also thought Smoky and the Georgia bulldog mascots were very cool and took pictures of them.

“I’ve heard a lot about Tennessee football, but there’s nothing like being here in person,” he said.

“It’s pretty impressive.”

SPECIAL. Sevier County power broker Dolly Parton will be among the guest stars on “American Idol”-winner Carrie Underwood’s first network special on Dec. 7.

She’ll be the star of “Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special,” a two-hour variety show for Fox. Underwood will perform new music from her upcoming album as well as previous hits and holiday classics.

Along with Parton, Underwood will be joined on stage by Brad Paisley and David Cook.

n Hitched. Knoxville native Christina Hendricks, who stars as Joan Holloway on AMC’s “Mad Men,” got married over the weekend in New York City.

Hendricks, 34, met Geoffrey Arend, 31, through “Mad Men” co-star Vincent Kartheiser.

Hendricks was born in Knoxville, though she did not spend much of her life here. Her father worked for the forestry service at the time of her birth, and the family moved to Knoxville for a while.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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