Reality TV News Rumors & Rants
A Running Log Of The Latest RTV News
Compiled By RTVC Editor Ron Lemon
November 20, 2004 Survivor
Coming soon to a television near you, Survivor: Palau.
You read it right, Mark Burnett and the gang are currently in the country filming the 10th edition of the series. Rumor has it that filming began on November 1st so they are more than half way through. The show is set to begin airing sometime around the first of February.
Palau is a small group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean. It is southeast of the Philippines. For more info on the country try visiting this site: Click Here
On next weeks episode one Survivor tries to solidify a Final Four position, but is crushed to learn that things aren't always what they seem. The Survivors are surprised by an emotional reunion with their loved ones. But only one castaway gets quality time with their loved one.
At the Immunity Challenge, castaways are surprised to get special help for the competition.
One Survivor approaches a tribemate with a plan for the upcoming Tribal Council vote. Caught off-guard, the tribemate tries to deflect the vote.
November 19, 2004 American Idol
If you are any kind of American Idol fan at all you know that next Wednesday at 9/8c FOX will air "Kelly, Ruben and Fantasia: Home For Christmas". The one hour special will feature all three American Idols. Of course as a fan you also know that AI Runner Up Clay Aiken has his own special coming up. A Clay Aiken Christmas will air on December 8th at 8/7c. Clays guests will include Barry Manilow, Yolanda Adams, and Megan Mullally.
OK, how come the three Idols share a special, and Clay gets his own? Hmmmmm?
I admit I did that just to annoy some people. Go ahead now, write your emails.
While were on the American Idol subject -
American Idol 4 debuts on FOX on Tuesday, January 18. That Tuesday and Wednesday will be devoted to audition episodes. Semi-final rounds will be aired on February 8, 9, 15 and 16 and then the following week we will get down to the voting. Speaking of which there is absolutely nothing to indicate that the tragically flawed voting system has been repaired. You can count that as my first of this seasons many snarky comments about American Idol voting.
The Amazing Race 6
We love this show! Tuesday nights 6th season premiere was fantastic. The people, the adventure, the production values all keep getting better and better. Once again they prove why they have two Emmys sitting on the shelf. And we are not alone. The premire picked up 11.8 million viewers. That "delivered the best scores for the opening segment of the series since the inaugural edition's debut in September 2001" according to Variety. Congrats! And thanks again CBS.
Briefly
Bravo Manhunt hostess and falsely rumored Gilligan's Island starlet Carmen Electra will star in a FOX sitcom.
Jessica Simpson will star in Room Service a movie about a spoiled young hotel heiress who is forced to work for a living. Imagine being Paris Hilton and not getting that part.
November 18, 2004 Gilligan's Island
TBS has released the details on the casts, yes that is right, casts of Gilligan's Island.
While we were all busy speculating on the identity of who would be the movie star on the Reality TV version of Gilligan's Island, TBS was busy creating a show with two complete casts. That's right, two casts. We were ultimately right, Ginger will be played by Rachel Hunter. She will also be played by Nicole Eggert. It's two casts which represent two competing teams.
The Castaways to Meet on Island in Two-Hour Premiere Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)
The first of many twists and the identities of the castaways have been revealed for the new reality series The Real Gilligan's Island on TBS. The series will feature two sets of castaways who personify the original Gilligan's Island characters are stranded on an island and challenged to find a way off.
The show was cast from a nationwide search and features two real-life skippers, two first mates, two millionaire couples, two movie stars, two Midwest farm girls and two professors. The castaways must work together, as the original castaways did in the 1960s sitcom, to get off the island. Each of the castaways competes against his/her character counterpart for a spot in the final cast of seven characters.
The Gingers
Rachel Hunter is an actress and model originally from New Zealand. She has starred in such movies as Best Actress, Rock Star, Sydney and MacArthur Park. She is an international cover model, having posed for Sports Illustrated, Playboy and numerous other publications worldwide. She has starred in several music videos, including "Stacey's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne.
Nicole Eggert is an actress from Los Angeles. She has been acting since age 5 and most notably starred as a blonde beauty on Baywatch for several years. She also starred in the sitcom Charles in Charge and has had recurring roles in such shows as Boy Meets World, Clueless, Who's the Boss and T.J. Hooker. She is featured on the cover of Sugar Ray's album Lemonade and Brownies. Her feature film credits include Rich and Famous and Omega Syndrome.
The Gilligans
Chris O'Malley is 20 years old and works at a marina while attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Friends in his hometown of Boston have called him Gilligan for years because of his clumsy, easygoing and accident-prone nature. He once crashed a million-dollar boat into another million-dollar boat because he was distracted by a pretty girl.
Mark Groesbeck, a.k.a. "Gooner," is 31 years old from Weedsport, N.Y. and is the ultimate goofball. Standing 6'7" tall, he sees the humor in everything and does not take life too seriously. He enjoys spending time training his dog and is very proud of finding a wife who actually puts up with him.
The Mary Anns
Kate Koth is a 21-year-old farm girl from Manchester, Missouri. Her mom, Janet Koth, of Survivor 6: Amazon, taught her how to make coconut cream pies from scratch. She loves nature and being adventurous. She is in the "Have You Seen This Girl?" section of the December issue of Maxim magazine.
Amanda Dodson is a 21-year-old farm girl from Elsmore, Kansas. She is a college student and enjoys herding cattle, fishing, attending rodeos and baking in her spare time. She is an animal lover and has a pet cow. She has won county fair awards for horseback riding, baking, modeling and ceramics.
The Professors
Pat Abbott is a 64-year-old geology professor at San Diego State University. He has a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Texas. He also makes videos about earth science, frequently appears on newscasts as an expert on natural disasters and lectures on cruise ships. He enjoys athletics and traveling. As a historian of the earth and humanity, science is not only his career but also his continuous life passion.
Eric Anderson is a 36-year-old sociology professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He has four degrees, has authored four books and is an avid reader, writer and researcher. He prides himself on being a logical thinker, broadly intellectual, a problem solver, well-versed in earth science, as well as very handsome. He can be seen in the December issue of The Advocate, due out Nov. 23.
The Millionaires and Their Wives
Glenn and Mindy Stearns are 40 and 35 years old, respectively, and live in the Los Angeles area. Glenn owns 26 companies and is resourceful in spending and making money. Mindy is a television personality who previously co-hosted "DVD Weekend" on KTLA's News at 10 and was a former correspondent for Entertainment Tonight. Their net worth is over $500 million.
Bill and Donna Beaven are 47 and 45 years old, respectively, and hail from Kentucky. They own three companies in the fields of flooring supply distribution, real estate and recycling. They enjoy offshore powerboat racing and playing volleyball. Donna sees herself as an extravagant, competitive, loud and opinionated woman who enjoys bubble baths and jewelry. Their net worth is around $2 million.
The Skippers
Bob Fahey is a 52-year-old Plum Island, Mass., resident. He has been a skipper for 30 years and owns a small business. He is not terribly concerned with getting off the island, because he enjoys secluded tropical settings.
Jim Murray is a 55-year-old Massachusetts native who has spent time as a captain and first mate. Formerly in the US Navy, he has a vast knowledge of the mechanics and construction of boats. He is a natural leader and owns a stonemason business.
Many of the challenges that the contestants will face are modeled after some of the situations that occurred in the original series, such as building a seaworthy raft or knocking coconuts out of trees to get the milk. Other challenges include the millionaire couple eating a gourmet meal of mysterious island items and the first mate proving he has "sea legs." As with any reality series, there will, of course, be a number of surprises thrown at both the contestants and viewers.
November 17, 2004
You know you are a success when somebody steals from you. ABC must like NBC's The Biggest Loser because they have begun casting for You Are What You Eat. Subscribers to our Casting Newsletter received notice of the casting information on Monday. Click here for more.
The Bachelor
Yesterday we posed some questions about the future of The Bachelor / Bachelorette series on ABC....here are some answers.
The ratings for Bachelor 6 with older guy Byron have been disappointing and ABC has concluded it is an "age thing." That means the next Bachelor, whoever he is, will be a young hunk. We will get to watch a dumb young guy see how many times he can score rather than dumb middle-aged guy. What a twist!
The problem is not the age. The problem is the emphasis on Fantasy Suites and face sucking. While I admit that may be more fun to watch than the deep personality exploration needed to build a relationship, it continues to result in the men appearing to be cads and the women appearing to be pathetically desperate. People want to watch people they can respect and admire. And some face sucking.
The next Bachelorette was announced months ago, of course it is Bachelor Andrew Firestone's dumpette, Jenn Schefft. But it's been reported that Tina Panas, also known as Tina Fabulous is "traveling the country as a casting assistant to Johnnie Raines", casting producer of the show. Could she be scouting potential suitors for herself? When asked Raines would not confirm it, nor deny it, saying only that they were finishing up the filming of the Bachelorette with Jen Schefft and they would then move on to Bachelor 7.
Finally, somebody on the Bachelor crew can't keep their mouth shut. Reports are circulating on the final two, and the final pick made by Bachelor Byron. The source correctly identifed 37 year old Cyndi as fininishing number 3. That leaves Tanya and Bachelor Bob's reject, the broken hearted Mary. If you want to know the reported outcome, highlight the area below.
Begin Highlight: Tanya finishes in sloppy second and Mary is the chosen one. Byron does propose to her. In a couple of weeks we will here they have broken up. End Highlight
Fear Factor
This is simply too good to be true! A special February sweeps Fear Factor will boast six Reality TV stars. Survivor buddies Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morasca, Amazing Race winner and formerly married gay guy Reichen Lehmkul, The Bachelorette's Ryan Sutter, American Idol wannabe Nikki McKibbin and, here it is, Omarosa of Apprentice 1. This is a ratings killer! Who wouldn't tune in to see Omarosa chow down on cow rectum? My money says she wimps out.
November 16, 2004 Gilligan's Island
We reported a few weeks ago that Carmen Electra might well be Ginger on Gilligan's Island. We were wrong. USA Today broke the story yesterday morning and TBS confirmed it to us yesterday afternoon. Rachel Hunter is Ginger. For the story and photo click here.
America's Next Top Model
Toccara Jones made it perfectly clear; she was on ANTM to become America's First Black Plus Sized Super-Model. She didn't make it, but she tells TV Guide "I gave those skinny bitches a run for their money." She also says she "was speechless. I was truly, truly robbed" in reaction to her being shown the door. But don't feel sorry for her. The 500 store plus sized women's store, Avenue, wants her for a spokesmodel. Avenue CEO Raphael Benaroya says "There's certainly room on the runway for the likes of Toccara, she should give us a call!"
Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition
Extreme Makover is spinning off again. In the wake of the highly-succesful Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ABC is going ahead with one episdoe of Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition. If the show gets decent ratings they will pick it up as a series. The idea is to find couples that ABC thinks would deserve a paid for dream wedding. Reality TV Calendar will be helping ABC through our Casting Central Newsletter. Click here for more information.
The Bachelor
Has the identity of Bachelor Byron's final pick been revealed? Does he propose? Jenn Scheft is the next Bachelorette, but what about Tina Fabulous? Will answer those question in tomorrow's News and Rumors.
November 15, 2004
In our opinion Tuesday nights are back! And we couldn't be happier.
At 8/7c you have at least two great shows to choose from. Three if Monster House is not a repeat.
NBC's Biggest Loser is a wonderful change of pace for Reality TV. It's very easy to empathize with these people and become close to them. That makes it very watchable. The ratings are strong and we can't help but believe a second edition will be cast. There are three changes we hope they will make to the second season. Dump Caroline Rhea who really serves no purpose. Caroline's "Time to cut the fat" line is insulting and ignorant. It stands out as mean spirited in an otherwise gentle show. Why send anyone home? Does every Reality TV show have to send somebody home? Is there a checklist somewhere that producers adhere to? Be creative, find some other way to reward or punish the contestants.
FOX's Rebel Billionaire premiered last week to only 5 million viewers. That's disappointing but we hop FOX will give the show time to grow. This is good Reality TV and just plain good TV. Take the best parts of Fear Factor, The Amazing Race, and the Apprentice; delete the nastiness of Donald Trump and add the impish charm of Richard Branson and you have a great show. Exciting and entertaining. If you didn't watch it last week, watch it this week and then send me a note saying thanks.
Monster House on Discovery is great fun but new shows are occasional. If you have not given this one a try, you should. Don't think make over show. This has more to do with Survivor than Do It Yourself projects. Host Steve Watson deserves to be up there beside Jeff and Phil.
At 9/8c The Amazing Race is back for Race 6. Thank you CBS! This may be the best hour in Reality TV. We have every reason to believe this will be the best race yet. And we are still hoping CBS will see the wisdom of a Reality TV All Stars race.
At 10/9c there is a great change of pace with a Reality TV show that will make you laugh out loud. He's A Lady on TBS has been accused of being a one-trick-pony. The same basic joke over and over again. So why do we laugh week in and week out? Give it a try and find out.
November 14, 2004 Survivor
Cari C. takes a look at why Sarge got the boot.
I knew that Sarge was going home but that didn't stop me from hoping for a miracle. Instead I had to watch Chris put a big ole' knife in Sarge's back. What was up with that? "This is a vote for you, not against you." It looked like he was against him to me.
I was really hoping that the guys would be able to sway Scout and Twila to come over to there side. Those two are the only girls I like. I kind of liked Leann until last night. What was up with her becoming Julie's new best friend?
Sarge and the guys had a good plan. Nobody there likes Eliza. Julie and Leann said they would like to see her go and Scout hates her. I can't figure out what happened. If it would have been me, I would have persuaded Scout and Twila to vote out Eliza with them.
I know you are thinking that would have been a miracle if they could have pulled it off. You would be right but it might still happen. Did you see the previews? I think a lady will be the next person on the jury.
As for Sarge, he was the biggest threat to the women. He already won one physical immunity challenge and Ami hates the men anyway. He was doomed. I do hope he called Chris after he saw the show and told him off. Can you tell I am bitter? I loved Sarge and since he is from my state I am hoping to get a chance to interview him. Wish me luck.
Here is what CBS says about the next episdoe:
Two Survivors become "sacrificial lambs" and are tied up by their tribe.
A surreal Reward drives one Survivor to overindulge and pay for it later.
After a tumultuous night in which one castaway struggles to keep the camp together, it is decided that the most useless tribemate should go.
One Survivor is torn between joining a new alliance or thwarting an existing one. A tribemate exploits this indecision to work a plan.
Before Tribal Council, one Survivor makes a last-ditch effort to sway a tribemate. Will it work?
November 12, 2004 The Rebel Billionaire
The premiere of the Rebel Billionaire Tuesday night drew a disappointing five million viewers. Donald Trump of The Apprentice wasted no time demonstrating what a class act he truly is not. He told Extra "Branson's ratings were terrible, down the tubes. The Apprentice is the hottest show there is. Richard Branson, your ratings speak very loudly and you just got fired!" Kind of makes Omarosa seem dignified.
We hope FOX will have a little patience with this one and not pull the plug immediately. There are a lot of avid fans out there as evidenced by the Rebel Billionaire Viewing Parties springing up around the country. For more on that, click here. Give it time FOX. This show and the upcoming Amazing Race 6 on CBS is going to make Tuesday night "the night" for Reality TV fans. Even topping Thursdays. This seasons Survivor is simply becoming boring and ugly with the sexist agenda of the women. And although The Apprentice continues to have strong, but diminishing ratings, Trump's ego and nastiness is beginning to turn away viewers.
The Surreal Life
VH1 has begun taping of The Surreal Life 4. The show will air in January and this time around it will feature former pro-wrestler Chyna Doll, Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Gos, actor Christopher Knight (Peter Brady), actor Verne Troyer (Mini-Me), rapper Da Brat and America's Next Top Model winner Adrianne Curry. RTVC will again recap each episode for you. We'll have a new Surreal Life page with photos and more up soon.
The Apprentice
Professor Dan weighs in with why Chris was fired.
Raj blew it last week by not bringing in Chris after his Boardroom outburst, it was obvious that Trump wanted Chris gone. And so he gave Chris, the macho big-mouthed crude-talking salesman, the most "girly" task he could, and one that was absolutely tailor-made for Mosaic to win, since they had Sandy. It was even more unfair than the "clothes-designing" task was when the teams were split male and female and the females desperately needed a win.
Chris was right to feel hopeless - there really was no way his team could win this task, with him as leader and with Jennifer, Ivana, and Kevin to work with. But it was kind of fun, in a watching-a-car-wreck kind of way, to watch Trump get even with Chris for opening his big mouth.
November 11, 2004 The Rebel Billionaire
The first two episodes of The Rebel Billionaire were aired back to back Tuesday night. Is the show just a rip-off of The Apprentice and The Amazing Race? Does it move in to 'virgin' territory? Does it matter? RTVC Staff Writer Eleanor Meilinger takes a look at The Rebel Billionaire.
The series has attracted many critics before the first episode has even aired and they come from many diverse sources. Of course most television reviewers are clinging to the fact that the show is a "rip-off" of Donald Trump's show but it's time to get past the fact that most shows being produced these days are a rip-off of something else.
Regardless of what format a new series chooses to follow it eventually has to stand on its own merit or it is doomed to failure. Just look at "The Benefactor". When asked about his so-called rival, Trump, Richard Branson just laughs -especially since everyone seems to feel the need to note that he has better hair.
The business community in the U.K. is condemning Branson for feeding his ego with a vanity project. They feel the unconventional entrepreneur has neglected his duties as head of The Virgin Groups in order to indulge a whim and by offering his "job" in addition to the million-dollar prize; he is making a mockery of the enormous enterprise, which he sits at the helm. When asked by the New York Times why he would take on such a seemingly frivolous project Branson answered " If 'Rebel Billionaire' is a success, Virgin will be almost as well know in America as it is in England."
What Branson brings to this project is his unique, fun-loving, daredevil image. He is truly engaging. On a local Fox newscast this morning he admits that his knees turned to jelly and he was reluctant to "take the plunge" as they showed a clip from one of the future stunts that involves one contestant hanging over Victoria Falls while another person (in this case Branson) jumps into their arms. If the "hangee" fails to catch the "jumper" they will fall 350 feet - and Branson does! While viewing the tape you can see the joy he brought back from the experience. This is what he wants to share with his contestant's -and the audience. He has always maintained, "Business should be fun." He obviously feels that so should reality TV. Unfortunately that is becoming less and less the case.
Imitation was once considered the sincerest form of flattery. If Richard Branson has managed to incorporate some of the best aspects of formerly successful formats and assemble a captivating team of players, why not give him the benefit of the doubt?
We LOVE "The Amazing Race". With the global challenges and Branson himself putting it all on the line right alongside those competing for top honors this could be the perfect Tuesday night partner once AR6 returns next week. Tuesdays are looking PRIME once again!
I am going to come clean at the outset - you can expect my recaps and reviews of "Rebel Billionaire" to be a bit biased. I have been a big Branson fan for many years, since I "helped" a friend out with a term paper that followed his unique business philosophy that led to the success of many of the enterprises that bear the "Virgin" mantle. I always claimed that I'd be working for him when I "grew up" (though at 44 I'm still in the process!) I fly Virgin Atlantic for fun - literally - I have had my greatest flying experiences on the airline and usually return gushing about the flight experience more than the destination. Ten years ago I would have been first in line to apply for this show, now the closest I can get is armchair quarterback. I have big expectations for tonight's premiere and don't think I'll be disappointed, except for "Virgin Cola" Richard Branson hasn't let me down yet!
Perhaps with the arrival of "Rebel" we will all regain a sense of adventure. I know I already signed up for Virgin Galactic flight, right along with William Shatner. Now I have a couple years to come up with the $190,000 space fare. Unless I can get that job as space hostess…
November 9, 2004
RTVC Short Takes
Reality TV Stars will shine Sunday night at 8/7c during The American Music Awards on ABC.
A very interesting note was passed on to us from producer Dick Clark and we'd like to share it with you.
To Beatles fans (and fans of music) worldwide:
We are coming up on our 32nd American Music Awards this Sunday November 14th.
As Executive Producer of The American Music Awards, every once in a while I am fortunate to share in something very special. This year that something special will involve the Beatles.
An official announcement will be made on Wednesday which will be sent your way. I can tell you this for now:
We'll be showing a tape that hasn't been seen on US television for 40 years featuring historic footage with the Beatles performing two of their biggest hits. I'm sure it will be one of the highlights of the show.
Until Wednesday….(and then....Live this Sunday, November 14 on ABC-TV from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. 8-11 PM Eastern & Pacific time (7-10 Central)
Sincerely,
Dick Clark
We'll be watching. For more on the Reality TV connection to The American Music Awards, click here.
Congratulations to a very deserving show. Sunday nights two hour Extreme Makeover: Home Edition drew almost 21 million viewers. It' great to see an uplifting show like EMHE get the audience it deserves. Without a doubt it is the best Reality TV makeover show on the air and it just keeps getting better. Ty Pennington, the rest of the cast, the crew and sponsors Sears and Ford are doing a good thing, are making great TV and are being rewarded with great ratings.
In the not so great ratings and it's a shame department. My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss drew just under 5 million viewers for FOX. This is a shame for two reasons. First, FOX will cancel it before giving it a chance to grow and second, it's good TV. Not since Joe Schmo has there been a Reality TV show that was so funny and fun to watch. It's laugh out loud funny as the show skewers the pompous know-it-all contestants and lampoons the show that inspired it....The Apprentice.
Speaking of The Apprentice. Raj was fired last week and promptly asked receptionist Robin for her phone number. According to the AP he not only got it, he had dinner with her Friday night. Raj also says that Trump was right to fire him. He is looking to start a career in politics. We hope his handlers burn all his bow ties.
Did you catch the premiere of $25 Million Dollar Hoax. I think they were wise to limit it to 3 episodes. This one is going to be painful to watch. It lacks the humor of My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancee and the million dollar prize that the FOX show gave out at the end. Instead NBC cheaps out with a $400,000 prize package. Just what does that mean? Looks like everybody is getting screwed here. Screwed, not schmoed. NBC missed the difference.
Last and really least. Bravo has picked up Blow Out for a second season. The show edged over the one million viewers mark for it's finale which is a good showing for Bravo. Forgive the pun but we just see this as an over-blown version of The Restaurant and expect the second season will go down hill as well.
November 8, 2004 My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss
Reality TV Calendar Staff Writer Alisa takes a look at the premiere of My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss here and Staff Writer Evan D. Baltz recaps the show here.
Congratulations to FOX. This is good TV. They took The Apprentice and made no attempt to disguise the fact that they were stealing the format. Then they added in elements of their My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancee and SpikeTV's Joe Schmo and came up with Reality TV that is fascinating and funny. William August as N. Paul Todd is brilliant. The editing is crisp with no pace stopping filler. This is a show that lives up to it's potential and then some. We recommend it.
By the way...did you notice that Mr. N. Paul Todd is an anagram of Donald Trump?
November 5, 2004 My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss
Episode 1 premieres on Sunday, November 7th at 9/8c on FOX. The first task for the wannbe millionaires and clueless contestants is panhandling in Chicago. Below are photos and bios of the contestants more about the latest Reality TV series to "Schmo" people.
Annette, a 24-year-old salesperson from Whippany, NJ
Christine, a 30-year-old salesperson from Austin, TX
Damian, 29-year-old entrepreneur from Chicago, IL
Daniel, 29-year-old finance manager from Dallas, TX
David, 25-year-old financial advisor from Atlanta, GA
Douglas, 24-year-old investment banker from Greenville, NC
Elli, a 26-year-old entertainment marketing company owner from Jacksonville, FL
Kerry, a 29-year-old marketing director from Jersey City, NJ
Michael, 34-year-old liquor salesperson from Reading, MA
Robert, 28-year-old mortgage broker from Middlesex, NJ
Tonia, a 35-year-old from San Marcos, TX who works in construction
Whitney, a 26-years-old sales director from Atlanta, GA
The question is being asked - Is this another case of FOX ripping off yet another show? And if so, which show? The Apprentice, The Benefactor, MTV's The Assistant, Joe Schmo or FOX's own My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancee? Wait a minute. Isn't The Benefactor a rip off of The Apprentice? And the same for The Assistant and doesn't Joe Schmo rip off everything there ever was. And isn't the upcoming Invasion Iowa a rip off of Joe Schmo. Both produced by Rhett Reese. And it's star, William Shatner of Star Trek....wait, Star Trek was a rip off of Wagon Train. Michael Moore, you need to do a movie about all this.
Boss premieres November 7th on FOX and involves twelve contestants who believe they are competing for a job with a company called Iocor. The company is run by egomaniacal Donald Trump.....opps, sorry, that was typo. It's run by N. Paul Todd. But that's ok, neither Iocor nor Todd exist. Todd is played by August Caimi or William August depending on either Variety or TV Guide. Could they be ripping off each other? Am I ripping them off? No matter, we get to see twelve people dumb enough to think being living paint ball targets is how you get a major executive position. The whole world is being Schmo'd and the ratings are up.
What FOX has to say about it:
FOX busts down the boardroom doors and invites viewers into the outrageous unscripted comedy MY BIG FAT OBNOXIOUS BOSS, a new series from the producers of the hit FOX reality spoof “My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé.” With business-oriented reality shows ripe for the picking and overly confident young entrepreneurs believing they can conquer the world, MY BIG FAT OBNOXIOUS BOSS gets down to funny business Sunday, Nov. 7 (9:00–10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
November 4, 2004 Survivor Night
Survivor continues tonight, here's a look at what we can expect.
A Survivor gets fed up with the tribe and is ready for a change.
One castaway uses charm, flirtation and cuddling in an attempt to get in good with a tribemate.
Anxiety about a possible tribal merge leads one Survivor to make one-on-one pacts with numerous others.
One castaway gets into a war of words with a tribemate after being told what to do.
RTVC staff writers Alisa and Cari C. take a look at why John K. got the boot last week.
Alisa
You don't need to be a weatherman to see which way the wind blows. John's overall laziness as well as his routine napping while others were busting their butts all around him helped his departure from the Lopevi tribe.
Not only that, but as the only remaining young tribe member his days were numbered because he had a target on his back which made it a fairly easy decision to get rid of him.
Additionally, the two women plotted cleverly to make themselves useful and appeared to be trustworthy.
It was easier than taking candy from a baby. John, at the end was not a happy guy. He felt betrayed while being blind to his own weaknesses.
In a parting shot he said that he hoped that Chris would come in 1st, and Sarge 2nd. Everyone else should lose. I wonder why he picked on those two especially when they both voted for him to leave? We may never know the answer, but John's time on Vanuatu was over.
Cari C.
Poor old John, he got beat by the fat old guys. You know that had to put a dent in his ego. Why is it that the pretty people always think they have to band together to take down the ugly, old, fat people? I guess the fat boys showed John.
In all reality, John got the boot because he trusted the wrong person. He trusted Chris and opened his big mouth and said he thought they should vote out Chad. What an idiot! Chad was the one who was trying to persuade Chris to vote out Julie before John. I bet John felt like a big heel after he saw that.
Was booting John a good move? It will all depend on when the merge goes down and where Rory stands after the merge.
I think getting rid of John was a good thing. He was obviously lazy and has no idea how to play this game. I think he thought he would come in and be the next Colby or Ethan. Unfortunately for John, he played the game more like Jed or Silas. I guess it is back to the mechanical bull!
Survivor Recaps
November 3, 2004
American Music Awards Features RTV Stars
The American Music Awards Show will air on Sunday, November 14th at 8/7c on ABC.
The show will be a bonanza for Reality TV fans. American Idol will be well represented with AI One Kelly Clarkson, AI Two Runner-Up Clay Aiken and AI Three Fantasia all scheduled to present awards during the televised show. Fantasia is also scheduled to perform in her first major network performance since winning American Idol 3. Star of MTV's Newlyweds, Jessica Simpson is also scheduled to perform. Other Reality TV stars scheduled to present awards include Carmen Electra. Carmen is widely rumored to be the "movie star" on the upcoming Gilligan's Island.
Other RTV stars making presentations:
William Shatner of Invasion Iowa
Nicole Richie of Simple Life
Kathy Griffin of Celebrity Mole
Kelly Osbourne of The Osbournes
Producer Dick Clark has is own explanation for the popularity of Reality TV saying, "We are satiated with predictable outcomes. Reality television offers the chance for surprise.”
That chance for surprise may be why Bobbygate star Janet Jackson will introduce Usher and Alicia Keys who will perform their hit My Boo. Will something happen? Don't count on it but it will be fun to watch. Clark says "It is a challenge pulling 400 people together. If one guy missteps, it will all crumble. It is really a miracle. With 18 live performances all coming in and out, it is an impossible task but we pull it off.”
One of music's most exciting showmen, Usher, is this year's leading nominee for the American Music Awards, and singer/songwriter/pianist extraordinaire, Alicia Keys, who is a double AMA nominee, will perform their current chart-topping hit, My Boo, for the first time ever on TV. The performance will be introduced by music superstar Janet Jackson. The special, a presentation of Dick Clark productions, airs live on Sunday, November 14 on ABC-TV from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Executive Producer of the special, Dick Clark, noted One of the great things about the AMAs is the ability to bring performances to the air that are of the moment, and what could be more timely than the first live TV performance of the #1 song in America.
"I wish I could leave the producers table and get a seat out front for this one. It will surely be one of the highlights of the evening," he said.
On the special, Usher and Ms. Keys join a lineup of performers which already includes Kenny Chesney with Uncle Kracker, Fantasia, Josh Groban, Toby Keith, Lenny Kravitz, Maroon 5, John Mayer, Jessica Simpson, Snoop Dogg & Pharrell, Gwen Stefani, Twista,, Kanye West and Gretchen Wilson.
Also scheduled to appear on the show as presenters are Clay Aiken, Pamela Anderson, According To Jim s Jim Belushi, Brooks & Dunn, Chingy, Ciara, Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, Carmen Electra, Macy Gray, Kathy Griffin, Billy Idol, Lil Flip, Teena Marie, MercyMe, Nelly, Life As We Know It s Kelly Osbourne, The Simple Life s Nicole Richie, Boston Legal s William Shatner, Desperate Housewives Nicollette Sheridan, KISS Gene Simmons, John Stamos, Switchfoot, tennis superstars Serena & Venus Williams, and Ying Yang Twins.
Hosting the special will be Jimmy Kimmel. Additional performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.
November 2, 2004
RTVC Short Takes
The third season of Simple Life is currently being filmed. Paris and Nicole have left New York City aboard a working Grey Hound Bus. The New York Post quotes a source as saying, "They'll be staying with different families for different lengths of time while they do a variety of jobs." What a surprise. The bus travels a a route through the Northeast states and will conclude it's trip in Washington D.C. where filming will wrap in late November. Our prediction, this is the last hurrah for Paris and Nicole. You can only watch them deliberately screw up so many jobs and comment that "that is hot" so many times. Of course there is probably another porn scandal just around the corner, so who knows.
FOX has fired The Partner. The court room RTV show was canned before it made it on air. How many real life lawyers could you stand to watch anyway? Stacy was enough. The show's time slot was taken over by My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss which premieres this Sunday.
Things are getting shaken up for the next edition of Nashville Star. The third season will see an effort to appeal to a younger audience by concentrating on the "looks" of the performers more than in the two past seasons. No Buddy Jewell this time. Too bad. We've seen it before. Concentrate on looks and things go downhill from there. Lee Ann Rimes will replace Nancy O'Dell as the hostess.
ABC has picked up Wife Swap for a full season. This show may be a one trick pony put it is still fascinating to sneak a peek at the lives of others. Makes us feel normal by comparison.
Entertainment giant Time Warner is trying to buy Reality TV giant Endemol. The offer is two billion-with-a-b pounds. Endemol is notable for bringing us Big Brother. Time Warner is notable for buying things. We hope a great production company does not get lost in the process.
Nobody is offering to buy RTVC, but if Time Warner offered we'd be on our way to the Caymans in a flash.
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November 1, 2004
The Rebel Billionaire
FOX Press Release:
WHO WILL BE KNIGHTED "BRANSON'S BEST"?
16 OF AMERICA'S BRIGHTEST ENTREPRENEURS COMPETE FOR A MILLION DOLLARS AND THE JOB OF A LIFETIME ON "THE REBEL BILLIONAIRE: BRANSON'S QUEST FOR THE BEST" SPECIAL 2-HOUR PREMIERE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, ON FOX
Sir Richard Branson, risk-taking founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group of Companies, will lead 16 young entrepreneurs on an epic competition around the world in THE REBEL BILLIONAIRE: BRANSON'S QUEST FOR THE BEST.
Sir Richard will jet these would-be moguls to international destinations to relive some of his personal experiences, tackling the types of dilemmas and life-or-death challenges that help shape future billionaires. If they succeed, they will continue onward. If not, each week, they could find themselves left behind on the tarmac as the rest of the group jets off to the next adventure. Unbeknownst to the participants, they are competing for the biggest prize in reality TV history – the Presidency of Virgin Worldwide and a million dollars. The series debuts with a special two-hour premiere Tuesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and will air in its regular time period beginning Tuesday, Nov. 16 (8:00–9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
The 16 entrepreneurs are:
AISHA
27, a married pharmaceutical sales representative from Chicago, IL.
CANDIDA
30, owner of a raw foods company from Orange County, CA.
ERICA
28, a model from Los Angeles, CA.
GABRIEL
34, a real estate investor currently residing in Miami Beach, FL. The co-owner of three pizza parlors by the age of 19, Gabriel graduated from Duke University and obtained his MBA from Stanford.
HEATHER
31, a married mother of two from Chicago, IL. Heather is a graduate of Princeton University and currently is the CEO of a video production company that produces educational videos for children.
JENNIFER
24, a radio advertising executive living in Philadelphia, PA, who is traveling outside the United States for the first time.
JERMAINE
30, a married technology sales specialist/inspirational speaker from Kansas City, KS.
JESSICA
27, former owner of an internet/phone sales company, currently living in Washington, DC.
MICHAEL
28, a Wall Street strategist living in New York City.
NICOLE
31, a labor attorney from San Francisco, CA, who worked her way through law school as a model.
SAM
24, a financial analyst residing in San Jose, CA.
SARAH
33, the owner/CEO of Spanx, Inc., a national women's apparel company based in Atlanta, GA.
SHAUN
27, the married CEO of The Love Sac Corporation, a national retail chain based in Salt Lake City, UT.
SPENCER
27, a car salesman from Austin, TX.
STEVE
23, a tennis pro currently residing in North Miami, FL. A recent Yale graduate, Steve is the president of a real estate management and investment firm.
TIM
30, a trial attorney from Chicago, IL.
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