Carnie Wilson: Unstapled

The series focuses on the life of Carnie Wilson,{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carnie-wilson-candid-and-unstapled/|title=Carnie Wilson: Candid and "Unstapled"|agency=Associated Press|work=CBS News|last=Elber|first=Lynn|date=October 21, 2009|access-date=January 20, 2018}} daughter of Brian Wilson, founder of the Beach Boys.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a183080/carnie-wilson-to-star-in-reality-show/|title=Carnie Wilson 'to star in reality show'|work=Digital Spy|last=Parks|first=Tim|date=October 22, 2009|access-date=January 26, 2018}} The show takes place at Wilson's residence in the Los Angeles area, and viewers see some of the struggles as she attempts to lose about 50 pounds after giving birth to her second child.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2009/10/21/carnie-wilson-unstapled/|title=GSN lands Carnie Wilson reality show|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last=Labrecque|first=Jeff|date=October 21, 2009|access-date=January 26, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9903E5DC103BF937A25752C0A9669D8B63.html|title=What's On Today|work=The New York Times|last=Shattuck|first=Kathryn|date=January 14, 2010|access-date=January 20, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2010/06/13/fat-celebrities-famously-weigh-in-on-their-struggle/|title=Fat celebrities famously weigh in on their struggle|work=The Denver Post|author=Los Angeles Times|author-link=Los Angeles Times|date=June 13, 2010|access-date=January 26, 2018}} The series also depicts Wilson's attempt to balance her life as a game show hostess, entertainer, wife, and mother of two daughters.{{cite press release|url=http://corp.gsn.com/press/releases/gsn-unveils-new-original-series-carnie-wilson-unstapled-examining-carnie-wilson-s-lif|title=GSN Unveils New Original Series, Carnie Wilson: Unstapled, Examining Carnie Wilson's Life and Career, Premiering in January 2010|publisher=GSN Corporate|date=October 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322074903/http://corp.gsn.com/press/releases/gsn-unveils-new-original-series-carnie-wilson-unstapled-examining-carnie-wilson-s-lif|archive-date=March 22, 2014}}

Former wrestler Diamond Dallas Page, Wilson's personal trainer and fitness guru, makes frequent appearances on the show. The "Unstapled" part of the show's title is a reference to Wilson's 1999 gastric bypass surgery.{{cite web |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/carnie-wilson-goes-unstapled-reality-series-1C9404174 |title=Carnie Wilson goes 'Unstapled' for reality series |date=October 21, 2009 |publisher=Today|agency=Associated Press|access-date=January 20, 2018}}{{sfn|Fox-Kales|2011|p=45}} By 2001, Wilson had lost 150 pounds,{{cite web|url=http://people.com/archive/cover-story-weigh-to-go-vol-55-no-2/|title=Weigh to Go!|work=People|last=K.L. Dam|first=Julie|date=January 15, 2001|access-date=January 20, 2018}} though she had regained much of it back by 2010, when the show was being filmed.{{cite web|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/02/wilson-phillips-singer-chynna-phillips-in-rehab-for-anxiety.html|title=Wilson Phillips singer Chynna Phillips in rehab for anxiety [updated]|work=Los Angeles Times|last=D'Zurilla|first=Christie|date=February 16, 2010|access-date=January 20, 2018|quote=Another group member, Carnie Wilson, was just on the cover of People magazine saying 'I need help,' referring to her weight.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/carnie-wilson-surgery-for-weight-loss-again-71988/|title=Carnie Wilson Surgery for Weight Loss, Again|last=Koonse|first=Emma|work=The Christian Post|date=March 23, 2012|access-date=January 26, 2018}}

Wilson's diet program is featured on the show. She became a paid spokesperson for The Fresh Diet while on the show, and there was a controversy when Wilson gained weight while on that diet in 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.aol.com/2011/07/11/singer-carnie-wilson-could-lose-house-to-foreclosure/|title=Singer Carnie Wilson Could Lose House to Foreclosure|date=July 11, 2011|work=AOL Real Estate|access-date=January 20, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/820866/Carrie-Wilson-fired-as-a-spokesmodel-for-The-Fresh-Diet|title=Carrie Wilson fired as a spokesmodel for The Fresh Diet|publisher=SheKnows Media|last=Morris|first=Meagan|date=November 30, 2010}}

The series was green-lit in a Game Show Network (GSN) press release delivered on October 21, 2009. Executive producers included Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey and Tom Campbell, while World of Wonder was the show's production company. The show premiered on January 14, 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/exclusive-carnie-wilson-getting-unstapled-gsn-8936/|title=Exclusive: Carnie Wilson Getting 'Unstapled' for GSN|work=TheWrap|last=Adalian|first=Josef|date=October 20, 2009|access-date=January 20, 2018}} While the network has been known for traditional game shows, Kelly Goode, the network's senior vice president for original programming and development, argued that the show made sense given viewers' positive response to Wilson on The Newlywed Game.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/carnie-wilson-gets-1011087/|title=Carnie Wilson Gets Unstapled for GSN|work=TV Guide|last=Eng|first=Joyce|date=October 21, 2009|access-date=January 26, 2018}} Wilson expressed excitement at the prospect of the show, saying, "It's a great message to send out for women, that we can multi-task, we can be a present mom and a present wife and try to keep our sanity."{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/carnie-wilson-talks-1013676/|title=Carnie Wilson Talks About Getting Unstapled in New Show|work=TV Guide|last=Stanhope|first=Kate|date=January 14, 2010|access-date=January 20, 2018}}

In July 2010, Wilson sued GSN, claiming she was owed $277,500 in extra pay for doing the show.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/carnie-wilson-suing-game-show-network-for-big-bucks/|title=Carnie Wilson Suing Game Show Network for Big Bucks|publisher=Fox News|last=Behar|first=Deidre|date=July 30, 2010|access-date=January 20, 2018}} GSN, meanwhile, argued that Wilson failed to make scheduled appearances The Dr. Oz Show, Access Hollywood, and The Wendy Williams Show to promote the series. The two parties settled their dispute in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://bhcourier.com/carnie-wilson-and-gsn-settle-law-suit-2/|title=Carnie Wilson and GSN Settle Law Suit|work=The Beverly Hills Courier|access-date=January 20, 2018}}

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In a series preview CNN's James Dinan argued that GSN would be better off focusing on traditional game shows in order for the network to avoid "losing its niche": "Perhaps GSN will learn that lesson and stay true to its original calling when this experiment comes to an end. Then again, I could see it following the leader and become {{sic}} just another channel."{{cite web|url=http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/31/another-cable-channel-losing-its-niche/|title=Another cable channel losing its niche?|publisher=CNN|last=Dinan|first=James|date=December 31, 2009|access-date=October 20, 2017|archive-date=October 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019033034/http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/31/another-cable-channel-losing-its-niche/|url-status=dead}} Annie Barrett of Entertainment Weekly added, "The only way I'd watch...is if it were an animated tragicomedy series based on the Operation! board game."{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2009/10/22/carnie-wilson-unstapled-the-only-way-id-watch/|title=Carnie Wilson: Unstapled: The only way I'd watch...|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last=Barrett|first=Annie|date=October 22, 2009|access-date=January 26, 2018}}

Boston.com's Matthew Gilbert argued that Wilson "[did] not come across well" and that the series was a "showcase for the kind of reality drama queenery that is becoming increasingly hard to bear."{{cite web|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2010/01/14/reality_series_tune_into_inflated_egoes/|title=Carnie, Fantasia, and Pepa. The reality is, who cares?|publisher=Boston.com|last=Gilbert|first=Matthew|date=January 14, 2010|access-date=January 26, 2018}} A reviewer for Hollywood Junket was pleased with the series, writing, "The scenes are nicely tied-in with interviews of Wilson talking about her thoughts on her life's daily events as she speaks straight to the camera directly to viewers at home," and adding that provided the show preserved "naturalness," it was "sure to do well."{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodjunket.com/carnie-wilson-unstapled-sneak-peek/|title=Carnie Wilson: Unstapled – Sneak Peek!|work=Hollywood Junket|date=January 10, 2010|access-date=January 26, 2018}} Despite expressing early optimism about the series, Wilson was unhappy after taping the show, saying, "[The producers] wanted me to get on the scale every day, and I didn't want to. I don't want to be known as the weight loss girl — that's not who I am. I'm also a singer, actress, mother and author."{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-24-la-he-fat-celebs-role-models-20100524-story.html|title=Carnie Wilson: 'I don't want to be known as the weight loss girl'|work=Los Angeles Times|first=Jeannine|last=Stein|date=May 24, 2010|access-date=January 26, 2018}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Fox-Kales|first=Emily|title=Body Shots: Hollywood and the Culture of Eating Disorders|url=https://archive.org/details/bodyshotshollywo0000foxk|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/bodyshotshollywo0000foxk/page/45 45]|quote=Carnie Wilson: Unstapled.|year=2011|publisher=Excelsior Editions|isbn=978-1-4384-3530-5}}

• {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20100824021319/http://tv.gsn.com/shows/unstapled/}} at the Wayback Machine
• {{IMDb title|1533007|Carnie Wilson: Unstapled}}

{{Game Show Network}}

{{Wilson Phillips}}

Category:2010 American television series debuts

Category:2010 American television series endings

Category:2010s American reality television series

Category:Game Show Network original programming

Category:Television shows set in Los Angeles County, California

Category:Wilson Phillips