TVSquad

With the much-anticipated premiere of Community finally bowing tonight, I figured it was a good time to pull out the interview I did with Joel McHale when I encountered him at the NBC party during the TCA press tour. I didn't talk to McHale about his current NBC show, however; I talked to him about his previous NBC show.

Fans of the British sitcom The IT Crowd may remember that an American pilot was shot and the show was announced for NBC's midseason schedule a couple of years back, with McHale playing Roy and Richard Ayoade bringing his breakout role of Moss over from the original. Only, the pilot never saw the light of day, and a series was never picked up.

I asked McHale about what caused the show to be dropped and if he has any regrets over the show's flame-out. Then, as a person standing in front of the host of The Soup would tend to do, I asked him about what in the reality TV landscape gets him charged up. Interview is after the jump.

Rock of Love star Bret Michaels ran smack into a descending piece of stage scenery at Sunday night's Tony Awards, going down for the count with multiple injuries.

You can watch the video here, or just watch after the jump. If you're not a fan of Michaels, his band (Poison) or his "looking for romance" reality show, you should resist the urge to watch it about 10 times while giggling. It's wrong to laugh at another person's misfortune. This reporter would certainly never dream of enjoying something like this.

MIchaels' injuries include a broken nose and three stitches in his lip. He had a CAT scan today as a precaution s he has an old neck injury. No word what effect the impact had on his permanent make-up.

If it were me, if I were the guy (or gal) sitting up in my solid gold throne at MTV tower in charge of programming at sister station VH1, I'd have thrown myself from the roof by now. I mean, I've already given Brooke Hogan her own show, I'm responsible for both Rock of Love and Flavor of Love and their bastard progeny I Love Money (which is really what this channel is all about now).

How can I possibly live with myself? Sure, I also brought the genuinely entertaining Best Week Ever to fruition, and I keep sub-par comedians in regular work with all my stupid list shows, but haven't I done enough to the world? Isn't it enough that I took a channel named "Video Hits One" and turned it into a circus side show of money-grubbing whores and E-List celebrities trying to recapture what little glory they never really had? Apparently not, because VH1 is going to air a show in which they follow Antonio Sabato Jr. around while he tries to find true love.

Welcome to Super Skank Wednesday. This is where I celebrate the awesomely skanky people on the following shows: I Love Money, Charm School, New York Goes to Hollywood, and The Surreal Life. Basically, I'll discuss the skankalicious shows that make VH1 the network it is today.

So no I Love Money on Sunday night? Wha-what? Pshaw! How can I do my awesome picture books without a new episode?

Okay enough complaining. After the jump, I'm going to discuss a show that doesn't exist (yet) in the VH1 skanktastic line-up: Charm School: The Men of I Love New York. I've got a list of my fantasy cast.

A day hasn't gone by where we haven't received some sort of tip or email asking us, the TV Squad, how to get on [insert reality show here]. Unfortunately no, Simon Cowell does not work for us, and Donald Trump isn't my BFF, so we really can't help all that much.

The folks at RealityWanted.com often send us a list of new and existing reality shows that are looking for new, er, talent, and they've given us permission to make mention of them here. We'll try to make this a regular feature as often as we get a new list.

This time we have Rock of Love, Family Court and a lot of new shows.

For some, watching relationship-based reality programming is not their idea of a pleasant night in. Why should they watch shows about finding and keeping love when it takes so long to find that right person in real life? Yet, since the mid-'60s, viewers have turned-in to watch others search for their soul mate. Or, at least their soul mate of the hour.

Of course, in the time of the Reality Revolution, the way love was found on television changed a bit. Rather than asking a simple set of questions to a set of bachelors or bachelorettes sitting behind a wall, men and women would compete for the love of a well-to-do bachelor or bachelorette, or a rapper/model, or a washed up 80s hair band star. They would even compete to see if their love could withstand an onslaught of temptation.

Sometimes they would find their one true love on these reality show. Other times they would be tossed away, their hearts broken, like a piece of paper. Along the way they would be love, sex, fights, sex, heartfelt moments, and sex. With reality programming being what it is, the viewers ate it all up.

Americans are utterly obsessed with celebrities ... particularly their lives away from the limelight. Numerous television "news" programs and magazines highlight stars doing normal things that many of us would do on a daily basis. So, it was only logical that reality series have been built around some of these personalities to highlight their time away from the camera.

Yet it didn't work out as was intended. Rather than showing that these personalities were normal people, they showed the viewers how messed up they, and their families, really were. In some of the earlier Celebreality programs, they even showed unknown weaknesses that fans never knew existed. Despite all of this, viewers have been tuning into these shows each and every week to watch ... just like they would if video of different train wrecks were aired each week.

This fan base has given many of these stars a second, third, or fourth chance at success -- even if their boat sailed a long time ago. Such is the case during the Reality Revolution, where even the most famous can receive fifteen more minutes of fame.

Welcome to Super Skank Wednesday. This is where I celebrate the awesomely skanky people on the following shows: I Love Money, Charm School, New York Goes to Hollywood, and The Surreal Life. Basically, I'll discuss the skankalicious shows that make VH1 the network it is today.

There's been a lull in trashtastic programming lately. I'm stuck watching So You Think You Can Dance (some of the those Latin ballroom costumes are a little slutty) and Secret Diary of a Call Girl (scripted skankiness). I long for VH1 to start their summer of skanktacity. We got a little taste last night with the I Love Money casting special. Check out my review after the jump.

Rock of Love's Bret Michaels was named one of the hottest bachelors of 2008 by People magazine. But skanks like Daisy de la Hoya, Heather Chadwell, and Ambre Lake knew that already. Bret is joined by fellow television stars Mario Lopez, Penn Badgley, Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford, and Brody Jenner.

He credits his awesome weave, always protected by a bandana or cowboy hat, as the major part of his sex appeal: "It creates this Tarzanesque, likable bad-boy image. It says, 'I am a wild child. I will take you on a Harley ride, then make passionate love to you. And should you be attacked by a lion or an idiot at a bar, I will protect you. "To put it simply, long hair works for me. It rocks." No, Bret. You rock.

So what do you think? Does big man Bret deserve a spot on this list? You can view the whole list here.

[via VH1]

Welcome to Super Skank Wednesday. This is where I celebrate the awesomely skanky people on the following shows: I Love Money, Charm School, New York Goes to Hollywood, and The Surreal Life. Basically, I'll discuss the skankalicious shows that make VH1 the network it is today.

After the jump, get ready for I Love Money. I've got some previews for the show and a trip down memory lane paying tribute to I Love Money's cast members. This summer will not disappoint!

Lauren Conrad is like the Flavor Flav of MTV. That statement probably needs some explanation. Much like Flav's stardom has spawned spin-off after spin-off (with spin-offs of the spin-offs), LC is shining her light on fellow Hills cast members. First, I reported that Whitney Port is getting her own show and now...

The Hills co-star Brody Jenner is getting his own spin-off called Bromance. The show, brainchild of Ryan Seacrest's company (thanks Seacrest), is a competition where regular guys come to Hollywood for a chance to be in...get this...Brody's entourage. MTV Senior VP of Series Development Liz Gateley says, "Brody is the perfect fit for this concept; he is the type of guy everyone wants to hang out with."

But wait, there's more. In each episode's elimination ceremony, the guys will gather in a hot tub for the news. Furthermore, similar to Rock of Love and Flavor of Love, the guys will participate in various competitions (i.e. skydiving and dealing with the paparazzi), go on group dates, and be rewarded with alone time with Brody.

Welcome to Super Skank Wednesday. This is where I celebrate the awesomely skanky people on the following shows: Flavor of Love, I Love New York (or whatever show Tiffany Pollard is making next), The Surreal Life, Charm School, and Miss Rap Supreme.

After the jump, I have a list for you. I call it, "The 10 Most Fabulous Flavorettes and Rockettes." Not those Rockettes. Not the ones who kick really high and line-up in different formations and perform at Radio City. Bret's Rockettes! Okay, it's a bad name, but what else do I call them (especially when Flav refers to his skanks as "Flavorettes")?

VH1 released a superteaser for their new summer celebreality series I Love Money last Friday. From the looks of the video, I Love Money will be more of the trashiness and scandal we've come to expect from other VH1 shows like Rock of Love, Flavor of Love, I Love New York and Charm School. The cast will be split into two teams (gold and green) and compete for a $250,000 prize a lá the Real World / Road Rules Gauntlet or Inferno shows. However, since this cast is less athletic and more skanky than the RW/RR folks, the actual challenges themselves look like they will be much more entertaining. And of course, you won't be tuning in just for the competitions. According to the superteaser, they'll be hook-ups, secret alliances, a spitting contest (perfect for Pumkin), and even some "true" love.

The superteaser is five minutes long! That's five minutes of skanky goodness for your enjoyment.

Welcome to Super Skank Wednesday. This is where I celebrate the awesomely skanky people on the following shows: Rock of Love, Flavor of Love, I Love New York (or whatever show Tiffany Pollard is making next), The Surreal Life, and Miss Rap Supreme.

After the jump, check out my tribute to Flavor Flav, my thoughts on Miss Rap Supreme and The Bad Girls Club, and other skankalicious goings on. (By the way, I won't be talking about Heather Chadwell. I just thought you guys deserved a treat.)

Happy Super Skank Wednesday!

Only this time it's with the Rock of Love girls. And even better, it will be hosted by Sharon Osbourne.

Just like the girls of Flavor of Love 1 and 2, the curse-spewing, hard-liquor downing, hair-pulling girls from both seasons of Rock of Love are in need of some lessons in manners. Who better to turn these skanky beasts into classy dames than Sharon Osbourne? As host, Osbourne will guide these girls as they learn how to be more prim and proper. And just like last time, one lucky contestant will win $100,000. The new Charm School will premiere this Fall.

This is the best news I've heard all week. Check out my picks for the cast after the jump.