Category: Television

10 Things You Never Knew About Beverly Hills 90210

Hulu has kindly offered a Beverly Hills, 90210 deep-dive, and it has resulted in some serious googling of which I’m moderately ashamed. You can now share my shame with a lot of juicy gossip about a show that has solidified its place in history. Since its cast lived through the high-times of Hollywood, they were met with many perks that are no longer offered today, and a high level of tolerance for some unacceptable antics. Read below to learn more about our favorite alums of Beverly Hills High.

Shannon Doherty Was Fired For Her Haircut

It’s no secret that Shannon Doherty was let go from the series that launched her career, but most people don’t know the straw that broke the camel’s back. While Doherty was already in hot water for her on-set antics, she cut her hair without consulting producers, thereby disrupting the continuity. Her co-stars used the opportunity to confront Aaron Spelling, with Tori leading the pack. Because Doherty had allegedly introduced Tori Spelling to a man who physically abused her, Spelling agreed to their demand. Garth once detailed their feud in her memoir, saying that they were close to blows “when [Shannon] pulled up my skirt, and my bare a** was exposed for everyone on the set to see.” Garth then said, “Come on, b****! We’re taking this outside!’”

Jamie Walters or “Ray” The Wife-Beater Was Fired Due to Fan Mail

Everyone knows that Ray beat Donna, and the actor recently revealed that the role permanently tarnished his reputation. You see, 90210 was extremely popular at the time, and the audience had trouble separating the truth from reality. What people don’t know; however, is that Ray was originally supposed to get help and find redemption, but when the audience began to see Donna as “stupid” for staying with him, series creator/Tori Spelling’s father called for his termination. Walters went away with a cool million for the work he was supposed to perform, but his career never fully recovered.

Brian Austin Green Wasn’t Happy About Tiffani Thiessen Joining the Show

One would think that Brian Austin Green’s behind-the-scenes romantic relationship with Tiffani Thiessen would make him happy about her hiring, but the actor wasn’t pleased with the idea of his fellow co-stars groping his girlfriend. The two dated for a few years and even lived together.

Gabrielle Carteris Was Asked Not to Get Pregnant (In Real Life)

Series star Gabrielle Carteris was notably older than the rest of the cast, so producers naturally assumed she might want to reproduce. This didn’t sit well, and they asked her to hold off. This is similar to the infamous Hunter Tylo story, which set a precedent for all women in the workplace when the soon-to-be Melrose Place actress sued Spelling Entertainment Group and Spelling Television Inc. for her claims of pregnancy discrimination, wrongful termination and breach of contract. She was awarded $5 million. According to Tylo, a producer said, “Why doesn’t she just go out and get an abortion? Then she can work.” Tylo strategically arrived in court each day wearing the sexiest of clothes at eight months pregnant, proving women everywhere can be sexy and pregnant at the same time. Unlike Tylo, Carteris’ pregnancy was written into the storyline, but her new life didn’t quite fit into the show’s theme.

The College Years Were Shot at the Occidental College in Glendale

Producers wanted to avoid the look of Malibu’s beachy vibe, thereby forgoing Pepperdine. The KEG house was actually shot at someone’s real-life home.

Jennie Garth Called For an Actor’s Firing, and Aaron Spelling Made Up a Rumor to Justify It

Jennie Garth was widely respected, and the actress rarely asked for favors. So when she didn’t like her romantic lead, she personally asked Aaron Spelling to fire the guest star. Spelling knew the producers would object given their plans for his future on the series, so he allegedly made up a rumor that the actor was an anti-semite, and he had no choice but to fire him. The producers surmised that Spelling was trying to protect Garth, but it’s rumored that the actor never worked again.

Tori Spelling Had a Fling With Brian Austin and Jason Priestly

Tori Spelling revealed in an on-camera interview that she and Jason Priestley had some fun in the sun during one summer. When asked about the validity of her claim, Priestley simply said it was no one’s business. She also revealed that she and Brian Austin Green had a relationship.

Brandon Walsh and Emily Valentine Were a Thing — In Real Life

Jason Priestly had a long-lasting relationship with his co-star, Christine Elise. They dated for five years.

Jason Priestly Regrets Leaving the Show in Season 9

Though he felt his character had run its course, Priestley regrets leaving the show when he did. Only a fool leaves a show before its final season, he reasoned. Plus, he said that his departure hurt series creator Aaron Spelling’s feelings.His advice to other actors is, “No discussion: If you’re lucky enough to be on a hit TV show, don’t leave until they kill you off. You never know when, or if, the next one’s coming.”

Aaron Spelling Kept His Daughter a Virgin

Though the writers and producers often pitched Donna losing her virginity, Aaron Spelling wouldn’t have it. In fact, all the storyline pitch meetings with Aaron Spelling always began with his daughter’s role, even when she had minimal lines. He finally agreed during the latter part of the series, and Jason Priestly directed the episode.

Kris Jenner Addresses Caitlyn Jenner’s Tell-All

My longtime followers hate my posts about the Kardashians, but it’s my blog, and I’ll do what I want. The good news for those who object is that their ratings are slipping, but that is a fact I find odd considering this is the juiciest, most honest season yet. In the clip below, Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner discuss Caitlyn Jenner’s tell-all book which Kris feels bashes her, and there are many revelations. First, Kris wishes that Caitlyn had told her why she and her ex-wife, Linda Thompson actually broke up. Both parties admit it was over Caitlyn’s gender identity issues, which Bruce conveniently left out when marrying Kris. Kim harshly proclaimed that Caitlyn ruined three lives with her dishonesty. Kris also says that Caitlyn accuses Kris of hoarding their money, which Kris points out was used to support the family. Watch below.

Continue reading “Kris Jenner Addresses Caitlyn Jenner’s Tell-All”

Kelly Ripa Makes Lazy Co-Host Choice

Kelly Ripa chose Ryan Seacrest as her new co-host, in a move that can only be described as lazy, boring, and entitled. For one solid year the producers of Live With Kelly snowed us into believing they were actually executing a legitimate, above board search for the new seat. Instead, they were negotiating Ryan Seacrest’s contract and no one else stood a chance. That “no one else” specifically refers to Jerry O’Connell who seemed a shoe-in for the coveted gig.

According to Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest is “a seamless, seamless broadcaster. There is nobody better. There is nobody that understands what 30 seconds of conversation actually means in in real time like Ryan does, and so he makes everything easy — it’s like a vacation with him.” That quote perfectly captures why this is a lazy decision. First, had Ripa took a chance on a newbie, she’d have to carry the load during the learning curve, and perhaps she’s grown out of that task. Michael Strahan was a left-of-center pick, and it required Ripa to do work. With Seacrest, she can sit back, relax, and trust his broadcasting prowess. Is that a good thing? It’s clear she can carry the show on her own, so why not give someone else a real shot at the seat?

From a creative perspective, this is also the wrong decision. Live With Kelly demands that its co-hosts discuss their personal lives at the top of the show. As a self-admitted workaholic, Seacrest doesn’t really have a personal life. He’s secretive about who he dates, and doesn’t have a wife and children. This show is supposed to relate to the masses, and who can relate to Ryan Seacrest? Jerry O’Connell, though also a Los Angeles guy, does in fact have a family and kids, and he’s extremely funny when describing their antics. We can call Seacrest many things, but funny is not one of them.

So why would Ryan Seacrest, who has a million jobs, even accept this offer, which requires that he move to New York. Well, why not? Without his American Idol salary, it goes without saying he wanted a new influx of cash, and this is it.

It’s also worth noting that choosing a white, rich male as a host rubs me the wrong way, especially given today’s climate. She could have chosen a woman, or any minority for the role, and she instead went with the guy who’s got everything. And if you’re going to go that route, then pick the teacher who guest-hosted and garnered positive reviews. What a disappointing, terrible decision, and the quote below says it best.

Grey’s Anatomy Sneak Peek: Meredith v. Maggie



Grey’s Anatomy is running on fumes in its casting department, and they desperately need an addition beyond its best players, which now only includes Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, and Jesse Williams. I’ve long insisted that their casting crew needs a complete overhaul, as most of their additions don’t work, thus resulting in more than five untimely deaths. In fact, Jesse Williams was part of a much larger merger storyline, and he was the only cast members to make it. That’s a weak result. I’d like to also note that unlike Seinfeld, which was graced with the genius casting of Marc Hirschfeld, Grey’s has yet to find a guest star that has gone on to greatness. That’s odd. When watching the syndicated reruns of Seinfeld, nearly every guest star has become massive. That includes, Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Kristen Davis (Sex and the City), Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie, 2 Broke Girls), Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Lauren Graham (Girlmore Girls), and many more. There needs to be more power players on Grey’s Anatomy, and with the loss of Patrick Dempsey, we’re also missing Alpha dogs. The fight between Owen and Riggs could have gained steam, but the storyline just fizzled beyond repair. Need I also mention Amelia has to go? Watch a clip for the upcoming episode, which is more of a high-school fight than a storyline I can sink my teeth into. I think I was seventeen years old the last time I called dibs on a guy who wasn’t interested. Past that age, if you say anything other than “Next!” you’re a small child. Maggie could have at least had sex with Riggs to justify this type of immaturity.

Bill O’Reilly Sexual Harassment Claims: A Complete Timeline

In just two years, Bill O’Reilly has generated nearly half a billion dollars in advertising revenue for Fox News. You can therefore imagine that the network would balk at the prospect of dethroning the boisterous blowhard, even with consistent complaints of sexual harassment. And it’s also worth noting that he’s denied it, but with a new article in the New York Times and subsequent coverage, what exactly happened? To avoid distraction, I’m breaking it down for ease-of-read, in timeline form.

  • 2004: Andrea Mackris filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against O’Reilly. She said he had told her to buy a vibrator, called her at times when it sounded as if he was masturbating and described his sexual fantasies. He was married at the time. She alleges he threatened her, saying he would make any woman who complained about his behavior “pay so dearly that she’ll wish she’d never been born.” She receives a settlement for $9 million. She never worked in television again.
  • 2013: Wendy Walsh, the former guest on Mr. O’Reilly’s show, met O’Reilly for dinner at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. According to Walsh, during the dinner he promised to make her a network contributor. After dinner, he invited her to his hotel suite. She declined. He then became hostile and insulted her. Though she appeared on the network for months following the incident, she was never made a contributor. Fox says she was removed because her segments were not successful.
  • July, 2016: Gretchen Carlson sued Roger Ailes, the Chairman and CEO of Fox News and the Fox Television Stations Group. She claimed that when she rejected his sexual advances, he retaliated by reducing her salary, cutting her on-air appearances and declining to renew her contract. At the time, Ailes said her suit was a retaliatory response to not having her contract renewed.
  • July, 2016: Bill O’Reilly defends Roger Ailes, saying, “I stand behind Roger 100 percent,” adding that “in this country, every famous, powerful or wealthy person is a target. You’re a target, I’m a target. Anytime, somebody could come out and sue us, attack us, go to the press or anything like that.”
  • August 2016: Fox News host named Andrea Tantaros said Mr. O’Reilly sexually harassed her in a lawsuit she filed against the network and Roger Ailes. Fox News offered to pay her a seven-figure sum to renounce her claims (she declined). She alleges that he asked her to stay with him on Long Island and said he could ‘see [her] as a wild girl.” The lawsuit is still ongoing, and Fox News said she was fired for another unrelated reason.
  • November, 2016: Fox News host Megyn Kelly releases a memoir that corroborates Gretchen Carlson’s claims, alleging that Ailes tried to kiss her and made sexually-charged comments. Kelly had publicly complimented Ailes, which was quickly brought to light in response to her claims.
  • March, 2017: An investigation into claims of sexual harassment against Roger Ailes unveils that the CFO of Fox News was offered immunity by prosecutors in exchange for information about alleged hidden payouts to Ailes’ accusers.
  • July, 2017: Roger Ailes steps down. He receives a $40 million payout as part of his exit agreement. At the time, Fox News issues a statement saying they did not tolerate behavior that “disrespects women or contributes to an uncomfortable work environment.”
  • 2017 (Post Ailes Ouster): Fox News anchor (from 2000-2008) Laurie Dhue went to the company to outline her harassment claims against Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Ailes. They settled for $1 million.
  • March 2017: Two black women sue Fox News in State Supreme Court in the Bronx alleging “top-down racial harassment” in the Fox News payroll department, citing racially-charged comments and “severe and pervasive discrimination and harassment.”
  • September, 2017: 21st Century Fox reached a settlement worth $1.6 million with Juliet Huddy. She made regular appearances on O’Reilly’s show, and he allegedly had influence over her airtime. She says that in 2011, he made inappropriate phone calls to her and tried to kiss her. When she rejected him, her career suffered.
  • Fox News reacts to the NYT investigation: “21st Century Fox takes matters of workplace behavior very seriously. Notwithstanding the fact that no current or former Fox News employee ever took advantage of the 21st Century Fox hotline to raise a concern about Bill O’Reilly, even anonymously, we have looked into these matters over the last few months and discussed them with Mr. O’Reilly. While he denies the merits of these claims, Mr. O’Reilly has resolved those he regarded as his personal responsibility. Mr. O’Reilly is fully committed to supporting our efforts to improve the environment for all our employees at Fox News.”
  • Advertisers flee: In response to the NYT investigation, many advertisers have pulled or redirected their ads. Some of those advertisers include, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer, Sanofi Consumer Care, Allstate, Esurance, T. Rowe Price, Credit Karma, Pacific Life; Jenny Craig, Advil, H&R Block, Orkin, Untuckit, Ancestry.com, Constant Contact, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, Coldwell Banker, Amica mutual insurance company, Touchnote, Invisalign, TrueCar, ODFL freight line; and LegalZoom.

There’s a lot of appropriate outrage about Bill O’Reilly’s behavior and the behavior of Fox News. The first reason is obvious. Women should feel safe in the workplace. Sexual propositions from men in power are difficult to decline, especially when they’re accompanied by threats. It’s also pathetic. Bill O’Reilly is a big baby. He’s punishing women for their disinterest, much like a high school bully. Second, Fox News is sending a message that it values money over morals, and unfortunately, they won’t dethrone their bully until his actions dent their bottom line. The good news is that if a social media firestorm forces advertisers to pull out, which in turn leads to O’Reilly’s ouster, then that’s a ground-up approach to ethics, and I’m all for it. The third, more meta point is this: O’Reilly’s soapbox is all about the moral high-ground. Apparently, that high-ground doesn’t apply to harassing his colleagues.

HBO’s Big Little Lies Finale — Full Review (No Spoilers)

big-little-lies

While laying beside her husband and William Morris big-wig agent Jim Toth, Reese Witherspoon complained about the lack of substantial roles for women in Hollywood, and her husband pushed her to make a change. He reminded her that she loves to read, and she has a production company, and she’s perfectly capable of carving her own path. And that she did. What began with Wild, soon became Gone Girl and now . . . Big Little Lies — her best yet.

Big Little Lies proves something very powerful. Women are perfectly capable of leading the pack, and they can do it sans testosterone. In fact, though the men in the story have a minor contribution, they are mere pawns for their female players. Those players include, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Zoe Saldana. Nicole plays Celeste, a victim of abuse at the hands of her husband, with whom she can’t seem to leave. Of all the performances, hers is by far the most nuanced, proving once again why Kidman deserves endless praise and also why movie actors should flee to television. Cinema isn’t the same, and this is the role of a lifetime. Reese Witherspoon plays Madeline, an all-too-perfect type A divorcee whose new husband found happiness with her zen-like opposite, and even a sweet new spouse and child of her own can’t contain the scorn. Laura Dern is at her best as Renata. Though Dern has less scenes, she steals them. Her mamma-bear insanity is deliciously alarming. Shailene plays Jane, and I can only imagine that it’s a play on her plain Jane performance. While her dull demeanor was likely intentional, I couldn’t help but think she was punching above her weight beside these powerhouses. Zoe Saldana was also understated as Bonnie, but unlike Shailene, she played well inside her lane.

With a beautiful backdrop of Monterey, captivating characters, and a murder mystery, we’ve got a deeply addictive masterpiece. This could have easily veered into Bad Moms territory and made us say #WhitePeopleProblems, but instead–we identify with these deeply flawed women whose quest for perfection is so penetrable. With each episode, we learn more about their hidden lives, and since I’d like you to watch it, I’ll withhold more details, except to say — that was one hell of a finale.

Dancing With the Stars Premiere — Best Performances

There’s long-standing complaints about Dancing With the Stars casting contestants with previous dance experience, but strong performances lead to strong ratings, and ABC’s method proved positive with 11.9 million viewers. Plus, when you have multiple contestants with high-level talent, it becomes a bit of an Olympic event. And speaking of the Olympics, I knew Simone Biles would be good, but I didn’t know she’d be THAT good. As for Heather Morris, who was once Beyonce’s backup dancer, she has no ballroom experience, and it showed. In fact, I don’t think the decision to appear on this show was a good move for her career. If your skill set is dancing and you appear on a show marketed to beginners, you’re forced to demean your own talent, which is not good for your future. It’s like a sushi chef appearing on a BBQ cooking competition. No one will eat your sushi if you can’t cook a burger. Watch some of the key performances below.

Simone Biles & Sasha Farber

Rashad & Emma

Nancy Kerrigan & Arten Chigvintsev

Heather & Maks

David & Lindsay

Erika Jayne and Gleb Savchenko

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Mark Long Interview: The OG ‘Road Rules’ Alum Looks Back

image1Mark Long has been on my radar since his iconic stint on the first Road Rules in MTV history, but the adventure seeker reached crush-worthy status during his appearance on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel II, when instead of joining his cantankerous cohorts who were screaming at their female partners to perform better, Mark sat down, waited patiently, and seemed perfectly comfortable with the idea that a win was no longer within his grasp. When asked for a lens into this memorable moment and his always-respectful temperament, Long said he has his parents to thank for his admirable character. He was simply happy for a physical challenge among his friends and grateful for the opportunity to compete at all. So what does the reality television veteran have to say about the show that made him famous over two decades ago and his subsequent journey as a Challenge competitor? Read below to find out more about the last true reality-television gentleman.

 Take me through your journey from the beginning.  What was your original goal when you joined  the first season Road Rules?

I have a degree in broadcast journalism, so I always liked hosting. I even thought of becoming a weatherman because I always felt they were less stuffy than the news people. My aunt and uncle live in Huntington Beach, and I visited them one time and then drove up to Los Angeles. It just kind of felt like this is where I was supposed to be.

How did your parents feel about your move?

My parents are great. I could’ve said I was moving to Alaska to work on a fishing boat and they would’ve said, “Oh, that’s great.” They support me no matter what. I’m sure they would want me to have a more structured lifestyle, but I’m hoping that the time I’ve invested in this city will pay through what I really enjoy doing, which is producing, hosting, etc . . .

When you look back at your time on MTV’s Road Rules, can you process that it was truly one of the first reality television shows? In retrospect, it was revolutionary. 

No one knew what it was about or what to expect. I actually did the Road Rules pilot with four other people that didn’t make the show. I have no idea [why they didn’t make it], but I remember that we shot the pilot in Catalina Island. I flew out from Florida and I was up to be the new roommate when Puck got kicked out of the Real World: San Francisco house. They called me back months later and mentioned the Road Rules pilot and how it would be better for my active lifestyle. I later got a call from Bunim/Murray Productions and they said, “I  know we told you that the [people who shot the pilot] weren’t going to make it to the series, but the guy we had in mind that fit your personality didn’t get approved by MTV so we suggested using you again.” That’s how I snuck through. I don’t know what happened to that other poor bastard [who didn’t make it].

Why didn’t you make it in the Real World house? 

The house wanted a girl. They thought, “We had a guy, let’s try a girl out.”

I read about how your parachute didn’t open when you were on Road Rules. It seems like you were not aware until you hit the ground.

I was aware that we were having problems in the air because when we were getting prepped, they said, “We’ll never reach for your equipment.” When I realized he was reaching for my stuff, I knew we were having a problem. We were supposed to pull at 5000 feet, and we just flew by that height. I jumped out of the plane fifth and landed on the ground first. My parachute finally popped out via a CO2 cartridge that serves as a last resort. That night I was laying there trying to go to bed and thought, “I almost fucking died today, and that would’ve been a terrible day.” Then, in true MTV fashion, Eric Nies and I hosted Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Seasons, and they asked us to skydive in tuxedos. I thought, “lighting can’t strike twice. Let’s do it!”

Do you ever feel like some of what they ask you to do is unsafe? Are there points where you want to say, “No way.”

They’re not “unsafe,” but I don’t think they truly test how a cast member would actually perform. For instance, we did Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes in Jamaica, and they had these roller coasters that were taken off the track and set in the grass. Instead of seats they had huge ice blocks, and you had to wear speedos and bikini bottoms and sit with your hands raised above your head for time. While someone who isn’t playing for a cash prize might last 15 minutes before they hop off, I was on there for an hour and a half. I want to say that one of the girls got frostbite. It was terrible, but it’s part of the allure of being on the show. You want to do stuff that you can’t set up in your backyard.

Just to be slightly sexist, is there a point to having the men compete against women?

No, and what a perfect day to talk about that [given the current climate]. Some girls are phenomenal, but not all of them will be able to perform in a challenge that requires the same skill as men. But line us up in a trivia competition and the girls will crush us.

I think Battle of the Sexes could be better produced for that reason. There are challenges where a woman would succeed that aren’t these high-powered challenges of endurance, such as flexibility or balance.

Balance is great. I think we were hanging upside down from our legs, and the guys dropped like flies, and I remember Ruthie hanging up there like she wasn’t even in pain.

You mentioned Ruthie Alcaide, which brings me to my next question. There are people who used to do these challenges that were beasts, and now there’s a bunch of wusses on there that suck. What happened to the top dogs?

I’ve heard that as well, and I see it. There was a guy a couple seasons back from Are You The One that just quit because he missed his girlfriend. There’s thousands of people that will take your place, so why go?

I also feel like it has become the Johnny Bananas show.

Everyone has a love/hate relationship with Johnny, but he shows up and puts in the work. If you’re going to complain about him being on the show multiple seasons then rally a group to kick him off.

Are you friends with Johnny by the way?

I am very good friends with Johnny. We are actually in the process of doing another project outside of the challenge.

If you watched him on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island and the way he spoke to the women on the island, it’s sexist. The people he betrays are all women, and the people he insults are all women. There has to be an argument to be made there.

Johnny will admit that he’s grown up a little since those island days. I don’t think I would have approved of him talking to the women like that if I was on The Island, but I’ve seen him do stuff with the Special Olympics and I’ve seen him around fans that approach him. Cara Maria used to despise him, for example, but after the last challenge they’re now best friends, so something’s changing.

I saw you on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel II, and I remember that you were paired up with a woman who was lagging behind, and you just kindly sat there, waiting for her. You didn’t seem angry at all, and you weren’t screaming at her or calling her a “dumb bitch,” like Johnny Bananas on The Island. It stuck with me. Do you remember this?

I don’t think I’ve ever called a girl a bitch. My parents raised a gentleman. People are different. I just choose to take a deep breath and comfort someone instead of put them down.

What did you think of that infamous move Johnny made at the end of The Challenge: Rivals III, where he chose not to split his winnings with his partner, Sarah Patterson?

I thought from a viewing standpoint, it was  fantastic. How do you not talk about that the next day at the water cooler?

What would you have done?

Come on! Do you even need to ask that? I would’ve split it right down the middle. But again, that’s why I’m me, and he’s him.

Can you analyze it? Do you think it’s an evil move or it’s just part of the game?

It would be a lot harder to analyze it if Sarah hadn’t previously [wronged him] on The Challenge: Battle of the Exes II. I’m not saying it’s the same but in terms of gamesmanship, let’s not forget that this is a game show and the object of any game show whether it’s Wheel of Fortune or The Challenge, is try to win as much money as possible within the time you’re allotted.

You have to take me inside the Chris “CT” Tamburello/Adam King fight on The Duel II where it looked like if CT got his hands on Adam, he’d have murdered him. Did you fear for Adam?

Of course! Production was looking at the cast members like, “Please jump in and help because we do not want to lose a cast member to fists.” I’ll give some credit to the editing as well. It made it look like a horror movie. But much like Johnny on The Island, you have to give people the benefit of growing up. CT is a different person now, and I know at that time he had some family issues. I think you could definitely leave your children alone with CT now and he would be the best babysitter ever.

It also seems like a bad idea to date people on The Challenge, but you again seem to avoid drama. Do you just sleep with saner women?

I have a different way of handling my showmances than these other guys. It’s with fucking padded mittens, because you have to be very, very delicate. But trust me, some of them have not been sane.

Speaking of showmances, what happened with you and Robin Hibbard?

We met on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes 2 and then started dating off of the show. The problem with the challenges is that even if your relationship or showmance was three years prior, people identify you with each other [far into the future]. I could get stopped tomorrow by someone who says, “Where’s Robin?” It’s like, “Dude, she’s married with two kids in Florida. That’s where Robin is.” People still ask me about Kit [Hoover] from Road Rules, and she is also married with kids. I just went on Access Hollywood with her to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Road Rules.

I thought you were a really good host of the MTV Challenge Aftershows, and the hosts they have now are terrible.

Well, they are terrible. I did it for seven seasons but like anything else, they’re like, “Oh, we’re going to [change it up].” And I’m like, “good luck with that,” especially since they chose someone who wasn’t even on the show. At least if you see me pop up, there’s some sort of relevance there. “Oh, Mark’s from the show. Mark’s an OG. He knows the deal.”

Take me behind the scenes of the show. Are you just all sitting around the house bored with nothing else to do but drink and party?

Today, they really monitor what we drink. It’s very rationed, and they’re much more cognizant of what happens with the alcohol now. Back in the day, like anything else, it was the fucking wild west.

Did you announce your retirement as a shtick, or was that serious?

I’ve retired a few times now.

Would you ever return to the show? 

I’d absolutely go back, but I never wanted to be the guy that goes on back-to-back on challenges. I like to let things breathe. If I fit their format, I’d definitely return.

Why ‘La La Land’ Was a Terrible Movie


I wanted to like ‘La La Land,’ and I’m the perfect audience. For starters, I love musicals. I also love the idea of resurrecting a dead medium, and given the rise of television musicals, it’s the perfect time for it. And though I’ve kept largely quiet about my take on the film, the Oscar hype has awakened the beast.

‘La La Land’ attempts to remind us of old Hollywood, as a Jazz pianist falls for an aspiring actress. It’s a nice try, but ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ it is not. First, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling cannot sing. When I say they can’t sing, I’m being kind. They literally cannot sing. I understand the idea of finding stars who can sing rather than singers who can be stars, but this idea only works if you can actually SING. It’s insulting to take two A-listers and put them in a medium that doesn’t suit their talents just to draw an audience. As a result of this sad fact, the vocals are mixed so low I can barely hear them in the songs. It’s a MUSICAL, which means I expect bright, rich vocals. In fact, the opening scene was also mixed horribly, and I can only assume it was a sad attempt to keep the vocals consistent with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s sub-par performance.On the Fresh Air radio show, the host called this opening scene “beautiful mayhem.” I’d call it a mess. The original song is not memorable, the choreography is EASY, and (as previously mentioned) the sound is lacking. And just as I tried to acclimate to this struggling sound, then came John Legend, whose mere presence reminded me what singers actually sound like, and my disbelief was no longer suspended.

If you thought my take on Emma and Ryan’s singing was harsh, I’m going to to be even harsher about their dance number. I appreciate a one-take shot of their tap dancing as opposed to the chopped-up mess we saw from Richard Gere in Chicago, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are not good tap dancers. As a former tap dancer, I can tell you first hand that their moves were EXTREMELY easy, and I’ve seen 75-year-olds achieve more impressive results on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’

I love the IDEA of this movie, and I appreciate the effort, but it is not good enough to justify the hype. As previously mentioned, I also resent that idea that Hollywood values a box-office-draw over casting a true triple threat. I understand that not everyone is a star, and those triple threats are not easy to find, BUT DO THE WORK. They’re out there.

Kellyanne Conway Banned From Morning Joe

After an embarrassing interview on ‘The Today Show’ with Matt Lauer in which Lauer bluntly told her she “made no sense,” MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” has decided to ban Kellyanne Conway from appearing on their show, saying that the White House Counselor to President Trump is “out of the loop,” and clearly “in none of the key meetings.” They furthered that “she goes out and books herself often [on television shows] and “she doesn’t know, she doesn’t have the information.” Co-host Mika Brzezinski agreed with Joe Scarborough’s account, saying, she does “not believe in fake news.”

In case you missed it, Lauer asked Conway about Michael Flynn resigning as Trump’s national security adviser when information arose about Flynn’s contact with Russian ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak before Trump took office, thereby making him at risk for blackmail. Just two days after Flynn took office, The Wall Street Journal reported that Flynn was under investigation by U.S. counterintelligence agents for these communications. These calls occurred the same day President Barack Obama announced retaliatory sanctions for Russia’s alleged cyber-attacks against the Democratic Party. At the time, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that the calls with Kislyak had nothing to do with the retaliatory measures, but U.S. intelligence officials countered that claim and indicated that such discussions did in fact take place. Acting Attorney General Sally Yates allegedly warned the Trump White House that Flynn had not been truthful and was therefore vulnerable to blackmail by Russian intelligence, but we know how that story ended.

Trump allegedly knew Flynn discussed the sanctions, but Mike Pence did not, and the Vice President went on television to deny any such conversation took place. When Kellyanne Conway insisted that Michael Flynn enjoyed the “full confidence of the President” the day before Flynn resigned, she stepped into a flaming pile of dung. Either she was out of the loop or she is not concerned about the ramifications of being a completely untrustworthy representation of the White House. It’s clear that Trump wanted to keep Flynn on staff and chose to request his resignation when the fallout became far too difficult to manage. Conway likely thought that he’d stay on staff, thus confirming her lack of access to the White House. Watch both videos below, and notice Conway’s clear exhaustion. Something tells me she’ll be removed from her post soon.