Gawker
The CW announced today that it will be airing a new Tyra Banks-produced reality competition show about fashion magazine assistants. Oh my god! It's just like that movie with Mia Thermopolis and that old lady! But the new show will not just be about deadlines and content. Tyra's co-producer says: "[The contestants are] trying to prove themselves as aspiring fashionistas, that they have a sense of style and savvyness, all the things to make it in the fashion world." That sounds great. Really, really great. After the jump we'll look at this and three other shows in this increasingly popular "trade" genre.
Art
The classy new competition show about the art world, produced by Sarah Jessica Parker, will more than likely be as big a debacle as the little-seen Deitch Artstar. Not to underestimate the elegant tastes of the general American television viewership, but you might as well show a fancy professor talking about some fancypants book for an hour. It's the same frickin' thing: BORING. Oh, and it will also be boring for people who actually like art. Literally, watching paint dry. Also, accepting that we have no concrete information on the structure of the show, how do you get real artists to compete in this? We anticipate many Santa Fe residents and a lot of Enya playing in the background.
Design
Top Design, that silly Bravo misfire ("See you later, decorator!") is getting something of a reboot from The Magical Elves, the production team behind Top Chef and Project Runway (both showing signs of age themselves.) Last season was dull and peculiar, with vague budgetary allowances and a muted, eerily serene Todd Oldham as host. Our suspicion is that such a show is better relegated to lesser-watched cable, like HGTV.
Magazines
As mentioned above, Tyra Banks' new project will focus on the exciting world of assisting vainglorious assholes at a fashion magazine. At the end of every episode, teams will compete to create a winning page for the magazine's Book. Honestly, the show sounds like it could be interesting, if only Tyra Banks was not involved. Her hand seems to be more adept at carefully placing pictures of herself everywhere she possibly can than steering a television program towards that ephemeral specter, Quality. Though, it may be fun if she pops up occasionally, wearing little spectacles, because this show is about reading.
Blogging:
There is an online reality show called Ultimate Blogger. A show (albeit on the internet) about people typing. Worked for Doogie Howser!
Comments
Next we'll see a show about TV writers crafting the comedies and dramas we love so much.
Oh. right.
It's just like on The Hills!
Wanna sell a concept? Don't think too hard. The idea is to sell people a slightly different version of something they've already bought.
Oh, the crying. THE CRYING!
Remember Doogie Howser's awesome kinda slutty throaty-voiced girlfriend, Wanda? She was so bangin'!
Wow, a Tyra Bank show where the fat girl stands even less of a chance of winning...
Wow. Let the backstabbing begin.
Where's the reality show about interns at Gawker? Or anywhere?
@PimpMyCouch: That had better be what Blakeley's working on since he's not making videos with Josh and Sheila.
Hey, you tricked me into clicking on a JA post!
@Colonel Mustard: Ha. Changed! Not Julia anymore...
Wait'll Mike Rowe hears about this.
@LolCait:
Richard, you are a true man of the people.
Yes, and here is the Commenter's reality show that never aired, enjoy!
[americanautotroph.com]
It's the PG version of Rule 34.
Top Design was tragic. Utterly unwatchable. What meds was Todd Oldham on? Still not as bad as HGTV's Design Star.
Oh, too much gay in one post.
Wait: Shirley Jones is getting her own reality show?
Oh, the poor tragic kids on that Tyra magazine intern show. First off, you know someone untalented's gonna get stay on the show with Tyra saying, "You missed your deadline and your page was awful, but Girl!, you have savvyness!"
And also? The "best" page every week is going to be the Most Tyra page every week.
Does anyone have any contacts at Bravo? I'm trying to pitch a sister show to "Top Chef" called "America's Top Dishwasher".
Julia Child is showing more signs of life these days than Top Chef.
I would like to see a show called America's Next Top Customer, Client, Shopper and Patient. That way all professions and jobs could be featured at the same time.
@mathnet: I think you're right. Blakeley? Care to comment?
@Muzzy van Hossmere: That and Tyra will attempt to pschychoanalyse every girl to the point where they break down sobbing, and then she'll cut 'em.
I had an idea for a show called Grocery Shopping With The Stars, starring Patrick Swayze in a Safeway. Where can I pick up my check?
I'm still waiting for "America's Next Top Certified Public Accountant."
@PimpMyCouch: Any takers on my new show The Biggest User, where whichever washed-up celebrity takes the highest percentage of their body weight in drugs wins the title of "Biggest User of the Week"?
A reality show for academics would be awesome. Honestly, my department makes any reality show look civil.
I look forward to "America's Next Top Starchitect!"
Let's take this to its logical conclusion: "America's Next Top Reality Show Producer."
@flossy: Oroburos?
A show (albeit on the internet) about people typing. Worked for Doogie Howser!
I'm pretty sure Ghost Writer is the ultimate example, though.
@btrp: No, the wrote, didn't they? And then one of them ended up on The Real World.
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