Bravo to Bring Us ‘Battle of the Network Reality Stars’

As proof that everything old truly is new again when it comes to reality TV (in case that wasn’t already proven to you over the past few years by the return of Star Search and the conversion of Fame and Gilligan’s Island to reality shows), Bravo has announced that it will be airing Battle of the Network Reality Stars, a six-episode series beginning Wednesday, August 17.

Readers who are old enough may remember the old Battle of the Network Stars shows that used to air in the ‘70s. These would pit actors against one another in various competitions. Now we will get to see the same type of thing updated to focus on reality TV participants.

Thirty-two ex-reality show participants from 16 shows will compete against each other in athletic challenges at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. They include:

• Chip & Kim and Charla & Mirna from The Amazing Race
• Nikki McKibbin and Ryan Starr from American Idol (and, of course, Ryan was on Surreal Life as well)
• Heidi Bressler and Bradford Cohen from The Apprentice
• Will (the Evil Doctor) Kirby and Mike “Boogie” Malin from Big Brother
• Coral Smith and Mike “The Miz” Mizanin from The Real World
• Rich Hatch and Sue Hawk from Survivor (I just hope Rich keeps his clothes on and doesn’t bump into Sue!)
• Brittany Brower from Americas Next Top Model
• Adam Mesh from Average Joe
• Tina "Fabulous" Panas from The Bachelor
• Evan Marriott from Joe Millionaire
• Matt Kennedy Gould from The Joe Schmo Show
• Wendy Pepper from Project Runway
• Theo Gantt from Road Rules
• Rachel Love Frasier from The Swan
• Valerie Penso from Temptation Island
• Duncan Nutter from Showbiz Moms & Dads

Not only will reality TV stars be in the battle, but they will also report on the battle. While the play-by-play host will be Mike Adamle, former host of NBC Sports and American Gladiators, The Bachelor’s Bob Guiney, Real World and Surreal Life’s Trishelle Cannatella, and Apprentice and soon to be Surreal Life’s Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth will be featured as sideline reporters. Personally, I was just hoping Omarosa would be left on the sideline, period.

As a partial nod to the original Battles, and because these folks aren’t doing anything else anyway, some of the referees will include M*A*S*H’s Loretta Swit, The Incredible Hulk’s Lou Ferrigno, and Good Times’ Jimmie Walker.

Among the difficult competitions Bravo promises are a joust, a kayak race, and of course the tug-of-war. But Bravo has also updated the original Battle format, with the twists we expect from reality TV and even opportunities to create alliances and vote people off. Sounds more like the Real World/Road Rules Challenge, but at least it won’t just be the folks we’ve gotten used to seeing on those!

I have to say that as corny as the concept sounds, it should be fun to watch. You can, of course, expect RealityNewsOnline to bring you full coverage!

David Bloomberg is the Editor of RealityNewsOnline and can be reached at RNO@pobox.com.

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