Hip Hop emcee Peter Gunz, who is best known for his Billboard breaking hit “Deja Vu (Uptown Baby),” and his stint on Love & Hip Hop New York, has made another groundbreaking move by becoming the first African American host for the hit show ‘Cheaters.’
He joins Tommy Habeeb, Joey Greco, and Clark James Gable in a prestigious line of men who have hosted the show. Cheaters is a weekly syndicated American hidden camera reality television series that has been on the air for over fifteen, about people suspected of committing adultery, or cheating on their partners. Investigations are headed by the “Cheaters Detective Agency”.
FMM: You are best-known for your Billboard breaking hit “Déjà vu (Uptown Baby). Now, you have made another groundbreaking move to become the first African American host for the hit show “Cheaters.” What led you to the show?
The host before me, Clark Gable III, passed away at a very young age. My manager was watching the show one day and saw “Rest in Peace Clark Gable III” and went on the internet and said, “Wow, it would be dope if they hired Peter as the host, the irony of it, man.” He made a phone call to Bobby Goldstein over at Cheaters. Goldstein shared the phone call and an email with his staff. They went crazy, they flew me down, and the rest is history.
FMM: Tell us about “Cheaters.”
Being the host of Cheaters is a fun job. For once, I’m not the one getting busted. It took a while to learn the ropes, so I called one of the previous hosts, Joey Greco, to help me out with the green screen and tell me w at he thought I should do. He told me to “Be you. They hired you to be you,” and that was the best advice. I started doing the show as if I was watching it. What would I want to see? I brought a little street flavor to it. I sometimes instigate things a little too much, but other than that, it’s all good.
FMM: How are you making television more inclusive and diverse?
As far as diversity on television goes, and speaking for the show that I’m on Cheaters, I’m the first African American host on the show. So I didn’t get on the show and try to pretend to be something I’m not. I got on there, kept it street, and kept it who I am.
FMM: Why is this time in history so important?
It’s funny because at first, they were saying they were losing a lot of the market out in the country for hiring a black host, but now I’m hearing it’s picking up. I guess people watch the show, and they realize I’m dope after all and can get past me being African American.
FMM: What surprises the most about the show?
What surprises me most about the show is the reaction of the people that get busted. Or sometimes the people that are busting the actual people. Nine out of ten times if you think it, then it’s happening, you know what I mean. So if you think it’s happening and you call Cheaters up, pretty much you have gotten all the evidence you need, you want some extra confirmation and to humiliate the person you’ve busted, and that’s the funny part to me.
FMM: As a host, what is important for you?
Most important for me is to put my staple down, for people to recognize me for who I am. Not saying, oh, he’s trying to be Clark or Joey, or trying to be like this host over here. More like, Peter Gunz got on the show and made it his own.
FMM: What’s next for you?
I’m part of the Love and Hip Hop series, and it’s back with a new spin. It’s the Love and Hip Hop Family Reunion, season two. They say it’s rated pretty well and doing pretty well. It was a lot of fun for me, actually. Some ups, some downs, a couple of learning experiences, good moments, being around your friends. It was some fun, and some drama mixed together, but I thought, “I like the show more like this because it was more positive than negative,” and if you know Love and Hip Hop, it ain’t always that way.
Instagram: @petergunz174
Twitter: @IamPeterGunz
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