No, reality television's favorite couple of prats, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt remain. You know, that could explain why everybody else is running from The Hills. The producers are hoping an injection of Kristin Cavallari, formerly of Laguna Beach will help. Personally, I'd be thrilled with the addition of some of the fine folks from the MMA to kick Speidi's ass. I'd watch that week after week.
Don't worry about Patridge, though. She says she's leaving The Hills to focus on that acting career she went to LA for. Which means starring in another reality show for MTV, apparently. The Audrina Show, produced by Survivor's Mark Burnett, will hit the airwaves 2010. Can somebody tell me what Burnett is doing attached to this project?
In the early days of reality TV as we know it, when the Real World was less of an alcoholic sex romp and more of a genuine social experiment, the "usual" way for talentless people become famous was to either be born into obscene wealth or fall down a well. Or both. Then, some time around the appearance of Survivor Season One, normal folks realized that they could capitalize on exaggerating their personalities on television. "Richard Hatch walks around naked? And he's gay? And painfully manipulative? Yes, I will sacrifice my time and attention to watch your crappy show."
Despite the fact that I'm part of MTV's target demographic, I don't really watch the network. I only tune in as I'm getting dressed in the early morning and MTV's running its morning music video block. For the rest of the day, MTV seems to avoid actually playing full music videos like the plague. Instead, they fill their programming schedule with awful reality shows about spoiled pre-teens and dating shows so depressing that contestants are even willing to pee all over themselves to get out.
Now, please allow me to frolic about in my own fantasy world, in which I create my idea of MTV's perfect programming schedule. There are only five -- FIVE -- MTV shows that I would keep. That's right. Everything else should be full-on music videos. In my own MTV, there will be no Laguna Beach, no Pimp My Ride, and certainly no Yo Momma (how did they manage to pitch that?!)
Jason Wahler will spend the next two months in jail. No, you can't lock him up for simply being an idiot. He actually had to do something, like punch a city employee and a tow truck driver. Last year, the 20-year old co-star of The Hills and Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County blew his top when a tow truck was blocking the road as the driver tried to move an illegally parked car. Wahler reportedly got out of his vehicle and yelled racial slurs at the city worker and tow truck driver (both of them black) and then actually punched them both before being subdued. Blood-alcohol tests show Wahler's level was .22.
On top of his two months in jail, pretty boy will also have to attend a one-day program at the Museum of Intolerance. The judge was probably pretty strict with the guy because he was recently arrested in North Carolina for underage drinking and resisting arrest.
Sounds like a great role model for the impressionable MTV crowd.
"RUN DNC": Barack Obama and Jesus Christ Superstar? Fantastic. Hillary Clinton and Kelis' "Milkshake"? Kick-ass! Chris Dodd's scatting song was also hilarious. Oh, and Ted Haggard is hetero now... um, in case any of you were wondering. The cigarettes analogy made me groan a little too loudly, heh.
"The Daily Show's Laguna Beach: The Real, Real Orange County": This was a nice way to wrap up Jason Jones' two part report. It really was beautifully done, perfectly copying Laguna Beach's style. For example, the inclusion of the bonfire at the end was great. Nice job, Jones, you made me laugh for once. I had a good chuckle when he said that reality was just like the show, "without school, fat people, poverty, rain, or herpes". It's true.
Some more talk about Wolf Blitzer's recent interview with Dick Cheney, when we were once again reminded that Cheney don't like talkin' about his lesbian daughter. Hmm. His buddies are scolding people for mentioning Mary Cheney and using children as "political props". Every time I see that clip of the "What? Are you going to kill me?" presentation, I laugh for about five or six... hours. It's not good for my health.
Senior Media Critic John Oliver stopped by to elaborate. I liked the list of fourteen things that Cheney's willing to talk about (well, what we heard of it, anyway). Political Activist Chrissy Gephardt (!) also chatted with Jon about the issue. Good sport.
I'm not sure if I'm a fan of these "What's In and What's Out" lists that seem to pop up every December or January. They seem to embrace trends instead of just quality. But I like Hank Steuver's writing and lists like this are a good conversation starter as the new year begins.
That doesn't mean I agree with him on everything. I mean, David Sedaris is "out" while John Hodgman is "in?" That's ridiculous (though I like Hodgman too). And Dancing with the Stars will never be "in" with me. But I love that he picks America's Next Model as being "out" and Ugly Betty being "in." Ditto his picks for Laguna Beach being "out" (Meerkat Manor is "in") and Dane Cook being "out" (thumbs up to Jim Gaffigan!).
What do you think is in and out, TV-wise? I'm sure they'll be a lot of opinions on Steuver picking Battlestar Galactica as being "out" and Heroes as being "in."
A few pieces of celebrity gossip involving television stars...
Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, recently got engaged! Her boyfriend, record producer Chris Ivery, proposed to her after breakfast on her 37th birthday last Friday. Now she's sporting a 3.5 carat emerald-cut diamond ring from Tacori. Pompeo said they haven't set a date and, when they do, they won't be telling anyone.
Julie Bowen, who has roles on Boston Legal and Lost, is four months pregnant with her first child. Bowen has been married to real estate investor Scott Phillips since 2004. Bowen has enlisted fashion assistance from Project Runway finalist Laura Bennett, who is also prego.
And, for you fans of the original Laguna Beach, Lauren "LC" and Brody have split up. Brody used to date LC's nemesis, Kristin Cavallari from Laguna. Brody was recently linked with Nicole Richie, but when they split, he turned to Lauren, who now stars in MTV's The Hills.
TheNew York Timesis reporting that the real life Laguna Beach High PTA has its panties in a twist over the popular MTV reality series depicting the lives of seven of its students. Let's keep in mind that the seven students in question and their parents gave permission to MTV to film their lives in their private homes. MTV was going to shoot footage at the school for the show's pilot episode, but was shut down by parents then.
Some Laguna High parents are blaming the show for increasing drug use among fifth graders and for attracting sexual predators to the area. Voice of reason Captain Danell Adams of the police department called the notion of more sexual predators coming to the area because of MTV a "crock." "MySpace is much more of problem than MTV."
It took a while, but MTV is finally releasing the soundtrack to Laguna Beach. It's surprising that this didn't happen sooner since music played such an important role in the reality series. The soundtrack has 14 songs and dialogue from the show sprinkled betweeen random tracks.
Laguna Beach: Summer Can't Last Forever comes out November 7th, or you can pay $9.99 to download it at URGE right now. The tracks are listed after the jump:
For all you readers out there who are poring over their pilot scripts, thinking that you're going to be the next Larry David or Aaron Sorkin, let me let you in on a little secret: put some hot and not-very-deep girls in bikinis, have them kiss a lot of guys on the beach, and you're on your way to television riches. Just ask David Hasselhoff.
Alternately, you can just ask the husband and wife team of Gary and Julie Auerbach, creators of MTV's hit "reality" series Laguna Beach. According to Variety (registration required to see the entire article), they have signed a deal with CBS Paramount Networks to develop scripted comedies and dramas for the company. Apparently the company's president and vice president are big fans of Laguna, and like the fact that the reality series is being presented with the narrative arcs usually seen in scripted shows. They want a little of the reality element brought to scripted shows, and they feel the Auerbachs are the best people to do that.
My theory as to why they got the deal? See the first paragraph. Boobs. Gossip. Sand. Beach. It doesn't take a programming genius to see the money making potential here.
At least one of the cast members from Laguna Beach: The Real O.C. will get a dose of reality this season on MTV's new spin-off, The Hills. The new show follows Lauren Conrad, who was called 'L.C.' in high school but is sooo over that, as she ventures into, ahem, the real world. It's still a far cry from the real world that most of us experience after leaving home and getting a first job, but it should be entertaining, none the less. Lauren, as her friends now call her, is balancing an internship at Teen Vogue with classes at the Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Something tells me her trials and tribulations aren't going to be about making the rent, but more about standing out in the crowd, boys, and, duh, partying. She has four new girlfriends who aren't "catty", as Lauren describes her high school girlfriends.
Audrina Patridge is the latest "cast" member to leave The Hills, following on the heels of Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port. To this news I ask: Can the rest of the cast leave so they can just cancel the show? We could only be so lucky.
In the early days of reality TV as we know it, when the Real World was less of an alcoholic sex romp and more of a genuine social experiment, the "usual" way for talentless people become famous was to either be born into obscene wealth or fall down a well. Or both. Then, some time around the appearance of Survivor Season One, normal folks realized that they could capitalize on exaggerating their personalities on television. "Richard Hatch walks around naked? And he's gay? And painfully manipulative? Yes, I will sacrifice my time and attention to watch your crappy show."
Despite the fact that I'm part of MTV's target demographic, I don't really watch the network. I only tune in as I'm getting dressed in the early morning and MTV's running its morning music video block. For the rest of the day, MTV seems to avoid actually playing full music videos like the plague. Instead, they fill their programming schedule with awful reality shows about spoiled pre-teens and dating shows so depressing that contestants are even willing to 
Jason Wahler will spend the next two months in jail. No, you can't lock him up for simply being an idiot. He actually had to do something, like punch a city employee and a tow truck driver. Last year, the 20-year old co-star of The Hills and Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County blew his top when a tow truck was blocking the road as the driver tried to move an illegally parked car. Wahler reportedly got out of his vehicle and yelled racial slurs at the city worker and tow truck driver (both of them black) and then actually punched them both before being subdued. Blood-alcohol tests show Wahler's level was .22.
"
Some more talk about Wolf Blitzer's recent interview with Dick Cheney, when we were once again reminded that Cheney don't like talkin' about his lesbian daughter. Hmm. His buddies are scolding people for mentioning 
I'm not sure if I'm a fan of these "What's In and What's Out" lists that seem to pop up every December or January. They seem to embrace trends instead of just quality. But I like Hank Steuver's writing and 
A few pieces of celebrity gossip involving television stars...
The New York Times 
It took a while, but MTV is finally releasing the soundtrack to 
On the cover: 
For all you readers out there who are poring over their pilot scripts, thinking that you're going to be the next Larry David or Aaron Sorkin, let me let you in on a little secret: put some hot and not-very-deep girls in bikinis, have them kiss a lot of guys on the beach, and you're on your way to television riches. Just ask David Hasselhoff. 
Beautiful People - First Season 
At least one of the cast members from Laguna Beach: The Real O.C. will get a dose of reality this season on MTV's new spin-off, The Hills. The new show follows Lauren Conrad, who was called 'L.C.' in high school but is sooo over that, as she ventures into, ahem, the real world. It's still a far cry from the real world that most of us experience after leaving home and getting a first job, but it should be entertaining, none the less. Lauren, as her friends now call her, is balancing an internship at Teen Vogue with classes at the Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Something tells me her trials and tribulations aren't going to be about making the rent, but more about standing out in the crowd, boys, and, duh, partying. She has four new girlfriends who aren't "catty", as Lauren describes her high school girlfriends.
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
