We’re halfway through August, so it’s time to share reality TV news I’ve been gathering (and sometimes sharing in my newsletter).

I will update this story throughout the rest of the month with reality show news highlights., so check back frequently!

The links below highlight what’s happening in the world of reality TV, and give special attention to must-read pieces that I loved—along with plenty of sarcasm, skepticism, and/or snark when appropriate.

This isn’t every story, and certainly not all the celebrity gossip, but highlights what I find to be the most notable, important, and interesting, which is what I’ve done throughout reality blurred‘s 22-year life. (Read more about this feature.)

As always, I welcome links or suggestions; just send me an e-mail message!

August must-reads

Meha Razdan on Indian Matchmaking evolution into “a generic tale of how people date”:

A true-crime series about the murder of a 12-year-old girl, Shadow of Truth, led to a new trial—and claims that shows like it are an “imminent danger to democracy”:

August 2022 reality TV news

Warner Bros. Discovery is purging HBO Max’s reality TV team, among others, to help the newly merged company save money, because money matters more than people. Variety says “Existing shows like FBoy Island will continue to run” but otherwise HBO Max won’t be making new reality TV. Deadline’s story has this amazing anecdote: “HBO Max was known to pay between $1.5 million-$2 million per episode of some of its unscripted shows, well above Discovery’s usual tariffs, which generally go as high as around $500,000 per hour.” [Variety, 11.15.22]

Messyness co-host and comedian Teddy Ray died Friday, having apparently drowned. [Hollywood Reporter, 11.13.22]

MTV is combining Teen Mom OG and Teen Mom 2 into a new show, Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, which I assume is to make room for thousands of new cast members produced by the Supreme Court. (Find or donate to local abortion organizations.) The new show will star Amber, Ashley, Briana, Catelynn, Cheyenne, Jade, Leah, and Maci. [MTV, 8.12.22]

Survivor casting director Jesse Tannenbaum posted on Instagram, asking applicants to “please stop submitting a TikTok vide of you dancing” as an audition and added, “make an effort please.” [8.11.22]

The Television Academy is moving game shows to the prime-time Emmys and adding an award for Outstanding Host for a Game Show. Game shows are defined as “programs with game elements that primarily take place in-studio and involve mental challenges” with one-off episodes. As part of the change, so there’s no confusion, it’s renaming the “Outstanding Competition Program” Emmy to “Outstanding Reality Competition Program” [Television Academy, 8.10.22]

TCA lifetime achievement award winner Steve Martin will be the subject of a Morgan Nevile-directed documentary for Apple TV+. [RealScreen, 8.10.22]

Two women said The Bachelorette’s Nate Mitchell cheated on them by dating them at the same time; Nate’s response was “Two sides to every story.” [Us Weekly, 8.9.22]

American Idol runner-up and noted Republican donor Katharine McPhee, ranted on Instagram about crime in Beverly Hills, saying, “I blame every single one of you woke voters.” [Fox News, 8.5.22]

While “walking into scene at a freaking strip club of all places,” Siesta Key cast member Kelsey Owens said she was “cut moving forward on Siesta Key with absolutely no warning.” [Instagram, 8.5.22]

Joel Madden is replacing Dave Navarro as host of Ink Master when it returns later this month, though Navarro will have the new role of “Master of Chaos.” [Paramount+, 8.5.22]

Fixer Upper: The Castle and other Magnolia Network shows will be on HBO Max, while a bunch of CNN unscripted shows—Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell, and This is Life with Lisa Ling—will be on Discovery+. [Warner Bros. Discovery, 8.4.22]

Warner Bros. Discovery’s networks (HGTV, Food, Discovery, TLC, TBS, TNT, CNN, TVN, and Eurosport) made $5.742 billion last quarter. [Warner Bros. Discovery, 8.4.22]

Shea Couleé will be a cast member in the Disney+ series Ironheart. [Variety, 8.3.22]

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Taylor Armstrong is joining The Real Housewives of Orange County, which makes her “the first Housewife ever to make the jump across franchises since it premiered back in 2006,” People reported. [People, 8.1.22]

The Weakest Link was renewed for a 20-episode third season, with Jane Lynch hosting. [NBC, 8.1.22]

Pluto TV’s Jeopardy! channel is live, and will cycle through “250 episodes from the past 33 seasons, while its new Wheel of Fortune channel has “over 250 episodes from the past five years.” [PlutoTV, Aug. 1]

Highly respected unscripted executive Corie Henson, who ran reality TV at TNT, TBS, and truTV before the WarnerMedia/Discovery merger, has been hired as NBCUniversal’s “Executive Vice President, Entertainment Unscripted Content, overseeing reality competition, talent competition and game show formats.” [NBC, 7.29.22]