Uncovering truth below “The Buried Life”

They talked their way into the 2007 Video Music Awards. They attended a party at the Playboy Mansion. They delivered a baby.

And it all started with a simple question: What do you want to do before you die?
With that question, Duncan Penn, Ben Nemtim, Dave Lingwood and Jonnie Penn made a list in 2006 of the 100 things they want to do, boarded a purple bus and traveled across the country.

One year later, after filming a full-length documentary and completing 24 items on their list, the quartet was offered a chance to showcase their project on a television show, but chose not to due to lack of creative control. But when MTV approached them in 2009, the four agreed and spent a summer working on eight of the 100 missions.

“When we found out that we were going to do a season of television this summer, we looked at the list and the eight things we wanted to do to prove anything was possible,” Lingwood said. “We were all drawn to the TV up to the election watching Obama. Would four regular guys be able to play basketball with him?”

The Obama episode airs Monday, Feb. 22, 10 p.m., on MTV.

The name for the project was inspired by poet Matthew Arnold, whose 1852 poem “The Buried Life” says, “But often, in the world’s most crowded streets/ But often, in the din of strife,/ There rises an unspeakable desire/ After the knowledge of our buried life.”

“I still think it’s the right name because you can see there’s depth in the project most people don’t see at first glance,” Lingwood said.

The group embarked on the mission to complete the 100 things on their list and decided for each item they crossed off, they would help a stranger accomplish something on their own list.

The show is different from other reality shows because the four were given the opportunity to edit the episodes and work on the production with MTV, Jonnie Penn said.

“Some people think we’re casted and this [show] was devised in some board room,” Penn said. “Do the research and look at the last four years. These things take time.”

MTV wanted to keep the show focused on the quartet and telling the story the way they wanted, said Brent Haynes, MTV senior vice president of comedy and animation.

“It was important to us that this was up to the guys and about the guys,” Haynes said. “They had a huge hand in how it looks and how it was edited. We were really kind of inspired.”

For Penn and Lingwood, each experience is special.

“I think it has to do with … doing things more personal,” Lingwood said. “Looking at ourselves and what we’re passionate about and what list items are most important to us.”