2003 RealityNewsOnline/Reality TV Hall of Shame Year in Review Awards: "Best Of" Segment

Funniest Moment on a Reality Show

This category recognizes those moments that made us laugh and could rightfully be called the funniest on the air this past year. The nominees are:

• Corbin Bernsen’s Lapse into Insanity, Celebrity Mole
• Heidi Proclaims Herself a Master Strategist, Survivor: The Amazon
• Jessica Simpson’s Tuna Fish/Chicken of the Sea Confusion, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica
• The Mime Torments Alison, Big Brother 4
• Sarah Subtitled in the Forest, Joe Millionaire
• The Zora/Disney Montage, Joe Millionaire

In an extremely tight race, the winner is… The Mime Tormenting Alison on Big Brother 4. Three other nominees came within one vote of the Mime: Heidi, Zora, and Jessica. But the Mime wins. Sting7 presents the award:

Sting7: The origins of comedy have always been dark. And there is something kind of creepy and suspicious about Mimes anyway. Take that, and plop a Mime in the midst of the Big Brother backyard and watch the madness ensue. Much like it's unheard of for a Survivor player to be let back in the game, it's verboten for another sentient being to be in the house with the BB houseguests! (Yeah, there was that year when the Survivor people dropped in, but that's besides the point.) So, when the last three – Robert, Jun, and Alison – found that huge box in the backyard and out popped the Mime, it was quite a moment. It didn't take long before the Mime crossed from amusing to annoying. And what better victim of pranks and shenanigans than Alison, whose period of amusement with the Mime could have been noted in seconds. The Mime intuited this and, as Mimes do, made her the focal point of his... mimery. You almost felt sorry for Alison. No you don't, she's a piranha! So, as he's chasing her around the house, planting coffee cups in her bed, she's screaming and swearing, threatening to deck him, not only is it funny, it felt a bit like justice, like Alison reaped what she'd sown for a few hours.

Most Courageous/Inspiring Moment on a Reality Show

Sometimes on reality TV, we actually see people acting in ways that inspire us. OK, so it doesn’t necessarily happen all that often, but all of the following nominees were courageous and/or inspiring in their own ways:

• Alana Hamilton Confronting the Angry Possum, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!
• Andrew Savage Leading the Morgan Tribe by Example in the Sandbag Challenge, Survivor: Pearl Islands
• Buddy Jewell Finally Getting the Big Record Contract at 42, Nashville Star
• Diana Karazon Singing for Her Culture Instead of the Title, World Idol
• Harlemm Lee Competing with Kids Half His Age, Fame
• Sarah Greyson Surviving Five Gauntlets (in 2003) for a Team That Didn’t Want Her, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet

In another close battle, the winner is… Sarah Greyson! Andrew was a close second, but like so many others, he fell to Sarah. Gauntlet recapper Jason Borelli presents the award:

Jason: For those of you who might not be familiar with Sarah, she won for her performance on The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet. The Gauntlet was a one-on-one event, where players fought for their own survival. For Sarah Greyson, outcast of 2002's Road Rules: Campus Crawl, it was a nightmare. While neither team sent any other player in more than twice, Road Rules shoved her in five times, in the hopes of getting rid of their perceived weakest link. The Gauntlet gave Sarah something she never had before... a fighting chance to stay in the game. She soundly defeated David Broom and Matt Smith, became the first person in history to get rid of Trishelle Canatella, outlasted best friend Rachel Braband, and guaranteed her team a majority in the final mission by beating Irulan Wilson. While her mission performances weren't quite up to snuff, Sarah's determination to stay on and tick off those who thought so little of her has earned her the Most Courageous/Inspiring Moment on a Reality Show.

Best Villain on a Reality Show

At first glance, it might seem like the "Best Villain" category should be placed in the Reality TV Hall of Shame portion of this article. But this category does not necessarily recognize those who are shameful, but those who played the role of villain – and let’s face it, every reality show needs at least one. The nominees are:

• Chris, Mr. Personality
• Jon Dalton, Survivor: Pearl Islands
• Rob Cesternino, Survivor: The Amazon
• Roger, Survivor: The Amazon
• Russ, The Bachelorette
• Zach Cohen, Average Joe

The winner, by a wide margin, should not surprise us. It is… Jon, from Survivor: Pearl Islands! Donna Reynolds is here to present this award:

Donna: What can we say about Jon Dalton that hasn’t already been said? That he’s obnoxious, annoying, deceitful, immature, unscrupulous, and untrustworthy? Alas, there are just so many ways that a writer can describe this individual and words really can’t convey the extent of Jon’s treachery. His dead grandmother story will go down in reality show history as one of the coldest ploys ever employed. And he got away with it! Jon’s real success was that he generated almost universal disapproval from viewers. Does he deserve this award? You betcha! There is no one more worthy!