Reviews of TLC’s Spouse House, where singles have to get married or are evicted, and Bravo’s A Night With My Ex, on which former partners reconnect.
TLC
Developments in the Josh Duggar molestation story
Over the long weekend, there were several developments in the story of Josh Duggar’s molestation of his sisters and the family’s reaction to it. The Duggars’ TLC series, 19 Kids and Counting, remains off the air but has not been cancelled despite the allegations and ensuing scandal. A judge in Arkansas ordered police to destroy… continue reading
TLC pulls, doesn’t cancel, 19 Kids and Counting
TLC has pulled 19 Kids and Counting off its schedule but not cancelled the series after its stars, the Duggars, admitted their oldest son, Josh, molested younger girls when he was a teenager. When the family learned of it, they did not go to authorities. When TLC learned of it, presumably yesterday with the rest… continue reading
Duggars’ insane response to Josh Duggar molesting girls, including his sisters
19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar, 27, molested five underage girls when he was a teenager, including his sisters, according to a police report. The family knew but didn’t go to police, who only investigated after Oprah’s staff went to authorities after being tipped off prior to the family’s appearance on the show. In… continue reading
If you’re going to watch My Husband’s Not Gay, read this first
Sunday night, opposite the Golden Globes, TLC will air a one-hour reality TV special called My Husband’s Not Gay, which the network described as a show about “some Mormons who live their lives… a little differently. There are some men who are happily married and attracted to their wives, but they are also attracted to other… continue reading
Breaking Amish fake? TLC says some evidence is “not true,” but “some of it is”
After two episodes, Breaking Amish is facing questions about its authenticity as a series that purports to show Amish and Mennoite people leaving their communities. The debut earned ratings higher than that of TLC’s Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. TLC issued a statement saying, “There is a lot of information floating around about the group… continue reading
Buddy Valastro, Cousin Anthony apologize for reaction to transgender person on Cake Boss
Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro and his co-star Anthony Bellifemine, aka Cousin Anthony, have apologized to RuPaul’s Drag Race finalist Carmen Carrera for their comments on Monday’s episode of his TLC series about the transgender person. During the episode, Anthony flirted with Carmen before Buddy revealed that Carmen was born male, an awkward joke/prank that… continue reading
Behind the scenes with TLC and Discovery’s publicist
On New Year’s Day, The New York Times’ Brian Stelter published a fascinating profile of publicist Laurie Goldberg, who’s the executive vice president of public relations for both Discovery and TLC. She manages the often controversial network’s publicity efforts by working behind the scenes, and the piece offers insight into the role and work of… continue reading
Next Great Baker’s Wesley Durden killed himself in October
A cast member on TLC’s Next Great Baker killed himself in October, but the show, hosted by Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, only revealed Wesley Durden, a 29-year-old father of two, was dead after his elimination on last night’s episode. It was dedicated to his memory. The Jacksonville [North Carolina] Daily News reported in October that… continue reading
Southwest Airlines tries again with a TLC reality series, eight years after A&E’s Airline
TLC announced yesterday that it had ordered a 13-episode series following Southwest Airlines employees and passengers–exactly like an A&E series did back in 2004 and 2005. The show is even produced by the same company. The new series will be filmed starting this weekend at Baltimore/Washington Airport and Denver International Airport, and include other airports,… continue reading
New competition series: Celebrity Cook-Off, Extreme Couponing All-Stars
Two new competition series will bring back people from other reality shows to compete: one pits couponers against one another, while lets D-list stars cook. In late December, TLC will debut Extreme Couponing All-Stars, on which 12 hoarders–I mean, couponers–will compete against each other. The challenge, TLC said in a press release, is to “buy… continue reading
Police Women of Broward County may have been paid to “manufacture arrests,” producers paid suspects
A Broward County, Fla., judge is reviewing contracts for four Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies because officials want to know if they received payments to arrest people while filming TLC’s reality series Police Women of Broward County, which has previously been accused of paying people who were arrested in order to get them to sign releases…. continue reading
LA Ink cancelled, TLC says, but Kat Von D says she quit
TLC says it has cancelled its reality show LA Ink, but its star, Kat Von D, says she quit the Miami Ink spin-off and insists that the network intends to sensationalize her breakup with Jesse James, the Celebrity Apprentice and Monster Garage cast member. The show will end Sept. 15 after four seasons, which began… continue reading
What to watch: TLC’s My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, which is fascinating and horrifying at the same time
When TLC debuted My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding earlier this month, I completely ignored it. That was a bad decision: It’s a fascinating, well-made series that’s a direct import from the UK and brings us into a culture that is stunning in its traditions, from wedding dresses that weigh more than the bride to socially… continue reading
LA Ink looking for tattoo artists; producers also casting New York Ink for “no pay”
The production company behind TLC’s series LA Ink and Miami Ink is casting for new tattoo artists for its Los Angeles edition, and is casting for a New York City version of the show, which will be called, yes, New York Ink. Original Media is looking for “Tattoo Artists: males & females, 18+, creative, experienced;… continue reading
TLC’s Sister Wives family being investigated for bigamy, admitted their relationship is illegal
The family featured in TLC’s Big Love-like reality series Sister Wives is being investigated by police for bigamy. That’s Kody Brown and his wives Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that “detectives began investigating Lehi advertising salesman Kody Brown and his four wives when the network first announced the show several… continue reading
A sextuplet show for out-of-ideas TLC, a Hurt Locker series for G4
Two new, and rather different, cable reality shows were announced this week: Another show following a family of sextuplets on TLC (surprise), and a real-life version of The Hurt Locker on G4. First, the producers of Jon and Kate Plus Eight are producing Sextuplets Take New York for TLC, the network that ran out of… continue reading
Sarah Palin’s Alaska preview leaves ad buyers, Discovery employees laughing, snickering
A preview for Mark Burnett and Sarah Palin’s TLC reality show was shown to ad buyers, and the reception was extremely poor, according to a report. An anonymous Discovery Communications source told The Huffington Post that “the whole thing [was] comical” and “When the promo was over, people (employees and buyers) were rolling their eyes,… continue reading
TLC calls Kate Gosselin “America’s favorite Mom,” reveals her new show, familiar new series
TLC announced this morning a series of specials called Kate Plus 8, revealed that its solo Kate Gosselin series will be called Twist of Kate, and also announced that Kate is “America’s favorite Mom,” at least in the fantasy world that TLC seems to exist in. On Twist of Kate, which will debut in late… continue reading
American Chopper will return, but follow Paul Sr. and Junior at their separate shops
Although TLC aired what it said was the series finale of American Chopper back in February, the network will soon start filming its two stars, Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr., for a new, very similar show that will debut in August. American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior “begins filming next week and will premiere… continue reading