Archive

Searching for the illusive Iliamna Lake monster in 'River Monsters' and 'Aliens in Alaska'

Back in June of 1980, the Anchorage Daily News offered a $100,000 reward for proof of the Iliamna Lake monster's existence. People have lived on this land for more than 7,000 years, and for centuries, they've fished these lakes wearing lightweight waterproof parkas made

The Alaskan Hotel is one of the 'Portals to Hell'

This newsletter is going to be a lot more fun to read if you believe in paranormal activity and can suspend your illusion of disbelief. Portals to Hell got three seasons, totaling 39 episodes – and season 1 episode 1 is about The Alaskan Hotel. It aired in 2019. Jack Osbourne

TLDW: 'Southern Hospitality' > 'Southern Charm'

In Bravo's arsenal of reality television are two shows with too similar a name. Until I watched them, I was mixing up Southern Charm and Southern Hospitality constantly. A running joke in our household is that if I'm watching either show, it's referred to

'Flying Wild Alaska,' the end of an Era

Discovery+ has a treasure trove of Alaska-adjacent shows. I have been watching Flying Wild Alaska through free trials the last two weeks. Flying Wild Alaska follows the Tweto family, Jim, Ferno, Ariel and Ayla (there is a third sister, but she wasn't in the series). There are three

Comparing the Alaska episodes of 'Man v. Food,' 10 years apart 🍔

Some weeks, I know what show I want to watch for AK IRL. Other times, it comes down to me searching "Alaska" and seeing what comes up. Yesterday was the latter, and I came across Man v. Food. Basically, the show highlights "big food." Adam Richman

My husband got me a Cirie Fields Cameo for Mother's Day

Dunk texted me at 12:01 a.m., but I didn't see it until I woke up. Hey I got this message for you??? Happy Mother’s Day?? ❤️❤️ Under it was a 3-and-a-half-minute video from my parasocial bestie Cirie Fields. I was scream-laughing in bed watching the whole

I spent my Saturday binging 6+ hours of 'Slednecks'

I have been holding off on watching Slednecks (mainly because I couldn't find it anywhere to watch for free). MTV has done a real good job of keeping this one on lock. Or maybe it was never popular enough that people were looking for it, who knows. This

TLDW: 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island,' 'Fear Factor' reboot and '90 Day Fiancé'

TLDW: (Some) affluent women share their lives and what comes along with it. Last month, I was featured on a friend's podcast, where we chatted about reality television (shoutout Cody and Crude!!). I mentioned I watch certain shows because I am entertained by them, not because I like

Alaskans featured on 'Shark Tank,' and I broke my dumb leg

We are so back, everybody. Sorry that I didn't publish AK IRL last week – I had a pretty bad fall, which resulted in surgery and a few nights in the hospital. I broke my left tib and fib, and tore the ligament tucked between those bones. I'

When Bristol Palin tangoed her way into the 'Dancing With the Stars' finale

I was in middle school when Sarah Palin announced her course correction from governor to VP nominee. She was smack dab in the middle of campaigning when news hit the tabloids that her teenage daughter, Bristol, was pregnant. Bristol was on an episode of The Secret Life of the American

Laura Cole's 'Top Chef' season, plus 'Summer House' drama in the Bravo-sphere

I have been making my way through the new season of Top Chef: Carolinas (23) that's currently airing. It felt fitting to go and watch Laura Cole's time on the show – she appeared on season 15, set in Colorado. I'm from Denali National Park,

'Alaska Mega Machines' is heavier than six blue whales

Do you want to watch Alaska Mega Machines with me? That sounds like my kind of show, Duncan answered. This was a two-season show from Discovery that I found on Tubi (which is free), with 10 episodes total. I guess there were only so many mega machines they could feature.

TLDW: 'Age of Attraction' and 'Australia V The World'

Starting this month, AK IRL's paying subscribers will get a monthly roundup of what I'm watching that isn't Alaska-reality-tv-related. I'm aiming for this to be sent out on the last Thursday of each month. There are so many shows I want to

Frankie Doom's competitive side comes to play in The Boulet Brothers' 'Dragula,' 'Resurrection' and 'Titans'

I am so sorry this newsletter comes out on Sundays, because last night was drag queen Frankie Doom's last performance 🥀 She's not dying, she's just moving out of Alaska. Think Monster High Doll meets The Exorcist. Frankie is one of my favorite Anchorage queens.

'The Great Food Truck Race:' True story, cantaloupe grows in Alaska

The Spenard Food Truck Carnival returns this week after its annual winter break, so of course I found a food truck reality tv show for us to gab about. Have you featured the Alaska season of that one Food Truck Race show? My beautiful and clever friend Jes asked me.

'Extinct or Alive: Jaws of Alaska' isn't accurate, but it does make me think (too much) about sharks

Sharks have always freaked me out. As a kid (definitely *not* as an adult), I had an irrational fear that a shark was going to swim up on me in any body of water. Good thing that never happened, right? I had never heard of Forrest Galente before watching his

'Port Protection Alaska,' plus everyone with an AK hometown on their title card in 'The Bachelor' universe

It took me too long to realize Port Protection Alaska is not about people who protect ports across the state. I put on an episode and waited a good five minutes before I thought, Maybe I should look up what this show is about. We've got ports all

A belated Valentine's Day gift from me to you: I watch 'Alaska Women Looking for Love' so you don't have to

The odds are good, but the goods are odd. Especially when your dating pool is Kodiak. We only got one season of Alaska Women Looking for Love on TLC, where six women head to Miami in search of the perfect parter (that sentence is an oxymoron). We only got six

All the Alaska restaurants featured in 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'

Is this a safe space, you guys? I have something to share. I don't know what it necessarily means, though. I don't think I have ever put on an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." To be honest, when I first started writing that

Rhylee Gerber deserved a better deck crew on 'Below Deck'

It's always satisfying to get someone hooked on a show based on your own rec. It's happening with my brother and SIL right now with Below Deck. When EJ was a month old, we started the OG Bravo series. Camera crews follow the lives of people