The hype of the hip

For several years, Sunday breakfasts at Wilma’s Patio have been pretty routine for Chrissy Schwartz and her family, until last month, when the Newport Beach family showed up with a film crew.

Schwartz, a recent graduate of Newport Harbor High School, is one of seven Newport Harbor students who will star in MTV’s newest reality show, “Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County,” the network announced Monday.

“The crew was just following the family doing what they normally do and coming to Wilma’s is something they normally do,” said Sheri Derwry, who was happy to get the publicity for her Balboa Island eatery. “It was the day after prom and there was quite a staff here.”

After filming at various Newport Beach hot spots, including the Balboa Fun Zone and ferry, Joe’s Crab Shack and the Main Street Surf Shop, MTV has wrapped production of the series, which will be very similar to its Laguna Beach predecessor.

“The concepts are the same, it’s just a new town and a new cast,” said show creator and executive producer Liz Gateley. “It’s still about a clique of best friends coming of age in their senior year, trying to maneuver high school romances, friendships and breakups.”

After combing Orange County looking for a destination for the new show, producers selected Newport because is was the place where they found the best cast and the best stories, Gateley said, adding that viewers can expect plenty of drama.

For example, Chrissy — as she is known on the show — will have to cope with an overprotective father and a jealous friend as she attempts to forge a relationship with her neighbor Clay, the school’s hottest guy.

Besides the revenue generated by dozens of film permits, Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau President Gary Sherwin anticipates that the show will bring new attention to the city, much like “The O.C.” did.

“Any time you can get people talking about you or have someone give you a hip personality, that’s a good thing,” he said. “Thanks to ‘The O.C.,’ show, when you say OC, people know what you’re talking about and I think this show is probably going to do the same thing.”

Though Sherwin expects the show will occasionally depict Newport Beach’s “young people acting badly,” from a marketing perspective, any attention is positive attention.

“While the content of the show is not always the things you want said about your community, it certainly does generate a buzz and a talk value which has marketing benefits,” he said. “Tourism is ultimately about having a certain appeal and kind of hip factor that makes people want to visit us.”

“Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County” is set to premiere on the cable network at 10:30 p.m. Aug. 15. For more information on the show, visit www.newportharbor.mtv.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Here are character descriptions of the cast members of “Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County,” as supplied by MTV.

Grant

While only a junior, Grant rules the school. Whether it’s throwing parties, his luck with the ladies or his money supply, Grant is the epicenter for entertainment. After spending a summer at military school, Grant is trying to reform his bad boy ways.

Taylor

While it looks like Taylor just walked off the pages of Sports Illustrated, she is really just a sophomore in high school. When she’s not with girls her own age Taylor hangs out with Chrissy’s clique. The boys have taken notice of Taylor and the attention presents many challenges for this fragile girl.

Chase

A strapping senior, Chase lives a skateboard ride away from the surf shop where he works. He has a way with girls, no matter how many hearts he breaks. For the time being, Chase seems to regard love as a game. A player at school, he has a close relationship with his mom and brothers at home, who he has formed a close bond with since his parent’s divorce.

Chrissy

Pretty and popular, Chrissy is a senior who grew up in Newport Beach and is lifelong friends with Sasha and Grant. An only child to doting parents, Chrissy has recently blossomed into a head-turning high school senior. As smart as she is beautiful, Chrissy has three colleges to pick from as she prepares to leave the family nest.

Clay

Clay is a junior and although shy with girls, he is regarded as Newport Harbor’s hottest guy. Born and raised in Newport, he takes full advantage of his oceanfront playground. Clay’s humble attitude belies his looks — and he often turns to Grant, his gregarious friend, for a boost of confidence.

Allie

A stunning senior, Allie is the girl that all the boys want and all the girls want to be. She seems to have it all: a beautiful home on the tip of Balboa Peninsula, carte blanche with her dad’s credit cards, and a hip family restaurant in which she holds parties for dozens of her friends. Apart from romantic challenges, Allie struggles with leaving her privileged life behind as she prepares to strike out on her own.