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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One of the past Survivor contestants has given a copy of his Survivor Contract and the Rule Book to leading US reality blogger Reality Blurred.

And it is highly restrictive and some clauses seem pretty unreasonable. In fact Mark Burnett looks like he has been taking lessons from North Korean dictators.

The article says:

The contract allows for, among other things, CBS to register a domain name in the contestant’s name and use it forever; the “fictionalization” of a person, including for “a humorous or satirical effect”; and the assignment of copyright and other rights to material one produces while on the show, such as an original song.

It also prohibits contestants from having a personal web site during the show (incredibly, pre-existing personal sites must be changed to say “Site Under Construction”) or from writing or commenting online anywhere about anything, even if it has nothing to do with the show (tell that to all the contestants on Facebook). They may also never write a book about their experiences, and contestants and family members also agree to resolve any disputes in binding arbitration.

Contestants also have to:

• agree that the environment means subjecting oneself to risks including “severe mental stress.”
• agree to “be considered an ‘employee of Producer’” “for the purposes of workers’ compensation only.”
• notify producers if they discover a fellow contestant is someone they know.

• agree to “not defame, disparage or cast in an unfavorable light Producer, the CBS Television Network or any CBS entity or any sponsors of the Series.”
• “not advertise my winning of any prize.”
• be available for a week following the finale to do press.

• give CBS an exclusive option to enter them into “a talent hold agreement.”
• agree to psychological exams and lie detector tests, the results of which can be broadcast on TV.
• refuse contact with past cast members or physical contact with same-season cast members until after the finale.

• agree that they may be further injured because of the lack of health care facilities, and may contract HIV or other diseases from contaminated blood supplies in remote hospitals.
• pay $5 million each time they violate the confidentiality agreement.

Reality Blurred has more on the contract in this indepth and interesting article.

Also Reality Blurred has a blog post with a copy of the rule book, and if you are a real Survivor savant it makes for some interesting reading. He kindly highlights the most interesting parts.

And it appears some of the rules do get broken. The article states:

There are also very clear rules against two things we saw Russell Hantz do during the last two seasons: communicating with members of the other tribe and taking and/or damaging personal property.

Reality Blurred is a great blog with some great articles.

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Before you all start panicking that this will be the end of reality TV – don’t worry this story is NOT about Mark Burnett.

Wurstsemmel kindly sent me this story from Nine MSN about CBS producer Bruce Beresford-Redman who has been detained in Mexico.

The story states:

CBS producer Bruce Beresford-Redman reported his 42-year-old wife, Monica Burgos, as missing on Monday in the Caribbean beach resort of Cancun after she left to go shopping.

Her body was found in a waste water treatment tank some 80m from their room in the five star Moon Palace Hotel three days later, Quintana Roo State Prosecutor Bello Melchor Rodriguez told AFP.

Beresford-Redman was “suspected of being responsible” for her death, he said.

Hotel employees said they had seen the couple arguing on Monday night and that Beresford-Redman had threatened to hit her, according to Melchor.

Apparently he has also produced the reality TV gem “Pimp My Ride”.

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Channel Nine are doing a great job in building the excitement of the 20th season of  Survivor Heroes VsVillains, and this week TV Week has a great article in it with their views on how the series is going to pan out.

TV Week has broken the players into different categories, this is what they said:

The Wildcards:

Russell -  Survivor Heroes Vs Villains  was filmed before Survivor: Samoa aired, so none of the others have seen Russell’s gameplay. His unique position could work for or against him – players may want to eliminate the unknow, especially as he’s a villain, or he may be able to use exactly the same strategy with no on any the wiser.

Candice – Although she played alongside Parvati in Cook Islands, Candice is not on the same tribe as the only player she’s familiar with. If she’s smart, she’ll  become a valuable extra member of a Heroes’ voting block. If she’s not, she might endu up out in the cold.

Courtney: The Survivor:China  villain is in a similar boat to Candice – with James and Amanda from her season on the Heroes tribe. Although Courtney may be targeted due to being a potential weakness during challenges, as the final tribal council in China  proved, she can talk her  way out of anything.

The Sitting Ducks:

Winners: JT, Sandra, Rupert, Tom, Parvati – If Survivor: All-Stars is anything to go by, anyone who’s previously won the million dollar prize – which includes Rupert, who received the viewer-voted cheque after All-Stars- has a massive target on their back. In All-Stars, Jenna Lewis led a charge against previous winner Tina, who was first to go, while Richard and Ethan didn’t last very long either.

Strategists: Boston Rob, and Cirie -  In non-All-Stars seasons, schemers can fly under the radar if they’re careful enough, but the other 18 contestants will know exactly what type of game rob and Cirie have played before. It’s unlikely anyone will want to keep a player around who could slit their throat any time.

The Bad Blood:

Jerri V Colby: It is one of Survivor’s longest-running feuds – and one that should pick up exactly where it left off in All-Stars. In their first season together in Australia, Jerri was smitten with Colby – but the “black widow” love soon turned to anger when colby helped eliminate her shortly after the merge. Determined to outlast him the second time around, Jerri gunned for Colby to go in All-Stars. With one victory apiece, who will outlast whom in Heroes Vs Villains?

Sugar V Randy: Randy wasn’t the only contestant no fond of Sugar in Gabon, but the intense hatred between the pair is unparalleled. Randy’s pre-existing distaste for the pin-up model was only increased when she convinced eventual winner Bob to trick Randy by giving him a fake immunity idol. Sugar made no effort to disguise her glee when the move resulted in Randy’s elimination.

Danielle Vs Cirie: It’s not one of the series’ biggest grudges but Danielle was responsible for Cirie’s elimination in Panama. At the final four, Danielle avoided going home by enlisting Terry to vote with her against Cirie (who voted with Aras against Danielle). With two votes apiece, the pair were forced into a tiebreaker, which Danielle won. Does Cirie still blame her for costing her a million dollars?

The Alliances:

Parvati, Amanda, Cirie and James – Micronesia: Fans Vs Favourites  allies Parvati and Amanda are definitely tight – but both will need to make the merge to reunite this time around. Meanwhile Amanda has played the game with – and beaten- James twice, but it’s likely he holds more of a grudge against all-girl alliance ringleader Parvati for his Micronesia demise and could work with Amanda now. As for Cirie, she was linked with Parvati and Amanda in Fans Vs Favourites, but Amanda left her behind before the final tribal council, so she may not have complete loyalty.

Tom and Stephenie - In Palau, Stephenie and Tom weren’t allied – but they ended up on the same tribe when Stephenie, the last member of Ulong, was “conquered” and brought into the Koror tribe. although greatly outnumbered, Stephenie had earnt the respect of Tom and tribemates, who kept her around longer than they needed to. With both on the Heroes side, it’s likely their friendship will lead to an alliance.

Tyson and Coach – The self-proclaimed “Dragon Slayer” and the sharp tongued mormon were part of a tight alliance in Tocantins and, since neither betrayed each other, it would make sense for them to team up on the Villains tribe again. And although they both gave him their vote in the final tribal council, it’s possible they’d have JT in their sights, since he was partly responsible for their downfalls.

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Now Yul Kwon is my favourite winner ever of Survivor, he was smart, strategic and nice. Here is an interview with him where he tells how Survivor changed his life, and he does not even mention the $1 million.

The lucky bugger is working for the Obama administration. Also he met his wife through a fellow Survivor contestant. Have to admit my Gaydar was way off on this one.

Also with the way Channel Nine are advertising Survivor Heroes V Villains it looks like it will be on sooner rather than later. Woo hoo.

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Over the last view Survivor season’s the show has had a revival with all sorts of shenanigans going. None more so then Russell from the current season Survivor Samoa.

The good news is we have not seen the last of him, as he will be part of the cast of the next series Survivor – Hero’s V Villains. Russell is obviously going to be on the villains team. I hope the producers hide the immunity idol’s well.

The “unofficial” cast looks top knotch, the people on the teams include(please note there are 23 names so three will not go):

Ace Gordon (Survivor: Gabon)

Amanda Kimmel (Survivor: China)

Benjamin “Coach” Wade (Survivor: Tocantins)

Cirie Fields (Survivor: Panama)

James Clement (Survivor: China)

Jean-Robert Bellande (Survivor: China)

Jenna Morasca (Survivor: Amazon)

Jerri Manthey (Survivor: Australia)

Jessica “Sugar” Kiper (Survivor: Gabon)

Johnny Fairplay (Survivor: Pearl Islands)

Ozzy Lusth (Survivor: Cook Islands)

Natalie Bolton (Survivor: Micronesia)

Parvati Shallow (Survivor: Cook Islands)

Randy Bailey (Survivor: Gabon)

Rupert Boneham (Survivor: Pearl Islands)

Sandra Diaz-Twine (Survivor: Pearl Islands)

Sierra Reed (Survivor: Tocantins)

Shane Powers (Survivor: Panama)

Stephenie LaGrossa (Survivor: Palau)

Tina Wesson (Survivor: Australia)

Tom Buchanan (Survivor: Africa)

Tom Westman (Survivor: Palau)

Twila Tanner (Survivor: Vanuatu)

 Also here is an article which gives some names,  which may or may not be accurate, and also says  how Richard Hatch was asked to be on the show however he was unable to as he is serving time because of not paying his taxes.

NB: Article with spoiler in it now removed.

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However due to its latenest I have not watched it. I will do so tonight.

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When is an alliance an alliance is always the question being asked on Survivor. And last night’s episode spent most of the time devoted to the machinations going on in the Favourites tribe.

There were nine contestants left in their tribe so you did not need to be a member of mensa to realise you needed an alliance of five to dominate until the merge.

Cerise was the swinging member between the alliance of two couples, Ozzie, Amanda, James and Parvati, and the other four of the group.

Johnathan thought Cerise was tight with them, but when Parvati and Amanda promised to take Cerise to the final 3 with them she decided to stick with them. That alliance was arguing whether to vote out the intelligent Yau-man or manipulative Eliza.

Whereas the other group was wanting the flirty Parvati out.

Now even Survivor amateurs know your alliance has to vote the same way to ensure it survives. So when the elimination votes were tallied there were six votes for Yau-Man, two for Parvati and one for Cerise.

What had happened to Johnathan, Eliza’s etc alliance? It is week three and they are in a shambles. Lets hope they can regroup by next week.

Here is an exit interview with Yau-Man (if you don’t look at the photos at the top of the page too closely there won’t be any spoilers). He explains why Ami voted for Cerise as she wanted to keep in good with the two couples once she realised they did not have the numbers for Parvati.

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