reality blurred + archives + March 26 to April 1, 2006

week of March 26, 2006

CBS' first docu-soap Tuesday Night Book Club will follow upper-middle class women
CBS is planning its first non-competition, documentary-style reality show. Tuesday Night Book Club will follow "the lives of a group of women living in an...
Tim Gunn is "resigned to" being "very single"
It's impossible to get enough Tim Gunn, and thus it's forgivable to link now to an interview Tim did back in February. It's better to...
Simon Cowell wants more money, sometimes goes commando, is attracted to "great tits"
The cover of the April 6 edition Rolling Stone promises "the secrets of the unstoppable starmaking machine" known as American Idol. Inside, however, the magazine...
Chris Daughtry's "I Walk the Line" performance still generating controversy
Some people are all up in a tizzy about Chris Daughtry's performance on American Idol 5 last week. That's because he "sang a rendition of...
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's "creepy wish list" includes kids with Progeria, Down syndrome
Once upon a time, we'd like to imagine that families in need of improved housing contacted Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to be cast on the...
Kelly Osbourne will live in a brothel for her new MTV reality show
Just when you thought The Osbournes were off the telly forever, here comes one of them with a brand-new MTV reality show. Kelly Osbourne will...

Rookies win Gauntlet 2 after veterans quit final challenge
The Gauntlet 2 ended last night, six or eight weeks too late. The season started strong but dropped off almost instantly; from the lame game...
Idol audience is coached to "help the ratings"; montages use footage from rehearsals
A trio of stories reveal the subtle massaging that occurs behind the scenes at American Idol 5. This isn't full-scale manipulation, but part of the...
Jordan Knight quits Surreal Life Fame Games, was replaced by Verne Troyer
The Surreal Life: Fame Games, the seventh season of the VH1 show, was being filmed in Las Vegas last week when a cast member quit....
Matt and Suzy get engaged on The Today Show
The Biggest Loser 2 produced a lot of weight loss--and a relationship. This morning, the couple that met on the show, Matt Hoover and Suzy...

Mario Vazquez, American Idol quitter, has a new single and upcoming album
American Idol 4 quitter Mario Vazquez has a new single that "was shipped to radio stations this week, in two versions -- one in English...
Danielle and Dani eliminated from The Amazing Race 9
On last night's episode of The Amazing Race 9, Danielle and Dani were eliminated. That, I suspect, made half of Eric and Jeremy upset and...
Paula flirts with Ace while Simon and Randy panic
The American Idol 5 top 10 performed songs that were actually popular during their lifetimes last night, taking away Taylor's advantage for the first time....
Idol screwed up Mandisa's phone number
Amid all of the Paula flirting with Ace excitement on American Idol 5 last night, there was perhaps an even more serious transgression. For a...
American Idol "song choice" involves a lot of work behind the scenes
Besides being accused of being "pitchy," whatever the hell that means, the American Idol contestants most often find themselves being criticized for their song choice....
Paula Abdul signs three-year Idol contract
Paula Abdul will continue her insipid brand of judging on American Idol for another three years. In a press release, Paula's quoted, and her statement...

FX's Black. White. is hemorrhaging viewers
After debuting with record-tying ratings three weeks ago, FX's Black. White. has actually lost more than 2.5 million viewers. The show debuted with "close to...
Lisa Tucker leaves Idol and is joined in a shocking! bottom three by Ace and Katharine
Only one underage contestant remains on American Idol 5, as 16-year-old Lisa Tucker was eliminated last night. Lisa was joined in the bottom three not...
Enuff Z'Nuff, Bow Wow Wow perform tonight in Vegas as part of Bands on the Run 2
Tonight at the Cheyenne Saloon in Las Vegas, Enuff Z'Nuff will perform as part of Bands on the Run 2. They'll be playing as "part...
The Amazing Race 9 moves to Wednesdays
After suffering from lower-than-normal ratings in its new 10 p.m. timeslot, The Amazing Race 9 is moving to Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. That's its...

The WB's Survival of the Richest debuts tonight
Yet another reality show about class differences debuts tonight when The WB kicks off its new series Survival of the Richest at 8 p.m. ET....
NBC Apprentice poll "could have a big effect on [Trump's] ultimate decision"
At the end of last week's Apprentice, Donald Trump said that we, as viewers, could help him decided who to select as his next apprentice....
RCA posts "clarification" about the release date for Clay Aiken's second album
RCA, the record label for everyone's favorite American Idol runner-up, posted a release date for Clay's second studio album, removed it, and is now explaining...

Reality TV producers band together to create a new genre of television
This satirical story is part of the April 1, 2006 edition of reality blurred. Fighting back against relentless criticism that they fake their shows and...
FOX buying DialIdol, Vote for the Worst, and reality TV blogs to promote American Idol
This satirical story is part of the April 1, 2006 edition of reality blurred. News Corp., continuing to acquire popular online properties, has purchased American...
Project Runway will be combined with Queer Eye for its third season
This satirical story is part of the April 1, 2006 edition of reality blurred. Bravo is shaking things up for the third season of Project...
ABC fires Ty Pennington, producer from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
This satirical story is part of the April 1, 2006 edition of reality blurred. ABC has fired Extreme Makeover: Home Edition host Ty Pennington and...