NBC’s spring cleaning sweeps away reality shows

Courtesy of The Futon Critic:

While NBC will offer up six original series this summer, just as many won’t be back.

On the heels of its schedule announcement yesterday, Peacock insiders have confirmed “Last Comic Standing” and “Nashville Star” – two veteran franchises absent from said lineup – indeed won’t be back.

Also officially getting the boot: “Celebrity Circus,” “Celebrity Family Feud,” “Fear Itself,” “The Baby Borrowers” and “American Gladiators.” And while repeats of “Most Outrageous Moments” will turn up a few times in the coming months (May 19, July 21, July 28, August 26 and August 28), original episodes will no longer be produced.

2008-09 season entries “America’s Toughest Jobs” and “Momma’s Boys” likewise won’t be getting second seasons.

And it’s even worse news for “Jobs” executive producers Thom Beers, Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun: the two other series ordered as part of their much-ballyhooed 30-episode deal with the network won’t be turning up on the Peacock at all.

The projects in development for said slots – “Salvage,” “Shark Taggers,” “Swords: Lives on the Line” and late entry “Tornado Road” – however are expected to turn up on cable, where Beers has found success with such series as History’s “Ice Road Truckers” and Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch.”

The only reality efforts surviving the aforementioned bloodbath: “Who Do You Think You Are?” and “Breakthrough With Tony Robbins,” both of which are likely due sometime next season.

American Gladiator Grandma

I’ve always thought this new version of American Gladiators was a lame rip off of the original. That is until I saw this 52 year old woman getting thrown around like a rag doll. With this clip you will fall in love with American Gladiators all over again…GRANDMA’S READY?!

52 Year-Old Surrogate Gives Birth to Twins for American Gladiators

A couple who were contestants on NBC’s American Gladiators are the proud parents of twins, thanks to a 52 year-old surrogate.

Crystal Sirignano, the owner of a fitness center was a surrogate for her daughter Kendra Sirignano and son-in-law Aaron Simpson. After witnessing her daughter going through unsucessful infertility treatments, Crystal offered to become a surrogate for the couple.

The family welcomes baby boy Domenic (6lbs. 11 oz.), and his sister, Mia (5 lbs. 4 oz.). The couple also have a 15 year-old daughter, Claire, whom they adopted three years ago.

For more on this story, click here.

John Graziano Update (Warning: graphic video)

A lot more time and energy in the media is spent reporting on the douchebaggery of the Hogan Family than on the actual person suffering. This is a video that has been released of John Graziano, who was critically injured in a car accident in which Nick Bollea was driving.

Warning: This video displays graphic images which may be disturbing to some people.

John Graziano’s Brother’s Threatening Phone Calls to Hulk Hogan

According to TMZ.com, John Graziano’s brother has been leaving threatening phone calls on Hulk Hogan’s voicemail. John Graziano was injured in a car wreck that occured when Hogan’s son Nick Bollea was drag racing in the rain in Clearwater, FL last summer. The accident left the war veteran in a comatose state, with permanent brain damage.

Bollea is currently serving an 8 month term for criminal charges related to the accident: reckless driving resulting in serious physical injury, using a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony, being a driver under 21 operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.02% or higher and having illegal window tinting. Nick had been seen purchasing 5 cases of beer with his father earlier in the day the accident occurred. Two hours after the crash Nick’s blood alcohol level was tested at 0.055%.

The Hogan’s made headlines recently when tapes were released of a conversation that they had with Nick in prison. In the tapes, Nick’s parents seemed to blame Graziano for being in his condition because God was punishing him for something. Nick suggests it’s because it was because he was, “a negative person.” And Nick’s mother Linda, goes on a rant where she pronounces that her suffering is greater than Graziano’s mother. Later, Hulk is heard talking with his son about developing a reality show called, “The New Nick.” The Hogan Family starred for three season’s in the reality show Hogan Knows Best. The next season of the show is supposed to be all about daughter Brooke, as she pursues her “singing career”, and goes to college. Hulk Hogan is currently the co-host of American Gladiators.

To hear the tape of Graziano’s brother, which sounds like The Jerky Boys imitating Darth Vader, click here. It sounds like he was using some type of voice changing device.

Hulk Hogan Being Sued Over Son’s Car Accident

Terry Bollea, who goes by the more familiar name of Hulk Hogan, is being sued by the family of the young man who was tragically injured in a car accident caused by his son, Nick.

Nick Bollea was in a car accident last fall in which his passenger, friend John Graziano suffered permanent brain damage. Authorities in Clearwater, Florida, where the accident occurred, found Bollea guilty of reckless driving. The accident was caused when Hogan’s son chose to race a friend on a street in Clearwater. Nick, who was 17 years old at the time, is well known for racing his cars, both legally and illegally, and has been cited for the resulting moving violations in the past.

The victim’s parents, Edward and Debra Graziano, have not sued for a specific amount, but say that their son will likely need medical care for the rest of his life, due to the brain injuries that he suffered as a result of the unfortunate incident. He is currently hospitalized.

Unfortunately, things have not going very well for Hogan in recent months. The sometime WWE star and host of American Gladiators was recently served with divorce papers by his wife Linda, and his reality show, Hogan Knows Best, will return to VH1 in a revamped version that will follow the career of daughter Brooke.