June 2007 News Archive (Page 3)

With America's Got Talent dominating the ratings, it looks as though Sharon Osbourne made the right decision to join the reality show as a judge.

How is the experience going so far? TV Guide asked Osbourne a series of questions on the topic recently...

TV Guide: How do you feel about replacing Brandy as a judge on America's Got Talent?
Sharon Osbourne: I do not feel I am replacing Brandy. She is a gorgeous girl. I am old enough to be her grandmother.

TV Guide: Before the second season of America's Got Talent even premiered, there were rumors flying about feuds. Is it true you walked off the set the first week?
Osbourne: Yeah, I did. It was a day where there was one young contestant after another. [Fellow judge] Piers Morgan has a definite dislike for children or younger artists. It was appalling behavior. I just couldn't take the way he was talking to them. And it was not just the children â€" he was being particularly appalling to everybody that day. I just had it. I was ready to scream.

TV Guide: So then you left. How far did you get?
Osbourne: I ripped up all my papers for all the contestants for that day and the next. And then I stormed off to my dressing room, took off my suit and was like, "Get the car â€" we are going home."

TV Guide: And then what happened?
Osbourne: The director got [executive producer] Simon Cowell on the phone. Simon is always the voice of reason. He had his entrepreneur's hat on, and he said, "You have got to be professional. You signed a contract here, and you could really get into a lot of trouble. You have worked with worse people in your life. You can handle this."

TV Guide: Did you then return to the set?
Osbourne: No. I sat down and phoned my husband and my kids, and had a little a cup of tea. Ozzy is a fan of the show. So he said, "Oh, I want to go to the finale." [Son] Jack said, "Mom, [Piers] would love to get rid of you. If you quit, he gets his way."

TV Guide: What's with the animosity between you and Piers? Have you tried to work it out?
Osbourne: I never sat down with Piers, just the two of us. Nor would I. I talk to him about what we are doing, but in between contestants there is no communication. It is not that we don't get along, it's that we just don't have any sort of relationship. I wouldn't hang out with him or go have a cup of tea.

TV Guide: What was the mood on the set like after that video surfaced showing judge David Hasselhoff drunk, eating a hamburger on the floor?
Osbourne: Obviously David was very upset and we were very upset for him. It was very unfair. The man didn't do anything wrong. How many people do we know who have been drunk in their own homes and done silly things? The man did not hurt anybody. He was not abusive. So what if he was drunk?

TV Guide: What did you say to him that day?
Osbourne: Hey, we are all behind you. You did nothing wrong. None of us is perfect.

TV Guide: In the midst of all the drama, you did manage to judge the new acts. Who was the strangest?
Osbourne: You see complete extremes of talent on this show. There was a ventriloquist woman singing with her mouth closed. She never moved her body, just stood there like a statue singing. It was ridiculous. We also had a guy who was running on a treadmill, making a drink with eggs and fruit in a blender, and painting â€" all at the same time. When he came flying off this treadmill, paint went on the floor.

In the tennis world, Mark Philippoussis always wanted to avoid love. It meant he had scored zero points in that particular game or set.

On Age of Love, however, the former tennis star is focusing solely on this emotion. To do so, he'll have to navigate his way through a set of young hotties (dubbed "kittens") and older beautiful women ("cougars"). Which group watched one of its own get sent home last night?

Check out our Age of Love episode guide now and see for yourself.

MTV debuts Making the Band 4, the first season of a new series in the franchise. This time, Diddy is "looking to put together an all-male group of superstars," the music channel reports.

Fans, meanwhile, have already had input into this season.

The show's MySpace friends "had an input into the cast of the show," according to the New York Daily News. They voted on audition tapes, just as The Real World is currently doing, with Diddy adding: "In this day and age of being interactive, you just have to trust the voice of your fans. I think a lot of us are using the Internet to our advantage to keep everyone engaged in the process."

The rap mogul and boyfriend of Kim Porter also tells the paper that this group will be unlike other boy bands, but doesn't do a deft job of explaining why.

"It's definitely not following in the footsteps of Backstreet, ‘N Sync, or Boyz II Men. It's really just a male group, and I think it will be a thing that people will respect," he said, apparently thinking those other groups weren't male enough.

Actually, it's hard to blame him for that view.

If Flavor Flav can try to find love on television, it's only natural that former Poison lead singer Bret Michaels would try to do the same.

Here's how VH-1 describes his show, Rock of Love, which premieres July 15:

Rock's about to get a dose of reality…TV. This summer Poison's Bret Michaels will get his Flav on as the ladies pictured here vie for his attention in the Celebreality elimination-based dating show Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.

"We knew women vying to date a rock star would make great entertainment but Bret brought outrageousness and excitement to the show that exceeded our wildest expectations," said show executive producers Mark Cronin and Cris Abrego. "From motorbike wrecks to Vegas rock concerts, it's a show where you can't miss a single moment."

Mark Consuelos may not be known merely as Kelly Ripa's husband after his reality show premieres tonight. Before Age of Love hits TV sets across the country, though, TV Guide sat down with the soap opera actor...

TVGuide.com: First of all, congratulations on the TV-movie you just booked. That's good company: Nadine Velazquez, Erik Estrada, Mario Lopez....
Consuelos: Absolutely. It's going to be a blast.

TVGuide.com: Although I think it disproves the theory that you, Estrada and Mario can't be in the same project together.
Consuelos: [Laughs] Or that we actually are the same person. We've never been in the same room at the same time, so we can put all those rumors to rest.

TVGuide.com: What's the sum total of your role on Age of Love? Are you narrating, overseeing the elimination ceremony, is there any "guy talk" with the other Mark?
Consuelos: That's pretty much it â€" you nailed it. I narrate it, I'm his wingman/guy-talker.... I do referee a few of the eliminations, but we kind of felt that sometimes that was [Philippoussis'] realm and it was weird to have me jumping in it. But it was good, I had a great time doing it. I've obviously never done or hosted a reality show, and I found the whole process fascinating. And watching the differences between the two age groups was mind-blowing.

TVGuide.com: Have you turned down reality pitches in the past?
Consuelos: Yeah, I have, I absolutely have. I'll tell you honestly, I'm a big fan of reality, and this show kind of intrigued me. I thought it was really, really cool.

TVGuide.com: Is there a catchphrase for when Mark kicks somebody off? Like, "Our love is not for the ages"?
Consuelos: [Laughs] No, no.... There isn't a catchphrase, but I like the catchphrase of what the show is â€" "cougars versus kittens."

TVGuide.com: Someone here wanted me to ask you: Do you find the term "cougar" demeaning at all?
Consuelos: You know what? I don't. I guess some people do, but I really don't.

TVGuide.com: As if "kittens" is empowering.
Consuelos: Exactly. It kind of describes what the show is. I think you and I should push for them to change the title to "Cougars vs Kittens."

TVGuide.com: Take us through Mark's realization of the setup, because he didn't know going into this that he would be choosing from two different age groups.
Consuelos: This guy was engaged to an 18-year-old at some point; he had a past dating younger girls, that was his angle. When he met the 40-year-olds first, if a picture says a thousands words, he was like, "Whoa, what did I get myself into?" And then they put me out there to talk to him, and I was like, "Guys, he's going to want to kick my ass!" [Laughs] But the women that they chose.... Listen, 40-year-old women are sexy â€" I think they are â€" and he completely had a change of heart. My motto throughout the whole thing was, "Just go into it with an open mind." He was really surprised by what he learned.

Continue Reading...

Donald Trump has a natural gift for spinning bad news in his favor. When The Apprentice turned up missing from NBC's fall line-up, he immediately pounced with a statement saying that he wasn't being fired from the show, he was quitting to work on another "major new TV venture."

Trump's Apprentice business partner, reality TV's eminent creative mind Mark Burnett, will have much more trouble untangling himself from the wreckage.

While his biggest franchises - Survivor, The Amazing Race and The Apprentice- effectively revolutionized television and dominated ratings in their early seasons, Burnett's recent endeavors have not yielded the same returns.

This summer, Burnett debuted two new series, On the Lot, on FOX, and Pirate Master, on CBS. The former bowed to an audience of just 8.5 million viewers, which means it lost around 70 percent of the 30 million viewers who were watching the American Idol finale before it.

Meanwhile, Pirate Master, a watered-down Survivor clone, in which greedy gamers stow away at sea for a crack at a million-dollar prize, fared just as badly. Only 7 million viewers tested the waters.

But Burnett's ratings woes aren't the issue as much as what appears to be a dearth of creative ideas. On the Lot started out trying to mimic The Apprentice, then abruptly changed course and started aping American Idol, complete with separate performance-and-results show.

Somewhere in all the confusion, the show's host changed abruptly and one of its judges, director Brett Ratner, vanished without any explanation. Meanwhile, the Pirate Master debut was a confusing muddle. For at least the first 45 minutes, it was impossible to know who was doing what and why. Characters were introduced hastily so they could be rushed through a baffling challenge, then someone whose name you could remember was "cut adrift."

The sad part of Burnett's string of failures is that it suggests that it nails shut the coffin of reality television's golden era. There has always been lots of talk about the negative effect of reality TV and how it has contributed to our fame-obsessed, look-at-me culture. But there hasn't been nearly enough discussion about the fact that at its best, some of the freshest, most exciting television of the past decade has been reality-based.

Who among us can forget where we were the first time we saw Richard Hatch flopping around nude during the first season of Survivor? How many office friendships were irreparably damaged by Jordin Sparks vs. Blake Lewis disagreements during American Idol?

To continue reading this Newsweek article, click here.

Jaslene Gonzalez is America's next Top Model. The beauty recently sat down with TheSportsInterview.com and relayed the following information:

What has life been like after this show?
"Living the top model life. Things are coming in left and right. I am living my dream at this moment and my life is definitely a whirlwind. Working so hard and enjoying this beautiful ride I have now."

I think you realize that you have been given this platform by winning America's Next Top Model, but now it's up to you to keep it going and build that portfolio.
"Oh, no, of course, definitely. People think that this is it, but no this is just a stepping-stone for me. I have to establish myself and hustle for my work for what I want to do. This is definitely just the beginning. This is the starting point in my career and there is a lot more to do definitely."

 So now Tyra Banks offers professional advice and support. What else does she do for you? I know she can only do so much for you, but now you have to go forward with it.
"Just her mentoring me is enough. I see Tyra Banks like a mother figure when I was on that show and even now. Just knowing that she believes in me makes me believe in myself even more and the possibilities I have going for myself. Tyra Banks is an amazing person. I love her. I adore her. I appreciate everything that she has done for me. She won't forget about me and she would always call to check on how I am doing and things like that. She's definitely trying to help me follow the right direction."

What should the public know about her when the camera isn't on?
"She is the same person. Camera is on. Camera is off. She is the same person. Humble, very down to earth, caring, and that's exactly who she is."

Many people will give up and try something else when they fail to accomplish a certain thing. What was it that made you come back and audition for season eight after not making the final group in season seven?
"It starts out with confidence and believing in yourself, your dream, and that's what I had. I was driven and determined that this is possible. This is something I want. I believe in it. That's what gave me the drive. That's what people gotta figure out nowadays. This is America and this is the land of opportunities. It's about believing in yourself and believe in what you want because it will happen."

Once you made the cast for season eight, what was your strategy going into this house with all these other girls?
"My whole goal was to go in there and be as friendly as you want and as caring as you want because I am not going to change it, but still have the objective of winning. Trust me, I was strategizing since day one all the way through the end of the competition cause that's all you can do. You needed to strategize. You needed to watch everything that is being said and being done. I think that's what helped me get that far in this competition as well."

The Hispanic population is the fastest growing population in this country. There is a growing market there. Do you feel you have an advantage being a model in this industry right now because you are part of that growing population?
"Of course. It's a huge advantage for me. That's what I was telling Tyra. My reason for going on there was to be the first Latina to win America's Next Top Model. Reason being that I knew I had America, but also Latin America backing me up. Those are two big markets. I think that what distinguishes me from all the winners. I think that's amazing and definitely an advantage for me. Modeling is a passion of mine and I am willing to work as hard and trying to stay as long as I can in this industry. Having those two opportunities is amazing."

When most Americans think of Hispanic actresses, it's Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, or Penelope Cruz. Who did you look up to growing up?
"I actually looked up to Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, all of them. They are all strong women figures, icons, and they're legendary. I wouldn't mind following in their footsteps career wise because of how successful they have been. Even with CoverGirl, I have the privilege of following Queen Latifah and Tyra Banks first steps so to each its own. I could relate to Jennifer Lopez and Selma Hayek, but still I have a different focus. My career is going to be different. My lifestyle is going to be different."

You are in that early 20s group of women who get thrown into this entertainment industry and it can be crazy at certain points. What are your thoughts on what's recently gone on with Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton's personal troubles?
"It's nobody's place to judge anybody's life. I just feel like they are in the public eye. I don't even want to talk about them or anything because it's so different, their world and the way they live their life. I don't know what they are going through in life. I don't know what's making them do the things they are doing now. I can't sit here and judge them. I personally don't agree with a lot of the things they are doing. As far as Lindsay Lohan, her actions I think right now are kind of pathetic, but I am no one to judge."

In one of the more entertaining performances from Wednesday's So You Think You Can Dance, Jaimie Goodwin and Hok Konishi get all out in this hip-hop routine set to "Tambourine" by Eve.

Shane Sparks did the choreography and the judges loved it despite Jaimie's more classical, traditional dance training. Hok is seriously bad ass.

As predicted, these two were in the clear and easily sailed into the next round on last night's results show. Check out their performance below:

Also, follow this link for a bonus clip of Hok's audition ...

Let the second-guessing begin.

After dancing for their lives, the first pair to be let go on this third season of So You Think You Can Dance was the "dancing David and Goliath" tango twosome of Ashlee Langas (pictured) and Ricky Palomino.

It was clear that after the previous night, Ashlee Langas' days may be numbered. Then last night, her solo of "Cry Me a River" was big on mime style moves and short on real technique... and possibly panties. But no matter.

Ricky's departure came as more of a shock, especially after Nigel teased us by telling him earlier that he had the potential to be one of the best of this young season.

Yet instead of cutting B-boy Dominic Sandoval, whose limited "tricks" are more apparent with every solo, or Cedric Gardner, who wept openly at the prospect of elimination last night and hasn't proven he can handle a style other than hip-hop, they nixed the versatile Ricky.

What do you think? Did the right ones get send packing? What routine was the best? Will Cat Deeley ever properly pronounce the word "our?"

Follow the link to continue reading our complete guide to last night's results episode of So You Think You Can Dance ...

Alexis Shubin has seen better days.

On the third week of Pirate Master, this crew member found herself fighting and arguing for her life at sea.

Meanwhile, mutiny was discussed among others who thought that Captain Joe Don should be cut loose. Yarr, there were many plots afoot, mateys. But who made it through the hour unscathed? And can this Survivor rip-off ever be as popular as that original show?

Check out our week three episode guide now and unlock these treasures now.