February 25, 2004

Erika's Sister Is A Lesbian

Erika's sister is a lesbian. There's a story in the NY Post about it.

Posted by inthestars at 06:33 PM

February 23, 2004

This Place Is A Sty!

The Senator's daughter, Amy Harkin, joins the house tomorrow. In the confessional, she says,'This place is a sty.'
Nice stuck up rich bitch attitude to start off with.

Posted by inthestars at 08:33 PM

PJ After the Starting Over House

PJ has a long stay in the Starting Over House - 15 weeks! A viewer saw her on San Diego tv today and PJ is still chubby. She is now living in Chicago (she was home for a visit) and recently auditioned for the Broadway show 'Hairspray'.

There's also a rumor that PJ went on a date while in the SO House and it was never shown.

Posted by inthestars at 08:29 PM

February 19, 2004

Amy Harkin

After PJ graduates, Amy Harkin, the daughter of a US Senator, will be joining the show. This should prove interesting, you'd think that someone from her sort of background (Ivy league education, professional basketball player husband) would have the cash to start over without going on a reality tv show. Amy must have some exhibitionist tendencies!
There used to be a link to Amy's wedding registry but the link has since been deactivated. It was interesting however, because Amy and her groom actually asked for cash on the page! I did find an archived version of the page.

Posted by inthestars at 11:24 PM

Dirt on Christine #2

The second Christine to join the house is a pretty woman who lives in rural Wisconsin. She currently sells items on Ebay to support her two children and feels isolated (she is a divorcee). She also feels alientated from her community because many there have taken to calling her 'a slut'. Here's what a neighbor of hers has to say regarding the 'slut' allegation:

I have never heard her called a slut. I'm not sure exactly where that is coming from. She is however pretty universally avoided. She is just not the nicest
person to be around...and makes nor accepts any invitations to become friends
with the women in the community. And lord knows we have tried. Yeah, I know a few things, but I'm not going to just go on a typing spree and bash Christine. Oh and BTW, 'lived' is not the correct tense. She still 'lives' right where she did before the show. And I haven't seen any forsale signs out either. ;o)

No one really socializes with her much, we usually just run into her during the summer months at the park for volleyball leagues. And she hasn't even called my husband since I requested that she
call our HOME instead of his cell phone all the time if she needed
his help. LOL ;o(of course that request made me one the the jealous ones..Hahaha)

The same neighbor also says:


If you all remember, when Christine went home with Rhonda to visit her home, the pump was broken in her well. If you watched closely, you saw a tractor in her front yard (my husband's which was there to pull the pump in an attempt to get it fixed for her. Well to make a longer story short, the pump needed replacing and could not be fixed. As Christine was leaving for Chicago within a few days and she could not afford to get it fixed, she managed to get another man, who happens to be in partnership with my husband to commit to bringing water to her home every day for her kids. Yes, that is right, you read that correctly, she left her 17 y/o and 9 y/o kids home alone. With no water, and by mid November, no heat. (she has radiant heat) Though her son did spend the weekends with his dad. Honest to pete, if I had known this before I did actually hear it, I think I would have called CPS!

Anyway, that's not the point of this post....she told the man that was hauling the water that her real reason for going to the SO house to to try to further her modeling career. She told him that it was 'hush, hush," and he was not to tell anyone else because the producers did not want that kind of cast member for the show, so she had to come up with another reason. Now after seeing that Hannah had the auctioneer goal suggested to her by the production company, I can not say if Christine was given the goal of shop owner or if she came up with it herself, I just know that it was not HER goal.

So take it for what it's worth. I heard it from a second, though trustworthy source(though I will say he was angry at her and feeling manipulated into taking care of her kids) but it's still gossip no matter how you dress it up I guess. :O)


Posted by inthestars at 11:13 PM

Rain after she leave the Starting Over House

Someone claiming to know Rain's family stated on the SO boards that Rain moved to Chicago after leaving the house. Here's their statement:

She lives in Chicago and has a three bedroom apartment. I may be wrong but I think she lives near Halstad Street. She enrolled in the winter session and is taking classes at City College. For those of you who were wishing her failuer she has a full time job as a bus driver.

Posted by inthestars at 05:37 PM

February 16, 2004

The Senator's Daughter Appears

People Magazine Feb 23 issue states that Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa's oldest daughter Amy 27 will be on the show later this month.

Posted by inthestars at 02:39 AM

February 07, 2004

Kimberlyn Clears The Air

I tuned in for the last half of Kimberlyn's "International Show" on WGCR Web Radio. I caught her talking in between songs; she'd talk for about 11 minutes from that point. She was joined by someone named "Mr. Mike". She sent out condolences to Nyanza for recent deaths in her family and played sound effects of crowds cheering or going "awwwwww". She and Mike went on and on about how misinformation gets spread around and how people shouldn't believe everything they hear. They compared Kimberlyn's situation to the various stories swirling around Michael Jackson.

At the time I tuned in she was going on about how she said she'd make a statement about what "really happened" and that she knows people were waiting. She said somebody had thought it had been "months" but she insists it's only been weeks since she said she'd clear things up. She kept repeating that "we" would clear things up and things take time. She kept referring to "we" instead of just herself and even corrected herself at one point when she said "I".

Kimberlyn commented that a lot of people express anger and upset on the messageboards over SO and if they're that angry and upset over a television show maybe they should question what's really making them so upset.

She talked about how rumors get started and people believe them. She said something about how "people talk out of the side of their necks." (I think the expression is "side of their mouths.") But Mr. Mike added that their "necks get broken."

She said that the messageboards "have turned into the dog you can't kick at home." I'm really not sure what she meant by that but Mr. Mike said something about how it's you who train the dog to be mean. At one point Mr. Mike made a big deal out of how he wanted to say something and they both got quiet. He then launched into something about how when someone who doesn't know the truth is confronted by someone who is all truth, so much truth in their face that they want to "kill that person. It's the person who doesn't know too much that wants to take that person out of the game."

Mike and Kimberlyn ended the show by urging people to drop their baggage. She announced her email address (just once this time): kimberlyngcr@hotmail.com Either my clocks are wrong or they ended the show a few minutes early. They were followed by an extremely political show complete with wild animal sound effects and talk about how the "lion is waking up".

The sound effects were a bit annoying and included a very high-pitched cartoon-sounding voice that was hard to understand. "Zap Pest Control" was an advertiser.

I listened to the show from the Nullsoft Shoutcast website which listed 5 connected listeners out of a maximum capacity of 500. Shoutcast's most popular stations have a max of 30,000 listeners and up with a broadcast bitrate between 96 and 128. WGCR broadcasts at a bitrate of 24.

Posted by inthestars at 04:57 AM

February 05, 2004

Spoiler about Christine

Christine #2 returns to her farm with Rhonda. While they are there, Christine's daughter's boyfriend shows up. He appears to be in his late 20s and looks very scruffy! I wonder why Christine allows her teenage daughter to date a grown man?

Posted by inthestars at 08:39 PM

Is Rhonda in trouble?

Is Rhonda profosessional with the house guests she's coaching? Many watchers say no and apparently Rhonda's colleagues agree. According to someone in the know,'The coaching association of which Rhonda is a member is also examining the practices on this show. So far, they have expressed concern and are meeting to decide what to do.'

Also, Rhonda and Rana appear to be offering counseling to the house guests instead of coaching. The state of Illinois requires licenses for counseling and the show is being investigated for violating the law.

Posted by inthestars at 01:30 AM

Kimberlyn Tell Her Side of the Story

Kimberlyn told her side of the story on Nyanza's website. Here it is:


First, I'd like to thank God for everyday because everyday isn't promise to anyone and for carrying me through the challenging times. "In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity." Albert Einstein.

Secondly, a very special thank - you to my S.O. sister, Nyanza, who has been so supportive and gracious enough to allow me to "share" on her website! Finally, I'm grateful to the S.O. viewers whom I've met in person or via email, who've been so supportive.

Due to the fact that there is so much information, I'm going to highlight a few of the biggest misconceptions that some people have an "opinion" on. I don't know who started this living at home business (although, I am close to my family) but I moved out of my parents house at 22 and I was technically out at 18 to attend Columbia College, where I received a BA majoring in Film/Video.

THE TWILIGHT ZONE
As far as the coaching, I knew things were downhill for me when I witnessed how power hungry and controlling one of the coaches were when she interacted with the crew and certain producers. Although, I've had experienced as a counselor and a coordinator in Domestic Violence, "whatever" I had to share was dismissed.

WELCOME
When I first arrived, in addition to sharing the pictures of my parents, "their" house and a local gas station, I also shared pictures and stories of my friends, my social life and discussed my fears of driving. Nyanza and I bonded right away. We talked for hours on just about everything from A to Z.

THE "DANG" JUICER
Since I didn't have any assignments at the time, I decided to take on the task of assembling our new juicer, the chopping of the fruits and vegetables, the cleaning and on and on. Well, you get the idea! All of a sudden without warning, my flash cards were abruptly being flashed in my face! I started thinking, "What the h***!" Anyway, there was juice for everyone. (The ones who had some liked it!)

ONE ON ONE
In addition to talking to a coach about adjusting to being in the house, I shared with her the challenges I had to overcome the year before. (This info. was also shared with my other housemates at a later date.) I also shared with her about my physical challenge of having to deal with a fibroid tumor which has caused me extreme pain and excessive blood loss. The condition has also caused me to become anemic.(ex. During exercise boot camp, I had to stop because of my condition at that time plus lack of sleep and an upset stomach not because I'm a lazy person by any means.)

COLD SHOULDERS
I had invited everyone to go to the Rhythm Nightclub before we all knew that Nyanza was graduating. Everyone said that they would and that they could go. After Nyanza graduated, everyone decided not to go without any explanation. I had decided that I still wanted to go so I called some people who I knew would want to go the following night.

READY TO GO
I had contemplated leaving because I had a hard time adjusting to the crew busting into the bathroom and a malfunctioning camera in the bedroom which had been keeping me up all night.

NO RHYTHM AT "DA CLUB"
My two housemates decided to stay outside and smoke for about 20 minutes, while we waited in the entrance with another friend. After waiting for them for so long, we were told to go have a seat. There were no more seats to be saved. Once they were inside they decided that they wanted to go to the bar for another 15 minutes, all of this while the drumming session was in progress. The only seating that was left was behind the stage area, where they had to sit. The housemates and I danced and socialized between the drumming sessions. They told me they were having a great time.

MOTHER MAY I?
During a group session, a disagreement between a coach and I about how often is to often to see my mother (family) had a occurred. But a few minutes before the disagreement, completely out of left field, the coach breaks down into tears about how she misses her mother then moments later she glares at me and says she doesn't want me to see mine.

I know that this doesn't even cover the tip of the iceberg. (like my supposed "lateness," coach confrontation, not "bonding" with other housemates, "hogging" telephones and computers, rules changing at any given time, dismissal, etc.) But you insightful ones, I'm sure you get the picture. By the way, everyone should check out VH1's documentary on Reality T.V. Shows.

Once again, I can't thank Nyanza enough for the opportunity and a special thank - you to my family and friends for your love and support and I'm so sorry for the foul portrayal of what are relationship is suppose to "truly" be.

Nyanza much love to you and the supporters!!!

In the meantime...
God Bless,
Kimberlyn

She was definitely a nice lady who got a raw deal from the show.

Posted by inthestars at 01:25 AM

February 04, 2004

Hannah Graduates in 5 weeks

Hannah graduated from the house in 5 weeks. Read this article where she discusses life after leaving the house.

Posted by inthestars at 11:46 PM