Smallscreen Features
A Chat with Deion and Pilar Sanders, Oxygen's reality family show
By April MacIntyre
Apr 8, 2008, 18:15 GMT

Deion Sanders and his second wife Pilar are set for their own "Osbournes" style reality TV show on Oxygen, with an emphasis on positive role models for African-American families with Christian values.

The former "Prime Time" NFL and MLB star says people will see a much more private man when they tune into his family's Oxygen reality show "Deion & Pilar Saunders: Prime Time Love." 

The female-targeted TV network Oxygen described the show as an intimate glimpse inside the home life of the athlete and his wife, Pilar, a former model; and their five kids (two from a previous marriage), who live in the small town of Prosper, Texas.

Pilar Sanders is described as a “glamorous, big-city girl” who finds herself “the ultimate fish-out-of-water” in the podunk Texas town of 2000.

Debby Beece, Oxygen's president of programming and marketing said Sanders provides an opportunity to draw new male viewers as well. 

"When I'm away from the game, I'm truly away from the game. It's pretty much two different entities. ... I'm really private when it comes to home," says the father of five. "Most athletes, you're just seeing them do what (it is) that they do. It's not often you see them away from the field, but they're fathers, mentors, family men, disciplinarians."

Sanders has been married twice, first to Carolyn Chambers, with whom he has two children, Deiondra and Deion Jr.  His marriage with Pilar has brought three more kids, Shilo, Shedeur and Shelomi.

Sanders recently came under a bit of fire for supportive comments regarding the Michael Vick /Dog Fighting scandal.

Sanders wrote a piece for the Southwest Florida News-Press about the Atlanta Falcons player.

Sanders had said: "I believe Vick had a passion for dogfighting. I know many athletes who share his passion. The allure is the intensity and the challenge of a dog fighting to the death. It's like ultimate fighting, but the dog doesn't tap out when he knows he can't win.

It reminds me of when I wore a lot of jewelry back in the day because I always wanted to have the biggest chain or the biggest, baddest car. It gives you status."

Monsters and Critics joined a small group of journalists and spoke with Deion and Pilar about their show, Prime Time of Love, the past dogfighting comments made by Deion and what they hope to accomplish with a long-running reality series that exposes their home life.

What makes your show different, other than the fact you’re different people?

Pilar Sanders: Right. Well first of all, we don’t really see that many shows that really depict African American families as far as too much - you know, in a bright light or in a great manner.

Many of the shows that are on now are - bring much dissatisfaction to the African American community and…

So are you willing to name names?

Pilar Sanders: You could turn on the channel and just go through them, you know.

Labor of Love?

Pilar Sanders: Oh right. So I mean, you know, I think we offer a wonderful balance of conflict, but it’s never conflict that we cannot recover from. It’s never something that goes beyond the boundaries.

I think what you’re going to see and find in viewing our show is that we’re - our home and our family is based on love and we’re committed to making things work.

So there’s always a bounce-back and there’s always a foundation of love - whether it be tackling conflict with the marriage or with disciplining our children, or in anything that we do with our children.

The base of all of that is love and commitment.

Like The Cosby Show except it’s real?

Pilar Sanders: Exactly. Yeah.

Deion Sanders: Yeah, I got the whole question. She did a wonderful job explaining it.
No. I mean, we’re pretty much on the same accord on that. I know that question by heart. We’ve been asked it several times.

To dovetail off the last question - so many couples and families have sort of suffered as a result of doing these reality shows.  Did that come into your thinking at all? And how will you sort of make sure that that doesn’t happen with you?

Deion Sanders: Well, you know, really argue at least once a week out of the month so there’s nothing can.. clearly could have focused both - more attention on that.

But no, we are who we are. And, you know, I don’t think any of these shows that have been on there, that suffered, really has Christian values and have their faith as the first and foremost thing.

And that couples this relationship, that balances this relationship. We do a wonderful job. We’re realists. We’re not opportunists. We’re not - unlike some couples, we’re not taking this show as an opportunity to launch into something else.

We’re doing this really to substantiate the claim that there are many African American families that live properly and not necessarily argumentative, in disarray and total chaos.

So we’re not using this show as a stepping stone into launching into something else and I think many other people that are partaking in the reality forum and - they’ve done that as a means.

How did the idea of the show come about? Was it something that they pitched to you or that you pitched to them?

Deion Sanders: No, it’s something I pitched to them. I mean, we were just sitting up at home watching - you know, we’re really reality fans and we watch a lot of television, having five kids.

Therefore, just seeing nothing of the sort and thinking back to some of the shows that we love…

Pilar Sanders: Just to run home to watch, you know?

Deion Sanders: Yeah, so many shows that we love.

Pilar, tell me about your life before you were a mother with five children to look after, and married to Deion. Tell me about who you were and how you met him.

Pilar Sanders: Well I was an actress and a model, and I had always dreamed of having a big family. So that was a huge part of my life that - oh my gosh, I used to call my parents every day and just be like, oh my gosh, I’m going to - I want a family.

I want kids. I want to do this. So that was something that I really, really wanted to do. I wanted to be married and have children.

And working, you know, just pounding the pavement, modeling - going from job to job and of course, casting to casting, it grew a little weary but I was still very excited about what I was doing because I loved what I did.

But I also wanted to experience having a family and living that kind of life. So…
it was actually during a show that Deion was on and I had gone to meet the casting director. And he was doing a cameo appearance and I met him at that show.

What show was that?

Pilar Sanders: In the House. It was an LL Cool J show.

Love at first sight?

Pilar Sanders: Probably for him, I think.

Deion Sanders: Yeah, I will say that.

Pilar Sanders: Yeah, definitely.

Deion,  Did you get a lot of flak for the op-ed piece that you did for the Southwest Florida News, about the Michael Vick comments? And if so, would you like to clarify your comments?

Deion Sanders: You know, I’m not going to say I got flak. I’m going to say, you know, when I do a column - I did many columns that were very controversial, a lot more controversial that that column.

I was just really trying to - people really want to see the inside of the athletes’ lives and who they really are. And it just seemed odd to me that I really knew - know this guy and I still talk to this guy as of today, and I’m really trying to explain to the viewers who - or readers, what happened and who this guy really is.

And some people took it wrong. I think it was many of the older generation really took it wrong and didn’t really know how to grasp me really trying to walk them through his thinking and his psyche.

So that was really taken out of context. But I don’t - you know, you got to take that stuff with a grain of salt.

When you decided to do this, did you consult your children, talk to them about what was going to happen? And what do they think of all of it?

Pilar Sanders: Oh, they absolutely love it. They’re definitely made for the camera. I mean, the smaller ones at first, they had it - they had to get used to it a little bit. It took maybe a day.

But - and our older children just absolutely love the camera. So it wasn’t anything that they really had to question or we had to consult them with. Of - you know, Deion, he’s a superstar.

So they’re pretty much used to being around cameras and being around people. So it wasn’t too much of a stretch for them.

What are some of your apprehensions about taking your private life so public?

Pilar Sanders: No I - it’s a huge stretch for me because I’m really a very, very private person. Deion is too, actually. But I think I’m a lot less transparent and even just being married to Deion, he’s pulled that sheet right from over me.

And whether I want to or not, a lot of our stuff is exposed anyway so why not go for the full gamut?

What was your wedding day like?

Pilar Sanders: It was absolutely beautiful. It was gorgeous. We married in the Bahamas, Paradise Island, and it was a fairytale dream wedding. It was - words can’t even properly express or describe the day.

We had our family and close friends there. And it was just - it was very magical.
Very small and very quaint, but very exquisitely beautiful. I couldn’t have dreamt of a wedding any different.

Deion, how much do you miss playing these days?

Deion Sanders: Not at all - not whatsoever. I have many guys that I have mentored, that I’m in - they are great friends and I’m living vicariously through those guys, as well as being a full-time father, coaching all of my sons’ (peewees) and being at my daughters’ - both of my daughters’ events.

I don’t miss actually playing the game whatsoever.

How do you enjoy watching sports on TV since you’ve had the firsthand experience?

Deion Sanders: Well I love it because it’s my job. You know, I am employed by the NFL on the NFL Network so I love the pro game.

You said earlier that you were fans of reality television, and one of your fellow NFL-ers like Jason Taylor of the Dolphins is currently doing Dancing With the Stars.  Do you watch the show and what do you think of it?

Deion Sanders: Definitely. I like it. I think he’s doing well. I mean, being a - playing for Miami all those years, I think he’s picking up the little - the salsa episodes when they do the salsa-type of dancing.

But he’s a handsome guy. He’s a big guy. He’s a strapping guy. He’s going to be all right. I like it. And I like guys that branch out and step outside their box, and allow themselves to be exposed in another venue, another area that they’re not as talented in.

And so I really like that in Jason. You know, I liked Jerry Rice and Emmitt when they displayed their talents on the show also.

Would you ever think of going on Dancing With the Stars?

Deion Sanders: They’ve been asking me since Season 1. And, you know, I’m a three time guy with toe surgery and I don’t think my feet would last that long.

Pilar, obviously we know Deion is a great athlete and as a personality, but tell us a little bit about Deion the husband and Deion the father.

Pilar Sanders: Wow. He’s very loving as both. He’s extremely humorous and he is comedic all the time. Like I can wake him up at 4:00 in the morning and he will really have something very funny to say.

So he’s very hands-on. He’s very involved and it’s - he’s just a great father. And I couldn’t ask for a better husband - very supportive. And he keeps us on our toes all the time. So he definitely brings a lot of light and color in the home.

Deion, tell us a little bit about the change in your life, now that you’ve turned into a mentor.

Deion Sanders: Well honestly, I think what you’re associating this - me with, was really a persona. And this is the wonderful thing about this show. It will really negate the stereotypes that people had of you.

I mean, just because I high stepped and danced on the football field, people thought I partied all the time and that wasn’t the case. I’ve never drank or smoked, or never been high a day of my life.

I stopped using profanity my sophomore year in college. So a lot of things that people never knew about me will probably be exposed on this show. They’re seeing that I’m a homebody. I love home.

I leave the house when I have to go and earn a living and work, but I coach all the kids’ teams. I’m there. We take them to school together every morning or we alternate, or picking them up or taking them to practice.

So I’m always here. So a lot of the stereotypes will be broken when you see this show.

How long did they tape the show and when did they actually tape it?

Pilar Sanders: It was during the end of summer, during the fall season. And maybe about - what, three and a half months, four and a half months?

That’s a long time.

Deion Sanders: Yes.

What was it like the day that they stopped filming you after three and a half straight months of filming?

Pilar Sanders: I think we slept for three or four days straight.

Deion Sanders: It’s not bad. I mean, you - because you’re on a schedule, pretty much. You know you’re going to shoot five days a week, probably ten hours a day. I mean, it’s - so it wasn’t bad at all.

We had a wonderful crew - a wonderful crew who became somewhat of a family. And our hats off to Oxygen for blessing us with all the resources that we needed to complete a show and put a great product on television.

Have you seen any actual episodes yet?

Deion Sanders: Most definitely.

Did you have say over the editing?

Deion Sanders: Yeah. I’m the Executive Producer.

Were there things that showed up that you had to cut out or anything you were uncomfortable about?

Deion Sanders: No. The problem we had, oftentimes was that it’s hard to get everything in 22 minutes. We have so much good stuff. I mean, something that hit the floor on the edit - cutting board is some good stuff.

And that was the problem. It wasn’t the problem with not enough or we can’t put that on television. No. I mean, Oxygen really gave us the liberty to do what we needed to do and to accomplish what we needed to accomplish.

But so many funny and humorous scenes will never make this show because of the length.

So with five kids, I’m sure you guys have a lot going on in that house. How do you manage to, you know, parent them and what kinds of things can we expect to see from you?

Pilar Sanders: Well we often have to think outside of the box because, you can imagine, we have five different personalities just with our children alone. So each one you kind of have to handle different.

And all of them do sports, all of them have homework, all of them have at least two or three friends that they’re always trying to bring to the house. So it - I know the saying if you can’t beat them, join them - so we’re basically just really big kids.

And we have a lot of fun with them. We play a lot. We really partake in a lot of their activities. So we’re very hands-on. We’re always there. And I don’t know, do you have anything to add D?

Deion Sanders: No, we really enjoy - we have a good time. And I’m not going to say we’re the type of parents who want to be your friend because there’s definitely discipline involved.
But we are realists as parents. I mean, my 14-year-old son, I know he’s into girls. You know, I know we’re a Christian home, but I know there - he loves 50 Cent, so instead of him going to get it in the street, I’d rather go get him the album itself.

I know my 17-year-old daughter. I know she’s going to be into boys and she’s attracted to what she sees on a constant basis -- that’s athletes. So she’s going to be attracted athletes and I know how athletes are.

So I mean, we’re really realists, but we really have a good time with our kids.

Deion, does your alter ego ever come out at home? Does Prime Time come out? You know, do you do touchdown dances or anything like that for your kids because they ask you to or anything?

Deion Sanders: No, not whatsoever. They bring that out themselves. They high step and they dance. And they’re that type of way when they compete because, you know, my younger kids really never got opportunities to really witness me play and really understand the game.

So they go online and the older kids Google me and show them what I used to do, and they emulate what they see on the screen - the computer.

So they’re doing the dances like at their own sporting events?

Pilar Sanders: Oh yes.

Deion Sanders: Oh, most definitely.

This question is for either of you. Assuming the show does well, the ratings are good - would you be interested in a second season or was this a one-time deal?

Pilar Sanders: No.

Deion Sanders: Well you never do - the only thing you want to do one time is get married.
So no, we definitely plan on second, third, fourth and really as long as we’re productive, we’re growing as a family, you see the kids mature in the process - we’re definitely more than willing to do different years of shows.

What can you tell us about Prosper, Texas?

Deion Sanders: I love it. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful. It’s growing like crazy. I love it. I mean, it’s like an unwritten rule where they - people don’t really bother me. Not that I’m some type of superstar, but they don’t ask for autographs.

I eat the country - the breakfast place every morning at the Cotton Gin. Many of my friends that are athletes -- Torii Hunter from the California - LA Angels now and Omar Stoutmire, Washington Redskins, (Kevin Mastis), LaTroy Hawkins -- different guys in Major League Baseball as well as Football, they live, you know, in approximately the same place.

(Mario Evitts), former Cowboy and I’ve lured them to Prosper because we want our kids to be raised together and it’s a peaceful, loving city.

Deion, were you a guy who would watch the Oxygen Channel before this? Were you a fan?

Deion Sanders: Most definitely. First of all, I’d never want to be on an episode of Snapped. Let’s get that straight. See you got to watch Oxygen yourself to get that joke. So I think you’re going to watch.

No, but I never want to be on an episode of Snapped and I really do love it. And Sue Johansson is off the chain. You know, I love her.
Yeah, love her. And the Bad Girls Club is one of the best shows placed on television, so definitely I was a fan beforehand.

Are we going to get to see any of your coaching the kids’ games on the show?

Deion Sanders: Most definitely. Most - you’re going to see me waiting on the sideline. When they score, I score. I’m right there with them. So you’re definitely going to see that.

Do you get to share any of your NFL wisdom at that level with the young kids?

Deion Sanders: You know, they really don’t comprehend NFL wisdom. You really show them what you need done and just help them through it. And just really inspire and encourage kids of that age -- you know, eight and six years old.

You really got to encourage them because they’re not really disciplined enough to know the ins and outs about football and some of them aren’t that talented. They’ve been forced to play by their mothers and fathers at that age.

How about baseball? Are your kids into that also?

Deion Sanders: Yeah, we have a game tonight as a matter of fact at 8:00 pm. Most definitely - and basketball. They play that simultaneously. We always have lots of sports going on simultaneously.

What’s your physical regimen now that you’re off and what do you do to stay in shape now?

Deion Sanders: I love basketball. I’m in two men’s basketball leagues right now -- one in Prosper and one across town. I play basketball probably four - probably three times a week. I work out probably four times a week.

And really my wife works her butt off, too. That’s why she looks the way she looks. So we have a nice weight room in the house. So we stay in good shape, pretty much.