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.

Nick Lachey wants you to leave his chubby ex wife alone

Ok, so those aren’t his exact words, but you get the point. Everyone and their mother had something to say when photos of Jessica Simpson hit the tabloids last week. Contrary to what a lot of people think, big belts around your chubby belly, don’t make you look thin. They draw attention to what you think you are hiding and they make you look fat.

Anyway, there was a whole big stink, where she was criticized for being fat all over the internet and television. Then,  people like her sister Ashlee came to her defense. And just when I thought we had moved on to the next pointless piece of celebrity gossip, Jessica’s ex husband and former reality television co-star, Nick Lachey weighed in:

According to the Associated Press:

“I think it’s ridiculous that the media is making such a big deal about it,” he said at his Super Skins Celebrity Golf Classic party. “It’s ridiculous that it would be making headlines. But you can’t believe everything that’s written or reported in the media. I wish her nothing but happiness.”

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey had their marriage filmed for television in the MTV reality show, Newlyweds.

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Reality television labor lawsuits settled

From Reuters:

Several major U.S. TV networks and the producers of such reality shows as “Trading Spouses” and “The Bachelor” have agreed to pay over $4 million to settle two lawsuits claiming violations of California wage rules.

The settlement will benefit more than 400 workers who were part of the 3-year-old class-action cases, and some of those individuals stand to reap tens of thousands of dollars, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Emma Leheny, said on Wednesday.

The litigation coincided with a broader ongoing effort by the Writers Guild of America to obtain a labor contract for the creative workers behind unscripted TV productions as a whole, such as “American Idol” and “Survivor.”

Some of those programs rank among the biggest hits on U.S. television and are far cheaper to produce than traditional prime-time dramas and sitcoms.

The suits claimed reality show employees routinely put in as much as 80 hours a week without overtime, were denied work breaks for meals and were forced to falsify their time cards, all in violation of state wage and hour laws.

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Reality Show producer Kathy Wetherell dies in accident

Variety.com has reported that reality show producer and director Kathy Wetherell died in an automobile accident  on December 20th in Arizona.

Wetherell  was a show runner, producer and director of  a long list of reality show hits that included “Road Rules,” “The Real World,” “Making the Band,” “The Bachelor,” “Married by America,”“Outback Jack,” “Flavor of Love,” “Charm School” and “Rock of Love.”

A memorial service will be held on Monday at the Hall of Liberty in Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. Wetherall was 48.