Gen. Wesley Clark To Whip Celebs Into Shape On NBC's Stars Earn Stripes

NBC’s reality series competition Stars Earn Stripes will follow a slew of celebrities as they train for and then embark on complicated, military-oriented missions. The show, which is set to premiere later this summer, has already decided its celebrities will execute tasks based on actual military exercises, and now they are bringing a real military guy in to host the upcoming show.

It’s always weird when someone known for one activity hops around and becomes known for something entirely different. John McEnroe’s guest stints on TV and movies are always a pleasant surprise. The same idea follows Ed Begley, Jr. when he occasionally pops up to champion green living for events instead of appearing to act. NBC plans to showcase a particularly drastic transition, because Deadline reports that U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark is going from Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO to the role of host of Stars Earn Stripes.

That seems like a pretty broad chasm to jump, but with a little help the retired general should do just fine, especially considering the job sounds like it won’t require the type of empathy needed as a host on competition shows such as America’s Got Talent or The X Factor. Besides, Clark has a little help at the helm. The show is being executive produced by veterans Mark Burnett, Dick Wolf, and David A. Hurwitz, and they are wisely throwing in the fabulous Samantha Harris (Dancing with the Stars) to help get the job done right. If you are interested in seeing celebrities ranging from Todd Palin to Dean Cain get their military on, you can check out the show when it gets a two-hour premiere this August.

Stars Earn Stripes premieres Monday, August 13 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.