reality blurred + archives + April 23 to April 29, 2006

week of April 23, 2006

TLC renews Little People, Big World; A&E renews Dog the Bounty Hunter and Intervention
Two cable networks are picking up additional seasons of successful reality series. TLC, which is moving away from Trading Spaces-style shows, has renewed Little People,...
Shannen Doherty will break up bad relationships on Oxygen; Elvira wants to find her replacement
Shannen Doherty is bringing her wealth of relationship experience to Oxygen, where she'll star in a summer reality show that features her breaking up people's...
Phil Keoghan's Amazing Race blog is a real-time, behind-the-scenes look at the race
Official reality TV show blogs are usually these are worth avoiding; more often than not, they're self-serving, boring, or both. Thus, I never visited Amazing...
American Idol's ratings are dropping week to week, and from the performance to the results show
American Idol 5 may run over, stop, go into reverse, and run over again any show that dares step into its path, and its two...
Apprentice still gets $1-2 million for product placement despite 41 percent slip in 18-49
Despite slipping ratings, The Apprentice "can still command $1 million to $2 million from advertisers for integration," Advertising Age reports. The show "has lost 41%...

The Amazing Race 9: the lost episode
A few weeks ago, I accidentally deleted my notes for the fourth episode of The Amazing Race 9. I was so annoyed with myself that...
Japan won't have its own version of The Apprentice because of its "distinctive form of capitalism"
There's a separate, localized UK version of The Apprentice, but there won't be a similar such version in Japan. That's because Fremantle Media, which distributes...
PBS announces Texas Ranch House cast, promotes show with MooTube
PBS' next historical reality series debuts next Monday at 8, airing two hour episodes for four nights. The show's site now includes profiles of the...
Idol adding an extra phone number for each contestant
On tonight's American Idol 5 performance show, each contestant will be assigned not one but two phone numbers. That's "[t]o reduce busy signals," the Atlanta...
Ryan Seacrest says he no longer speaks to Paula Abdul
Ryan Seacrest and Paula Abdul have an "awkward" relationship, the American Idol host says. In fact, as he tells People, he is no longer speaking...
Project Runway 3 will debut this summer; final three may show at fall Fashion Week
Breaking tradition, the third season of Project Runway is scheduled to debut this summer, reality blurred has confirmed with Bravo. With the early start, that...

American Dreamz tanks, opening in ninth place
The movie that pretends to parody American Idol crashed and burned at the box office this past weekend. According to final numbers, American Dreamz brought...
Paula Abdul bursts into tears after Elliot Yamin sings and just generally acts crazy
It was another night of non-performance-related drama on American Idol 5. While there were no jokes about drunken judges, there was a random emotional outburst...
Ashley Parker Angel "almost completely cut off [his] finger" on Celebrity Cooking Showdown
Attention C-list celebrities who want to increase your stock by appearing on a cheesy reality TV show: participation may ruin your career, and not just...
Ryan, Paula deny they're fighting
The drama between Ryan Seacrest and Paula Abdul is basically nonexistent, the two are now saying. Earlier this week, Ryan told People magazine that he...

Jeremy bottoms and Fran and Barry sleep with a group on The Amazing Race 9
In its eight episode, The Amazing Race 9 returned to the homoeroticism that has become this season's version of the hypocritical religiosity that was pervasive...
Bruce says it took eight hours for him to get medical care on Survivor
Bruce's medical problem on last week's episode of Survivor Panama was eventually treated, but it took eight hours for him to get medical care. First,...
Judges apologize to Katharine and Kellie Pickler says goodbye
Although a record number of votes were cast last night--"over 47 and a half million ... the highest non-finale vote since Idol began," Ryan Seacrest...

Fox Reality plans porn star show
The Fox Reality Channel will this fall air a three-hour, three-episode series that follows four porn stars as they learn to act. My Bare Lady...
Ford signs Kelly Clarkson, plans its own "dream car" reality show
Ford is extending its involvement in the reality TV business, in addition to its sponsorship of American Idol. First, the car manufacturer is changing its...
Ivana Young Man finally airs this weekend
Ivana Trump's reality special finally airs on Oxygen this weekend, debuting Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. On the show, Ivana helps a middle-aged woman select...
Randy Jackson signs for three more years
Randy Jackson has signed with FOX for three more years of American Idol, thus assuring that the dysfunctional family will remain intact, as long as...
MTV plans Entourage-inspired reality series twentyfourseven
The tradition of reality series borrowing their formats from successful scripted series continues with twentyfourseven, an upcoming MTV show that models itself after HBO's Entourage....