Reality Rocks Convention - No Surprise - A dud!

Reality Rocks convention hits few high notes on first day



April 9, 2011 | 8:55 pm




The producers of the inaugural Reality Rocks Expo may aspire for the event to eventually become the Comic-Con of the reality TV world. But they may already need a new script.
Lacking premiere attractions or A-list reality stars, the first day of the two-day expo, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets, drew only sparse crowds to the Los Angeles Convention Center. Sessions featuring stars and personalities from "America's Funniest Home Videos," "Shark Tank" and "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" were far from full.
Other panels in cavernous meeting rooms featuring lower-ranked contestants from past seasons of "American Idol" drew embarrassingly small audiences.
Some stars tried to take the low turnout in stride. "Come on, let the crowd in," joked Eric Roberts ("Celebrity Rehab") as the panel "Reality TV Changed My Life" started. "There's plenty of seats."
A session on social media featuring Mark Cuban and Daymond John of "Shark Tank" quickly collapsed. Attendees were supposed to "Twitter pitch" their ideas for inventions or products in 140 characters or less, with the two hosts providing immediate feedback. But despite the best efforts of KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin, who moderated the session, to maintain control, many of the pitches were prolonged, desperate pleas for funding.
Said one audience member, "This is why a producer is needed to filter this stuff out!"
The action on the convention floor was also lukewarm. An autograph area drew mixed reaction: Cuban and former porn star Ron Jeremy ("The Surreal Life") had lines, while others such as LaKisha Jones from the sixth season of "American Idol" had only a few visitors. Gretchen Bonaduce, the former wife of Danny Bonaduce ("Breaking Bonaduce") could do little to excite a small crowd with her 1980s cover band, Ankehsenamen.
Besides Cuban, some of the more prominent participants included Bruce and Kris Jenner ("Keeping Up With the Kardashians") and Nick Cannon ("America's Got Talent"). Missing from the event were reality stars that might have drawn large crowds, including Simon Cowell ("The X Factor," "American Idol"), Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson from "American Idol,", Jeff Probst ("Survivor") or any of the gang from "Jersey Shore."
There was one positive sign to the opening day: the food lines were short.
-- Greg Braxton


It doesn't surprise me at all that this convention bombed, who really cares to go see any of them? How embarrassing for them to show up only to have small groups of audience members in attendance. God knows they've been pimping this thing for weeks if not months.

no mention of the Big Brother "stars" who attended. I am sure that Evel Dick and Matt were there. I thought I saw them tweeting about it..I could be wrong though. I think the problem with this is most of the people in the article are not even the "best of the best" meaning at no point would I consider anyone mentioned in the article huge reality "stars". I mean really? Lakisha Jones? Gretchen Bonaduce?? Seriously? PASS!

side note: how sad that Eric Roberts, who I thought was brilliant in his day, is reduced to reality conventions.

I obviously posted my post as you were posting the vids with the BB people...lol.
Michelle Noonans hair=

LOL@Eric Roberts' comment about the crowd. Eric is actually appearing on Y&R right now and he's one of the bright spots on the show. He's a lawyer but I think he would have been better cast as a business nemesis to Erick Braedon but that just shows how stupid the character development for that show has gotten.

They shouldnt bother having these things in LA; those people don't care. There were quite a few BB stars there as they actually held an hour long panel and it was streamed. Rachel, Brendon, Matt, Ragan, Lane, Hayden, Kristen, Lydia, Michele, Chima, and Dick.Apparently Annie had plane issues and didnt make it in time. Nothing exciting, just Dick talking most of the time and Lydia still complaining about the feeds being manipulated. Ragan did get a word or two in.

Here is a pic of the huge crowd that came to see the panel. I got this pic from AABB.

Lorraine wrote:

no mention of the Big Brother "stars" who attended. I am sure that Evel Dick and Matt were there. I thought I saw them tweeting about it..I could be wrong though. I think the problem with this is most of the people in the article are not even the "best of the best" meaning at no point would I consider anyone mentioned in the article huge reality "stars". I mean really? Lakisha Jones? Gretchen Bonaduce?? Seriously? PASS!

side note: how sad that Eric Roberts, who I thought was brilliant in his day, is reduced to reality conventions.

What's funnier is that the real Bonaduce was too busy to make it; he was somewhere else in concert with David Cassidy lol

Thanks for the updates MC. Looks like it was standing room only...lol! Glad that Eric Roberts got a better gig than reality tv.
WTF is wrong with Lydia and her "the feeds are manipulated" theory??? She just might be dumber than I originally thought and thats saying a LOT! How can you manipulate something that is LIVE? Does she say how she thinks this is done? Mirrors? Criss Angel mind freak? I'm serious, what exactly does she think that BB is doing to manipulate the live feeds? HUGE

Lorraine she probably was referring to the limitations of the feeds. For instance there are four feeds but you only see to events happening at a certain time. Another instance is when production gives us FOTH when ever they feel like during comps and controversial events (i,e, Chima getting kicked out) if she wa referring to this I can completely understand.

pajamajon wrote:

Lorraine she probably was referring to the limitations of the feeds. For instance there are four feeds but you only see to events happening at a certain time. Another instance is when production gives us FOTH when ever they feel like during comps and controversial events (i,e, Chima getting kicked out) if she wa referring to this I can completely understand.

Yeah, This^^^^

Although I still don't believe it applies to Lydia because she was not playing the game to win from day one. There was nothing for them to manipulate.

MissChriss wrote:

pajamajon wrote:

Lorraine she probably was referring to the limitations of the feeds. For instance there are four feeds but you only see to events happening at a certain time. Another instance is when production gives us FOTH when ever they feel like during comps and controversial events (i,e, Chima getting kicked out) if she wa referring to this I can completely understand.

Yeah, This^^^^

Although I still don't believe it applies to Lydia because she was not playing the game to win from day one. There was nothing for them to manipulate.

Not buying this theory for one minute...sorry guys but Lydia is a nutjob. We have all known for ages that BB will give us FOTH when we certainly don't want it etc but quite frankly, didn't we all see exactly what we needed to see from Lydia? A drunken and vile cutter who gave hand jobs to Jessie? That about sums up her season for me...no manipulation there. I am almost certain that she was on blog talk talking about how they "EDIT" the feeds. Maybe someone remembers that. I agree MC that she was never really in it to win it from the second that Jessie walked in the house. She even forced the issue on herself getting evicted so she could be in sequester with Jessie alone. If that isnt crazy then I don't know what is.

Granted we don't see or hear EVERYTHING that is done or said because of the feeds being blocked for whatever reason. Unfortunately for Lydia that doesn't really apply to her because she has said that the feeds were edited implying we aren't watching it in real time?!?!?!? And yes Lorraine we most certainly did see more than enough from Lydia. Is it just me or doesn't it always seem like those BB houseguests who just merely existed in the house are always the ones to claim this whole editing rant and claim we didn't see everything...

Let's keep things into prespective here.... the feeds get blocked for a short period of time compared to what we actually see. We aren't missing out on all that much. I would find it hard to believe if someone like Lydia who had been laying around all day long all of a sudden has this burst of energy right when the feeds go to fish for us and she spends those 20 mins or however many mins to be hardcore gaming. She's a fucking loser and a complete waste of a houseguest and has the nerve, much like many of them to always wish and hope to be asked back for Allstars....the audacity! What in the hell would make someone like Lydia actually think she is deserving of a second chance back at it?