CJ Franco to Compete on Amazon Freevee’s New Reality Series “The GOAT”

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

CJ Franco is vying for GOAT status…

Amazon Freevee has given the green light to The GOAT, a new reality series that hopes to name the greatest reality star of all time, with the 32-year-old Latina comedian/actress/television personality among the competitors.

From the producers of The Bachelor and FBoy Island, the series aims to put fan favorite reality stars from other popular series through a series of mental, physical, and social challenges to see who will come out on top.

Fourteen will enter, but only one will win the cash prize and America’s respect as they claim the coveted GOAT title. Daniel Tosh will host the series, which started production in Atlanta last month.

The celebrity cast for Season 1 includes audience favorites from The Bachelor, Love Is Blind, the Bravo-verse and more.

Franco appeared on the first season of FBoy Island as one of the three women tasked to meet, date, and ultimately identify the “FBoys” and “Nice Guys” from a group of 24 eager-for-camera-time men.

The GOAT is executive produced by Elan Gale and Bill Dixon.

The celebrity cast for Season 1 is:

Tayshia Adams (The Bachelor franchise)
Joe Amabile (The Bachelor franchise, Dancing with the Stars)
Kristen Doute (Vanderpump Rules)
Reza Farahan (Shahs of Sunset)
CJ Franco (FBoy Island)
Wendell Holland (Survivor)
Teck Holmes (The Real World, The Challenge)
Justin Johnson/Alyssa Edwards (RuPaul’s Drag Race)
Paola Mayfield (90 Day Fiancé)
Da’Vonne Rogers (Big Brother, The Challenge)
Joey Sasso (The Circle, Perfect Match)
Jason Smith (Holiday Baking Championship)
Lauren Speed-Hamilton (Love Is Blind)
Jill Zarin (The Real Housewives of New York City)

Justina Machado to Compete on ABC’s Upcoming Season of “Dancing With The Stars”

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado’s ready to paso doble her way into your hearts…

The 47-year-old Puerto Rican actress, who currently stars on PopTV’s One Day at a Time, will compete on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars this season.

Machado will compete against Tiger King’s Carole Baskin, rapper Nelly, Selling Sunset’s Chrishell Stause and NBA legend Charles Oakley among others for the coveted DTWS mirrorball trophy.

The ABC celebrity ballroom dancing competition series, based on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, will premiere on September 14 with new host Tyra Banks.

This season’s other competirors include Monica Aldama, star of Netflix’s Cheer, Disney Channel actress Skai Jackson, The Real’s Jeannie Mai, Catfish’s Nev Schulman, Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, Super Bowl champion Vernon Davis, Anne Heche, Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean, and The Bachelor’s Kaitlyn Bristowe.

This season’s professional dancers include Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Cheryl Burke, Artem Chigvintsev, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater and Britt Stewart.

In addition to hosting, Banks will also serve as an executive producer this season. She replaces Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews as the show’s host in season 29.

One of the challenges for this season is to ensure that the production adheres to COVID-19 protocols, a trickier move for a dance competition format than many other productions. Details of the health and safety protocols and other format refreshes are expected imminently.

ABC Renews Sofia Vergara’s “Modern Family” for 11th and Final Season

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Vergara’s extending her Family time…

ABC has picked up its flagship comedy series Modern Family, starring the 46-year-old Colombian actress, for an eleventh and final season.

The Emmy-winning family comedy will reportedly consist of at least 18 episodes, and could expand to 22 episodes, according to Deadline.com/

Modern Family’s renewal was all but assured when the original adult cast, stars Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet and Vergara, agreed to new deals in December with producing studio 20th Century Fox Televisionto return.

Since then, the studio also has signed co-creators/executive producers Steve Levitanand Christopher Lloydfor another season, and also has made new deals with the original child actors — now all young adults — Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould and Rico Rodriguez.

Ten seasons in, Modern Family remains ABC’s top rated comedy (2.1 adults 18-49 rating in Live+3) and second highest rated series on the network only behind Grey’s Anatomy (tied with The Good Doctor, The Bachelorand The Conners).

“Chris and Steve have created one of the most seminal and iconic comedies in television history,” said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. “In its final season, there will be more milestone events that anyone who has been a fan of the series won’t want to miss.”

A five-time Emmy winner for Outstanding Comedy Series, Modern Family stars O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Vergara as Gloria Pritchett, Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Hyland as Haley Dunphy, Gould as Luke Dunphy, Winter as Alex Dunphy, Rodriguez as Manny Delgado, Aubrey Anderson-Emmonsas Lily Tucker-Pritchett and Jeremy Maguireas Joe Pritchett.

“For 10 years, our characters have bravely faced turning points in life and moved through them to great personal enrichment; we have chosen a different path by doing one more season of Modern Family,” said Lloyd.

Added Levitan, “Even after 10 years together, we realized there are still some things our writers don’t yet know about each other’s sex lives.”

Galavis and Girlfriend Nikki Ferrell to Appear on VH1’s “Couples Therapy”

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Former Bachelor stud Juan Pablo Galavis is headed to counseling…

The 33-year-old Venezuelan American former pro soccer star, who found love on ABC’s reality dating competition show, and his love Nikki Ferrell have signed on to appear on VH1’s Couples Therapy.

Galavis and Ferrell, who have been dating since meeting in season 18 of The Bachelor, will talk about their relationship issues and get counseling from marriage and family therapist Dr. Jenn Berman on the show.

The pair join previously announced celebrity couples, including Jenna Jameson and her MMA coach boyfriend John Wood, former Jersey Shorestar Deena Cortese and her beau Chris Buckner,Big Brothervillain Dick Donato and Stephanie Rogness-Fischer, and Naughty by Nature‘s Treach and girlfriend Cicely Evans.

Galavis and Ferrell’s participation was teased in a promo released in mid-August, which features the arrival of “TV’s most controversial couple.” Their faces, however, are blurred in the video.

Despite their appearance on the show, the couple have claimed they are going strong. Ferrell said last month, “We’re doing great. We’re very happy together.” Galavis added, “She’s a wonderful woman – smart, caring, who treats my daughter amazingly well.”

Unlike many other “Bachelor” stars who proposed to the winning girl in the finale, Juan Pablo didn’t pop the question to Nikki. He addresses this in a preview video for Couples Therapy.

“I was criticized a lot for not saying ‘I love you’ to Nikki,” he admits, before explaining, “In the Venezuelan community, it means something. I mean, to propose to someone, it means something. Am I going to say ‘I love you’ to Nikki? I don’t know yet.”

Ferrell has no issue with that, saying, “Just because he hasn’t said it to me, doesn’t mean that I don’t say it to him. I don’t expect him to say it back when I say it. Maybe one day, he will. In all reality, we haven’t been together too long. But he does; he loves me. He’s committed to this.”

Galavis adds, “Is she the one or not? That’s a great question. I think she’s on the right track. Everything she does that I don’t like, I’m like, ‘Is this gonna work?’ It’s just a process, but I think we could communicate better; that’s one of the reasons why we’re here.”

Lamas Expecting Second Child with Husband Nik Richie

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Shayne Lamas is expanding her family circle…

The 28-year-old part-Argentine American actress, best known for her role as a young Carly Corinthos on General Hospital, is pregnant with her second child with husband Nik Richie, according to Us Weekly.

“Shayne’s 12 weeks pregnant,” Richie tells the magazine. “Like the great husband I am, I knocked her up during her birthday trip to Maui, Hawaii last November. Definitely a love baby”

The former The Bachelor contestant, the winner of the twelfth season of the reality dating competition series, was previously engaged to Season 12 Bachelor Matt Grant. She gave birth to her first child, Press Dhal Lamas-Richie, on Nov. 11, 2011.

Richie and Lamas, who split with Grant in 2008, eloped in April 2010.

The daughter of hunktastic actor Lorenzo Lamas, Shayne is also known for her role on her family’s E! reality series, Leave it to Lamas.

Impressive Ratings for Galavis’ “The Bachelor” Premiere

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It appears Juan Pablo Galavis is bringing some serious Latin heat to primetime…

The 32-year-old Venezuelan American former pro soccer star, the first minority star of ABC’s The Bachelor after 17 previous editions, has helped give the reality dating show a massive ratings boost.

In his debut Galaviz prompted an impressive 17-percent ratings bump from last year’s premiere of ABC’s aging Bachelor franchise.

Averaging a 2.7 rating among adults 18-49 and 8.5 million viewers, the two-hour season opener marked the best premiere for the ABC series in three years.

During Monday night’s premiere Galaviz managed to cut his first nine bachelorettes, including three Latinas: Alexis Morgado, a 24-year-old communications director from Tampa, FL; Christine Llano, a 23-year-old police support specialist from Miami, FL; and Valerie Eredia, a 26-year-old personal trainer from Sutter, CA.

Galavis, now working as a consultant in the sports and entertainment industry, says he’s hoping to find the love he’s been looking for, adding that’s what’s missing in his life.

He noted that his daughter Camila was born on Valentine’s Day in 2009 and she’ll always be his valentine, so it’s important to him to find a wife that will understand and appreciate family. Galavis also wants two more kids “badly” and felt The Bachelor experience would be all about “destiny.”

A First Look at “The Bachelor” Galavis Handing Out Roses

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Here’s your chance to get a first look at the first Latino Bachelor, Juan Pablo Galavis…

TV Guide is offering a sneak peek of the new season of ABC‘s The Bachelor with the 32-year-old Venezuelan American former soccer star and one-time Bachelorette suitor giving the first impression rose to one beauty after meeting 27 of them, but the pressure was not only on him.

Not all of the women had the chance to personally connect with Galavis in such a short period of time. Contestant Lauren H. questioned the other women who had time with him.

“You have one night, and one night only to impress,” one contestant told her. Lauren H., who is still recovering from a broken engagement, then broke down in tears because she was out of her comfort zone and thought that maybe she was not quite ready to compete for love.

Among those who made impressive entrance were a music composer who arrived on a piano bike, a nurse who let him listen to her heart through a stethoscope, a sexy dancer who showed her salsa moves, and a girl who brought her dog.

“I hate hurting people,” Galavis told TorontoSun. “But at the same time, you have to take the risk of meeting people – in this case, 27 – and I knew that they knew a little bit about me. It’s intimidating, having 27 women looking at you like a piece of something. But you know, it’s funny, too.”

The Bachelor returns with a two-night premiere event starting on Sunday, January 5 at 8:00 pm ET. The season premiere on Monday will see all 27 women meeting Galavis for the first time.

Click here to see the exclusive clip on TVGuide.com.

Galavis to Hand Out Roses Next Season on ABC’s “The Bachelor”

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… America has its first non-white Bachelor… And, his name is Juan Pablo Galavis.

The 32-year-old Venezuelan American former soccer star and former one-time Bachelorette suitor will star in the next installment of ABC‘s The Bachelor.

The reality dating show’s host Chris Harrison made the announcement on Monday night’s The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose special.

An ABC spokesperson confirmed that the fan favorite will become the first non-Caucasian Bachelor or Bachelorette in franchise history.

There have been a total of nine Bachelorettes; Juan Pablo is the 17th Bachelor in 18 seasons, as Brad Womack starred on the show twice.

Galavis had been one of 25 men competing for Desiree Hartsock‘s hand during the most recent season of The Bachelorette. He’s a single father to a 4-year-old girl named Camila.

Incidentally, Juan Pablo had never seen The Bachelor or The Bachelorette before appearing on the show. He told The Hollywood Reporter at last month’s Men Tell All taping that friend of his thought he would be a good fit and filled out the paperwork for him. He kept putting her off, telling her: “Yeah, yeah, I’ll fill that out later. I’m too busy.” He also didn’t want to leave his daughter for so long, but he ultimately met with the producers and decided it was worth taking a shot.

Galvis was one of several names that had been rumored as possibilities in recent weeks; others had included fellow Desiree suitors Drew Kenney and Zak Waddell and past “winner” Jef Holm, who became engaged to Emily Maynard in last year’s Bachelorette finale. (They split in late 2012.)

The Bachelor returns in January.

Galavis to Become the Next “Bachelor”?

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Pablo Galavis may soon be getting a chance at love on reality television…

The 31-year-old Venezuelan American retired professional soccer player is reportedly being offered the chance to find love on ABC’s The Bachelor, according to news sources.

“He’s been told the gig is his if he wants it,” an insider told E! News. “He’s definitely interested and will most likely accept, although nothing’s been signed yet.”

Should Galavis, who played for Miami FC during his career, accept the offer for the upcoming eighteenth season of the reality show, he would become the first Latino Bachelor.

He was one of the eligible men on the current season of The Bachelorette with Desiree Hartsock.

And even though she sent him packing, Hartsock agrees Galavis would be a perfect choice.

“Girls in America will love Juan Pablo. They would love to see him as the Bachelor, because I get that on my Twitter feed all the time,” she said.

ABC hasn’t commented on whether Galavis will indeed be the next bachelor, but fans will find out within a few weeks, on the season finale of The Bachelorette.

The casting of Galavis would be a win-win for the ABC series, which has been criticized for its lack of diversity.

And from the response producers have gotten from fans, it appears women in America want to see more of the Latino heartthrob.

“Not only do women seem to love him, casting him will help soothe accusations the series doesn’t include enough minorities,” the source added.

Lochte to Appear on a Reality TV Show?

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Now that he’s set his sights on competing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, is Ryan Lochte preparing to learn the samba in front of a national audience?

The 28-year-old half-Cuban American swimmer, who picked up five medals at the2012 Olympic Games, appeared on Good Morning America this week and was asked if he’d rather appear on ABC’s The Bachelor or Dancing With the Stars?

Lochte’s pick: ballroom or babes!

“It’s a competition, and I have that competitive edge in me,” explained Lochte, who plans to move to Los Angeles now that the Olympics have come and gone.

Teammate Michael Phelps has also said he’d be interested in Dancing with the Stars, according to Us Weekly. So maybe they’ll soon get to face-off on the dance floor.

“Ryan would make the perfect next Bachelor. … He has the ‘it’ factor. Especially after his mother’s one-night-stand comment, everyone wants to know who is the real Ryan and what would it be like to date him,” a media expert told HuffPost. “Forget dancing shows — this guy should be doing dating shows, for sure.”

Meanwhile, according to the The Hollywood Reporter, Lochte’s agent says the Olympian has three offers for a reality show on the table.

If he did one, he promised GMA it would be unusual. “It wouldn’t be your normal reality TV show because I’m definitely not your normal guy.”

Today’s Matt Lauer followed up on the reality question on Friday and Lochte replied, “I’m definitely looking towards Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelor, so we’ll see what happens. I definitely want to move to L.A. That’s been a big goal of mine, getting into fashion because that is my passion. I definitely want to get into fashion and design my own clothing line.”

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