Survivor’s Jenna Morasca to Wrestle in TNA PPV Tonight

If you are a fan of fake violence that can lead to real injuries you won’t want to miss tonight’s TNA Pay Per View, “Victory Road.”

One of the many matches tonight will feature Jenna Morasca of the reality show “Survivor,” as she squares off against wrestler Booker T’s wife (and valet) Sharmell. I’d love to know what led up to this match…

Here’s a promo for tonight’s show. And if you are a real ECW fan (the kind of fan who has at spent at least one  Saturday night at 7th & Ritner and knows who Hat Guy is), you will be happy to know that it looks like Taz will be at this PPV:

Ethan Zohn on Larry King Live Tonight

Ethan Zohn, winner of  the CBS reality show Survivor: Africa will be on CNN’s Larry King Live tonight at 9:00 PM. Ethan will speak about his recent diagnosis of stage 2 Hodgkins disease, and his battle with cancer.

Katie Couric will also appear on the show, speaking about Stand Up to Cancer. Zohn is currently and ambassador for the organization.

Jonny “Fairplay” To Appear At Roanoke Valley Comicon

Survivor’s Jonny “Fairplay” Dalton and wife, America’s Next Top Model’s Michelle Deighton will be appearing this Saturday, April 25th in Sale, VA at the Roanoke Valley Comicon.

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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.

click here to read the full story…

Jeff Probst Creates a Reality Show for Those Who Won’t Be Surviving

Survivor host Jeff Probst has created a reality show for CBS called Live Like You’re Dying. Yep, it’s pretty much like it sounds: it’s a reality show about people with terminal illnesses. 

Each show will feature a person who has been given a finite time to live, and they will use their time on the show to live the rest of their lives to the fullest. According to EW.com:

 That adventure will include reunions with lost friends or formerly feuding family members, a “legacy moment” that will ensure their name carries on forever, and living out a personal dream. “It could be playing guitar with Eric Clapton or jumping out of a plane into a volcano,” Probst explained to EW.com. “Whatever it is that you’re still desiring to do in your life — we want to make it happen.”

Probst says that the purpose of the show is to show people how to get the most out of their lives, and to be inspired. Production on the show will begin in January, and the show has no scheduled airdate as of this writing.

Survivor’s Rupert Bonham to star in a sitcom with WWE’s Mick Foley

Too bad Rupert Bonham wasn’t a wrestler. I could totally see him as Mick Foley’s tag team partner, with the gimmick being the fact that they were brothers. I am very curious to see how the lovable Survivor contestant is going to be cast in Foley’s sitcom, “Hey Dude!”

The premise of the show, is not far from reality in itself. Foley, who created the show, plays a character named “Mick Foley,” a retired professional wrestler. Either he thinks that his life is funny in some way, or he’s taken too many shots to the head to think of something unique. No word yet on what Rupert’s role on the show is going to be. Let’s hope he’s not playing a really nice guy who was on a reality show.

The show is shooting for a spring 2009 airdate, as soon as they find a network. Click here to read more.

Jeff Probst and The Amazing Race Win Emmys

CBS reality shows were winners at the Emmy Awards tonight. Jeff Probst, host of  the long-running reality competition show Survivor won the Emmy for Best Reality Show Host.

The Amazing Race won in the Category of Best Reality Competion show for the six year in a row. When asked by Variety.com if there was a chance that they would not submit the show next  year and let another reality show win:

“I doubt it, I really do. We love these statues,” said exec producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Added exec producer Betram Van Munster: “We producing a better show than before, that’s the frightening part. It’s so energizing to produce a show that has such enthusiasm around the world.”