Big Brother is still going strong overseas, but it has been a couple of years since it was screened here. Just recently I was feeling nostalgic about the show, but now after seeing a clip from the US version of a guy in a shower I think it can continue to lay dormant here.

So if you still think Big Brother is a quality reality show go to the link here on Dlisted.

And no I am not putting the You Tube directly up on my blog, even I have some standards.

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Ok so I have been barely been blogging for the past week due to illness, work (which should settle down by the end of this week), and a weekend away to catch up with delightful Injera.

But just when I was starting to feel sorry for myself and think what a bad blogger I am, some nice stuff happens.

First of all I am in Kidspot’s Top Fifty Bloggers, and yes it is a way of them expanding their audience as well as mine, there is an opportunity to win a trip to Dunk Island, so if you want to vote for me  go to Kidspot here.

Also another lovely Blogger Gnome Angel featured me in her regular Saturday feature Blog Love. Her blog is gorgeous, diverse, and has lots of pictures. So much appreciated and I would urge you to check out her site.

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I don’t know what it is with these young whipper snappers on Masterchef Australia this year, first Callum wants his own TV show (see injera’s post on that here), and now Matthew Caldicott wants to try his hand at modelling.

Woman’s Day says he is looking to launch a modelling career, and he is looking to see if any of the agencies are interested in him.

Matt Preston is now officially on a diet according to New Idea. He now realises it is all about portion control. He said he realised he needed to go on a diet when the wardrobe girls on Masterchef were letting out his jackets without him knowing about it.

Wirra a Western Australian AFL player has withdrawn from Dancing With The Stars as he wants the better dancers to have a shot at the Grand Final (Source: Throng)

Fifi Box’s TV career continues to go from strength to strength, she will host a new show on Channel 7 called Four Weddings. It is based on a British series that can be seen on Lifestyle You where four couples compete for a deluxe honeymoon. The other contestants and attend the weddings and vote, it is a bit like Come Dine With Me voting system. It is an enjoyable program.

Ellen De Generes dances at the finale for So You Think You Can Dance. She replaced an injured dancer, Alex Wong. No news on whether we will get to see the US version of the show here. ( Source: TV Tonight)

One of my favourite American Idol’s Fantasia Barrino has attempted suicide. Her personal life is a bit murky with rumours of a liaison with a married man, and rumours of a sex tape. (Source: TV Tonight)

Daniel Macpherson is apparently one of the most popular guys on TV, so I think he will be the host of the Australian version of The Amazing Race.

If you want to know how Kate Gosselin makes her money this blog tells you how here.

In a definition of irony the Millionaire Matchmaker Patti Stanger has broken off her engagement to Andy Freidman. They met through a matchmaker five and a half years ago. (Source: Popeater)

Kara DioGuardi found out she was fired from American Idol on the news. Also for those who like trivia her father is a republican candidate. (Source: Huffington Post)

There is going to be a reality TV convention in Los Angeles next April. I am quite happy to lead a tour group there. LOL. It will have panel’s and reality TV “stars”. Also there will be online reality TV awards. Mark Burnett is involved. (Source:Hollywood Reporter)

Did one of America’s leading reality TV bloggers get banned from the Survivor set because off Russel Hantz? Great article on Reality Blurred. Also one of the negatives of not doing puff pieces, you don’t get access. I am still waiting for my interview with Jonathan Daddia.

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In a Courier Mail article yesterday Karen Brooks wrote that there was a lot of cyber hate on Twitter and Facebook directed at Masterchef Australia contestants.

She alleges Masterchef nice has been turned into Masterchef nasty on social networking sites, and some of these remarks were sexist, racist and homophobic.

As prolific tweeter I must be on a different stream as the majority of tweets I see are witty, and commenting mainly on what is being shown on the screen.

TV editors/producers have hours of footage of all contestants and they decide how they want to portray that person or that “character”.

I am sure Joanne does have an expression other then pursed lips but we rarely see it. I am sure Jonathan who apparently is called smugathon (which I think is quite witty) is laid back and fun kind of guy with a penchant for fart jokes but viewers are not getting that glimpse into his personality. By the way I am on team Jonathan because of his cocky attitude and the fact he does give the judges a bit of lip.

If the viewer only sees a certain dimension of the contestants personality how can they comment on something they have not seen.  In fact I would love to see sweet Marion have some sort of hissy fit about something just to dim the halo she is currently wearing. She must have had some meltdown over not being able to get the blender to work properly or some over cooked meat.

Chris Badenoch who was cast as last year’s grumpy bad boy, has said in interviews, that he did laugh and smile on camera but the producers just never showed any of this footage.

Social networks are not new to reality TV viewers. Savvy networks have set up official forums where fans can give their opinion on the show. The comments on these sites are no different from Twitter, ranging from sycophantic fandom, to scathing criticism.

In fact Bravo TV a US channel whose bread and butter is reality TV shows, has admitted to using research they get through social media channels to direct some of their plot lines.

Reality TV and the social media are a great symbiotic relationship, and it has been suggested that the increase in popularity of the reality TV genre in the past ten years can be contributed to the World Wide Web.

It has enabled to people to watch TV with hundred’s of like-minded individuals without leaving your lounge room and converse about it whilst wearing your pyjamas and ugg boots.

Fans have their favourites, and the ones they love to hate – that is reality TV. Some shows like So You Think You Can Dance, Australia’s Got Talent, and The X Factor all have a public voting element so difference of opinion is necessary and encouraged.

Also by showing scenes from the Masterchef house indicates the producers want to show the contestants as personalities not just competing amateur chefs, as they do in the UK version of the show.

In fact there has been debate and criticism about whether the casting of Season Two was based on cooking skills or actual personalities. Anyone remember Kate’s microwave white chicken dish? Or Callum’s hunk of beef wrapped in fresh pasta? Are they really in the top 24 amateur cooks in Australia?

Karen Brooks in the article takes tweeter @molksTVTalk to task for tweeting “Where’s the anger between the amatas? Too much love in that damn kitchen.”

@MolksTVTalk when clarifying his tweet to me said, “The key point of my comment was all we’re seeing from the contestants is love/support/encouragement. The times when they show their dislike for each other (i.e. Alvin/Jonathan early on) is some of the best bits of reality TV – we want to see REAL PEOPLE!”

And that is the point of reality TV. By real people the viewers what to see each person at their best and at their worst.

Reality TV participants should know when they are on a show they will be shown as a “character” and that the social media with people giving different views on them is part of what they sign up for.

I am sure at times this can be pretty difficult for them, but at the same time the savvier ones are using the same medium to connect with their fans and promote themselves and their product/skills to attempt to extend their allotted 15 minutes of fame.

Also it should be noted the majority of social media users know, the more extreme comments say more about the tweeter then the person they are tweeting about, and like the drunken bore at the Christmas party it is best to ignore and steer clear of them.

By the way you can follow me on twitter @realityraver

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Dancing With The Stars premieres on Sunday 27 June at 6.30pm (Source TV Tonight). New Idea this week were already talking up a romance between Jo-Beth Taylor and her dance partner.

Hell’s Kitchen winners never get their prizes according to Reality Blurred, he also says a lot of other shows prize does not live up to the hype. Gordon Ramsay says it is better if they are mentored.

Dina Manzo might be leaving The Housewives of New Jersey (Source: Popeater). She has also had a breast reduction, something which I thought was illegal in New Jersey considering 50% of the female population look like they have breast enhancements.

Bravo’s executive producer Andy Cohen talks about the new Real Housewives franchise, which is set in Washington DC, and he addresses the Salahis gatecrashing the State Dinner as an audition for the show. They had actually been cast. His blog is on the Huffington Post.

Apparently Justin Beiber fans are having meltdowns over him cavorting with reality queen Kim Kardashian. (Source: the Daily Telegraph)

Drama for Natalie Imbruglia as she is guest judging on The X Factor in the UK, when some contestant’s asked who she was. She also got taunted by the audience as a one hit wonder. Hopefully she will have an easier time on the Australian version of the show. (Source: The Sun)

The Amazing Race third placegetters Caite and Brent have broken up. Apparently he is not really happy about it. (Source: TV Week)

If you want to know more on how the challenges are made in Survivor read this article on NPR. It is interesting that they get half an hour or so to go over the course with host Jeff Probst and ask any questions.

Former Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester may finally have found her reality TV show, with Oprah and reality TV guru  Mark Burnett producing a show where the winner will get their own talk show. Ajay is currently living in the US with a goal of getting to sit on Oprah’s couch. (Source: Reality Blurred)

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A bit late but here is an elimination interview with the first person eliminated from Masterchef Australia Devon Headland. He said he would like to see Adele win. Well unless she gets a second chance that is not going to happen. (Source: Who Mag)

Also here is another interview with Devon from Woman’s Day.

Woman’s Day in this week’s edition also has an article with Jonathan Daddia where he talks about his wedding and how he wooed his wife – and excerpt of the article is here.

Documentary, reality TV or just plain voyeur – whatever I am not sure how this guy got financial backing for his concept of filming people auctioning off their virginity. The Daily Telegraph reports Justine Sisley will be doing this with Australian people in Nevada. He has both girls and guys up for sale. One guy says he is happy for either a male or female bidder. Ouch. How do you prove you are a virgin if you are a guy? (Source: Daily Telegraph)

New York Housewife Bethenny Frankel has had a baby girl, it was a month early but all is well and they have named it Bryn. (Source: People Mag)

Former reality TV popettes, Tamara Jaber (yes wife of Kyle Sandilands) and Reigan Derry (yes the one who was on Australian Idol) have released a new single, chances of it getting played on Today FM are high. (Source: The Hot Hits)

Project Runway’s Lui Hon debut at Australian Fashion Week marked him as a fashion designer on the rise. If you want to check out some of his collection there are a few photos here. (Source: Saunders and Co Blog)

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Fox 8 announced yesterday that Kris Smith, Danni Minogues partner, and former professional rugby league player, will be the new host of reality show Football Superstar. Lee Furlong will continue to co-host it with him.

Kris takes over from another UK expat, Brian McFadden who has now moved over to Australia’s Got Talent.

Now I like Kris Smith, he is good looking, seems nice, and has some sporting credentials, but are there no Australian male TV presenters who could do the job?

I believe in free trade but it seems that a lot of the roles on our reality TV shows are going to expats.

Currently on TV we have Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston on Masterchef Australia, Brian McFadden on Australia’s Got Talent, Jay-Dee Springbett and Dicko on Australian Idol, and Bonnie Lythgoe on SYTYCDA.

Thankfully antipodean John Torode is Masterchef in the UK, and our Kylie on The X Factor, but I still feel there must be disgruntled presenters and entertainers looking for work in this industry. I hope it is not because of some sort of cultural cringe that these guys are getting the gigs but on pure talent.

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This is gold, Reggie Ramirez, a guy on Phillipines Got Talent, dressed half as a male and half as a girl, and sings Endless Love. It is hilarious and entertaining.

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Worst Winners In Reality TV History

Injera sent me this link which gives a list of the Worst Winners In Reality TV History (Via Throwing Things). It is an American list so does not include Australian Idol winner Kate DeAraugo on it.

Weird Rumour – Belinda Neal To Be A Contestant on Dancing With The Stars

I cannot believe this rumour is true, that the soon to be former Member for Robertson, Belinda Neal is going to follow in the footsteps of Pauline Hanson, and appear on Dancing With The Stars. But if she is I will definitely be watching it.

American Idol’s Alex Lambert To Go Into The If I Can Dream House

This year’s top 24 finalist Alex Lambert is extending his reality TV career by entering the If I Can Dream House.  He will join the internet reality TV show to continue to pursue his music career. The show is about five (now six) unknowns trying to achieve their dreams. To get on the show you have to send in your audition tape, but clearly he got in because of his time on Idol. Which is a good way of cross promoting the new concept. EW has an interview with him and it seems like he comes from a very poor background. Good luck to him he had an interesting voice.

Interview With Nigel Barker From America’s Next Top Model

Nigel Barker, a judge on America’s Next Top Model talks to the Huffington Post about how he got on the show, and what it is like.

The Real L Word – A Lesbian Reality TV Show

I Fry Mine In Butter blog states there is going to be a reality TV which is basically going to be a real life The L Word. It will be shown on Showtime in the US, so at this stage I have no idea if it will make it to Australia. I am just surprised it is not on Bravo TV, as this would suit their demographic.

Christian Siriano New Reality Show Premieres On Bravo This Week

The Project Runway winner’s profile continues to rise, with his very own reality show, which will show him preparing for Fashion Week. It premieres this week on Bravo TV. No news on when or if it will screen in Australia. (Source: Pynke Celebrity)

Lifestyle You Will Be Showing Season 1 of Aussie Ladette To Ladies

If you missed it first time around on Channel Nine, you can now see the first season of Aussie Ladette to Ladies, which was mildly entertaining. It premieres on April 8. You can also read all the recaps of the episodes on here on Reality Ravings. Go to Lifestyle You for the times it will screen.

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