Andy DehnartIn this news round-up, I share curated links and brief updates about what’s happening in the world of reality TV this month—along with plenty of sarcasm, skepticism, and/or snark when appropriate.
Feel free to send me links or suggestions—especially for great longreads or in-depth pieces—any time: just send me an e-mail message!
December must-reads
So You Think You Can Dance star and judge, DJ, and host Stephen “tWitch” Boss died at 40 by suicide.
(Please call or text 988 if you need to talk to someone, or are worried about a friend or family member.)
tWitch’s AP, CNN, and People obituaries cover a little of the impact he had in his unscripted TV roles, even though most of the headlines focus on just one role:
- Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, DJ for ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show,’ dead at 40
- Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, ‘Ellen’ show’s dancing DJ, has died at 40
- Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, Former ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ DJ and ‘SYTYCD’ All-Star, Dead at 40
December 2022 reality TV news
Sia gave three Survivor 43 cast members money—Jesse, $100,000; Owen and Ryan, $50,000—and CBS gave EW the “exclusive” to make sure everyone knew about this “beautiful gesture,” as Probst calls it. [EW, 12.23.22]
Chef Justin Sutherland has recovered from his near-fatal July boating accident, and released a cookbook. [KOIN, 12.22.22]
Tyler Florence says he turned down The Bachelor back in its early days. Okay. [People, 12.21.22]
The Emmys have added two categories for game shows—Outstanding Game Show and Outstanding Host for a Game Show—and then renamed Outstanding Competition Program as Outstanding Reality Competition Program “to avoid confusion.” Shows with kids as contestants must enter the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards. [Television Academy, 12.20.22]
Sharon Osbourne was hospitalized while filming Night of Terror with Jack Osbourne, but “has been given the all clear from her medical team and is now home,” Jack said. [Us Weekly, 12.18.22]
Full disclosure: I’m quote in this Vice piece by Louis Staples, but I’m not recommending it for that reason. Instead, it’s because it’s an interesting breakdown of the latest return of a trend in reality television: breaking the fourth wall. [Vice, 12.16.22]
Convicted criminals Todd and Julie Chrisley have been ordered to report to a Florida prison on Jan. 17 to serve their lengthy prison terms. [CNN, 12.15.22]
Sister Wives star Meri has ended her relationship with Kody, the third of his four wives to leave, meaning he no longer has any sister wives, just one legal wife. [L.A. Times, 12.15.22]
Fox is bringing back Farmer Wants a Wife, which first aired on The CW in 2008, though more as a rural clone of The Bachelor, while the Fox version will have four farmers and a group of women. Fox says this format “is the most successful dating show in the world. The Fremantle-owned format has aired in 32 countries and resulted in 180 marriages and 410 children.” Is that a good enough reason to subject us to more of this? [12.14.22]
Warner Bros. Discovery is removing FBoy Island, Legendary, and Finding Magic Mike from HBO Max, but intends to sell them to an as-yet-unnamed free, ad-supported streaming service. [12.14.22]
MasterChef Canada winner turned her success into a career that’s turning her into “a Canadian Ina Garten,” Amber Dowling reports. [Variety, 12.13.22]
Below Deck’s Captain Lee left the show on its Dec. 12 episode, and has since had back surgery, from which he’s recovering. [Gawker, 12.13.22]
The producers of On Patrol: Live insist that A&E’s lawsuit over its similarities to the producers’ previous show, Live PD, is “meritless,” which is hilarious because the shows are, of course, the same. [Deadline, 12.12.22]
Love Is Blind season 3’s Brennon Lemieux “was accused of hitting his ex-girlfriend and knocking her unconscious during a fight just a few months before he began shooting Season 3 of the Netflix dating show,” The Daily Beast reports. A grand jury did not indict him, which is what Netflix pointed to when justifying why he was cast anyway. [Daily Beast, 12.12.22]
Disney+’s revival of The Quest won two Emmys! They were for directing and special effects, and part of the first-ever Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. [12.11.22]
This copy of an Amazing Race 27 release form used, apparently, in France, contains nothing surprising but is still fascinating! [12.9.22]
Roku ordered and then decided against Survival From Above, a reality competition in which people live in trees. [Deadline, 12.9.22]
Chip and Joanna Gaines’ book agent is suing them, claiming an “outrageous and arrogant breach of a publishing agreement.” [The Daily Beast, 12.7.22]
Freevee renewed Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis for season two. I wonder if I’ll be getting another request?! [12.7.22]
Matt Lucas is leaving The Great British Bake-Off, tweeting a message that said, “after three series and 51 episodes, I am cheerfully passing the baguette on to someone else.” [12.6.22]
Big Brother couple Angela Rummans and Tyler Crispen broke up; they met on the CBS show in 2018. [Us Weekly, 12.6.22]
Hulu renewed The D’Amelio Show for a third, 10-episode season. Is this the most successful social media –> TV show yet? [12.6.22]
The Staircase subject and convicted murderer Michael Peterson talked about why he agreed to give Jean-Xaxier de Lestrade access (“he seemed very objective. He was not against me. He was not for me. He was just filming”) and what he thinks of the HBO scripted version (“utter bullshit”). [The Atlantic, 12.5.22]
San Francisco police want permission to let cameras follow them for a proposed reality series, Real Streets of San Francisco. Its executive produced by Eddie Barbini, whose producing credits range from 2001’s Manhunt to Dirty Jobs, but whose bio highlights “fives [sic] movies for the CIA.” [San Francisco Standard, 12.5.22]
Julia Reichert, who won an Oscar for directing the 2019 documentary American Factory and had a long career in nonfiction filmmaking, died at age 76. [ABC News, 12.2.22]