Clovis East graduates Davi Ortegon and Jessica Palomar have been friends for years. As Ortegon describes it, "she's the strength and I'm the attitude."
That relationship was enough to get the attention of the "Fear Factor" producers and the pair likely will be featured on the Jan. 16 episode of the show. All schedules are subject to change.The NBC series puts contestants through gross and demanding challenges in an effort to win $50,000. So far this season, contestants have been catapulted off a building, stuck in a coffin with snakes and had to escape from a submerged car.In June, Ortegon saw a story online that the show was casting. All he had to do was convince his longtime friend to be his challenge partner."I said I would do it, but I never thought we would get on the show," says Palomar, a local aerobic instructor. "The casting people called and asked us to come to Hollywood for an interview."They were picked and two months later were facing some tough tests in front of cameras. Both knew what being on the show meant because they watched it together when it originally launched in 2001. Palomar tried to help Ortegon, who works at a local bank, get ready for the physical challenges. But that didn't go smoothly."I went to one class and was sore for two weeks. The physical challenges were her role. I am afraid of heights, water," Ortegon says.Neither can talk about what challenges they faced or how well they did. All Palomar would say was the day was extremely hard and far more emotional than she expected."It's not just physically challenging but also mentally challenging," Palomar says. "I am glad I did it as it's a once in a lifetime experience."RatingsThe Nielsen ratings for local television for November have been released.The biggest change in local news since the last ratings period was the launch of "Action News Live at Four," on Sept. 12 by KFSN (Channel 30.1). The only local news program in the 4 p.m. weekday time slot had been KSEE (Channel 24.1). The win easily went to KFSN with and average of 24,000 viewers above the age of 18. That's four times the number for KSEE in the time period.A sampling of other ratings appear at the end of this column.On the airComcast will broadcast seven Fresno State men's basketball games as part of a nine-game Western Athletic Conference schedule. The games can be seen on Comcast Channel 104 starting at 6 p.m. today with Fresno State at Utah State.The lineup is subject to change if ESPN decides to air the game. For now, the Comcast lineup includes:Fresno State at Idaho (Jan. 7)Nevada at Utah (Jan. 7)Fresno State at Nevada (Jan. 21)Fresno State at Louisiana Tech (Jan. 26)Nevada at New Mexico State (Jan. 26)Fresno State at New Mexico State (Jan. 28)Fresno State at San Jose State (Feb. 9)Nevada at Fresno State (Feb. 25)Other newsNew show: KVPT (Channel 18.1) now airs "Maria Hinojosa: One-on-One" at 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Hinojosa, managing editor and host of public radios' "Latino USA," highlights the growing diversity of our country in her show. The interview program will not air the last Wednesday of each month because that's when the local issues show, "Kids Count," is broadcast.Sounds familiar: Although he was supposed to retire in December, Dennis Hart has extended his stay at KMJ (AM 580) until the end of January. Station management is having a hard time finding Hart's replacement.Good morning: KKBZ (FM 105.1, The Blaze) has added the Sacramento-based morning program "The Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show" to its schedule from 5-10 a.m. weekdays. They replace Jennifer Lipp, whose morning show on KKBZ was canceled in December.Reality check: Lindzi Cox, a 27-year-old who was on the equestrian team at Fresno State, survived the first round of rejections on Monday's opener of the latest season of "The Bachelor." The field of 25 young women was reduced to 18 by Ben Flajnik.Cox not only survived, but she also won the First Impression honor as she arrived on horseback rather than in a limo.On cable: Me-TV Network, seen on KGMC (Channel 43.6), has been added to Comcast Cable Channel 187. It replaces Universal Sports, which became an exclusive cable and satellite channel on Jan. 1.Here's a look at November viewership among viewers 18 and older:Weekdays5 a.m.: KFSN, 16,000; KMPH, 7,000; KGPE, 4,000; KSEE, 3,000.6 a.m.: KFSN, 44,000; KMPH, 19,000; KFTV, 12,000; KSEE, 12,000; KGPE, 9,000.11 a.m.: KFSN, 31,000.11:30 a.m.: KMPH, 8,000.Noon: KGPE, 15,000; KSEE, 7,000.4 p.m.: KFSN, 24,000; KSEE, 6,000.5 p.m.: KFSN, 64,000; KSEE, 17,000; KGPE, 13,000.6 p.m.: KFSN, 71,000; KFTV, 54,000; KSEE, 23,000; KGPE, 15,000.6:30 p.m.: KFSN, 61,000; KSEE: 12,000.7 p.m.: KSEE, 7,000.10 p.m.: KMPH, 63,000.11 p.m.: KFSN: 39,000; KGPE, 21,000; KFTV: 18,000; KSEE, 7,000.Saturday6 a.m.: KFSN, 14,000.6 p.m. KFTV, 22,000; KGPE, 21,000; KSEE, 10,000.10 p.m.: KMPH, 43,000.11 p.m.: KFSN, 34,000; KFTV, 21,000; KGPE: 17,000; KSEE, 12,000.Sunday6 a.m.: KFSN, 14,000.6 p.m.: KFSN, 34,000; KFTV, 20,000; KGPE, 13,000.10 p.m.: KMPH, 40,000.11 p.m.: KFSN, 33,000; KGPE, 17,000; KFTV, 16,000; KSEE, 4,000.