This is the second in a series of interviews with Survivor Heroes vs. Villains cast members. Jerri Manthey is perhaps Survivor‘s original villain, but that’s not exactly evident any more, not that it was very evident during all-stars a few years after her first appearance on the show. During Survivor Australia, Jerri told me that… continue reading
Archives for January 2010
JT Thomas: “I feel like they’re targeting me because they don’t know me yet”
This is the first in a series of interviews with Survivor Heroes vs. Villains cast members. These were conducted in early August in L.A., the day the cast flew to Samoa. Thanks, as always, for not copying and pasting these around the web, but instead quoting and linking. JT goes into Survivor Heroes vs. Villains… continue reading
Survivor: 19 seasons, at least 19 naked cast members
From the site that brought us shirtless American Idol contestants and naked Real World cast members comes “A (Not So) Complete History of Naked ‘Survivor’ Castaways.” In honor of Survivor‘s anniversary, YuppiePunk asks, “how better to look back on its history than how it began — in the nude”? That history starts with, of course,… continue reading
Survivor Gabon’s Crystal Cox admits steroid use, will likely lose her Olympic gold medal
Survivor Gabon cast member and Olympic relay team member Crystal Cox will probably lose her gold medal for her part in the 4×400 meter relay during the 2004 Athens summer Olympics after admitting to using anabolic steroids. She’s being suspended for four years and will have results from 2001 to 2004 stripped. The AP reports… continue reading
New reality TV next week: RuPaul’s Drag Race, Michael Vick, Shear Genius, Survivor special
One month down in 2010, and a new group of reality shows are ready to make their debut. The Past This final week in January, the Jersey Shore cast’s appearance caused a near-riot, and their popularity may explain why MTV is paying them a lot more for season two. Also coming back: more Survivor, although… continue reading
Jeff Probst’s Live for the Moment “tanked” in the ratings
If CBS judges it by the ratings alone, Jeff Probst’s Live for the Moment probably won’t be back. The pilot/special averaged 4.67 million viewers last night, which in its hour was good enough for third place, ahead of reruns of comedies on NBC and The Vampire Diaries on The CW. However, it came in last… continue reading
Project Runway 7 is watchable, but the series is no longer must-watch TV
Having been severely disappointed and, worse, bored by Project Runway 7, I decided to give this a few episodes before judging it. I wanted the show to return to greatness, but at the same time, recognized that the show hasn’t really been great, must-watch TV for a while now; even season five, Bravo’s and the… continue reading
Samantha Harris quits Dancing with the Stars
Samantha Harris has quit as co-host of Dancing with the Stars, meaning the show will no longer have one of more entertaining components. From nonsensical babble to awkward blunders (like holding a mic in Marlee Matlin’s face as the deaf actor signed) to doing her job badly, she will be missed. Or not. Samantha told… continue reading
Discovery casting The Colony’s second season, want “mad scientist,” MMA “enthusiast”
Discovery’s post-apocalyptic reality show The Colony is casting for a second season. The casting notice is being posted around the web, and says producers wants you to apply “If you understand the science of survival, if you have a skill that would help you and others survive after a catastrophe, if you are ambitious, motivated,… continue reading
Jason, Molly marrying on TV; Chris Harrison talks about Rozlyn scandal, Bachelor break-ups
Despite the awkward beginning to their relationship, Bachelor 13 couple Molly Malaney and Jason Mesnick will do what no other Bachelor couple has done before them and get married on TV. Their wedding will air as a two-hour special March 8 that will, of course, include all of the preparations and opportunities for product placement…. continue reading
Jeff Probst’s Live for the Moment pilot debuts, is like Make a Wish meets The Bucket List
About a year after it was filmed, the pilot episode for Jeff Probst’s Live for the Moment finally airs. The series was originally called Live Like You’re Dying, probably because it follows a terminally ill man who goes on a series of dream-fulfilling adventures that Probst has arranged for him. The year-long delay doesn’t seem… continue reading
Katy Perry: “I would ditch my career” to judge American Idol
On last night’s American Idol 9, it looked to me like Katy Perry was auditioning for Simon Cowell’s job. And although I was being sort of tongue-in-cheek because her appearance was filmed well before he announced he was leaving, she’s up for the job. “The ‘American Idol’ experience was awesome. If I was offered that… continue reading
Reality TV, porn worlds increasingly overlap, like with reality star porn site Reality Revealed
A few days ago, I received an e.mail message that had a fake subject line (“Chelsia and Steven (BB)”) and started with a fake partial sentence (“It is quite obvious that they are…”) before making a request (“Stop posting porn stories on your site in an attempt to get more hits”) and issuing a warning… continue reading
Jersey Shore cast may get $10,000 an episode for season two after negotiating as a group
The original cast of Jersey Shore is close to re-signing for a second season of MTV’s break-out hit, and they’ll receive $10,000 per episode, double an initial offer of $5,000 per episode. Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are reporting that $10K figure this morning, and since reading the entertainment industry trade newspapers is often… continue reading
Katy Perry auditions for Simon Cowell’s job as Daniel Franco shows up on American Idol
Occasionally, American Idol‘s audition rounds include one auditioner who’s semi-famous yet not acknowledged on screen. The first one I can remember is when actor/comedian Chris Wylde auditioned during season four. Last night during the Los Angeles auditions, there was a fleeting cameo by crying girl Ashley Ferl, who was again crying after apparently being dismissed… continue reading
Chef Academy’s Emmanuel Delcour getting his own cooking show
Emmanuel Delcour, the former porn star who was a cast member on Bravo’s Chef Academy, is getting his own series, although he would not reveal the network nor its content, saying only, “I’m doing my own cooking show. … Pretty soon you’ll know.” I talked to him as part of my story on the increasing… continue reading
Why Conan O’Brien should host Survivor if Jeff Probst leaves (seriously)
Survivor has been renewed for a 21st and 22nd season, but its host has not yet officially signed on. I can’t quite imagine anyone except Jeff Probst hosting Survivor, so I hope he decides to stick around, because as both a producer and host, he’s an integral part of the series that has worked so… continue reading
Design Star’s Mikey Verdugo suing police department for firing him over his gay porn
Design Star cast member Michael Verdugo was uninvited from the show’s reunion and fired from his job as a cop when his gay bondage porn work was revealed, and now he going to sue his former Florida police department. The Miami Herald reports that “Hollywood police put Verdugo on administrative leave with pay” in the… continue reading
Jake’s unsettling quest for a wife leads him to cut four more women from the auction block
I’ve missed a few episodes of The Bachelor, so I tuned in last night to watch Jake dump four women, even though he only had to eliminate one, and simultaneously make the whole thing even more unseemly. For a total boring blank slate, Jake sure is kind of creepy. First, on his one-rose date with… continue reading
X Factor and Idol’s first choice for judge is a music industry exec; Jamie Foxx also named
American Idol‘s search for a judge to replace Simon Cowell and Cowell’s search for a judge to join him and (most likely) Paula Abdul on The X Factor has led to the same music executive, someone you’ve probably never heard of: Mariah Carey’s ex-husband Tommy Mottola, who co-owns Casablance Records and managed people ranging from… continue reading