Real World's first cast is reuniting, Big Brother winner was addicted, and Survivor Australia is 20
Dear newsletter friends,
I often check the weather on my phone when I wake up. It’s easier than, you know, going outside or looking out the window. But I also just love looking at my app. This is what I saw when I woke up today:
The app is called Carrot, and its messages change with every refresh, and are customizable—you can set its political point of view, or no politics at all, as well as its level of snark (one setting is called “homicidal”).
Basically everything is customizable, so you can spend lots of time making the app just like you want it rather than doing other work this morning, not that I know anything about that.
Anyway, I hope some of the shows and stories below bring you a moment of joy, too.
Big Brother and Survivor
Two decades ago last night, Survivor: The Australian Outback premiered after the Super Bowl.
It had the show’s most-watched premiere ever, and some of its cast went on to went on to fame while one went to prison.
I’m going to start rewatching and recapping the season starting Sunday and then continuing weekly. I’m excited to revisit it. Join me?
Two big Big Brother stories broke within a few hours of each other last week, though they are unrelated:
Big Brother 21’s winner admitted he was going through drug withdrawal when he went into the house.
The Real World and other news
The Real World season 1’s cast has been filming a reunion. As someone who’s nostalgic for the 1990s and early reality TV, this is so exciting!
The Mole’s format will be used in a cooking competition
A third attempt at Top Gear America premieres today.
Cloris Leachman died at 94 on Tuesday. She appeared in Dancing with the Stars, and in this story, revealed how that changed her later life and career.
When she was promoting Raising Hope at a TCA press event that Fox held in 2011, I played ping-pong with her. She beat me, and then revealed her secret: "I couldn't see the fucking ball."
Recommended reads
Sarah D. Bunting on Reelz, “Cable’s Trashiest True-Crime Channel”
Jamelle Bouie’s intriguing essay that asks if it was fame from The Apprentice is what made it possible for Trump and Republicans to win the presidency.
That’s everything I have for this week. Hope you have a great weekend full of good TV and good weather—or at least amusing weather messages!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is Reality in Focus issue 228, first sent 29 January 2021, and it wants to find out what happens when 50-year-olds reunite and live in a house together. Oh wait: that’s literally The Golden Girls.
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📷 Photo of a frost-covered trail in Walderslade, Chatham, UK, by Andy Holmes