Tag: mtv

Gary Shirley to try the Subway diet

Reality star Gary Shirley, of MTV’s Teen Mom series, has made a commitment to losing weight and getting fit, and he’s decided to go with the Subway diet to try to have a repeat of Jared’s success.  The 24-year old, who has a daughter with Teen Mom star Amber Portwood, has struggled with his weight all his life.

He and Amber have gotten back together, and Gary says that he wants to get fit for his family.  In addition to eating Subway sandwiches to keep his caloric intake at normal levels, Gary will be seeing a personal trainer several times a week.  He also says he’s cutting out junk food and fried foods in order to try to get his weight under control.

MTV says Skins controversy is good for the show

Skins has proven to be one of the most talked about television shows in recent years, due to the controversy surrounding claims of child pornography.  A total of nine advertisers, including major names like Taco Bell, L’Oreal, and Shick, have pulled their advertising dollars in an effort to save face after watchdog groups expressed concern over the explicit and perhaps illegal content of the show.

David Janollari, the chief of programming at MTV, says he’s not worried, and in fact the attention that Skins has received is likely to drive ratings up.  Despite Janollari’s confidence, ratings have actually dipped since the series premiere, and producers have been forced to tone down the content of future episodes to avoid violating any federal laws.

Skins still the center of controversy

After nearly all the major advertisers pulled their spots and their money from MTV’s Skins, people wondered whether the racy show for teens would collapse under the pressure.  The second episode aired on Monday, however, and there was no shortage of ads – mostly from movie companies wanting to show trailers for new films.

Children’s rights groups are still fighting against the show, claiming everything from immorality to child pornography, but the creator of the show claims that there’s a very strong moral message, and that Skins is just a straightforward attempt to tell the truth about what happens in the lives of teenagers in 2011.  So far, no new advertisers outside the film industry have stepped forward.

Jersey Shore going to Italy

Well, it looks like season four of Jersey Shore is no longer going to be about the Jersey Shore – it’s going to be about the old country.  The cast are headed to Italy, where they will film the entire season for export back to the United States.

There have been mixed reactions to the announcement.  Fans of the show are generally excited to see the crew heading abroad, but some Italian-American interest groups are concerned that the cast’s less-than-stellar behavior and questionable intelligence will cast a bad light not only on Italian Americans, but on America in general.  The decision has been called “denigrating” and some groups are boycotting the show as a result.

Skins too hot for advertisers

MTV may have a really big hit on their hands with their new sexy teen drama Skins, but advertisers are abandoning ship left and right as parents’ groups and other organizations lay on the pressure.  Skins was originally a hit in the UK, and although it has worked out well in Britain, American audiences may find it a little too racy for their tastes.

In fact, the show has been called “child pornography” by the Parents Television Council, who have filed a complaint with the Department of Justice.  In the wake of the controversy, Taco Bell, Wrigley, GM, and H&R Block have all pulled their advertising from the show.  As of yet, no charges have been filed against the series for sexual violations.

Lil Wayne in good spirits, joking about Madonna

Rapper Lil Wayne is finally set to be released from jail on the 4th of November, and he’s already starting to organize plans for the following weekend.  On Tuesday, MTV broadcast a phone call that they had with Wayne, in which they talked to him about a concert that’s being planned in his honor.  Wayne was asked which music act he’d like to see performing at that concert, and without missing a beat he replied, “Madonna,” and then laughed and said he was joking.  Wayne added that it’s the strength and dedication of his fans that has kept him going through his ordeal, and that he’s been enjoying reading his fan mail and looking forward to seeing his friends.

Justin Bieber may be crossing over into television

No, it’s not going to be a remake of The Brady Bunch, though that would be hilarious – word has it that Justin Bieber is going to be offered a deal to be the host of the new version of Punk’d on MTV. Ashton Kutcher, the host of the original show, has moved onward and upward into executive producer status, and MTV is looking for a young, fresh face to move in and take over the hosting gig.  Bieber is no stranger to pranks, and in fact he recently got into some trouble for a water balloon incident at one of his concerts, so I think he’s a pretty good choice if they’re looking for someone who has that kind of sense of humour.  He seems to enjoy playing good-natured tricks on people, and of course that’s what made Punk’d so popular in the first place.