News & Updates
Thinkfactory, A&E weigh in on revamping artefactual with “What’s It Worth?”
There has been much talk about reinvention over the last few months as the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have upended the television production industry and caused broadcasters to overhaul schedules. But in the unscripted business, reinvention has been a programming prerequisite for some time, as producers and their network partners are constantly in search of the format that can offer a fresh twist on the familiar.
In the spring, A&E announced the greenlight of a new series in the “artefactual” genre pioneered by the network and its sister network History following the 2008 financial crisis. From the network group that brought us Pawn Stars and American Pickers, a new series, What’s It Worth… Live, was unveiled, to be produced by ITV America prodco Thinkfactory Media and hosted by American comedian Jeff Foxworthy (pictured). The series would see participants with potential hidden treasures in their attics and elsewhere bring them to the studio, where both experts and the folks at home could weigh in, in real time, on what the items could be worth.
“In looking at the collectibles space, we realized no one had really upended or revamped that arena anytime in recent memory,” says Thinkfactory CEO Adam Reed, in advance of the premiere of a summer iteration of the series, airing tonight (August 4). “We felt it was ripe for an overhaul and saw an opportunity to create a louder, splashier series that offered more.
“It started with, ‘Can we create a series where people showcase interesting items from their homes?’” he adds. “And in taking things a step further, that conversation turned into, ‘What if we gave folks across America the opportunity to bid on those items?’ Building from the interactive element, we incorporated the ‘live’ piece, and we were off to the races.”
While the prodco pitched it wide, Reed says A&E, home to Storage Wars, “immediately sparked to the idea” and taking it to the network seemed like a “perfect marriage.”
Says A&E’s EVP of programming, Elaine Frontain Bryant, “We were excited about that live element because it felt like a re-invention of the existing shows in the genre but with a new, exciting live twist, which viewers hadn’t seen before.”
But then along came the pandemic.
While the live version of the series was originally slated to debut this summer, Frontain Bryant says, “it became clear that bringing people in from all over the country wasn’t practical.” To keep the idea afloat, a COVID-proof revamp was in order.
“We went through extraordinary lengths to ensure the version we developed – What’s it Worth? – didn’t feel like ‘COVID programming,’” says Reed. “It was important to us that what people see when they tune in to A&E on Tuesday nights stands on its own as a great series – COVID or no COVID. This isn’t something that was thrown together as a temporary solution; it was carefully thought out and executed by our team and our counterparts at the network.”
“With people suddenly spending more time in their homes and looking for projects, they’ve started taking a closer look at what items they own which has led them to wondering what hidden treasures they might be coming across buried in their attics and basements,” says Frontain Bryant. “From that revelation, we realized that a new remote version of the show could work and viewers might relate to this new virtual format.
“Also, in the summer — especially this summer — people are really looking for feel good options to watch,” she adds. “From a pure entertainment perspective, we feel our audience really craves seeing positive outcomes for people during these times we are living in.”
Once the decision was made to revamp the format for remote production, the hard work of putting it together began.
“Jeff was filmed in the basement of his house, while we operated remote cameras from a control room in Washington D.C.,” explains Reed. “The show’s experts all joined from their own homes via video conferencing links, and the item owners and their families all self shot with various devices.
“Our remote team in D.C. is managing all feeds, while also coordinating communications between Jeff, the production team, our experts and the item owners – ensuring all goes smoothly,” he elaborates. “I’m operating out of my home office in LA, as our entire producing team does the same from their homes, overseeing the various feeds from across the country, while on video conference with my production team on one monitor and with the network’s team on another monitor. Meanwhile, Jeff has the whole team in his ear and one crew member in his basement with him at any given time.”
Says Frontain Bryant: “Connectivity was definitely an early issue just in terms of making sure everyone was able to see and hear each other while shooting. But in a weird way that also speaks to the times we are living in because we are all facing that same challenge day-to-day so it adds to the authenticity of this show.”
Both Frontain Bryant and Reed point to some unexpected, surprising moments that arise under such conditions that probably wouldn’t have happened under a normal shoot.
“There were wives trying to film their husbands, and vice versa; we had a kid walk in in his underwear while his parents were on camera,” Reed says. “We didn’t shy away from those unplanned moments; it all just added to the fun.”
As Thinkfactory looks forward to the response to the 10-episode summer series, the company — now fully owned by ITV America — is looking to hone in on further format development and broaden its formats catalog.
“It’s not enough to have a good concept, you also need to bring elements to the table that put that good concept through a funhouse mirror, creating something that feels bigger and more intriguing than anything that’s come before it,” says Reed, adding that the company has recently sold original formats to History and OWN, and has adapted and sold an international format to TBS.
As prodcos and networks kick production back into gear, they both face uncertain financial challenges wrought by the pandemic but also, conversely, newfound opportunity as unscripted content emerges as a schedule savior of sorts, in the absence of scripted series hobbled by production lags. While Reed asserts that “co-viewing is the holy grail right now,” Frontain Bryant draws parallels between the time that birthed the original wave of transactional TV, and today’s cultural climate.
“History’s Pawn Stars and American Pickers, as well as our own Storage Wars, were born from the 2008 recession,” she says. “Leaning into and finding the value of what you already have, with a little entrepreneurial grit, is likely to come about again and I cannot wait to see all the ways people reinvent themselves after this crisis.”
(Photo: Justin Stephens)
View the full article here.
PEOPLE: Aaron Carter Claims Michael Jackson Did ‘One Thing That Was a Little Bit Inappropriate’
Aaron Carter will appear alongside his mother, Jane Carter, in the upcoming Family Edition season of Marriage Boot Camp
Aaron Carter is speaking out about his complicated past with Michael Jackson.
PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that Carter, 31, will be joining the next season of Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition, where he will be sharing his thoughts on the late “King of Pop” following the controversialLeaving Neverland documentary.
“Michael was a really good guy, as far as I know, a really good guy,” Carter says in PEOPLE’s exclusive interview footage from the WE tv series.
“He never did anything that was inappropriate,” he continues.
“Except for one time. There was one thing that he did that was a little bit inappropriate,” he claims without elaborating further.
A rep for the Jackson family did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Jackson and the “Aaron’s Party” singer first met in the recording studio in 2001, when Carter was 14. The 13-time Grammy winner wanted Carter to partake in his charity song “What More Can I Give?” Carter did, and by September of that year, he and Jackson had gotten so close that Carter performed “I Want Candy” at Jackson’s anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden.
Over the years, Carter has shut down rumors that Jackson came onto him sexually when he was younger, telling PEOPLE in 2004, “Michael and I have been friends for three years. … Nothing happened between me and Michael. We didn’t sleep in the same room, we didn’t share a bed. We have a normal friendship. There’s nothing sexual to it.”
Carter, who will appear with his mother Jane Carter on the Family Editionseason, is also getting candid about his rocky relationship with his older brother Nick Carter, 39.
“My brother and I weren’t talking before I went onto this show,” he explains in PEOPLE’s exclusive interview footage from Marriage Boot Camp. “After we did it, we’re back [to] talking again.”
The pop brothers publicly feuded after the younger Carter’s DUI arrest in 2017, when he lashed out on Twitter after he felt his older sibling wasn’t supportive after the incident.
“If my own blood truly cared about my wellbeing, why wouldn’t he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum?” he said in a Twitter statement. “That’s not cool at all to use me for his PR and kick me while I am down. I love my family despite it through thick and thin.”
Now, after seeking professional treatment for both his mental and physical health, Carter is giving credit to his stint on the reality show for helping him be in a better place.
“Participating in Family Boot Camp literally gave me the strength and ability to feel more comfortable in my own skin,” he says in the interview footage.
Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition premieres later this year on WE tv.
View the full article here.
REALSCREEN: It’s here: the 13th annual Realscreen Global 100
elcome to our 13th edition of the Global 100, Realscreen‘s annual snapshot of the best production companies working in the non-fiction and unscripted visual content industry, compiled with input from the industry itself.
As with past lists, we polled execs from across the business and our readership, asking them to weigh in on the companies that they feel are trusted partners, as well as the prodcos whose work they consistently admire, and the programming from the past year that struck a chord. As usual, it was difficult to pare the results down to a list 100 companies strong, and meant to represent the non-fiction production communities of multiple territories.
This year, you will notice within these pages a fair amount of newer companies being profiled, as opposed to some of the veteran companies who have graced the list and its profiles often. While the results still feature a healthy number of those veteran companies, many of which have been on the Global 100 since its inception, we thought shining the spotlight on up and coming companies that are making an increasingly strong impact across platforms would spice up the proceedings, and highlight some of the new blood that is capturing your attention, and that of viewers as well.
Before we move on to the list, a familiar caveat: companies owned by broadcasters that do the majority of their work for that broadcaster have historically not been represented in the list. But as those companies increase their production for third parties, they are then admissible.
And now, your Global 100.
Barry Walsh
Editor and content director
Realscreen
CANADA
ALIBI ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Toronto
www.alibientertainment.ca
Number of employees: 40
Number of hours produced in 2018: 55
Recent projects: Carnival Eats (Food Network); Sarah Off the Grid (HGTV)
Upcoming projects: An Accidental Wilderness(CBC); untitled Sarah Richardson project (HGTV); Around the World in 10 Meals (Gusto); Northern Gold (TVO, pictured)
Founded in 2012 by James Hyslop, Toronto-based Alibi has produced over 500 hours of content across genres, ranging from factual to scripted, and from brand funded to kids. On the factual front, the prodco also makes it a point to diversify, with content ranging from lifestyle (HGTV’s Sarah Off the Grid and Food Network’s Carnival Eats) to specialist factual (Secrets of the Pyramids).
Praised by collaborators for “clear direction and open communication” and for “building a culture of storytelling, teamwork and innovation,” while also recognized in nominations from outside of its home territory for delivering “heart warming” content that “works well internationally,” the prodco is currently prepping the documentaries Spaceman and An Accidental Wilderness for the CBC, more Carnival Eats and Sarah Off the Grid, and yet another series featuring the host of that program, Canadian designer Sarah Richardson. Barry Walsh
PEACOCK ALLEY ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Toronto
www.peacockalleytv.com
Number of employees: 8
Number of hours produced in 2018: 30
Recent projects: Tower of Song; A User’s Guide to Cheating Death
Upcoming projects: Jensplaining; 50 Ways to Kill Your Mama
Established in 2012 by former Tricon Films & Television exec Carrie Mudd, Peacock Alley has created a name for itself through smart yet entertaining storytelling. That approach is easily seen in such series as A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, hosted by Professor Timothy Caulfield and sold to numerous broadcasters globally while also streaming on Netflix. The series, now in its second season, has garnered multiple accolades and awards (including a nod for best science and technology program at the most recent Realscreen Awards) and its second season is being shopped globally by Sky Vision.
Network execs and production peers who cast votes for Peacock Alley cited the prodco’s ability to punch above its weight, and its dedication to producing what Caulfield calls “fun programming that matters.” In the near future, look for more of that in the form of Jensplaining, featuring Twitter’s resident gynaecologist Dr. Jennifer Gunter for the CBC, and its North American adaptation of the Channel 4 format, 50 Ways to Kill Your Mama. BW
MORE CANADIAN GLOBAL 100 PRODCOS
(Company name, titles, HQ, website)
Big Coat Productions
Love It or List It
Toronto
www.bigcoatproductions.com
Buck Productions
Stalker Files; It Happened Here
Toronto
www.buckproductions.com
Cineflix Productions
Mayday; Property Brothers; American Pickers
Toronto
www.cineflixproductions.com
Cream Productions
Fear Thy Neighbor; The Dictator’s Playbook
Toronto
www.creamproductions.com
eOne
Growing Up Hip Hop; LadyGang
Toronto
www.entertainmentone.com
Frantic Films
In Plain Sight; Still Standing
Toronto
www.franticfilms.com
Great Pacific Media
Heavy Rescue: 401; Highway Thru Hell
Vancouver
www.greatpacifictv.com
Insight Productions
Amazing Race Canada; The Launch
Toronto
www.insighttv.com
Media Headquarters Film & Television
Canada’s Smartest Person
Toronto
www.mediahqs.net
Network Entertainment
I Am Paul Walker; I Am Heath Ledger
Vancouver
www.networkentertainment.ca
Omnifilm Entertainment
Jade Fever; Wild Bear Rescue
Vancouver
www.omnifilm.com
Pixcom
Hellfire Heroes; Rogue Earth
Montreal
www.pixcom.com
Proper Television
Vegas Rat Rods; MasterChef Canada
Toronto
www.propertelevision.com
Yap Films
Mosquito; A Day in the Life of Earth
Toronto
www.yapfilms.com
UNITED STATES
AMPLE ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Culver City, CA
www.ampleent.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: Approximately 60
Number of employees: 75, including staff and freelancers
Recent projects: Murder in the Heartland (ID); Could You Survive the Movies? (YouTube); 9 Months with Courteney Cox (Facebook Watch)
Upcoming projects: Lost Gold of World War II(History)
Founded four years ago by former AMC and XBox Entertainment Studios exec Ari Mark and former Studio Lambert producer Phil Lott, Ample has garnered substantial praise and greenlights from networks across the cable spectrum and top digital platforms such as Facebook Watch and YouTube. Production partners have included Steven Spielberg’s Amblin TV (Cooper’s Treasure for Discovery) and Blumhouse Television (Cold Case Files for A&E). This past year saw the prodco strike overall deals with Courteney Cox (resulting in the Facebook Watch series 9 Months with Courteney Cox, which premiered in January), veteran producer John Henshaw and former Raw TV producer Ed Gorsuch.
With a flair for delivering access-driven content with visual panache, Ample received, well, ample praise from various execs during our nomination process, with one partner specifically highlighting the team’s “incredible taste, style and attention to detail.” According to co-founder Mark, that’s all thanks to the company’s “filmmaker mentality.”
“We wrote a manifesto when we started the company,” he told Realscreen in a March 2018 interview. “And aside from not being jerks, it also says that we need to stay true to the passion.”BW
DORSEY PICTURES (a Red Arrow Studios company)
Headquarters: Littleton, Colorado
www.dorseypictures.tv
Number of hours produced in 2018: 137
Number of employees: 105
Recent projects: Building Alaska, Maine Cabin Masters, Building Off the Grid (DIY); Living Alaska (GAC); Slenderman Stabbing: The Untold Story(Reelz)
Upcoming series: Dog’s Most Wanted (WGNA); Accident, Suicide or Murder (Oxygen); season 10 of Building Alaska, season 4 of Maine Cabin Masters (DIY)
Far enough from the frantic pace of New York or Los Angeles, Dorsey Pictures, founded by Chris Dorsey and nestled in Littleton, Colorado (estimated population: 47,734) has built a rock-solid roster of lifestyle, outdoor and branded content over its 15-year history. The company has produced more than 1,000 hours of programming for such cable nets as Discovery, History, National Geographic, HGTV, DIY, Travel Channel and others, and with its recent move into the true crime space, is broadening both its content offering and its network partner portfolio, with the recent Slenderman Stabbing: The Untold Story airing on Reelz and Accident, Suicide or Murder on the way for Oxygen.
Many of its outdoor and lifestyle titles are several seasons deep — DIY’s Building Alaskawas recently renewed for a 10th season and the prodco is behind four of the Discovery Inc. net’s top 10 series, including Maine Cabin Masters. But an upcoming series for WGN also garnered substantial attention in late 2018. Dog’s Most Wanted, featuring crime-fighting duo Dog the Bounty Hunter and wife Duane Chapman is in production, and is the first unscripted series to come from the network in more than five years.
Praise for the prodco came from myriad corners of the industry — network execs, coproducers and talent. From one frequent network collaborator: “Chris Dorsey, along with his talented team, have been wonderful productions partners: extremely collaborative and consistently delivering a great looking product at a reasonable cost.” BW
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION (an Industrial Media company)
Headquarters: Los Angeles
www.theipcorp.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: 78
Number of employees: 26, up to 300 freelancers depending on volume of production
Recent projects: Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (A&E); Active Shooter (Showtime); This Giant Beast That Is the Global Economy(Amazon Prime); Mind Field (YouTube)
Upcoming projects: #FreeMeek (Amazon Prime); 1989: The Year that Made the Modern World (Nat Geo)
Only a few years after its formation, The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC) has made significant headway in the unscripted space, with Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (pictured) for A&E racking up strong ratings and Emmy recognition, including a win in 2017. Company principals and former Miramax colleagues Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman (who co-founded the shop following successful stints at Studio Lambert and All3Media America) hit the ground running in 2016 with the Remini project and Active Shooter, a riveting exploration of the sad reality of gun violence in the U.S. airing on Showtime.
It wasn’t long before larger companies began taking notice and making overtures to acquire IPC. It was Core Media, a brand with a sizeable portfolio including American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance producer XIX Entertainment as well as Sharp Entertainment, that won the day, offering Holzman and Saidman the opportunity to run a revamped Core, now trading under the Industrial Media moniker, as CEO and president respectively.
IPC has also made good strides in producing for non-linear platforms, with Amazon Studios bringing them on board for This Giant Beast That Is The Global Economy (a collaboration with Vice and The Big Short helmer Adam McKay) as well as the upcoming #FreeMeek, about rapper Meek Mill, and YouTube as the home for popular science series Mind Field. BW
ITV ENTERTAINMENT
Headquarters: Los Angeles, New York
www.itv-entertainment.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: 109+
Number of employees: 50+
Recent projects: Queer Eye (with Scout Productions for Netflix); The Four (in association with Armoza Formats for Fox); Hell’s Kitchen (in association with A. Smith & Co. for Fox); The First 48 (A&E)
Upcoming projects: Love Island (CBS); Queer Eye: We’re in Japan! (Netflix)
Under the creative oversight of ITV America chief creative officer David Eilenberg and ITV Entertainment EVP Alex Dundas, ITV Entertainment had a big year in 2018, complete with three Emmy wins for the Queer Eye reboot (pictured), produced with Scout Productions and perhaps Netflix’s most popular entry into the unscripted game. Season three premiered March 15.
Meanwhile, Hell’s Kitchen featuring Gordon Ramsay (produced in association with A. Smith & Co.) is still heating up Friday nights for Fox as it wrapped its 18th season (picked up for seasons 19 and 20), and The First 48 continues its reign as a top five true crime series on U.S. cable, after 17 seasons on A&E. Another edition of the franchise, The First 48 Presents: Homicide Squad Atlanta, debuted in January. Music competition series The Four, produced in association with Armoza Formats, aired seasons in winter and summer.
As the summer of 2019 approaches, all eyes will be on the American arrival of UK format phenomenon Love Island, as it hits CBS. BW
SHARP ENTERTAINMENT (an Industrial Media company)
Headquarters: New York City
www.sharpentertainment.com
Number of hours produced in 2018: 150
Number of employees: 150
Recent projects: 90 Day Fiancé (TLC); Love After Lockup (WE tv); Man V. Food (Travel Channel)
Upcoming projects: 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way (TLC)
Headed by Matt Sharp, this New York-based shop has a hit franchise on its hands in the form of 90 Day Fiancé, which garnered its highest ratings in the W18-34 demo over the course of its most recent, sixth season. Thanks to Fiancé, TLC topped cable for Sunday nights in that demo, averaging 2.5 million P2+ viewers.
But 90 Day Fiancé isn’t the only success story in Sharp’s portfolio at present. Love After Lockup, a series following couples that are starting fresh after one partner is released from incarceration, has locked down serious ratings for WE tv, and has emerged as the fastest growing new cable reality series of the past year. “Matt is talented and hardworking, everything you could want in a creative partner,” WE tv orginal programming EVP Lauren Gellert tells Realscreen. “Love After Lockup is a very difficult show to produce, and he and his team make it look seamless.”
Coming soon: another installment of the Fiancéfranchise, 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, in which U.S. citizens leave their home country to join their partners overseas. BW
TREMOLO PRODUCTIONS
Headquarters: Los Angeles
www.tremoloproductions.com
Hours produced in 2018: 10+ hours
Recent projects: Ugly Delicious season 1, They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Upcoming projects: Ugly Delicious season 2, Abstract: The Art of Design season 2, Shangri-La
Founded by filmmaker Morgan Neville in 1999, this Academy Award-winning, Los Angeles-headquartered prodco has built its reputation by crafting acclaimed films about music, art and culture. Over the past two decades, Tremolo has produced four Grammy-nominated films: Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble; Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story; Muddy Waters Can’t Be Satisfied; and Johnny Cash’s America.
Other notable Tremolo projects include the 2013 feature documentary, 20 Feet from Stardom, which shone the spotlight on the contributions of the back-up singers to notable hitmakers. The film took home the 2014 Academy Award for best documentary and a Grammy award for best music film.
Tremolo Productions’ output for 2018 included the release of its award-winning film Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (pictured), which became one of the highest grossing documentaries of all time. The 94-minute feature, helmed by Neville, tells the life story of TV and cultural icon Fred Rogers, the beloved host of the long-running children’s series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The film collected a slew of nominations and awards, including three nods at the 2018 Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards in the categories for best documentary, best director and best editing.
Other recent projects include the David Chang-fronted culinary series Ugly Delicious and the design docuseries Abstract: The Art of Design, both for Netflix. Additionally, Tremolo’s They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead, about the making of Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind, bowed on Netflix this past November. Selina Chignall
MORE U.S. GLOBAL 100 PRODCOS
(Company name, titles, HQ, website)
Thinkfactory Media (an ITV America company)
Marriage Boot Camp; Mama June: From Not to Hot
Los Angeles, CA
www.thinkfactorymedia.com
View the full article and list here.
REALSCREEN: Renewed and Returning: “Windy City Rehab”, “Girl Meets Farm”
In this week’s Renewed and Returning round-up, new seasons are on the way for unscripted series across We tv, Food Network, HGTV and Facebook Watch.
Mama June and her brood are back on the third season of We tv’s Mama June: From Not to Hot beginning tonight (March 15) at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
June Shannon aka “Mama June” undertook major weight loss a few years ago but may be slipping back into old habits that threaten her hard-won success. Shannon is now partaking in a slim down challenge with rival Jennifer and faces unexpected pregnancy news while her boyfriend Geno is in trouble with the law. Meanwhile, over the course of the 10-episode season, Shannon’s kids embark on teen romances, career opportunities and independent living. Mama June: From Not to Hot is produced by Thinkfactory Media.
Food blogger and best-selling cookbook author Molly Yeh returns for season three of the Bodega Pictures-made Girl Meets Farm on Food Network.
Starting March 31 at 11 a.m. ET/PT, viewers will be transported to Yeh’s Midwest farmhouse where the chef is expecting her first child. From make-ahead meals and family recipes, to Yeh’s baby shower, audiences will follow the food blogger on her baby journey. In the premiere episode, Yeh puts her own spin classic dishes with a menu for her family that includes her Chicago Dog Meatloaf with a mustard glaze and her dad’s favorite coconut cream pie. Further episode themes include make-ahead meals in anticipation of her baby and multi-generational favorites.
Discovery-owned cable network HGTV, meanwhile, has ordered a sophomore season run of the renovation series Windy City Rehab from Sacramento, California-based Big Table Media.
Windy City Rehab will continue to document designer and real estate developer Alison Victoria’s (pictured) efforts as she renovates dilapidated properties in the Chicago area to attract high-end buyers or risk losing her substantial investments.
Finally, digital streaming platform Facebook Watch is preparing more than 20 new episodes of Very Tall Productions’ talk-show Red Table Talk for May.
Hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith, daughter Willow Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris (Pinkett’s mother), the multi-generational series will continue to encourage conversations with celebrity guests around such important issues as addiction, loss, domestic abuse, race relations and more.
View the full article here.
PEOPLE: Honey Boo Boo Admits She Has a Crush on Her DWTS: Juniors Partner: ‘Oh My God, So Cute!’
Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson has a new crush.
In a sneak peek from the upcoming season 3 premiere of Mama June: From Not to Hot, Thompson meets her Dancing with the Stars: Juniors partner for the first time — and is immediately smitten.
“Oh my god, so cute!” Thompson says after seeing her partner Tristan Ianiero, 14, and mentor Artem Chigvintsev, 36, dancing. “Wow, you do that with your body. How does it move like that?”
When Ianiero starts asking Thompson about her favorite style of dance, the usually outspoken 13-year-old reality TV star finds herself getting shy.
“What if he wants to go out, like on a date?” she asks Mama June Shannon during a confessional.
“You’re 13!” her mom, 39, shoots back, implying she’s too young to date.
When Thompson competed on the show last year, she admitted she was definitely stepping out of her comfort zone. But while she was “nervous” to embark on the journey, her excitement overruled her fear.
“I’ve never even watched the show before, to be honest,” Thompson told PEOPLE. “I wanted to do it because when they asked me, I thought this is something that I’ve never done and it’d be super fun and a great experience. So I figured, let’s do it!”
Thompson said she was able to push through any nerves or frustrations she felt during training with the support of her family.
“It meant a lot to have most of my sisters there because they both flew in from Georgia, which is like a four-hour flight,” she said. “It meant so much to have them there. And it meant a lot to have my mom there. She was so supportive. Just knowing they’re there to support me means everything.”
Season 3 of Mama June: From Not to Hot premieres Friday, March 15 at 9 p.m. ET on WEtv.
View the full article here.
PAGE SIX: Honey Boo Boo is almost driving
Honey Boo Boo is all grown up.
Reality star Alana Thompson, 13, shared with Page Six at WE tv’s “Bridezillas” event in New York City how excited she is to be able to drive soon.
“I cannot believe it,” Thompson said. “Next year!”
In August 2020, Thompson will turn 15, which is the required age to apply for a learner’s permit in her home state of Georgia.
The former pageant queen, who stars with her family in “Mama June: From Not to Hot,” said she already has an idea of what kind of car she wants.
“It’s definitely not going to be a Lamborghini,” Thompson said. “I mean, if I get offered that, I’m definitely going to take it. But I’m down to earth, so maybe a Honda.”
Kelly Bensimon, who was also at the event, tried to sway Thompson to get a pickup truck because “it’s the most fun thing and all the cool girls drive [one].”
However, before Thompson starts visiting dealerships, she must learn to drive first. Her sister, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon, told Page Six she hasn’t let Thompson practice in her car yet because the teen “doesn’t know how to drive.”
Thompson responded with annoyance, “I’ve got to learn to drive to know how.”
Season 3 of “Mama June: From Not to Hot” premieres Friday night at 9/8c on WE tv.
View the full article here.
IN TOUCH: ExclusiveTrouble in Paradise? Mama June Gets Into a Heated Fight With BF Geno in ‘From Not to Hot’ Sneak Peek
Uh oh, is everything OK between Mama June Shannon and her boyfriend, Geno DoakOpens a New Window.? In the season 3 premiere of Mama June: From Not to Hot, the 39-year-old tells her man that she doesn’t want him coming to L.A. with her because she wants to spend time with her daughter Alana Thompson. In response, Geno flips out. So, will these two be able to work things out? Be sure to tune in to the episode to find out what happens.
Mama June: From Not to Hot airs on We TV Fridays at 9 p.m. ET.
View the full article here.
INQUISITR: Mama June Shannon Battles Ex-Husban’s Wife in New Season of ‘From Not to Hot’
Mama June Shannon, star of WE tv’s From Not To Hot, will battle ex-husband Mike “Sugar Bear’ Thompson’s new wife Jennifer in a weight loss challenge during Season 3 of the popular reality series. The new season will also cover her relationship drama with longtime boyfriend Geno Doak.
This all-new season promises to bring new challenges for Shannon as she attempts to lose some of the weight she has gained since famously losing over 100 pounds back in 2017.
The show released a trailer on its official Facebook where Shannon meets with Thompson’s wife Jennifer in the gym. The women have repaired their relationship since Jennifer wed Sugar Bear in 2017.
“You just got competition,” Jennifer quips to June, who replies that she will “beat the hell out of your a**.”
Doak and Shannon continue to butt heads after their relationship reached a climax in Season 2 when June asked him to marry her during her daughter Pumpkin’s wedding ceremony in Las Vegas. In Season 3, it appears he still cannot make a lifetime commitment to June. In turn, June travels to Hollywood where daughter Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson was slated to appear on Dancing with the Stars Jr. During her absence, she asks Doak to think about their relationship and whether or not he still wants a full-time commitment to her and her daughters upon returning.
According to Shannon’s Instagram page, it appears the couple is still together. She recently posted her sentiments honoring their third dating anniversary.
“Geno Doak thanks so much for everything u do everyday n being here to help me with all this that’s been going on with me I love u more today then [sic] yesterday n we will continue to this crazy journey life together,” she wrote.
The Facebook trailer also touches on the possibility that the 39-year-old Shannon could potentially be pregnant with Doak’s baby. The trailer suggests the reality star could be eating for two. Shannon has mentioned in the past that she would love to become pregnant again, so this could also be a potential storyline for the show’s latest season.
Shannon is a mother to four daughters — Alana Thompson, Lauryn Shannon, Jessica Shannon, and Anna Shannon. She is a grandmother to Kylee, Kaitlyn, and Ella.
Cheddar spoke to Alana Thompson regarding the new season, and she also has made some big changes. She no longer wants to be known as “Honey Boo Boo,” as the reality star told the outlet that she prefers to be called by her real name.
Mama June: From Not To Hot Season 3 premieres Friday, March 15, at 9 p.m. on WE tv.
View the full article here.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES: ‘Mama June’ Season 3 Spoilers: June vs. Jennifer Showdown, Geno’s Commitment Drama
Mama June Shannon and Jennifer Lamb are going to have a weight loss showdown while Honey Boo Boo’s mom questions boyfriend Geno Doak’s commitment in “Mama June: From Not To Hot” Season 3.
Mama June and her family are back to gracing the small screen starting this Friday. From the looks of things, the all-new season will be another roller coaster ride for the mom of four as she is about to go battle Sugar Bear’s wife, Jennifer, in a weight loss showdown. She’s also going to experience some relationship drama with boyfriend Geno while she accompanies daughter Alana in the latter’s Hollywood journey.
In the sneak peek WE tv released on the show’s official Facebook page, Mama June is seen packing on the pounds again by eating a lot of food. Though she said that she’s careful not to return to her 400-pound self again, she may be having a hard time in maintaining her figure.
To motivate Mama June, Jennifer is stepping in to join her in the gym. The teaser says there’s going to be a showdown between the two. “You just got competition,” Jennifer tells Mama June in the clip. But then Mama June warns Alana’s stepmom that she’s going to “beat the hell out of your a—.”
However, Mama June may be getting the shock of her life because the trailer hints at Jennifer getting her sexy, revenge body at the end of their showdown. The sneak peek even ends with Mama June saying that she’s “pissed as hell right now.”
Meanwhile, Mama June is eager to walk down the aisle with boyfriend Geno. She actually informed Geno about this during their Vegas trip in the previous season. Unfortunately, Mama June’s beau is not at all considering this because he’s not ready for a commitment.
In the first look at Season 3, it was already revealed that Mama June is going to confront Geno about this. Since he hasn’t popped the question and appears to not have the drive to marry Honey Boo Boo’s mom, Mama June has decided to not include Geno in their planned trip to Hollywood. She said that this should give Geno time to think if he’s ready to commit or not.
Speaking of Hollywood, Alana is excited to join “Dancing With the Stars.” Her journey on ABC’s hit ballroom dancing competition is over since the new season was filmed last year, but fans will get to see some behind the scenes of her “DWTS” stint. Mama June will also be there for her daughter to provide moral support.
“Mama June: From Not To Hot” Season 3 premieres Friday, March 15, at 9 p.m. on WE tv.
View the full article here.
MONSTERS & CRITICS: Mama June: From Not to Hot Season 3 premiere exclusive: Pumpkin and Josh are enjoying married life
Mama June: From Not to Hot is headed back to WEtv and this season is jam-packed with drama. While June Shannon has quite a bit on her plate, it looks like Pumpkin and Josh are living it up as newlyweds and new parents while enjoying the perks of still living at home.
In this Mama June: From Not to Hot exclusive clip, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon talks about how great things are going between her and Josh with their new marriage and raising their baby.
One of the reasons things are going well because “we’re still living with mama, which is okay because we’re not having to pay rent.”
How does Mama June feel about that though? We see her reaction to the couple’s antics in the clip as well.
The From Not to Hot matriarch confronts Lauryn and Josh as their daughter, Ella Grace, continues to get into everything. Mama June is planning a trip to L.A. and she’s worried about the state of her house while she’s gone.
While she’s trying to talk to Josh about baby-proofing the house, Ella gets into something else and makes a mess all over the floor. So Mama June tells Josh that she doesn’t know how long she’s going to be gone but the house better be babyproofed before she gets back. She also asks the couple to clean up while she’s gone.
Will Lauryn and Josh do what Mama June asked while she’s out of town or will she come back to an even bigger mess? Or is this what leads to Lauryn and Josh moving out of Mama June’s house?
This is just the tip of the iceberg for Mama June on Season 3 of Mama June: From Not to Hot, as she has so much to deal with including a slip back into some old bad habits coupled with some unexpected pregnancy news and more legal trouble for her boyfriend Geno.
On this WEtv series produced by Thinkfactory Media, Mama June will be facing her arch nemesis, Jennifer Lamb, as the two compete to see who can slim down the most.
To get caught up on Mama June: From Not to Hot, WEtv will be kicking off premiere night with the special, Mama’s Most Outrageous Moments, which airs tonight at 8/7c on WEtv.
Mama June: From Not to Hot Season 3 premieres on Friday, March 15 at 9/8c on WEtv.
View the full article here.