Terry Morrow: Reality picked us in 2010

Didi Benami

Photo by Trae Patton

Ashley Johnston of "The Biggest Loser"

Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS

Home shopping hosts Brook Roberts, left, of Knoxville, and Claire Champlin from "The Amazing Race 17."

Photo by Robert Voets/CBS

Former Knoxvillian Benjamin "Coach" Wade, gives a "confessional" during the seventh episode of "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" Thursday, April 1, 2010.

Nearly a dozen East Tennesseans starred on reality TV in 2010, and a few of them even got a nice career bump, too.

+ American Idol. Former Knoxville resident Didi Benami, who got her start around here singing in churches and at West High School programs, rocketed into the top 10, becoming the first Knoxville-area talent to do so. The former waitress is now gigging around California and going on auditions. She went on the "Idol" tour, which played in Knoxville. She's working on a CD.

Meanwhile, Sevierville policeman Bryan Walker and Vonore, Tenn., resident Vanessa Wolfe made it to the Hollywood rounds. Wolfe got a few minutes of the limelight for an exaggerated accent and talking about having never flown before.

+ Survivor. Knoxville native Ben Wade earned a spot in "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains," which aired earlier this year. This was his second time on "Survivor," having made a splash on the Tocantins edition. Wade, a University of Tennessee graduate, made it halfway through "Heroes vs. Villains" before getting the boot.

+ The Biggest Loser. Knoxville residents Ashley Johnston, a 28-year-old manager/esthetician, and her mother, Sherry Johnston, a 52-year-old nonprofit administrator, were a team on the weight loss show. Though Sherry made it halfway through, Ashley got to the finals and made history by being the heaviest female to be on the show. Ashley has gone on to promote weight loss and active wear nationally.

+ The Amazing Race.It's a stretch to call former Jewelry Television personality Brook Roberts a "local" since she lived here for five minutes over the summer. However, she came to Knoxville to work for the cable channel after shooting "Race" and was on the air for a few weeks. When the season premiered, Roberts was contractually bound to leave her on-air job temporarily. By the time she came in third on the series, she quit Jewelry Television and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in reality TV.

+ The Bachelor. Single mom Ella Nolan of Knoxville searched for love with Jake Pavelka, but he ultimately rejected her. He wasn't ready to be an instant dad. A few months after the show aired, Nolan found new love and has since married.

+ Others. Knoxville resident Jill Quillin was among the entrepreneurs featured on ABC's "Shark Tank." The entrepreneurs liked her idea for "LipStix Remix," a creative way for women to save money and recycle lipsticks to create new ones, and decided to back it up. Obese Morristown, Tenn., couple Freddie and Katrina Combs were profiled on TLC's special "Ton of Love" and starred in a pilot for their own series.

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