If you’re a fan of the 1990s high-school sitcom “Saved by the Bell” and have some extra cash to spare, the crowd-funding site Kickstarter has a new campaign for you.
Dustin Diamond, best known for playing the ultra-nerdy Samuel “Screech” Powers, has launched a campaign to bring a “Saved by the Bell” spin-off back to television by raising $15 million through public donations, following in the steps of successful Kickstarter campaigns by the creator of “Veronica Mars” and of actor Zach Braff.
The 36-year-old actor will reprise his role as Screech in “Saved by the Bell: The Return of Screech,” where he is now the recently promoted principal of fictional Bayside High School. The new series will focus on Screech’s relationship with his students and on his marriage to Lisa Turtle, who was played by actress Lark Voorhies.
Diamond wrote on his Kickstarter page that the money will go toward expense of producing a 13-episode season from the ground up, including script writing, hiring actors and producers, building sets, buying cameras and “dealing with some legal issues over rights to the show.”
The incentives for donors range from an autographed photograph of Diamond ($500) to a chance to stay at Diamond's house for the weekend ($5,000). For $25,000 or more, donors can become a character on the show.
“It’s been almost 14 years since Americans could sit down with our families and enjoy a TV show in the ‘Saved by the Bell’ universe,” Diamond wrote on the campaign page. “There’s an entire generation of young people who don’t know who Screech is, and that cannot stand.
“That’s why we need to bring the most popular show of all time back to television. I’ve got huge ideas for Screech and for the students of Bayside High School that can only be realized with your money.
“With your help, I know we can pull this off.”
Back to school
Diamond portrayed the character Screech for nearly 13 years, starting in 1988 with "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" and continuing on "Saved by the Bell" and its spinoff shows, “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class.” The latter ended in 2000.
Diamond has done little acting since his “Saved by the Bell” years, apart from appearing on game shows and reality shows and doing stand-up comedy. In 2006, he released his own pornographic movie, “Screech – Saved by the Smell,” in hopes it would boost his career.
When reached by phone at his home in Milwaukee, Wis., Diamond dismissed the suggestion his Kickstarter campaign is an attempt to jump start his career through his most popular character.
“I can’t tell you how many people come up to me and say, ‘Hey Screech, how’s it going?’ every day of my life,” Diamond said. “My agent Darren Lamb said it’s a beloved character, so he said why not give the fans what they want and bring him back.
“I was looking at the success of 'Veronica Mars' and got to thinking: If all of the followers of my Twitter account and the people who see me do stand-up comedy each week were to donate, say, $10,000 each, we could easily produce a TV show.
"There's already been some interest from a local cable access channel. But I'm holding out hope for HBO, Netflix, AMC or Showtime. I'll never go network; this show is too classy for that."
Without a class
The other original actors from “Saved by the Bell” are unlikely to return. Diamond said he has not spoken with them since he wrote a tell-all book describing the copious sex, drug use, criminal behavior and feuds that allegedly took place behind the scenes.
As a result, Diamond said he’s offering any big financial backers the chance to take the adult roles of Zach Morris, A.C. Slater, Kelly Kapowski or Principal Belding.
“I don’t really need the other actors since I was the most popular character,” he said. “Besides, this Nigerian prince offered me $5 million the other week. He sent me his photo and he looks just like a darker-skinned Slater. So who needs Mario Lopez?”
However, Diamond added he hoped actress Lark Voorhies might agree to play Lisa Turtle again "because I still like her."
