Thursday, May 21, 2009

I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here - NBC Is Ruining It


I don't know if many of you even remember the first time I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here aired. It was on ABC and I thought it was the greatest show. All of these celebrities stuck out in the middle of an Australian jungle and the entire first episode all they did was bitch and complain because it wasn't what they were expecting. I think they were all expecting nice air conditioned trailers and that while the actual show was taping they would be brought out and be forced to sit in the elements for an hour.

The show aired back in 2003 and I was glued to the set every night in which it aired. The contestants were Cris Judd who had just got divorced from Jennifer Lopez. It was so interesting to see every celebrity on the show ask him a million questions just like any of us would. They wanted gossip. Melissa Rivers was on it and I remember her talking about her new boob job at the time and she and Nikki Ziering had a very long discussion about what size is a good size to get. John Melendez was on and that is what eventually got him the Tonight Show job. Other than Howard Stern listeners, no one knew who he actually was, and when they saw him, they liked him. Bruce Jenner was on and he was such a control freak and Tyson Beckford was on there and Robin Leach. Alana Stewart was on and also Downtown Julie Brown and Maria Conchita Alonso.

Even today you have heard of all these people, and probably would still find what they have to say interesting, especially when you put them all together in the Outback. Unfortunately no one really watched I guess and the show never aired again.

Every year it has aired in the UK, and I have wanted it back ever since. Well, now I finally got my wish, and they are basically ruining it before it even starts. The only saving grace to the show is that it will have Stephen Baldwin, who is in my mind the best celebrity reality contestant ever. Whatever you think of him personally, this is what he does best.

Speidi is going to be on the show which is a disaster. The only thing intriguing about that is if they will throw each other under a bus. Sanjaya is on the show. Why? Does anyone care what he has been doing? Was William Hung unavailable? How hard would it have been to get Clay Aiken? Ruben? Fantasia? Katharine McPhee? You don't think they are above taking a decent sized paycheck? John Salley is on it and he is a decent enough guy, but it is just going to be like watching paint dry. Janice Dickinson is on and she has been on the UK version. I just don't know who she is going to play against in this. For her to be funny and to work, she needs to find someone to rail against, and I don't see that person here. Maybe, maybe Heidi or Spencer.

Lou Diamond Phillips will be interesting, but only if he decides to flirt with Torrie Wilson. Otherwise I think he is going to sit in a corner and mumble about how he was in La Bamba once and that his wife left him for another woman.

And the final spot? The wife of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Seriously? You could have had Verne Troyer or anyone else from any Surreal Life episode and you pick her? Why? What is the point? Does NBC think that all the celebrities are going to have long, in depth discussions with her about politics?

And finally, to make the show even more unwatchable NBC brought in Mylene Klaas. Who you ask? Well, to be fair Mylene is a huge deal in the UK and hosts their version and is great at what she does, BUT, no one here knows her and they are paying her a salary like she is on the cover of People every week. They are paying her about $500,000 for a month's work to host this thing.

I had such high expectations when they announced the format was returning, and the way they have handled the casting is just atrocious and will result in some really low ratings and I doubt we will ever see the show again.


17 comments:

  1. Can we just leave Spiedi on the island forever? They are the main reason I will not be watching.

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  2. I refuse to watch, simply because Blago's wife is on there. It's repulsive that anyone thinks criminally insane people like she and her husband should be given celebrity status (even if it's just to laugh at them).

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  3. Can they combine this with Fear Factor? I'd love to watch Spiedi have to eat worms and big bugs. Which one would squeal more?

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  4. I like the Fear Factor combo. I'd like to add in an English TV game show but I can't recall the name, it was about solving puzzles (some physical), mid 1990s.

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  5. I watched the original one! I liked it. And you are absolutely right, everyone was trying to get Chris Judd to dish on what had actually happened. He did pretty good at keeping his mouth shut about the details though.

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  6. No Ron Jeremy? That would have been interesting. Him and Stephen Baldwin and Speidi together. He'd totally hook up with Janice Dickinson. I expect her to figure out a way to make her own hooch.

    Does Mylene pronounce her name My-lean? Drives me nuts. Proper pronunciation is Me-LEN.

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  7. Wasn't Blago himself first supposed to be on? Why take his wife then? wtf is she to me?

    Enty, i remember the Cris Judd storeis well, how Jlo was drunk and burping everywhere the night they got together...lol.

    i'd rather see them resurrect Paradise Hotel with the original cast from 2003.
    YAHTZEE! It's on!
    lol!

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  8. I loved Chris Judd on the show. He was so sweet and I remember him describing how soft J.Lo's lips were when they first kissed. There was also a conversation where Melissa Rivers talked about how hard it was sometimes having Joan for a Mother. Bruce Jenner was a pain in the ass.

    I'm not crazy about this next bunch.

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  9. Robert, was it the krypton factor?

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  10. The only thing that would make this barely watchable every week is if all the women attack Spencer and the show makes him do humiliating things. Other than that, bleh.

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  11. I can't believe this is going to happen but...I agree Jax. I'd watch the orignal Paradise Hotel again in a heartbeat. In fact I did just a few weeks ago on Slice. I was addicted to that show and was thrilled when after it was done I was lucky enough to end up having dinner with David, Keith and Tara. Boy, TV did not do justice for Keith. He is so handsome and Tara was incredibly nice. They dished a bit about people from the show. It was a hoot.

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  12. Enty I also loved the first season of I'm a Celebrity.

    This group of people would be much more interesting on Fear Factor as they are not celebrities.

    Jax,

    Blagojevich couldn't go because he has been accused of corruption charges and was not approved to leave the country (or where ever it is that they're filming).

    The wife took his place because she lost her job and says they need the money.

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  13. Anonymous2:43 PM

    Blago was pushing the boundaries of celebrity in the first place, and half the reason anyone cared is because of that awful toupee. His wife is even less of a celebrity. This is becoming a farce (even more so that is)!

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  14. The host of the UK version isn't Klass. It's Ant and Dec, who are also hosting "Britain's Got Talent" with Susan Boyle. The only thing that Klass ever did for "I'm A Celeb" was look really great in a white bikini during one series. Unless they bring in someone who is seriously funny and mean in one package to co-host, the show's toast.

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  15. Does ANYONE even know who his wife is? I understand why they would like to have him there, but her? Strange indeed.

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  16. Hi, Enty. Long time lurker, first time to comment. I was hooked on "I'm a Celeb..", and have been wishing it would be regular summer viewing, but alas. Doubt if I can stomach Speidi this time. Chris Judd was so awesome, I voted for him every week. Melissa Rivers also spoke about her father's suicide and its affect on her life. Stuck out in the jungle like that, you get a feel for who people really are. I especially remember Bruce Jenner repeatedly commenting on how someone was handsome and looked just like Ben Affleck, while the others, feeling bad for Chris, rolled their eyes and kept hoping he would shut up.

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