Reality overload?
Everyone is scrambling for new ideas to fill the primetime real estate, and the networks have clearly gone reality crazy. Now, for a girl like me, that’s filled with all kinds of awesome, but even I can’t watch it all! Nor do I want too. But now… maybe they’ve gone too far?
They already brought back American Gladiators, a blast from my past, and now NBC and ABC are at it again. This time? It’s Circus of the stars. I know, right? ABC is in serious negotiations to bring back the campy Circus of the Stars, and not to be out done, NBC has already green lit six episodes of “Celebrity Circus” to air this summer. It’s a good day to be a D-Lister, huh?
“Circus” will be a competition-based skein in which celebs will vie to be crowned the best of the big top. Endemol topper David Goldberg — whose NBC gameshow “Deal or No Deal” has been doing boffo ratings in recent weeks — said the celebs would train and perform in a real circus.
“It won’t be shot against a fabricated backdrop,” he said. “It will take you into the craziness of the real thing.”
He said celebs will be judged by their new circus peers — meaning the panel of judges could included the bearded lady or a clown.
Revival of “Circus of the Stars,” packaged by CAA, is also expected to be a competition, with the same sort of can-they-do-it? drama as ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.” Both the NBC skein and ABC’s possible show will feature more modern Cirque du Soleil-style stunts.
Plestis agreed that his “Circus” also shared some DNA with “Dancing” –but it will be on a grander scale.
“It’s bigger, bolder and more death-defying,” he said. “You can break a nail doing that show. You can break a leg on ours.”
So tell me – would you watch either one? Do you even remember Circus of the stars? If so, here’s a reminder:
Is this strike and what they’re fighting for going to be forgotten in the face of Reality Overload in the long run?
Who knows – just give me my Big Brother and Survivor and I’ll be a happy happy girl!