Reality TV Online Blog

I love Top Chef.  I’ve enjoyed the show since the first episode of season 1.  However, I’m starting to wonder about the challenges that are being presented to the chefs this far along in the competition.  I’m not sure they are appropriate for the talent level remaining in the competition.

We begin with the Quickfire and a familiar face as the guest judge.  Sam Talbot, a finalist from Season 2 of Top Chef would be the guest judge for this week.  I guess that Ilan or Marcel from that season weren’t available.  Or how about one of the chefs who actually won the competition in any season?  Not that I don’t like Sam – I just wonder why they didn’t ask Harold, Ilan or Hung to serve as a guest judge.

Sam gives the chefs their challenge for the Quickfire – to create a modern, “sexy” salad with 45 minutes to do so.  From what the chefs said making a salad is a lot harder than it looks, but 45 minutes?  When almost every other Quickfire in any of the seasons was 15 or 30 minutes in length, this seems kind of excessive.  Lisa is arrogant in her commentary on the other chefs – she said that a lot of them have a simple and basic approach and don’t really deserve to be there.  Big talk for someone who’s been in the bottom three in the last few challenges.  Stephanie has issues yet again in the Quickfire, this time she doesn’t finish plating her salad.  She forgot the artichoke chips for the dish.

Continue Reading Andrew is eliminated on Top Chef Chicago

MTV’s latest reality series “Legally Blond the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods” will premiere June 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The show features Haylie Duff as the mentor as well as the executive producer. This eight episode series will look at what it takes to star in a Broadway musical. It features 10 hopefuls who are all vying to replace Laura Bell Bundy as Elle Woods in “Legally Blond the Musical.”

The 10 talented young women will work at a grueling pace in hopes of reaching their dream of being on Broadway. They will have to learn dance routines and songs while dealing with competition and the stress of living together in a New York City loft. To help them succeed is the musical’s director, award-winning choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Also, appearing on the show is associate director Marc Bruni, associate choreographer Denis Jones, and several cast members, including Laura Bell Bundy. However, Jerry Mitchell will also serve as the judge and jury as he and fellow judges Broadway actor Paul Canaan, writer Heather Hach, and casting director Bernard Telsey will eliminate one girl each week until they find their star.
Continue Reading Reality News: MTV Debuts Legally Blond the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods June 2

Dave and Kim claim to be friends with benefits, but I don’t think Kim truly sees it that way in her heart. She pushed Dave away at the bar, so he did what any guy would do – he found another girl. He brought Justine home and Kim just lost it. She got really drunk and cried. Dave didn’t understand what was going on until they avoided each other for a few days, then she told him to quit bringing whores home. He told her to quit liking him and they were together again. At least for now.

Bri brought home JoJo, which ticked off Sarah and Kim. But, she said Brianna needed some loving – ew. So she brings JoJo into their shared bedroom and 30 seconds after Sarah says to do nothing while she is awake, they start. She gets mad (already fueled by the fact that Bri is a slob) and calls her mom. Her mom tells her to read the Bible, but her dad insinuates that maybe Sarah is being too hard on Bri and judging her to harshly. Sarah finally realizes this and the two make up.
Continue Reading Real World Hollywood: Bri Brings Home HoHo

As I predicted, it will be a war of the Davids in the American Idol finale this year. Tonight’s show started out with the final three singing, “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now.” Was I the only one that thought David Cook looked slightly uncomfortable singing disco? Then, we got to see Fantasia with flaming red hair. By the end of the set, Simon’s mouth was dropped open. What was that look he gave Randy at the end? Was it the hair or the short dresses the backup singers had on?

This episode followed each contestant home on an emotional journey. Poor little David A. cried as all the teenyboppers screamed for him. What was funny was when he said “Gosh, where did they all park?” Syesha went back to Florida and the crowd overwhelmed her too. She cried, saying she was living her dream. And now we all know what a nimble mayor her town has! She did a handstand in case you missed it (and she was no spring chicken!). David C. even choked up a bit. Not sure why Colonel Sanders was at the parade for him, but it was cool when David C. went back to see his elementary school music teacher.
Continue Reading American Idol: Syesha Leaves

Corey thought Matt would only last a day or two on the Red team, but he actually thrived there! Chef Ramsay put the chef’s palettes to the test and it was Matt that pulled out the win for the girls. That really helped him bond with them. He was no longer whinny Matt, but more confident and contributing to the team Matt. They all won a spa day as the reward while the Blue team had to clean the upstairs. Ben was not happy Matt helped the girls get the win – making a snide remark about Jen’s weave.

When Hell’s Kitchen opened, Rosann immediately started falling apart. Chef Ramsay kept yelling at the guys for not communicating, but the best part was when he set Jen straight. She’s been cocky this whole time and he knocked her down a peg. She just fell apart and he told her she was moping around with a chip on her shoulder. Meanwhile, over in the Blue kitchen, Ben too was falling part and Matt loved every minute of it. Ben could do nothing to please Chef Ramsay and as the customers sat out there eating snacks because their entrée orders were not filled after an hour and a half, Chef shut the kitchen down with an incomplete service.
Continue Reading Hell’s Kitchen: Ben Leaves as Matt Rebounds

Tonight, each singer sang three songs – one a judge chose, one the producers chose, and one they chose themselves. Paula chose “And So It Goes” for David A. Randy thought he was dope and in the zone, Paula called it stunning, and Simon said it was predictable, but good. The second performance, the song that he chose for himself, was “With You.” Randy said it was good to see him do something new, but not sure it was the right song choice. Simon said it was like a chihuahua trying to be a tiger, not really him. His third song was “Longer” which is about twice as old as he is. Why the producers chose this one, I don’t know. Randy said it was an interesting song choice, but he was still in the zone, Paula called it lovely, and Simon said he sang it well, however the song and lyrics were horrible. He did add that he thought David A. had done enough to get into the finals.

Syesha started off with “If I Ain’t Got You,” chosen by Randy. He thought she did an amazing job and Simon said she sang it will, but tried to sound like the original. She chose to sang “Fever” but with the chair there, it was very cabaret, as Simon said. Her third song was “Hit Me Up.” Randy said it was just okay, Simon said it was better than the second song, but Paula – Paula of all people said she didn’t know if it was going to be good enough to get her into the finals!
Continue Reading American Idol: Who Will Make the Finals?

The finals for Dancing With The Stars are next week.  Marissa Jaret Winokur has been doing so well, advancing much further in the competition than anyone expected, probably a lot further than she expected as well.  Tonight was the time for the glass slipper to break on Cinderella.  Marissa and Tony were sent home in the semifinals week of Season 6 of DWTS.

I’ve read a lot of comments on some of the message boards and discussion groups about Marissa.  They say that she’s too big, not the best dancer, whatever.  I think that’s crazy talk.  Marissa has exemplified exactly what DWTS is all about.  Here is a celebrity that was way out of her comfort zone, doing something to the best of her ability.  She wasn’t the most talented dancer in the group but she was improving each and every week.  Last night Carrie Ann called her the unlikely contender. 

Continue Reading Marissa Jaret Winokur is eliminated on Dancing With The Stars in the semi finals

This week was the season premiere of American Gladiators. There were many new things – two new gladiators – Monica (Jet) and Evan (Rocket), the winners from last year, new events, and even the Eliminator got spruced up for the new season.

It was a two-hour event, so there were four competitors. The first two men were Randee (a construction worker) and Jay (a S.W.A.T. officer). Neither did well at Hang Tough, but faired better on the Gauntlet. They went into the Eliminator almost even, but Randall, being younger, pulled away. The new Eliminator requires more swimming and has a tight rope, a spinning barrel, and a teeter-totter. Oh yeah, the Travelator is longer too. Randee won in 2:06.
Continue Reading American Gladiators: Season Premiere – New Gladiators, New Events

Well, I should have known it – the British bloke falls for the bleached blonde bimbo. But then, I was really not a big fan of Chelsea’s either.

Matt took each girl to London to meet his family. His brother Simon seemed to like Chelsea better, but mom and dad liked Shayne. Matt admitted that he felt the most passion for Chelsea but was most at ease with Shayne. Then all three went to Barbados. As usual, the show played up Chelsea. She finally opened up to Matt and gave him a gift of all the stuff he would need in California. Matt called her incredible. In addition, it seemed like he couldn’t get his lips off hers as he tried to leave the her room. Then he and Shayne went parasailing. She gave him a present too. It was a photo of her on the beach, writing, “I love you” in the sand. He said it melted his heart, but we saw him barely kiss her goodbye before he left.
Continue Reading The Bachelor, London Calling: Matt Picks Shayne

This past week on Top Chef had the producers bringing back two of the all time favorite Top Chef challenges. The cynic in me wonders if they really are fan favorites, or if the producers are running out of things to do.

The Quickfire challenge had the contestants entering the kitchen to see Tom Colicchio standing with Padma. They were told that these favorites were returning and that they would need to draw knives to divide into two teams. The knives had either a fork or a spoon on them and here’s how they ended up:

Fork: Richard, Andrew, Stephanie, Antonia
Spoon: Spike, Lisa, Nikki, Dale

Continue Reading Top Chef Chicago Wedding Wars: Nikki is eliminated