Since we announced its cast, Annie has seemed like a weird fit for Frank the Entertainer…in A Basement Affair. It turns out that she is…on purpose. In a development I accidentally predicted in my first-episode recap of the show, Annie joined A Basement Affair originally “to do a wacky performance piece, attempting to play up the ridiculousness that is reality television and the characters it produces, a satire on a genre that is already a satire of itself. I was interested in the way reality television is reproducing female stereotypes at an alarming rate—using ‘real’ people to validate these stereotypes’ existence.”
That’s from her new series of blogs on Bust she calls “Shaming the Famewhores.” It was only a matter of time before someone with such interests invaded reality TV, especially 51 Minds’ hyper-referential, tongue-in-cheek brand of it. And after all, as Annie writes, “performing a character is more or less what many contestants are doing anyways, just not under the guise of art critique.” So now in addition to, say, the stripper, the singer out to launch her career, the mom reliving her childhood, the barroom brawler and the self-appointed princess, we have a new type to add to the stew: the cultural critic.
Interestingly, Annie writes about only being able to keep up the guise for so long: though she auditioned in character, once in the house “the pressure to perform (both for my own artistic goals and for the entertainment of the show itself) crippled me.” And so, the real Annie emerged and that legitimate persona just happened to dig Frank. In the end, something perhaps even less likely than joining reality TV for socially conscious reasons emerged: “I wanted to legitimately compete in a game for his affections (rather than camera time) because I believed that would be the most ridiculous thing to do. And that was what no one else was really doing.”
Annie promises more blogs that undoubtedly will only serve to enrich the experience of watching A Basement Affair. As if there weren’t enough layers of awareness in this artichoke of a reality TV genre already, here’s another incredibly tasty one. What’s amazing is that she went in completely cerebral and ended up doing something much closer tied to emotions. Sounds a little like the way love sometimes just spontaneously happens. Yet again, here’s proof that Annie is one of a kind. [Bust]
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| Episode | Type | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 11 Show Clips | 3/28/10 |
| 111 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 11 Bonus Clips | 3/28/10 |
| 110 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 10 Show Clips | 3/21/10 |
| 110 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 10 Bonus Clips | 3/21/10 |
| -- | Show Clips | Videos: Video History of Frank The Entertainer | 3/19/10 |
| 109 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 9 Bonus Clips | 3/14/10 |
| 109 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 9 Show Clips | 3/14/10 |
| 108 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 8 Bonus Clips | 2/28/10 |
| 108 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 8 Show Clips | 2/28/10 |
| 107 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 7 Show Clips | 2/21/10 |
| 107 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 7 Bonus Clips | 2/21/10 |
| 106 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 6 Bonus Clips | 2/14/10 |
| 106 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 6 Show Clips | 2/14/10 |
| 105 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 5 Show Clips | 2/02/10 |
| 105 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 5 Bonus Clips | 1/31/10 |
| 104 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 4 Show Clips | 1/24/10 |
| 104 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 4 Bonus Clips | 1/24/10 |
| 103 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 3 Bonus Clips | 1/17/10 |
| 103 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 3 Show Clips | 1/17/10 |
| 102 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 2 Bonus Clips | 1/10/10 |
| 102 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 2 Show Clips | 1/10/10 |
| 101 | Show Clips | Videos: Episode 1 Show Clips | 1/03/10 |
| 101 | Bonus Clips | Videos: Episode 1 Bonus Clips | 1/03/10 |
| 101 | Sneak Peeks | Videos: Exclusive Pre-Series Preview Clips | 12/15/09 |
| 101 | Sneak Peeks | Videos: New Series Supertrailer | 12/15/09 |
| More Frank The Entertainer In A Basement Affair Episodes | |||
42 responses to to Annie, Unmasked
Well thats cute. She went in there with no interest in him ,and actually developed feelings for him. I hope Annie wins. Her personality is so refreshing.
Do we really need to delve into the deep seeded philosophies of reality television? REALLY? I mean, anyone who doesn’t see the big picture of these shows and doesn’t see the obvious lack of reality is, truthfully, an idiot. OH and then she actually fell for him which was TOTALLY unexpected! So doesn’t that then simply PROVE the point that these shows are saying, “you really CAN find love on t.v.!!!” which then makes her entire analysis moot?
This is extremely disappointing to me and perhaps many others. Now, To me, Annie was not the real girl here and she seemed to have fooled everyone including the girls she was supposed to be competing with. This is a joke on all of us and a betrayal to the show. Okay Annie, now you can become more famous now and get your own Artsy & Weirdo Show- Just Can’t wait for that (LOL). VH1 how much of Annie can be shown now without getting sickening?
oh sure…. u went to highlight the ridiculousness…. or maybe u realise how ridiculous it was and decided a new path to fame…..smart move….but that also makes u a famewhore.
I AM GOING TO WATCH ALL THE EPISODES RIGHT NOW this show just became ten times more interesting
I’m very surprised that this type of behavior hasn’t happened in past reality television programming. As an intelligent person who respects reality TV and its participants (and the indelible mark their creativity has made on media culture), it didn’t seem a stretch to think not only that 51 Minds was quite tongue-in-cheek, but it’s participants were also there more for the ride than the end result. And the proof is of course seen in the short-lived outcome to these seasons and their eventual renewal come next year. I understand Annie’s attraction to the outlandishness of it all and as anyone interested in sociology could attest, it would be amazing to experience the world of reality TV participants first hand. Very intriguing indeed.
Interestingly, Annie writes about only being able to keep up the guise for so long: though she auditioned in character, once in the house “the pressure to perform (both for my own artistic goals and for the entertainment of the show itself) crippled me.†And so, the real Annie emerged and that legitimate persona just happened to dig Frank.
This is just something else.
yeah this is disappointing…so she is a damn fake..what do you know…orget her she claims she is there to make fun of the “fame hungry” girls..well what the hell is she? she is on the show b.c she wants fame and she is just as fake as everyother girl who has ever been on a show like that…i use to like her now i despise her
i love annie , id like to see her win this. She is the best girl on the show, shes smart, funny and not more into herself than Frank. They would be great together..Good luck Annie.
i like frank hes funny
hes smart
frank already got a girlfriend he just want some money
so he can move out of hes parents bastment
frank like destney
know whos next to get a show buckwild thats my girls show keeps it buckwild because she need some money to
That really is not right cause now we have to see acting and I would rather have seen love. But “Reality is Reality”
I never doubt these girls. Ater watching a whole lot of these vh1 shows, I know that a lot of these girls have had some prior connections to some sort of industry.
Anthro nerds for the win.
omg annie i love you! you are my favorite girl on this show. please continue to keep it real. i think its so awesome that you are being yourself and not conforming to stereotypes like most of the other girls. you have a one of a kind personality that is hard to find and thats why you will continue to shine over all of the other girls. keep it up! you go girl!
Rosie Larkin, California
lol She is not really who she pretends to be.
whats disappointing about this is how bad of a performance artist annie is. her media theory is simple-minded and her approach sophomoric at best. to prove what a provincial little wannabe she is, she actually starts to develop feelings for this sad flavor flav also ran. im sure he is a nice guy but come on…
in the final analysis she is just another little girl from the suburbs pretending to be an artist in her own ‘sex in the city’ episode biding her time until the man comes along who will take her back to the safe provincial conformity of the suburbs where she can have herself a minivan full of kids in the biggest mcmansion she can afford.
boring.
all the great performance artists who fought the good fight in the culture wars of the 70′s and 80′s like stelarc and annie sprinkle are probably throwing up right now and what is left of john fare is probably rolling over in his theoretical grave right now.
Damn… I didn’t think it was possible for ANYBODY on these VH1 shows to be fake .
Oh well, this is definitely gonna make me want to watch the shows with more interest,
ANNIE IS NOT ANNIE AT ALL BUT RATHER SHE IS “CAROLINE” FROM THE YOU TUBE VIDEOS. SHE DANCES AND SINGS AND BLABBERS AT THE MOUTH INCESSANTLY. SO THEREFORE SHE IS A FAMEWHORE TOO! CHECK IT OUT–YOU WILL SEE!
If Frank doesn’t pick Annie, I’m going to cry!!! She is just so sweet and genuine! Felicia is a classic beauty but I still think Annie would make him very happy and I think he is falling in love with her. Frank should listen to his mother because she liked Annie for Frank from the beginning of the show. I agree with Supermodel14u305! Annie’s personality is refreshing!!! I, also, hope Annie is the winner!!
well annie i used to like you , really , because of ur personality , i thaught u might be different than this stereotype girls , and maybe you are the first girl with reall brain in a reality show , but now i dont know anymore what to think .
VH1 it was a bad idea to interview annie now while the show just started recently , u just ruined the whole thing for us .
..but Famewhore’s the best word you can come up with? Doesn’t defining the stereotype–explaining it (unconvincingly, uncritically), and naming it (in such an aggressive, offensive, blase fashion)–take the problem to a whole new level? Doesn’t it just explode the problem into infinitely-multiplying little pieces, fittingly through the pop media (which [sorry] includes Bust as well as vh1) that have now implanted “‘Famewhore,’ OK– at least now they have a name.” and “Look! She’s a famewhore, and she’s a famewhore too, she WISHES she was a famwhore! And she’s a famewhore, and she’s one too–ope–nope; she’s just a !#@~)_^%+_@!!$&+@
i think this is the worst show on vh1 its very boring no drama just a bunch of italian ppl doing nothing, now jersey shore is awesome megan wants a millionaire comes in 2nd of the worst 3rd tool academy
wow amazing i belived her and now this? she is a fake and frank neede to get rid of her
This chick looks soooo much like the chick from the show intervention that huffed Paint fumes..hmmmmm I wonder?
@Amber R. Thank you! What you said is true! Nobody is giving Annie any kind of crap and she initially went to make fun of it all. I really don’t like her. If she wins, I’ll barf. You can see videos of her on Youtube. Just search for “my butt”.
Y did I jus see Annie on Judge Mathis!
I’m only wishing that Annie… You take it all and wins Franks heart.
I’m pretty stuck on watching my reality shows, if it wasn’t for DVR I wouldn’t even tune in because it would be ridiculous to make the time. Caroline or “Annie” is definately in for the fame, I just got done watching her “scandalicious” youtube videos and it seems she’s been trying to get on T.V. for quite some time now. Well she did it and I think getting on a show like that shows that she’s a liar and she’s very selfish. I thought she was different and unique but in actuality she’s no better, if not worst than all the girls on that show. Shame on her!
I love the fact that, although extremely beautiful, Annie doesnt neccessarily personify the stereotype that society is dumping on us. It’s Annie’s inner beauty that shines more than her outer beauty. I believe that Annie will succeed at winning Frank’s heart. GO ANNIE!!!!!
Ok so Annie didnt begin her journey on Frank’s basement affair, but she ended up being true to herself in the end. She started liking the guy and sometimes that is what love is all about and it happens when you least expect it. I hope Annie wins and really I have watched her videos on youtube and while they may seem strange I do not believe she is less worthy of Frank because of it. I have friends that post wierd strange things on youtube plus seen some other strange videos, but that does not make them bad people. Frank…pick Annie and her freakiness and kind heart will provide you a life full of crazy wild moments and most of love.
Anybody that watches Youtube has seen the many videos that Annie has. Her real name is Caroline & I don’t think she is a match for Frank. Big deal he lives in his parent’s basement . The house is huge & its like a furnished apartment. I would love to live for free in my own apartment downstairs…saving my $$ up until I felt like moving out. When Frank moves out …I want to move there ! His family is awesome !!
how can you call her “one of a kind” when she’s got so many personalities? And goes by Caroline on Youtube, and her own very strange website. I haven’t scrolled through all of the responses, but I’d be surprised if no one else has mentioned this. So, is she Annie, or is she Caroline?
I like Annie. Her intentions was being a famewhore but she actually developed feelings for Frank which were REAL. She’s still a sweet girl and makes the show fun and interesting.
MY HERO!!!! XD GO ANN!!!!
I liked Annie from the start and was sad to see her go last night. After reading this, I love her even more! Reality shows are so cheesy, but I admit to being addicted to this one and a few other MTV/VH1 shows. How much I’ll watch it now that Annie’s gone? No idea.
Why can’t Annie just be Annie :( I hope that was the real her cause I liked her.
ANNIE NEEDS HER OWN SHOW!
It’s time for change. I’m a big fan of vh1 reality tv and I think Annie deserves her own vh1 show. After all she says shes used to all the guys competing for her!
dude,Annie”i can’t believe you freekn thought that you would win franks heart”