trading spouses-related stories
Posted Feb 1st 2009 1:15PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, News, Programming, Animation, Adult Swim, Children, Game Show, Super Bowl
If you're like me (you have my deepest sympathy), you don't have a dog in this Sunday's hunt.
Thanks to the Arizona Cardinals' first appearance this weekend, my hometown team, the New Orleans Saints, will now be one of only five left in the NFL that have never made a Super Bowl appearance. Three if you don't count the expansion clubs.
So if you're a Cardinals fan and don't have the stomach to endure their slow, agonizing and inevitable defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, here are some alternative shows you can watch instead of the Super Bowl.
Continue reading Sick of the Super Bowl? Here's a sampler platter of what else you can watch
Posted Jan 22nd 2009 6:02PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Industry
Question: What do the following TV shows have in common?
Joe Millionaire,
The Bachelor,
Are You Hot?,
Trading Spouses,
The Will, and
My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance.
If you answered "they all destroy the human soul a little bit when you watch them," you're absolutely correct. But that's not what this post is about.
Actually, they're all shows whose workers filed a class-action suit in California three years ago.
A settlement has been reached and the workers will be sharing a $4 million settlement. The suit accused the shows of violating state wage and work rules. Workers on those shows worked 80 hours a week and were denied lunches and breaks. They were also asked to fake their time cards. Worst of all, the workers were asked to actually watch the shows they were working on, which violating human rights laws in the United States.
Of course, I kid. It violated human rights laws around the world.
Posted Jul 9th 2008 6:00PM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Programming
Family and the workplace -- two constants in everyday American society. They are the places where we spend most of our lives. Sometimes we spend more time at one over complaints of the other. Other times, we barely want to spend time at either location.
Because these are so important to many people across this country, it made sense that television would delve into both of these environments during the Reality Revolution. However, since a 60-minute show about a senior technical analyst sitting in his four square-foot cube was not likely to draw in the audience, the reality shows that were created focused on those families and workplaces that were a tad more unique. Thusly, shows were created around well-to-do families, celebrity families, or families with multiple children, while workplace shows dealt in tattoos, motorcycles, hair styling, and house-flipping.
Coming in later than the game operas and relationship shows, these family and workplace programs ushered in a new phase of the Reality Revolution and set the stage for the future of reality programming.
Continue reading A history of reality television (part eight): Family, work ... and the future
Posted Apr 26th 2007 5:05PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 7, MSNBC has the first Presidential debate (already?!?) from South Carolina, with all the Democrats facing off.- At 8, ABC has a new Ugly Betty, followed by new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and October Road.
- CBS has a new Survivor at 8, then new episodes of CSI and Shark.
- NBC has new episodes of My Name Is Earl, The Office, 30 Rock, Scrubs, and ER.
- FOX has a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? at 8, then a new Trading Spouses.
- There's a new Smallville at 8 on The CW, followed by a new Supernatural.
- At 9, HGTV has a new Divine Design.
- At 10, Food Network has a new Ace of Cakes.
- At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new Showbiz Show with David Spade.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Feb 23rd 2007 5:00PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 8, CBS has a new Ghost Whisperer, followed by new episodes of Close To Home and Numb3rs. - NBC has a new 1 vs. 100 at 8, then new episodes of Las Vegas and Law and Order.
- FOX has new episodes of Nanny 911 and Trading Spouses.
- PBS has a new NOW at 8, then a new episode of Washington Week.
- There's a new Friday Night Smackdown at 8.
- AMC has Cool Hand Luke at 8, followed by Papillon.
- TCM has The Greatest Show On Earth at 8.
- At 9, ABC has two new episodes of 20/20.
- USA has a new Monk at 9, then a new Psych.
- TLC has a new What Not To Wear at 9.
- Also at 9: HBO Zone has American Splendor.
- At 9:30, Giada's Weekend Getaways goes to Austin, TX.
- At 11, HBO has a new Real Time with Bill Maher, with guests Steven Weber, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and David Mamet.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Feb 16th 2007 5:01PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 8, PBS has a new NOW, followed by a new Washington Week. - CBS has a new Ghost Whisperer at 8, then new episodes of Close To Home and Numb3rs.
- NBC has new episodes of 1 vs. 100, Las Vegas, and Law and Order.
- There's a new Nanny 911 on FOX at 8, then a new Trading Spouses.
- The CW has a new Smackdown! at 8.
- At 9, Cartoon Network has a new Squirrel Boy, then a new Camp Lazlo.
- TLC has a new What Not To Wear at 9.
- Also at 9: ESPN has two new eps of The U.S. Poker Championships.
- At 9:30, Food Network has a new Giada's Weekend Getaways, in San Francisco.
- At 10, USA has a new Psych.
- At 11, HBO has the season premiere of Real Time With Bill Maher, with guests former Senator John Edwards, Senator Chuck Schumer, former Lt. Governor of Maryland Michael Steele, and former HP chairman and CEO Carly Fiorina.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Feb 9th 2007 5:09PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 8, CBS has a new Ghost Whisperer, followed by new episodes of Close To Home and Numb3rs. - NBC has a new 1 vs. 100 at 8, then new episodes of Las Vegas and Law and Order.
- FOX has new episodes of Nanny 911 and Trading Spouses.
- There's a new Friday Night Smackdown at 8 on The CW.
- PBS has a new NOW at 8, then a new Washington Week.
- At 9, ABC has two hours of Primetime Live.
- BBC America has a new Hyperdrive at 9, then a new Feel The Force.
- USA has a new Monk at 9, followed by a new Psych.
- At 10, MTV2 has new episodes of Crank Yankers and Celebrity Deathmatch.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Feb 2nd 2007 5:10PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 8, NBC has a new 1 vs. 100, followed by new episodes of Las Vegas and Law and Order. - CBS has a Ghost Whisperer at 8, followed by the special Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials 2007 and a new Numb3rs.
- FOX has a new Nanny 911 at 8, then a new Trading Spouses.
- There's a new Friday Night Smackdown on The CW at 8.
- PBS has a new NOW at 8, then a new Washington Week.
- TNT has the movie Drumline at 8.
- Sci-Fi is showing a Jake 2.0 marathon again tonight.
- Also at 8: TCM has Gene Kelly in Cover Girl, followed by Fred Astaire in Funny Face.
- At 9, USA has a new Monk, followed by a new Psych.
- At 9:30, Food Network has a new Giada's Weekend Getaways.
- At 10, Showtime has the season finale of Masters of Horror.
- At 10:15, AMC has The Towering Inferno.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Jan 26th 2007 10:02AM by Kelly Woo
Filed under: Programming, Monk, What To Watch Tonight
Monk (9PM, USA)
Has Monk found a new career? When a rich couple is killed, the detective goes undercover as a butler to investigate and discovers his OCD quirks actually make him a good servant. Sean Astin guest stars as the rich couple's son, who's crushing on Natalie.
Continue reading What to Watch Fri., Jan. 26
Posted Jan 19th 2007 10:22AM by Kelly Woo
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy (9PM, Fox)
The God Warrior is back! Yes, folks, Marguerite Perrin, who infamously melted down last season, returns for another trade. This is the woman who vomited (caused by the "dark side"), screamed that her host family was "ungodly" and declared the show and its money "tainted." Perrin later accepted the cash, of course, and spent it on gastric bypass surgery. Now, she's 94 pounds lighter, but still a warrior.
Continue reading What to Watch Fri., Jan. 19
Posted Dec 21st 2006 3:29PM by Julia Ward
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, FOX
One of the most horrifying personalities to rise from the detritus of reality television is coming back for seconds. If you missed Marguerite Perrin's appearance on
Trading Spouses and the trail of viral videos, mash-ups and remixes she left in her wake, consider yourself one lucky television viewer. To this day, Marguerite's "dark-sided" breakdown is seared on my brain.
The Ponchatoula, Louisana mom traded places with a far crunchier, less godlier mommy from the Northeast. What resulted was a hissy fit of epic proportions as Perrin spontaneously vomited and bullied her way through her cross-familial exchange. Upon her return to Louisiana, she unleashed a monologue John Waters only wishes he had written. There's no nice way to put this - the self-proclaimed "God Warrior" went off her meds. In a
rambling, frightening stream of conscious rant - Perrin accused her own family of not praying for her and railed against the "dark-sided" forces that had entered her home. She booted the camera crew and refused the cash owed to her for her family's appearance.
Continue reading God's Warrior returns to Trading Spouses
Posted Dec 15th 2006 5:04PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
At 8, PBS has a new NOW, followed by a new Washington Week. - ABC has a repeat America's Funniest Home Videos at 8, followed by two new eps of 20/20.
- CBS has a new Ghost Whisperer at 8, followed by new episodes of Close To Home and Numb3rs.
- NBC has a new 1 vs. 100 at 8, then a new Las Vegas and a repeat Law and Order.
- There's a new Justice on FOX at 8, then a new Trading Spouses.
- The CW has a new Friday Night Smackdown! at 8.
- ABC Family has Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town at 8, followed by Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Island of Misfit Toys and 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.
- Food Network has holiday shows starting at 8: Emeril Live, Rachael Ray's Holiday Entertaining in 60, and Paula's Southern Christmas.
- Also at 8: TCM has A Christmas Story.
- At 9, TBS has Wimbledon, with Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany.
- Sci-Fi has a new Battlestar Galactica at 9.
- Lifetime has Mr. St. Nick at 9, followed by a new ep of Monarch Cove.
Posted Dec 8th 2006 5:00PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
At 8, PBS has a new NOW, followed by a new Washington Week. - ABC has a repeat America's Funniest Home VIdeos, followed by new episodes of Primetime and 20/20.
- CBS has Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer at 8, followed by Frosty the Snowman, Frosty Returns, and a repeat Numb3rs.
- There's a new 1 vs. 100 on NBC at 8, followed by new eps of Las Vegas and Law and Order.
- FOX has a new Justice at 8, then a new Trading Spouses.
- The CW has a new Friday Night Smackdown! at 8.
- ABC Family has The Polar Express at 8.
- USA has The Bourne Identity at 8.
- Also at 8: Sci-Fi has a new Doctor Who, then a new Battlestar Galactica.
- At 9, Rachael Ray goes to New York City on a repeat $40 A Day, then goes back to New York City on a repeat Tasty Travels. They're followed by a new Paula's Party.
- TLC has a new Man vs. Wild at 9, followed by a new I Shouldn't Be Alive.
- Hallmark has A Christmas Visitor at 9.
- Showtime has a new Masters of Horror at 10.
Posted Nov 17th 2006 5:01PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
At 8, ABC has a repeat Grey's Anatomy, followed by a new 20/20 and a repeat of last night's Barbara Walters special, for some reason. - CBS has a new Ghost Whisperer at 8, followed by new episodes of Close to Home and Numb3rs.
- NBC has new eps of Deal Or No Deal, Las Vegas, and Law and Order.
- There's a new, two hour Trading Spouses on FOX at 8.
- The CW has a new Smackdown! at 8.
- USA has Will Ferrell in Elf, also at 8.
- Sci-Fi has a new Doctor Who at 8, followed by a new Battlestar Galactica.
- At 10, Food Network has a new Paula's Party.
Posted Apr 7th 2006 4:31PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
ABC has two repeats of America's Funniest Home
Videos, starting at 8, followed by a new 20/20.- CBS has new eps of Ghost Whisperer,
Close To Home, and Numb3rs.
- There's a new Tim McGraw special on NBC at 8, followed by new
eps of Las Vegas and Conviction.
- FOX has two new eps of Bernie Mac and a new
Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy.
- UPN has a new Smackdown! at 8, while the WB has a
new Survival of the Richest, a repeat Reba, then a new Modern Men.
- Everyone
should watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann, on MSNBC at 8.
- ESPN2 has kickboxing at 8, followed
by regular boxing at 9.
- A&E has a new Biography: "Hairdos and Heartache: The Women Of
Country Music." It's on at 8 too.
- USA continues coverage of the Masters golf tournament at 8.
- At 9, Cartoon Network has a new My Gym Partner Is A Monkey, followed by a new Hi Hi Puffy
AmiYumi.
- At 10:30, IFC has a repeat Dinner For Five with Tony Shalhoub, Kevin James, Burt
Reynolds, and Richard Lewis joining Jon Favreau.
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