Author Topic: The Biggest Loser Season 7  (Read 140079 times)

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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #50 on: January 06, 2009, 08:50:33 PM »
What, are you psychic?? :lol3:

Yep, there is a catch!!
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Offline Mandoli

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #51 on: January 06, 2009, 08:51:08 PM »
That's a good catch. *nods*
I thought that when we fought, I was to blame
Now I know you play a different game
I've seen you dance with danger; still wanting more
Add another number to the score


Offline michael

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #52 on: January 06, 2009, 09:02:47 PM »
I  really hope the 18 and 19 year olds do well, since they're the same age as me.

and peach, yes I am :)  :lol:

Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #53 on: January 06, 2009, 10:35:34 PM »

 :jumpy: Yay georgiapeach you watched

How sad and scary was it to see Jerry pass out like that  :'(

Offline michael

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #54 on: January 06, 2009, 11:25:24 PM »
one of the black girls reminded me of oprah lol


Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #55 on: January 07, 2009, 12:03:33 AM »

Alison Sweeny's Blog:

"A Bridge Too Far"

Was I right or was I right? Seriously – this season is just incredible. Filled with amazing people, incredible stories and true courage. We started shooting in September. Right after my birthday, I shot the visit to the hotel where I told them they were going to be part of the next season. And truly, it was such an emotional day. Meeting Joelle and Carla in person!! They are truly bigger than life personalities. Right from the moment I saw Tara and Laura sitting there waiting to hear the news, I knew Tara was tough. She means business. Nicole couldn’t stop hugging me. Her is so forthright about her love for Damien, and their relationship is so wonderful to see in person. I loved them right from the start. Sione and Filipe did this amazing Tongan dance for us in that tiny hotel room, it totally got everyone ready for their battle – Biggest Loser style!

Jerry’s faint brought reality home to everyone. Contestants, trainers, crew alike. It was a harsh reminder of the seriousness of what they are facing. Especially for the younger contestants. Mike and Dan, still in their teens, have never been thin, and I think for Dan it brought to light exactly what he was heading towards. Estella is truly a remarkable woman. So strong and determined.

The challenge on the bridge was one of the best I’ve ever seen on the show. It was literally a photo finish. Watching Aubrey break into a full out sprint to try and beat Dane had everyone holding their breath. BL can no longer be called unfairly judged towards men. From day 1 you can see the women are going for it, hard core. As are the men. And given the last two winners are female, it is clearly anyone’s game! Who are your favorites to win?

9 teams faced an incredibly difficult decision. And I wasn’t the only one completely caught off guard by some of the decisions. As scary and emotional as it was, they all embraced it as an opportunity to prove to America – to you all watching at home – what they’re capable of. Like I said, they are truly an inspiring group of people. I am so looking forward to you getting to know them.

Just for clarification, I should explain that we began shooting this season in mid-September. Obviously, I was much less pregnant in these first episodes than I was at the finale! So, you’ll see me growing over the next few months. I am actually due in about a week! Ack!!! With production schedules and then the holiday rush, I seriously haven’t even bought diapers yet. My Dr had a firm conversation with me about how second children very frequently come quicker and earlier than first, so I shouldn’t judge by Ben (who was born on his due date! Very prompt child!) and I should have my stuff ready to go to the hospital any day. But even with 9 months to think about it, (she’s kicking me right now as if to say ‘yup! I’m coming, mom!’) it isn’t really real to me yet. Ben seems way better prepared for his baby sister than Dave and I are. Lol. Is that normal??!!

Link:  http://blog.nbc.com/alison/the_biggest_loser/

Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #56 on: January 07, 2009, 12:24:40 AM »
An interesting article:

The Biggest Loser's Bob and Jillian: "Give the money to charity!"

It's been a mere three weeks since the last Biggest Loser was crowned, but the show isn't taking a breather. Season 7 debuts tonight on NBC, and when we say it's bigger than ever, we mean it. This season has the biggest contestants the show has ever seen, including teenagers, and it brings back the "Couples" theme, which introduces us to sets of best friends, cousins, and engaged couples.

So what makes this season different from all the rest? Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper, and executive producer Mark Koops spoke to Fancast recently, and didn't hold back their thoughts on America's weight problems. Read on to find out what they think is the biggest weight loss obstacle, why Bob almost had a nervous breakdown, and why money is ruining the game.

Last season focused on families, but now we're back to couples. Was there a different dynamic?

Bob Harper: I think it’s really interesting when we really delve into couples because when you’re working with parents and their children, you really see the guilt that the parents have when it comes to what they’ve done to their child. And I think that it becomes very inspirational because we try to show them that no matter how bad it’s gotten, no matter where their path is, we show them a way that we can get them back on track. And we can kind of get that guilt off the parent. It’s fascinating to me.

Mark Koops: In this upcoming season, there was definitely one set of friends that Bob had a particularly hard time breaking through. And I think it makes for some of the most interesting and compelling challenges he's had.

Bob: Let me tell you, this one girl tested me more than I’ve ever been tested on the show. You’re going to see me on this show have a nervous breakdown on this girl. I watch and it was like, “Is that me? Did I do that? Was I yelling that much?” It was definitely a challenge.

This season has the oldest players ever, the youngest male contestant, the heaviest female contestant, and the heaviest contestant ever. What are some of the obstacles that the contestants will face because of their unique challenges?

Bob: When people come to The Biggest Loser, they go through from zero to 100 miles an hour in your first day. So it’s got to be a real big challenge for these morbidly obese men and women to actually be able to keep up. But what you really see, and which I love so much about our show, is triumphs of the spirit. These people overcome the obstacle of carrying all this weight. They’re going to push themselves to new limits.

Jillian Michaels: Where I have run into some snags are with the contestants who are significantly older and their body is showing true wear and tear of abuse. That’s really when you’re in trouble and that’s when you’ve got oxygen masks on the treadmill and limitations with regard to duration of exercising. It tends to be very, very difficult to train those older contestants.

Bob: Totally. I have one contestant that is 54years old, 430 pounds, and this is a man that had his stomach stapled, had his jaws wired shut, and he’s been living in a war zone and his body really shows it.

What do you think about the problem with overweight kids in America?

Bob: On Season 7 we have two teenagers. Mikey is 18-years-old and he’s 385 pounds. And then we have Dan who is 19-years-old and 454 pounds. And it just shows you that we are living in an epidemic and we at Biggest Loser really want to put a light on this situation and try to do our part in helping that community of people. There’s a young generation out there that really does need our help. We really want to focus on kids in that way, or teenagers in that way, in this season.

What is it like to see some of your contestants, these people you build relationships with, come under really harsh criticism in the media and on the internet like Vicky did this year?

Bob: Well, I go back to responsibility. When it comes to Vicky, she was a competitor and she was a game player. That infamous phrase that I said that she was Shakespearean… I stand behind everything that I said. But with that said, she still worked her butt off every single day and I really believe that she did get something out of it. I think that Vicky was a tough broad. That’s like a simple way to put it.

Mark: One thing I’ll say about Vicky is she backed up the talk with action. It’s one of the best physical transformations we’ve seen of a woman. She sort of felt she was playing the game to stay there as long as she could, to learn as much as she could, and she had a hard exterior.

Why do you think some people turn nasty? Because of the money?

Jillian: Bob had a great idea the other night. He was like, “You know what, I would love to see them take the cash prize and donate it to charity of the winner’s choice.”

Bob: I love that idea. Because of course, you have to remember we are shooting the show. We’re living in this bubble. They start to think about really wanting to win that money. And it’s up to us to really keep them grounded and realize that life goes on after that. Great, you’re going to win the money but what next? What’s going to be the next part of your life? Don’t let it all be about money.

Jillian: Why is your health not enough? I have people that would pay a gazillion dollars to be able to work with us or to be on that campus for one day. They get all of this for free and, “Oh, so sorry, you didn’t win a quarter of a million dollars too.” Shut up. It is infuriating to me.

Mark: But I think most of the contestants do come to compete to get their health back as their first priority. The money can be a motivating factor, but I think most of them do come there first and foremost to make a change. Because the odds of winning aren’t that great. It’s a game with many twists and turns and The Biggest Loser, as pointed out, is not necessarily the person who wins at the end of the day.

Link to the article: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2009/01/the_biggest_losers_bob_and_jil.html

Offline Kiwi Jay

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #57 on: January 07, 2009, 12:36:10 AM »
I knew there would be a twist. I still dont like it though!!  (:;)
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Offline michael

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #58 on: January 07, 2009, 01:15:40 AM »
so, 30 days = 4 weeks right? So the people should come back end of episode 5.

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #59 on: January 07, 2009, 01:43:05 AM »
OH, and i read a rumor a couple of days ago that Kim is back this season...so maybe she trains the 9 evicted players?


Offline RealityFreakWill

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #60 on: January 07, 2009, 02:58:47 AM »
First Episode Results

Won Immunity

Black Team, Blaine/Dane 

Alison announces that 9 are going home, besides the black team, only one other team will be safe, whoever has the highest percentage weight loss and the remaining nine teams has to decide which team member will go home

First Week Weigh-In Results  (in order of being weighed)

                                        STARTING WGT           CURRENT WEIGHT    LBS LOST      TEAM %

Black Team         
Blaine                                         365                              351                  14   
Dane                                          412                              392                  20         was not indicated

Silver Team
Carla                                          379                              368                  11
Joelle                                         309                               296                  13               3.49%

Orange Team
Daniel                                         454                               424                  30
Dave                                          393                               377                  16               5.43%

Red Team
Nicole                                         269                               251                   18
Damien                                       381                               364                    17             5.38%

White Team
Jerry                                          369                               344                    25
Estella                                        242                               233                     9              5.56% 

Blue Team
Filipe                                          364                               347                    17
Sione                                         372                               349                     23             5.43%       

Yellow Team
Mandi                                         263                               251                     12
Aubrey                                       249                               236                      13            4.88%

Purple Team
Kristin                                        360                               341                       19
Cathy                                        293                               281                       12           4.75%

Pink Team
Helen                                        257                               245                        12
Shannon                                    283                               270                        13           4.63%

Green Team
Laura                                        285                               272                        13
Tara                                         294                               273                         21         5.87%

Brown Team
Mike                                         388                               366                         22
Ron                                          430                               398                         32         6.66%

Black and Brown teams are safe

Now the teammates' decisions were:

Silver, Carla went home
Orange, Dave went home
Red, Nicole went home
White, Estella went home
Blue, Sione went home
Yellow, Aubrey went home
Purple, Cathy went home
Pink, Shannon went home
Green, Laura went home

They have a chance of coming back if their surviving teammate is still at the ranch in 30 days.


« Last Edit: January 07, 2009, 11:57:55 AM by RealityFreakWill »

Offline pledge

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #61 on: January 07, 2009, 09:19:45 AM »
OH, and i read a rumor a couple of days ago that Kim is back this season...so maybe she trains the 9 evicted players?

I really hope that the 9 players that were sent home really did not go home but are somewhere being trained.  If not, I don't like the twist.......get the players all excited and give them a little "taste" and then send them home doesn't seem right.    (:;)     

Offline georgiapeach

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #62 on: January 07, 2009, 10:54:25 AM »
Well, I think we can assume the home teams will have a lot of support to continue on their own. Seems like BL is promoting this as a way to show that it can be done at home? Maybe ties in with the "lose a pound, and a pound of food is donated".

But I think in some of the teams, the wrong person went home. I would have thought that the team member with the very best chance of losing the most weight on a week to week basis should have stayed. That way the team has the best chance of bringing back the other member. Of course, you need to factor in likeable as well so you aren't voted out.

I would have thought it made more sense for Carla to stay, and maybe the Mom ?
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Offline michael

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #63 on: January 07, 2009, 11:54:33 AM »
yeah peach I agree, I figured that the bigger black woman would stay because the one that stayed didn't seem as motivated to work out, and isn't she the one that Bob is screaming at in the previews?

Offline RealityFreakWill

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #64 on: January 07, 2009, 12:04:49 PM »
Edited....updated

I have to agree that some of the wrong team members went home. It will be interesting to see who remains at the ranch after 30 days and then see who comes back. The way I calculate, five of them will come back. When it gets down to 9, then 5 will come back and it'll be 14 people and then it'll be teams again.

Do you realize now that it's down to 13, 8 of them are guys and only 5 girls

GUYS                   GIRLS
Blaine                   Joelle
Dane                    Mandi
Daniel                   Kristin
Damien                 Helen
Jerry                    Tara
Filipe
Mike
Ron
 
« Last Edit: January 07, 2009, 12:24:37 PM by RealityFreakWill »

Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #65 on: January 07, 2009, 12:24:05 PM »
An interesting article:

Boisean, sister vie for $250,000 on 'The Biggest Loser'

Former Meridian High athlete Mandi Kramer never thought she'd be battling obesity - especially on national television

A decade ago, Mandi Kramer was a three-sport varsity athlete at Meridian High School. She was lean, strong and active.

"I ate everything and anything I wanted to," said the 31-year-old Boise cosmetologist, who teamed up with sister Aubrey Cheney, 29, who also gained weight, to try to win $250,000 on the TV show "The Biggest Loser."

The contestants, 11 teams of two, compete at losing weight. The team that loses the largest percentage of its total starting body weight will take home the money.

During Tuesday's season premiere, Kramer and Cheney weighed in 25 pounds lighter, or 4.88 percent, than their total original weight after the first week of training. A format change meant Cheney was sent home to Gooding, while Kramer will continue training and work to reunite the team.

Contestants are not allowed to talk about the details of what happens on the show. But they can talk about how they got there.

The 5-foot-9 Kramer said Tuesday that she found herself battling obesity within a few years of her 1997 graduation from Meridian High, going from 145 pounds to 285 .

"I stopped playing sports and kept eating the same," said Kramer.

The birth of her first son in 2000 gave her a wake-up call. She worked out, joined weight loss and exercise programs and watched her weight fluctuate.

Then her sister suggested they battle their weight on "Biggest Loser." Kramer had some fears but didn't panic until they made the final cut in September.

"I did not want to stand up on that scale in my sports bra and shorts," she said of the weekly weigh-ins contestants endure each week.

"It's definitely been a life-changing, positive experience," she said, noting that she hopes her dad, who suffers from obesity, can benefit from what she's learned.

Link to the article: http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/624542.html

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #66 on: January 07, 2009, 12:33:49 PM »
OMG....Shannon was arrested for domestic violence

macombdaily.com


One of two women from Macomb County competing on the weight-loss television show "The Biggest Loser" was charged Tuesday with domestic violence, accused of throwing flour in the face of her tenant.
Shanon Thomas, 30, of Center Line MI, appeared surprised by the accusation during her arraignment.
"I'm really a good upstanding person. I can't believe this is even happening to me," Thomas told 37th District Visiting Judge Sherman Faunce.
According to court records, a man who resided in the basement of Thomas' ranch-style house on Helen Avenue told police Dec. 16 that Thomas yelled at him to lower the volume of his television, broke some Christmas tree bulbs, grabbed an open bag of flour and threw some of it in his face, including his eyes.
The tenant, Michael Nolden, said Thomas asked him what he planned to do before she left about a minute later. Nolden, 32, then contacted police. When police went to the house, they noticed flour on the floor and couch, but that someone had attempted to clean the mess, records show.
Center Line Public Safety officers ar
rested Thomas on Tuesday after Nolden cleared out the rest of his belongings in the house.
"He threw a pan in my direction," she told Judge Faunce about the alleged incident. "He told me to get a pizza" because she was on the show.
The judge informed Thomas that her side of the story wasn't part of the arraignment proceeding, and entered a plea of "not guilty" on her behalf. When Faunce asked her about previous arrests, he wasn't convinced she was truthful.
"You're just telling me what you want me to hear," he said in setting bond at $2,000 cash or surety and ordering Thomas to have no contract with Nolden.
According to court records, Thomas was arrested in Royal Oak in 2004 on suspicion of drunken driving. She later pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated and sentenced to 12 months probation and fined $1,345.
In 1996, she was charged with forgery in Troy but punishment was deferred after being sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, court records show.
Thomas could face up to 93 days in jail if she is convicted of domestic violence. A trial date was not immediately set.
Thomas and her mother, Helen Phillips of Sterling Heights, are one of 11 "couples" teams on the NBC weight-loss show. The seventh season premiered Tuesday night.
Thomas, who works as a massage therapist, is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, and weighed approximately 280 pounds when filming for the current season of "Biggest Loser" started in September. Court records show she currently weighs 185 pounds.
It was not immediately known why she was currently not in California as taping continued, but she implied in court that she was expected to return.
An e-mail sent by The Macomb Daily seeking comment from the network about Thomas was unsuccessful.
On the show's Web site, the Center Line woman is described as "a very outgoing, animated and friendly person" and that her "caring actions come through every day in her job as a massage therapist, but she feels she could make an even bigger impact on her clients once her weight is under control. She has been heavy her entire life and is ready to get on the right course," the Web site states.
The network's bio of Thomas also states she and Phillips are a "down-to-earth mother and daughter team who could pass as sisters."
"They are extremely competitive and love to laugh. Shannon(sic) and Helen are both gorgeous women who have a zest for life. They leave everyone they meet with a smile on their face."
Phillips, 48, of Sterling Heights, remains in California for taping. Her husband, Russell Phillips, recently told The Macomb Daily that his wife is making good diet choices and exercising up to 14 hours a day. He refused to specify how many pounds she has dropped — she entered the competition at 257 pounds — but claimed she has lost at least 10 pants sizes.
On the show, the contestant who loses the greatest percentage of body weight is crowned The Biggest Loser and wins a grand prize of $250,000.
Thomas posted bail and was released from Macomb County Jail prior to Tuesday evening. Dinner at the county jail Tuesday was a meat patty with gravy, mashed potatoes, gelatin and milk.
"A lot of times if people know they are going to bond out, they will refuse the meal," Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel.

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #67 on: January 07, 2009, 12:40:28 PM »
Follow up on Shannon

according to another post, her weight at the time of arrest was 185. Her starting weight at the ranch was 280. Lost 95lbs apparently?

Offline michael

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #68 on: January 07, 2009, 12:54:27 PM »
Follow up on Shannon

according to another post, her weight at the time of arrest was 185. Her starting weight at the ranch was 280. Lost 95lbs apparently?

and she still has 3 months to lose more before the finale

Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #69 on: January 07, 2009, 12:55:05 PM »
TBL Ratings:

Primetime Ratings: 'Biggest Loser' Tops Tuesday Night NBC says it was the reality shoe's best debut performance yet

NBC's premiere of Biggest Loser Couples was the night's top-rated show, according to Nielsen overnight ratings in the 18-49 demo.

The 8-10 p.m. show built strongly over its two hours, from a 3.7 rating/10 share in its first half hour to a 5/12 in its last, winning each of those half hours and powering NBC to a 4.3/11 on the night.

NBC said it was the best debut performance yet fot the show.

Biggest Loser topped the premieres of ABC's Homeland Security USA and the debut of Scrubs on the network (it moved there from NBC).

CBS was second on the night in the 18-49 demo with a 3.4/9, led by a solid showing from The Mentalist (3.9/10) at 9-10.

ABC was third with a 2.7/7 average. The premiere of reality show Homeland Security USA tied a repeat of Fox's House for third in the 8-9 time period with a 2.2/6, behind both Biggest Loser and NCIS on CBS. But given that the overnight ratings don't record (pun intended) time-shifted viewing from an audience with a 29% DVR penetration, that tie will likely be broken when such viewing is added in.

Back-to-back episodes of Scrubs at 9-10 did better, averaging a 3.1/7, 3.2/8, respectively, but still only good enough for third place in their respective time periods.

Fox was fourth with an all-repeat lineup of House and Fringe. The CW was fifth, with a 1.1/3 for 90210 (1.4/4) and Privileged (.8/2).

Link: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6627162.html


Offline RealityFreakWill

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #70 on: January 07, 2009, 12:57:41 PM »
Follow up on Shannon

according to another post, her weight at the time of arrest was 185. Her starting weight at the ranch was 280. Lost 95lbs apparently?

and she still has 3 months to lose more before the finale

Yeah, she does....I bet she'll be a skinny thing at the finale!

Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #71 on: January 07, 2009, 01:45:27 PM »

THE PREMIERE OF 'THE BIGGEST LOSER 7' IS THE #1 SHOW TUESDAY IN 18-49, PACING NBC TO A NIGHTLY WIN IN PRIMETIME'S KEY DEMO

NBC Press Release

'THE BIGGEST LOSER 7' ATTRACTS THE HEFTIEST VIEWERSHIP EVER FOR A DEBUT EPISODE OF THE SERIES

NBC WINS EVERY HALF-HOUR OF PRIMETIME IN ADULTS 18-49, AS 'LAW & ORDER: SVU' LOCKS UP A NEW SEASON HIGH IN THE KEY DEMOGRAPHIC

Last night, the premiere of "The Biggest Loser 7" won its highly competitive two-hour time period in adults 18-49 and other key measures and attracted the biggest overall viewership ever for a debut episode of the series, according to "fast affiliate-based" "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research. Pending updates, NBC won the night and all six half-hours of primetime in the key demographic of adults 18-49.

Last night from 8-10 p.m. ET, the debut of "The Biggest Loser 7" (4.4 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49, 11.8 million viewers overall) won its time period in adults, men and women 18-49 and adults, men and women 18-34, against tough competition that included first-run episodes of CBS's "NCIS" and "The Mentalist," the ABC debuts of "Homeland Security USA" and "Scrubs" and Fox's encore telecasts of "House" and "Fringe."

"The Biggest Loser" was the top-rated show of the night on any network last night in adults 18-49.

This performance matches the top rating ever for a "Loser" debut in adults 18-49 and represents a new high for a "Loser" premiere in total viewers. In fact, excluding finales, this is the biggest "Biggest Loser" ever in total viewers and is the top-rated "Loser" non-finale telecast in adults 18-49 since the penultimate episode of the first "Biggest Loser" cycle on January 4, 2005.

Versus the series' most recent debut ("The Biggest Loser 6" on September 16, 2008), last night's telecast was up 38 percent in 18-49 rating (4.4/11 vs. 3.2/9) and 49 percent in total viewers (11.8 million vs. 7.9 million). Last night's telecast matched the year-ago debut of "The Biggest Loser 5" in adults 18-49 (a 4.4/10 on January 1, 2008) and was up 13 percent in total viewers versus that year-ago debut (11.8 million vs. 10.5 million).

From its first half-hour to its fourth, "Biggest Loser" increased by 35 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 5.0/12 from a 3.7/10) and its overall viewership increased by 24 percent or 2.5 million persons (to 12.8 million from 10.3 million).

At 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.9/10 in 18-49, 10.6 million viewers overall) locked up a new season high in adults 18-49 and attracted its second-highest overall viewership of the season to date. "SVU" won its hour in adults 18-49 and all other key demographics opposite a first-run "Without a Trace" on CBS and the debut of "Primetime: What Would You Do" on ABC.

Preliminary 18-49 averages for Tuesday night are: NBC, 4.3/11; CBS, 3.4/9; ABC, 2.7/7; Fox, 1.8/5; CW, 1.1/3. In overall total viewers, January 6 preliminary results are: CBS, 17.3 million; NBC, 11.4 million; ABC, 7.2 million; Fox, 4.6 million; CW, 2.3 million

Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #72 on: January 07, 2009, 06:29:40 PM »
An interesting article:

‘Loser’ is back with its biggest cast yet

Like the infamous Beck song goes, I’m a loser baby, so why don’t cha kill me?

While I’m not referring to the latest season of The Biggest Loser: Couples in the same nihilistic way as the folk-rock musician, trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels may disagree.

With Jan. 1 over and done with, is your resolution to lose weight still intact? The last season of Loser may have just wrapped up mere weeks ago but NBC has already been pumping out promos for its latest Couples edition, which features a lot of firsts in the show’s history: the youngest player, the heaviest woman, the heaviest contestant ever, the team with the most weight, and the oldest couple are all competing.

How did executive producer Mark Koops pick the record-setting cast? And how is it working for Michaels and Harper? Read on and find out.

Bob, the previews where the guys needed the EMT and they had to be taken in the ambulance to the hospital and so forth — you always think that that would happen a lot in the gym. I was wondering — has that happened very much to you? Have you seen that often in the gym, where people have collapsed and had to be taken away?
Bob Harper: No, really I haven’t. America tends to really get the most physically fit overweight people that are out there. But I think that when it comes to someone getting sick or passing out in the gym, we’re going to take every precautionary detail that we need to. And we took Jerry to the hospital although he was totally fine. He was just a little exhausted.

Do you keep a doctor there, a paramedic, or who do you keep at the gym, just in case?
BH: We have a paramedic and medics there on site whenever we are training them. So we keep all of our bases covered when it comes to the health and welfare of the contestants.

What’s your own observation as far as the problem we have with overweight kids? Do you see Daniel as being an important illustration of that?
BH: I really do believe that it is the state of affairs of America right now because in Season 7, we have two teenagers. We have our youngest competitor, Mikey, who is 18 years old and he’s 385 pounds. And then we have Dan, who is 19 years old and 454 pounds.

It just shows you that we are living in an epidemic and we at Biggest Loser really want to put a light on this situation and try to do our part in helping that community of people. There’s a young generation out there that really does need our help and I think that the inspiration that we give to adults – we really want to focus on kids in that way, or teenagers in that way, in this season.

How is training somebody who is 454 pounds different?
Jillian Michaels: It’s interesting. I think that because he is a very young contestant, I’ve been able to get away with a lot more. I haven’t really modified very much. I push him in the same way. I think where I have run into some snags are with the contestants who are significantly older and their body is showing true wear and tear – you know, 63, 66 years of abuse.

That’s really when you’re in trouble and that’s when you’ve got oxygen masks on the treadmill and limitations with regard to duration of exercising. It’s very, very difficult to train those older contestants, in my opinion.

BH: Totally. You’ll see one contestant on Season 7 who is 54 years old, 430 pounds, and this is a man who had his stomach stapled, had his jaws wired shut — he’s been living in a war zone and his body really shows it.

Talk about some of the differences between working with couples and families. Was there anything that couples brought to the table that families didn’t?
Mark Koops: I think the couples explore all different sorts of dynamics. Obviously we have family relationships but also friendships. I think it places different sets of challenges on every relationship. And I think it opens up a wider subject to explore.

But the whole game becomes about creating relationships there and the relationships they create with Bob and Jillian. I think that becomes the key relationship in the game once they actually get to the show, the relationship they create with the trainers who are there every day working their butts off to make a change.

BH: I think it’s really interesting when we delve into couples because when you’re working with parents and their children, you really see the guilt that the parents have when it comes to what they’ve done to their child. And I think that it becomes very inspirational too because we try to show them that no matter how bad it’s gotten, no matter where their path is, we show them a way that we can get them back on track. And we can kind of get that guilt off the parent. So working with couples, and especially parents and their kids, is fascinating to me.

MK: In this upcoming Season 7, there was definitely one set of friends that Bob had a particularly hard time breaking through. And I think it makes for some of the most interesting and compelling work that he’s faced; certainly one of the biggest challenges you’ve had was with one of your best-friend teams this year.

BH: Let me tell you, I actually just saw this episode and this one girl tested me more than I’ve ever been tested on the show. I mean, you’re going to see me on this show have a nervous breakdown on this girl. I watch and it was like, ‘Is that me? Did I do that? Was I yelling that much?’ It was definitely a challenge, man, let me tell you.

This season it’s been mentioned it has the oldest players ever, the youngest male contestant, the heaviest female contestant, and the heaviest contestant ever. Bob, could you tell us about some of the obstacles that the contestants will face because of their unique challenges?
BH: Well, when you come to The Biggest Loser, you’ve got to remember, you go from zero to 100 miles an hour in your first day. So it’s got to be a real big challenge for these morbidly obese men and women to actually be able to keep up. But what you really see, and what I love so much about our show, are triumphs of the spirit. These people overcome the obstacle of carrying all this weight. They’re going to push themselves to new limits. And I mean, some of the stuff that they weren’t even aware that they were able to do just inspired us all.

Mark, why did the show decide to have so many record-breaking contestants in one single season?
MK: We look at the feedback and everyone is looking for people they relate with. It’s sad to say that I think weight and obesity is becoming, despite our best efforts, an ever-increasing issue, and it wasn’t a conscious decision going in. But the stories and the characters we found, whether it be Jerry and Estelle, the oldest couple we’ve had, just incredible grandparents who are looking to get healthy for their grandkids as they’ve now retired.

And the 19-year-old who’s 450 pounds when he starts. It’s almost unbelievable that somebody could be that weight at that age. He realizes now he’s beginning his adult life and he has no future unless he makes the commitment now, and that was just an overwhelming story.

We have a pair of Tongan cousins whom I think everybody’s going to fall in love with who, in their community, to be overweight is almost a badge of pride. And they’re trying to break a whole cultural myth that being overweight is good.

So now that January’s here. For people at home, can you give five tips on how people can actually start to lose weight on their own?
BH: I think the first thing I try to tell them is, ‘Don’t try to change everything all at once.’ That’s my first and most important tip. People get so wrapped up in thinking, ‘OK, it’s Jan. 1, here we come to that infamous day that everyone is going to eat chicken and broccoli and go to the gym every single day and go to bed at 10.’

And by the middle of January, all those people who got gym memberships aren’t going to go. Everyone needs to just, like, chill out and start off small. Realize that if you’re going to make a lifestyle change, this is going to be forever.

JM: I think another thing is that people don’t have the right information. So it’s very difficult to make a food choice or figure out what type of exercise that you should be doing when you don’t know. You don’t have the answers.

So my best piece of information is, ‘Educate yourself.’ Read a book, for goodness sake. Buy a calorie counter. Buy one session with a trainer. Join an online community and then when you have the knowledge, that is 50 per cent of the battle. Then you just need to be inspired to utilize that knowledge. But with the right knowledge you can make the right choices and control the outcome of your life for the most part.

Is there something that you can do mentally, like when you know you want to binge, is there some trick, like drinking water or taking a walk …?
BH: Gosh. All those work. There’s one thing that I tell people, too. Chewing a piece of sugar-free gum. It may sound silly, but it works. You’ve got to get yourself out of your old routine.

People come home from work and they’re tired, they’re exhausted. They want to sit in front of the television and medicate themselves with food. And the next thing they know they’ve gone through a bag of chips. So you’ve got to change your routine because what you’re doing is not working.

In terms of long-term success, what are the key things that people have to do to maintain their healthy weight?
JM: One of the things that we work a lot on with the contestants is looking at their baggage, their issues, what brought them to the show. And when they begin to explore those inner demons, then they’re going to be better equipped to wrestle with their outer ones — which is the stupid tip that I gave on the finale. But I realized when I said it, I was like, ‘That’s genius.’

Because it’s true and I think that when they continue to go home and explore what is psychologically motivating them to be self-destructive, to overeat, to practice unhealthy habits, they will have a much better chance to fix that. It’s about self-awareness. And then once you’re aware of your issues and your bad habits, you can begin to change them.

BH: What I really try to tell people, and I know Jillian does too, is, ‘Everything that you’ve learned from us on the ranch, when it’s time for you to go back home, you’ve got to realize that you can’t be that same person going back into your life. You have new tools now. You have new tools to work with when life pushes you over the edge and you want to reach for the comfort food and you want to over-medicate yourself with food.’

So we try to give them the foundation while they’re on the ranch, so it’s like they are a new and improved version of themselves when it’s time for them to go home. And realize that this is another way of living and a whole new way of living.

MK: I think both the trainers are being incredibly modest. I think they provide every single person they come in contact with all the tools of how to make the right choices, when normally they would reach for the bad choice. And you listen to past seasons’ contestants talk about it, how they still listen to the lessons they learned from Bob and Jillian.

I know you both like to challenge yourself but how do you deal with someone who doesn’t listen or is extremely lazy?
BH: Well for me, then they’re not ready. That’s why I tell people all the time, ‘I can’t want it for you.’ Jillian and I are in there and we will bust you up and get you back and put you back together again. But if you don’t want it, there’s nothing I can do for you until you’re ready.

JM: I couldn’t agree more. That’s what’s Bob’s entire book is about. That’s the title of his entire book. The foundation of your question is like, ‘Do you really want to make this change?’ Because if you do, here’s everything you need. If you don’t, well then, put this back on the shelf and pick me up at a later date if you ever find that you’re ready. Because otherwise it’s pointless.

MK: [But] I think the trainers find a way to make them ready. We saw it last season where in Week 3, Michelle wasn’t ready. She was ready to go home. She was ready not to commit to the process and go home. And Jillian got her to commit to the process, got her to commit to changing her life, got her to taking those small steps. And through that, the result so obviously was shown [when she won].

Do you think it’s harder for people to stick to an exercise regimen or an eating regimen?
BH: Jillian hates to exercise. I’ve had to make her throughout the years. I love to exercise.

JM: Very true. Personally speaking, I find it easier to adhere to a food regimen. And exercise — I don’t love it. I’m one of those people who really struggle with it. With that said, I appreciate all of the necessary benefits and I feel much better when it’s done. But I can think of a million other ways I’d rather spend a day than in the gym.

I’m sure you live really healthy and you eat really well and everything. But there’s got to be some stuff that – you have your guilty pleasures. Everybody does. What are yours?
JM: I decided that wine is now a health food because of the antioxidants. So it’s no longer a guilty pleasure. It’s a necessity, especially for my mental health on the show. So I’m going to say chocolate is my guilty pleasure.

BH: Yes, chocolate and peanut butter. The two together. It’s like, that’s what I want. When Mark Koops stresses us out to no end, that’s what I reach for.

Since you both enjoy working out and you know how to shed the pounds, do you let yourself off the hook over the holidays ...?
BH: Never.

Never?
BH: No, I’m kidding.

JM: Bob never does. We had to get up at three in the morning the other day to do a satellite feed to New York. I went home and went straight to bed, saw him on set later, and I’m like, ‘I am so rested.’ He’s like, ‘I’m exhausted.’ I’m like, ‘What did you do?’ ‘Well, I went to the gym and then ...” You know, I was like, ‘You what?’ Like, he’s just – he’s extremely dedicated. He motivates me in that way and he always has. To push.

Link: http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/Chewing+the+fat/Interviews/Insider/Articles/090106_biggest_loser_couples_DW.htm?isfa=1

Offline Snooky

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #73 on: January 07, 2009, 07:04:18 PM »
To me The Biggest Loser is geting old.  The producers should bring back the single teams, and it should have more twists.  I guess watching a lot of seasons may just get a little boring.   :ascared

Offline marigold

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Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
« Reply #74 on: January 08, 2009, 11:00:29 AM »

Coleen Skeabeck - Biggest Loser Recap

she's such a cutie she looks awesome