Reality TV Archives - Page 234 of 237 - Channel Guide Magazine

Survivor: China: Week 2 Recap: Wrestling With the Davel

September 29, 2007 Jill Klitz Comments Off

Although Dave of the Zhan Hu tribe says he really didn’t want to take on the role of a leader, he decides that embracing it is better than fighting it. And by “embracing leadership,” I mean “being patronizing.” First off, Dave is insensitive to the tribe’s hunger as he drives them toward productivity — just like how in the Bible when the Israelites came to Pharaoh and said “Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’”, Jaime says to Dave (paraphrased), “Your tribemates are given no food, yet we are told, ‘Make mud bricks for the fire pit!’” (OK, maybe the Survivor episode […]

Designing Another “Project Runway”

September 27, 2007 Jeff Pfeiffer Comments Off

Bravo announced today the return of Project Runway for its fourth season, premiering November 14 at 10pm ET/PT. Heidi Klum returns as host, with judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, and “mentor” Tim Gunn. The series also promises to include guest stars from among the biggest names in fashion, sports and design. This season’s fashionable competitors: Carmen, 37 – Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.; Resides in N.Y. Chris, 44 – Hometown: San Francisco, Calif.; Resides in N.Y. Christian, 21 – Hometown: Annapolis, Md.; Resides in N.Y. Elisa, 42 – Hometown: El Paso, Texas; Resides in Santa Fe, N.M. Jack, 38 – Hometown: […]

The Hills: I Just Really Don’t Want to Throw Up.

September 25, 2007 Lori Acken Comments Off

Posted by ButtonKnows Here’s a hint: If you’re a cast member on The Hills and you get invited to a party? Like, at the apartment of another cast member of The Hills? And you don’t already live with them? Go clubbing instead. Because otherwise, something weird is going to happen to you. Guaranteed. Like, you’re going to part ways with your girlfriend. Or boyfriend. Or roommate. Or Spencer. Or you’re going to find out that your current or former girlfriend or boyfriend or roommate or Spencer is doing something with a member of the opposite sex that you aren’t going […]

Ewww … Is There a “Singing Bee” On Me?

September 21, 2007 Jeff Pfeiffer Comments Off

Buzzing back into action is NBC’s The Singing Bee. Originally scheduled for September, the second season of this singalong series (like all that alliteration, do ya?) now premieres October 2 at 8pm ET and airs Tuesdays. Toni Basil joins the ranks of former ’80s stars who just can’t leave well enough alone by showing up in the premiere episode, which is devoted to One Hit Wonders. Yamma, hamma … let’s hope she doesn’t try to put on that old cheerleader uniform. October 9, John Lennon’s birthday, features a tribute to the music of Lennon and Paul McCartney, and, unsurprisingly, Sir […]

Survivor: China: Week 1 Recap: Mmmmm — Tastes Like …

September 21, 2007 Jill Klitz Comments Off

Yesterday on … Survivor: After being whisked from Shanghai and through the Chinese countryside, the contestants arrive at a 400-year-old temple and go through a Buddhist welcome ceremony (well, most of them go through it — Leslie the Christian talk show host decides that despite assurances that the ceremony isn’t worship, she can’t participate. I’ve gotta say: When a decision involves weighing Jeff Probst’s assurances on one side against the stirring in your soul on the other, I’d go with the soul-stirring, too.). Courtney, the petite New York City waitress who looks like a cross between Gwen Stefani and Winona […]

Kitchen Nightmares Is My Dream Come True

September 20, 2007 Lori Acken 1

Posted by ButtonKnows I am wed to a former waiter-then-chef-then-bar-manager-then-restaurant GM. This equates with several things in my world. 1) I never have to cook. Ever. 2) I never have to grocery shop. Ever. 2.5) I never clean up either, so, ladies, if you didn’t want to slug me by the end of points 1 and 2, I bet I got you there. Anyhoo… 3) My house is filled with magazines with names like BeverageWorld, Bartender, and Restaurant Business. And 4) TV food dudes like Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown, Andrew Zimmern and Gordon Ramsay are the kings of our entertainment […]

What IS It About Reality Television?

September 19, 2007 Channel Guide Contributor Comments Off

Posted by Sarah My ability to resist the pop-cultural wiles of reality shows used to be a source of great pride for me. I’d watched the second season of American Idol before declaring the whole genre ridiculous and ascending my high horse. A few years ago, I accidentally flipped to The Amazing Race during another show’s commercial break, and ended up watching all of Season 7. “It’s OK,” I told myself. “This is one of the high-end reality shows, and I’m only watching to root for the old people.” Some time after that, Season 4 of American Idol started, and […]

Survivor: China: Probst Tells All!

September 18, 2007 Jill Klitz Comments Off

Well, he didn’t reveal everything during a recent conference call with reporters, but Jeff Probst (who I affectionately call “the hobst with the mobst”) did share his thoughts on the upcoming season of Survivor, as well as on the reality genre in general. It sounds like this season of Survivor has a lot of “est”s — not only is the setting the China-est (this was the first time an American series was allowed to shoot entirely in China), but it also has contestants who are the biggest (James), the smallest (Courtney) and the youngest (Frosti). But the two contestants I’m […]

The Hills Have Exes

September 18, 2007 Lori Acken Comments Off

Posted by ButtonKnows I’m going to make a little prediction here. Perhaps I’ll be wrong, which is fine — the opposite outcome has made for perfectly good TV all season long and will continue to do so. But I am feeling just bold enough about my theory to throw it out there and see what happens. (Providing that what happens has nothing to do with Spencer Pratt calling me out on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show or something nasty like that … which secretly I would love, Spence, so game on, little feller.) Here’s my prediction: I think Lauren and Heidi […]

Picking Up Where We Left Off

September 18, 2007 Channel Guide Contributor Comments Off

So this is how it’s done, huh? By stacking your openers, applying NEGs and DHV which will hopefully lead to IOIs and better KINO, you’ll be put in a position to PHASE-SHIFT, which should lead to a NUMBER CLOSE or KISS CLOSE. These are the lessons Brady, Kosmo, and Joe D. get from Mystery and the gang on VH1’s The Pickup Artist. This verbiage flows from Mystery’s mouth as automatically as a quarterback barking out his cadence at the line of scrimmage. It all means something. And the more of this you know, the easier the game is. Unfortunately for […]