MSN TV Blog - Reality TV

TV Guide Network series and its star vie for more viewers and buzz in Season 2

By Mekeisha Madden Toby Aug 7, 2012 12:26PM

'Nail Files' '/' TV Guide Network

No one could ever accuse nail-salon owner and overnight reality vixen Katie Cazorla of being dull. Find out just how wild Cazorla's life can be when the star of the TV Guide Network's top-rated unscripted series "Nail Files" returns for a sophomore season of employee/client drama, business expansion and glamour.

 

Bing: More on 'Nail Files' | Katie Cazorla

 

The Season 2 opener debuts Sunday, Aug. 19, and will not disappoint with its high number of overblown crises. For starters, Cazorla, 34, must attend the ASCAP awards with her fiance Walter Afanasieff, a music producer, but doesn't have a dress. Gasp!

 

Later in the episode, Cazorla, who has a whole new roster of nail techs, has to reprimand an employee for feeding foot scrub to a client. Egats and ewww!

 

Plus: Reality TV stars who need introductions | Summer TV guide

 

But Cazorla is as ambitious as she is likeable and despite the show's insipid nail-salon setting, this woman who started out in Hollywood as an extra on "Suddenly Susan," is magnetic. How else can you explain the 1.1 million viewers, mostly women, who tuned in when the show debuted last year?

 

Sure, Cazorla's salon attracts C and D-listers such as Candace Cameron (last season) and Marissa Jaret Winokur (this season) but it's Cazorla who draws you in and keeps you watching.

 

"Nail Files" returns for a second season Sunday, Aug. 19, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the TV Guide Network.

 

Tyra lures Alicia and Tyler for Cycle 19

By Kenny Herzog Aug 6, 2012 9:00AM
Lest you thought "The Voice" was TV's only reality competition with major announcements regarding celebrity mentors, "America's Next Top Model" has caused a stir of its own. When its 19th Cycle (and remember, "AMTM" traffics in cycles, not your pedestrian seasons), aka the "College Edition," premieres on Friday, Aug. 24, Tyra Banks' supermodel search will feature Alicia Keys and Tyler Perry as special advisers in one episode each. 


Alicia's presence is a no-brainer. She's beautiful, talented and embodies all the positive connotations of the word "diva." Perry might seem a bit more out of place, but in a statement, Banks explains that the movie/sitcom mogul "comes on and gives the contestants an acting challenge. The winner of that acting challenge is actually going to be in a Tyler Perry movie." She did not, however, elaborate as to whether said victor would see a share of the astronomical profits Perry earns by shooting his movies for next to nothing and spending even less on marketing, because his audiences are militantly loyal.
 
 
We'll be sure to check in on Keys and Perry's contributions, and report on any further tweaks "AMTM" devises to keep its redundant formula from alienating viewers.

"America's Next Top Model" Cycle 19 premieres Friday, Aug. 24, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
 

Upcoming series to spotlight unique fisherman

By Corey Levitan Aug 2, 2012 11:56AM

bangordailynews.comAnimal Planet is following up "Hillbilly Handfishin'" and "River Monsters" with another fishing reality show. According to TV Guide, the humorously -- though only tentatively -- titled "Eel of Fortune" will follow a gaggle of eel fisherman earning their living in Maine.

 

Bing: More about Animal Planet

 

And quite a living it is. Their prize, the elver -- or juvenile -- American eel, can fetch up to $2,400 a pound, or $40,000 for a single night's haul.

 

Plus: The fate of your favorite shows | 2012 Primetime Emmy nominees

 

However, the real prize is a permit to catch elver eels in the first place. Only 400 are issued by Maine each year. And South Carolina is the only other state to even allow the practice.

The tentatively titled "Eel of Fortune" will premiere in 2013 on Animal Planet.

 

With Mariah locked down, gossip mill turns toward hip-hop producer and pop star

By Kenny Herzog Jul 31, 2012 9:03AM
Twelve years ago, on the hook of Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love You," producer Pharrell Williams crooned, "I'm a hustla baby/I just want you to know/It ain't where I been/But where I'm about to go." If insiders at Us Weekly are to be trusted, turns out he was ultimately headed for a judge's chair on "American Idol."

MTV and numerous other outlets are citing Us Weekly's report that both the Neptunes maestro and sometime-"Smash" guest star/pop wunderkind Nick Jonas are in proverbial "talks" to join Mariah Carey on Season 12 of "AI."

Bing:
More on "American Idol" | Nick Jonas | Pharrell Williams | Mariah Carey

In fact, the Us source claims that Williams—who's produced not only hip-hop A-listers like Jay-Z over the years, but also pop stars including new "X Factor" judge Britney Spears -- is all but a done deal, and that the show "flew him in to L.A. last week for final meetings." The story provides less certain details on Jonas, only suggesting that "AI" producers "think he can help bring that younger demo to the show."
 
 
FOX declined to comment on the item, and neither WIlliams nor Jonas has responded publicly. Although we imagine that if former "Idol" judge Steven Tyler was asked for his opinion, he'd just scat incomprehensibly about how it wasn't his "cup of tea."

"American Idol" Season 12 premieres in early 2013 on FOX.
 

Network continues to throw legal stones at 'The Glass House'

By Mekeisha Madden Toby Jul 29, 2012 6:52PM

The legal wrangling over CBS' "Big Brother" and ABC's "The Glass House" is far from over, said Nina Tassler, the Eye network's entertainment president. 

 

Bing: More on CBS' lawsuit against ABC  | CBS' 'Big Brother'  | ABC's 'The Glass House'

 

"It's still ongoing so I really can't discuss it right now," Tassler told reporters Sunday at a Television Critics Association press panel. "But the message that needs to be communicated is that we're incredibly protective of our brands and the creative infrastructure of the shows themselves."

 

Plus: Olympic TV efforts | 2012 Emmy nominees

 

Oddly enough, ABC's entertainment president Paul Lee seems to be unaware that the fight is raging on. On Friday, he told reporters it was over.

 

"It was totally worth it," Lee said when asked whether or not he regretted his decision to make "The Glass House. "And that lawsuit is over."

 

Perhaps Lee should talk to his legal department.

 

Plus: Summer TV guide | The 2011-2012 TV season in review

 

In case you haven't been paying attention, CBS filed a lawsuit against ABC accusing the rival network of ripping off its long running hit "Big Brother." "The Glass House" employs 19 former "Big Brother" producers and staff.

 

Despite the lawsuit and a subsequent restraining order to stop "The Glass House" from airing, the show debuted to a disappointing 4.2 million viewers. Conversely, "Big Brother" also suffered from lower ratings this season with an average 6 million viewers, down nearly a million viewers from last year.

 

"Big Brother" airs Sundays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. "The Glass House" airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

 

Famous twins talk about their hit reality show, marriage and motherhood

By Mekeisha Madden Toby Jul 26, 2012 1:12PM

Robert Trachtenberg/Style

The words "positive" and "reality TV" don't normally go hand in hand. But for twin acting duo Tia Mowry Hardrict and Tamera Mowry-Housley, the stars of the Style Network's "Tia & Tamera," creating a series where hair isn't pulled and faces aren't slapped is a point of pride.

 

Bing: More on 'Tia & Tamera' | Tia Mowry Hardrict | Tamera Mowry-Housley

 

MSN TV caught up with the 34-year-old sisters, best known for their 1990s sitcom "Sister, Sister," when they plugged their second-season show at a Television Critics Association's press panel Wednesday in Beverly Hills.

 

"Tia & Tamera" airs Monday nights and is the top-rated reality show on the Style Network with 1.3 million viewers.  

 

Plus: The fate of your favorite shows | 2012 Primetime Emmy nominees

 

MSN TV: Can you talk about the lack of catfights on "Tia & Tamera" and why that has been so important to you both?

 

Tia Mowry Hardrict: It's funny that you say that because we see a lot of that on our Twitter page. A lot of fans were just saying, "Oh, my gosh, you guys are such a breath of fresh air" and they're very grateful that there is a show out there like that that's positive. And we do see ourselves as positive role models. 

 

Tamara Mowry-Housley: Your kids can watch our show. And we're just so grateful to the Style Network for allowing us to be who we are. We didn't have to change ourselves to fit into what everyone else is doing. And my grandmother always said dare to be different. And Tia and I have been different and positive all our lives.  And we also want to thank our producer Jason (Carbone) for allowing us to be ourselves as well.

 

Is one of the reasons you two don't get into fisticuffs your mom?

 

Tia: A lot of people don't know that our mother was a drill sergeant. We may be grown and women now, but we are still her children.

 

It seems like you two don't get to see each other as much because of jobs and other obligations. Is that hard? Can you talk about that?

 

Tamera: Well, I always like to say happiness is a choice. You can't really be in control of, you know, your circumstances or your situations. But the fact is, is we are grown women now. And we have our own lives. We have husbands. She has a child and I have a baby on the way. So I think, like Tim Gunn says, we make it work. I think we are very blessed to be able to have well, for me, I have two homes. I live in Napa. I mean, hello. And I live in Los Angeles, where I can do what I love to do, and that's continue to act. Act individually and act with my twin sister. But we like a little space every now and then.

 

Tia: And to be the realist here, I definitely have to say that, because we have families -- I have a child and she's about to have a child --  it does make it difficult at times to spend a lot of time together. But like we said my sister and I love each other. We never go to bed angry. We always like to talk things out. So we definitely make it work. I mean, that's just a part of who we are and a part of our DNA. I mean we've been in the womb together.

 

Are there any disadvantages to having a twin in the same business in Hollywood?

 

Tamera: Because we're twins, we look alike and we talk alike, people automatically assume that we are the same person and that we're on the same path, we're on the same journey and they tend to compare. So say Tia has a job for a couple of years and I don't, people are always looking at me, going, "Oh, my God. What are you doing? Are you OK?" Or one's prettier than the other. I get "Tia's prettier."

 

Tia: Or one's fatter than the other. I get "Tamera's prettier." I take it as a compliment. I'm like, "Oh, I look like you."

 

Tamera: We look alike but people are going to naturally compare. We've just learned throughout the years just to accept that. 

 

Do you think you all will do a third season of "Tia & Tamera"?

 

Tamera: Of course. I can be very private, which is kind of ironic because I'm doing a reality show. But I thank God for my sister because she really just paved the way for me and said, "You know, it's going to be OK. If you just allow yourself to be yourself, you're going to be relatable." And I think that's what makes this show so great. Tia and I try really hard to keep the real in reality because that's the only way it's going to be successful.

 

Tia: It was hard for me. I wanted to do a reality show, but it's difficult because all our lives you can be judged by a particular character that you play. And I'm like, "Well, I didn’t write it." No, just kidding. But when you're on a reality show, they're judging who you are as a person. And that can hurt a little bit. But at the end of the day, I love who I am. It definitely has made us stronger.

 

"Tia & Tamera" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the Style Network.

 

Twitter rage over a promised video teaser that never aired

By Corey Levitan Jul 26, 2012 9:05AM
clock2d.com

Whomever Justin Bieber spoke to at NBC or "America's Got Talent," millions of prepubescent girls would now like to pull his or her hair while yelling bad names.


Bieber instructed his 25 million Twitter followers to keep their eyes peeled to "America's Got Talent" Wednesday night for a sneak preview of his latest video, "As Long As You Love Me." However, it did not air. This prompted Bieber to tweet: "very frustrated. where was it? no joking here."

 

Bing: More about 'America's Got Talent'

 

Now, scores of Beliebers are taking to the same social network to threaten NBC with boycotts and worse. (BiebsCyrusLand, for instance, tweeted: "NBC and Americas Got Talent.  You both have pissed Justin and 25 million #pissedbeliebers. Say hello to world war ||| in 3, 2 ....")

 

Plus: The fate of your favorite shows | 2012 Primetime Emmy nominees

 

Bieber first tweeted about the video's inclusion in the show on Tuesday evening: "so I'm thinking about giving a minute of #AsLongAsYouLoveMeVideo to @nbcagt for their show tomorrow? Thoughts?" Minutes later, he followed up: "yep…It is CONFIRMED!"  (In fact, "AGT" even retweeted one of Bieber's tweets about it. )

So far, there's been no official response from "AGT" or NBC. But, until this blows over, their executives are wise to avoid stepping foot in any malls.

"America's Got Talent" airs Tuedsays at 8 p.m. and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

 

Report: FOX is 'seriously considering' country star

By Corey Levitan Jul 25, 2012 8:31AM
atlantamusicguide.com

Brad Paisley could join Mariah Carey as a replacement judge on "American Idol." According to Deadline, FOX is "seriously considering" the country star.

 

Bing: More about 'American Idol'

 

Country representation would make sense for the FOX reality competition, as Deadline points out, since the show's most successful victor (Carrie Underwood) comes from the genre -- as does last year's winner (Scotty McCreery) and runner-up (Lauren Alaina). In addition, NBC's "The Voice" has worked well with mentoring by country singer Blake Shelton.

Paisley, in particular, would make sense since he has performed on "Idol," topped the charts with an Underwood duet ("Remind Me") and toured with McCreery.

 

Plus: The fate of your favorite shows | 2012 Primetime Emmy nominees

 

Two vacancies were created this month after Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler announced they both had real music careers they would rather return to. Earlier this week, the show announced that one vacancy would be filled by Mariah Carey.

According to Deadline, Randy Jackson is expected to return as a judge.

Season 12 of "American Idol" premieres in early 2013 on FOX.