The Week: Most Recent Reality TV

The coming glut of American Idol ripoffs: A guide

The Week — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:01:00 -0400

American Idol wrapped up its latest season on Wednesday, but viewers hungry for more competitive warbling didn't have to wait long. On Thursday, ABC launched Duets, a singing contest that pairs amateur vocalists in search of a record contract with celebrities like Kelly Clarkson (who, not coincidentally, won season one of Idol). Though TV's crowded field of Idol rip-offs already includes The Voice, The X Factor, America's Got Talent, The Sing-Off, and The Glee Project, Duets isn't the only new entry set to debut in the coming months. Here, a guide to the onslaught of vocal competitions:

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Jennifer Holliday and Jessica Sanchez's bizarre American Idol duet

The Week — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:40:00 -0400

Phillip Phillips may have been crowned the next American Idol on Wednesday night's finale of the popular TV singing competition, but it's runner-up Jessica Sanchez who took part in the show's most talked about moment. The 16-year-old belter sang a duet of the behemoth ballad "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls with Jennifer Holliday, the Tony-winning star who performed the song in the original 1981 production. (Watch the video below.) Holliday's wild facial contortions — she looked like she "just might eat" Sanchez, says Rolling Stone — upstaged...

American Idol finale: Should Jessica Sanchez win?

The Week — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:35:00 -0400

Is America about to crown its fifth consecutive male Idol? Diva-in-training Jessica Sanchez and Dave Matthews doppelganger Phillip Phillips performed Tuesday night on American Idol's final showdown, and one will be named the competition's 11th champion on Wednesday night. They embody two categories of Idol victors: Sanchez is reminiscent of the teen females with huge voices — Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks — who used to dominate the show, while Phillips is one of the sexually non-threatening, guitar-toting white boys — Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery ...

American Idol: Did Joshua Ledet deserve to get kicked off?

The Week — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:22:00 -0400

Joshua Ledet, the 20-year-old black soul singer from Westlake, La., was voted off American Idol this week, despite the judges who overwhelmed him with standing ovations throughout the competition, and hailed his uncanny ability to channel James Brown and other greats. Ledet's exit was depressingly predictable for some, who note that Idol voters haven't crowned a non-white (or female) winner since 2007. The demographic makeup of Idol's largely tween fan base almost ensures that "humble Caucasian heartthrobs" — or white guys with guitars (WGWGs) — will prevail, says Derrik Lang at The...

Howard Stern's America's Got Talent debut: Was he too nice?

The Week — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:22:00 -0400

Legendary shock jock Howard Stern made his debut as a judge on NBC's performance competition, America's Got Talent, on Monday night. Did the network get its $20 million worth? (That's the amount NBC reportedly shelled out to land the self-proclaimed King of All Media as a replacement for Piers Morgan, who left the show at the end of last season.) The Parents Television Council had previously raised a fuss over Stern's hiring, arguing that the radio host's crude, bawdy humor doesn't belong on the family-friendly primetime show. Stern himself teased, "These executives at NBC must be out of their...

Will Britney Spears and Demi Lovato revitalize The X Factor?

The Week — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:51:00 -0400

After weeks of speculation, Fox confirmed Demi Lovato and Britney Spears as the newest judges of its reality singing competition The X Factor during the network's annual upfronts presentation to critics and advertisers on Monday afternoon. The two pop stars will join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid on the panel, replacing Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul, who were fired after the show's first season. Both new hires are unlikely choices: 19-year-old Lovato is a former Disney Channel star with only a few mainstream radio hits, while Spears (who will reportedly earn $15 million for one year on the show...

Who should win The Voice?

The Week — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:30:00 -0400

This year's breakout reality TV star isn't a particular person, but rather the hit singing competition The Voice. NBC's American Idol rival has outdrawn its Fox counterpart in the ratings, and received rave reviews from critics. On Monday night, the show's four remaining contestants competed in the finals for a shot at a record contract and big cash prize, with the winner to be announced Tuesday, after Americans vote. One performer from each celebrity coach's team is left: Christina Aguilera's Chris Mann (a classically trained opera singer); Blake Shelton's Jermaine Paul (an R&B talent...

Is Joshua Ledet really the best American Idol singer ever?

The Week — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:55:00 -0400

American Idol's judges are playing favorites. After 20-year-old belter Joshua Ledet unleashed his version of the Bee Gee's "To Love Somebody" on Wednesday night's show, the trio of easily wowed adjudicators reacted as if Jesus had returned to earth. (Watch "To Love Somebody" below.) "I've been doing this for 11 years, and you're one of the best singers ever on this show. Ever!" proclaimed Randy Jackson. Steven Tyler called Ledet "one of the two best Idols of all time." Jennifer Lopez, who's 42, defied space and time by declaring him one of the "best singers I've seen in 50 years!" The effusive...

American Idol: Is Ryan Seacrest worth $15 million a year?

The Week — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:00:00 -0400

Ryan Seacrest just got a whole lot richer. The American Idol host, who's emcee'd the show since its 2002 premiere, just renewed his contract with the reality TV juggernaut for two more seasons, and is set to earn $15 million annually, up from his current $10 million-a-year haul. The raise reportedy puts his salary on-par with judge Jennifer Lopez's yearly fee. "He is an integral part of why American Idol is a true phenomenon, and we can't imagine doing this show without him," a Fox exec said in a statement. Still, Idol's current ratings are barely half of what they were at its peak, according to...

The Bachelor's 'shocking' racial discrimination lawsuit: A guide

The Week — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:17:00 -0400

In the combined 23 seasons of ABC's reality TV dating shows The Bachelor and The Bachelorette — which follow one bachelor or bachelorette on his or her search for a soulmate — there has never been a man or woman of color handing out roses to potential mates. Fed up with what they argue is racial discrimination, two African-American men who once auditioned for The Bachelor are filing a "shocking" class action lawsuit against ABC. Do they have a solid case? Here, a brief guide to the suit:

How do these shows work?
The Bachelor, which debuted on ABC in 2002, presents a single, supposedly...

Bear Grylls' 6 craziest Man vs. Wild moments: A video roundup

The Week — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:35:00 -0400

Man is leaving the wild: After six years, the Discovery Channel is ending its relationship with Bear Grylls, the star of its ceaselessly fascinating hit docuseries Man vs. Wild. (According to The Hollywood Reporter, the breakup is reportedly over Grylls' refusal to participate in two other projects called for in his contract.) Over the nearly 70-episode span of the show — which follows the former British Special Forces member as he fights his way out of precarious wilderness situations using few tools — Grylls clashed with alligators in the Everglades, plunged naked into a frozen Siberian...

Fashion Star: Another 'cheap Project Runway knockoff'?

The Week — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:18:00 -0400

Ever since the fashion design competition Project Runway became an unmitigated success, a parade of reality TV shows attempting to replicate its formula — The Fashion Show, Launch My Line, Mad Fashion — have stumbled down the catwalk. Is NBC's newest reality series Fashion Star, which debuts Tuesday night, simply another "cheap Project Runway knockoff?" Hosted by Elle MacPherson, the reality competition puts its twist on the Runway format by asking the question, "Who besides a supermodel would ever wear this stuff?" Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, and designer John Varvatos mentor contestants...

Would Britney Spears make a worthwhile X Factor judge?

The Week — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:19:00 -0400

After this winter's X Factor bloodbath, which found Simon Cowell firing two of his three fellow judges on the fledgling reality TV singing competition (Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger), the media has been speculating furiously about their replacements. Bold-faced names from Nicki Minaj to Katy Perry to Janet Jackson have been rumored for the judging gigs, with the latest reports naming Britney Spears as a leading contender. Though the pop diva was reportedly offered $10 million, on par with Jennifer Lopez's American Idol paycheck, she's apparently demanding twice that amount. Would hiring Spears...

ABC's Duets: Another singing competition?

The Week — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:50:00 -0500

With American Idol, The Voice, The X Factor, The Sing-Off, and America's Got Talent all vying for viewers and the country's most talented vocalists, reality TV singing competitions are already flooding the airwaves. That's not stopping ABC from getting in the game. The network announced that it's launching its own rival program called Duets, a crossbreed of American Idol and The Voice. The formula: Music stars Kelly Clarkson, Lionel Ritchie, Robin Thicke, and Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles (three of which, coincidentally, recently guest-coached on The Voice) will travel the country seeking out vocal...

4 reasons The Voice is blowing American Idol away

The Week — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:30:00 -0500

For the first time ever, The Voice surpassed American Idol in the ever-desirable 18-49 ratings demographic two weeks ago. And critics aren't surprised. Especially after watching Monday's Battle Rounds episode of The Voice, which featured a thrilling vocal duel between two remarkably gifted contestants, they're making the argument that The Voice is simply better than Idol. From a stronger talent pool to the charmingly combative dynamic between the celebrity mentors, here are four reasons why The Voice is gaining momentum:

1. The coaches are more valuable — and entertaining
On The Voice, the...

Will Snooki's pregnancy kill Jersey Shore?

The Week — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:47:00 -0500

Jersey Shore's most popular boozer Snooki confirmed a torrent of speculation by announcing in this week's Us Weekly that she has a meatball in the oven. (The issue's cover screams, "OMG! I'm pregnant!") Her hit MTV reality series is airing its fifth season, with no confirmed plans yet to film a sixth. Snooki is arguably the show's biggest ratings draw — but can Jersey Shore survive if she takes time off to be an abstemious mom?

Jersey Shore is done: Jersey Shore can't continue with Snooki while she's pregnant, and certainly not when she's actually a mom, says Kortney Shane Williams at Comedic...