reality blurred + archives + October 31 to November 6, 2010

week of October 31, 2010

Phil Keoghan responds to criticism that The Amazing Race is no longer really amazing
Well before season 17 of The Amazing Race began, I talked to its host, Phil Keoghan about what I think is the series general decline...
American Idol season 10 promos highlight winners, not judges
The first promos for American Idol's 10th season are out, and guess what they focus on? Not the judges--and thus the absence of Simon Cowell....

Russia brings challenging challenges, changes reminiscent of the old Amazing Race
I waited until enough of The Amazing Race 17 had passed to report on my conversation with Phil Keoghan about my disappointment with the show,...
Men will compete to become Ken, Barbie's "ultimate boyfriend for every occasion"
An online reality series will be a competition between men who think they are the living embodiment of Ken, Barbie's genital-less plastic boyfriend. Perhaps because...

Survivor challenge rehearsal footage argues that it looks simple but is "tough"
A challenge we'll see on tomorrow night's Survivor Nicaragua has been previewed online via footage of the Dream Team's rehearsal of the challenge, which tries...
Amazing Race in HD: it's finally going to high definition
The Amazing Race will soon be filmed in high definition. Host Phil Keoghan recently told me that even he didn't know why the show wasn't...
Real World's return to Las Vegas "helping the economy now"
The Real World 25 is currently filming in Las Vegas, a season it has been to before, although this time it's at the Hard Rock...
MTV apologizes for Jersey Shore reunion "tranny" mocking
MTV has apologized for a scene on Jersey Shore reunion during which its host, Julissa Bermudez, and several cast members referred to a person Mike...
Skating with the Stars cast: six people, no stars
The Dancing with the Stars spin-off Skating with the Stars cast was announced tonight, and of course the new series has stretched the definition of...

Circus goes behind the scenes of the Big Apple Circus
Tonight, a six-part reality series on PBS explores circus life as goes behind the scenes of the Big Apple Circus, a one-ring, European-style circus. The...
Sean Duffy becomes the first Real World cast member elected to Congress
Lumberjack, prosecutor, and The Real World Boston cast member Sean Duffy has been elected to Congress. After receiving 52 percent of the vote in Wisconsin's...
Real World's Jamie cast in Hangover sequel
The Real World San Diego's Jamie Chung has been cast in the sequel of The Hangover, and is challenging The Real World London's Jacinda Barrett...

How the Survivors would introduce themselves at the merge if they were honest
Survivor Nicaragua has reached its halfway point, and it's time for the merge--and some insane stuff like theft, confessions, and a lack of consequences for...
Bachelorette 5 contestant Julien found dead
One of the men featured on Jillian Harris' season of The Bachelorette has been found dead. Julien Hug, a 34-year-old restaurateur from San Diego, was...
Storm Chasers star Matt killed himself in May
A star of Discovery's Storm Chasers killed himself in May, but Matt Hughes' death was made public on last night's episode of the show. He...
Mark Burnett's new ABC series Expedition Impossible sounds like the next great network reality show
ABC has announced a new Mark Burnett-produced competition series that will air next summer, and it sounds like a combination of The Amazing Race, Survivor,...
CBS releases details about HD Amazing Race
The current season of The Amazing Race will be the last one filmed in standard definition, as its 18th season next spring will be the...

Donald Trump finally fires David after trying to out him
The Apprentice finally got rid of its "virus" David Johnson last night, but he was fired not for his crazy behavior--which has tamed in recent...
Supernanny Jo Frost quitting after this season
The seventh season of ABC's Supernanny debuts tonight at 8 p.m. ET with an episode about out-of-control teenagers, and marks the beginning of the show's...
Next week: idol-flushing on Survivor, a cheating scandal on Apprentice, and the Fashion Show tries again
Some big stuff is going down on competition series next week, from the rebirth of a cable competition to a scandal on a network series...