Odds ‘n Ends - Friday, April 27th
Odds ‘n Ends is a weekly roundup of news bites in the world of reality TV, and appears every Friday.
Phil Keoghan Brings Reality Show to Canada
Canadians have long been left in the dust when it comes to reality shows. Sure, we’ve got Canadian Idol, Canada’s Next Top Model, and a few odd little copycat shows. But the big names that look for ordinary people that don’t sing or model aren’t really interested in us. That’s about to change.
Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race and owner of the best wardrobe on television, is bringing his reality show No Opportunity Wasted (NOW) to Canada. He’ll be appearing across the country doing book signings and taking applications for the show in May! Check out NoOpportunityWasted.ca for details, and make sure you watch the intro video if only to hear his hot New Zealand accent come out much more than we hear on TAR.
Idol Gives Back - What Happened to Gwen Stefani?
Remember back when Gwen Stefani was the mentor on Idol, and she told the audience that she’d be back for the Idol Gives Back concert? Me too. So a few people were pretty surprised when she didn’t make an appearance. According to TMZ, Stefani’s performance was taped (along with Pink’s), but was edited out of the show due to time constraints.
Perhaps if Ryan Seacrest hadn’t spent so much time talking and they had skipped the ridiculous “bottom two” facade, there would have been time for Gwen. Or, you know, they could have cut that disturbing Celine/Elvis thing. I’m just sayin’.
Posh Spice is a Diva. Wait, No She’s Not.
This past week there were lots of stories about Victoria Beckham, who is shooting a reality TV show with her husband, soccer star David Beckham. The stories claimed that the film crew for the show were complaining that Victoria was, well, a royal bitch.
In a case of what seems to be a major journalistic oops, these statements and stories have been retracted. Apparently filming has yet to begin on the series, and the Beckhams have yet to even meet the film crew. Whoops!
That’s it for today - have a great weekend!
Tags: reality tv, phil keoghan, idol gives back, american idol, victoria beckham, gwen stefani, no opportunity wasted
Survivor Nostalgia
The two-hour American Idol Gives Back extravaganza has been covered, so instead of a rant, casting call, or news bit, I thought I’d take you all back in time and relive the best jury speech ever made.
Every season people speculate on which jury member could possibly compare to Sue Hawk, and every season we’re disappointed. Some Survivors have made some great speeches, but there’s nothing as memorable as this one. I don’t think there ever will be. So, without further ado, I give you Sue Hawk’s “Rat and Snake” speech from the very first season of Survivor.
James is Just as Confused as We Are
When I write recaps for reality shows, I often get e-mails from the contestants themselves. Sometimes they correct me, sometimes they’re downright angry (three of the Paradise Hotel girls were pretty nasty - try and guess which ones!), but most of the time they’re friendly and happy to talk about their time on the show.
Anyway, I don’t want to harp on this Apprentice thing too much, but I wanted to share this with you all.
After posting my recap of The Apprentice LA Finale, I got a short e-mail from James Sun. He complimented the recap (thanks James!) and sent me to his blog at his website, Zoodango.com, to get his take on what the mysterious “dialogue” might have been. Guess what? He doesn’t know for sure either.
If James is right and Trump got his knickers in a twist over the mention of Zoodango, then something screwy is going on. I can think of several former candidates who pimped their companies and websites, by name, on previous seasons of the show. So why would James be singled out for that? Maybe it’s a combination of all of the things he’s pointed out in his blog, or maybe Trump was referring to something completely different that we’ll never know about.
Even if you don’t care what the comments Trump was talking about are, check out Zoodango. It’s a great concept, and the site itself is a good browse.
For more Apprentice goodness, hit up SirLinksALot: The Apprentice. Photo courtesy of NBC.
Tags: the apprentice, james sun, donald trump
Why Did Trump Choose Stefani?
After an exhilaratingly short finale, Donald Trump decided to hire Stefani Schaeffer as his newest Apprentice last night, proving my prediction wrong once again. For the record, I’ve only been right twice - with Bill Rancic and Kendra Todd. Not a great track record for yours truly.
Now, in her personal and professional life, Stefani is obviously what Trump likes to call a “star.” But on the show? We didn’t even get to see her in action until halfway through the series. And even then she never stepped up and took charge of anything. We know she was never a winning project manager (or a losing one, for that matter), but one doesn’t have to be PM to shine on a task. She never took a single risk, playing it safe from week to week. That’s all well and good, and as a strategy it’s probably smarter than coming out of the gate with the energy of a toddler on Hershey bars.
But let’s look at this from Trump’s point of view. He’s said repeatedly, in several seasons of the show, that he hates people who play under the radar. Stefani is the epitome of under the radar. She banked on the fact that no one disliked her or kept her around in the boardroom to potentially be fired, but that’s only because she never took enough responsibility to shoulder blame for a loss. And the kicker is that Trump and his kids seemed to know this all along.
So why, then, did Stefani beat out James, and to a lesser extent, Frank and Nicole? Well, Nicole wasn’t seriously an option, so we won’t get into that. Frank would have made a great Apprentice, but apparently I’m one of the only ones who thinks so. Yeah, he’s a bit rough around the edges, but that’s what makes him different from all of the others. James has a proven track record as PM, which for some reason he chose not to play up during the finale. Did he not really want the job? Hard to say - it didn’t look to me though that he was fighting for his life up there.
Trump justified his choice by alluding to things James has said in the past that didn’t sit right with him. What were those things? I don’t have a clue, but I’m hoping that it will all come out sooner or later. Ultimately, perhaps Stefani was the “safe” choice. She’s not a loose cannon - on the contrary, she’s very reserved and professional. And she’s single, which means that she’ll be available not only for the actual work she’ll be paid to do, but also for publicity appearances to promote the show.
The Apprentice has been renewed on NBC, and will return this fall. Photo courtesy of NBC.
Don’t forget to check out my recaps of The Apprentice at Reality Shack, and stop by SirLinksALot: The Apprentice for even more.
Tags: the apprentice, donald trump, stefani schaeffer, reality tv
Odds ‘n Ends - Friday, April 20th
Odds ‘n Ends is a weekly roundup of news bites in the world of reality TV, and appears every Friday.
America’s Got Talent Confirms New Judge
In addition to swapping Regis for Springer as host of America’s Got Talent, NBC announced yesterday that Sharon Osborne will take over from Brandy as one of the judges. Osborne joins David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan on the judging panel. Personally I would have rather seen Little Richard as the new judge, since his comments during Celebrity Duets were the only highlights of that show. Then again, if Sharon Osborne is capable of comments like this one, she might be just the thing the show needs. America’s Got Talent premieres Tuesday, May 29th.
The Apprentice Won’t Die
Mark Burnett made some comments this week about what he’ll do if NBC decides not to renew The Apprentice. “If you think I’m going to let ‘The Apprentice’ end, even if it’s not on NBC, that’s not going to happen,” Burnett told Michael Starr of the New York Post’s Starr Report. If NBC doesn’t renew, Burnett and Trump will shop the show elsewhere. Honestly, I can’t see the show not being renewed since they MUST be making money on all of their product placement and advertising deals. Somehow though, the show is bringing in record ratings in the UK, with Sir Alan Sugar as host.
Clyde Drexler - Get Me Off the Show!
We all knew that Clyde Drexler wasn’t going to go any further on Dancing With the Stars after his performance this week. Apparently He knew it as well, and started making excuses before the results were even official. Check out this clip from Tuesday With Ahmad, where Drexler calls in and begs to be voted off the show.
Tags: reality tv, the apprentice, clyde drexler, sharon osbornre, dancing with the stars, mark burnett
Sanjaya Has Left the Building
It was inevitable really. Sanjaya Malakar, subject of much scrutiny and attention, was eliminated on American Idol last night.
Now, I’m going to reserve my comments on whether Sanjaya deserved to get as far as he did or not. I’m not a huge fan of Idol, but I remember his audition clearly and he wowed me then. I really didn’t expect Stevie Wonder to burst forth from his diminutive frame. But I digress.
What is curious to me is the timing of Sanjaya’s exit. Idol’s Executive Producer, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, was quoted in a recent Entertainment Weekly magazine as saying that Sanjaya would NOT win the competition. Simon Cowell has echoed these sentiments, even going so far as to say that he’ll leave the show if Sanjaya won. The past few days have also seen a heavy media presence by Dave Della Terza, the man behind Vote For the Worst. He’s spoken with Howard Stern on air, and made an appearance on Letterman (which was very funny by the way - click the link to watch it on YouTube). With the pressure on to keep Sanjaya in the game, Idol execs must have had a real quandary on their hands.
Today, the final six and Simon will all make an appearance on Oprah, presumably to push their “Idol Gives Back” campaign since Oprah has never taken an interest in the show before. It was time for the folks behind Idol to get serious and think of their public image rather than scare up more controversy and keep Sanjaya around.
No matter if you’re a fan of Sanjaya or not, you’ve got to admit that the timing of his ouster is pretty handy for the Idol franchise. Was Sanjaya actually the guy who ended up with the fewest fan votes, or does something smell fishy in Idol-land? Coincidence or not? You be the judge.
Our very own American Idol guru, LauraBelle, covers the show with wit and wisdom in her weekly recaps. And if you still want more Idol, head on over to SirLinksALot: American Idol. Photo courtesy of FOX.
Tags: american idol, sanjaya malakar, sanjaya, reality tv
Survivor: China
According to Variety, which doesn’t name a source, the next season of Survivor will be filmed in China. This is a departure from the usual island format, which has been used in nine of the fourteen seasons so far. It’s also a groundbreaking announcement from CBS, since US companies filming an entire series in China is unheard of.
While no exact location in China is named, there are certainly great opportunities here for lush imagery, rich historical themes, and exposure to foreign customs and ways of life.
No dates for filming have yet been confirmed.
In related news, the online Survivor community is abuzz with rumours of the 16th Survivor season being a second All Stars version. While there are pros and cons to this plan, I sure hope they include Mike Skupin this time around if the rumours turn out to be true. And even if she can’t be considered an “All Star” since she never had the chance to play the game, I’d love to see the return of Wanda Shirk as well.
Tags: survivor, reality tv, all stars
What’s so Great About Andy Baldwin?
ABC’s latest Bachelor appears almost perfect on paper. He’s cute enough. He’s a Navy Lieutenant, he’s a doctor, a humanitarian, a former Sunday school teacher, and he’s an Iron Man triathelete. He’s also sensitive. This past week we saw him attend to an injured Bevin, even accompanying her to the hospital and thereby delaying a group date. Andy was also clearly upset by having to send Peyton home after his two-on-on date.
If the women on the show are any indication, he’s the perfect man. Total marriage material. The kind of guy you’d be proud to bring home to Mom and Dad. The kind of guy you can brag to your friends about, and who looks good in just about anything you put on him.
So why is Andy not resonating with viewers?
It could be his “hands-on” approach to getting to know the ladies better. Not a date goes by where Andy isn’t busily wrapping his arms around someone, or touching their leg, or pulling them in for a kiss. Just this week alone he was seen washing mud off the ladies (and enjoying them washing it off of him), cuddling and kissing just before the Rose Ceremony, cozying up to both Peyton and Tessa on the double-date (sometimes even simultaneously), and hooking his arms around Erin while she was trying to talk to him about shooting guns and driving fast cars.
Andy can’t seem to keep his hands off the women. Even when being introduced to them for the first time, he was very touchy-feely with a good majority of them. His frequent laments about the ladies not “opening up” to him seem to indicate that those who don’t respond to his advances are frustrating him.
Don’t get me wrong. He seems like a nice enough guy, and there’s obviously some substance behind those shockingly white and straight teeth. Not since Bob Guiney, however, have we seen a man who is so unafraid to touch the Bachelorettes at any given opportunity. His comments about being “turned on” by the vibrating mechanical bull were honest enough, but it put an icky spin on the whole scene.
I’m not a prude by any means, and I understand the need for scantily clad women cavorting in hot tubs in order to make this show work. I also understand the rules of attraction, and that you can’t blame a guy for feeling like a kid at Disneyland when he’s surrounded by 25 gorgeous girls who all want to be with him. But there’s just something off-putting about a man who claims to want to get to know these women, but can’t stop touching them while they’re trying to hold a conversation.
What do you think? Is Andy the perfect man, or are you scratching your heads wondering why he’s just not as riveting as you thought he’d be?
For more on The Bachelor, check out my recaps at Reality Shack, and go see SirLinksALot: The Bachelor. Photo courtesy of ABC.
Casting Call: Beauty and the Geek
Beauty and the Geek is currently casting for its fourth season!
Once again, we are looking for very smart guys 21-30 years old with a high IQ and a savvy intellect. If you are more likely to be featured on Jeopardy rather than The Bachelor then we NEED you. This opportunity could make you richer in life, and even love!
Do you know a good guy (who may just be socially inept when it comes to the ladies) who deserves a GREAT break in life? Finally, a reality show where being smart PAYS OFF with a MAJOR cash prize!
Are you sick and tired of those reality shows featuring the attractive man with not much substance? We’re turning the tables and showing America that smart guys have more to offer. If you can teach a beauty a thing or two then this could be your perfect opportunity!
FINALLY A SHOW WHERE INTELLIGENT GEEKS FINISH FIRST AND RICH!
Send us an email asap to : Beauty_Geek_Casting@yahoo.com.
Be sure to include your name, age, a brief bio, your phone number and a picture if you have it. Remember, last year’s winners won $250,000!!!!!!
Caution: Yield Ahead
The previews for next week’s Amazing Race All Stars show a Yield coming up, and we’re told that two teams conspire to use it.
The obvious candidates for a good yielding would be the Beauty Queens, Dustin and Kandice. They pulled the Yield out and used it on Eric and Danielle for no discernible reason, and now revenge is on the menu. Charla and Mirna are also no fans of the Beauty Queens, so it would come as no surprise to see a plan hatched to foil the blondies at this critical juncture in the race.
I can’t see the Beauty Queens plotting with any of the other teams to use the Yield. The only possible team that would work with them at this point are Danny and Oswald, and I just don’t see that happening. But if it did, Charla and Mirna would most likely be the intended targets.
The only other possibility would be Charla and Mirna working with Eric and Danielle to yield Danny and Oswald, but again, it’s unlikely. Sure, the Cha Cha’s are formidable opponents, but if the opportunity presents itself to slow down the blondes, I can’t see either team passing it up.
So then, why the teaser in the previews? Another attempt by the editors to heighten the drama, or are we actually in for a surprise here? What do you think?
If you want to catch up on the last episode of The Race, LauraBelle has shared her usual blend of detail and observation in her latest recap of the show. Check it out!
Photo courtesy of CBS.