December 22, 2004 The Real Gilligan's Island
The show came to an end last night with Millionaire Glenn Stearns being the last remaining castaway and being rescured from the island. He won a 2005 Mustang, (For my fellow gear heads it was the Eleanore version.) and $250,000.00 which he stated would be donated to charity. You can read Teri Sue's recap of the two hour show here.
This was a strangely disapointing series. It was an obvious rip-off of Survivor, and that's not such a bad thing, but the "look" of the island was more Hollywood sound stage than tropical island. It looked plastic and phoney and that detracted from the idea that the castaways were there to survive. The producers choose not to reveal the format of the show to the audience in advance. They just let it unfold as it happened. This made it more difficult for the viewer to get themselves invested in the show early on. What could have been a wonderful show, turned out to be a good show. It could have been worse. Ratings were fairly good for TBS but we have to wonder why they decided to burn the show off so quickly with mulitple episodes on a single night. At the end of the show it was announced that there would be a Gilligan's Island 2 in 2005.
Now that the show is over it's time for the girls to take it off and pose for money....Mary Ann Kate Koth is appearing in Maxim.....and for the loser guys to complain.....Professor Eric says he was disappointed with the show because "I was hoping that they would put us on an island and challenge us to find a way off." He also says that when Skipper Jim collapsed with a heart attack during the first challenge he and others asked if they could stop and go back and the producers told them no, they had to finish. I take back the nasty things I said about that. He also reports they filmed the victory celebration 8 times "against our protests."
Brat Camp
The ABC Family channel has announced that Brat Camp will premiere January 10th at 10/9c. According to the dismally limited ABC Family web site "Six families send their out-of control teenagers to a behavior camp where the troubled teens are put through a super intense wilderness therapy program. Can the brats be reformed or are they all a lost cause?" We suspect the best reason to watch this show will be to discover your kids are not nearly as bad as you think.
They Were Cast - Why Not You?
Reality TV Calendar will send you the latest casting calls as soon as they are released. Calls are often short notice with short deadlines. You need to make contact immediately. You can't do that unless you have immediate notification of the call. One Time Payment, Only $7.95.
Click For More Information.
December 21, 2004 The Don't You Love It When I'm Wrong Department!
Shortly after American Idol 3 was over I wrote about my disappointment with the results. Specifically I said that Fantasia would never be the Idol that Kelly was, or Ruben, or runner up Clay. I said she would not have the popularity, the airplay or the sales of those three. Well time has proven me right. BUT, I also said that Diana DeGarmo would get more air time and more sales than Fantasia. I was wrong. Big time wrong. My personal preference is still for Diana, but I'm in a very small minority there.
Currently on the Billboard Top 100 chart:
Clay's Christmas album has moved up to number 10.
Kelly's new album is at 13 in it's second week, down from number 3.
Fantasia's debut album which unlike Kelly, Ruben and Clay did not debut at number 1 has dropped to number 34.
Diana's album only managed to sell 47,000 copies, coming in at number 52. Even Justin Guarini and William Hung did better.
I stand corrected.
Gastineau Girls
E! network has announced a new 10 episode Reality show that will follow real-life mother-daughter team Lisa and Brittny Gastineau in the cross country search for true life. The show is being touted as a real life version Gilmore Girls and Sex In The City. A mother-daughter team? Will keep you informed.
Who's Your Daddy?
This one episode wonder is the brain child of Ken Mok of America's Next Top Model and the producers of the $25 Million Dollar Hoax. That said, who knows if anything you see will be true, but you can count on the exploitation factor being high.
Here is part of the FOX press release -
"...there's a twist... Before meeting her dad, the young woman will be presented with eight men, all claiming to be her father, and she
must determine which one really is. In order to prevent her real dad from revealing himself from the start, there is $100,000 at stake for
his daughter. She will have opportunities to interview and observe the men, and narrow the field. Using her limited knowledge of her
dad and the guys' answers to her questions, she must rely primarily on her instincts and intuition to choose the man who could be her
father. If she guesses right, the prize will be hers. If she guesses wrong, the imposter will win the money."
We can see why only one episode is being aired. We suspect it was originally pitched and produced as a series and then paired down to a single episode of bad Reality TV. But we are saying that before we see it. And we will watch it. It will be recapped by Eleanor Meilinger.
December 20, 2004 The Amazing Race
The Understatement of the Week Award goes to CBS who has entitled tomorrow night's episode of The Amazing Race - "They Could Use Some Counseling". Ya think? We hope the episode will pay serious attention to the Jonathan and Victoria situation. Judging by our email - so do our readers. Without exception every email received has called for the disqualification of Jonathan and the hope that they will get serious help. Most have called for Victoria to stay away from him until he can learn to control his anger. Personally, I don't think he can.
The Apprentice
Apprentice 2 has been hired. Congrats to Kelly Perdew. The third edition is already in the can and will premiere January 20th with a special 90 minute show. This time the "big twist" is street smarts vvs. book smarts. Both previous Apprentices have multiple degrees so it will surprise us of some one from the street smarts team prevails. The first task will be working for Burger King where they will have to come up with a new menu item. We suggest something that when you open the box actually looks like the picture on the menu board.
CC McCandless will be returning to our pages to handle the recap duties for Apprentice 3. We have a page up now. It will grow as time goes by. You can check it out here.
Here's something from the Apprentice 2. When it came down to the final 4, trump could not decide which two would have to go. Eventually he fired Kevin and Sandy, but according to Kevin it was a four hour boardroom session with the final four leaving the boardroom three separate time. He told the AP they "had to leave the boardroom three times, because Trump couldn't make a decision. I think he was equally impressed with all of us." So why did Kevin get shown the door? "I think at that point, down to final four, Trump was looking for a specific thing. He just couldn't find a way to articulate that when it came time to fire me."
December 19, 2004 From the "It Had To Happen And It Won't Change A Thing Department."
The FOX show Trading Spouses is being sued by the producers of ABS's and the UK's Wife Swap. Yes it's a rip off. As we have pointed out before everything on television is a rip off of something else. But RDF Media is saying Trading Spouses is a "blatant and wholesale copycat." Wife Swap producer Stephen Lambert, tells the New York Times that "this is the most clear-cut case of copyright theft in the history of the reality genre." He may be right but the courts have basically said if something about the show is changed it is not theft. According to the paper "network executives and producers in the reality genre have said they had given up hope of ever being able to protect original ideas." All of which means we the viewers get more choices. Good on us.
December 18, 2004 Reality Stuff
It appears that what we have long suspected is true. Jeff Probst does get his pick of the girls. The Survivor host is currently dating Survivor Vanuatu's Julie Berry. According to The AP "Probst says they started dating after he e-mailed her to say hello once the show was over. He says he's already met her family." Jeff is 43 and Julie is 24. How challenging is that reward?
Remember Forever Eden? It is still one of the most visited pages on our site. There are loyal fans out there, or fanatics. We'll if you are still upset that FOX pulled the plug and only showed 7 of the 26 episodes we have a solution. Move to England. The UK's channel 5 will air the entire series some time in 2005. According to Digital Spy the "show has also been sold to ten other broadcasters worldwide." Actually we were not happy with FOX for getting us invested in the show and then leaving us flat. But we still have hopes it will be seen here in the U.S. The FOX Reality Channel would be a great place for it. As well as the dumped Playing It Straight. Oh, and The Next Great Champ. There's one night of programing in the can.
Speaking of the FOX Reality Channel - former Fremantle mogul David Lyle has landed the job of Chief Operating Officer for the All-Reality-TV-All-The Time channel. Lyle is a former producer for Fremantle's American Idol. Congratulations...now get the thing on the air so we can watch.
And what happened to Reality Central. The other all Reality TV channel was supposed to have been on the air by now. Well it appears that after getting hassled by Viacom who owns Comedy Central they changed their name to Reality 24/7. Not much seems to have happened since then. We haven't heard from them since we stopped doing free advertising for them. Their web site is still up and as useless as ever. Honchos Larry Namer and Blake Mycoskie who both have blogs on the site have not updated them since June. Too bad.
A personal note: We will be on vacation December 23 - December 26. Regular updates of the site will end on the 23rd and resume on the 27th. Happy Holidays to all.
December 17, 2004 The Amazing Race
Jonathan, you're still a prick!
Yesterday we wrote a little rant about Jonathan, one of the competitors on the current edition of The Amazing Race. You can read it here if you wish. We don't claim to be the only online magazine to have commented on his behavior and we certainly don't claim that he is responding directly to us. But this is what he has posted on his website. We quote....
"All of us have our faults. Unfortunately for me millions of viewers are getting to see mine each week. I do not abuse Victoria, what you see is a heighten version of stress and obsession mix with medication for a sickness called Sarcoidosis. What was stared as a publicity stunt turn in to an obsession to race and be first at any cost. This is a GAME and I set out to be the Villain to others not to Victoria. Victoria and I are working on our relationship to better our self and learn form our mistakes. I am taking full responsibly for my actions on screen. Please allow me to make the effort.
I am deeply sadden by the storyline that CBS went with. I am sorry for my actions, I am sorry to Victoria. Most all I am sorry to the Fans of the Amazing Race."
Jonathan, you ARE the villain in this piece. By your own actions. You physically assaulted your wife after continuous verbal and emotional abuse. You say you take responsibility and then blame stress, medication, illness, obsession and CBS. Anything but a simple declaration of "I'm wrong, no excuses." You apologize to Victoria and then say "Most all I am sorry to the Fans of the Amazing Race." You even belittle her there. You do not seem to even be aware of your own meanness. Perhaps the most telling comment of all came from your own mouth Jonathan. After the finish of the 5th leg as Victoria stepped off the mat crying hysterically, you looked at the camera and said "She has to live with her choices." That includes her choice to stick beside you, at least so far. You both need help. But make no mistake, she is the victim and you are the abuser.
The more I think of it the more I am angered. But not just at Jonathan. He is simply not a decent human being. I am also angry with CBS, the production team behind The Amazing Race and even host Phil Keoghan. Jonathan physically assaulted another contestant in the race. It does not make any difference that it was his wife and team mate. There is no excuse for that and should be no second chance. He should have been removed from the competition immediately. There really is no excuse for that either. The producers should have bounced him, CBS should have insisted on first airing the incident and then airing his removal. And Phil, really should have had something more to say than, "You should go talk to your wife."
Maybe next week's episode will address the situation. I hope so.
December 16, 2004 The Amazing Race
Jonathan, you're a prick!
I was absolutely amazed Tuesday night as I watched the Amazing Race. Through the first few episodes I had kept looking at the good side of Jonathan. I watched him give candy to children and act kindly towards strangers in strange lands. I tried to see his good side even though he continuously berated and belittled his wife. But Tuesday night was too much!
His constant verbal abuse of his wife throughout the episode was climaxed with physical abuse. We watched as he screamed at her and then shoved her while she hysterically cried. He tried to excuse it by saying "It's a race, there is no compassion." There is no excuse. None. In my opinion he should have been instantly disqualified. There is no excuse for violence directed towards another competitor; even if that competitor is on your team. I would think there would be a clause to that effect in their contract.
Perhaps the argument can be made that disqualifying Jonathan would also punish his wife and team mate Victoria. I would argue that it would be doing her a favor to remove him from a situation he is obviously ill-equipped to handle.
According to the CBS website Jonathan and Victoria are running the race in an effort to heal a strained relationship. We have seen the source of the damage to their relationship. And we hope that Victoria will look at her future and save the rest of her life by dumping this abusive idiot.
Jonathan has claimed it was the editing. Bullshit. We saw it. It wasn't edited. We hope you will crawl back under the rock you slithered out from under. You disgust decent people everywhere.
December 15, 2004 Survivor's Jenna Lewis
You probably remember the stories we ran over the summer about Survivor All Star Jenna Lewis, her quickie marriage and even quicker honeymoon porn video. Of course she claimed the tape was stolen etc etc. At the time we offered our opinion that she owned the tape and the site that was distributing it. We are not surprised to be right on this one.
The New York Daily News reports it "has detailed information that the Web site, which Lewis and her manager created, has taken in more than $100,000 since June. She has pocketed 70% of the proceeds, paid into a City National Bank account in Los Angeles." The paper also reports that Jenna and her quickie husband Travis Wolfe are no longer together...even for porn purposes. The News reports that hubby Wolfe "didn't get his own cut from the vid, but (Jenna's manager Andre) Jetmir took 7.5%."
You may recall that when the site first went up and the press got hold of the story that Jenna put out a statement saying she was "embarrassed by the emergence of the footage." She later told Extra she "I ran around the house crying, screaming, so angry and upset that day."
We suspect she is upset because the site and the tape have not made anywhere near the money that other celeb pornos have made.
Survivor Vanuatu
The numbers are in. Sunday night's Survivor Finale picked up 19.6 million viewers. While that's a good number, it is the lowest rated Survivor finale to date. It is understandable. While we think it was the best Finale and Reunion show to date, the season itself was slow and at times boring. We have high hopes for Survivor Palau.
And to give credit where credit is due, ABC's hit Desperate Housewives pulled in 22.2 million viewers during the hour it was on, dragging down the overall Survivor numbers.
December 13, 2004 Survivor Vanuatu
It all came to an end last night when 34 year old Chris Daugherty, a highway construction worker from South Vienna, OH, was voted the sole survivor of Survivor Vanuatu. The final jury vote was 5 - 2. Chris won the two final immunities; then engineered the boot of Eliza. He chose to take Twila to the final 2.
Voting
Ami - Twila
Chad - Chris
Elize - Chris
Julie - Chris
Leann - Chris
Sarge - Chris
Scout - Twila
Click on the link above for a recap of the Finale and the Reunion.
Click on any of the links below to catch up with what happened and the predictions we made.
December 11, 2004 Ceasars 24/7 Premieres January 10, 2005 at 10/9c on A & E
From A & E
THE REAL-LIFE STORIES BEHIND THE GLITTER, THE GLAMOUR, THE GAMBLING,
THE SHOWGIRLS AND MORE AT LAS VEGAS’ MOST LEGENDARY CASINO
NEW YORK, NY DECEMBER 10, 2004 – You are the high roller when A&E Network takes viewers behind the scenes at Caesars Palace. Meet the pit bosses, the showgirls, the bookies and everyone else who make this sun-up to sun-down casino operate, with the series premiere of CAESARS 24/7, 10pm ET and PT / 9pm CT on Monday, January 10, 2005.
A&E Network has been granted unprecedented access by Caesars Palace to create CAESARS 24/7 a new real-life series offering the ultimate insiders look at Las Vegas' most legendary resort and casino. CAESARS 24/7 will focus on the trials, triumphs and tribulations of a compelling cast of Las Vegas characters, including a regular cast of Caesars Palace employees and a revolving cast of wide-eyed tourists, first-time gamblers, sophisticated high rollers and other visitors of all descriptions who come to party in the world’s most famous adult playground.
Viewers will experience the Entertainment Capital of the World as they have never seen it before – through the eyes of the indomitable pit boss, the savvy sports book oddsmaker, the tactful hotel concierge, glamorous showgirls, imperious high-rollers, excited low-rollers, Vegas newlyweds and any number of the 60,000 visitors and employees who pass through the marbled hallways of Caesars Palace each day.
Encompassing more than 80 acres right in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, Caesars employs over 5,000 people to service more than 2,400 guest rooms as well as five wedding chapels, 22 restaurants and a five-acre swimming pool complex, providing a perfect backdrop for non-stop action.
Nancy Dubuc is the executive producer for A&E Network. CAESARS 24/7 is produced for A&E Network by 44 Blue Productions (“What Should You Do?” “Cell Dogs” “True Story of Black Hawk Down”) and Cypress Point Productions (“Nuremberg” “Out of the Ashes” “44 Minutes”). Rasha Drachkovitch, Gerald Abrams and Michael Goldstein are executive producers.
December 10, 2004 It's Alive!
Wednesday the Hollywood Radio and TV Society got together and issued the following statement: The Reality TV "genre is still very viable."
Well I guess that makes it official. I, for one, am very relieved.
Variety reports that "reality producers and execs ... said they still believed in the vitality of the genre."
Ben Silverman, producer of The Restaurant, points out "The real story of the fall is derivative programming doesn't work." What? Copying each other rather than being creative is not a good idea? Who knew?
Producer and former CIA Assassin Chuck Barris offered his take saying,"Reality shows are basically gameshows, and gameshows are reciprocal. If (the genre) dips, it will certainly come up again."
It's been around since the at least the 70's. It's just more popular now.
Laguna Beach
Are you a fan of Laguna Beach? If so, you and the other guy watching the show should be very happy. MTV has picked it up for a second season. They are keeping most of same cast of self important misfits and MTV is promising some news faces and some new drama. Always preferable to old drama. The first season will be released on DVD when the second season kicks off next year.
Martha and Mark
According to TV Guide Online desperately hoping to be an ex-con Martha Stewart and desperate for a new hit Mark Burnett and simply desperate NBC have come to terms on a daily, syndicated homemaking show. The show is set for a fall 2005 launch and will be taped in front of a live audience. The Restaurant, The Casino, Commando Nanny, The Contender and now Martha? Does any of this make sense? Mark is better than this.
And Finally
Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Apprentice, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Joe Schmo, America Idol, Big Brother, Outback Jack....more please.
December 9, 2004 Big Man On Campus
The WB continues it's charge into the world of Reality TV. They have announced that Big Man On Campus will premiere on Wednesday, December 15th at 8/7c. The six episode series is produced by Bachelor-Bachelorette Producer Mike Fliess. Fliess tells Daily Variety that the show is not "a younger version of The Bachelor."
We haven't seen it and presumably Mike has, but below are excerpts from The WB press release. Decide for yourself.
Shot on the beautiful University of Central Florida campus in Orlando, BMOC executive producer Mike Fleiss and his team searched among 41,000 students to find 15 co-eds who were looking for love. Then, the 15 lucky ladies discovered that they would be conducting their own campus-wide search to ultimately choose one special gentleman as their BMOC.
Once the young women choose the guy, it will be up to the BMOC to turn the tables on them to find his perfect match -- and that's just the beginning. In subsequent episodes, the BMOC will get to know these young women through a series of group and one-on-one college gatherings and romantic dates. These special outings include pool, toga and slumber parties, a bikini car wash, a football game and tailgating at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. The BMOC will also be introduced to -- and scrutinized by -- the girls' parents, who are there to make sure he is the right man for their daughter. Every episode will be filled with romance, fun and surprises as the BMOC searches for his Campus Queen.
Our BMOC follows a gradual process of elimination; he starts by narrowing the field from 15 girls to ten, presenting them with a fraternity-type pin. He will continue to eliminate girls each week by asking them to return their pins. Ultimately, he will present the girl who has captured his heart with the final pin.
Ok...they did trade out the rose for the pin. If you are a Bachelor fan you will probably like this one as well. But Bachelor fans seem to be a dwindling breed. Our guess is that it will do well by The WB standards. And we will probably watch it...another guilty pleasure.
We don't have a recapper for it yet. If you are interested please check out our Writers Wanted page, here, and then get in touch with us.
December 8, 2004 Survivor News
Don't you just love it when some news organization doesn't name their source, but rather gives them a title. "A reliable source" or a "highly placed source" or even "a source at the top". Well, that is the position I am in today. It is Survivor Palau.
More Survivor News:
Boston Rob Mariano and Survivor All Star Winner Amber Brkich are one of the teams in Amazing Race 7. The seventh edition of Reality TV's best is currently filming.
Mark Burnett confirms "CBS has already gone ahead and ordered both versions for next year, 2005. Survivor 11 and 12 will happen, and we're scouting everywhere: Patagonia, southern Argentina, Mozambique--Madagascar is a hopeful--the Maldives, India, China, Papua New Guinea."
Survivor 2 - The Australian Outback will be released on DVD in March. No details other than that are known. But we do know what the box art looks like. Click here for a peek.
Paris Hilton
In tonight's Barbara Walters special Paris Hilton talks about her amateur porn career, or at least about one of the tapes. It's rumored there could be ten or more that have not seen the light of day, or the glow of millions of computer monitors. The Simple Life star claims she was in love with the video's co-star Richard Salomon and says the scandal "was very painful. I was so embarrassed for all my teenage fans and my younger fans. I thought it was over." We were hoping.
December 7, 2004 High School Reunion 3
TV Guide Online calls it "The reality show that makes getting older even uglier", the school's principal calls it "a black eye for us", and we call a wonderfully delicious guilty pleasure.
Officially dubbed High School Reunion: Fort Lauderdale it will take place thousands of miles away in Hawaii. Once again we will witness temper-tantrums, the return of teenage angst and of course a hook up or two as the students of Cardinal Gibbons High School Reunite.
Here's what The WB is saying:
Back stabbing! Boyfriend swapping! Brawls! The WB brings it on with the return of High School Reunion. Watch as 14 classmates from Cardinal Gibbons High, an ultra ritzy, private, Catholic school in Fort Lauderdale - all of whom are no strangers to teenage snobbery and sex scandals - are reunited after 10 years on the island of Maui. The ante is upped daily as vengeful new arrivals from rival cliques, classes and a nearby public school, do everything they can to crash the party and seek redemption.
Meanwhile Cardinal Gibbons Principal Paul Ott tells the Sun-Sentinel hat the show "is going to be a black eye for us," "But we'll recover. Cardinal Gibbons has graduated about 11,000 outstanding individuals. ... The people on this show are a small group, who are not typical of our students past or present." "These aren't bad kids. I taught some of them."
Reality TV Calendar is very happy to add Hank Cook to our writing staff. Hank, who was a 2000 graduate and Home Coming King at Cardinal Gibbons, will be recapping the show for us. You can read his recap of the season premiere on RTVC tomorrow.
December 6, 2004
Two New Reality TV Shows Get January Premiere On CBS
Released by CBS
CBS announced January premiere dates for two new mid-season programs -- the reality series WICKEDLY PERFECT, the search for the next great style maker, and THE WILL, a new reality series from Mike Fleiss, who describes it as "reality TV meets 'Dynasty.'"
"Wickedly Perfect" Premieres Thursday, Jan. 6, 8:00-9:00 PM
Hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Joan Lunden, WICKEDLY PERFECT pits 12 people with a creative knack for the finer things in life in a no-holds-barred competition to crown the country's new authority on at-home living. These perfection-obsessed contestants, whose motto is "anything you can do, I can do better," will compete in different areas of beautifying the home and entertaining, including party planning, gardening, cooking, baking, sewing, crafts, floral arranging and decorating.
In addition to chronicling the sometimes funny, sometimes factious relationships that develop among the tightly wound, extremely competitive participants, each week a contestant will be eliminated from their luxurious estate located in New England.
The winner will receive numerous prizes, including six appearances on "The Early Show" on CBS, a development deal for a lifestyle-oriented television show and a publishing deal with Atria Books, a division of premier publisher Simon & Schuster.
Renowned chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay (Mesa Grill), Emmy Award-nominated stylist David Evangelista ("The Rosie O'Donnell Show") and best-selling author Candace Bushnell ("Sex and the City" and "Trading Up") will serve as judges.
The series is produced by LMNO Productions. Eric Schotz and Bill Paolantonio are executive producers.
THE WILL premieres Saturday, Jan. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT).
In this new series, a wealthy patriarch will put a large portion of his estate up for grabs as 10 potential heirs, both family and friends, compete against each other in both physical and mental challenges in an effort to win rewards and stave off elimination. As each potential heir fights to stay in the game, they'll also need to stay in the patriarch's good graces in order to survive. Family reunions will never be the same as we finally discover if blood is truly thicker than water when the last member standing wins the inheritance and claims the title of most deserving heir.
THE WILL is produced by Next Entertainment, in association with Telepictures Productions. Mike Fleiss ("The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette") is executive producer.
CBS's mid-season changes:
Thursdays, Effective Jan. 6
8:00-9:00 PM WICKEDLY PERFECT (P)
9:00-10:00 PM CSI
10:00-11:00 PM WITHOUT A TRACE
Saturdays, Effective Jan.8
8:00-9:00 PM THE WILL (P)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERIES
December 5, 2004 Getting Cast On Reality TV
Reality TV Casting notices are often issued with very short notice. The studio or production company wants you to fill out an application and send in a tape or attend an open casting call. Rarely do they give you much advance notice. They expect that if you are interested, you are keeping in touch with what's going on. It's a hurry up process and if you want to be considered you have to act immediately. But you can't act quickly if you don't even know about the casting call.
Here's a simple and very inexpensive solution.
Reality TV Calendar receives notifications of Reality TV Casting Calls on a regular basis. We get them by email, by fax, and by phone. Sometimes we get two or three in a day.....sometimes two or three in a week. For a one time payment of $7.95 we will pass these notifications on to you immediately via your email.
You may have seen similar offers advertised for twenty to thirty dollars paid every month. We find that ridiculous. Our charge is a one time payment of $7.95. It's a simple matter to get you the information so we will make it an inexpensive but critical tool in your search to get recognized and get on the show you want to be on.
Payment is via PayPal, the most secure internet payment system in the world and you do not have to be a member of PayPal to use PayPal. Remember its a one time only payment. Just click on the button below. Your Reality TV Casting notifications will begin showing up in your email box almost immediately. And if we have already sent out a notice on the show you are interested in, once you have subscribed you can request back notices. We are here to help you.
December 4, 2004
Scheduling News
Survivor: Vanuatu's two-hour finale will air at 8/7c on Sunday, December 12th and be followed by a one hour live reunion special. Jeff Probst will host the reunion, which will take place at the CBS's Television City Studios in Los Angeles. Despite what Donald Trump wants to believe Survivor remains the most watched Reality TV program of the 2004-2005 season to date Neilsen Ratings. It ranks 5th among all programs in the same category.
Speaking of the Egomeister - NBC will echo the Survivor finale format by running a two hour finale followed immediately by a one hour reunion show for The Apprentice 2. It's been scheduled for 8/7c on Thursday, December 16th.
The Biggest Loser finale is set for a 90 minute episode on January 11th. Although The Biggest Loser 2 is in the casting phase there is no word on when it will premiere.
The Next Great Champ was a ratings failure, but very compelling Reality TV. Now it's Mark Burnett's turn. His boxing show, The Contender will premeire on Monday, February 21st. It will then move to Tuesday nights at 8/7c time slot on Tuesday March 1st. The show will star Sylvester Stallone.
They promised us it was over. They lied. Newlyweds Nick and Jessica will get a third season. MTV announced the third season will begin in January.
Even the Gotti's make scheduling news today. You can join Victoria and the Boys for A Very Gotti Christmas, Monday, December 13th, 9/8c on A & E. The networks says "This holiday season nobody knows how to do it up like Victoria and her boys. Tag along as the Gottis deck the halls, go Christmas shopping, wrap presents, and look at home videos of Christmases past!"
December 3, 2004 American Idols
Ruben Studdard, who was hospitalized for "exhaustion" has been released. According to his uncle he returned home and feasted on a Thanksgiving dinner. This guy needs help and I hope he gets it.
Fantasia's debut album, "Free Yourself," is out. It hit Billboard at number 8. That is the first of the American Idols not to debut at number one; a feat that both Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard accomplished. (Although Ruben's second album, "I Need An Angel" debuted at number 20) At the close of American Idol 3 we predicted she would not sell as well as other Idols. She just does not have the same appeal. We hope American Idol 4 will be stronger.
American Idol 2 Runner-up Clay Aiken is doing well. His Holiday album premiered on Billboard at number 4 last week. That ties a record that has been held by Celine Dion for six years. Clay's book Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, which he co-wrote with Allison Glock hit the New York times best-seller list at number 2. He has a Chistmas special on NBC next Wednesday and he has an interview right here on Reality TV Calendar. You can read it here.
Gilligan's Island
We were very pleased to see the ratings for the premiere of The Real Gilligan's Island. The show pulled in 7 million viewers. Very good for cable channel TBS. They beat FOX and UPN and even topped some of ABC's disappointing ratings for The Bachelor. We hope the ratings will build and that TBS will not burn it out by immediately running the whole show. In two days they aired 3 episodes. During those 3 episodes we saw a Reality TV contestant suffer a heart attack, and watched as competing contestants ignored his pain. We saw a large group on contestants who seem to be genuinely nice people. A refreshing change. The only exception to that was one of the two Millionaire Couples. The Beavens, especially Millionaire wife Donna, define the words Snob and Biggot. Fortunately they have been banished to the other side of the island. The only other problem with the show is a romance between Gilligan Chris and Mary Ann Kate. I'm sorry, but Gilligan getting the girl is just to much to believe. If you haven't seen it, watch it...it's worth it. You can learn more, see the photos and read the recaps here.
December 2, 2004 Diary of An Affair
Here's what the show's official site says:
Imagine hearing true confessions of real women and men who strayed from their partner to pursue perilous and provocative acts with another. Diary of an Affair allows you to live vicariously through the intimate details of an infidel's torrid tale.
Each steamy episode recounts real stories from real people. The excitement, the fear, the passion, the remorse, the pain and the eventual resolve of the rendezvous--all in their own words! Want more? Read the torrid transcripts, or check out our episode guide.
How far will cheaters go? Find out in the explosive reality series Diary of an Affair.
New Episodes: Saturdays at 9 p.m. on the Style Network; also catch it on E!, Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m.
When I first heard about this show I pegged it as a rip-off of Cheaters. A show so distasteful it could not even qualify as a guilty pleasure. But I made that judgement without bothering to watch it. Shame on me. I've been told that this show is not only interesting, but fascinating. That it actually has class. I'll reserve judgement on that for the time being until I've had a chance to see it. But we have made the commitment here at Reality TV Calendar to start covering the show. We'll have recaps and a show page up soon.
Simple Life 3
Those loveable scamps are coming back for more hilarious hijinks. Is "Gag me with a spoon!" still in vogue? I guess my age is showing but that sums up my feelings for Simple Life perfectly. Nicole and Paris completed filming of the third and I hope final edition of this mindless fluff. Once again we will learn "That's hot!" while they intentionally annoy and irritate the people who are generous enough to put them up. The big twist this time is they are traveling on a Bus. Our guess is the insurance for them to drive just got to be too much. Again they will stay with decent people who will get treated as doormats in return for their kindness. Once again they will deliberately sabotage any job they take for the "cool" humor of it. Once again anybody over 18 will cringe while watching it. At least I hope so.
The third season premieres on FOX January 26th.
Humorist Randall The Vandal will be recapping. I can't wait.
December 1, 2004 Gilligan's Island
The show premiered with two episodes last night on TBS. A third new episode will air tonight at 9/8c on TBS. Next week it appears the show will settle into a Tuesday and Wednesday night schedule with one new episode each night.
We'll have recaps by humorist Randall The Vandal for both of last nights episodes up shortly.
Martha Stewart and Mark Burnett are still an item. Even though Stewart is currently languishing in Camp Cupcake, Burnett wants a Reality TV show with the domestic diva.
According to the Hollywood Reporter the show, which may debut next year after Stewart gets sprung, would be a competition based elimination format similar to Survivor. Stewart's company, Living Omnimedia, is also pitching top syndicators in an effort to revive her daily TV show. We are not a domestic diva so we aren't qualified to comment on her daily show. We are 100% Reality TV fanatic so we will comment on the Burnett / Stewart connection. We just don't get it. What is the attraction of Martha Stewart? Why should I want to watch her? This looks like another Restaurant to me. While Burnett's Survivor is giving us the most boring season to date he is working new shows. Draw your own conclusions.
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Questions, comments, and submissions are always welcome.
Please address them to Reality TV Calendar Editor Ron Lemon
at RealityTVCalendar@adelphia.net
