No CBS Survivor: Gabon Cast Announcement Yet!

There has been no Cast Announcement yet! CBS has not told anyone officially who will be in Survivor:Gabon. We expect the announcement any day now, possibly even on Thursday, August 28th, since that will be 3 weeks to the beginning of the season. Please keep checking back here. As soon as any one knows, we’ll know and we’ll post here to let you know.

Not now, but soon, very soon.

There are some ideas of who might be in the cast in the forums, but I wouldn’t want to spoil anything for you.

Here is the first commercial for Survivor:Gabon seen in the wild.

Here is a preview of the season:

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Survivor:Gabon Cast Members?

There are some of the people that are rumored to be in the cast of Survivor:Gabon. Don’t read it unless you want to know!

» Read the rest of this entry…

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‘Survivor’ Alum Hunter Ellis to Host CW Series ‘In Harm’s Way’

‘Survivor’ Alum Hunter Ellis to Host CW Series ‘In Harm’s Way’ -Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer

Not all former reality TV show contestants who seek to capitalize on their elusive fame fail.  Though most end up fading into oblivion, some succeed.  Hunter Ellis is one of those people.  A former Survivor castaway, Ellis has been named the host of In Harm’s Way, a new reality series from The CW that will air on Sundays starting this Fall.  In Harm’s Way follows those brave civilians who risk their lives every day while performing the world’s most difficult jobs, such as coast guard divers and mine sweepers.  Hunter, an ex-fighter pilot, is not new to television hosting duties.  He presided over The History Channels Tactical to Practical (about innovations made for combat situations that eventually became practical for domestic use) as well the same channel’s Man, Moment and Machine.  In Harm’s Way premieres on Sunday, September 21 in the 7pm time slot on The CW. 

I’m a huge Survivor fan (a Survivor historian, if you will) but I did not remember Hunter Ellis.  His name rung a bell, but that was about it.  Turns out he was the third person voted off of Survivor: Marquesas in 2002.  After learning that, I felt better about my Survivor fandom – he was only on the show for three weeks.

In Harm’s Way bears a striking resemblance to NBC’s America’s Toughest Jobs, which premieres a week from tonight, on August 25.  In Harm’s Way is more like a Discovery Channel show than its NBC counterpart – at least on America’s Toughest Jobs, there’s a competition aspect.  In Harm’s Way is basically a documentary. 

In Harm’s Way is one of the new shows being produced by Media Rights Capital, the company who The CW sold their Sunday nights to in an unprecedented move.  As a result, there is very little information on these shows, and they are by and large expected to perform poorly in the ratings.  At least with In Harm’s Way, the budget shouldn’t be terribly high.

Read the entire article at ‘Survivor’ Alum Hunter Ellis to Host CW Series ‘In Harm’s Way’.

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Hey, why are Jeff Probst and Howie Mandel in the same Emmy slugfest? - Los Angeles Times

Hey, why are Jeff Probst and Howie Mandel in the same Emmy slugfest? | Gold Derby by Tom O’Neil | The Envelope - Los Angeles Times

Hey, why are Jeff Probst and Howie Mandel in the same Emmy slugfest?

Jeff Probst and Howie Mandel

“Mark Burnett wants to know why Howie Mandel got an Emmy nom,” reports Bob Sassone at TVSquad.com, adding, “I’m just as surprised as you are to see that ‘Deal or No Deal’ is considered a reality show and not a game show . . . . Burnett doesn’t think it’s fair that you have someone like Jeff Probst, who hosts an unscripted (?) show like ‘Survivor,’ put up against people who host talent shows and game shows.”

Mandel is among the five nominees for best reality host along with Tom Bergeron (”Dancing With the Stars”), Heidi Klum (”Project Runway”), Jeff Probst (”Survivor”) and Ryan Seacrest (”American Idol”).

Sassone adds this speculation: “I think it’s the amount of time they focus on the contestants and the family members on stage and the tears and the personal stories that tip some prime-time game shows into the reality realm.”

But, no, Bob, that’s not really why. It’s because of Emmy’s Rule of 14. There must be at least 14 game shows in prime-time TV in order for them to get their own category. For now they’re bunched with reality shows because both TV genres involve elements of competition.

Yeah, I know, I know. Until game shows get their own slot, Emmys ought to ‘fess up and the category should really be renamed best reality or game show host in the same spirit as Emmy’s hodgepodge category for best variety, music or comedy special. Or at least best reality-competition host, mirroring the category for best reality-competition program that currently doesn’t include a game show among the nominees but could’ve if “Deal or No Deal” had sneaked in to the high five. That’s where it competed.

Read the entire article at Hey, why are Jeff Probst and Howie Mandel in the same Emmy slugfest? | Gold Derby by Tom O’Neil | The Envelope - Los Angeles Times.

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‘Survivor: Gabon’ gets pre-season premiere - knoxnews.com

knoxnews.com | Tele-buddy’s Tinseltown Tales

CBS is debuting its latest edition of “Survivor” — dubbed “Survivior: Haven’t we gone about 15 seasons too long Gabon” — a few days before the official start of the 2008-2009 season (or, as we TV critics like to refer to it, “the season we have yet to see”). “Gabon,” the 17th installment, will open on Thursday, Sept. 18.

From the mouths at CBS …

CBS ANNOUNCES 2008-2009 PREMIERE DATES

Pre-Season Launch for “Survivor: Gabon” on Thursday, Sept. 18

CBS announced dates for the fall premieres of its new and returning series, which include a pre-season debut for SURVIVOR: GABON and the launch of its Thursday and Friday drama series in early October. The Network will introduce the majority of its schedule beginning Monday, Sept. 22, the official start of the 2008-2009 season.

For the seventh consecutive season, SURVIVOR: GABON, the 17th installment of the hit reality series, will debut a week prior to the formal start of the season, returning on Thursday, Sept. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT).

Read the entire article at knoxnews.com | Tele-buddy’s Tinseltown Tales.

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Where Are They Now? Ethan Zohn & Jenna Moraska - - www.realityexploits.com

Where Are They Now? Ethan Zohn & Jenna Moraska by LYNN

To continue my quest to keep you up to date with the latest events and status of former reality stars, I found this great interview clip that gives us the scoop about two Survivor Winners, Ethan Zohn & Jenna Morasca. Besides dating, they share and support each other’s charitable causes. Ethan founded Grassroots Soccer to raise awareness about AIDS in Africa. And Jenna is the spokesperson for the Humane Society.

At the New England Revolution home game on August 20, 2008 in Foxboro, MA, Ethan Zohn will launch Grassroot Soccer UNITED with a 500-mile Dribble Campaign that will take him all the way to Washington, D.C. You can add to HIV/AIDS prevention efforts and help Ethan support Grassroot Soccer in Africa by joining Grassroot Soccer UNITED.

Read the entire article at Where Are They Now? Ethan Zohn & Jenna Moraska.

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Billy Garcia Tells us About His Day as Part of Wrestlerock - www.realityexploits.com

Billy Garcia Tells us About His Day as Part of Wrestlerock by LYNN

Billy Garcia of Survivor: Cook Islands sent me his write-up of the day his dream to be a part of pro wristling history came true. He’s a great guy and has a big heart. He plays guitars in a heavy metal rock band called Forsakken and a MySpace site.

On August 2nd, 2008 I had the honor of being part of a very historic pro wrestling event. It was AWA Survivor Wrestlerock held in Rochester, Minnesota. There were many great matches and wrestling legends like Larry Zbyszko, Nick Bockwinkel, The Honky Tonk Man and Sheikh Adnan Al Kasey to name a few. Well, Needless to say, being a wrestling fan first and a pro wrestler second, I felt some pressure. I was booked in a match where I would face Mookie Lee of Survivor: Fiji. I was confident that I could take Mookie but it was a tag match with two legends involved and this is the AWA. This was the number one wrestling promotion on Earth in the 60s, 70s and early 80s before Hulk Hogan left the AWA for the WWF and shifted the balance of power forever altering wrestling history. Furthermore, if I’m not mistaken, the very first AWA Wrestlerock event was held April 20, 1986. So this event has a lot of history behind it. Then there was the Hype that comes with a Survivor facing a Survivor in the ring. I knew that I had to step it up a notch. PRESSURE!
(click on “Read More” for the rest of the story!)

Read the entire article at Billy Garcia Tells us About His Day as Part of Wrestlerock.

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Is Anybody Watching? :: Mediacheck :: thetyee.ca

Is Anybody Watching? :: Mediacheck :: thetyee.ca By Vanessa Richmond

Audience numbers in freefall? How an apprentice has trumped the Olympic master.

The trouble with achieving something is that someone invariably beats you at your own game. That’s the case with the Olympics, but the race isn’t to the medal podium.

Sports fans may still be watching, but the Olympics have gone quiet on the pop culture radar. The Games used to be the champion of reality TV, but now the new generation of reality TV athlete is faster, higher and stronger. In short, current reality TV has beaten the old Olympic pioneer at its own game.

I saw about 25 people socially this weekend, who ranged in age from 8 to 70, and who work as everything from elementary teacher, construction worker, film editor, drummer, cashier, to social worker. Plus I did errands around the city. At four different events, plus a dozen stores, not a single person mentioned the Olympics. The first I saw of it was when I walked down the street on Sunday and noticed a photo of the opening ceremonies on the cover of one newspaper.

Curious, I called a few people back to ask if they were watching but just hadn’t mentioned it? Nope. Only one was — a 62-year-old woman visiting from Australia. “I watch a lot of sports,” she said almost giggling. “I just love to see those young people; they’re so full of energy.”‘ I called a few jock friends; they’d tuned in, but their non-athletic friends and relatives hadn’t.

Not even the tabs care

I then checked the mainstream media. Sure, there were stories about the Olympics, but not to a level that almost precludes everything else — as in previous years. People Magazine, a fascinatingly accurate cultural barometer, featured one Olympics-related story on its site: ranked fourth on Monday after Bernie Mac’s death, the Brangelina twins, and Lisa Marie’s baby bump was “Spectacle and Tragedy Open Beijing Olympics.” Another headline promised photos of US athletes, but instead took me to a page that was “temporarily unavailable, moved or taken off People.com.” And on Us Weekly, there was only one story: a small set of photos of Olympic hunks . » Read the rest of this entry…

  Tags: cast, reality tv, survivor, tv, tv show

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reality blurred + Survivor Micronesia made $96.5 million for CBS, compared to $166.6 million for All-Stars

reality blurred + Survivor Micronesia made $96.5 million for CBS, compared to $166.6 million for All-Stars

Between its two all-star seasons, Survivor lost about $70 million in value for CBS, and the 16th season, fans versus favorites, was the third-lowest season in terms of advertising revenue.

Those numbers come in a story where Forbes reports on the departure of CBS reality TV executive Ghen Maynard and the network’s failure to find a reality hit beyond its three stand-by shows. The report cites TNS Media Intelligence numbers and notes that Survivor Micronesia, the 16th season and a partial all-stars season, made $96.5 million for the network in advertisements.

That’s “the third-lowest total since its debut,” according to Forbes. Compared to the 10th season, Survivor All-Stars, that’s significantly less. Forbes calls the 2004 edition “its peak season” and says “the CBS series accounted for $166.6 million in advertising revenue.”

While the show consistently wins its timeslot and ranks in the top 20 shows for the entire year. But while Forbes says it’s a “long-standing hit,” the magazine says the show is “hardly the boost it once was,” and “has little to show for itself in reruns and DVDs.”

Read the entire article at reality blurred + Survivor Micronesia made $96.5 million for CBS, compared to $166.6 million for All-Stars.

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For CBS, Reality Bites - Forbes.com

For CBS, Reality Bites - Forbes.com Lacey Rose

After early success in the reality realm with unscripted series like Survivor, CBS’ latest offerings include failures like Kid Nation and Great American Dog. Now Ghen Maynard, the network’s executive vice president for alternative programming, is taking the fall.

Maynard, who will segue into a first-look producing pact with CBS (nyse: CBS - news - people ) after stepping down from his current position late last week, is credited with convincing CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves to take a chance on the controversial Swedish concept Survivor some eight years ago. The series proved a ratings juggernaut for the network–28.2 million viewers tuned in for the first season–and pioneered the modern reality form and the product placement opportunities that came with it. Next came enduring hits The Amazing Race and Big Brother.

But recently, Maynard’s name has been attached to a slew of less successful series, including Pirate Master (Mark Burnett’s pirate-themed competition show ), Kid Nation (a highly controversial Lord of the Flies-style series ) and Greatest American Dog ( American Idol meets Big Brother–with canines). CBS declined to comment for this story.

Maynard’s departure illustrates the changing nature–and increasing importance–of reality television at the major networks. Where CBS was once alone, it now faces a vast array of rivals who learned from the “tiffany” network’s early success and have become adept at beating them at their own game. On broadcast schedules alone, some 40 unscripted series have been granted space for the coming season, according to Web resource and consulting service TVtracker.com. » Read the rest of this entry…

  Tags: cast, cbs, mark burnett, reality tv, survivor, tv

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