Even though Project Runway‘s producers are phoning it in–two of three challenges so far copied from previous seasons? really?–and the contestants seem less engaging and more annoying, ratings for the show’s fifth season are actually increasing. Bravo said in a press release that week-to-week, “the series was up 31 percent among adults 18-49 (2.146 vs…. continue reading
Archives for July 2008
Dan Quayle was asked but said no to Dancing with the Stars
Former vice president Dan Quayle was asked by the producers of Dancing with the Stars to be on the show’s seventh season, but he said no. “I can tell you that he is not doing the show. There was contact (made), … there was interest in having him be on the show. (But) it’s not… continue reading
Hills producers work with paparazzi, plan each week in advance, admit doing retakes
Entertainment Weekly’s cover story next week takes an in-depth look at the phenomenon that is The Hills, and what it takes to create the series. The story gives the most detailed account to date of how exactly the show is produced, and EW writer Tim Stack calls the series “scheduled reality. … Depending on where… continue reading
Reality shows with Ewan McGregor, Ludacris, Tommy Lee, Pamela Anderson all debut Sunday
On Sunday night, three new celebrity-focused series will debut, but only one appears to be the typical “celebreality” crap and nonsense that we’ve come to expect when celebrities invade unscripted television. Ewan McGregor, Ludacris, Tommy Lee, and Pamela Anderson will be featured on the three series. Ewan McGregor comes to the Fox Reality Channel with… continue reading
Top Chef 5 currently filming in New York
The fifth season of Top Chef has made itself at home in Brooklyn, and is currently in production. That means that there have been chef sightings in the New York City area, although perhaps the biggest news is how few of them there are, especially in a city like New York. Last week, Eater published… continue reading
Summer reality shows lead but don’t dominate top 20
This summer, TV ratings “are up slightly, reversing years of declines, even as basic cable continues to grow with more original series,” USA TODAY reports. Reality TV leads those shows on broadcast, as “ABC’s Wipeout is the lone new broadcast hit,” but not on cable. Of the top 20 shows, just three are reality series,… continue reading
Matt says he didn’t say Shayne could keep the ring he didn’t pay for
Less than a week since they officially broke up, Matt Grant and Shayne Lamas have started publicly sniping at one another. First, Shayne told People magazine that she’s keeping the engagement ring he gave her on the show. “I have it and I am going to keep it forever for the rest of my life…. continue reading
Jerry and Renny create montage magic
Until last Tuesday, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed out loud at something that happened on a Big Brother episode. For most of the past few seasons, I’ve been consumed with some degree of disgust, hatred, or boredom, and thus even when something funny happens, I’m busy actively trying to manifest a sinkhole… continue reading
Next Food Network Star 4 finale was the channel’s most-watched show ever; Aaron’s show debuts Sunday
Food Network’s web site screw-up that revealed the show’s winner days before the finale didn’t hurt the final episode’s ratings, as it became “the highest-rated, most-watched telecast in [the channel’s] history,” according to a Food Network press release. An average of 4 million people watched Aaron McCargo, Jr., win his own show, Big Daddy’s House,… continue reading
Tim Gunn wasn’t paid for Project Runway’s first season, made $2,500 an episode for season two
Tim Gunn was paid just $2,500 an episode for season two of Project Runway, but that’s a lot more than the zero dollars he received for the show’s first season. That’s according to Harvey Weinstein, who said that in court as part of his testimony in the pending lawsuit over the show’s sixth season, according… continue reading
Atlanta Extreme Makeover home in foreclosure after owners used it as collateral for a loan
Over the past few days, the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition home outside of Atlanta that is now in foreclosure has gotten a lot of press, primarily because of its association with the show. But the home isn’t in foreclosure because the family wasn’t able to afford their massive new house. Instead, it’s because Milton and… continue reading
L.A. earthquake hits Big Brother house
The magintude-5.4 earthquake in Los Angeles today was felt at the Big Brother 10 house, which is located near Colfax and Ventura in Los Angeles, about 45 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter. The production is, of course, live. “A lot of them are not from California, so this is the first earthquake they’ve experienced. Everyone… continue reading
America’s Player returns for one week
America’s Player, the relatively lame experiment from the show’s eighth season last summer that let viewers decide how one player voted and how he should perform stupid-ass tasks, will return to Big Brother 10 tonight, but in a limited form. One houseguest “will be offered the chance to become America’s Player for one week. If… continue reading
Audrina Patridge discusses the differences between her real life and her fake Hills life
To support today’s release of The Hills third season on DVD, Audrina Patridge talked to the L.A. Times, and ends up making the show seem even faker. Essentially, big parts of her life seem constructed for the show, as if she’s some kind of weird puppet. Here’s how she answered the paper’s simple question, “Is… continue reading
Ryan Seacrest bitten by a shark
American Idol host, Emmy nominee, and Emmy co-host Ryan Seacrest was bitten by a shark over the weekend. He wasn’t severely injured, although based upon some of the ridiculously sensational headlines–Ryan Seacrest Survives California Shark Attack, Ryan Seacrest: Shark Attack Victim–you’d think half his body was devoured. Seacrest described the incident on his radio show… continue reading