Have They No Shame? a.k.a. Negligent TV
I recently did an entry about bad television. This entry is about negligent television.
There is a story going around about the drunkedness & debauchery that went on during the filming of a show on E! called "Kill Reality". According to an "insider", there were many drunken orgies going on at the home that housed the cast. Allegedly one of the cast members was urinated on during sex. Another claim by the insider is that cocaine was being used at these parties. The insider claims that this was all going on in full view of the cameras.
The article first started at Radar Online's website. The link is here:
http://www.radaronline.com/fresh-intelligence/2005/08/29/index.php
Then much conversation on the message board at E!'s website for the show ensued. The link to the message board is here:
E! Online Insider Community: Kill Reality
Suddenly the story appears on "Page Six" of the New York Post on September 5th. Here is the article:
RAUNCHY ANTICS ON 'REALITY'
THE veterans of reality TV who shacked up to tape the E! channel's "Kill Reality" series were constantly getting drunk, pulling nasty pranks on each other and having orgies — and much of the footage was way too risqué even for cable." Kill Reality" chronicles a group of 12 contestants from reality shows like "Survivor," "The Apprentice" and "The Bachelor" who shared a house while they filmed a real-life horror flick, "The Scorned," which will be screened on E! later this month." The whole cast was drunk or wasted throughout the taping, and everyone was having sex with everyone else," one insider told Radaronline.But Scott Zakarin, executive producer of "Kill Reality," denies the Web site's disgusting allegation that, "someone relieved himself on Trishelle [Canatella, of 'Real World: Las Vegas' and Playboy fame] in full view of the cameras." Zakarin told PAGE SIX: "That is absolutely not true. But I know where the story came from, and it's even worse than that. It involved Johnny Fairplay ["Survivor: Pearl Islands"] and another girl, but not Trishelle." Zakarin went on to explain that Fairplay played a vile toilet-tank prank in the bathroom of "Survivor" babes Jenna Lewis and Jenna Morasca." It was pretty gross," Zakarin acknowledged. "But the girls paid him back" in kind with a retaliatory antic that can't be described in a family newspaper. Zakarin also denied that the "Kill Reality" cast members had been snorting cocaine off each other's private parts, as claimed in the online report. " If we had seen any drug use we would have shut it down immediately," he declared.Zakarin said E! might release a DVD of "The Scorned" that will include the more outrageous outakes from the show. " It will be a pretty wild DVD," he said. One subplot that viewers will never see was all the phone calls that the only gay star of "Kill Reality," Reichen Lehmkuhl ("The Amazing Race 4"), reportedly got from "American Idol" star Clay Aiken, who never appeared at the house. Asked about the calls, the show's publicist, Elizabeth Johnson, told Radaronline, "I don't really want to get into that."
----------------------
In the Radar Online story the rumors of wild times are confirmed by the Kill Reality show's publicist, Elizabeth Johnson. One VERY intriguing tidbit was not commented on though. It is the rumor that one of the cast members, Reichen Lehmkuhl (a gay man) was linked to American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken. This rumor was also not commented on by Aiken's people. (no denial, just a no comment)
In The Post's story we get comments from the executive producer of Kill Reality, Scott Zakarin. He contradicts what was said by the show's publicist, and offers (rather weakly) a reason behind what he feels was the origin of the golden shower incident. He denies drug use on the set or at the cast house. Frankly, I don't believe him at all. I think he is trying to save face so that his movie doesn't lose money. Zakarin says he doesn't want to talk about what the show's publicist said, even though he tries to deny what she said.
We know reality shows are cheap to make. The "stars" get paid almost nothing, because the exposure is good for them. It keeps them in the spotlight and that can translate to money down the line. A movie made with reality stars can be done for very cheap. This means that it won't have to do very well at the box office to bring in a profit. The people behind the movie are probably banking that the negative buzz won't effect the ticket sales in time. Basically the word gets out too late to stop a profit from being made. This assures that more projects like this happen in the future. (unless we as the public say we won't have it) I'll bet the people behind this know that having this story in the media basically ensures more movie buzz. To them there isn't any such thing as bad publicity. So we, as consumers need to show them that this is unacceptable.
I am calling on people to not watch this movie. I am calling on people to go to E!'s website and voice your displeasure. Let them know that you don't share their idea that this type of behavior is ok. Stop them before they get started. Contact E! and let them know that it's not cool to promote cocaine use or drunk orgies. Let the news media shows know this too. Email the networks, and file complaints at the FCC.
Recently VH1 replayed a show called "Remaking: Vanilla Ice". This is a series that attempts to revive the careers of musicians by bringing their image and style into the 21st century. Other musicians that were remade were Vince Neil of Motley Crue and Taylor Dane.
This episode was about revamping Robert V an Winkle a.k.a. Vanilla Ice. I have a couple problems with this guy.
Vanilla Ice has tried to remake himself a couple of times already. He went through a dreadlock phase, and then moved on to a hard rock take on his rap. He has many tattoos, and adopts an Orange County surfer look. He hasn't offered anything us anything of value, and that includes his "hit" of 'Ice, Ice, Baby' back in the 90's. Why waste any effort on this no-talent punk?
Some "genius" decides to book Vanilla Ice on the show "The Surreal Life" a few seasons back. It's mostly a show for has-been types. The producers make fun of the houseguests, and we get to watch the trainwreck. I guess it was from this season that someone thought it would be a good idea to bring back Vanilla Ice to the main public.
Problem is this: Vanilla Ice didn't do any remaking for this show. He refused to get a new look for his hair or his clothing style. He refused to get help with his moves. Vanilla's reasoning is that it's not about the look or the image, it's about the music. He went on and on about "being thrown under the bus" - I guess this was his way of saying he got burned in the past when trusting people. Vanilla Ice also didn't take his sessions with a life coach seriously. He refused to participate in the exercises... even going so far as to criticize the people involved while they were trying to better themselves. Vanilla Ice was given a production team to whip up a hit track for him. He chose to take lyrics from a previous song and put them over this new music. Not much for being remade, huh? He was hardly taking an original line here for this show.
He was given a trainer to help him get in better shape. The trainer found out that Vanilla Ice doesn't have much wind. We found out that this is because Vanilla Ice has a serious habit for marijuana. The trainer told Vanilla Ice to cut out the pot completely. Later on we see Vanilla Ice say that he isn't ever going to do that. Later we see Vanilla Ice toke up on a joint.
VH1 was negligent (in my opinion) for showing this behavior. I called the FCC to complain, but I was told that since it was on cable, not broadcast tv, and that it was shown after 9pm, that they couldn't do anything about it. Recently VH1 played this episode in the daytime... but when I called the FCC again, nobody wanted to take a complaint.
Since then Vanilla Ice has put out a new CD of music. CNN Headline News had him on one of their shows, I think it was Good Morning America that gave him publicity on broadcast tv, and Fox News' "Fox & Friends" had him on to promote his new CD.
Where was Bill O'Reilley with his outrage that Fox was promoting marijuana by giving this "musician" airtime? O'Reilley went on a rampage when Pepsi had rapper Ludacris in their commercials. O'Reilley said it's Ludacris' image that caused him to launch the boycott. Why didn't he speak up when his own network had a pothead on it's airwaves?
Since Bill O'Reilley isn't going to speak up, I call for you to do so. Contact VH1 and let them know that it's not cool to promote marijuana. Let the news media shows know this too. Email the networks, and file complaints at the FCC.
It's time for you to step up and do what is right.
There is a story going around about the drunkedness & debauchery that went on during the filming of a show on E! called "Kill Reality". According to an "insider", there were many drunken orgies going on at the home that housed the cast. Allegedly one of the cast members was urinated on during sex. Another claim by the insider is that cocaine was being used at these parties. The insider claims that this was all going on in full view of the cameras.
The article first started at Radar Online's website. The link is here:
http://www.radaronline.com/fresh-intelligence/2005/08/29/index.php
Then much conversation on the message board at E!'s website for the show ensued. The link to the message board is here:
E! Online Insider Community: Kill Reality
Suddenly the story appears on "Page Six" of the New York Post on September 5th. Here is the article:
RAUNCHY ANTICS ON 'REALITY'
THE veterans of reality TV who shacked up to tape the E! channel's "Kill Reality" series were constantly getting drunk, pulling nasty pranks on each other and having orgies — and much of the footage was way too risqué even for cable." Kill Reality" chronicles a group of 12 contestants from reality shows like "Survivor," "The Apprentice" and "The Bachelor" who shared a house while they filmed a real-life horror flick, "The Scorned," which will be screened on E! later this month." The whole cast was drunk or wasted throughout the taping, and everyone was having sex with everyone else," one insider told Radaronline.But Scott Zakarin, executive producer of "Kill Reality," denies the Web site's disgusting allegation that, "someone relieved himself on Trishelle [Canatella, of 'Real World: Las Vegas' and Playboy fame] in full view of the cameras." Zakarin told PAGE SIX: "That is absolutely not true. But I know where the story came from, and it's even worse than that. It involved Johnny Fairplay ["Survivor: Pearl Islands"] and another girl, but not Trishelle." Zakarin went on to explain that Fairplay played a vile toilet-tank prank in the bathroom of "Survivor" babes Jenna Lewis and Jenna Morasca." It was pretty gross," Zakarin acknowledged. "But the girls paid him back" in kind with a retaliatory antic that can't be described in a family newspaper. Zakarin also denied that the "Kill Reality" cast members had been snorting cocaine off each other's private parts, as claimed in the online report. " If we had seen any drug use we would have shut it down immediately," he declared.Zakarin said E! might release a DVD of "The Scorned" that will include the more outrageous outakes from the show. " It will be a pretty wild DVD," he said. One subplot that viewers will never see was all the phone calls that the only gay star of "Kill Reality," Reichen Lehmkuhl ("The Amazing Race 4"), reportedly got from "American Idol" star Clay Aiken, who never appeared at the house. Asked about the calls, the show's publicist, Elizabeth Johnson, told Radaronline, "I don't really want to get into that."
----------------------
In the Radar Online story the rumors of wild times are confirmed by the Kill Reality show's publicist, Elizabeth Johnson. One VERY intriguing tidbit was not commented on though. It is the rumor that one of the cast members, Reichen Lehmkuhl (a gay man) was linked to American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken. This rumor was also not commented on by Aiken's people. (no denial, just a no comment)
In The Post's story we get comments from the executive producer of Kill Reality, Scott Zakarin. He contradicts what was said by the show's publicist, and offers (rather weakly) a reason behind what he feels was the origin of the golden shower incident. He denies drug use on the set or at the cast house. Frankly, I don't believe him at all. I think he is trying to save face so that his movie doesn't lose money. Zakarin says he doesn't want to talk about what the show's publicist said, even though he tries to deny what she said.
We know reality shows are cheap to make. The "stars" get paid almost nothing, because the exposure is good for them. It keeps them in the spotlight and that can translate to money down the line. A movie made with reality stars can be done for very cheap. This means that it won't have to do very well at the box office to bring in a profit. The people behind the movie are probably banking that the negative buzz won't effect the ticket sales in time. Basically the word gets out too late to stop a profit from being made. This assures that more projects like this happen in the future. (unless we as the public say we won't have it) I'll bet the people behind this know that having this story in the media basically ensures more movie buzz. To them there isn't any such thing as bad publicity. So we, as consumers need to show them that this is unacceptable.
I am calling on people to not watch this movie. I am calling on people to go to E!'s website and voice your displeasure. Let them know that you don't share their idea that this type of behavior is ok. Stop them before they get started. Contact E! and let them know that it's not cool to promote cocaine use or drunk orgies. Let the news media shows know this too. Email the networks, and file complaints at the FCC.
Recently VH1 replayed a show called "Remaking: Vanilla Ice". This is a series that attempts to revive the careers of musicians by bringing their image and style into the 21st century. Other musicians that were remade were Vince Neil of Motley Crue and Taylor Dane.
This episode was about revamping Robert V an Winkle a.k.a. Vanilla Ice. I have a couple problems with this guy.
Vanilla Ice has tried to remake himself a couple of times already. He went through a dreadlock phase, and then moved on to a hard rock take on his rap. He has many tattoos, and adopts an Orange County surfer look. He hasn't offered anything us anything of value, and that includes his "hit" of 'Ice, Ice, Baby' back in the 90's. Why waste any effort on this no-talent punk?
Some "genius" decides to book Vanilla Ice on the show "The Surreal Life" a few seasons back. It's mostly a show for has-been types. The producers make fun of the houseguests, and we get to watch the trainwreck. I guess it was from this season that someone thought it would be a good idea to bring back Vanilla Ice to the main public.
Problem is this: Vanilla Ice didn't do any remaking for this show. He refused to get a new look for his hair or his clothing style. He refused to get help with his moves. Vanilla's reasoning is that it's not about the look or the image, it's about the music. He went on and on about "being thrown under the bus" - I guess this was his way of saying he got burned in the past when trusting people. Vanilla Ice also didn't take his sessions with a life coach seriously. He refused to participate in the exercises... even going so far as to criticize the people involved while they were trying to better themselves. Vanilla Ice was given a production team to whip up a hit track for him. He chose to take lyrics from a previous song and put them over this new music. Not much for being remade, huh? He was hardly taking an original line here for this show.
He was given a trainer to help him get in better shape. The trainer found out that Vanilla Ice doesn't have much wind. We found out that this is because Vanilla Ice has a serious habit for marijuana. The trainer told Vanilla Ice to cut out the pot completely. Later on we see Vanilla Ice say that he isn't ever going to do that. Later we see Vanilla Ice toke up on a joint.
VH1 was negligent (in my opinion) for showing this behavior. I called the FCC to complain, but I was told that since it was on cable, not broadcast tv, and that it was shown after 9pm, that they couldn't do anything about it. Recently VH1 played this episode in the daytime... but when I called the FCC again, nobody wanted to take a complaint.
Since then Vanilla Ice has put out a new CD of music. CNN Headline News had him on one of their shows, I think it was Good Morning America that gave him publicity on broadcast tv, and Fox News' "Fox & Friends" had him on to promote his new CD.
Where was Bill O'Reilley with his outrage that Fox was promoting marijuana by giving this "musician" airtime? O'Reilley went on a rampage when Pepsi had rapper Ludacris in their commercials. O'Reilley said it's Ludacris' image that caused him to launch the boycott. Why didn't he speak up when his own network had a pothead on it's airwaves?
Since Bill O'Reilley isn't going to speak up, I call for you to do so. Contact VH1 and let them know that it's not cool to promote marijuana. Let the news media shows know this too. Email the networks, and file complaints at the FCC.
It's time for you to step up and do what is right.
posted by Scandal MacKenzie at 9:35 AM
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