Monday, December 17, 2007

Todd Herzog wins CBS's "Survivor: China"


Todd said he'd watched the show from it's inception, when he was just a young boy. Now, 22 years old, he's the youngest player to ever win the game. "I wasn't the strongest. I wasn't the smartest," Herzog said during last night's live finale. "But I was definitely the most strategic."

The flight attendant from Pleasant Grove, Utah, beat out his Survivor: China allies Courtney Yates, a 26-year-old waitress from New York, and Amanda Kimmel, a 23-year-old hiking guide and former beauty queen from Los Angeles. "I knew that the second that I got out there that, no matter what it took, I would do everything that I possibly could to be sitting right here," Herzog said after host, Jeff Probst, revealed the votes.

That meant aligning himself with Kimmel on the first day of the 39 day long competition and aligning himself with both weaker (see: Courtney) and stronger players to deflect any attention away from himself.

"I can't believe it worked," he said.

Quotes borrowed from last night's live telecast on CBS.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Franklin Bridge Eliminated from Next Great American Band

I haven't really kept up with this show too much since the second week, but I usually catch a few performances from each show.

Granted, I didn't see their last couple performances, but I thought Franklin Bridge was probably the best band on "Next Great American Band." If they weren't the best, they were easily one of the most 2-3 enjoyable.

When I saw they were eliminated, I asked my wife if they really sucked last week or something. She said, no, they always did very well.

Oh well, what do you expect from the same people who vote for American Idol?

This show is basically left with hillbillies, crossover country, lame "retro", and a kiddie band ( the Light of Doom 12 year olds aren't that bad actually).

Oh yeah, there is also the unlistenable emo-troll "band" called Dot Dot Dot. That band is terrible. One of the chicks can play, but the biggest thing they have going for them is their lame coordinated emo skunk troll look.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Big Brother South Africa Controversy

According to this story Big Brother Horror Show there has been a televised sexual assault ( rape) on Big Brother Africa in South Africa. "Big Brother" is a worldwide phenonemon and has had no shortage of controversy. However, this may be the most outrageous moment yet.

I won't go into to detail here ( read the story for details), but as often the case with sexual episodes involving alcohol and legal/moral variances in different areas, there is some debate over what actually happened and if it consitutes rape or even an assault.

For More see our Big Brother Blog: Big Brother Rape: Big Brother South Africa Sexual Assault Controversy

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Kid Nation Review 10-24-07

Fuck it I dunno what week this is, Ive lost track, and I skipped one or two I think, anyways heres basically the shit that went down.

Taylor turned into mega bitch and everyone hates her even more now.

They chose to have fruits and vegetables over go karts after they won the reward. Lame.

Uhhhh the black kid DK went super mega babyface and started crying saying he wanted to go home and leave cause everyone is fighting and hes sad over it like a hippy.

His boyfriend Guylan talks him into staying, which is good for DK cause he wouldnt have got the gold star liked they planned on giving to him.

DK says hes gonna use the 20 grand to put his brothers and sisters through college. What college you can put 6 people through that isnt a shitty community college, I dont know.

Boring episode, next week, Jared has a heel turn and tells this girl to shove it and throws a table over. Jared rules.

The Amazing Race cast announced!

CBS has announced the 11 Teams set to compete in "The Amazing Race 12." The 11 Teams will travel approximately 30,000 miles, covering five countries never before visited on the Race, including Ireland, Lithuania and Croatia. The five-time Emmy Award-winning reality adventure series premieres Sunday, Nov. 4 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Following are the 11 teams, listed in no particular order:

Name: RONALD HSU
Occupation: VP of Sales
Age: 58
Hometown: Tacoma, Wash.

Name: CHRISTINA HSU
Occupation: Policy Analyst
Age: 26
Hometown: Washington, D.C. via Tacoma, Wash.

Relationship: FATHER/DAUGHTER

This father/daughter team is certain they can win the Race by relying on their intellect. Christina's main goal on the Race is to have her father, a self-proclaimed workaholic, stop and smell the roses for once in his life.

_______________________________


Name: KYNT COTHRON (MALE)
Occupation: Waiter/Hair Salon Receptionist
Age: 31
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.

Name: VYXSIN FIALA (FEMALE)
Occupation: Waiter/Hair Salon Receptionist
Age: 29
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.

Relationship: DATING GOTHS

Representing the "Goth" community in Louisville has embedded a strong sense of "us against the world" mentality in these two Racers. Therefore, don't look for them to fall apart when the chips are down - a trait that will undoubtedly be tested on the Race.

_______________________________


Name: LORENA SEGURA
Occupation: Bartender
Age: 27
Hometown: Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Name: JASON WIDENER
Occupation: Wedding Videographer/Actor
Age: 33
Hometown: Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Relationship: DATING

This couple met at a bar over three years ago, quickly started dating, and have been trying to figure out if they really belong together even since. Lorena is from Puerto Rico and Jason hails from Arkansas ... and the cultural differences between them has often caused friction in their relationship. Both are running the Race to see if they have what it takes to withstand the pressures of traveling around the world in under 30 days.

_______________________________


Name: AZARIA AZENE (BROTHER)
Occupation: Facilities Engineer
Age: 27
Hometown: New Orleans

Name: HENDEKEA AZENE (SISTER)
Occupation: Aerospace Engineer
Age: 23
Hometown: Torrance, Calif.

Relationship: BROTHER/SISTER

This brother sister team has all the intelligence, wits and skills to win the Race. Although their personality differences could be the X factor. She describes him as confrontational and emotional, while he describes her as irrational. Both are worried that the big brother/little sister power struggle will rear its ugly head on the Race.

_______________________________


Name: KATE LEWIS
Occupation: Episcopal Clergy
Age: 49
Hometown: Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Name: PAT HENDRICKSON
Occupation: Ordained Deacon
Age: 65
Hometown: Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Relationship: MARRIED MINISTERS

These lesbian Episcopal ministers dated for seven years before tying the knot three years ago. Kate and Pat are ready for the adventure of lifetime - but don't let the collars fool you - they can play dirty too.

_______________________________


Name: SHANA WALL
Occupation: Actress
Age: 32
Hometown: Los Angeles

Name: JENNIFER Mc CALL
Occupation: Legal Assistant
Age: 32
Hometown: Los Angeles

Relationship: FRIENDS

Don't let their good looks fool you - this all-female team is ready to do whatever it takes to bring home the $1 million prize. Shana and Jennifer met six years ago and have been friends ever since. These women are both very competitive and eager to become the first all-female team to win the Race.

_______________________________


Name: DONALD JEROUSEK
Occupation: Retired
Age: 68
Hometown: Elkhorn, Wis.

Name: NICOLAS FULKS
Occupation: Pilot
Age: 23
Hometown: Originally from Chicago

Relationship: GRANDFATHER/ GRANDSON

Nicolas started his aviation career at the age of 17 at the University of Illinois and currently works as an airline pilot based out of San Juan. He describes himself as reliable, competitive and goofy. He describes his teammate as rough around the edges and not too accepting of people who go against his advice.

_______________________________


Name: JENNIFER PARKER
Occupation: Student
Age: 23
Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.

Name: NATHAN HAGSTROM
Occupation: Volleyball coach
Age: 24
Hometown: Fountain Valley, Calif.

Relationship: DATING

This athletic couple first met in college while living together with other friends. Both admit they couldn't stand each other at first, but soon grew closer and started dating. Each will tell you that they are soul mates, yet they drive each other crazy.

_______________________________


Name: RACHEL ROSALES
Occupation: Florist/Store Owner
Age: 23
Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.

Name: TK ERWIN
Occupation: Substitute Teacher
Age: 22
Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.

Relationship: NEWLY DATING

This eccentric couple has only been dating for close to a year. Their mothers were friends while they were growing up in Huntington Beach, Calif., yet TK and Rachel had never really spent time together until recently. They always seem to be laughing and they're eager to put their carefree relationship to the test while dealing with the rigors of the Race.

_______________________________


Name: MARIANNA RUIZ
Occupation: Art Gallery Manager
Age: 25
Hometown: Miami, now residing in Los Angeles

Name: JULIA RUIZ
Occupation: Office Production Assistant
Age: 26
Hometown: Miami, now residing in Los Angeles

Relationship: SISTERS

These feisty sisters describe themselves as best friends and worst enemies, but they're convinced they'll make for an unbeatable team. Julia serves as the problem solver while Marianna is the athlete. Both are super competitive.

_______________________________


Name: ARI BONIAS
Occupation: Waiter
Age: 21
Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.

Name: STAELLA GIANAKAKOS
Occupation: Restaurant Manager
Age: 23
Hometown: Fountain Valley, Calif.

Relationship: BEST FRIENDS

These fun-loving friends are all about having a good time. They hope their laid back approach to the Race will result in the $1 million prize. Ari is not afraid to speak his mind, while Staella is prepared to flirt her way to the front of the pack.

_______________________________


"The Amazing Race 12" will send 11 teams - each comprised of two people who have a pre-existing relationship with one another - on a trek around the world for approximately 30 days. At every destination, each couple will have to compete in a series of challenges - some mental and some physical - and only when the tasks have been completed will they learn their next destination. Couples who are farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning $1 million.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman and Hayma Screech Washington are the executive producers for Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc. in association with ABC Television Studio and Amazing Race Productions. "The Amazing Race" was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri.

Friday, October 19, 2007

FOX’s Next Great American Band debuts tonight!

FOX attempts another competition series modeled after American Idol tonight when it debuts The Next Great American Band at 8 p.m. ET. The show will follow Idol’s format, with auditions tonight followed by a top 12 that will perform and be eliminated one by one after viewers vote. It’s hosted by New Zealand Idol host Dominic Bowden and judged by the Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik, Sheila E., and Ian Dickson.

Unlike their series Idol but like their show So You Think You Can Dance, the producers are focusing on talent rather than stupidity. As evidence of how much faith FOX has in talent delivering ratings for them, they’ve scheduled it on Friday nights, which FOX executive Mike Darnell tells USA TODAY “are almost completely dead nights. I’d be thrilled with a quarter of the audience Idol gets. But it’s going to take time to build.”

FOX has also not bothered to give the show an actual web site yet; clicking on its name in the “shows” list at fox.com reveals the show’s MySpace page, which says “full site coming soon.” Whether they forgot to launch the new site on the day the show debuts or decided not to spend any money developing it, this—combined with the Friday night time slot—isn’t really great evidence that FOX is has faith in its own series.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Kid Nation Week 4 Review

Wow wow we wa. Well heres a little wrap up before I head off to watch a movie.

The dumbass kids won the reward and as usual, instead of picking complete awesome stuff, they go for the lame crap. Toothbrush won over The grills with burgers steaks and hot dogs.... wow. Anyways....

With that going down there was an election! A shake up! New council members? Eh, just 2. The blue team voted to keep their main man Anjay in the seat while Olivia got her stupid religious face pwned off. And green team was so happy with their crusty lipped leader that they didnt even have someone run against her. As for that bitch Taylor? Well she got pwned by Zach and Zach is now the new leader of the Yellow team. And for the Red team? Mike got ULTRA PWNED 9 votes to 1 and Guylan is the new leader while Mike cried.

And for the gold star?

Saturday, October 13, 2007

VH1 Launches the Salt N Pepa Show and Gotti's Way!

VH1 is set to unveil two new reality shows this week, one being The Salt n Pepa show, which will document the 2 as they attempt to reunite, for what is not really known, but obviously someone sees money in them performing together again. Problem being, Salt is now a woman of God, and has a family, therefore no longer wants to "shoop" or "push it real good." Pepa is the same as she's always been, and ready to get down and dirty old school style, hence, the shows main conflict. The idea here is good, makes sense to document the reunion of one of the hottest acts of all time, especially being one of them has totally different views now, and there is really no way to go back and change songs that's whole idea revolved around humping and thrusting and penis size. What I'm worried about, is in the preview for the season, we see a couple of moments that seem like they may bring the usual "campyness" that plagues a lot of VH1 and A&E reality shows especially. We see Pepa asking if she can stay with Salt for 3 days, which of course leads to her bringing everything she owns, including paintings of herself with the tits exposed etc. Then we see Salt telling Pepa that she wants them to perform at her church, and Pepa only has clothes that are see through, etc....but everything seems to work out in the end, eh. I'm HOPING on this one they stick with the real deal stuff and don't throw in these "what would happen if..." style situations that produce extremely "forced" feel to supposed reality shows.

The other show debuting is "Gotti's Way," which is documenting the return to the music industry of Murder Inc CEO Irv Gotti. Honestly, I"m a fan of Murder Inc, and a couple of years back, they were producing hit after hit, especially with Ja Rule and Ashanti, but then more recently, it's been virtually silent, and I never knew exactly why. Well, in the sneak peak over at Vspot, we learn that Irv was being charged with money laundering, which basically took him out of the mainstream music scene. He was found not guilty, and now it's time for him to comeback, and he knows Ja Rule is the key to it all, as he is Murder Inc's number one star, and has produced a ton of hits. On top of the business side of things, we see Irv's family situation, as he is separated from his wife and kids after he admitted on a radio show to regularly cheating on his wife and not being able to stop. He sees them regularly, and is friends with his wife who he is not legally divorced from, but has his own apartment, although he supports his family in full still. His wife seems pretty smart, as she is going against his idea to buy them a new house, as she's thought ahead and doesn't see the need to leave what they already have, just in case Irv gets a new woman and leaves her hanging down the road. This show gave me a "real" and not "forced" vibe, as it's more documenting Irv'ss business decisions and family life, without a whole lot of "situational" stuff, other than him and Ja Rule arguing over how to release songs and such. From what I saw here, I'm a fan, but I was also a fan of Murder Inc., so i may be biased. I'm not sure if the general public will like this one, but for anyone that wants more reality in their reality TV, Gotti's way gets a thumbs up from me so far.

Check out both show Monday night on VH1, and let us know your thoughts on the latest shows in the VH1 Lineup.

Friday, October 5, 2007

Kid Nation Review Episode 3

This is going to be short because theres an important issue to think about.

For those that watched we had a dust storm that kicked the kids ass. Greg fixed broke shit and still didnt get a star cause it was some jesus freaks birthday. Fat kids cry. Thats about it. Oh and for the important topic...

Which of the kids has parents that are alcoholics?!?!?!

The kids were in the saloon drinking sodas and having a party but.... they were doing shots! Car Bombs or some shit. They were pouring club soda or somethin into a shot glass and dropping it into a glass of soda and chugging it.

Sorry but kids DONT KNOW HOW TO DO THIS UNLESS TAUGHT IT BY AN ALCOHOLIC OR A DRUNK. I should know, for I am one. And I am a fan of car bombs. So which kid do you think sat and watched his drunk bad parents do this at home? I vote it was Jareds Dad. That kid is weird and you can tell his parents must drink a lot.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Kid Nation Episode 2 Thoughts


I officially want to punch Sophie. I HATE those god damn kids that are 12 but they act like they're 35 or some shit. Ugh so stupid.

The kids had to kill a chicken to eat some meat which ruled with a classic Jared moment where he was running around screaming after the chickens head was cut off, Jared yelled "It was running after me but it was dead!" Fuckin classic.

Greg worked his got damn ass off doing everything even cutting chickens heads off, preparing the chicken, carrying water, helping with dishes, every got damn thing. But that little faggot council member Mike hates him cause Greg punked his ass therefore, no golden star worth 20 grand for Greg. Instead they give it to Michael who just talks a lot and carrys water, yaa hoo. So coming up on Episode 3 the previews show that Greg pretty much loses his shit and goes nuts on everyone. Probably saying alright fag you go kill a chicken and do shit Ill just do nothing and watch you all suffer.

The green team with worthless, because of them the town got no mega slide, or water pumps. Way to go green team maybe if your leader didnt have gross sores growing all over her mouth all the time you might get somewhere.

Highlight of the show?

When the town was going to take a vote on if they should kill and cook chicken, the first kid to stand up and go crazy over the thought of eatin some chicken.... the black kid. Way to help the stereotype and set your people back 400 years kid.

Oh yeah and the stupid fat girl locked herself in the chicken coup to PROTEST them killing a chicken. The fat girl... protesting eating... so dumb.

Next week is going to kick ass... THE GREG REVOLUTION IS COMING!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Premiere Week: Where the ratings stand for Survivor, Beauty, and Top Model

Survivor: China, the 15th season of CBS' durable franchise, opened with a lowest-yet 15.4 million viewers, down from 18 million for last fall's race-dividing Cook Islands.

CW's Beauty and the Geek opened its fourth cycle and the first to air in the fall with a modest 3.4 million viewers Tuesday, down from 4.9 million in January.

Wednesday's America's Next Top Model (5.2 million) was on par with its past two openers.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Kid Nation Episode 1 Thoughts


Well its Friday night, finally got around to watching the episode of Kid Nation. Holy crap this is good stuff. These kids are either A. Insane, or B. Douche Bags. Or a bit of both... Onward.

There are 4 Town Council members. They pretty much run things, and also decide at every town meeting who wins the gold star ($20,000). The kids all get to town and already start arguing and yelling. Mike, who is 11 years old, and is one of the Town Council is seriously the nerdy I know everything kid who needs a good ass kicking. And right when I'm thinking this, Greg, a 15 year old goes to help him with some advice on how to better control the kids who are losing their minds because not all of them got food, and Mike gets in his face all pissed off and Im thinkin, oh shit here we go! Greg tells Mike not to get in his face, and pushes him away. Mike screams in his face and its awesomely funny. Greg just walks away, no fights... yet. Greg is the oldest kid there so he thinks hes the coolest of course. Oh fuck it, if you wanna see the near fight between Greg and Mike check it out here.



Then theres the weird red headed girl that is part of the Town Council. She grosses me out, seriously. Every single time they show her on camera talking to it, she has a weird sore or rash or growth going on around her mouth and on her lips. Its disgusting. The grossest part is every time we see her its a new growth or sore that has appeared or moved to a different part of her mouth. Ugh. Gross.

Then of course, in my eyes. The kid that is by far my favorite kid. Jared. Dont remember how old he is I think hes around 10. I am pretty sure he is semi retarded. Hes really god damn weird. Hes THAT WEIRD KID. He was walking to lunch and says to the camera "Im really hungry but like Martin Luther King said, I have a dream!" Uhhh, what?!?! Awesome kid, you rule anyways. Hes always chasing chickens around, making weird noises, and he even looks really off. This kid rules.

Every couple of days, the Town Meeting goes down. And at this Town Meeting, if things are getting a little too rough, a kid, or kids, can opt to just straight up bail out of town and go home like a pussy. The first episode we already had one kid puss out and run home cryin, which I was kinda sad with because this kid had my favorite quote of the whole episode. At the start of the shit, on the bus, the kids were asked what theyre expecting. And Jimmy, the little chubby kid says...

"I think Im going to die out here." Watch him say this, right here. Its about 1 minute in.

Wow. Well this kid Jimmy pretty much said fuck this after two days and went home cryin to his Mommy. Bye Jimmy. 39 kids left in the town now.

All the kids are put into 4 groups. Everyone has certain jobs around town and each get paid for it to go spend on toys, food, soda, and what nots all over. Its pretty interesting. I dig it. Except for Sophie. Shes the nerdy band geek girl. You can totally tell shes in band, if not band then in drama. Shes a bitch. I hate her.

So I give this show a good thumbs up way to go. I dug the first episode, Ill for sure be back on here for Episode 2 thoughts. For those that missed the first episode, or are still undecided on watching. I have a few reasons of why you should tune in...

To see if Mike the whiney boy scout Town Council member gets his ass kicked by Greg.

To see if the weird fat red headed Town Council girl finally gets rid of the weird sores that grow on her mouth.

To see if there is going to be a fight or some other random act of madness.

Jared.


And my favorite part. There are 3 black kids that I saw. And these black kids looked scared shitless. Theyre surrounded by crazy ass white kids that are constantly pissed off. So I can pretty much PROMISE you at one point, we are going to have some 10 year old hate crimes / racism going on at one point or another.

And the last reason... to see if these kids can actually pull it off and get the town up and running. Tune in next Wednesday night. Check local times. Later.

Monday, September 17, 2007

The Two Coreys on A&E: Why Can't This Show Be My Favorite?!

Well this is my debut blog here on Reality Shows Blog, so I figured I'd start big, with a show that's gotten a lot of air time on A&E lately, and one that I thought would top my list of favorite shows to watch....the only problem is, I take more to "documentary" and "reality" in my "reality" TV watching. Big Brother 8 was the first "competition" style reality show that I recently got into. My problem with the Two Coreys, is that this reality show is blatantly not so real. Let's take a look at this show. You have two guys who were huge in the 80's. I was a huge fan. The Lost Boys is one of the movies that I'd watch every day if it was on. Corey Feldman and Corey Haim were a huge part of the movies success, and many other movies from that period. So now fast forward a bit to the 90's and into the 2000's. Feldman and Haim have had drug problems, really haven't done jack in years that was meaningful. Basically they were awesome stars back in the day, but shit didn't work out, so they're not exactly superstars anymore. Feldman has made a small comeback by appearing on the Surreal Life and even getting married on that show. Haim hasn't been heard from much at all in years, besides a few "I love the 80's" type shows here and there, and he looked like he weighed about 200+ pounds! So now let's fast forward to the present, the Two Corey's concept is good to go on A&E, the Coreys big comeback! Now to me, the story is built in. Haim has dropped the weight, wants to get back into the business, Lost Boys 2 is being talked about, Feldman has a new wife that enters the mix with the Coreys etc. Now if they just said Corey Haim was moving in with the Feldman's for a few months, they document it, and we get to watch what happens, COOL. BUT sadly, as the first show proved evident, this show fell into the trap of what I call "Based on Reality" TV. The overacting here is just too obvious. Feldman having to tell Haim that Lost Boys 2 is being made and they're not in it, with Haim having to ask questions between every sentence, obviously setting up what Feldman will say next....it just comes off corny. It's one of those shows where the stars get put in all kinds of "funny" and "zany" "ha ha" situations. Corey Feldman plays the guy who has settled down with his new wife in their nice house, and Haim is that crazy character who plays "the slob" and conveniently doesn't realize anything he's doing wrong in their house. The episode I saw last week really topped things off for me, and put to rest any hope that this show had some reality to it. In the episode, Feldman and his wife are looking for "alone time" but just can't get away from that pesky Haim. Well they finally do find a few minutes alone while Corey is off going on dates with random women, so they decide to get it on right there on their couch. Well unlucky for them, Corey decided to end his date early and OOPS he walks in on them "half naked" to their "surprise." Now let's keep in mind, the cameras are rolling the WHOLE time on the Feldmans, so obviously the Feldmans don't care that a camera crew is watching them have sexual intercourse on their couch, and filming it on top of that, but if HAIM walks in....OH NO, WHOA, WE"RE EMBARRASSED, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! RIIIIGHT. All this followed by Feldman constantly smiling while "being mad" at Haim, which happens approximately 13 times per episode...sorry, just not buying it. The other ongoing story here is Feldman's wife and Haim not getting along. In one of the recent episodes, Feldman and Haim got into a near brawl, pushing each other and getting up in each others faces, but after seeing everything else on the show, it's just too hard to believe any of it was real, and all the insults by Haim to Feldman's wife just seem forced, especially to his best friend's wife.

Overall, I still can't help but watch the Two Coreys, as these guys were so fun back in the day, but I just think this show could have been so much better if they just kept it real, and documented these guys trying to get back into the Hollywood scene, which apparently has happened as they finally HAVE been cast in Lost Boys 2, hopefully in meaningful parts, as lame cameo's just would not do them justice. I also noticed that Feldman is the executive producer on this show, so most likely he came up with this great idea, and A&E bought into it, therefore they're playing characters "based on themselves" and probably writing a lot of their own material....I just wished they would've saved that type of stuff for their movies.

Preview: Gordon Ramsey in KITCHEN NIGHTMARES!

Hell hath no fury like an angry chef, and no chef has a sharper temper than Gordon Ramsay when things go wrong in the kitchen. The star of the highly rated culinary boot camp HELL’S KITCHEN returns to FOX with another sizzling unscripted series, KITCHEN NIGHTMARES.

This time, Chef Ramsay hits the road, in each episode tackling a restaurant in crisis and exposing the stressful realities of trying to run a successful food business. The third season of HELL’S KITCHEN will premiere on FOX this spring.

For restaurant owners in crisis with lazy chefs in the kitchen, temperamental wait staffs and few and unhappy diners, it’s time to call in the restaurant industry’s equivalent of 911.


Inspired by one of the UK’s biggest hits, KITCHEN NIGHTMARES is seen in more than 50 territories around the globe, and the series reveals a whole new side to Ramsay. He’s still prone to the explosive outbursts and spectacular confrontations familiar to fans of HELL’S KITCHEN, but he also shows his sensitive and nurturing side -- a unique blend of fury, passion, inspirational leadership and tough love that can turn a small spark of talent into a roaring flame.

Feared and revered in equal measure, Ramsay has to galvanize owners, chefs and their kitchen brigades as he attempts to turn around the fortunes of each restaurant in just one week and save them from their living nightmares.

There’s no time for polite small talk as Ramsay embarks on his mission to turn things around. If the wine waiter’s service isn’t up to par, he’ll be out the door before he can say “merlot.” If the head chef doesn’t match up to Ramsay’s expectations, Ramsay will hammer him into shape, and if he can’t stand the heat, he may quit the kitchen.

Ramsay’s reputation is on the line, so there’s bound to be high blood pressure, raised voices and serious clashes as he attempts to do the impossible: turn a deserted dining room into the most sought-after venue in town in just a week.

Meet the kids of Kid Nation!


Thursday, September 13, 2007

Charisma Carpenter to join The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition

September 12, 2007 Charisma Carpenter is geek TV royalty for her work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Veronica Mars. She's taken on vampires and monsters and whatnot, but nothing will be as scary as her next task: taking on The Donald. Carpenter, according to TV Guide, is set to join the cast of The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition. Initially, NBC had decided to effectively cancel Donald Trump's reality franchise but, at the last minute, new NBC President Kevin Reilly decided the network could make a place for The Apprentice. This became The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition, in which celebrities will compete for charity. Keep in mind, NBC has yet to make any official casting announcements, but TV Guide is usually spot on.

Charisma Carpenter is a fairly big first catch for the show, if I may say so. It sets a good precedent for the show going forward and, because Charisma is an attractive lady, may entice some B-List male celebs. TVGuide is also reporting that Carmen Electra may be poised to join the cast of The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition, which would also be a major coup. The hotness potential, with those two on board, is already through the roof.

It's always interesting to me how these celeb-reality shows get cast. On any given show featuring celebrities competing, they're all about on the same level of fame. The casting directors must have a stressful time of it trying to lure that first cast member. If you aim too high, you're going to miss out on opportunities. If you aim too low, a bigger celebrity might say, “Well, I would've gone on the show, but the other cast members are below me.” For instance, take Dancing with the Stars. From season to season, the fame level of the cast has risen incrementally, culminating this year with such big names as Wayne Newton, Floyd Meriweather, and Jennie Garth (well, maybe the names aren't that big...let's go with “bigger”).

I know there are lots of Charisma Carpenter fans out there who have suddenly become new fans of The Apprentice.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Preview: CBS's Kid Nation

KidnationIf you haven't heard of "Kid Nation," it's a CBS reality show set for a Sept. 19 debut -- if the network airs the program, that is. "Kid Nation" is now under investigation by New Mexico authorities, who are looking into whether producers broke any laws during the show's filming in that state a few months ago.

Though CBS denies any wrongdoing and has said that the making of the show did not violate any laws, some "Kid Nation" participants -- all of whom were between the ages of 8 and 15 -- were injured during the course of the filming, according to news reports. A few young participants accidentally drank bleach, one kid sprained an arm and one child sustained a burn from hot grease.

The kicker? The parents of these kids had to sign a contract saying they would not sue over anything that might happen to their kids -- up to and including death.

According to the document posted on TheSmokingGun.com, the parents were told, via the contract they signed, that the show was "inherently dangerous" and could expose their children to "uncontrolled hazards and conditions that may cause serious bodily injury, illness or death." The parents had to relinquish all legal claims on CBS if anything did happen to their children. Oh, and unless the families stick to the terms of a confidentiality agreement that the network is still enforcing, they could be liable for a $5 million penalty.

All for a $5,000 "stipend," which is what most kids got for participating in the show. (Some kids got an additional $20,000 if they won competitions within the show.)

By my calculation, many of the kids who participated in the show -- if they did work 14-hour days for 40 days -- got less than $9 an hour.

No wonder the broadcast networks aren't about to give up on reality TV, despite its relatively lackluster performance of late; the genre is not exactly bankrupting them.

Seriously, though, if we learned that a corporation were using child labor -- having kids work 14-hour days, without any days off, with children getting injured on occasion -- we'd be outraged. An 8-year-old working all day and half the night, and the kid's employer making no promises about the "qualifications or credentials" of the people who might treat the child in the event of an emergency?

That ominous contract language flies in the face of CBS' attempts to bill "Kid Nation" as a happy-go-lucky "summer camp" experience.

“In order for a reality show … to really get out there and change the landscape of television, you have to sort of stir public debate,” CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler said about “Kid Nation” at a press event in July. “We know we're going to create some controversy. … But I think the whole objective was to get out there, do something different, and try and reach out and have people talk about the show, which is what's happening.”

Yes, but at this point, the "Kid Nation" debate centers on how children were used to create an entertainment property for CBS, a network that plans to charge big bucks for "Kid Nation" commercial spots. The network could have done some things to prevent the "Kid Nation" buzz from going sour, but they would have cost money. And cutting corners when kids are involved -- that's not courting controversy, that's risking condemnation.

The fact is, the kids on the show should have been covered by entertainment-union contracts that would have protected their interests, limited the hours they could work and guaranteed appropriate on-set medical care and supervision.

Even if all that had been done, in my opinion, CBS shouldn't have used performers under 12. The idea that an 8-year-old could realistically consent to this kind of experience doesn't really fly.

And I hesitate to think of what these kids will think of the way they're edited. It's one thing for a contestant on "Survivor" to feel they were made to look villainous or stupid; it's quite another for a 5th grader to face the entire school after having been made to look foolish on national TV.

But maybe what the middle school critics -- or grown-up critics -- think of "Kid Nation" won't really matter in the end. After all, CBS is, as of press time, soliciting applications for "Kid Nation 2" on its Web site.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Survivor: China; Cast Revealed

The reality show that started it all continues to raise the bar with its exotic locations and high-risk challenges on SURVIVOR: CHINA. The new competition unleashes an eclectic group of castaways on the ancient south central province of Jiang Xi, where they are prepared for adventure, danger and surprises in the hopes of winning $1 million and becoming the ultimate Survivor.

The cast includes a familiar face to WWE fans, as Ashley Massaro (in the middle wearing a black bandana) joins as the only "celebrity". She is not the first professional athlete to compete on the show. On Survivor: Guatamala, former NFL quarterback Gary Hogeboom played.

On thing is for sure, with this being the first American telecast to EVER be shot on location in China, we can probably expect some big ploys to rake in the viewers.

WARNING: Big Brother Spoilers!

We watch the current season of Big Brother on CBS and the Feeds. We watch all Big Brother 24 coverage and DVR it and watch it again. There will be posts about things we have seen from watching Big Brother 24/7. If you are a casual viewer of the CBS show-only or do not want to read any spoilers, do not read our posts dealing with the Live Feeds.