Battle of the Network Reality Stars


Battle of the Network Reality Stars is an American television series that aired on the Bravo cable network from August 17 until September 21, 2005. Based on the popular 1970s and 1980s television competition Battle of the Network Stars, the show consisted of thirty-three competitors from several different reality television shows. Some of the better known contestants include Adam Mesh, from the Average Joe TV series, Richard Hatch, Survivor winner, Sue Hawk, Ryan Starr and Nikki McKibbin of American Idol fame, Evan Marriott, of Joe Millionaire fame, and Will Kirby, winner of Big Brother season 2. Chip and Kim McAllister, winners of The Amazing Race 5, also participated. Veteran NBC sportscaster Mike Adamle hosted the show and featured reality reporters Trishelle Cannatella, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, and Bob Guiney. Austin Scarlett of Project Runway made fashion commentary in several episodes.

Teams

The competitors, as divided by team :
ContestantShowFinish
Richard HatchSurvivor: Borneo and All-StarsLost in final challenge
Ryan StarrAmerican IdolLost in final challenge
Valerie PensoTemptation IslandLost in final challenge
Burton RobertsSurvivor: Pearl IslandsLost in final challenge
Mike "The Miz" MizaninThe Real World: Back to New YorkLost in final challenge
Heidi BresslerThe ApprenticeMoves to Dark Blue Team episode 1
Lost in final challenge
Bradford CohenThe ApprenticeVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Mirna HindoyanThe Amazing Race 5 and All StarsVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Charla FaddoulThe Amazing Race 5 and All StarsMoves to Red Team episode 1

ContestantShowFinish
Matt GouldJoe Schmo ShowEliminated episode 6
Sue HawkSurvivor: Borneo and All-StarsEliminated episode 6
Will KirbyBig [Brother 2 (American season)|Big Brother 2]Eliminated episode 6
The [Amazing Race 5 contestants#Chip & Kim|Chip McAllister]The Amazing Race 5Eliminated episode 6
Kim McAllisterThe Amazing Race 5Eliminated episode 6
Theo VonkurnatowskiRoad Rules: Maximum Velocity TourEliminated episode 6
Nikki McKibbinAmerican IdolVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Brian WorthAverage Joe: HawaiiVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4

ContestantShowFinish
Will WikleBig Brother 5Eliminated episode 5
Coral SmithThe Real World: Back to New YorkEliminated episode 5
Evan MarriottJoe MillionaireEliminated episode 5
Melissa HowardThe Real World: New OrleansEliminated episode 5
Gervase PetersonSurvivor: BorneoMoves to Red Team episode 2
Eliminated episode 5
Tina "Tina Fabulous" PanasThe BachelorMoves to Red Team episode 2
Eliminated episode 5
Adam MeshAverage Joe and Adam ReturnsVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Rachel Love FraserThe SwanVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Duncan NutterShowbiz Moms & DadsVolunteered to Leave episode 2
Charla FaddoulThe Amazing Race 5 and All StarsJoins Red Team episode 1
Volunteered to Leave episode 2
Heidi BresslerThe Apprentice Moves to Dark Blue Team episode 1

ContestantShowFinish
Mike "Mike Boogie" MalinBig Brother 2Eliminated episode 3
Brittany BrowerAmerica's [Next Top Model, Cycle 4]Eliminated episode 3
Jonathan BakerThe Amazing Race 6Eliminated episode 3
Victoria FullerThe Amazing Race 6Eliminated episode 3
Wendy PepperProject RunwayEliminated episode 3
Chris RussoThe ApprenticeEliminated episode 3
Jerri MantheySurvivor: The Australian Outback and All StarsEliminated episode 3
David DaskalAverage Joe 2Eliminated episode 3
Gervase PetersonSurvivor: BorneoMoves to Red Team episode 2
Tina "Tina Fabulous" PanasThe Bachelor Moves to Red Team episode 2

ContestantShowFinish
Adam MeshAverage Joe and Adam ReturnsVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Won final challenge
Rachel Love FraserThe SwanVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Won final challenge
Bradford CohenThe ApprenticeVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Won final challenge
Mirna HindoyanThe Amazing Race 5 and All StarsVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Won final challenge
Nikki McKibbinAmerican IdolVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Won final challenge
Brian WorthAverage Joe: HawaiiVoted out episode 4
Returned as underdog episode 4
Won final challenge

Episode summary

Episode 1

  • Obstacle Course – Teams Red and Light Blue advanced to the finals – winner Team Red
  • Dunk Tank – Team Green wins with 9 points, followed by Teams Blue and Light Blue with 6, and Team Red with 1
  • Jousting – Team Light Blue wins
  • Eliminated – Teams Green, Red and Dark Blue are forced to vote off one member each. Kim and Heidi volunteer to leave due to physical weakness, and Charla is voted out.
  • Twist – Instead of leaving, they are forced to move to a new team based on the number they choose. Charla goes to Team Red, Kim stays at Team Green, Heidi moves to Team Dark Blue.

    Episode 2

  • Simon Says – Team Light Blue is eliminated first, followed by Team Red; Nikki of Team Green and Richard of Team Dark Blue are the final 2 – Richard wins
  • Dodgeball – Teams Red and Green advance to the finals; Team Green wins
  • Swimming Relay – Team Dark Blue wins, Team Light Blue second, Team Green third, Team Red last
  • Eliminated – Team Red has the lowest score of the day and must axe two players. Charla, who had volunteered to swim and then had to be replaced by Melissa at the last minute, agrees to leave; Duncan Nutter also volunteers to leave.
  • Twist – As the highest-scoring team of the day, Dark Blue get to choose which two players from another team will join Red. They pick Gervase and Tina Fabulous.
  • New arrivals – David Daskal and Jerri Manthey replace Gervase and Tina for Light Blue. Light Blue was horrified that they had lost a great athlete and a solid competitor in exchange for unathletic David and unimpressive Jerri.

    Episode 3

  • Football – Green 2) Dark Blue 3) Red 4) Light Blue
  • Soapbox Derby – Red 35.80, Dark Blue 34.66, Light Blue 44.58, Green 34.42 – Green wins
  • Relay Race – 1) Team Dark Blue 2) Team Red 3) Team Green 4) Team Light Blue
  • Twist The team with the lowest number of overall points for that day was to have been eliminated. Instead, a member of the third place team had to face off against a member of the lowest-ranking team, and the loser's team would be eliminated. Team Red were allowed to choose first, and chose Gervase. Team Light Blue had to choose a member of the same gender, and chose Chris, in spite of his having a broken foot. Jonathan wanted to run the race but the team had tuned him out and preferred to take their chances with someone who wasn't 100% physically.
  • Eliminated Gervase handily beat Chris, and Light Team Blue was eliminated. Jonathan complained about weight differences between the teams, got into an argument with wife Victoria, and was dubbed "the biggest mouth in America" by the announcer.

    Episode 4

  • Twist – Each team had to vote out one male and female member. Team Green voted out Nikki and Brian. Team Red voted out Adam, and Rachel volunteered to leave. Team Dark Blue voted out Bradford and Mirna. Adam, Mirna and Nikki were shocked, as they were strong competitors, but their teams disliked their personalities. Bradford was well liked by his team but was voted out because Dark Blue had two of the strongest competitors in Mike "The Miz" and Burton Roberts. Mirna was presumably voted out because the team member she was most similar to athletically, Heidi, was better-liked by the team leaders than herself.
  • Twist 2 – At the start of the day's first event, Bradford, Mirna, Rachel, Adam, Brian and Nikki arrived as "Team Underdog" to compete against the three teams that voted them out.
  • Water Polo – Team Underdog defeated Team Red. Team Green defeated Team Dark Blue. In the final match, Team Green won. In the consolation match, Team Dark Blue beat Team Red to make third place.
  • Mechanical Bull Riding – Team Dark Blue won, followed by Team Green, Team Underdog, and Team Red. Coral sprained her thumb and had to stay out of the next event.
  • Multilegged Race – Team Dark Blue won, followed by Team Green, Team Underdog, and Team Red.
  • Eliminated – Team Red were eliminated. Evan said afterwards he preferred losing without Adam to winning with him.

    Episode 5

  • Roller Skate Derby – Team Dark Blue won, Team Green trailed for much of the race, but a poor performance by Team Underdog's Brian Worth allowed Green to come in second place. Underdog was third.
  • Super High Jump – Team Dark Blue won, Team Underdog narrowly won second place and Team Green, increasingly marred by tension between Theo and Chip, came in third.
  • Kayak Relay Race – Team Dark Blue won, Team Underdog won second and Green came in third. Dark Blue advanced to the final round and left Green and Underdog to determine which team would be eliminated next.

    Finale

  • Tug of War – Although Team Green had the advantage in physical strength, Bradford of Team Underdog had researched tug-of-war the night before the competition and his team managed to use strategy to defeat Green, who were rattled by angry outbursts from Theo and Sue. Team Green were eliminated.
  • The final competition to determinate the winner of Battle of the Network Reality Stars was divided into four parts:

    Reunion

Hosted by Kathy Griffin, Bravo's All-Star Reality Reunion, which aired the same night as the finale featured all cast members save Rachel, Theo, Melissa, Jonathan, Victoria, Wendy Pepper, Trishelle and Bob Guiney.
Alumni from other reality series also participated in the reunion. They were:
Heather, Dat Phan, Erin, Cindy, Brennan, Gary, Norm, Jason, Ivana Ma, Pamela, Jay London, Ryan C. Benson, Tara, Mark, Reichen Lehmkuhl, Michael Tarshi, Kyra Sundance and dog Chelsea, Brandon Kindle and his partner Ryan Pacchiano and their dog Liberace, Angela Dodson, and Kara Saun.
Discussions included their current careers, how they were treated after their respective series aired, Omarosa's disclosure that being a villain is the best way to garner money and public notoriety, and an update on various feuds from other series.