reality blurred + archives + November 9 to November 15, 2008

week of November 9, 2008

Danity Kane members reportedly refuse to be part of Making the Band's next season
Danity Kane lost Aubrey O'Day and D. Woods, and now Making the Band 4 might lose the remaining three members for its next season, if...
David Archuleta and David Cook's albums out this week and next, both happy for each other
On Tuesday, American Idol 7 runner-up David Archuleta's self-titled record will be in stores. One week later, on Nov. 18, winner David Cook's self-titled debut...
Style Network's Ruby documents a 500-pound woman's efforts to lose weight
Ruby Gettinger currently weighs around 500 pounds, but has weighed in the 700s. Her underwear costs $30, she can't go to the bathroom on airplanes...
Nathan wins Top Design 2, which is now Bravo's second-best reality competition
Top Design 2 concluded Wednesday with Nathan Williams winning the $100,000 prize, defeating Preston Lee and Ondine Karady. The judges said they appreciated Nathan's growth...

Colorful dye during Holi in India covers teams, gives The Amazing Race its best challenge ever
In 13 seasons of The Amazing Race, I cannot remember a challenge that was more entertaining, more visually interesting, and more culturally rich than last...
Teams get dyed in congested India
Last week, I was without television while having my own Amazing Race experiences and learning the definition of "uncomfortably hot," so I didn't watch the...
Behind the press' visit to Survivor Gabon
Jeff Probst's latest behind-the-scenes of Survivor Gabon is online, and it focuses on the press visit, which lasts from a few days before production begins...

American Idol's web site made $13 million
The money-printing machine known as American Idol is worth $2.5+ billion, and brings in about $500 million a year in advertising revenue. And the show's...
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater story explores life of the "Machiavellian godfather" of politics
If you can take any more political television after nine months of non-stop campaign coverage, Frontline presents a documentary tonight about a legendary political operative...

19 Entertainment says it will let Idols out of their contract if they have record deal offers
Although American Idol contestants are locked into a three-month contract, 19 Entertainment said "if the contestant is in danger of losing a recording contract because...
Top Chef 5 heads to New York, loses Ted Allen
Top Chef 5 arrives at 10 p.m. ET tonight, just in time to drag the network out of its post-Project Runway, filler-filled (First Class All...
Amazing Race 13, 14 fake results posted on Wikipedia
Results for the entire Amazing Race 13 and Amazing Race 14 seasons have been posted on Wikipedia, although they were quickly removed and, for season...
Paula Abdul's "number-one fan" found dead near Paula's home, auditioned during season 5
A woman who auditioned for American Idol 5 and was identified as judge Paula Abdul's "number-one fan" was found dead of an apparent suicide outside...

New cable series include Joan Rivers interviewing rich people on TV Land, SoapNet's Real Housewives clone
Several cable networks have recently revealed plans for future reality series. SoapNet has announced two new unscripted series: Southern Belles is basically SoapNet's rip-off of...
Charlie O'Connell, Sarah Brice back together, plan to marry
Usually couples who meet on The Bachelor just break up, but the unthinkable has happened: a couple who met on the show and later broke...
Top Chef 5 has record debut but fewer viewers than Project Runway
Top Chef 5's debut Wednesday night was the show's highest-rated debut ever, but the show still attracted fewer people than watched the season premiere of...

Rudy's wife Marge Boesch died
For the second time this season, an episode of Survivor Gabon has been dedicated to the memory of someone who has died. Last night's episode...
Nigel Lythgoe: "I don't like fourth judges"
Former American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe may have left the show, but he's now offering his judgment of the show he's no longer associated...
Nobag's power players are no fun
Long before the somewhat surprising ending of Survivor Gabon last night, I was struck by who was left and how much I was annoyed by...