Reality TV

Following rumors that she and frenemy Kim Zolciak might be fired from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, NeNe Leakes is finally addressing the chatter.

She told Sister2Sister Magazine that she hasn't heard anything negative about her status on the Bravo series and:

"This is all I can tell you. Every housewife has been invited back."

Reports have indicated that Leakes and Zolciak were demanding larger paychecks, along with many other "diva-esque requests." This is truly shocking for any regular viewer of the show... NOT!

Added NeNe:

"They try to lock you in for a number of years. We all signed up for a third season when we signed on from day one. If anybody has been fired, nobody knows anything about it. We know nothing about it. I don't know where the rumor came from."

Leakes also denied that Tameka Raymond, Usher's ex-wife, would be cast on the show.

Are you glad NeNe will be sticking around?

Note to fans of the Twilight Saga: Robert Pattinson doesn't actually live in Forks, Washington. Neither does Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner or any member of the cast.

Still, the geniuses behind reality TV have decided to set a new show in the town simply because events from the Twilight saga unfold there.

Said producer Zig Gauthier about casting for the untitled project:

“We’re not going up there looking to cast people who have claims to the supernatural. We want people who have a true connection to the community. We want to avoid people with outlandish claims.”

Okay. So then what's the goal of this seemingly inane idea?

"To peel back another layer of the onion that is Forks and see what the real people there are like," Gauthier said.

Therefore, to sum up: Plans are underway for a reality show about random people that live in a town only known nationally because a fictional book series is based there.

Will you watch this nonsense?

Overcoming an injury early in the evening, Russell Ferguson limped to victory on last night's So You Think You Can Dance finale.

Due to a knee he told the audience was "messed up," the 20-year old Boston native was unable to perform his second routine on the show, as Ferguson was in clear pain when host Cat Deeley called out the top six finalists to reveal the first elimination.

Still, when the final votes were tallied, this mover and shaker came out on top. He earned $250,000 for his efforts.

"I just want to thank everybody so much," said Russell after he beat out runner-up Jakob Karr. "This means everything to me. I've been dreaming of this since I was born. I came out and was, like, 'Aaah!'"

He can now scream Aaah! all the way to the bank.

The broadcast featured singing as well as dancing. Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Leona Lewis and Adam Lambert all performed on the show. The latter even avoided kissing any men during his rendition of "Whataya Want From Me."

Hurry up and peep it below before YouTube yanks the video.

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The rumor appears to be true: Kim Zolciak and NeNe Leakes may be fired from The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

But Tameka Raymond has spoken out and clarified her role in this controversial story: she won't be taking part in the hit Bravo series.

"While I am flattered at the rumor circulating about being considered to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, I am absolutely not joining the cast," Usher's ex told E! News. "I was initially approached by the producers for last season and declined. At this point, my priorities are focusing on being a mom and my philanthropy, Lost Ones Foundation."

Raymond and Usher ended their marriage this summer, but not without a few blow-ups first. In October, the singer claimed Tameka keyed his car.

In other words: she seems perfect for reality TV!

Still, Raymond's rep backs up his client and says she and Usher are getting along okay these days.

"She hasn't talked to anyone from [Housewives] since 2008, and she would never consider doing it. Her life is very private," he said. "She's coparenting with Usher, and they are enjoying parenting together right now."

Holy weight loss!

On last night's The Biggest Loser finale, Danny Cahill didn't just take home the title - he set a series record for most pounds ever shed on the show!

The Oklahoma native, a father of two, dropped 239 pounds over the last few months, falling from 430 to 191 pounds and being named the reality program's champion over Rudy Pauls.

After earning the prize of $250,000, Cahill turned emotional on the finale. He said:

“Somebody in the audience was holding up a picture of my grandmother, who I was so close to, who died about 10 years ago and every time I would go on a run, I would say, ‘This is for you, Ada,’ and I know she is up there watching me.”

Danny also credited his wife of 14 years, Darci, with helping him achieve his goals.

"My wife works out with me, and if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have won Biggest Loser," he told Us Weekly. "My wife and I have been through a lot: 430 pounds that she didn't sign up for! She met me at 175 pounds."

239 pounds (or like four Nicole Richies) later, Danny Cahill is on top of the reaity TV world. Congrats!

Say this about VH1 programming: it isn't trying to fool anyone.

As much as we adore Chris Harris and can't wait to see Jake Pavelka as The Bachelor (debuting January 4 on ABC!), most reality TV fare of this nature is grating and insulting in its supposed portrayal of love.

There is a reason, after all, why the aforementioned program is zero for 13 in its attempts to actually mate a couple for life.

That's why we find VH1's reality shows so comforting: they are complete and utter nonsense; they know it; and they embrace it.

Two upcoming series, announced this week by the network, are perfect examples:

1. Basketball Wives will follow the lives of current and former squeezes of such professional players as Shaquille O’Neal (pictured), Eric Williams, Antoine Walker, Jermaine O’Neal and Udonis Haslem. Shockingly, Dwight Howard's baby mama, Royce Lyndsay Reed, was not asked to appear.
2. Secrets of Aspen will explore the pampered world of six women and one man that reside in Aspen, Colorado; known "as a playground for the rich and famous," according to VH1.

Shaquille who?!? The reality TV world awaits the debut of Shaunie O'Neal.

If you thought the Balloon Boy hoax was as far as you'd see aspiring reality TV jokers go for 15 minutes of fame, you don't know Michaele and Tareq Salahi.

The Virginia couple somehow managed to crash a state dinner at the White House this week and get up close and personal with President Barack Obama.

They are now the subject of a federal investigation.

The Secret Service is looking to file charges against Michaele and Tareq Salahi, who were attempting to land a spot on Bravo's The Real Housewives of D.C.

On Tuesday, the Salahis snuck into the president's first state dinner, honoring the prime minister of India, then posted pictures of themselves schmoozing.

Amazingly, Michaele and Tareq Salahi even managed to meet Barack and Michelle Obama in a receiving line, bypassing security with no invite or red flag.

Here's them with Vice President Joe Biden on Facebook:

You guys might want to take this pic off Facebook, just FYI.

On the verge of launching the D.C. installment of its reality franchise, Bravo is trying distance itself from it, saying the Salahis' participation is "not finalized."

"[Show producers] Half Yard Productions were filming the Salahis that day as they prepared for the event, that's the extent of our involvement," Bravo said Friday.

So they told producers they were invited and were filmed getting ready. That doesn't explain how they got in, of course, and President Obama isn't taking it lightly.

The matter has been referred to the Secret Service's internal affairs division, leading to a full investigation, according to Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin.

While Mackin said the agency hasn't determined if party crashing is illegal, it hasn't ruled out pursuing criminal charges against the fame-seeking socialites.

Secret Services is taking full responsibility for the mishap, saying procedures likely weren't followed at the checkpoints and invites weren't checked properly.

Rebecca Meyer, the latest contestant voted off NBC's The Biggest Loser, lost over 100 pounds on the program, but gained something even more significant:

The love of fellow contestant Daniel Wright!

On The Jay Leno Show Tuesday, Rebecca revealed that the two are dating, and that she started falling for him when she first appeared on the hit show.

"Daniel was my best friend, and leaving the show we talked for like five, six-hour conversations and then, you know, he told me he had feelings," she said.

They certainly look like a cute couple ...

What sparked the connection between Rebecca Meyer and Daniel Wright?

"Daniel and I have gone through the same thing," she said. "I mean, he's gone through an even more intense version of it, and I fell in love with my best friend."

We wish these big losers the very best. Seriously, they lost a ton of weight on the program, and it's nice to see that with their renewed self-esteem came love.

The show has a history of playing matchmaker, as some fans may know. Now married, Matt and Suzy Hoover met as competitors on The Biggest Loser in 2005.

This is what terrorist interrogation materials dreams are made of.

Fame-lovers Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag are apparently feeling starved of attention because they are shopping around a reality show of their own.

The gruesome twosome is angling to branch out from the MTV hit, The Hills, to give viewers even more insight into their absurdly over-exposed lives.

”You don’t get to see our everyday lives and what we do,” says Heidi.

We're not sure we do. Our Heidi Montag nude tolerance is high, but not that high. Then again, maybe he's afraid to put out for his baby-crazy wife.

Just what television needs. MORE Heidi and Spencer Pratt.

Currently promoting their new book, How to be Famous, the couple want their spin-off to include everything - everything - that happens to them.

But don’t get your hopes up, readers at home. In this scenario, they won’t be leaving The Hills, instead they would try to appear on both shows.

Talk about a dream scenario if ever there were one.

One thing we actually would love to see? Them sitting around and deciding how to bash Al Roker on Twitter. Do they plan everything for attention?

Kirstie Alley got really fat, lost some weight and then got fat again.

In this day and age, that's all it takes to land your own reality show.

Variety confirms the former Cheers star and Jenny Craig spokesperson will anchor a series (literally!!!) that chronicles her struggles with weight loss and being a single parent.

"Kirstie is exactly the kind of star A&E is drawn to," said an executive, without a hint of shame or irony. "Her personal life has been playing out in the media for years, but this will be the first time she'll be opening up her home to reveal her real life for the cameras."

Real life for the cameras? That seems as oxymoronic as plastic silverware, lucid Lindsay Lohan, humble Jon Gosselin or gentle Chris Brown.

Unwanted photographers get the finger from Kirstie Alley. Reality TV cameras that only film scripted segments of her life get full approval, however. [Photo: PacificCoastNewsonline.com]

Sources say Alley will launch a weight loss program as the cameras roll; while the aforementioned article notes she'll be:

"Producing a feature film, patenting multiple inventions, working hard to raise two normal Hollywood teenagers, taking care of eight ringtail lemurs and, on top of everything, looking for love."

Wait... she's looking for love? We have two words for Kirstie: Jake Pavelka.