Ranking the Top Sports Stars of Reality TV –

10. Hulk Hogan – Hogan Knows Best
At 6’7 and 303 pounds, Hulk Hogan is truly a big star. Hogan was part of VH1’s Celeb-Reality programming and found success on TV when movies didn’t do so well (see Suburban Commando and Santa with Muscles). In the show, Hogan is best known for being a far-too-overbearing father who helps daughter Brooke find a career in music and wife Linda find a limit to her credit card spending.

The series premiered on July 10, 2005 with a 1.9 (cable Nielsen rating), representing the largest audience for a VH1 premiere ever.

9. Gary Hogeboom - Survivor
A former NFL quarterback, Hogeboom starred on the CBS reality TV show Survivor: Guatemala in 2005. Hogeboom was neither a phenomenal reality TV star or football star (his career highs were in 1989 with the Phoenix Cardinals with 2,591 yards passing, 14 TDs, and 19 INTs) – but he earns a spot on the list by really being the first sports ‘star’ to take a spot in a major reality show.

Hogeboom kept his past a secret and even claimed his name was Gary Hawkins and was a landscaper, for fear of instant elimination. Another contestant (Danni) who worked in sports radio recognized him immediately, but he denied this many times. He was able to convince the other contestants on the show that he was telling the truth. Hogeboom was eliminated on day 30.

8. Sugar Ray Leonard – The Contender
Sugar Ray Leonard earns the 8th spot because he was so remarkably annoying as the host (alongside Sylvester Stallone) as the host of The Contender. The two of them going back and forth in discussion was so excruciating it made you feel as though you were Rocky Balboa suffering from head damage… or that you were suffering from head damage from watching Rocky 5. Either way – Sugar Ray earns a spot on this list because he is permanently itched into my mind (good or bad).

The show ran for fifteen weeks through 2005 on NBC in the United States of America. On May 16, 2005, the series was then cancelled. The first season cost NBC $2,000,000 per episode.

7. Jesse Palmer – The Bachelor
Jesse Palmer was Bachelor #5 and proved that reality shows can pull ratings even if their ‘sports stars’ simply hold a roster spot. Jesse was far from a sports star (a 3rd string quarterback for the NY Giants) – but he drew viewers into the show. In the spring of 2004, Palmer appeared on The Bachelor television program, in which he was given his choice of eligible single women, eventually selecting Jessica Bowlin. However, as is common with relationships forged through reality television shows, Palmer’s and Bowlin’s courtship lasted for only a few months after the end of the show.

6. Dennis Rodman - Celebrity Mole Yucatan
In Celebrity Mole Yucatan, eight celebrities–Dennis Rodman, Tracey Gold, Mark Curry, Stephen Baldwin, Corbin Bernsen, Angie Everhart, Ananda Lewis, and Keshia Knight Pulliam–competed in similar games. Stephen and Corbin both returned for a second chance, but both were executed early. Supermodel Angie Everhart was eventually revealed to be the saboteur and NBA star Dennis Rodman won the US$222,000 grand prize.

5. Kordell Stewart – Pros vs. Joes
I was never a Kordell Stewart fan when he played in college or the NFL… but when he appeared on Pros vs. Joes (season II) I watched this clip on Tivo so many times it corrupted my recording. Kordell was taunted by a joe shmoe and then pummeled him so satisfyingly – enjoy:

4. Mark Philippoussis – Age of Love
Philippoussis doesn’t have much charisma… but he lucks out by starring in one of the must unintentionally funny reality shows in years – Age of Love. In the show, Mark is asked to choose between: “Cougars and Kittens” and “the 40s vs. the 20s”. It really is one of the most idiotic and poorly produced shows in years – but the unintentional comedy factor is off the charts.

Phillippoussis goes cougar hunting:

Conan’s take on Age of Love:

3. Emmitt Smith – Dancing with the Stars
Lots of sports stars tried out for Dancing with the Stars, but somehow Emmitt Smith found more fame in his dancing success than during his stellar NFL career. I still laugh when I see this routine but realize that now matter how funny it is – he makes Clyde Drexler and Evander Holyfield look downright foolish for even signing up:

2. Jose Canseco – The Surreal Life
Jose Canseco had to battle through headcases like Janice Dickinson and Omarosa – which is funny in itself. But the best part came when he had to do a book signing at their home and was continually ridiculed for steroid abuse. Surprisingly Jose maintained his cool – but the moment was priceless.

Season five (2005) played up on the show’s namesake surreality by having the house decorated with a circus/carnival theme and the cast was given circus-style taglines during the introduction: Caprice Bourret (”See Britain’s Most Beautiful Woman”), José Canseco (”Face the Fantastic Strongman”), Sandy “Pepa” Denton (”Meet the Mystical Musician”), Janice Dickinson (”Behold the World’s First Supermodel”), Carey Hart (”Witness the Death-Defying Daredevil”), Omarosa Manigault (”Fear the Ultimate Reality Villain”) and Bronson Pinchot (”Marvel at the Man from Mypos”).

1. Shaquile Oneal – Shaq’s Big Challenge
Sure – only one episode of Shaq’s Big Challenge has aired… but this is destined to be a classic. Shaq tells it as it is and scares these kids into weight loss – and for that he is not only a good citizen, but a huge reality tv star:

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Tags: Emmitt Smith, Hulk Hogan, Jeese Palmer, Jose Canseco, Kordell Stewart, Mark Philippoussis, Shaq, Shaquille Oneal

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