Oprah’s Big Give Not Coming Back, But Fox Feels Giving…

May 15, 2008 07:40:31 by Jennifer_Brown

So all you people out there trying to figure out a way to get on Oprah’s Big Give and score a million bucks for yourself, you can stop now.

Although ABC loved the show and president Steve McPherson “would have loved to bring it back,” Oprah’s said no go to a second season of her philanthropy show. The Big Give, for those who weren’t watching, revolved around a group of ordinary everyday people who would be willing to take on challenges that would have them “giving big” to needy people and organizations–sort of like Amazing Race meets Santa Claus. What the show failed to mention to the players up front was that the winner would take home a million bucks, half for himself and half to give away (the winner, by the way, was Stephen Paletta).

Though in a February teleconference, Big Give producer Ellen Rakieten suggested that there could be more Big Gives coming down the pike, saying, “We’re very creative here. If we decide to do it again, we’ve got some tricks up our sleeves,” for now, at least, you won’t be seeing Oprah’s Big Give on the ABC Fall lineup.

But if you like the philanthropy-reality TV twist, Fox has a “giving” show up its sleeve. Called Secret Millionaire, the Fox show will send some of the wealthiest people in America to live alongside some of the poorest, under the guise of filming a documentary.

The wealthy will live and work like “the other half” live and work. At the end of the show, the Secret Millionaire will give a $100,000 cash prize to the individual (or group) who most inspired them.

No official premiere date and time have been announced for Secret Millionaire, but expect a Fall run of the show on Fox. Stay tuned to Reality TV Magazine for more information as it is released.

Photo Courtesy: Chris Chavira/ABC

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Oprah’s Big Give Winner Is Stephen Paletta

April 20, 2008 06:21:51 by Joe Reality

On the Oprah’s Big Give finale, the final three faced the challenge of creating a “Big Give” in Chicago starting with no money at all. Stephen Paletta, Cameron Johnson, and Brandi Milloy worked as a team, but they were judged as individuals.

Stephen Paletta connected with a friend at the Chicago Hope Academy. Cameron Johnson contacted the Blue Man Group, who volunteered to give a private performance for the students of the Chicago Hope Academy. The Blue Man Group also donated $100,000 to the school. In addition, Stephen Paletta raised another $60,000 in donations for the school. In a second “Big Give,” Brandy Milloy convinced an executive chef to give a private cooking lesson to the kids at Shriners Hospital for Children.

The seven previously eliminated contestants returned, and Jennifer Aniston showed up to reveal to them that they would each receive thirty thousand dollars in appreciation for all the good work they had done. The final three appeared in front of the judges, who said it was going to be a hard decision.

As Stephen Paletta, Cameron Johnson, and Brandi Milloy waited on stage, Oprah Winfrey revealed that the winner would receive one million dollars, half for themselves and half to give back big. Oprah also revealed that the two runner-ups would receive $100,000 each for themselves. Each of the final three received an envelope. When the envelopes were opened, Stephen Paletta was revealed as the winner of the Oprah’s Big Give.

Stephen Paletta said, “I’m in shock. It was such an incredible honor and privilege to be part of this show and to be chosen as the biggest giver with all these wonderful people.”

Reality TV Magazine is your source for Oprah’s Big Give news. For other great Oprah’s Big Give news, please feel free to check out SirLinksALot: Oprah’s Big Give.

Photo Credit: Reality TV Magazine

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Oprah’s Big Give Finale Features Jennifer Aniston

April 19, 2008 01:10:10 by Joe Reality

The stars are coming out on Oprah’s Big Give. Last week, movie star John Travolta took the final three for a ride on his private jet. This week, movie and TV star Jennifer Aniston pays a visit to the Big Give.

On the season finale of Oprah’s Big Give, Oprah challenges the final contestants to create “Big Gives” with no money at all and with very little time. Also, Jennifer Aniston shows up to deliver some big news to the contestants.

Not only will the winner of Oprah’s Big Give be crowned, but a last unexpected twist will be revealed. Oprah’s Big Give is judged by Jamie Oliver, Tony Gonzalez and Malaak Compton-Rock. The show is hosted by Nate Berkus.

Oprah’s Big Give season finale airs on Sunday, April 20 from 8 PM to 9 PM ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: ABC/Adam Larkey

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John Travolta To Appear On Oprah’s Big Give

April 12, 2008 09:25:34 by Joe Reality

Oprah Winfrey promised that there would be celebrity guest stars on her reality show Oprah’s Big Give, and she wasn’t kidding. Movie star John Travolta will make a surprise guest appearance on Sunday’s episode of Oprah’s Big Give.

With only three contestants left, Oprah sends everyone home for a special family reunion. The contestants only have four days and $10,000 in cash to prove that they can give big.

When the three remaining contestants go to the airport, they find out that they will be flown to Big Give headquarters in Chicago on a private jet. However, the even bigger surprise turns out to be that the pilot of that jet is none other than movie star John Travolta.

Oprah’s Big Give will be airing at the new time of 8 PM to 9 PM ET on Sunday, April 13 on ABC.

Photo Credit: ABC/Adam Larkey

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Was Oprah’s Big Give a Big Steal?

March 24, 2008 11:19:43 by Jennifer_Brown

Oprah Winfrey’s foray into reality TV has been all about spreading a giving attitude (and loads of cash) across America, as contestants compete over who can most creatively give away the most money. But according to one Boston-area mother of four, Oprah’s Big Give was a Big Steal…from her.

Darlene Tracy claims that she had the original concept for the show, and is taking the battle to court to get her due.

According to Tracy, she pitched the idea for a philanthropy-based reality TV show to Ellen Rakieten and Jennifer Thornton, Oprah’s executive producer and producer, in 2005. The producers responded by asking for more information, but after Tracy gave them more details, they rejected the show concept.

Yet in 2006, plans for Oprah’s Big Give were announced, and Tracy claims the concept for the show is just too similar to the concept she sent them just a year before.

Tracy filed suit in the Boston US District court, with the intent of keeping the Big Give from airing. The action was dismissed, but Tracy’s back now with a legal team, documentation of her correspondence with the show’s producers, and an appeal.

Correspondents for the show have stated that they’re unconcerned that the suit will go very far and are confident that the judge will find Tracy’s claims to be “without merit.”

Oprah’s Big Give airs Sundays at 9:00 PM (ET) on ABC.

Photo Courtesy: Mitch Haddad/ABC

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RTV Predicts…What We Think Will Happen This Week!

March 24, 2008 08:47:18 by Jennifer_Brown

You know the drill by now: You watch the shows, you pick your favorites, you talk about them, and you make your predictions about what will happen next.

At Reality TV Magazine we’re doing the same thing — watching the shows, chatting about our faves (and our least-faves), and guessing about what’s next. With American Idol whittling down this season’s cream of the crop and Celebrity Apprentice at finale point this week, we’ve got plenty to talk about. And plenty of predictions to make. Here’s what we think might happen on reality TV this week:

Joe, on American Idol:

1. Kristy Lee Cook will have a much better performance this week, but she will still be the next finalist to go home.  The finalist who people have been expecting to go home every week, always only gets eliminated after they improve.

2. Ryan Seacrest will officially announce a wildcard competition as part of Idol Gives Back.

3. There will be controversy over if some of the songs that the finalists pick for the “Songs From The Year They Were Born” theme were actually released in the year that the finalists were born.

4. Someone named David will have the best performance of the top ten performance show.

Jen, on The Biggest Loser:

One of the women makes a Biggest Loser record this week. Given that the choices are only Ali and Kelly, I’ve gotta go with Ali on this one. Despite the fact that the boys own the majority of the show, I think Mark or Jay will go home this week. Dan will do that smug smirk thing and comment on how superior he is. One of the guys will bawl like a baby at least once this episode.

Jen, on Dancing with the Stars:

Has Penn Jillette made himself disappear with his clumsy dance moves? Probably not. This week the women will totally outshine the men, but Monica Seles and Adam Carolla will go home.

Jen, on The Bachelor:

Shayne will mention the fact that she’s an actress and her father is Lorenzo Lamas at least once. Someone will get tipsy and cuss someone else out. We’ll get our first glance of Matt Grant with no shirt on (purrr…). Someone will cry when voted off, claiming they’re already in love.

Jen, on Celebrity Apprentice:

While I LOVE Piers and would so enjoy seeing him win, I LOVE Trace even more and would love to see him hear, “You’re hired.” He’s played a clean, smart game and he’s just so dad-gum loveable. But…I expect The Donald to choose Piers, whose cutthroat tactics he surely admires.

Jen, on Oprah’s Big Give:

LOVE this show! This week expect to see the givers tested even harder. Who will rise to the challenge? Brandi, most definitely, will get creative once again, as will Rachael. But the guys will struggle — especially Cameron, who seems to have a tough time thinking outside the box. I would expect to see Cameron or Stephen go home this week. 

Can’t watch the shows? Catch the recaps right here on Reality TV Magazine!

Photo Courtesy: NBC

Topics: American Idol, Celebrity Apprentice, Dancing with the Stars, Oprah's Big Give, The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser | No Comments »

Oprah’s Big Give Tackles Texas…

March 14, 2008 07:09:02 by Jennifer_Brown

They say everything’s big in Texas. So where better to bring the Big Give?

This week on Oprah’s Big Give, the contestants fly to Houston, where they’re to make the dreams of more than 1,000 children come true. But the pressure’s starting to be felt by the contestants and a disagreement among them threatens to derail their Big Plans.

It’s a star-studded episode, as tennis superstar Andre Agassi and mega-star skateboarder Tony Hawk make surprise appearances.

With only four days, a limited cash supply, and tons of pressure, will the contestants be able to take the heat? Make no mistake about it: Someone will give big…and someone will go home.

Oprah’s Big Give is hosted by Nate Berkus and includes celebrity guest judges, chef Jamie Oliver, NFL star Tony Gonzalez, and Malaak Compton-Rock.

Catch this episode of Oprah’s Big Give on Sunday, March 16th at 9:00 PM (ET) on ABC.

Photo Courtesy: Adam Larkey/ABC

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Oprah Challenges Contestants To Give Big In Only 48 Hours

March 9, 2008 01:10:32 by Joe Reality

The premiere episode of Oprah’s Big Give was a huge ratings smash for ABC.  In the second episode of Oprah’s Big Give, the remaining nine contestants will be dropped in the middle of a major U.S. city. 

The contestants will not know anyone in this city, but they will be challenged to give big in only a 48 hour time frame.  The contestants will have to give away bundles of cash in the most creative ways.

According to ABC, there will be a surprise twist on Oprah’s Big Give this week.  Also, at least one contestant will be eliminated from the competition.  Judges for Oprah’s Big Give are Jamie Oliver, Tony Gonzalez and Malaak Compton-Rock, and the host is Nate Berkus.  Oprah’s Big Give airs on Sunday, March 9 from 9 PM to 10 PM ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: ABC/Chris Chavira

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RTV Predicts…The Reality Week Ahead

March 3, 2008 09:08:59 by Jennifer_Brown

With the biggest reality TV shows of the year currently running, the world is abuzz with chat about their favorite shows. Who will get eliminated this week? Who will say the wrong thing? Whose hair will be the topic of conversation? Whose clothes? Whose views? Whose antics?

We at Reality TV Magazine are talking, too. We’ve asked our writers to predict the week ahead. Here are our best guesses at what we can expect to see on our favorite shows this week:

Joe, on American Idol:

1.  David Archuleta has zero percent chance of getting eliminated this week and will make the top twelve of American Idol.

2.  Because of Alaina Whitaker’s breakdown last week, Ryan Seacrest will lay off the tricks and be more sympathetic in his eliminations this week.

3.  Regardless of who is eliminated, Paula Abdul will act shocked and surprised, because it is her firm belief that all twenty four semifinalists should make the top twelve.

4.  Regardless of who is eliminated, Simon Cowell will act as if the results are just as expected, because it is his firm belief that none of the top twenty four semifinalists should make the top twelve.

Jen, on American Idol:

…Have I mentioned how much I love David Archuleta? Don’t worry, David! I’ve got unlimited texting — you’re in, buddy!

Jen, on