A former NIC communications major and current full-time musician hashed out family drama with a “flash mob” apology on national television Feb. 1, with the help of the FOX reality show “Mobbed.”
Originally from Sandpoint, Tim Jarzabek, 28, looked to the Mobbed crew to make a magnificent apology to brother (and band mate) Nick Jarzabek, 23, (also former NIC communications major) after stealing Nick’s designer clothes and Les Paul guitar.
Hosted by comedian Howie Mandel, the “Mobbed” crew sends extravagant messages using hidden cameras and flash mobs. The show has handled everything from marriage proposals to brotherly love gone wrong. In the fifth episode of “Mobbed,” titled “Brother,” Tim Jarzabek said he hoped his apology would settle the conflict with his brother.
“I screwed up,” Tim said. “Nick called me and said that he needed me to come and bail him out once again. I thought that this was just another time that I was going to have to get Nick out of a bad situation.”
Nick had called because he needed help getting the band’s touring van out of the tow yard. Fed up, Tim stole and sold his brother’s belongings, and proceeded to spend all the money in Las Vegas. Unbeknownst to Tim, Nick was actually planning a surprise birthday party for him.
“I felt really bad,” Tim said. “I sold all of his stuff. After that, he wanted nothing to do with me, which created a hostile environment for the two of us as well as the rest of my family. The only way we communicated was through the other band mates.”
Once Tim realized it was time to make amends, he presented the idea to the producers of “Mobbed” and they agreed to have the brothers on the show.
When the show aired, it showed a step-by-step process of the planning and execution of the apology. Using a park in L.A. and an abandoned warehouse, they created a fake atmosphere, with Nick under the impression that he was going to a studio for a new gig. Then the fake recording producer told him that he was going to use the band’s song, but they were going to change Nick’s voice by using rapper Ace Hood’s voice instead. As Nick escalated with anger, they sent in the flash mob, which began the event.
Once the two women escorts got him outside, the dancing began. Now, out in the middle of the park, Nick spotted his brother playing the drums on stage. When the drumming came to a close Tim apologized and Everclear frontman Art Alexakis presented Nick with an authentic Gibson Les Paul guitar. In a lot of confusion, Nick finally understood what was happening and forgave Tim for everything.
The brothers attended NIC and graduated with a bachelor’s in communications from LCSC at the Coeur d’Alene campus.
“I didn’t like school,” Tim said. “The only reason I showed up was to come to Nils Rosdahl’s journalism class.”
As a Sentinel writer, he said that he thoroughly enjoyed every minute of Rosdahl’s class and that is what kept him going each day.
Tim and Nick have been musicians and band partners for almost their entire lives. In their teens, Tim and his other brother Mike, 27, formed a band, originally called No Cover. After their guitarist Chris Reynolds died at the age of 19, Nick stepped in to fill the position.
When the starving artists moved to Beverly Hills four years ago, the band tried working at many different venues in the Los Angeles area, but was not successful. The brothers added a new addition, bass player Justin Corman, 26, and started to see fulfillment.
Playing on Sunset Boulevard, the musicians met with many different producers.
“It is very competitive here in L.A.,” said Tim Jarzabek. “But it is the best place to live because it is so diverse here. I don’t just hang out with one certain group of people; I’m fortunate enough to be able to get the chance to know everyone.”
Bono from U2 even contacted the band to provide advice.
“Bono told us to change our band name from ‘No Cover’ to ‘NO,’” Jarzabek said. “It was a true inspiration to be able to receive advice from him.”
The band—now called “NO”—has recently produced a new single, “Meet Me After Dark” that has been released on iTunes and is getting radio play within the Los Angeles area.
“I owe a lot of our success to growing up in Idaho,” Jarzabek said. “It’s wonderful being surrounded by such down-to-earth people.
Tim said he is happy to be talking with Nick once again.
“I would like to give a special thanks to Howie Mandel,” Tim said. “And especially the whole ‘Mobbed’ crew for bringing my family and I back together again.”
For information about the band go to facebook.com/followno or vist their website at notheband.com.
