reality blurred + archives + November 15 to November 21, 2009

week of November 15, 2009

CBS' censorship of Amazing Race teams calls attention to what it tries to hide in Estonia
As the remaining Amazing Race 15 teams raced through Estonia, there was drama, physical conflict, and blurred bulges. Yet it was also painfully obvious how...
Jon Gosselin sues TLC for $5 million over "great anguish" and "financial losses"
In response to TLC's lawsuit against him, Jon Gosselin has sued the network for $5 million. His attorney Mark Heller told People that TLC's "behavior...
Ethan Zohn undergoing radiation, stem cell transplant, is still "focused" and "positive"
Survivor Africa winner Ethan Zohn is now is now halfway through 25 days of radiation for his stage two Hodgkin's lymphoma, and that will be...
Adam Lambert worried gay photos would "fuck things up" for him on American Idol
Adam Lambert is part of Out magazine's Out 100 for 2009, and in an interview, he addresses what he thought when photos of him making...
Phil Keoghan was "pleased" with conflict from gay brothers, Globetrotters, who were "cool"
Watching this outtake from last night's The Amazing Race 15 episode, I was kind of disturbed. While the episode ended with Sam and Dan, and...
Numb3rs compares Survivor players to prisoners
A day after Padma's appearance on 30 Rock, another prime-time scripted series had a guest appearance by a reality show, though only in the form...

Heidi, Spencer get book-release headlines by shopping reality show, attacking Al Roker
Heidi and Spencer Pratt's "insipid" book is being released today, and they're all over the news. How amazing. First, they're making headlines thanks to an...
19 Entertainment didn't want Adam Lambert to appear "too gay" in Out magazine
Although Adam Lambert talked to Out magazine with refreshing honesty about his sexuality and other subjects, but 19 Entertainment, his management and record label, don't...
Adam Lambert to Out: "refrain from projecting your publications' agenda onto my career"
Adam Lambert responded to Out magazine's editor's claims that Adam's management and publicists didn't want him to appear "too gay" in the magazine's coverage of...
Julianne Hough won't return for Dancing with the Stars 10
Julianne Hough won't return for Dancing with the Stars 10 next season after skipping season nine, which means her second attempt at quitting seems to...

Dancing with the Stars 9 has its final three
Dancing with the Stars 9 is down to three, um, stars and their professional partners: Donny Osmond, Mya, and Kelly Osbourne. Joanna Krupa and Derek...
TLC and Kate make Jon look better by trying to make him look bad
Monday night's penultimate Jon & Kate Plus Eight was composed of "never before seen footage," and it was titled "Broken Dreams, Broken Promises, Broken Episodes."...
A&E previewing Steven Seagal: Lawman online tonight; "this is not Hollywood; it's for real"
The most anticipated celebrity-doing-a-job-that-seems-wildly-inappropriate-yet-somehow-perfect series has to be A&E's Steven Seagal: Lawman, although he faces heavy competition from Tony Danza teaching high school English for...
Chef Academy's Emmanuel DelCour is porn star Jean Val Jean
Bravo tells us on-screen that Chef Academy cast member Emmanuel DelCour is a "graphic artist," and on its web site says he "has acted in...
Survivor starts casting for seasons 21 and 22, which would tape next summer
Survivor is now casting for seasons 21 and 22, although it has not yet been officially renewed by CBS, nor has Jeff Probst announced whether...

HBO's Terror in Mumbai and PBS' Mumbai Massacre docs use audio, interviews from terrorists, victims
One year ago on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, 173 people were killed and hundreds were wounded in Mumbai as a result of 10 simultaneous terrorist attacks....
After being beaten up by Insider panel, Spencer apologizes, Heidi will try to be "more positive"
The Insider's panel of pseudo-journalists and C-list celebrities may be establishing itself as the go-to jury for taking down reality stars who need to be...
Top Model has its shortest, youngest winner yet in Nicole Fox
Nicole Fox is America's next next next next next next next next next next next next next top model, winning the short model cycle of...
NBC's United Plates of America's prize called "biggest ever": a restaurant chain
NBC has announced a new series that will award what it calls "arguably the biggest prize in reality show history," which is "a new restaurant...

Heather: Hell's Kitchen sponsors "not going to completely trust someone they saw on TV"
It's no surprise that Hell's Kitchen doesn't have a great track record of awarding its prizes to its winners, but its winners have rarely discussed...
Lifetime's Project Runway 6 finds a winner, and it's not viewers
Seven months after the three finalists presented collections at Fashion Week, Project Runway 6 ended, with the win going to Irina Shabayeva. Although Heidi told...
Tie vote leads to Laura being voted out during an episode that was "good shit," as Erik said
At the end of last night's Survivor Samoa episode, jury member Erik excitedly whispered, "Man, this is good shit." He was thrilled that Galu was...
Next week: give thanks for Jon and Kate Plus Eight's finale, and Mythbusters, Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs marathons
Next week is Thanksgiving week, and while I'll update with breaking news for the first part of the week, I'll be taking some time away...