Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January > 04 > Entry
Ex-Ga. Playmate too ‘nice’ for Trump
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thank goodness former Atlanta Falcons cheerleader and Miss Georgia Tiffany Fallon was ousted on the first episode of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” on Thursday night. Donald Trump deemed the 2005 Playboy Playmate of the Year too nice for a competition featuring the claws of Omarosa and the bite of Carol Alt. Now Buzz no longer has to watch this pointless TV show that has thrown out any pretense of being a “business” competition, focusing almost exclusively on the “power” of celebrity.
But with the writers’ strike, there is plenty of other reality crud to sift through. There’s the return of “American Gladiators,” for instance. It debuts Sunday at 8 p.m. on NBC before settling into its regular time slot at 8 on Mondays. Atlanta wellness trainer Shanay Norvell, 31, will be battling with 11 other women to be the female gladiator, some much bigger than she is. But she makes it up with intensity and a fierce attitude. “I’d rather be strong than weak and silent,” she told Buzz.
Norvell, who designs fitness programs for adolescents at Grady High School and the Boys & Girls Club, is a true fan of the original “Gladiators”: “I loved the energy of the show. You get to be a warriorlike spirit come to life.” She said participating in the competition was tougher than she had expected. “I’ve done obstacle course and fitness competitions and triathlons. You can prepare for those. But you can’t prepare for this.” The toughest? Something called the “hand crank.” It’s a bike where you use your hands to pedal.
PHOTOS: “You’re fired,” celebrity style
TV NEWS TO HAVE SOME NEW FACES
Just days after WXIA-TV announced some anchor changes, WSB-TV is making a few of its own. Starting Monday, veteran anchor Pam Martin is relinquishing her early-morning duties in favor of reporting later in the day. She will still be co-anchoring the noon news with Fred Blankenship. Weekend anchor Carol Sbarge will take over Martin’s dawn duties as anchor.
The station has hired male anchor/reporter Justin Farmer, the son of former WSB-TV anchor Don Farmer, who retired in 1997. Justin, 38, currently works as a morning anchor at an ABC TV station, WFAA-TV in Dallas, and will be there until the summer when his three-year contract is up.
“This sounds like canned BS, but I really care about Atlanta,” said Justin, who grew up in the metro Atlanta area and spent part of his early career at CNN/Sports Illustrated. “I love the weather. I love the people. I’m a Southerner. I watched this city go from being a big town to an international city.” He was a poli-sci major at Boston College and is looking forward to covering Georgia politics.
HERE WE GO AGAIN: POLITICS, PAPARAZZI
Four days into 2008 — four little days! — was all it took to set the pattern for what may very well be the perpetual news cycle for the entire year. We had the results of the presidential race coming in from Iowa, and we had the police being called to Britney Spears’ house. We had the candidates moving on to New Hampshire, trailed by a massive scrum of media, and we had Spears being wheeled out on a gurney and taken to the hospital, trailed by a massive scrum of media.
At press time, Spears remained hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she is being looked after by several hundred paparrazi, who reportedly banged on the ambulance doors when it pulled up to the hospital as a welcoming gesture. She was taken there after what was called a custody dispute in her mansion with ex-husband Kevin Federline over their two children.
Oh 2008, will it be ever thus, through the primaries, and the child custody hearings, and the conventions, and the rehab, and the elections, and the comeback attempts? A year of presidential politics and breathless Britney bulletins?
HASSELBECK BACK TO ‘VIEW’ WITH SON
Elisabeth Hasselbeck will return to ABC’s “The View” on Monday, and she’ll bring along her infant son, Taylor Thomas. Hasselbeck, 30, has been on maternity leave from the talk show since Oct. 23. She gave birth to Taylor Thomas on Nov. 9. Her husband, Tim Hasselbeck, is a quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Saturday: Actor Robert Duvall is 77. Talk-show host Charlie Rose is 66. Actress Diane Keaton is 62. Actor Ted Lange (“The Love Boat”) is 60. Actor Clancy Brown (voice of Mr. Krabs on “SpongeBob SquarePants”) is 49. Singer Marilyn Manson is 39.
Sunday: Country singer Earl Scruggs is 84. Actress Bonnie Franklin is 64. Guitarist Malcolm Young of AC/DC is 55. Actor-comedian Rowan Atkinson (“Mr. Bean”) is 53. Singer Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge is 49. Director John Singleton is 40.
THIS DATE IN HISTORY
Sonny Bono, half of Sonny and Cher and a Republican congressman from California, was killed in a skiing accident 10 years ago today, giving rise to several unfortunate sick jokes involving trees. Bono was a star in the music business in the ’60s, writing and recording hits such as “I Got You Babe,” and in the TV business in the ’70s with his and Cher’s hit variety show. He was elected mayor of Palm Springs, Calif., in the ’80s and to Congress in the ’90s.
SICK BAY
Stephen Stills is recovering after surgery for prostate cancer. His wife, Kristen Stills, said in a statement the “procedure went remarkably well and he couldn’t be better.”
Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
Permalink | |
