Monica Lewinsky, the one-time host of reality dating competition, delivered a TED Talk recently about shame that indicts reality TV as contributing to a dangerous and damaging culture online. It’s a must-watch. In part, she says: “For nearly two decades now, we have slowly been sowing the seeds of shame and public humiliation in our cultural soil, both on-… continue reading
Archives for March 2015
Two networks, two shows, same cast, a fascinating idea
Esquire and Oxygen announced today that they’ll each air a reality series that’s connected to the other. Both shows follow the same group of comedians but from two different perspectives. Esquire’s version, Comedians of L.A., will follow a group of comedians who tour and perform around the world. Oxygen’s version, Living with Funny, follows the comedians when they’re at home. It’s a… continue reading
Why stripping down made Untucked even better
The companion series to RuPaul’s Drag Race has been demoted to a day-after, online-only series, but the stripped-down version is proving to be even more compelling than the version that aired on television. Thinking about Untucked also helps take my mind off last week’s bullshit elimination. Episodes of Untucked start in media res, as RuPaul tells several of the queens they’re safe from… continue reading
The one reality show I applied for
I was just wondering if you have ever applied to any reality tv show? Would you like to be a contestant in any reality, or be the subject of a docu-reality series? Just curious! –Francisco I’ve applied to one show: The Mole season two. That story in a minute. As to the other questions, the answer is… continue reading
Cyclone Pam devastates Vanuatu, which hosted Survivor
A category five cyclone devastated Vanuatu over a 24-hour period earlier this month, and relief organizations have asked for help this week. Cyclone Pam hit the island nation March 13 with sustained winds of 155 mph, and it was one of the most-intense storms ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. In Port Vila, 90 percent of the buildings were destroyed; that’s… continue reading
Another thrown Survivor challenge backfires beautifully
I love when plans go awry on Survivor. That may explain why, during Tribal Council, when Jeff Probst asked Sierra, “Why not stick together for a couple more votes?”, I wanted someone to scream back, Why not shut up right now k thx? In terms of thrown challenges backfiring, Joaquin’s exit is nothing at all like last season’s spectacular downfall. In fact, neither of those… continue reading
Naked and Afraid gets spin-off, Bear Grylls knock-off
Discovery’s hit reality TV series Naked and Afraid is spinning off a new series, while NBC has nearly simultaneously ordered a show, The Island, that sounds extremely similar. When Discovery announced the fourth season of Naked and Afraid, which returns in April, its press release started with, “There have been many copycats, but nothing ever comes close to the original.” That’s… continue reading
The one good thing on the Shark Tank rip-off Food Fortunes
The Shark Tank knock-off that debuted earlier this month, Food Fortunes, is as weak as most Food Network reality shows are lately: an unoriginal idea that’s been weakly executed. I love food shows and I love Shark Tank, so I would have loved for this to be the best of both. Instead, you can see the lack of imagination all over… continue reading
Survivor 32 cast may be determined by viewer vote
Former Survivor cast members are privately saying they’ve been asked to create videos that make a case to viewers about why they should return for Survivor 32. In other words, the cast of Survivor’s spring 2016 season will be partially or entirely determined by a vote from viewers after they campaign for support. Only those who have played once have been… continue reading
Season two of Behind the Mask is even better
As much as I enjoyed season one of Hulu’s Behind the Mask, a reality series that follows several mascots, I don’t remember having an episode-one kind of immediate response that involves watery eyes. But there they were, in the first 23 minutes. Season one of director Josh Greenbaum’s series was occasionally and surprisingly emotional, but there’s… continue reading
Updates on Food Network Star murder
New details emerged late last week about the death of Food Network Star contestant Cristie Schoen Codd, who was pregnant, and her husband JT. The man charged with the murders, Robert James Owens, admitted he “stored and destroyed” the bodies in a wood stove. Owens admitted hitting and killing JT with a truck, but Cristie’s cause of death is… continue reading
Ways to connect with your favorite reality TV site
A few reminders about how you can connect with reality blurred, whether or not it’s your favorite reality TV site. If it’s not, let me know why not–seriously, I love feedback almost as much as love reality television. Also, there are fun buttons to press. I like you, so you should like reality blurred on… continue reading
Questions I have after Survivor’s socially blindfolded are blindsided
“Dare I say the best ep of the season?” That was Jeff Probst last week in EW, teasing this week’s Survivor Worlds Apart double feature. They were two strong episodes, the best so far this season, but if one or both of them represent the peak, I’m worried, because this wasn’t a very tall peak. Four strong challenges–two reward challenges!–anchored episodes that… continue reading
The 5 stories about The Jinx you need to read
After Sunday’s finale of The Jinx, a lot has been written about the HBO reality/documentary series that contributed to the arrest of Robert Durst this past weekend. The combination of real-life intrigue and entertaining television program makes it perfect for reporting, think pieces, and reporting on think pieces, like this story. Of everything I’ve read over the past few… continue reading
Married at First Sight withholds its wedding night climax, again
When I wait two hours at a restaurant for dinner, I actually want to eat when I sit down at the table. I don’t want food to be delivered and then, as the fork reaches my mouth, have it be taken away as I’m told that I have to come back until next week. That’s basically what happened… continue reading
Pregnant Food Network Star contestant, husband murdered
A man has been charged with the murder of Food Network Star cast member Cristie Schoen Codd and her husband, Joseph “JT” Codd. She was 38 and five months pregnant; her husband was 45. Her Facebook page has public photos, posted last fall, of their wedding. They were reported missing Sunday, which Food Network Gossip reported on; Tuesday, a man was charged… continue reading
All of DWTS’ backhanded compliments for Shark Tank’s Robert
Shark Tank and Dragon’s Den star Robert Herjavec received the fourth-highest score, a 28, on the premiere of Dancing with the Stars‘ 20th season. In other words, he did quite well! He also got a lot of backhanded compliments for his performance. Yes, the story of Robert’s dance routine–a faux Shark Tank set with other dancers sitting in as the sharks,… continue reading
X Factor judges fired for incredibly awful comments
Two judges on New Zealand’s The X Factor were fired today following their awful, cruel comments to a contestant last night during the second season’s first live episode. Natalia Kills and Willy Moon, who are married, joined the show as coach/mentors. After contestant Joe Irvine performed, Natalia accused him of plagiarizing her husband’s look. Via… continue reading
The Jinx’s stunning finale raises more questions
At the start of The Jinx’s haunting final episode, a handwriting expert analyzed documents and confirmed that the note to police about Susan Berman’s “cadaver” and Robert Durst’s known handwriting were “unique to one person and only one person.” Director Andrew Jarecki, producer Marc Smerling, and their team planned their strategy for confronting Durst with this evidence. Durst dodged their… continue reading
Robert Durst arrested because of The Jinx, just before The Jinx’s finale
In another remarkable moment for HBO documentary series The Jinx, its subject, Robert Durst, has been arrested in connection with the murder of his friend Susan Berman in Los Angeles. He was arrested Saturday at a Marriott in New Orleans, and The Times-Picayune reports that “The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force directed the arrest.” ABC 7… continue reading