• Ozzy Osbourne is a no-show at his own 'Ozzfest'

  July 14, 2003
  Fresh off the renewal of the MTV series starring his family, Ozzy Osbourne is illustrating why he needs the cash. According to the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune, Ozzy failed to show up for the Seattle/Tacoma "Ozzfest," the heavy metal tour created by himself and his wife Sharon, who co-stars in The Osbournes series with him.

• MTV renews 'The Osbournes' for 2004 season

  July 10, 2003
  Since becoming international celebrities when the first season of their self-titled MTV shop became the hottest series in the history of cable TV, the Osbourne family of Beverly Hills, California has been involved in unending trouble. Father Ozzy, the former lead singer of Black Sabbath, was sued by two former bandmates whom he and his wife edited off his records to avoid paying them up to $20 million in court-ordered royalties. Mother Sharon (daughter of Jet Records founder and well-known nasty thug Don Arden) survived colon and lymph cancer and feuded and fought publicly over a raffle prize. Son Jack went through drug rehabilitation. Daughter Kelly was dropped by her dad's record label, prompting him to leave as well, after her debut record flopped. The family members were publicly blasted for their profanity-laden shtick and portrayed as clowns in the media. Oh, and the bottom fell out of their third-season ratings. Time to regroup in peace and quiet, right?

• Producers pull the plug on filming 'Real World/Road Rules Challenge' in Rhode Island... again

  June 30, 2003
  The Newport Daily News is reporting that Bunim/Murray Productions has abandoned its second attempt to use a Rhode Island estate for taping of its "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet" show.

• 'The Osbournes' Sharon Osbourne blames self for son Jack's substance abuse

  June 26, 2003
  In the world of MTV's The Osbournes, the only bad publicity is no publicity. The Associated Press reports that, in the current issue of US Magazine, Osbournes matriarch Sharon Osbourne takes full responsibility for the alcohol and drug abuse problems experienced by her son Jack, who has also been featured on the show. In particular, she notes her failure to recognize what was going on with Jack, even though she was, in her own mind, a "cutting-edge mom."

• Middletown, RI tables 'Real World/Road Roads Challenge' filming decision until Monday

  June 25, 2003
  According to the Providence Journal, potential neighbors of Bunim/Murray's new proposed Middletown, Rhode Island "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" mansion location came out in force at yesterday's special Middletown town council meeting, voicing their (in some cases ridiculous) concerns for almost three hours. As a result, the council delayed their decision on giving MTV final approval to film in the ritzy neighborhood until Monday's normally scheduled council session.

• Former 'Real World: Boston' star Sean Duffy mulls run for Congress

  June 24, 2003
  The AP reports that Sean Duffy, 31, a Wisconsin attorney who starred on The Real World Boston in 1997 (season 6), is contemplating a run for Congress in 2004. Duffy, a Republican who was elected Ashland County District Attorney in September, would be running against incumbent Democrat Rep. Dave Obey.

• MTV still looking to film 'Real World/Road Rules Challenge' in Rhode Island -- now targeting Middletown

  June 24, 2003
  Wow, if nothing else, those Bunim/Murray folks sure are persistent... if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again apparently. The Providence Journal is reporting today that after having been rebuffed by the ritzy neighbors of their proposed Newport, Rhode Island mansion, the Bunim/Murray producers now trying to get the necessary approvals to house and film the contestants on the same island as Newport, but in the neighboring town of Middletown (for non-locals, Rhode Island's Aquidneck Island is comprised of three towns, the more famous Newport as well as Middletown and Portsmouth).

• 'Fraternity Life' frat has "recognition" permanently revoked by university

  June 17, 2003
  The student newspaper of University Of California at Santa Cruz reports that the university has announced that it has "revoked recognition" of the Delta Omega Chi fraternity over an incident last month that resulted in the death of a campus koi fish. The revocation, which is permanent, means that the campus has severed all ties to the fraternity. Without UCSC affiliation, the fraternity will no longer have access to campus services or facilities.

• 'The Osbournes' premiere ratings down almost 50% from last season

  June 14, 2003
  The Hollywood Reporter reports that MTV's hit "The Osbournes" plummeted in its third-season premiere, drawing just more than half the audience that tuned in to last season's debut episode.

• Producers pull the plug on filming 'Real World/Road Rules Challenge' in Newport, RI

  June 12, 2003
  The Newport Daily News is reporting that "unresolved zoning issues" (and apparently not neighborhood protests) have forced MTV to pull the plug on their previously announced plans to film the upcoming edition of "The Real World/Road Rules Challenge" in Newport. Newport mayor Richard C. Sardella announced that MTV was pulling out of Newport after Wednesday night's Newport City Council meeting. "Newport is out of the question for this year," Sardella said. "I'm disappointed. I think it's something the city will miss." "We were looking at (Newport) locations probably up to an hour ago," Julie Pizzi, co-executive producer for Bunim-Murray Productions, said about 9PM Wednesday. The show is scheduled to begin shooting its seventh season June 27.

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