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The World Hasn't Come To An
End... At Least Not Yet
July 22
We start this week, with a review of
Profit II: The Sequel as Gordon, Chico and I went down to Atlantic City
in search of profit. While I wasn’t as successful as last time, but
Gordon (as usual was).
The big news from Atlantic City was that there is a new live Game Show
which debuted on July 13. This is from Atlantic City Weekly:
Participants have a chance to win cash and prizes when Resorts presents
The $250,000 Game Show Spectacular in the Superstar Theater, every
Sunday through Thursday. Those who aren’t yet members of the Resorts
Destination Casino Club are encouraged to sign up and receive two free
game-show tickets when they earn one point. Tickets are $15 and can be
purchased at the front desk in the hotel lobby. The $250,000 Game Show
Spectacular takes place Sun. 3pm, Mon.–Wed. 7pm, and Thursdays 2pm.
Hosted by legendary game show personalities Peter Marshall or Bob
Eubanks (the two will take turns hosting), contestants will be picked
directly from the audience, and 36 members of the audience will win cash
prizes every show.
Each show will feature a variety of classic game-show favorites,
including Betch Ain’t Got, Feel Good, Name that Song, The Gong Show,
High or Low and The Newlywed Game. Capping each evening is the $250,000
Game Show. Cash prizes range from $50 to $500, plus there could be one
$250,000 winner every show.
The Block Party advises you to get down to Resorts before August 7th.
No real strike news as the two sides are
still stalled in talks. But the WGA is still trying to unionize reality
shows and it’s target this time around: American Idol. This is from TV
Week. The Writers Guild of America is targeting TV's top-rated show as
part of its ongoing effort to unionize reality and game show writers. On
Wednesday, the WGA West began e-mailing unscripted workers to urge them
to participate in what it's calling the "American Idol Truth Tour."
Starting with next week's "Idol" auditions in San Francisco, the guild
plans to shadow the show's judges and producers as they hold auditions
for the 2009 season over the next few weeks.
"Hundreds of supporters will be traveling around the country to
'American Idol' auditions to expose FremantleMedia's unfair treatment of
its workers," the guild said in the e-mail, a copy of which was obtained
by TelevisionWeek. FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment
produce "Idol" for Fox.
The WGA plans to hold a news conference July 16 to formally kick off the
tour. A rally will follow the next day outside San Francisco's Cow
Palace, site of the "Idol" auditions.
A copy of the WGA e-mail follows:
Dear Game Show & 'Reality' Television Writers,
The Writers Guild of America, West continues to fight for WGA-coverage
of all 'reality' & game shows. The WGAW stands with you to demand that
production companies like FremantleMedia respect you with industry
standard benefits. The WGA's Network Organizing Committee (NOC) is
shining a light on FremantleMedia's unfair treatment of its writers.
FremantleMedia's marquee show, "American Idol," is conducting its Season
8 national auditions. WGAW members and reality & game show writers will
be joined by Teamsters Local 399 & other labor allies on the American
Idol Truth Tour.
Hundreds of supporters will be traveling around the country to "American
Idol" auditions to expose FremantleMedia's unfair treatment of its
workers. The first stop of the American Idol Truth Tour is San
Francisco, CA. On Wednesday, July 16, reality & game show writers, WGAW
members, Teamsters and other allies will be leaving Los Angeles for the
first stop on the American Idol Truth Tour.
Come & get on the bus!
Two large events will kick off the Truth Tour:
American Idol Truth Tour Kick-Off Press Conference
Wednesday, July 16 @ 10 a.m.
WGAW multi-purpose room, 7000 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles
***Bus to San Francisco leaves immediately after the press conference.
Transportation, food, and hotel will be provided.***
American Idol Truth Tour Rally
Thursday, July 17 @ 11 a.m.
Outside the Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA
***Bus to Los Angeles will leave after the rally and arrive in Los
Angeles by 11 p.m. Thursday night.***
The Tila Tequila breakup story just won’t
go away. This is from People.com: Tila Tequila, hoping for answers and
closure after getting dumped on her own show, reunited with her A Shot
at Love 2 finalists, Kristy Morgan and Bo Kunkle, on Tuesday’s One Shot
Too Many special. As host Ryan Stout put it, it was a season of "broken
jaws, broken promises, and broken hearts," and the reunion continued the
trend with Tila calling Kristy "fake" and Bo leaving disappointed once
again.
As it turns out, Bo’s problems didn’t end when Tila dumped him. The
assistant coach for an high school football team told the audience that
the school board fired him after he appeared on the show. "That was just
as hard as getting my heart broken by Tila," he said. And as for getting
his heart broken, "That was like a head butt in the face."
Surprisingly, Bo supported Kristy’s decision not to accept Tila’s key.
But as he told Tila, "To find out you got your heart broken just like
me, it made me feel all the more worse."
Kristy’s appearance brought the real drama. To explain why she rejected
Tila after leading her on all season, Kristy said she was overwhelmed
with insecurity after seeing Tila connect to Bo and other contestants.
"Am I going to be that perfect person she has in mind?" she asked. "I
don’t want to be another phony reality couple that’s going to break up
in three months."
When Ryan asked her about the differences between men and women, Kristy
explained, "Men are completely simple, they’re easy, but women are so
complicated." And Tila, a reality star who "dated" more than 60 other
contestants on two seasons of the show, certainly has a complicated
history.
But Tila didn’t want to hear it, since everyone on the show knew how it
worked from the beginning. "You are so fake," Tila told her. "You are
confused and you need help."
The last straw came when Kristy told Tila, who broke Bo’s heart, "What
goes around comes around!" At that, Tila walked off the set with these
parting words: "Shut your trash hole."
Two words people: Season 3.
Another reality show war is brewing
between Christopher Knight and his wife Adrienne Curry vs. Florence
Henderson! You heard me right! Here are the stats from AP:
Adrianne Curry's husband may have grown up Brady, but she doesn't feel
that gives Florence Henderson the right to act like the stereotypically
disapproving mother-in-law. The model and My Fair Brady costar has taken
Henderson to task for her recent comment suggesting that Curry's
marriage to Christopher "Peter Brady" Knight was engineered by VH1 to
boost ratings.
"For...Henderson to use the Television Critic's Association as a
platform devoted only to disrespecting another individual who is
completely unrelated to the [TV] movie she was supposed to be promoting
is grossly unprofessional, irresponsible and immature," began a
statement Curry's publicist released Friday to Fancast.com.
The quintessential TV mom voiced her opinion Tuesday at the Hallmark
Channel's TCA panel while promoting her upcoming movie Ladies of the
House.
"When Christopher Knight was doing The Surreal Life, he was very much
involved with this person he had met on the set, so I think they were
pressuring him to get married," Henderson said. "He asked me if I could
come in and counsel them while they were dating and I did, but they
didn't listen to me at all."
Curry remembers their courtship a little differently, however.
"Ms Henderson has been in this business a long time and should know
better by now," the rebuttal statement continues. "Christopher Knight
and Adrianne Curry never asked Florence Henderson (an actress) for
counseling. Ms. Henderson doesn't personally know Adrianne Curry so she
has no basis in which to publicly voice inaccurate and hurtful
judgmental opinions about Ms. Curry or Knight's decision to marry her."
And, FYI: "Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry enjoy a solid healthy
relationship in a happy marriage."
The former Playboy cover girl also addressed her feelings on a more
personal, albeit slightly contradictory, note on her MySpace page.
"[Henderson] may not be asking for it, but I am going to give it to her.
My anger is released," Curry wrote in a blog entry dated July 9.
"I am sorry she is acting this way, and am a little embarrassed for her.
I was nothing but nice to her when we met, and she had it out for me
before I said a word. I even hope her tv movie does well, since she is
so desperate to generate attention for it. I pray she has the right mind
to at least give my husband a call and apologize to HIM. She
disrespected him and hurt him in her attempt for attention. If she loves
him as much as she says, I know she will do the right thing. I wish this
could have worked out better. Lord knows I tried to connect with 'this
person', but it is obvious that it was never meant to be. I just wish
she could be more professional about this. It's weird to have someone on
the level of Mr Rogers and Barney hate you. I must be the bad child ;)"
She and Knight tied the knot May 29, 2006, the nuptials taking center
stage on the second season of My Fair Brady.
And Knight responded on July 11 on HIS MySpace saying: "Let me begin by
saying that I love Adrianne with all my heart and can't begin to imagine
life without her. Our marriage is as true and certain as the love we
share as Husband and Wife. Although we met under the most unlikely
circumstances, our romance then and relationship now is as real as any
that ever been created.
"It hurts me deeply that someone that I have loved and respected for so
many years; someone that has held an esteemed position in my life, would
discuss overtly negative personal opinions about my marriage in a public
forum. Since I was a child I looked up to Florence as a consummate
professional and as a woman of unique class. I can only hope these
recent comments are an aberration or better yet, taken completely out of
context..."
Just shaking my head folks, just shaking my head.
Speaking of things that make you shake
your head in disbelief, MTV debuted a nasty show called "From G’s to
Gents". Take 14 street talking toughs, give them etiquette lessons from
Fonzworth Bentley (former umbrella holder for P. Diddy and author of
"Advance Your Swagger"), and the winner takes home $100,000.
Let me list the problems of this show of which there are a lot: First of
all, the premise is formulaic. There is nothing new here. Challenge,
vote off, elimination.
Secondly and more importantly just like "Mo’nique’s Charm School" this
is an excuse by MTV to exploit and use racial stereotypes of young urban
males. Is this the example MTV wants to set by showing that all males
like this speak ebonics, curse like sailors, drink way too much alcohol,
wear an insane amount of bling, and are willing to settle things
violently at the drop of a hat?
Pretty much. There is nothing redeeming about this show. And the worst
part about this is that Jamie Foxx executive produced this dreck.
This is G all right ....Garbage.
American Idol news from the California
Press Tour. From ET Online: It is only two months since David Cook was
crowned the "American Idol," but plans for season eight are already
underway as are auditions in San Francisco today in the search for the
next singing sensation. And according to the show's executive producer
Nigel Lythoge, who was at a press conference for another of his FOX
shows -- "So You Think You Can Dance" -- not much will change next year.
"I am delighted with the judges on 'Idol,' he says. "You are not going
to see ['So You Think You Can Dance' judge] Mary Murphy on 'Idol.' We
are going to keep the idea of being able to play instruments. We really
liked that."
When queried as to whether or not he was surprised that David Cook won
the competition, he reveals that it was a strange season with Syesha
Mercado winning one week, David Archuleta winning another, and, Jason
Castro never taking the top slot despite being in the Final Four.
"I couldn't be surprised because I knew the results leading up to that
position," he says. "I think Archuleta performed better than Cook did
[in the finale], but I think the nation looked at [the whole season] and
balanced out who they liked."
Let’s get an E3 update. E3 is the big
video game conference where the plans of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft
are introduced. And we have two updates so far:
–From Microsoft: Microsoft has inked a raft of TV partnerships for its
Xbox Live service, including content agreements with NBC Universal-owned
Sci Fi Channel and USA Network, and an interactive gameshow deal with
Endemol. The deals came as the computing giant unveiled Xbox Live
Primetime, a new live channel for its Xbox 360 games console, at the E3
Media and Business Summit in LA.
The IPTV channel, which launches on the Xbox Live service this autumn,
will feature TV shows and movies from companies, including NBC
Universal, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sci Fi Channel and USA
Network in the US; and Constantin and MGM internationally.
In addition, Microsoft has cut a deal with Endemol to bring a new
version of gameshow 1 vs 100 to Xbox Live Primetime. The IPTV game will
pit one Xbox Live member against 100 others from around the world with a
live host and competition prizes. There will also be a spin-off, 1 vs
Live, which will see one winner given the chance to compete against the
entire Xbox Live community.
Microsoft also unveiled a partnership with rental service Netflix, in a
deal which will allow Xbox 360 users in the US to rent TV shows and
films from Netflix's 10,000-plus titles.
"We doubled our (Xbox Live) global membership the past two years,
growing from three million to six million, and then from six million to
12 million," said John Schappert, corporate VP of Interactive
Entertainment Live, Software and Services Business at Microsoft. "Today,
we are adding a new member every five seconds. With the best and
broadest social entertainment experiences launching this autumn, the
future is limitless." (Thank you to C21 Media).
–And for all you Price fans: The Price is Right is coming to the Wii and
other platforms! Ubisoft announced that it has partnered with
FremantleMedia Enterprises to publish "The Price is Right" for the Wii
home video game system from Nintendo, the Nintendo DS system, PC, and
Mac. Developed by Ludia and FremantleMedia Enterprises, The Price is
Right video game is based on the longest running game show in television
history, now in its 36th season. Like the contestants on the game show,
players will be able to bid on products, play the famous pricing games,
and spin the Big Wheel for the chance to win prizes in the Showcase
Showdown.
In conjunction with the video game launch, Ubisoft has also created
www.thepriceisrightvideogame.com, so website visitors can sample the
video game before it is available at retail stores. Visitors can also
play "Punch-A-Bunch" online for the chance to win prizes such as a Wii
prize pack and official merchandise. The winner of the grand prize will
play "Plinko" at THE PRICE IS RIGHT LIVE! show in Las Vegas for up to
$5,000. More games will be available soon for website visitors to play.
The game will feature a single- and multiplayer mode for up to four
players. Many of the classic pricing challenges that viewers have known
and loved for generations, such as "Plinko," "Three Strikes," "Hole in
One," and "Cliffhanger," will also be in the game. The Wii version will
have specialized controls that allow players to spin the Big Wheel, putt
through "Hole In One," or take a swing at "Punch-A-Bunch." The voice of
announcer Rich Fields, actual sounds and music from the show, and
classic video footage will ensure an authentic experience for players.
This will be the first console launch for the long-running game show (an
original NES version was scrapped). "The Price Is Right" video game will
be available in North America September 2008.
ABC has announced some premiere dates for
it’s shows on the TCA Press Tour and this is from Broadcasting and
Cable.
• Monday, Sept. 22, will see the premiere of Dancing with the Stars.
• Tuesday the 23rd will bring the series premiere of Opportunity Knocks,
the game show from Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg that travels to
small towns across the country.
• Sept. 24, the network will have the Dancing with the Stars results
show. The regular results show will air out of "Opportunity Knocks".
The war between the breakout hit
"Wipeout" and MXC on Spike has been taken up a notch: From
thelivefeed.com:
Last week, Spike TV teased ABC’s summer hit "Wipeout" about "ripping
off" its long-running show "MXC." But it turns out the co-creator of "MXC"
is less than amused.
"Not only did the producers very obviously copy the games -- or at least
major elements of the games -- which had been created by someone else,
but 'Wipeout' has also copied much of the editorial feel, style of humor
of MXC," says "MXC" executive producer Larry Strawther. "Now their
lawyers are trying to deny the right of 'MXC''s creators to point out --
at least on YouTube -- just exactly how 'Wipeout' copies from 'MXC.'"
Strawther told Live Feed that a video he created showing side-by-side
moments from "Wipeout" and "MXC" (along with a hefty dose of quoting
online fans saying they say the show is a knock-off) was pulled from
YouTube after five days on the site. In its place is a message saying
"Wipeout" producers Lock & Key Productions filed a copyright violation.
On his Web site, Strawther added that he filed a counter protest with
YouTube (ABC, repping the producers, has no comment).
Revisiting the UK Game Show Scandal...we
have a big statement from one of the biggest hosts out there...Noel
Edmonds. From the UK Guardian: Deal or No Deal presenter Noel Edmonds
has said broadcasters must "take the initiative" to restore trust in
British TV after the damaging spate of fakery scandals, which also saw
his Channel 4 show hit with a £500,000 fine for running an unfair
competition.
Ofcom fined Channel 4 over Edmonds' daytime quiz in December, with the
regulator saying the seriousness of the case was compounded by the
contest running for seven weeks in spite of the broadcaster knowing the
odds were skewed towards early entrants. Edmonds today backed the
censure, saying he did not want the phone-in quiz - which has now been
axed - to be part of the show in the first place.
"It was a bit of a shock to me to be honest," he said of the scandal, at
a press event in London to launch his new Sky One show, Noel's HQ. "I
hated the competition. I felt it destroyed the atmosphere of the show
and it didn't engage the public. But competitions like that became the
norm for every single format. Everyone was doing it," Edmonds added.
"The way Deal of No Deal was treated [by Ofcom] was fair. They were
censured but I don't think it was that serious compared to some of the
out-and-out examples [of other deception scandals]. There were some
really disappointing practices and some appalling frauds that went on,"
he said. "That is history [for Deal or No Deal] now. Our relationship
with the viewers has not been affected and the audience figures are
extraordinary."
Edmonds said the "headlong pursuit of audience figures" had not given
viewers better TV and that it was up to broadcasters to do more to win
back viewers. "We all know TV has lost its position of trust with the
British public," he added."It has gone through a very damaging period
and it is up to broadcasters to take the initiative. As an industry we
have to recognize that we have got to rebuild the trust with the
viewer."
Edmonds said his new Sky One show, which is due to launch as a live
one-off 90-minute special in September, would attempt to make the
country a better place by rewarding people who do good deeds as well as
"naming and shaming jobsworths".
He dismissed the response of politicians to current concerns, such as
knife crime, saying they were not doing enough."The starting point has
to be an acceptance that we have issues in this country that need to be
addressed," Edmonds said."We have to accept that something in our
society has happened and someone needs to do something about it. We have
got a situation where it would appear the leading politicians think
their only dialogue with the public is with the ballot box once every
four or five years," he added.
The Sky One controller, Richard Woolfe, added he wanted the new show to
be a "force for good and enable people to do great things".
Woolfe also confirmed that Edmonds would return to Sky One for a second
instalment of Noel's Christmas Presents over the festive period, as well
as a second series of quizshow Are You Smarter Than a 10 Year old?.
Thank you Noel for speaking out. This is fantastic.
I got this one right, because this
particular show needs a home. And it got one. From Variety: "The
Contender" is entering yet another ring. Versus has ordered a fourth
season of the boxing competish, which previously aired on NBC for a year
before moving to ESPN for two seasons.
Cabler has sealed a deal with Mark Burnett Prods. and DreamWorks TV for
11 one-hours and a two-hour finale, with the show to bow in December. As
part of the deal, Versus has also acquired the U.S. premiere of "The
Contender Muay Thai," a spinoff skein originally produced for Asian TV
audiences. "The Contender Muay Thai," which includes 14 one-hour segs
and a two-hour finale, was shot in Singapore and focuses on
international Muay Thai kickboxers.
"Muay Thai" will bow July 31 at 10 p.m. The fourth regular "Contender"
will also be shot in Singapore and focus on 16 cruiserweights from
around the world. The series will pit U.S. boxers against international
fighters.
Burnett and DreamWorks are in talks with former world champ Sugar Ray
Leonard to return as host and as a mentor to the contestants. Also
expected to return is trainer Buddy McGirt.
"When you have the opportunity to bring a top brand with an established
following to the network, and the ability to work with someone with a
proven track record such as Mark Burnett and DreamWorks, you jump at
it," said Versus exec VP Marc Fein.
Both projects take advantage of logistical and production support from
Mark Burnett Prods. Asia, which Burnett opened in October as a joint
venture with Genting Intl.
Imagine Omnimedia produced "Muay Thai" in association with Mark Burnett
Prods. and DreamWorks. In that spinoff, 16 kickboxers were brought
together and eliminated in weekly, five-round pro bouts until an
international champ was eventually crowned.
Burnett and Jeffrey Katzenberg exec produce "The Contender." Jeff Wald,
Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Eric Van Wagenen and Page Feldman are
co-exec producers.
Random Newsbits time:
–Ben Bailey of Cash Cab is now narrating Smash Lab starting August 5.
–Anne Robinson of "The Weakest Link" has been banned from driving in the
UK for admitting to her 4th speeding offense.
–Taylor Hicks talks up his role as "Teen Angel" on Broadway along with
his new album.
–American Idol winner "David Cook" is the newest Skechers shoe
spokesperson.
–Des Lynam will host "Sport Mastermind" on the BBC Two.
–CBS and Airplay team up for interactivity on Big Brother 10: The Live
TV Challenge...where someone can win a trip to the season finale.
–Brooke Burns and Mark Thompson are tapped to host "Hole in the Wall" on
Fox.
–The 2nd season cast of "Gone Country" on CMT was announced.
–Joan Rivers claims to be on the new Celebrity Apprentice...but it has
not yet been confirmed.
–Pat & Kate(the gay priests from last season’s Amazing Race) get married
in Ventura, California.
–Deanna Pappas of "The Bachelorette" reveals her wedding plans.
–New York and Tailor Made have broken up(shocker!). And it will all be
documented in her NEW reality show "New York Goes Hollywood."
–Ed McMahon is recovering from multiple neck surgeries.
–Big Brother gets cancelled in Australia after 8 years!
–And The casts of Project Runway and Gimme My Reality Show! are
introduced.
A lot for a supposedly slow summer week. This is Jason Block reminding
you...drink lots of water, and don’t just play fair...play to win!
That's Jason Block on
Catch-21. Watch it. E-mail him at
jb.regis@verizon.net.
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