reality blurred + archives + June 12 to June 18, 2011

week of June 12, 2011

Why sending unsolicited reality show ideas is a bad idea (and not just because the idea sucks)
Frequently, I receive e.mail messages that say something like, "I have an idea for the best reality show ever!" Sometimes they include their usually terrible...
First TCA Awards reality show nominees announced, and are surprisingly disappointing
Last summer, the Television Critics Association ">voted to add a category to its annual awards to recognize the best reality television program, and today the...
Jessica Simpson cast in the Tim Gunn role on NBC's Fashion Star
Magical Elves forthcoming fashion design/brand competition Fashion Star has cast Jessica Simpson as the show's mentor, in the role that Tim Gunn originated in Project...
Design Star adds a host, guest judges, and mentor David Bromstad
Design Star is making changes for its sixth season, which hopefully will put it from the depths of awfulness it reached last summer thanks to...
American Idol alum get between $5K and $500K+ for appearances
Former American Idol contestants can get anywhere from $5,000 to more than $500,000 for a single appearance. MJ's Big Blog unearthed Degy Booking International's spring...

TV ratings include DVR users, despite what Chris Harrison told a Bachelorette fan
On Twitter last night, The Bachelor host Chris Harrison responded to a fan's question about TV ratings with an incorrect answer. The fan asked if...
A partial list of reality shows TV critics should have nominated instead of the ones we did
In the three years I've been a member of the Television Critics Association, the TCA Awards' nominations have nearly always been to such deserving shows...
Emmy nomination episodes CBS is submitting for Survivor, Amazing Race, Probst, Keoghan
An advertisement from CBS reveals the episodes of Survivor and The Amazing Race that are being submitted to seek Emmy nominations for the series and...
Jennifer Lopez says she's "on the fence" about returning to American Idol
Jennifer Lopez may or may not return to American Idol next season, although she said she "loved" her time on the show but is "on...

Glee Project debut bombs, but it's a pretty strong competition series
A year and a half after Fox first announced a Glee reality series and about a year after it was cancelled, The Glee Project debuted...
Viewers' votes better than coach picks on The Voice, as Blake Shelton makes a baffling choice
On The Voice's first elimination episode last night, viewers voted to save the contestants who gave last week's strongest performances, while one of its coaches...
Soul Daddy closes in New York City, Los Angeles
Two of America's Next Great Restaurant winner Jamawn Woods' three Soul Daddy restaurants have closed, leaving just one location open. Both the New York City...
Rick Bayless says Top Chef Masters producers tried to get chefs to drink during judging
Top Chef Masters concludes its third season tonight, and the show has changed a lot from its first season. Those changes have been both good...

Behind-the-scenes details about The Voice: it costs $2.3 million per episode, Christina Aguilera gets $150,000 more an hour
The Voice has become a solid hit for NBC, and The Hollywood Reporter has a detailed story about the Mark Burnett-produced competition and how it...
Big Brother 8's Nick Starcevic naked photo spreading around the web
A photo apparently of Big Brother 8's Nick Starcevic naked with an erection started finding its way around the Internet last night. The photo appears...
Amazing Race gets a 20th season
CBS announced today that it has ordered a 20th season of The Amazing Race, which will air in the spring of 2012. The only real...
Winner Floyd Cardoz wanted to leave Top Chef Masters because of the conflict
During the finale of Top Chef Masters 3 last night, Floyd Cardoz beat Traci Des Jardins and Mary Sue Milliken to claim the $100,000 prize...
Vanessa Minnillo replacing Jill Wagner on Wipeout
ABC's extreme obstacle course competition series Wipeout is losing its co-host Jill Wagner, who's being replaced by former True Beauty host Vanessa Minnillo as of...
Matt Paxton's clutter cleaning will be the focus of Dirty Money, a pilot airing on A&E Saturday
Hoarders star and hero Matt Paxton has filmed a pilot for a new reality series that A&E will air on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET....

In the new Playboy: I take you behind the scenes of Hoarders and inside Survivor Coach's house and life
The July issue of Playboy, which is on newsstands starting today, includes my first feature story for the magazine: a more than 5,500-word exploration into...
Not sending dancers home: a lame move on the So You Think You Can Dance judges' part
So You Think You Can Dance had its first elimination show of its season last night, and after dragging out the elimination to include an...