Watching Reality TV

Paris Hilton is apparently in need of a new best friend. I guess since Nicole went and had a baby Paris has been lonely, or maybe she just wanted to do another Reality TV show. Honestly whatever her reason, I don’t care, I am just super excited for her new show. Paris Hilton’s My New BFF premieres tonight at 10PM EST on MTV. The show is exactly what the title says Paris is looking for a new BFF and she handpicked sixteen guys and girls who are literally vying for her friendship. The wannbe Paris BFF’s will all travel to Beverly Hills to compete in tests of loyalty, endurance and compatibility with the media as they are blindfolded. Plus they will be quizzed or interrogated if you will on their knowledge of Paris. That is not all though, the group also travels the globe in order to learn what it is like to maintain a brand, get VIP makeovers and attend red carpet events, plus much more that I don’t want to give away. Basically they are all being tested to see who can keep up with the socialite. Each contestant is hoping they never hear what I am sure will become a new hit phrase from Paris, TTYN which means Talk To You Never Obviously only one very lucky guy or girl will be get to be Paris’s New BFF.
In order to get you pumped up for tonight’s premier I have included the trailer and a few from the show. Enjoy and don’t forget to tune in tonight!

Trailer
Makeover Clip
Interrogation Clip

There are a few pretty big stories coming out of the show The Hills.

Starting with what I think is the biggest news Britney Spears new single Womanizer from her new upcoming album Circus will make an exclusive television debut during tonight’s episode of The Hills at 10PM EST on MTV. Britney and The Hills talk about a perfect combination. Nice way to kick off your new music comeback Brit Brit.

US Weekly is reporting that Audrina has in fact officially moved out of Lauren’s house. Although sources confirm that Audrina simply decided to buy her own place and that all is good with Audrina, Lo and Lauren, I kind of think the source is full of it. But hey that is just my opinion. According to the magazine Audrina moved out on September 18th and the MTV cameras were rolling for all the awkward moments. Personally I am glad that she moved out even after the supposed make up you could just tell things were not comfortable.

And my favorite news is that Whitney Port is now officially getting her own show. The much talked about Hills spinoff is a go. Whitney recently left People’s Revolution and LA to work for Diane von Frustenberg in New York City. The new show, which is set to debut in 2009, will clearly follow Whitney and her new life. Apparently a tearful goodbye scene was filmed a couple of weeks ago between Lauren and Whitney. Personally I think the new show will be a hit, everyone loves Whitney.

Ok Hills fans that is all I have for you now.

That is right the 6 time Emmy winning Amazing Race is finally back tonight. Is it me or does it seem like forever since this show was on. There was no winter season last year so it has been almost a year, which explains my forever feeling. I love the Amazing Race it is one of my all time favorite shows, not just Reality shows, but all shows. Sticking with the winning dynamic of teams of two, remember the debacle that was Amazing Race families, yeah there will be none of that, the show follows teams as they literally race around the world. The race has everything from detours, which give you a choice of two tasks, to roadblocks where only one team member can do the challenge. The last team to check in with host Phil Keoghan at the end of each leg of the race is eliminated. However the first team to check in with Phil on the last leg of the race wins $1,000,000. Side note here but I was really disappointed that Phil was not nominated for an Emmy in the host category. He is awesome and I really think he deserved to be nominated over Howie, nothing personal against Howie. Anyway, the 13th season promises to have some exciting twists and turns, such as one team that makes such a grave mistake they are prohibited from joining the other teams at the end of the race finish line. That certainly has me wondering about the new season. The Amazing Race begins tonight at 8PM EST on CBS. Some advice for those who are planning to DVR the show, record the show after because we all know Sunday afternoon football runs long.

Ok I want to start off this blog by saying that this is not in any way a political blog. This is a Reality TV blog and I have no intentions of discussing politics here. However the presidential debate is on tonight, it will be airing at 9PM EST on pretty much all major networks, and I think everyone should tune in. I mean seriously it doesn’t get any more reality than two men trying to prove to us all who is better to run the country. I am betting there will be some drama and backstabbing in this event.
I really wanted to write this blog to simply inform you that the debate is on tonight. I think it is very important for people to watch this debate. We are talking about a history making election here and I feel that all of my readers should have all the information needed to make the choice that is right for them. I get that staying home on a Friday night to watch the debate may not be at the top of peoples list of fun things to do, so I say at the very least DVR the debate. I am not here to tell you who to vote for etc, there are plenty of people and political blogs doing that right now. Ok so there you have it, presidential debate tonight 9PM EST all major networks, tune in. Please at some point watch it, I don’t want to get all political but it is important to watch.

Survivor is back my Reality fan friends, and I for one can not wait. I am going to be honest here, I have not been particularly thrilled with the last couple of Survivor Seasons. I actually stopped watching China mid season because I was soooooo bored. I did watch Fans vs. Faves all the way through and it was ok. I think the problem is that Survivor has been on for so many seasons it is hard to keep it fresh and interesting. I do however have high hopes for Survivor Gabon which beings tonight at 8PM EST on CBS. If you have seen the promos for Survivor Gabon then you will know why I have high expectations. Gabon is being labeled earths last eden, and as you all know Survivor is all about surviving the elements. Well that and surviving all the backstabbing. Amway the cast looks good, there is an Olympic Gold Medalist and a professional gamer, not sure what a professional gamer is, but is sounds good. Rumor has it this season Exile Island has a new twist. It is only called Exile and the contestants get a choice between a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol or instant comfort such as some food, and something nice to sleep on. I hope that rumor is true because that could be interesting. This marks the second time that Survivor has been filmed in Africa, Season 3 was filmed in Kenya. There will definitely be more blogs on Survivor Gabon, so keep checking back. Also log onto to CBS.com and check out Survivor Fantasy League, you could win a trip to Gabon.

Do you think you have what it takes to be apart of the Reality TV world? Well below are a few shows currently looking for new stars. So I say if you want to be on Reality TV here is your chance.

TV Land is looking for wannabe models age 35 and older for season two of She’s Got The Look. Interested candidates can log onto www.tvland.com for more information on the application process. Open casting calls will be held in Los Angeles on September 20th, Chicago on October 5th and New York City on October 8th. All applicants will need to bring a photo ID for the casting calls.

Fox Reality is currently looking for men and women between the ages of 18-30 for the second season of Battle of the Bods. If you are interested send your name, age and two photos to reneesfoxcasting@gmail.com

Producers of Wasted on Planet Green are looking for businesses, families, and hones in the tri-state area to appear on the second season of this makeover program. They are looking for people who need a nudge to become green. All applicants must live with in two hours of New York City and must own their houses or apartments. Interested candidates should send an email to greenhome@liontv.us along with photos and a short bio on why you or the person you are nominating for the show needs an eco-makeover.

I have saved the best for last. There is going to be another season of The Real World. The Bunim/Murray casting people will be in Boston, Dallas, Fort Collins, Ann Arbor, Charlotte and Tampa in the next few weeks. Applicants must be between the ages of 18-24 and must bring a recent photo and photo ID to the open casting calls. Interested wannabe roommates can go to www.bunim-murray.com for complete details.

Alright my faithful readers that is all the casting news for now. Enjoy!

Last week I wrote a blog about the new season of The Biggest Loser. In the blog I mentioned how I didn’t really start watching the show until Alison Sweeney began hosting it. Well I thought I should do a little blog about Alison because quite frankly I think she rocks and deserves a shout out. Alison has played the scheming Sami Brady on Days of Our Lives for years, since she was a teenager, and I have been a huge fan of hers since day one. But it isn’t only her fabulous acting on Days that makes me a fan of hers, but just her in general. I read her book All The Days of My Life So Far and it is amazing. Alison just comes across as a genuine like able person who quite honestly I could be friends with. I actually had the pleasure of meeting Alison years ago when I was an intern at NBC. Although it was a brief encounters she was nice and friendly. From that moment I decided to kind of really follow her career. So when she became the host of The Biggest Loser, I tuned in, it was my way of supporting her I guess. Now I love the show. Amway I really just wanted to let you know all Alison Sweeney totally kicks ass.
Now for some quick Biggest Loser Information, did you know that NBC now has The Biggest Loser League, which is an online interactive weight loss support network? People can set up teams and compete in challenges etc, check out the website http://tbll.nbc.com/ for more information.
Also below please find some bonus video clips that did not make last week’s episode.
Elimination Room
Mr. Bob
Jillian’s Facts
Welcome To Boston
The Hard Truth

My favorite dancing show, Dancing With The Stars is back for Season 7 tonight. Yes! The three-night event, yes you read that right, three-night event, begins tonight at 8PM EST on ABC. In order to shake things up a bit, the show will have thirteen contestants this season. All contestants will prepare not one but two performances for the first week. Plus two couples will get the boot in the first week. Oh and there is more, teen sensations Jesse McCartney and the Jonas Brothers will perform on the live results show Wednesday at 8PM. Alright so I can see there being some confusion as to what is happening this week on Dancing With The Stars, so let me break it down for you. Tonight at 8PM EST all contestants will perform, however only twelve of them will perform a second dance on Tuesday at 9PM EST. The reason only twelve will perform on Tuesday is because one couple will be eliminated before the dancing on Tuesday. Then during the live results show on Wednesday another couple will be sent home. That is quite a first week for DWTS.
You all know that I love this show, but a three-night event, not sure I can devote that much time to the show. Actually I know I can’t devote that much time to the show. I hate to admit it, but I might have to be one of those people that doesn’t watch until it gets down to like 6 or 7 people. I am going to do my best to keep up with it online, but I can’t DVR it. I know I won’t watch it, after all Survivor and The Amazing Race begin this week too. So if you do watch keep me posted on what is happening.
Below find the complete cast list for Season 7 of Dancing With The Stars.
Chloris Leechman, Lance Bass, Toni Braxton, Kim Kardashian, Brooke Burke, Rocco Disprito, Maurice Greene, Cody Linley, Susan Lucci, Misty May-Treanor, Ted McGinley, Jeffrey Ross, Warren Sapp

It’s a first ever for the Primetime Emmy Awards, tonight’s show will be hosted by five of the hottest Reality TV show hosts. They are not just good looking hot, they are the most talked about hosts in the Reality world. Heidi Klum, Jeff Probst, Tom Bergeron, Howie Mandel and Ryan Seacrest, will jointly host the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy awards airing at 8PM EST on ABC. All of the five hosts are nominated in the Outstanding Host Reality or Reality Competition Host category, which is a brand new category this year. All of this means a big night in history for Reality TV. A new category and Reality Hosts hosting the show, all I can say is WOW. I think this means that the academy is starting to take this genre of television seriously. I for one am confident that the above hosts will totally kick ass tonight.
Along with the new category, there are two other categories for Reality TV, Outstanding Reality Program and Outstanding Reality-Competition Program. These two categories have been around the last couple of years, but nonetheless they are still important for Reality TV as the new host category. Now I will give you my picks to win all three Reality TV awards.
Outstanding Reality Program goes to Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List. Why, well because it’s hysterical and Kathy is awesome.
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program goes to Amazing Race. Why, well because it is way better than the other choices. Plus it’s a really great show.
Outstanding Host Reality or Reality Competition Host goes to Jeff Probst of Survivor. Why, well because he in my eyes is the original Reality host who kind of started it all and so he deserves to win the first award in this category.
I wish all the nominees good luck and to Heidi, Jeff, Tom, Howie and Ryan, break a leg!

Wetv has a new show that I think you all should check out. In the last couple of years Wetv has been super successful with their wedding themed Reality shows. Well the network has branched out a little and has what I think will be a hit on their hands. The Locator follows investigator Troy Dunn as he reunites people. Troy is known as a phenomenon in his field. He reunites family members, organ donors, etc. The reason he is called The Locator is because of his brilliant track record in locating people. Troy has a team of people that use creative tactics and sometimes just good luck to reconnect people. I am not usually into these types of show, and I definitely rarely watch anything on Wetv but I have to tell you I am so impressed with this show. Only two episodes have aired so far and they both put me in tears. Yes if you watch this show, and I hope you do, you will need a box of tissues. The pure inspiration that one gains from watching this show is enough reason to tune in, but beyond that Troy is a really likable guy. I do wonder though if there will ever be a show where he doesn’t find someone? In each episode Troy does explain to the person who hires him that things may not turn out the way the person wants. Anyway like I said, I think you should give this show a chance, it is defiantly a different type of reality show. The Locator airs at 9PM EST tonight on Wetv.

Ellen, Oprah, Bonnie, Dr. Phil they all are now full swing into their new fall seasons. Since watching Ellen, I love her and DVR her everyday, I have been pondering a thought, are talk shows Reality TV? I think there is definitely something to my thought and I say yes talk shows are a form of Reality TV. In fact they may very well be the original form of Reality TV. Think about it, there are all different types of Reality TV, competition, let’s follow someone around, non-scripted etc, so I think a show like Ellen is an interview Reality show. Now I have absolutely no idea if an interview Reality shows actually exists I mean they are called talk shows after all. But isn’t my concept the same thing. After all the shows are essentially non scripted, they certainly aren’t any more scripted than The Hills and we call that Reality TV. I know I am definitely on to something here. The Reality TV world is exploding and I don’t think we should rule out Oprah as a part of that world. Back when the talk show was first created there was no such thing as Reality TV, which is how the talk show genre was born. Times have changed though and I say Ellen, Oprah, Bonnie, welcome to my world of Reality TV. What do you think about my pondering thoughts, do you agree with me or not? As always I gave you my opinion now please give me yours.

It’s official the winner of Big Brother 10 has been crowned. The $500,000 grand prize goes to the Catholic School teacher and my pick all along, Dan. It was a landslide in terms of voting. Dan got all of the jury votes. I gotta say it was 100% deserved. I have nothing against Memphis, he seems like a cool enough guy, but he just did not play the game as well as Dan. Memphis let Dan get all the blood on his hands, so to speak.
The finale itself was actually uneventful. I expected more from the jury questions to the finale two, and by more I mean fireworks, drama etc. Considering this season was full of explosive fights, backstabbing and ridiculous name calling, I expected some of that to happen during the jury question session. Sure there was little snide remarks, but for the most part the questions sucked and so did the jury’s reaction to the answers to their sucky questions.
America voted to give Keesha the $25,000 jury prize. I was actually shocked by that, I really thought it would be Jerry. I voted for Jerry even though I wasn’t a huge fan of his, I thought it was the right thing to do. But I can see why Keesha got the money, Memphis screwed her over really bad and she is likable.
Well tonight brought the end to another exciting season of Big Brother. Never fear though CBS is already working on the next season. If you think you have what it takes to make it in the Big Brother House go to CBS.com for information on casting for Season 11 of Big Brother. Hum, does that mean that perhaps there is going to be another winter season of Big Brother? I will keep you posted.

Alison Sweeney and The Biggest Loser return tonight with The Biggest Loser Families at 8PM EST on NBC. There are eight family teams total. Four parent/child teams and four husband/wife teams will compete for a $250,000 grand prize. However anyone who has watched The Biggest Loser knows that these families are competing for much more than money. Some are literally competing for their survival. The teams will compete in diet competitions while learning to eat healthy and how to work out properly with the help of trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper. If you have seen the show, then you know that is not an easy at all, the teams are tempted all the time. The show has become a worldwide phenomenon, as people watch the contestants transform their lives. I like the idea of the show having families. I think a lot of weight issues can steam from family so this should be so helpful for these contestants. Oh and I should mention that the parent/child teams are adult children. The Biggest Loser has become a world phenomenon, launching a number of books and DVD’s. I have used The Biggest Loser cookbook, and I don’t even like to cook. I admit that I didn’t watch this show until Alison Sweeney took over as host. I think Alison is fantastic and I am a huge fan of hers from watching Days of Our Lives. I may have tuned in because of Alison but I was quickly hooked. This show is so inspiring. I mean who doesn’t struggle with body image and weight issues. Alright Biggest Loser fans get ready for some laughter and tears. The Biggest Loser Families Tonight, don’t miss it.

Residents of Red Hook Brooklyn are less than thrilled with the Real World filming in their neighborhood. It all started months ago when some residents refused to sign release forms granting permission to film near their homes. One resident was even quoted as saying that there are plans to give the new houseguests a hard time similar to what occurred when the show filmed in Philadelphia. A bar owner recently said that this is going to be the “realest” Real World ever, because the regulars at bars are going to pretty much treat the Real World gang like crap. It seems residents like that Red Hook is inaccessible and uncool. However the residents of Red Hook may not have anything to worry about, since the cast members have been mostly hanging out in Park Slope and Williamsburg. The Real World house is located on Pier 41 in Red Hook, if anyone is curious to see it. The Real World Brooklyn will begin airing in January, bringing the show back to where it all began. MTV will continue to stick with the new 1-hour 13-episode format.
I have a feeling that this type of situation with the residents of Red Hook happens more often than not where the MTV show is concerned. I know for a fact that there was a lot of controversy when the show filmed in Denver. To be honest I think people are sick of the show and don’t want their neighborhood disrupted for a Reality TV show. What do you think, do the Red Hook residents have a right to be angry and treat the cast badly?

You all know that I completely dropped the ball and didn’t know that the newest Real World/Road Rules Challenge:The Island began last Wednesday. Well I managed to DVR it, because MTV has been airing the crap out of it since it began and I just finished watching it. I have to say I think it kind of sucks. I know shocking coming from me who loves the Challenges, but it’s true. The show is a total Survivor rip off even down to a tribal council like elimination process. Plus it took the entire episode for host TJ Lavin to get across what the heck the purpose of the game is, which clearly everyone knew it was money, but how does one win the money. Basically in order to get the money that is hidden on another island you must be one of eight people with a key that will open the chest. The eight people with keys will get into two boats and pretty much who ever gets to the treasure chest first gets the money. Oh and the boats don’t come made, the players will be building them from supplies dropped by the US Army. Of course there is limited food and stuff etc, you know just like Survivor. Anyway instead of team challenges each week three people will compete in an individual challenge, the winner gets a key. As for the two losers, well the other players vote one of them out publicly. There is also a way to lose your key but I don’t get how yet, something to do with if you have a key and you get eliminated. Whatever, it is so a Survivor rip off with stupid twists. Even the cast this year is disappointing and I am not sure if it’s cause I don’t know a lot of the new people or what, but the only ones I like are Derrick and Kenny. I mean I guess I will give the new people a chance but so far not impressed with them or the show. There is though in true challenge fashion already a hook up, Kenny and Johanna, I hope it doesn’t last he is way too good for her. Amway I sincerely hope The Island gets better cause the Fall TV Season is starting and if this show doesn’t get better it is going to get dropped. I’ll keep you posted. Oh and side note, how the in hell did MTV get the US Army to be apart of this ridiculous show. I am baffled by that, I guess everyone needs publicity even the Army.