No doubt about it – New Jersey is hot right now. And I don’t mean temperature wise. I think they still have a few months until the heat and humidity strike.
No, I’m talking ‘hot’ as in… everyone’s talking about its residents right now. It started with “The Sopranos” and then before we could barely “fuggedaboutit,” along came the “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” followed shortly by MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” which became an overnight phenomenon in December 2009 after its launch. Now the “Real Housewives” are returning to TV, but how do they feel about being surpassed by a group of overly tanned, hair sprayed twenty-something’s? Teresa Guidice and Dina Manzo shared their thoughts on the show this morning with reporters. Plus, what has Vanilla Ice returning to reality TV?
‘Jersey’ Girls
I’m guessing nothing this season can top the infamous table flip by an angry Teresa, after crazy Danielle set her off in season one of “Real Housewives of New Jersey.” Although we tried to get some info about the drama to come this season, Teresa and Dina were not giving it up. I got tired of counting how many times one or the other said, “You’ll have to watch and see.” So instead, someone decided to create their own drama by getting the ladies take on their “Jersey Shore” counterparts Snooki, The Situation and J-WOWW (amongst others) who have easily surpassed them in Jersey reality show popularity.
“I’m not too big of a fan of everything they are doing,” Teresa revealed. “I want to teach my daughters especially, I have four of them, to have good morals and to respect themselves.”
Although Teresa does admit that the behavior displayed on the show is a reality, she cannot relate to what she sees on the show. “I mean, I had a shore house and I never made out with another girl in the hot tub. You should respect yourself and respect your body. “
“I have met a couple of them. They are very nice people but I just think that young America needs to be a little but more responsible, and us as well, with what’s been on television,” Dina added. “We shouldn’t be telling our kids, ‘Listen if you get drunk and go in a hot tub and make out you’ll get your own TV show.’ That’s my feeling towards it.”
So what’s the one thing that doesn’t bother these Jersey girls? – the tanning or the big hair displayed by the cast.
“I had the big hair! I’m proud of the big hair! I feel like it’s sexy,” Teresa admitted.
The second season of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” kicks off Monday, May 3 on Bravo at 10 PM.
‘Curb’ Appeal
Though I thought it ended on a incredible high note last season with the whole “Seinfeld” reunion storyline, Larry David has decided “Curb Your Enthusiasm” has not taken it’s last breath. The show will return for an eighth season next year. Production will begin this summer in both LA and NY. As long as they don’t decide to reunite the casts of “Veronica’s Closet” or “Suddenly Susan,” I might watch it. Having said that…(“Curb” fans will get this joke) I really loved the way Larry and wife Cheryl’s reconciliation ended. So, hopefully they won’t screw that up!
Ice Ice Baby
I don’t think anyone was surprised when ‘90s rapper Vanilla Ice popped up on VH-1’s “The Surreal Life.” He had ‘celeb train wreck reality show contestant’ written all over him. In fact, I was surprised he never got his own ‘cameras-following-my-formerly-troubled- life’ spin off like Danny Bonaduce. Now, Ice is returning to reality TV but in a very different format – home improvement. The DIY network today announced the “Vanilla Ice Project” where Vanilla (real name Robert Matthew Van Winkle) will team with a crew of contractors to renovate a different room of a 7,000-square-foot Palm Beach mansion. Apparently, Vanilla doesn’t just rap. He also knows how to swing a hammer! The press release claims he has over 15 years of home improvement experience. Huh? I’m as baffled as you are.
‘Retired At 35’
No. This is not a story about my dreams of quitting the TV business and moving to a private island. It’s a new sitcom from TV Land. Last week, I told you about Betty White’s new show “Hot In Cleveland,” premiering this June. Check out my interview with Betty and co-star Valerie Bertinelli about the show HERE. It appears TV Land is realizing that the traditional multi-camera, studio audience sitcom is coming back in a big way. They just announced their second venture into original comedy programming with the show “Retired At 35.” The series stars George Segal (“Just Shoot Me”) as the father of a successful young businessman who decides to leave the rat race of New York City behind and move into his parents’ retirement home in Florida. Cue the jokes about Canasta and Bridge.
I’ll be exclusively backstage with the seven remaining “American Idol” contestants tonight. Check back tomorrow for all of the dish on that.
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