reality blurred + archives + November 1 to November 7, 2009

week of November 1, 2009

South Park brilliantly rips Whale Wars as talk shows parody Real Housewives, Survivor
A number of reality shows were parodied last week, starting with one of my favorite reality series, Whale Wars, which was parodied on South Park...

Celebrity Apprentice 3 Kodak challenge reveals which team is already doing poorly
With The Celebrity Apprentice 3 now taping in New York, and involving real people in some of its challenges, it's inevitable that details about those...
TLC airing NBC News-produced interview with Kate, and NBC News had "final approval"
Having completely run out of ideas and/or footage to bleed every last penny out of Jon & Kate Plus Eight and its little walking billboards,...
Amazing Race 15 teams melt down, give up in Amsterdam
Welcome to the part of every Amazing Race season where not much happens except teams break down because they've had enough. Learning that they were...
ABC will air five more episodes of Shark Tank
Shark Tank, the U.S version of Dragon's Den, ended its first season a few weeks ago, but will air five more episodes--although those don't constitute...
Army did not apologize to Ryan Seacrest, whose arrested stalker is an Army reservist
Ryan Seacrest's stalker, who was arrested Friday after entering the E! building with a knife and charged today with felony stalking, is not in the...

Magical Elves will produce second season of Dance Your Ass Off
Oxygen has renewed Dance Your Ass Off for a second season, but has replaced its producer, 495 Productions, with Magical Elves, the production company with...
By the People: The Election of Barack Obama doesn't use its behind-the-scenes access well
Good documentaries tell us--and, even better, show us--something we don't already know. This is the problem with By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,...
Cheaters host Joey Greco's stabbing was staged, paid actor says
Cheaters has been on the air for nine years now, documenting scorned lovers confronting their cheating partners in the act, with a camera crew in...

Top Chef skips another week but reunites former contestants for an "all stars dinner"
For the second time this season, Bravo is depriving us of a new episode of Top Chef, but instead of a repeat, is airing a...
Billy Bell gets into SYTYCD's next top 100, while Brandon Dumlao can re-audition
Billy Bell, who was sidelined from So You Think You Can Dance due to a mysterious, potentially deadly illness, will return to the competition next...
Tiffany and Maria didn't quit TAR15, they took a 24-hour penalty for quitting the Detour
After apparently quitting during Sunday's episode of The Amazing Race, pro poker players Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle did a round of interviews in which...
Bachelor 14 will be in high definition
With the debut of its 14th season, The Bachelor will join other network reality shows that are broadcast in high definition. Jillian Harris reject Jake...
Adam Jasinski indicted by grand jury, remains jailed
Now that Richard Hatch is out of prison, it's great that we have another imprisoned, dumbass reality show winner to follow: Big Brother 9 winner...

Celebrity Rehab offered $200,000 to Artie Lange; Dr. Drew saves football player's life
Getting help from Dr. Drew on VH1's Celebrity Rehab offers a significant benefit to its stars beyond sobriety: lots of cash, which may explain why...
Willie Aames tries to rebuild his life on VH1 special Broke and Famous
Tonight at 10 p.m. ET, VH1 debuts a one-hour special that explores Charles in Charge star Willie Aames, who has gone from being a millionaire...
reality blurred now has iPhone and mobile phone versions
I recently learned that some people with newfangled mobile phones actually use them to access the Internets, and perhaps even sites like this one. So,...

Jeana quit Real Housewives over money, which "wasn't enough"
Jeana Keough has confirmed rumors she's leaving The Real Housewives of Orange County because of money. She'll appear in the first three episodes of the...
Project Runway 6 has its final three, and just two episodes to go
"I'm a bit shocked to see this from you today," Heidi Klum said to one of the designers while critiquing her dress. That's exactly what...
Russell and Erik both get blindsided; Erik "was completely vilified in five minutes"
Finally: Survivor Samoa kicked into overdrive, with the merge episode pulling it out of its mid-season slump. After the tribes merged into Aiga, which Brett...
Next week: Headhunters rescue soldiers and a Real Worlder goes back to Iraq
A look back at the first week in November and a look ahead at next week: The Past The beginning of November started with a...