Author Topic: Is 'Belly' the birthplace of RealityTV Contestants  (Read 2815 times)

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Offline Rob

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Is 'Belly' the birthplace of RealityTV Contestants
« on: January 19, 2003, 05:49:45 AM »
From:http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,409023-2-2~3||321057|1~ewuncoverswhitelies,00.html

But even CBS entertainment president Nancy Tellem is willing to forgive Fox. ''I don't think viewers care whether Joe Millionaire makes $19,000, $25,000, or $50,000. The integrity of the show is so less important. The bigger question is over viewers' standards in this post-9/11 world. They look at this entertainment as a frivolous escape.''

Of course, CBS' ''Survivor,'' the granddaddy of the current reality TV boom, isn't immune from temporary amnesia. The net failed to identify ''Survivor: Thailand'' winner Brian Heidik as a former soft-core porn star and is similarly cryptic about one contestant on this spring's ''Survivor: The Amazon.'' Turns out Los Angeles triathlete-trainer Alex Bell is a doorman at the same L.A. bar that's owned and operated by Mike ''Boogie'' Malin, a contestant from CBS' ''Big Brother 2'' (and the spot where Gabe Cade from ''Survivor: Marquesas'' also worked as a barkeep). A CBS spokeswoman claims the net learned of Heidik's acting career, under the name Dave Roth, only after production had begun and that a casting crew ''stumbled'' upon Bell during an unofficial visit to Malin's bar. Seems they didn't need the nationwide casting net on that day.

Just don't expect any mea culpas from the folks who make sorta-reality shows like ''Reunion.'' ''It has people from other classes? What a huge scandal!'' mocks exec producer Mike Fleiss, who's also responsible for ABC's ''Bachelor'' franchise (which has produced two on-camera love matches but no weddings to date). ''Our nerd is a nerd. He admitted it. Whether he was the ULTIMATE nerd I don't think really matters.''

Given the heightened competition for viewers, the little white lies may not seem so bad. Perhaps that's why Fleiss and Co. tried to woo Smith into playing ''Reunion's ex-nerd and falsely claiming that the Popular Girl was the One Who Got Away. ''She was great, but I never hung out with her,'' says Smith. ''I didn't know her!''
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by 1045980000 »

Offline Bathfizzy

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Re: Is 'Belly' the birthplace of RealityTV Contest
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2003, 05:54:22 PM »
Is it just me or does anyone else get what this article is trying to say??  Who is Belly?  ??? ??? ???
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by 1045980000 »


Offline Rob

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Re: Is 'Belly' the birthplace of RealityTV Contest
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2003, 05:37:31 AM »
Sorry that I didn't clearify what Belly was.
Belly is a bar in LA that Mike "Boogie" (from Big Brother 2) owns (I think).

Gabe from Survivor 4 was a bartender/model for Belly. It was rumored that Gabe and Sean already knew each other before Survivor 4 becasue Sean was a regular at Belly! The truth never came out about that situation!

Now there is another contestant on Survivor from Belly! Hope that clears some things up!
Rob
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by 1045980000 »

Offline Bathfizzy

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Re: Is 'Belly' the birthplace of RealityTV Contest
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2003, 05:36:37 PM »
Thank you Rob, that does clarify it.  Seems a little suspicious now.  Who on the Survivor selection committee drinks or tends bar at this Belly place.?? hmmmm.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by 1045980000 »