Fans of the Jets and especially fans of the Jets Flight Crew will be especially happy to know that while their hot football team won't be playing this weekend, their sizzling cheerleading squad will be featured on New York television.
"The New York Jets Flight Crew Special" will air this Saturday, Nov. 27, at 2 p.m. EST on CBS-2 HD in New York. The half-hour show will tell about the making of the Crew's 2011 swimsuit calendar shot on the island of Aruba, and more.
"The fans want to get to know who these cheerleaders are and they are able to see them on a more personal level through interviews and behind-the-scenes footage in this TV special," said Crew director Denise Garvey. "All fans seem to have a favorite cheerleader, and they will get the opportunity to see which favorites made this year's calendar."
If this sounds like a big deal, it is. This show on local television is the next step in the Flight Crew's rise to prominence among NFL and pro sports squads.
"The Jets Flight Crew have earned their place among the elite cheerleading squads in the NFL," said Rich Gentile, the team's senior director of broadcasting and multimedia production. "The swimsuit calendar is another example of how they separate themselves from other squads, and I can't wait for people to see the TV special about the making of the calendar."
The TV special, Gentile said, is a lot of fun for viewers because it whisks them from this year's final audition, when the squad is selected, right to Aruba and the shoot that began on June 1.
"I never seem to have a shortage of volunteers for that shoot, and it is definitely a fun week," Gentile recalled. "Aruba is like no other place in the world, and the rugged beach locations really allow us to get the creative juices flowing. I think the fans at home will enjoy the footage we came back with."
We've shared some of the gorgeous shots of Flight Crew members and Aruba settings on newyorkjets.comand in playbook features distributed at all Jets home games. Denise provided some more of the background to process of assembling this second annual Flight Crew calendar and to the selection of the perfect cheerleader/island photo to grace the calendar's cover.
"Photographer Steve Vaccariello and I headed to Aruba two days before the squad and the production team to scout locations that proved to be stunning backdrops to our cheerleaders," Garvey said. "It was a major part of creating the perfect shot. There is so much that goes into creating these calendar photos —the location, the set, the lighting, the models, the hair and makeup, the wardrobe styling. When everything comes together, the results are breathtaking."
Jenn, the fourth-year veteran and one of the original flag girls from 2006, the year before the Flight Crew came to life, is the cover Crew member.
"Jenn is featured on our cover by a dark, rocky cove amid the light, blue water off the beaches of Aruba," Garvey said. "When I saw her shot, it reminded me of a modern-day Barbarella. Jenn really embodies the Flight Crew image in her shot. She looks sexy and beautiful, yet she is classy and a bit regal-looking. It's a great cover photo."
Sixteen cheerleaders are featured in the 16-month calendar, and as a result will be appearing on Saturday's show. It's a "making-of" show many Green & White fans are sure to enjoy.
