More Maryland reality contestants
In today's Today section, you read about some Marylanders who have been on reality TV, as well as two current contestants, Louie Frase on Pirate Master and Heather Zampier on So You Think You Can Dance. We didn't have enough space for everyone, so here are some others who didn't make the paper:
- Jamile McGee came in third place on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance. McGee was told by doctors he would probably never walk again thanks to his juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but he made a full, seemingly miraculous, recovery and became a fan favorite in this show's first season.
- Aaron Altscher was on The Apprentice: Los Angeles (the most recent season). His shining moment was when he became project manager after a string of losses and led his team to its first victory (allowing them to move into the house and out of the yard in this haves vs. have-nots season). Unfortunately, he was fired a couple of episodes later.
- Survivor: The Amazon featured two contestants from Ellicott City: rocket scientist Dave Johnson and Ryan Aiken, a Howard Community College student (at the time).
- Survivor: Pearl Islands featured Trish Dunn, an Annapolis sales executive and alumna of University of Maryland.
- The most recent season of The Biggest Loser featured a contestant from every state, some of whom were chosen to live in the house and compete. Amy from Baltimore made that cut and lasted four weeks in the competition.
- Sarah from America's Next Top Model 4 was from Baltimore.
- Baltimorean Renee was on The Bachelor: Rome.
- Keith Kormanik (above), an assistant football coach at Gilman, was on The Bachelorette in 2004.
(Barbara Haddock Taylor // Sun Photographer 2004)
So, between this list and the people in today's paper (LaKisha Jones, Evangelin Pesci, Stacy Keibler and Charla Baklayan Faddoul and Mirna Hindoyan), we've got a pretty big list for such a little state. But who'd we miss?
Categories: Maryland reality contestants



Comments
You missed Bobby Chesney on CMT's Cowboy U. Bobby is a football coach for Johns Hopkins University....and engaged to one of my co-workers, to be wed on July 7, 2007. Bobby came in second place.
Posted by: Tracy Seibert | June 6, 2007 3:47 PM
Meridith & Gretchen Amazing Race Season 7 4th place from Easton.
Posted by: Rose | June 6, 2007 8:29 PM
Also from The Amazing Race Gus, from the season six father-daughter team of Gus & Hera, was from Gaithersburg. I think they got 7th place.
Posted by: Rose | June 7, 2007 1:25 PM
You missed Lev Iwashko from the first season of "So You Think You Can Dance". He was an exquisite dancer from Baltimore (a Calvert Hall and Johns Hopkins alum) who was a finalist and made it to Hollywood. Lev didn't recieve the proper recognition by the show's producers because he did not stir up any controversy on the set, nor was he a drama queen/king like the many of the other contestants were. It was truly a shame to see Fox's poor decision making when it came to giving equal television time to all of the dancers. Nonetheless, Lev still did his best, remained classy and respectful while doing it, and represented Maryland well.
Posted by: Neill | June 11, 2007 11:01 AM