Political Survivor? The Candidate's Apprentice? Who Wants to Be a President? Yep, it's a new "Reality" show: American Candidate (from the people who brought you "The Reagans" when CBS wouldn't).
It's a golden opportunity for anyone who missed the deadline to get on the New Hampshire Primary ballot... I think every politically-minded MeFite should apply to be a contestant/candidate. (And meet the candidates who've made the first cut so far.) I'm gonna do it, and I intend to elevate the level of rhetoric by calling my opponents dandiprat dogberries, slubberdegallions, doddypolls, fop doodles and flibbertigibbets.
posted by wendell on Mar 23, 2004 - 7 comments

Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol. Gap-toothed and described by judges as "with the looks of a hobbit," the Norwegian plumber with the voice of an angel proves that there's hope for all of us to become popstars. True talent triumphs!
posted by dagny on Jan 1, 2004 - 20 comments

From the "Bound to Happen Sooner or Later" department: Mary Carey to host reality TV show in which 28 women will complete for the grand prize of a one-year contract in adult video.
posted by XQUZYPHYR on Nov 5, 2003 - 31 comments

Who Wants To Marry My Daughter? Mom will interview suitors for her 22-year-old (who's also the mom of a 4-year-old), a la the NBC "reality" show. Mom's already booked some dates and a getaway weekend for the winner. Seriously. Must have "a steady job, a love of children, strong morals, and no criminal baggage." Livestock brideprice optional.
posted by serafinapekkala on Aug 19, 2003 - 30 comments

3. The girls are always there: you make breakfast - lapdancers. You brush your teeth - lapdancers. You try and sleep - lapdancers. Can you handle that?

The Lapdance Island contestant application. Can you handle that?
posted by davehat on Aug 18, 2003 - 36 comments

Beverly Hillbillies, Redux! No... not a new movie, but a reality series under development by the shiny and shimmering Tiffany Network. CBS scouts are scouring for a "rural, rustically telegenic" family to be whisked to a brand new home in Beverly Hills, and have a life of luxury bestowed upon them for a period of a year... cameras following them all the way. Crass exploitation of the poor when the gap between rich and poor gets larger and larger? Fun idea to see what happens when someone's dreams come true? Somewhere in the middle? What do people think?
posted by tittergrrl on Aug 28, 2002 - 33 comments

Survive This! Last week the Los Angeles New Times reported that NBC had signed teenage kidnap/rape victims Tamara Brooks and Jackie Marris to star in a midseason replacement "reality show", to be entitled "Survive This!"

After the initial jaw-drops of this revelation and alleged quotes from therapists and sex crime experts that "NBC may actually be doing the teens a service by exposing them to worldwide publicity", further along in the article we get this description of what the show will entail:

'Survive This!' contestants will be briefed by the girls before they are helicoptered to a remote, secret location. If things go according to plan, NBC will have placed several paroled repeat sex offenders in various locations miles from the drop zone. The contestants will have 48 hours to find safety at a remote building made to resemble a rural sheriff's station.

People were outraged. Protests were planned. There was just one catch. The author of the article made up the whole thing.

One wonders how this ever got past the editors.
posted by chuq on Aug 22, 2002 - 26 comments

Puffy May Join Ozzy on MTV Maybe they will just take the best parts of other shows and stick Puffy in the middle of it.
posted by BarneyFifesBullet on Apr 26, 2002 - 13 comments

Are you 25-29? Like to travel? Wish you could influence global politics? Look good in front of the camera? Maybe you should be President.
posted by sandor on Jan 31, 2002 - 8 comments

Season 11 of the Real World started tonight! Among guitly pleasures, this one's gonna be good: 2 person showers! lifeguarding! conflicting interests! I'm hooked.
posted by adrober on Jan 15, 2002 - 38 comments

Who wants to be a Princess? Remember "Who wants to marry a Multimillionaire?" Remember how it turned into a big scandal? Remember how Fox promised they wouldn't do it again? Well, they're doing it again this coming Monday.
posted by Steven Den Beste on Sep 22, 2001 - 36 comments

Auntie's Problem Child: how the making of a video diary changed the lives of both its subject and its producer. More proof (as if more were needed) that "Reality TV" is an oxymoron? From the Observer - hopefully the link will survive their site maintainance.
posted by pascal on Aug 5, 2001 - 2 comments

People Cards featuring everyday people. Reality TV hits trading cards?
posted by 120degrees on Jul 6, 2001 - 14 comments

Nasubi entered a contest.. A contest that required luck... It soon dawned on Nasubi just what type of luck he had needed to win.
posted by Kino on Jun 14, 2001 - 22 comments

Survivor is filled with crap for sale - so why can't I find that groovy Panama hat Colby wears for sale, anywhere?
posted by subpixel on Apr 29, 2001 - 3 comments

Reality tv with a neato science lesson curve. Plus the mom claims to be "one of the ugleist women in Britain."
posted by thc on Oct 14, 2000 - 2 comments

Not seen on TV! Survivor Episode.
posted by tamim on Aug 30, 2000 - 0 comments

SURVIVORblog. . . It had to happen eventually.
posted by iceberg273 on Aug 30, 2000 - 1 comment

{{{Spoiler Alert}}} The exercise in broadcast shame has crowned an evil queen.
posted by Awol on Aug 23, 2000 - 6 comments

"And you're little dog, too!" (via Taken Outtacontext in an unrelated post). Finally someone puts this whole Survivor nonsense into terms I can understand. The PC-types are going to be all over Stuever on this one, but damn it's funny!
posted by m.polo on Aug 23, 2000 - 4 comments

RealityRun is apparently real; 'Roger', the world's first 'Reality Runner', starts evading the masses on the 14th of this month. He has a 10K USD bounty on his head.
posted by dplanet on Aug 11, 2000 - 12 comments

Take one reality based TV show, add one 'angry black man', and stir. Are reality based TV shows like "Survivor", "Big Brother" and "insert-the-name-of-any-Bunim-Murray-production-here" guilty of resorting to stereotypes when casting African American males? One critic seems to think so.
posted by likorish on Aug 2, 2000 - 6 comments

"When Plastic Surgeons Attack"? It's good to know Fox is going about pandering to the worst instincts of American television viewers *responsibly*. I feel better, don't you?
posted by Sapphireblue on Jul 21, 2000 - 13 comments

All he wants, is a fair, um, hearing. When I first read this, I thought to myself, "It is beginning." Meaning that whenever something, or someone becomes really successful and makes lots of money, the lawyers smell the money, and want it. But after reading this, there are a few valid points. And it isn't as if the man is asking for Multi-Millions... He just wants to win the $1 million prize.
posted by da5id on Jun 9, 2000 - 15 comments

This one is for all of you who've gotten sick of the "Who Wants to Be a _______" mania or, worse, have the meme so entrenched in your psyches: Why not come out of the closet for cash and fabulous prizes? (Pointed out by schlyer of NeoFlux)
posted by jason on Mar 9, 2000 - 1 comment