LEXINGTON, Ky. — When Josh Rupp, an integrated strategic communications junior at the University of Kentucky, jokingly decided to submit a video for an online contest, he never imagined that a few weeks later he would be on his way to New York City for an appearance on “Total Request Live.”

Rupp, who entered MTV’s “My Big Prom Night with Brittany Snow” competition, is being flown to the Big Apple and will appear on Tuesday’s airing of TRL at 3:30 p.m.

“TRL” is an hour-long show that started in 1998. The show lets viewers vote for the top-10 music videos of the day.

Contest participants had to submit a video telling Snow, one of the stars in the new movie “Prom Night,” why she should pick them to go to the film premiere with her. Rupp described his submission as the “worst video ever.”

“I don’t know how I won. It’s not creative at all,” he said. “I just held the camera up like a MySpace picture.”

Rupp is one of three finalists in the competition. The winner will receive a trip to Los Angeles to attend the premiere.

“I knew of Brittany Snow from ‘Nip/Tuck’ and ‘Hairspray,’ but I’m a huge horror movie fan, so that’s why I entered,” Rupp said. “It doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous.”

On “TRL,” the three finalists’ videos will be shown, and Snow will choose the winner live.