ABC has now found the perfect way to
build a bigger reality show. Just borrow the parts from everyone
else's shows; then sprinkle them around and add music.
That started last season, when "Dancing With the Stars"
had Kate Gosselin (from TLC's “Kate Plus 8”) and Jake Pavelka
(from ABC's own “The Bachelor”). Ratings soared, so the new edition, just announced, has:
– David Hasselhoff, formerly of NBC's
“America's Got Talent.
– The Situation (that's a name, sort
of) from MTV's “Jersey Shore.”
– Audrina Partridge, from MTV's “The
Hills.”
– Bristol Palin, from the reality
show called politics.
The others are OK, following the usual
formula. There's the obligatory old person (Florence Henderson, 76),
a couple of good singers (Brandy and Michael Bolton), two prime
ex-athletes (Rick Fox and Kurt Warner), a moderately funny comedian
(Margaret Cho) and a Disney kid (Kyle Massey).
There's also one terribly clever twist:
Jennifer Grey – who was so good in “Dirty Dancing,” as a novice
learning to dance – now gets to do the same thing in real life.
All of that is fine, but the big draw
will be lumping those first four. It's all part of the modern TV
hierarchy: When you're watching one reality show, you're sort of
seeing people audition for other reality shows.