Whaboom or bust for reality TV
The latest buzz surrounding the shows you’d never admit to watching
If you need proof that some reality TV shows may in fact be stretching reality (shocking, we know), look no further than Monday’s premiere episode of The Bachelorette. How else to explain why gorgeous, intelligent Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay decided not to eliminate “The Whaboom Guy”? Perhaps the most annoying contestant in the ABC matchmaking franchise’s history, The Whaboom Guy (30-year-old Lucas Yancey, of California) spent nearly all of his airtime emitting a “whaboom” roar so explosive it would draw a sideways glance from the Tasmanian Devil. Rachel’s forced laughter (at him, not with him) was an early indicator there’s no way she will end up with this guy. Besides, she doesn’t strike us as the type to suffer fools gladly. But fools are the stuff reality TV is made of, and the show — and Whaboom — must go on.
Winners, winners
May Sweeps is doing a fine job of cleaning up all of the reality remnants to make way for summer’s guiltier pleasures (Bachelor in Paradise? Don’t mind if I do.) That includes The Voice and Dancing with the Stars, which wrapped their respective 12th and 24th seasons this week. It was victory at last for Alicia Keys, whose singer Chris Blue won the grand prize, and — almost as important — came ahead of frequent winner Blake Shelton’s two performers (Lauren Duski and Aliyah Moulden). Meanwhile, yet another football player won that gawdawful mirror ball trophy on DWTS. With the help of pro partner Emma Slater, Rashad Andre Jennings became the fourth NFLer to land the winning title on DWTS. Touchdown dance? Check.
Calgarian (and Global) claim the final pot
Pro poker player Kevin Martin, of Calgary, won Season 5 of Big Brother Canada last week, taking home $100,000, a $30,000 gift certificate for The Brick and a 2017 Toyota 86. Victoria’s Karen Singbell was the runner-up, and third place went to Demetres Giannitoses of Edson, Alta. Perhaps the biggest winner of all? Global TV, which maintained a weekly average of one million viewers and a weekly spot in Canada’s TV Top 30 during the season’s entire twomonth run. Big Brother is watching — and so is Canada, apparently.
Tyra’s got trouble
America’s Got Talent won’t get going until May 30 (NBC/Citytv), but the drama — oh, it’s getting real. New judge Tyra Banks is being accused of traumatizing a contestant’s daughter, alleges a lawsuit filed against the competition series’ production company. Court files obtained by the New York Daily News show singersongwriter “Jane Doe” and her guitarist husband “John Doe” say Banks not only criticized their AGT audition — for which they performed a song about their daughter, Mary — but she also shook Mary’s shoulder, insinuated Mary was accidentally conceived and tried to “physically manipulate her.” Marathon Productions has promised not to feature Mary on the show, but it won’t promise to avoid running the couple’s performance. The punishment? A lawsuit claiming intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, civil battery and assault.