In another universe, this summer’s sports-centric programming looks quite a bit different than it does in our current (and very strange) reality, from major league sports like baseball and basketball not existing in a literal bubble to the only-every-four-years spectacle of the Olympics unspooling in Japan. In fact, the latest edition of the Summer Olympics would have kicked off this very week, with the world’s best athletes gathering in and around Tokyo for two weeks of competition. Brett Rapkin’s “The Weight of Gold,” which assembles a sterling array of Olympic athletes to talk candidly about their struggles with mental health, starts with a necessary nod to what would have been another entry in classic Olympic mania.
It even suggests an important question: perhaps they’re better without it? It’s an idea worth pondering, especially as Rapkin’s documentary steadily builds over the course of just one hour to show,...
It even suggests an important question: perhaps they’re better without it? It’s an idea worth pondering, especially as Rapkin’s documentary steadily builds over the course of just one hour to show,...
- 7/29/2020
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Michael Phelps, Shaun White, Sasha Cohen and many other Olympians examine their relationship with “post-Olympic depression” in a new documentary, The Weight of Gold, which released its first trailer on Monday.
The HBO Sports film will debut on HBO and on streaming via HBO Max on Wednesday, July 29th at 9:00 p.m. Et, around when the Summer Olympics were scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, this year — prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the trailer, athletes open up about how “40 seconds will dictate our human lives,” before the...
The HBO Sports film will debut on HBO and on streaming via HBO Max on Wednesday, July 29th at 9:00 p.m. Et, around when the Summer Olympics were scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, this year — prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the trailer, athletes open up about how “40 seconds will dictate our human lives,” before the...
- 7/20/2020
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, but what’s left to accomplish after you’ve proved you’re the best in the world? In the new documentary “The Weight of Gold,” Phelps takes a long look at life after the Olympics and how he was not alone in experiencing depression after winning it all.
“The Weight of Gold” is an HBO Sports documentary executive produced by Phelps and features interviews with Olympians who discuss going their entire lives without normal childhoods, without outside skills or interests beyond their sport, without any plans after the Olympics and whose entire lives have been defined by a rapid, 40-second race.
“We’re just so lost. A good 80 percent, maybe more, develop a post-Olympic depression,” Phelps says in the documentary trailer. “I thought of myself as just a swimmer, and not a human being, and that’s where I thought,...
“The Weight of Gold” is an HBO Sports documentary executive produced by Phelps and features interviews with Olympians who discuss going their entire lives without normal childhoods, without outside skills or interests beyond their sport, without any plans after the Olympics and whose entire lives have been defined by a rapid, 40-second race.
“We’re just so lost. A good 80 percent, maybe more, develop a post-Olympic depression,” Phelps says in the documentary trailer. “I thought of myself as just a swimmer, and not a human being, and that’s where I thought,...
- 7/20/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
HBO has acquired and set a premiere date for The Weight of Gold, a feature documentary on the mental health challenges that Olympic athletes often face. All-time medal champ Michael Phelps is among the subjects, along with Shaun White, Bode Miller and others.
The film also features Jeremy Bloom, Lolo Jones, Gracie Gold, Apolo Anton Ohno, Sasha Cohen, David Boudia, Katie Uhlaender and the late Jeret Peterson And Steven Holcomb.
Directed by Brett Rapkin and produced by Podium Pictures in association with Octagon, The Weight of Gold will premiere at 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 — when the 2020 Tokyo Games were to have been going on before the event was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The docu spotlights Olympic athletes, a group that has long quietly battled its own mental health crisis and now is grappling with the unprecedented postponement of the 2020 Olympics and all its implications. The film seeks to inspire the discussion of mental health,...
The film also features Jeremy Bloom, Lolo Jones, Gracie Gold, Apolo Anton Ohno, Sasha Cohen, David Boudia, Katie Uhlaender and the late Jeret Peterson And Steven Holcomb.
Directed by Brett Rapkin and produced by Podium Pictures in association with Octagon, The Weight of Gold will premiere at 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 — when the 2020 Tokyo Games were to have been going on before the event was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The docu spotlights Olympic athletes, a group that has long quietly battled its own mental health crisis and now is grappling with the unprecedented postponement of the 2020 Olympics and all its implications. The film seeks to inspire the discussion of mental health,...
- 6/29/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Last spring, ABC aired a new celebrity water competition called Splash. Was it a ratings success? Has it been cancelled or will it be back for a second season later this summer?
Based on a Dutch series, the Splash TV show pits celebrities against one another in a diving competition that includes backflips, somersaults, and high dives. Hosted by Joey Lawrence and Charissa Thompson, the celebrities are coached by Greg Louganis and judged by Steve Foley and David Boudia. Contestants in season one were Keshia Knight Pulliam, Chuy Bravo, Ndamukong Suh, Kendra Wilkinson, Katherine Webb, Louie Anderson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Brandi Chastain, Drake Bell, Nicole Eggert, and Rory Bushfield.
Many performers are willing to give their all for an audience and this show's participants had plenty of injuries over the course of the eight weeks. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people tuned in to watch each week.
Based on a Dutch series, the Splash TV show pits celebrities against one another in a diving competition that includes backflips, somersaults, and high dives. Hosted by Joey Lawrence and Charissa Thompson, the celebrities are coached by Greg Louganis and judged by Steve Foley and David Boudia. Contestants in season one were Keshia Knight Pulliam, Chuy Bravo, Ndamukong Suh, Kendra Wilkinson, Katherine Webb, Louie Anderson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Brandi Chastain, Drake Bell, Nicole Eggert, and Rory Bushfield.
Many performers are willing to give their all for an audience and this show's participants had plenty of injuries over the course of the eight weeks. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people tuned in to watch each week.
- 7/9/2014
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Celebrity diving series "Splash" came to a close on Tuesday night, with extreme skier Rory Bushfield taking home the grand prize. Bushfield struggled in the beginning of the show, since as a skier, he's been taught never to land on his head -- an important skill when one is going into a pool head-first.
Ultimately, he overcame his physical obstacles, including a painful ruptured eardrum. He was driven by the memory of his wife, freestyle skier Sarah Burke, who died last January after a crash in Park City, Utah. "Sarah was my dream girl before she knew who I was," he said on the show. "A lot of the craziest things I ever did were just kind of to impress Sarah."
While Bushfield was the winner, ABC was not. The show, which featured London Olympic U.S. gold medalist David Boudia and Australian Olympic athlete and USA Dive team director Steve Foley as judges,...
Ultimately, he overcame his physical obstacles, including a painful ruptured eardrum. He was driven by the memory of his wife, freestyle skier Sarah Burke, who died last January after a crash in Park City, Utah. "Sarah was my dream girl before she knew who I was," he said on the show. "A lot of the craziest things I ever did were just kind of to impress Sarah."
While Bushfield was the winner, ABC was not. The show, which featured London Olympic U.S. gold medalist David Boudia and Australian Olympic athlete and USA Dive team director Steve Foley as judges,...
- 5/8/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
As extreme skier Rory Bushfield (pictured, with Baywatch’s Nicole Eggert) said, “I don’t think any skier would be impressed if I got beat by a couple of actors.” So who, in the hilarious words of Joey Lawrence’s cohost Charissa Thompson, was crowned “the greatest celebrity diver of all-time in our first-ever Splash grand finale?”
Rory Bushfield! He defeated Eggert and Drake & Josh’s Drake Bell to hoist the crystal Splash trophy at the end of what a relatively straight-faced Lawrence referred to as “the most electrifying diving competition on earth.” Bell finally managed to do an inward...
Rory Bushfield! He defeated Eggert and Drake & Josh’s Drake Bell to hoist the crystal Splash trophy at the end of what a relatively straight-faced Lawrence referred to as “the most electrifying diving competition on earth.” Bell finally managed to do an inward...
- 5/8/2013
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
The Taste wasn't exactly a ratings smash for ABC so how will Splash perform in the same timeslot? Will it be a surprise hit and run for many years or will it be cancelled after one season, like so many others? We shall see.
The first season of Splash typically airs Tuesday nights on the ABC network. The show pits celebrities Keshia Knight Pulliam, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Louie Anderson, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Rory Bushfield, Nicole Eggert, Ndamukong Suh, Katherine Webb, and Kendra Wilkinson against one another in a high diving competition. It's hosted by Joey Lawrence and Charissa Thompson and judged by Steve Foley and David Boudia. Greg Louganis serves as the competitors' mentor.
Below are the TV show's ratings for the 2012-13 season, the best way to tell if Splash is going to be cancelled or renewed for a second season.
The first season of Splash typically airs Tuesday nights on the ABC network. The show pits celebrities Keshia Knight Pulliam, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Louie Anderson, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Rory Bushfield, Nicole Eggert, Ndamukong Suh, Katherine Webb, and Kendra Wilkinson against one another in a high diving competition. It's hosted by Joey Lawrence and Charissa Thompson and judged by Steve Foley and David Boudia. Greg Louganis serves as the competitors' mentor.
Below are the TV show's ratings for the 2012-13 season, the best way to tell if Splash is going to be cancelled or renewed for a second season.
- 3/23/2013
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Tuesday saw the series premiere of ABC’s celebrity competition series Splash (2.6/8). Hosted by Joey Lawrence and Espn’s Charissa Thompson and judged by Olympic gold medalist David Boudia and U.S. Dive Team director Steve Foley, the reality series saw The Cosby Show’s Keshia Knight Pulliam lose the dive-off and become the first celeb to leave. Bad start for her but good start for Splash. The new show was up 13% from the debut of Celebrity Wife Swap last year on January 2, 2012. In fact, there might be something in the water because Splash had the highest unscripted debut on the network in more than two years and the best on any network since The X Factor premiered on Fox in September 2011. Splash saw growth in both viewership (up 3%) and young adults (up 8%) from its first half-hour to its second. On the second week of Season 11 of Fox’s Hell...
- 3/20/2013
- by DOMINIC PATTEN
- Deadline TV
ABC's eclectic selection of celebrities faced their fears in the newest diving competition show. The premiere of "Splash" featured five of the ten contestants performing dives of varying heights and complexity. Easily the most passionate about the show was comedian Louie Anderson.
Louie was more than 400 pounds when training began, and suffered the embarrassment of not being able to get out of the pool after his first dive. On the show, though, he was a much more confident man. In fact, he was so confident that he made the last minute change to go even higher -- up to 23 feet -- surprising even his coach, Greg Louganis.
Louie talked about how the show was such a huge opportunity for him, and something that could save his life. Entertainment Weekly felt that he was taking the show more seriously than the show was taking him, and that his passion "has the...
Louie was more than 400 pounds when training began, and suffered the embarrassment of not being able to get out of the pool after his first dive. On the show, though, he was a much more confident man. In fact, he was so confident that he made the last minute change to go even higher -- up to 23 feet -- surprising even his coach, Greg Louganis.
Louie talked about how the show was such a huge opportunity for him, and something that could save his life. Entertainment Weekly felt that he was taking the show more seriously than the show was taking him, and that his passion "has the...
- 3/20/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
When we first heard about ABC's "Splash," we had our doubts -- watching D-list celebs hop into a pool doesn't seem nearly as entertaining as watching them cha-cha. (And even the entertainment value of that is dwindling.) Tuesday's series premiere of the celebrity diving competition show was surprisingly compelling, though. London Olympic U.S. gold medalist David Boudia and Australian Olympic athlete and USA Dive team director Steve Foley were very dynamic judges, and because the show doesn't air live, there was room to create drama with editing.
First of all, we loved to hate the jingles for each of the divers -- particularly "The Cosby Show" child star's Keshia Knight Pulliam, whose jingle made sure to mention that she wasn't little Rudy anymore. Her dive involved a handstand on the board, but the judges weren't particularly impressed by it. "You had as much balance as a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest,...
First of all, we loved to hate the jingles for each of the divers -- particularly "The Cosby Show" child star's Keshia Knight Pulliam, whose jingle made sure to mention that she wasn't little Rudy anymore. Her dive involved a handstand on the board, but the judges weren't particularly impressed by it. "You had as much balance as a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest,...
- 3/20/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
In ABC's new competition series Splash, 10 celebrities train to master high dives with the help of Olympic diving legend Greg Louganis. But first, the promos have promised us, they will belly flop and smack the water like concrete. The progress of the competitors from week to week will be judged by London Olympic U.S. Gold medalist David Boudia and Australian Olympic athlete and USA Dive Team director Steve Foley, and the eventual winner (chosen in part by the audience) will donate their prize to charity. Shaking your head? Blame the Netherlands. For it is the Dutch, who also
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- 3/20/2013
- by Allison Keene
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ABC's ballroom-dancing competition "Dancing With the Stars," which started a new season on Monday, March 18, is known for a fairly high rate of injury to participants, both celebrity contestants and professional dancers -- from pulled muscles to foot fractures to tendon tears.
But Joey Lawrence, star of ABC Family's sitcom "Melissa and Joey," who competed on "Dancing," says that risk is nothing compared to that faced by the contestants in "Splash," the new reality-competition show he's co-hosting for ABC.
"These are serious injuries," says Lawrence. "We have things going on I'm not going to tell you about, as these episodes roll out. But it is crazy stuff these people are experiencing."
Premiering on Tuesday, March 19, "Splash," based on a Dutch concept, pairs 10 celebrities with diving mentor and Olympic legend Greg Louganis, then has them compete in regulation platform and springboard diving in front of two judges: London Olympics gold-medalist David Boudia,...
But Joey Lawrence, star of ABC Family's sitcom "Melissa and Joey," who competed on "Dancing," says that risk is nothing compared to that faced by the contestants in "Splash," the new reality-competition show he's co-hosting for ABC.
"These are serious injuries," says Lawrence. "We have things going on I'm not going to tell you about, as these episodes roll out. But it is crazy stuff these people are experiencing."
Premiering on Tuesday, March 19, "Splash," based on a Dutch concept, pairs 10 celebrities with diving mentor and Olympic legend Greg Louganis, then has them compete in regulation platform and springboard diving in front of two judges: London Olympics gold-medalist David Boudia,...
- 3/20/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Fan's of "Chelsea Lately's" Chuy Bravo won't see the Chelsea Handler's sidekick making the high dive on ABC's "Splash" after all. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bravo has been replaced with soccer star Brandi Chastain after fracturing his heel during practice. He'll reportedly still be a part of the season in some capacity, however.
The reality competition, premiering March 19 at 8 p.m. Et, sees 10 celebrity contestants training under coaches David Boudia and Greg Louganis to complete increasingly difficult high dives, including twists, flip dives and backflips midair.
Bravo isn't the only contestant who suffered difficulties while training -- comedian Louie Anderson reportedly almost drowned during practice, becoming exhausted after numerous dives and having difficulty pulling himself out of the water. He was assisted by fellow contestant Ndamukong Suh and Louganis.
Fox recently attempted their own celebrity diving special, "Stars In Danger: The High Dive," which debuted to a paltry 3.4 million viewers.
The reality competition, premiering March 19 at 8 p.m. Et, sees 10 celebrity contestants training under coaches David Boudia and Greg Louganis to complete increasingly difficult high dives, including twists, flip dives and backflips midair.
Bravo isn't the only contestant who suffered difficulties while training -- comedian Louie Anderson reportedly almost drowned during practice, becoming exhausted after numerous dives and having difficulty pulling himself out of the water. He was assisted by fellow contestant Ndamukong Suh and Louganis.
Fox recently attempted their own celebrity diving special, "Stars In Danger: The High Dive," which debuted to a paltry 3.4 million viewers.
- 3/13/2013
- by Laura Prudom
- Huffington Post
Whoa! Joey Lawrence has a new gig: co-hosting "Splash," ABC's new diving reality series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
THR reports that Espn SportsNation host Charissa Thompson will join Lawrence at the helm of "Splash," which premieres on Tuesday, March 19.
Greg Louganis will train the "Splash" cast, which includes Louie Anderson, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Nicole Eggert, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ndamukong Suh, Katherine Webb, Kendra Wilkinson, Rory Bushfield and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. David Boudia and Steve Foley will judge ABC's upcoming series.
In more casting news ...
Hope Davis is heading to "Law & Order: Svu." The actress will appear in the April 24 installment about violent youth as Viola Mesner, mother to Henry (Ethan Cutkosky), who is "wired wrong." [THR]
Brenda and Jax are retuning to "General Hospital." Vanessa Marcil and Ingo Rademacher will reprise their iconic roles in honor of the ABC soap's 50th anniversary. [EW]
"The Killing" beefs up its cast. Benjamin Charles Watson,...
THR reports that Espn SportsNation host Charissa Thompson will join Lawrence at the helm of "Splash," which premieres on Tuesday, March 19.
Greg Louganis will train the "Splash" cast, which includes Louie Anderson, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Nicole Eggert, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ndamukong Suh, Katherine Webb, Kendra Wilkinson, Rory Bushfield and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. David Boudia and Steve Foley will judge ABC's upcoming series.
In more casting news ...
Hope Davis is heading to "Law & Order: Svu." The actress will appear in the April 24 installment about violent youth as Viola Mesner, mother to Henry (Ethan Cutkosky), who is "wired wrong." [THR]
Brenda and Jax are retuning to "General Hospital." Vanessa Marcil and Ingo Rademacher will reprise their iconic roles in honor of the ABC soap's 50th anniversary. [EW]
"The Killing" beefs up its cast. Benjamin Charles Watson,...
- 3/6/2013
- by Jaimie Etkin
- Huffington Post
Two more familiar faces are jumping into ABC's Splash -- though they presumably won't be getting very wet. The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Joey Lawrence and Charissa Thompson will host the celebrity diving competition when it premieres March 19. Both already are members of the Disney family, with Lawrence starring in and executive producing ABC Family's Melissa & Joey and Thompson hosting ESPN2's SportsNation. Story: ABC Sets Title and Cast for Celebrity Diving Series The duo join previously cast trainer Greg Louganis, judges Steve Foley and David Boudia and competitors Louie Anderson, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Nicole Eggert, Keshia Knight
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- 3/6/2013
- by Michael O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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