July 14, 2008
The following article was written by John Riehl of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. The article features Iowa women’s basketball player senior-to-be Lindsey Nyenhuis and her entertainment internship experience last month in Hollywood.
Also, the Big Ten Network filmed a segment of Nyenhuis while out in Hollywood. The story is expected to run in early September on the Big Ten Network’s Women’s Show, which airs Monday evenings.
By John Riehl
Lindsey “Niner” Nyenhuis is living her Hollywood dream.
As a corporate public relations intern for Fox Cable Networks, the University of Iowa women’s basketball senior has spent the last five weeks hobnobbing with a who’s who of the Los Angeles entertainment scene.
She brushed shoulders with television host Larry King, had her picture taken with American Idol finalist Jason Castro and was serenaded by Usher.
Living between Burbank and Hollywood, with the HOLLYWOOD sign visible from her apartment window, Nyenhuis is literally at the center of the pop culture planet.
“This is unbelievable. It’s my first job ever,” Nyenhuis said. “I used to baby-sit and cut the grass.” The world she’s living in is sans cry ing babies and riding lawn mowers.
Nyenhuis is on the inside of the entertainment industry to a degree. She wrote the news release announcing the Oct. 11 debut of “Gimme My Reality Show!” to air on Fox Reality Channel.
The Grand Rapids, Mich., native would love to be a publicist in Los Angeles after college, and this is the first step.
On a tip from her academic adviser, Nyenhuis e-mailed Tom Tyrer, a senior vice president for communications for Fox Cable Networks, expressing her desire to work in the entertainment industry. Tyrer, coincidentally, is an Iowa graduate and was impressed enough by Nyenhuis to of fer her a seven-week internship.
Nyenhuis has learned it’s all about networking and knowing the right people in Hollywood. Selling herself and making friends is no problem for the outgoing Hawkeye shooting guard.
A friend of a friend who works for Sony BMG learned of Nyenhuis’ appreciation for hip hop music and invited her to attend rehearsals for the BET Awards, which aired Tuesday. Resting her hands on the stage, she watched all the performers refine their numbers.
“Usher held my hand and sang to me. I also met Al Green,” Nyenhuis said. “I am livin’ the dream.” A die-hard American Idol fan, Nyenhuis went to the show’s season finale last month with her friend Gina Glocksen, a season six finalist who was cohosting American Idol Extra.
Nyenhuis hung out on the red carpet and met musician Carrie Underwood and show judges Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul.
“That was beyond the coolest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve always wanted to go to the show,” Nyenhuis said.
Nyenhuis voted for Glocksen when she was on the show and was introduced to her last year by a friend who was working on the American Idol Tour. Nyenhuis and Glocksen became instant friends.
Glocksen, who lives in Naperville, Ill., attended the Hawkeyes’ game at North western last season.
“She’s one of my best friends. I’m trying to get her to sing the national anthem at one of our games,” said Nyenhuis, who returns to Iowa City on July 7.
Before her internship is over, Nyenhuis has one more thing to check off her to-do list.
“I want to get to Malibu and play Frisbee on the beach with Matthew McConaughey,” Nyenhuis said. “I’m going there this weekend.”
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