Joe Penna is the latest YouTube content creator making the leap to TV. The 27-year-old Brazilian better known as MysteryGuitarMan will host Xploration Earth 2050, an upcoming FOX series that will forecast future technological developments.
Xploration Earth 2050 will be one quarter of Xploration Station, a two-hour programming block that will air on local FOX stations. In addition to Penna’s futuristic contribution, Xploration Station will include series dedicated to animal science, astronomy, and earth science. The earth science program will have a notable host, too; it will be led by Philippe Cousteau Jr., the grandson of famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau. In a preview video for the four new series, we see Penna investigating a lab and hanging with some robots, all while wearing his trademark sunglasses. Penna’s portion of the Xploration Station of sneak peek begins at the 1:32 mark:
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Penna, whose videos mostly focus on inventive musical creations and sublime editing tricks, may seem like an odd choice for a show about futuristic tech, but the curiosity he displays in his videos makes him a good fit for the job. His connection to the young YouTube audience is also a crucial asset. “Joe is curious, smart and tremendously likable,” said Xploration Station executive producer Steve Rotfeld in a statement. “One of the things that attracted us to him was his popular YouTube channel. He’ll bring in the younger viewers.”
Xploration Station was first announced in December 2013; back then, it was titled “Xploration Nation“. The series will arrive in September, with new episodes dropping on Saturday mornings.
