When Brooke Hogan walked onto FAU’s Boca campus on April 22, she didn’t bring her parents like other prospective students. Instead, she brought a friend and a nine-person production crew.
As the star of her own 10-episode spin-off series, “Brooke Hogan Knows Best,” Hogan may try out what many other twenty-somethings her age do: college.
FAU was one of a couple colleges on Hogan’s list of visits. But upon stepping foot on campus, she was unsure of whether FAU was right for her.
On Tuesday, April 22, her first day at FAU, Hogan began her visit at the Student Support Services building. However, just steps away from the admissions office, she seemed to have already made up her mind. The 6-foot-3 blonde was overheard telling her friend Ashley Menendez, “I’m afraid people will think I’m dumb if I go here.” The comment sparked debate across campus.
“I don’t think she meant that FAU students are stupid,” communication senior Gary Goldberg said. He believed Hogan probably felt like her friends and the people around her would question her enrollment at FAU.
Others disagree with Goldberg.
“Frankly, I’m offended,” graduate student Alexis Rossi said. “I’ve seen her on [‘Hogan Knows Best’], and she’d be lucky if FAU even accepted her.”
In spite of her controversial comment, Hogan seemed to have fun on campus. She took her private campus tour on a golf cart – driving past prospective students and their parents taking their orientation tours on foot.
After visiting the Student Union and the Barry Kaye College of Business, Hogan was spotted eating lunch at Chick-N-Grill in the Breezeway Food Court with a group of students that included Student Body President Tony Teixeira.
On April 23, she was back on campus trying on graduation gowns at the bookstore. But if she seemed unsure about FAU in the beginning, by the end of the week she seemed at home as a prospective Owl, hanging out at last Thursday’s football scrimmage and bonfire with members of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority.
Tuesday, April 22, 12:31 p.m. Primetime parking meets primetime TV for Brooke Hogan
On any given weekday afternoon, you may have to drive around for hours looking for a parking spot at FAU. Last Tuesday, reality TV star Brooke Hogan didn’t have to.
While students across campus were combating global warming on Earth Day, Hogan’s production assistant was using a large Nissan Armada idling for nearly a half hour to hold a prime parking spot.
When she finally parked her brand new white Mercedes CLS50, Hogan revealed the possible reason for her tardiness: Checkers fast food. She rolled down her window to pass the remnants of her lunch to an assistant, who tossed it into a trashcan just inches from her car.
Tuesday, April 22, 1:32 p.m.Because reality includes a production team
“Cut!” A director yelled at Hogan as she reached for the front door of the Student Support Services Building. Turns out, the camera crew had to reassemble indoors to catch shots of the starlet and her friend heading toward them. After several minutes, shooting commences, and Hogan heads inside the admissions office to meet with Barbara Fletcher, the director of admissions.
Following her meeting with Fletcher, Hogan met up with admissions coordinators Charlie Duffy and Crystal Randolph to begin the private tour of the campus. While other prospective students and their parents had to tour the campus on foot, Hogan sped by on her own special golf cart.
Tuesday, April 22, 1:38 p.m. It’s like a medieval Barbie Dream House…
When her trip took a turn toward the Student Union, the tour guides pointed out the Owl Shoppe and the Owl Card Center. But Hogan was fascinated by the replica of the Neuschwanstein Castle in the middle of the lobby. After a quick walk through the Student Union, Hogan and her entourage made a beeline to the Barry Kaye College of Business, where she expressed an interest in enrolling as a business major if accepted.
Tuesday, April 22, 2:40 p.m.A tale of two cafeterias
The Breezeway buzzed with excitement when Hogan walked through it on her way to lunch in the food court. But her itinerary had her scheduled to dine in the Centre Marketplace cafeteria across campus – leaving the sorority sisters of Alpha Xi Delta and other students waiting for over two hours.
Ultimately, Hogan ate lunch with a different group of students, including SG President Tony Teixeira, at Chick-N-Grill in the Breezeway Food Court.
Wednesday, April 23, 11:37 a.m. No cold feet about FAU… just a wet ass
She must have enjoyed FAU during her initial campus tour, because on Wednesday, Hogan was back for a shopping spree in the bookstore where she tried on graduation gowns. Cameras caught her wearing the same outfit she had on the day before, as well as sitting in water while she enjoyed the fountain at the new Traditions Plaza in front of the bookstore.
Thursday, April 24, 5:40 p.m. The newest Hogan sisters?
“It’s cool we got to find out first [about Hogan’s arrival],” freshman Antonia DeFeo said. As sisters – literally – in the Alpha Xi Delta (AXD) sorority, Antonia and her twin, Elena, spent an afternoon with Hogan in their dorm room.
“They chose our room because we have a lot of AXD stuff, and we heard she wants to join our sorority,” DeFeo said.
Thursday, April 24, 6:52 p.m. FAU football goes to the dogs
Apparently, Hogan had more interest in a fan’s dog than the action going on at last Thursday’s football scrimmage.
“You guys do realize there’s a football game, right?” freshman Dan Marcacci called out to the camera crews blocking his view of the field. When asked about the possibility of Hogan attending FAU he added, “Just watch her fail out if she gets accepted.”
Perhaps in an effort to enhance the “reality” of the series, producers were spotted off-camera flashing cues to Hogan’s entourage in moving game.