Blossom E! THS - Aug. 21

[Pavan]

"BLOSSOM: THE E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY"
PREMIERES SUNDAY, AUGUST 21 AT 8:00PM ET/PT

From the unique casting selection to the floppy flowered hats to the
heartbreaking struggle with illness to the final goodbyes, THS looks at
the groundbreaking '90s sitcom 'Blossom'

Los Angeles, August 18, 2005 - In the 90's, most sitcoms featured a
typical American nuclear family, but the NBC sitcom Blossom was anything
but typical. In fact, the NBC sitcom Blossom broke all the sitcom rules:
it featured a non-nuclear family; the main character was a teenage girl
who did not fit the typical Hollywood beauty standards; and it
presented unconventional storylines that combined timely topics with comedy in
a whole new way.

In this one-hour special, "Blossom: The E! True Hollywood Story," E!
sits down with members of the Blossom cast, including star Mayim Bialik;
Michael Stoyanov who played Blossom's brother; Finola Hughes, Blossom's
stepmother; David Lascher, Blossom's boyfriend; and creator and
executive producer Don Reo Bialik recalls the thrill of being on a top rated
sitcom and the pain of being criticized for her quirky look. "Blossom:
The E! True Hollywood Story" premieres Sunday, August 21 (8:00 PM
ET/PT) on E!. In the program:

Don Reo, "Blossom" creator and executive producer, "We took on real
issues. We had real emotions, real angst and dealt with the 'bitcheries'
of growing up. I think that we did a good job."

Mayim Bialik on the critics vicious shots, "They said that my face
looked like a shield, and that I had a series of mismatched features. It
was very hurtful. I'm almost 30 years old, and I've never forgotten the
exact words."

Bialik on the pressure to keep fans tuned in, "I think understanding
the responsibility came more from the people around me. It wasn't
something that was internally generated. It was something that my mom, who was
with me on the set all the time, would help me understand, or try to
understand."

Don Reo on the idea of switching the main character of his show from
Richie to Blossom, "This is great, because if I do this, I can steal
every story 'The Wonder Years' has done. And I don't have to write
anything."

Dina Sansing, deputy editor of US Weekly, on the casting of Mayim
Bialik, "Producers took a big risk casting her in the role. She wasn't the
traditional Hollywood beauty, but they really couldn't resist. She was
so perky, she was smart. She really embodied everything they wanted this
character to be."

Hollywood Reporter columnist Ray Richmond on the character Blossom, "I
think there was something realistic about what a lot of average girls
in America look like and feel and act like, as opposed to some
impossible ideal. She was sort of an ugly duckling by TV terms."

Michael Stoyanov, who played Blossom's older brother Anthony Russo, on
how his character's struggle to stay sober affected his audience, "To
this day people will come up to me and say, 'You helped me get cleaned
up.' I find that incredibly gratifying."

Blossom creator Don Reo on a call from NBC chief Brandon Tartikoff, "He
said, 'You know, you're not getting any boys to watch this show. I
think there's an ingredient missing - tits.' So we started with Joey
having a fantasy that all 12 playmates showed up in his room. Teenage boys
flocked, and we did very, very well."

Mayim Bialik on the flowered hat trend, "[The character] Six wore the
original Blossom hat that people think about. I did wear some hats but
it was much more a Six thing, but then it got associated with me. We had
one year where our press kit had me with this hat with the flower on
it. And that was kind of it. Then it was just mayhem. It just took off."

Joey Lawrence (archival) tells about director Bill Bixby's ambition to
continue directing Blossom while struggling with prostate cancer, "It
was incredible. Don Reo said to us he wants to keep on working. If he's
going to make it, he's going to make it the way he wants to make it,
and if it's his time to go, he wants to go the way he wants to go. He
said, 'I'm here asking you guys if you mind if we give him the
opportunity.' There was no question. We said absolutely. With however long he's
here, let's let him do it."

Mayim Bialik on director Bill Bixby, "A lot of times he would direct
from a reclining position because he couldn't stand because it was too
painful."

Ray Richmond on Blossom, "It didn't offend anybody. It didn't insult
your intelligence. It gave you a sense that these people are at least
trying to show something realistic. It's not just about pretty people. It
was about real people, and it was good for its time."

Mayim Bialik on Blossom reruns, "I've asked Don Reo why aren't we in
reruns. You'd think that people would benefit from some of these lessons.
We were a very early '90s kind of fashion and music. But I really fell
like there should still be an audience for it. And I hope that more
people start complaining to the powers that be, so that we can get
reruns."

[Rene]

i cant wait

[TVFactFan]

I thought a show had to be on more that 4 years to have a THS-lol I'm still going to watch though


PAV has Blossom ever been in syndication?

[Pavan]

Originally Posted by RetroTVCollector

I thought a show had to be on more that 4 years to have a THS-lol I'm still going to watch though


PAV has Blossom ever been in syndication?

Blossom lasted 5 seasons. Enough for local syndication. It aired here on WPIX in reruns. I last remember it airing on WPIX in 1998 at like 9:30am, before it was replaced by the crappy Jerry Springer.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by pavanbadal

Blossom lasted 5 seasons. Enough for local syndication. It aired here on WPIX in reruns. I last remember it airing on WPIX in 1998 at like 9:30am, before it was replaced by the crappy Jerry Springer.

Still surprised there is a THS story and not one for Fresh Prince or Roseanne

[Pavan]

http://www.nowtv.ca/van/shows/blossom.asp Blossom is airing on cable in Canada on Now TV. It airs back to back with Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, followed by Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs and Blossom -- rare stuff in the U.S.

[TVFactFan]

Pav I read the top part of your post and couldn't believe there was a statement saying Blossom was a GroundBreaking Sitcom of the 90's-lol

[Couch Potato 05]

So, I saw the THS of Blossom tonight. It was all right, as good as it could be I guess. Time really changes some people. I hate to say this, but Mayaim Bialik (sp?) didn't look too great.

[Rene]

Originally Posted by Couch Potato 05

So, I saw the THS of Blossom tonight. It was all right, as good as it could be I guess. Time really changes some people. I hate to say this, but Mayaim Bialik (sp?) didn't look too great.

i thought the same thing but then the guy said she was pregnant and so thats why she gained so much weight and also i think they shouldve made it 2 hours and had RECENT interviews with joey lawrence and jenna von oy also ill tell ya one person who looked awful-michael stoyanov(sp?) he looked tired and old

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Couch Potato 05

So, I saw the THS of Blossom tonight. It was all right, as good as it could be I guess. Time really changes some people. I hate to say this, but Mayaim Bialik (sp?) didn't look too great.

I was surprised to find out a TV guide critic made fun of her facial features. didn';t know critics talked negative about teenagers

[Rene]

i know, i always thought she was pretty anyway

[UNIQBLUE69]

RetroTVCollector, it was a groundbreaking sitcom in the fact that it was the first to show a single parent family and didn't really emphasize wholesome family value. Granted, it could get moralistic and preachy at times but I wouldn't put it in the same cookie cutter, saccharine category like Full House and Family Matters.

Also, I am not all surprised that a critic said that about Mayim. Critics still take jabs at startlets' appearance like Lindsay Lohan's sickly thin figure and there's been comments about Hilary's ugly veneers. I never thought Blossom was that ugly; I do think it strained credulity when they paired up Blossom and Vinny. No way in hell would a girl who looks like Blossom catch a guy who looks like Vinnie. A girl like Blossom probably wouldn't even get a boyfriend until college.

With that said, the show was kinda boring but I wasn't expecting much. There was no scandalous hook-ups or fights behind the scenes and no sordid stories of drug addictions and murder! It was nice seeing clips from Blossom though.. I miss that show so much!

[McFly121]

I missed the preggo part, then read it online. Saw her and was like "Wooah. Blossom got pudgy." Others who don't know she's with child will surely attack. She did a guest shot on Fat Actress and I just started shaking my head at the potential hate-blogs. No comment.

[Scoobiedoo30]

I saw The Blooson E True Hollywood Story on Tuesday, August 23, 2005
and The Bloosom E True Hollywood Story was Great.