Blog Posts by Matt Whitfield

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to chat with one of television’s all-time best baddies, Thomas Calabro, who portrayed Dr. Michael Mancini on “Melrose Place” from 1992 ‘til 1999. In honor of the iconic primetime soap’s 20th anniversary (July 8, 1992), we discussed everything from the show’s key to success (“Special Guest Star” Heather Locklear) and lasting appeal to his favorite scenes and take on why the 2009 reboot didn’t succeed.

Roll tape…

Can you believe it’s been 20 years since the "Melrose Place" pilot aired?
[Laughs] It seems like a lifetime ago.

Do you remember watching the pilot? Were you with friends, family, cast members?
I think I had a lobster boil at my place, the apartment on Hayworth in West Hollywood. That’s how it went down.

Were you worried about the show launching in summertime, or were you confident after you taped the pilot?
No. At that time in my career, I never even thought in business terms. I was an artist from New York who just did the best job he could

Third time's the charm, right? Well, not in my case.

On June 22 I was once again lucky enough to be invited to participate in Big Brother Media Day an expedited, one-day version of the reality show, during which 11 journalists (and two all-stars) compete to become Head of Household (HoH), nominate two potential evictees, and ultimately oust one of the contestants.

No, I wasn't evicted or forced to eat slop (BTW, it looked extra nasty this year). But, because this was my third consecutive shot at the HoH title, I was beyond disappointed to come up short again. Two years ago, I tied for second, losing to Reagan Alexander from People. Last year, I was first runner-up to Xfinity’s Brian Gianelli. This time, I fell apart near the finish line, and the Insider's Jarett Wieselman was there to steal my title, my power, and my glory. Grrr!

[Photos: Take a look inside the 'Big Brother' Season 14 house]

Luckily, Jarett wasn't targeting me for eviction. Had all-star power couple

In 2006, producer Scott Dunlop and the masterminds at Bravo birthed "The Real Housewives of Orange County," which quickly became the network’s most buzzed-about program. In the six years since Vicki Gunvalson and her gaudy Coto de Caza cohorts became bona fide TV stars, the show has emerged as Bravo's programming anchor and a multi-million dollar franchise, spawning an additional six editions (New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, D.C., Beverly Hills, Miami), outrageous must-see reunion specials, and even a few spinoffs.

[Related Content: Bravo Upfronts 2012 (Photos)]

While each edition of “The Real Housewives” has found success (with the exception of the swiftly canceled D.C. version), the spinoffs have either been hit or miss. "Date My Ex" -- starring past "O.C." housewife Jo De La Rosa and current cast member Slade Smiley -- failed to attract viewers and a second season pick-up, but "Bethenny Ever After..." (formerly "Bethenny Getting Married?") has flourished. We’re three seasons