Category — Reality TV

Apparently there is a new dating show commissioned in the USA called The Choice, and yes it is a pun on the hugely sucessful The Voice. And it also involves turning chairs.

You would think it is a joke? It is not. Clearly Sophie Monk is struggling to find a date as it looks like she is going to be one of the contestants on the show. Also it would be confirmed that Tyson Beckford and Shanina Shaik are kaput as his name is on the list on who is participating on the show.

Because I could not describe the show any better Dlisted gives his rundown on it:

Fox’s The Choice is just like The Voice, but instead instead of the four “celebrities” looking for singing voices, they’ll be looking for possible genitals to hump on. The four celebrities will be put in swivel chairs with their backs against the stage and a bunch of “sexy singles” describe themselves. If the piece’s descriptions makes the celebrity’s ears tingle, he or she will pull a “love handle” (I can’t with that either) and find themselves face-to-face with their possible date. If more than one celebrity turns around, the trick will get to pick who they want to get with. Once each celebrity has three possible dates on their team, all teams will move to the“Speed Choice” round. In the second round, each contestant will have a few seconds to tell the celebrity why they should be picked. At the end of that round, each celebrity will get rid of one ho. In the final round, the show’s host Cat Deeley will ask each trick a question and afterward the celebrity will pick which trick they want to go on a date with. And that’s how true love is born!

Dlisted also gives the list of “celebrities” on the show:

Joe Jonas - Former purity ring wearer, sometime yodeler and current blind item star
Pauly D - Jersey Shore whore and #3 on the Health Department’s Most Wanted list
Romeo - Child rapper, child actor and the trick who confuses my nipples since he sort of looks like Webster on roids
Dean Cain - Rick Perry supporter and the Superman to Teri Snatcher’s Lois
Tyson Beckford - Supermodel and one of the biggest advocates of theBushy Pubes for Men Club
Rima Fakih - Noted drunk driver and Miss USA 2010
Carmen Electra - A flower from Prince’s garden
Sophie Monk - Australian pop something and fellow Wonky McValtrex hater
Rob Kardashian - Ugh
Rocco DiSpirito - Part-time chef, full-time reality whore
Warren Sapp - Football player
Finesse Mitchell - Comedian and former SNL cast member
Jeremy Bloom - Olympic freestyle skier
Jason Cook - Soap opera actor
Michael Catherwood - Co-host of Loveline, former DWTS contestant and the trick whose last name sounds like the medical name for getting a boner while a catheter’s up on your peen
Seth Wescott - Olympic snowboarder
Parker Young - The hot but dumb jock son of Ana Gasteyer on Suburgatory
Ndamukong Suh - Football player
Dr. Robert Nettles - Plastic surgeon
Taylor Hicks - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!
The Situation - Jersey Shore whore and #1 on the Health Department’s Most Wanted list
Rob Gronkowski - Football player
Steven López - Olympic martial arts fighter
Hope Dworaczyk - Playboy Playmate of 2010

The only thing that may give this show a little bit of dignity is Cat Deeley hosting it. Hopefully this will be one format Australian Networks won’t pick up.

Celebrity Apprentice contestant Jesinta Campbell is now single again after breaking up with Scott McGregor. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Kyle Sandilands appears to have not wanted to be in the promoted kissing booth outside the Today-FM studio as the night before he was taken to hospital and was unable to work that day. It was a pity as I had been planning on going in with a dental dam… and yes I am joking. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Former Australia’s Next Top Model host Sarah Murdoch appears to be peeving some of her neighbours off with their renovations. (Source: SMH)

Jennifer Hudson’s former brother-in-law has been found guilty of the murder of her mother, brother and nephew. (Source: SMH)

The reality show The Shire has sacked two of the cast members after some unsavoury information about them was revealed. Unfortunately this unsavoury information has not been revealed to the public. The production house Shine maintains it wants to make the show a positive one. (Source: SMH)

Jessica Simpson finally had her baby a girl called Maxwell Johnson – I don’t get the name either, however rumour has it she sold the baby photos for $800,000. (Source: Celebuzz)

Matt Newton is pleading not guilty to his charges in the USA, and he has another six weeks to prepare his case or cut a plea deal. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Britany Spears is to be a judge on the US version of The X Factor. Now this will be interesting viewing. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Whitney Houston’s family has signed up to do a reality TV show three months after the death of the singer. (Source: Gawker)

The US are doing an all-star version of Dancing With The Stars and Mel B’s name is on the list. (Source: Reality Blurred)

If you are not into watching sport on a Saturday night the new SBS series Bollywood Star looks like it could be an entertaining show.

The show is giving the opportunity for an Australian to become a Bollywood Star, and the program follows the search with the unknown winning a part in a Bollywood movie.

Because it is SBS it can’t be called a reality TV show, they describe it as  ”a fusion of the highly popular talent search format with observational documentary”.

Heading up the judging panel is film maker, author and leading Australian expert on the Indian entertainment sector, Anupam Sharma. He is joined by Sydney based Raj Suri is a photographer, producer and talent spotter, and Dipti Patil – Bollywood choreographer.

Bollywood Star Premieres on SBS on Saturday 2 June at 7.30pm.

You may be wondering what that flashing button is on the right of the blog and it is a link to a collaboration I am doing this week at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia with highly respected journalist and fashion specialist Patty Huntington. Patty has an influential fashion blog called Frockwriter.

Fashion Week Uncut (www.fashionweekuncut.com) is a live blog which will provide an ‘all access’ pass to backstage, front row and the catwalk. This year fashion week has been infiltrated by reality TV personalities behind the scenes, on the catwalk, and in the front row. In fact the highest profile designer there this year is Whitney Port who is a veteran of three reality shows, The Hills, The City and is a judge on the next series of Britains and Ireland’s Next Top Model.

Also the winner of Project Runway Australia, Dylan Cooper is showing along with judge Kirrily Johnson. There will also be a plethora of Australia’s Next Top Model contestants and winners strutting down the catwalk.

And of course Lara Bingle is rumoured to be filming her new reality TV show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week as well.

Then there is always the front row….

Now I realise that not all my readers give a hoot about fashion week, so Injera has kindly agreed to write for the blog this week to ensure there is a steady diet of reality TV news. Also Network Ten kindly did not commence Masterchef Australia until next Sunday.

However if you are into fashion or just like the carnival of big events, it is the biggest fashion event in Australia, come and check it out. 

Our aim is to provide comprehensive “real time” reportage, covering the models, designers and their collections, the celebrities, and the fashion pack.  It will also include left field fashion analysis, interviews and conversation to make it informative and entertaining viewing.

Patty and I are being helped with our coverage by Anthony who is a intern at this blog, and also Anielka who will be photographing the collections and the colour and movement of the week.

Reality TV Wars is kicking off on the week beginning 15 April with Channel NINE  launching three of their masthead programs.

The Voice starts on Sunday 15 April at 6.30pm, The Block on Monday in the 7.00pm timeslot, and Celebrity Apprentice Australia Season Two airs Wednesday the 18th of April at 8.00pm, all on Channel Nine.

Channel Seven also launch Dancing With The Stars on the 15 April and this will go head to head with The Voice. And then add Masterchef Australia into the mix a few weeks later and the battle for the reality TV viewer really gets interesting.

Australia’s Got Talent on SEVEN is also launching on Monday the 16th as well. This was huge last year and beat Masterchef Australia in the ratings on some of the nights they went head to head.

Blog posts will go up during the day specifically on each of these shows but while you are waiting here are some really good analysis about this TV program showdown by Michael Idato at the SMH, and Geoff Shearer for the Courier Mail.

Which shows will you be watching?

After many discussions with my intern Anthony (@AM_092) about Big Brother we decided to produce a Vlog talking about the auditions and what we liked about the old show and what we want to see on the show this year.

Big Brother Australia is currently on a house mate hunt in other words auditioning for the show.  For more details go to the official website here.

We may do more vlogs or we may not – so please tell us if you like them or even if you don’t.

I am currently in the USA  on holidays, but obviously still blogging, however expect to see more blog posts from Injera and Anthony over the coming few weeks.

One think about being in the US is realising just how huge the reality TV industry is over here. All the big shows are on here at the moment with Survivor, and The Amazing Race kicking off this week. Also The Voice and American Idol are screening as well.

But there is just channel after channel of reality TV shows. Also I have discovered a Reality TV magazine, and like the genre it is cheap at only $1.79. So should get my hands on it soon.

Anyway here are some links to some stories doing the rounds today:

Thomas from My Kitchen Rules is still pouting over the scores they were given and said the game is on and he will scoring the teams  a one regardless how they cook. (Source: Herald Sun)

Rumours are also circulating that a romance is brewing on the My Kitchen Rules set with Rocco from SA, and Victorian contestant Carly flirting up a storm. Apparently Rocco is looking to settle down. (Source: News.com.au)

The Voice judges love lives appear to be cursed. Delta Goodrem has announced her split from Nick Jonas. Seal who is in Australia now recently separated from his wife Project Runway host, Heidi Klum. (Source: News.com.au)

Mel B is sending her kid to a public high school. As she said to the Daily Telegraph public schools are fantastic in Australia so why waste the money on a private school. This is great publicity for the Government system, and as a person who sends her kids to public schools for both the education and also for the mix of people they get to meet I am thrilled.

Please Marry My Boy host Ada Nicodemou is pregnant. She announced the pregnancy to New Idea (of course) and revealed that after struggling to get pregnant they went to IVF. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Pauline Hanson from Celebrity Apprentice Australia will be doing a week of drive time radio in Canberra, just expect reactive views about everything. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Rumours in trashy US Star magazine is that Snooki from Jersey Shore is pregnant. However she is denying it.

Also Bethenny Frankel Skinny Girl brand just keeps getting bigger, she now has diet pills sold throughout Walmart. I find this a tad disturbing considering Bethenny has talked about an eating disorder that she has only just overcome in the last couple of years.

Set in Upolu, Samoa, the battle for the ‘Sole Survivor’ title returns to U.S. screens tonight on CBS with its 24th season, Survivor: One World. Though neither Nine or Go! have scheduled the program for an Australian premiere, it’s bound to get people talking for more than one reason. The premise of this season is exactly in its title. There will be two opposing tribes, but for the first time in the show’s history, both teams will be sharing one camp from the get-go and for an indefinite amount of time. I can’t be certain whether we’ll see the blurring of alliances and strategies shifting, but it’ll surely be interesting viewing.

But if you thought the limited space would make it harder to draw obvious alliances, you might need to think again because it won’t take a challenge or bandana pick to decide who’s on which team. This season, there are eighteen castaways – nine men and nine women – and the line is drawn straight down to their gender. Splitting the contestants into tribes based on gender has been employed in previous seasons and it’s certainly nothing surprising, with age and skin colour a decider for teams in other seasons as well.

With the men sticking with men and women sticking with women in one communal camp, there’s bound to be debate as to who’s the better sex! And I’m guessing the tribal lines will certainly be crossed if anyone’s in need of some ‘cosying’ up during the long, gruelling nights, sometimes without food and shelter. Who’ll be the first the sneak to the opposing team for some cuddling? It’s a diverse group, so there should be a match for everyone if they’re looking!

The ages of the castaways range from 21 to 64 and there’s also number of different ethnic backgrounds represented, which isn’t anything new for Survivor. The show’s always been quite diverse in their casting and I think the most important criteria is probably to be fit. It’s an environment where you’ll have to be both mentally and physically strong in order to get through challenges, injuries, tribal councils and back-stabbing schemes. There’s no doubt someone will cry and vow to leave the competition… There’s always at least one!

It won’t be for a while before this season hits our shores, but you could check out the list of contestants in time for when Nine picks a date:

Salani Tribe (Women)
Nina Acosta, 51, Clovis, Calif., retired LAPD officer
Christina Cha, 29, West Hollywood, Calif., career consultant
Monica Culpepper, 41, Tampa, ex-NFL player’s wife
Kat Edorsson, 22, Orlando, timeshare rep
Chelsea Meissner, 26, Charleston, S.C., medical sales
Kourtney Moon, 29, Austin, Texas, motorcycle repair
Alicia Rosa, 25, Chicago, special ed teacher
Kim Spradlin, 29, San Antonio, bridal shop owner
Sabrina Thompson, 33, Brooklyn, high school teacher

Manono Tribe (Men)
Jay Byars, 25, Gaffney, S.C., model
Colton Cumbie, 21, Monroeville, Ala., college student
Michael Jefferson, 30, Seattle, banker
Leif Manson, 27, San Diego, phlebotomist
Jonas Otsuji, 37, Lehi, Utah, sushi chef
Bill Posley, 28, Venice, Calif., stand-up comedian
Matt Quinlan, 33, San Francisco, attorney
Troy Robertson, 50, Miami, swimsuit photographer
Greg Smith, 64, Houston, plastic surgeon

(Yeah, I don’t know what a phlebotomist is either!)

It should be an interesting season and even if the twists and tribe dynamics don’t hook you in, you could just watch it for the babes and hotties. With the tribes obviously divided, it would be easy to focus on your preferred gender!

Check out the cast photos here:
Survivor: One World Castaways – Photo Gallery – E! Online

It is well known that shows cast outside the official audition processes, however it is always a shock when someone does out them.

I do disagree with her view that these programs are exploitative, it is a way for people to showcase their talents to a large audience. Yes other things other then talent can get you through the audition process like a quirky act or a good back story, but folks that is show business.

Jack Vidgen who won Australia’s Got Talent in 2011 probably loved every minute he was on the show.

Thanks to Injera for alerting me to this.

Who said people should watch what they say in the social media as it can cost you a job? The exact opposite occurred when I was on the look out for an intern….

I realised that I was not getting as many blog posts up as I would like and missing some crucial reality TV news so it was time to discard my inner control freak and step into the world of interns.

Also it will allow me to put more energy to increase resources to keep Reality Ravings ticking over.

And lucky for me I met nine months ago on Twitter. One of the great things about the online world is you get to connect with people you would not normally meet in real life.

Let me introduce him –  his name is Anthony Trung Mai and he is a communications student with a wicked sense of humour.  For months we have been chatting and joking and when I came to the realisation that I needed an intern he was the first person I thought of.  Lucky for me he agreed. And once I met him I couldn’t believe my luck at how lovely, articulate and intelligent he was. Also he comes with some great ideas and one of his roles to push me out of my comfort zone as I do not like change, and also he can give me a Gen Y perspective.

And he has auditioned for Australian Idol when it was on – so hoping for a blog post on that experience!

So please make him feel welcome we are seriously lucky to have him this will mean more blog posts and more reality TV news.

You can follow him on Twitter at @AM_092