Cadence101: Now at Lessthanreality.com

Just a Reminder...We've Moved

2011-05-22T16:25:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder...

We've moved to LessThanReality.blogspot.com. Please update your feeds and bookmarks.

Thanks!

Attention: Less Than Reality Has a New Web Address

2010-11-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

Visit Less Than Reality, a reality TV blog at:

http://lessthanreality.blogspot.com

Dear American Idol: Is It Time To Give Up?

2010-11-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

We know who Kelly Clarkson is. We know Carrie Underwood. We may even know Kellie Pickler, with her ditzy blonde attitude. However, do we really know or care about Lee Dewyze? Not going to lie - I had to Google him to find out how to spell his name.

American Idol had its time - when it was new and fresh, and when bad singers were actually funny. (William Hung, anyone?) Now, the bad singers are just on it for the fun of some screen time. It's just not the same.

I think American Idol just needs to admit that it jumped the shark. With practically a whole new judging panel (Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez) and lots of new gimmicks (music videos and such), the show just isn't what it used to be.

The thing is, that's okay! American Idol doesn't have to be what it used to be. However, it probably shouldn't try to continue so far past its prime. Don't we want to remember American Idol as a great show? Why keep it going until our only memories are of some inappropriate judges and the same old gimmicks in shiny new packaging?

Jumping the shark isn't a shameful thing - lots of shows do it. However, it's important to know when to stop, and American Idol just doesn't know that. It's time to give up, American Idol.

We'll always have Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Constantine Maroulis and Simon Cowell. We'll remember Paula before she went crazy and Randy's love of the word "Dawg." We even remember Brian Dunkleman's short career on American Idol. I almost hate to admit it, but it's time to say goodbye to the show that thrust these people into stardom. (Well, except Brian Dunkleman - I'm not convinced that he ever really got famous.) Anyway, American Idol had a good run, but it's probably time to accept that the run should be over.

I Love Money: A Sort-Of Mental Challenge

2010-11-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

This week on I Love Money, the castmates had to guess numbers in order to win the challenge.

During each question, the person with the furthest answer from the truth gets eliminated from the game. The winner ends up as the Paymaster.

The first question in the paymaster challenge was to guess the combined weight of all of the remaining I Love Money housemates. This was awful - each person had to stand on the scale and get weighed! Now all the I Love Money watchers know what each castmate weighs! Ouch, VH1, ouch!

Mindy forgot to count herself, lost the challenge, and became the dead last loser. Right then and there, she was placed in the box.

The second question was how many daisies were in a box. Brittanya said she wrote the number of guys she slept with - and came up with 101.

Punisher emerged as Paymaster, which as you know, is a dangerous thing.

In the box, there was a stalemate, so Punisher got to pick the two people he wanted to bring on his power outing. He chose Cisco and Hot Wings.

Note: Hot Wings could have been safe, but Punisher didn't like that she was strategizing with Brittanya. Brittanya, somehow, remains safe, probably because no one sees her as a threat.

On the Power Outing, Cisco told Punisher that he'd have his back, and Punisher seemed to be into it, despite the fact that Cisco vowed to void Punisher's check the previous week.

In the end, Cisco was given the boot, and Hot Wings and Mindy were allowed to stay in the competition. This was probably Punisher's best choice, although if the girls band together (which is unlikely at this point), there could be trouble for the boys.

America Loves the Palins...as TV Stars

2010-11-17T16:44:00.000-08:00

Sarah "I'm a Politician But I Love Fame" Palin and daughter Bristol "I'm a Teen Mom and Teen Abstinence Advocate" Palin are ruling the airwaves.

...I think it's a blessing that mom Sarah's not running the country, at least!

First of all, Bristol Palin is fighting her way through more and more weeks on Dancing With the Stars, surpassing dancers who score much higher with the judges. It looks like the teen mom who's famous for her mom's fame has a chance to take the DWTS crown. What does this prove to us? Dancing With the Stars isn't really about dancing. But we knew that.

Also, Sarah Palin's Alaska set a new record for TLC viewership. With almost 5 million viewers, this show has been a huge success for the TLC network, and commanded the most viewers of any series premiere on the network. Apparently people are okay with hearing Ms. Palin say things like, "This is so much better than being in a stuffy political office," despite the fact that we were considering voting this woman into one of the most powerful political positions in the United States.

Let's see if Sarah Palin decides to run for president in coming years. She might use her television fame to boost her campaign, or maybe she'll give up on the political game and focus on the fame.

WE TV's Downsized: Episode 2

2010-11-13T23:43:00.000-08:00

I truly hope that Downsized is a work of creative fiction, packaged at a reality show.

I say this because the Bruno family is looking more and more ridiculous.

During week two of Downsized, we learned about the Bruno family's spending habits. They are spending $500 a month on eating at restaurants because it makes them happy.

Say what?

You're on food stamps, filed for bankruptcy and still spending $500 a month on restaurant meals? Not only that, but the Bruno family spending a bunch of money on cable and internet. Shouldn't cable be the first thing to go?

Mom Laura also has a pretty crazy spending habit - expensive coffee. When the financial adviser criticized her coffee habit, she cried and said she has MS, and without coffee, she'd fall asleep while standing up. Here's the thing - she can still have coffee, but why can't she make it at home and bring it in? I don't think drinking coffee in and of itself is the issue - I'm imagining that Mom has a Starbucks habit or something.

The Bruno family is spending $1,695 a month in rent that they clearly can't afford, but hasn't even tried to lower their rent. Why haven't they asked their landlord for a reduction? This week, the financial adviser told them to try - isn't that something that a normal family might try right away?

Some discrepancies from week one came into light this week.

As we did not learn last week, some of the kids do have jobs. The show creatively hid this during episode 1, but now we know that the kids are bringing in some money.

Dad Todd still can do some business with his contracting firm, however, Dad doesn't do any advertising, even cheap stuff, like business cards and flyers. It's like he's not even trying! Mom Laura seems to enable this, because when the financial adviser criticized it, she said that he does work hard.

Downsized is still a good show to watch, but like I said, hopefully it's a work of fiction. I believe that it's a bit too unrealistic to be real, and it seems like the family is probably friends with WE TV producers who wanted to use their friends as pawns to make money. Likewise, the family benefits because they make money and will no longer have their financial issues. The show is interesting, but definitely is not completely honest with us.

Amber Portwood Gives Up Custody of Daughter Leah!

2010-11-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

Amber Portwood, at the advice of Child Protective Services, gave former flame Gary Shirley custody of their daughter, Leah.

I hate to say it, but this probably a VERY good thing. Amber hits Gary and let a guy who just got out of prison move in with her and baby Leah. She's also kind of crazy, to put it lightly.

Unfortunately, Leah's the one to suffer most from this. She apparently asks for Mommy each night. The truth is, though, Amber needs to get her life back together before she can be an even remotely good parent.

I wonder what this means for the next season of Teen Mom. Will we watch Amber struggle living without Leah? Will she work to regain her stability and regain custody of her daughter? Will she end up getting pregnant again and having another baby? All of these are definitely possibilities!

While we're talking about Teen Mom, let's talk about Farrah Abraham, who plans to move to Hollywood to become a star. Wow, really? Great. So, we let girls get famous with scripted acting careers for being pregnant before turning 18? Awesome. Although it works - Bristol Palin's on Dancing With the Stars, so I guess America's into teenage motherhood.

Update: Amber's in trouble. She's being formally charged for assaulting her on-again, off-again fiance Gary Shirley in front of daughter Leah. Ouch, Amber!

The Fairy Jobmother: Supernanny for The Unemployed

2010-11-12T17:26:00.000-08:00

The Fairy Jobmother follows the same formula as Supernanny, only it's not as good.

It's also got elements of that short lived show about fixing marriages, but like this show, it was so forgettable that I forgot what it's called.

The Fairy Jobmother brings a British woman in to help out of work families, and from the first episode, that seem to be having marital problems as well. Hayley Taylor, the Fairy Jobmother, steps in to find employment for the family and subsequently save the marriage.

The show plays on the awful situations that families go through. For example, this week featured a family who lost their home in Hurricane Katrina. Don't get me wrong - that's awful. However, this show just seems so wrong. We're watching a family who's gone through so much. I think I actually feel bad looking into their lives.

Beyond that, the whole thing is so staged. Yes, The Fairy Jobmother actually does help them, but the show is so scripted. They "discover" skills and talents that the participants possess, and magically find interviews and find the participants jobs.

This is not worth watching. Seriously, I fast forwarded through most of it and still watched too much of it.

I Love Money: Garth Apparently Did Not Love Money Enough to Hold Onto a Stripper Pole

2010-11-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

This week on I Love Money, the cast members had to hang onto a stripper pole over water to stay in the game.

The first one to fall automatically went home. And that person was Garth. This was not surprising, as he was the most out of shape cast member who earned his keep on Megan Wants a Millionaire by spending his hard earned cash.

Garth was a cool guy, but he and stripper poles don't mix in any capacity.

At the end of the show, Corn Fed left, pretty much as a casualty, as Paymaster Hot Wings wanted to keep Francisco in the game as a higher level target than herself.

Next week, it looks like Brittanya's going to get caught between alliances. She'll pledge her loyalty to more than one and then find out that it doesn't work when the alliances compete. Brittanya - we love you but you really don't think things through, girl!

The New Show About the Circus, Which is Aptly Named Circus

2010-11-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

I watched the new documentary series about the Big Apple Circus, called Circus.

It's pretty good. The first installment, at two hours in length, is a bit much, but it's a good watch. On the show, we learned about the people in the circus, their lifestyles, their differences and their backgrounds.

From American born citizens to Russian citizens, we see people with different backgrounds come together. There are good times and bad times on the show. For example, we face people trying to perfect their acts, a false bomb scare and people leaving the circus before the show even opens.

A particularly interesting aspect was learning about the kids of the circus, and how they come from circus families. For the most part, they seem to love the life they inherited and not regret it in the least.

Is this show a must watch? I would say no. But is it interesting? Yes. It's done in a documentary style, rather than a trashy reality style (probably because it's on PBS), and the stunts we see are amazing.

Downsized: A New WE TV Reality Show

2010-11-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

I watched Downsized, a new television show chronicling the life of a family who went from super rich to having trouble paying the rent.

I hate to admit this, but the show was interesting. The show brings us into the life of Todd and Laura, a couple who collectively have seven kids, five of which are Laura's, and two of which are Todd's. The family had a ton of money, and then Todd's contacting business failed, leaving the family to exist on a teacher's salary.

The show is interesting because you get to watch the family dynamic. The show portrays a tough lifestyle, but a positive family of several teenagers. You see two step-siblings with different backgrounds in the blended family interact. For example, Heather, 17, got a car from her biological grandmother, whereas Bailey, 16, did not get that same opportunity because she did not share Heather's biological grandparents.

Some of the scenes seemed a bit fake. For example, Bailey is sent to the store, and finds out that there are only $2 on the food stamp card. That seemed real - and awful. However, mom Laura's reaction seemed so insincere. "I apologize, Bailey, that must have been embarrassing." She spoke without emotion.

I also had issue with a few other things:

- If Todd's kids mom's family has so much money, why aren't they living with them? Why are their parents buying them clothes and luxuries, but not money for food? If there's so much money there, why are Todd's kids struggling?

- Why do Todd and Laura still have their wedding rings and designer jewelry? I saw Laura saying that she sold everything that she can, but I saw her with a giant diamond and Chanel earrings.

- With at least five kids ages 15 or older, why don't the kids get jobs? Honestly, I don't think kids should have to support their parents, but if the kids can't afford their own food, wouldn't it be helpful to buy their own? If each child worked at a restaurant or grocery store and could get discounted food, wouldn't that be helpful? Or at least buy their own food so Todd and Laura could focus on supporting the non-working kids and themselves?

These discrepancies may occur because WE TV wants the show to be more dramatic. For example, the family 'comes together' in later episodes and works their way back to stability. I guess if they were a normal, working class family now there would be nothing to work towards.

In any case, the concept of this show makes me feel awful, in a sense, because there are so many families struggling, and it seems like a somewhat inappropriate concept. However, I think it is good that WE TV is helping this family recover, as I'm sure they're about to make a nice paycheck for appearing on this television show.

Patti Stanger Turns Down Danielle Staub!

2010-11-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

Patti Stanger of "The Millionaire Matchmaker" fame laughed in Danielle Staub's face when she asked for help finding a date. If you aren't aware, Danielle was the mess that graced our screens on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

Danielle wanted Patti's help with love, but Patti wasn't up for that. I'm not sure if Patti denied Danielle because of her crazy background and tendencies, or because she's friends with Caroline Manzo. Either way, denying Danielle is for the best because I'm pretty sure she's not a millionaire, and Patti would not want to be liable for whatever madness Danielle makes of her dating life.

I Love Money: Brittanya Says She's Smart

2010-11-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

Brittanya had our quote of the week on I Love Money.

She told us that for sleeping with Punisher, she's the smartest girl in the house.

Say what?

I'm a Brittanya fan through and through, but she certainly is not the smartest girl in the house. Mindy's still there, after all, and Mindy's way smarter than Brittanya.

The challenge this week was about mud slinging. The contestants had to fling balls at cutouts of each other from a pit of mud. The first person out was named dead last loser, and the last person to have a semi-intact cutout was named Paymaster.

Despite the guys trying to get Garth into the Paymaster role, Brooklyn took the lead and won. Sassy ended up as the dead last loser and guaranteed her spot in the box.

Sassy, Six Gauge and Punisher ended up in the box.

Sassy, at some point, claimed not to be manipulative. But wasn't it our Sassy last episode that set up Brittanya and Cisco in a failed attempt to save her friend Blonde Baller? That is manipulative, girl!

In the end, Brooklyn gave the first check to Punisher. Second, Brooklyn let Six Gauge know that he's safe, and the guys went wild. Six Gauge, to his credit, tried to stop the guys from gloating, since that wasn't his intention. He very kindly let Sassy go home, but instantly regretted his decision based on the way the guys acted.

We'll see how this continues next week on I Love Money!

Bethenny Frankel to Ice Skate on Television

2010-11-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

It's been announced that Bethenny Frankel, star of The Real Housewives of New York City and Bethenny Getting Married? will ice skate on the new show, Skating With the Stars. The show will premiere on November 22nd. How do you think this will turn out?

Bethenny will compete against Motley Crue's Vince Neil, ski champ Jonny Moseley and actors Sean Young, Rebecca Budig and Brandon Mychal Smith. Note that I've never heard of most of these people, so Bethenny's sure to steal the spotlight for many viewers.

On another note, Bethenny tells us she had a terrible childhood, and I believe her. Websites are showing pics of happy baby and youthful Bethenny. Here's the thing - not having a happy childhood doesn't mean you don't smile. I'm sure she had happy moments, but that doesn't mean she had a happy childhood overall. Give her a break!

In other random reality news, Bret Michaels has been accused of, and has denied, having an affair with Tish Cyrus, mom of Miley Cyrus. If you haven't heard, Tish and Billy Ray are in the midst of a divorce.

16 and Pregnant: Is It Bad That I'm So Bored With This?

2010-11-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

I tried watching Felicia's episode of 16 and Pregnant last night, and I just couldn't stand it.

I feel bad for Felicia, of course, since she had some tough times with her pregnancy, schooling and boyfriend, but the show is just so 'been there, done that' at this point.

16 and Pregnant, I think, has run its course. Not that it dramatizes pregnancy, because it shows the negative side of the situation, but we've seen what feels like the same episode a dozen times.

Having never had a baby, I don't fully understand the struggle of these girls, and I'm not trying to lump them together into a category, but haven't we seen enough of the type of teenager MTV casts on the show - one with lots of extra problems aside from her pregnancy? MTV - you've done enough with this show. It's time to stop.

Do you agree? Disagree?

Teen Mom: What Does the Cast Really Make?

2010-10-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

According to Reality TV Blurred, the Teen Mom girls make significantly less than their Jersey Shore counterparts.

Teen Mom cast members net about $60,000 - $65,000 per season, which is significantly less than the Jersey Shore cast members, who net that amount in two Jersey Shore episodes.

Before you go crying about the girls are shortchanged, keep in mind that they aren't doing so badly - that's not a bad salary for a few months of being on camera. I do hope that a trust fund is being set aside for the babies to go to college - I think the lower salary plus a college fund would be a great deal for the teen moms. (Also, it would be phenomenal for Brandon and Teresa, who adopted Carly, because they are being fantastic about being part of the show.)

Meanwhile, the show does well enough that it, and it's original series, 16 and Pregnant, will be spinning off another reality show. The premise hasn't been released, but let's hope it's not another Teen Mom series with season two or three girls - one Teen Mom spinoff is enough. (I love it, but I wouldn't watch another version of the show.)

I Love Money: The Challenges Go Individual

2010-10-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

The teams were dissolved on I Love Money this week.

The winner of the challenge won Paymaster. The loser automatically found their check in the box.

The game was described as psychological warfare. Each person put their hand in a giant glove, and when you mess up and move, nasty stuff got poured all you.

Punisher came out as the dead last loser. The girls and Garth held on pretty well, but the tough guys dropped out early. Brittanya won the challenge and became Paymaster, kicking trash talking Garth's butt.

Punisher was very happy that Brittanya had the power on this week's episode of I Love Money, because she has Punisher's back.

Blonde Baller was feeling the pressure. Brittanya doesn't like her, and Garth wants her out. In this episode, BB tried to appeal to Brittanya to keep her in the game. She wasn't happy about it, but she had to do what she had to do.

Blonde Baller stuck up for her honor against Punisher saying no one liked her by saying she has church at home, and while Pun may stay in the house when she leaves, she'll be in heaven in the afterlife and Pun will not.

If you've been following the hookups, Mindy and Cisco like each other, and Brittanya and Punisher have been doing whatever they do. Sassy, in an effort to save Blonde Baller, got Brittanya and Cisco to hook up. This was awful for Mindy, who was genuinely upset and didn't deserve to be hurt like this. The sick part was that Cisco said that after he hooked up with Brittanya, he wanted to go back to his girl Mindy...and he went into her bed as if nothing had happened. Fortunately, Mindy's stronger than that and stood up to Cisco.

The next day, Cisco told Punisher about the previous night's antics. He also tried to apologize to Mindy, but she's much too strong to fall for his actions. He even told the confessional that he's cheated in relationships before and is sure to do it again - what?!? Mindy definitely deserves better.

At Vault time, Punisher, Sassy and Blonde Baller ended up in the box. Blonde Baller ended up insulting Punisher's mom in her anger - mom insults seem to be her thing.

During elimination, Brittanya noted that Pun and Garth are running the house, and you could practically see the pride bursting on Garth's face. Brittanya also told the whole house that she'd hooked up with Cisco, and Mindy was not happy about this. I honestly don't think Brittanya meant to hurt Mindy by saying it, but I think Brit needs to watch her back if Mindy finds herself in the Paymaster role.

In the end, Brittanya chose to send Blonde Baller home, which made many housemates very happy - especially with the vicious way it was done. Brutal, Brittanya!

Bravo Crossover: Millionaire Matchmaker Meets Real Housewives of New Jersey

2010-10-27T03:50:00.000-07:00

This week on The Millionaire Matchmaker, Caroline Manzo's sons were helped by Patti Stanger's matchmaking skills.

While this was clearly a cross-show publicity stunt, it was worth it. It was fun to watch Caroline show her overbearing mom side (that's what we love about her!) and watch how the dating mixer went down.

Patti took a non-traditional approach with this mixer. She told the girls that the millionaires they were dating were late, and Chris and Albie would serve them drinks in the meantime. Chris and Albie got to spend time with the women, and eventually Patti revealed that they were, in fact, the millionaires.

The dates were okay, although one was non-traditional (Medieval Times), but neither son is currently still dating his selected girl.

I'm sure this was just a big stunt to gain viewers for both The Real Housewives of New Jersey and The Millionaire Matchmaker, but if it worked, whatever...good for Bravo.

Side note: I feel like Patti's losing her touch with matchmaking with the show's participants. I'm sure she's still amazing off screen, but the on screen match-ups just haven't been working out.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Less Controversial Than DC, That's For Sure!

2010-10-25T03:58:00.000-07:00

I am unconvinced about The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I think I like it, though.

I like what I've seen so far, which to be fair, is only half of the first episode, but I think Bravo is being safe this season. The season opener lacks drama. However, I think this is done systematically, in a way to avoid the backlash that occurred with the Michaele Salahi / Real Housewives of DC madness.

The 'situations' on the show seemed to be quirky - one housewife had two kids and four nannies, and one of the Hilton sisters joked about how she was famous before her niece Paris Hilton was famous.

I think this is a good start to a possibly good season, but I'm going to need more time to decide if I'll continue watching the show.

Real Housewives of Orange County: The Cast Has Run Out of Luck

2010-10-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

For those who thought the drama on The Real Housewives of Orange County hit its peak with Vicki & Donn Gunvalson getting a divorce, you were sadly mistaken.

Tamra Barney and Jeana Keogh apparently got into a fight at a Real Housewives of Orange County cast party. Both wine and punches were thrown.

It seems like being an Orange County housewife is more of a curse than a blessing these days. Each and every housewife seems to have her life torn apart. Lynn Curtin and her husband went broke. The whole cast turned against Vicki. Tamra and Simon got divorced. It just isn't good.

It looks like Lauri had the right idea when she quit the show a few seasons ago. She escaped before their luck turned sour - and before Alexis joined the cast and made us go 'what?' (I'm referring to the boobs are out, but God is in mentality that she brings to the show.)

On another note, Vinny from Jersey Shore wants to be a serious actor.

Of course, this is a long shot, but Vinny is doing a guest spot on another MTV show, The Hard Times of RJ Berger. I'm not convinced this is his ticket to serious acting, but I guess it's worth a try. I mean, Vinny originally wanted to be a lawyer, but it might be hard to take him seriously now that he's been on Jersey Shore.

Look at the picture - is this really the look of a serious actor...or now, a lawyer? I'm unconvinced. Sorry, Vinny!

A Sister Wives Special will air on TLC on Halloween.

This hour long special will allow us to catch up with Kody's four wives and learn where they are today. I'm excited - I wonder if Robyn is fitting in better now.

Teen Mom's Amber is Reportedly Pregnant Again

2010-10-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

Teen Mom's Amber Portwood is reportedly pregnant again...although Gary may not be the father.

According to Reality TV World, Gary's telling people that Amber should soon be breaking out the maternity clothes. However, friends speculate that the baby may not be Gary's, since Amber, well, you saw her date other people on the show.

Okay, Amber, WTF? This is your second publicized pregnancy scare since Leah's birth. Haven't you learned anything? Can't you see that you can barely handle one child, let alone being a teenage mother twice?

Here's what I don't get: how has Amber not figured out birth control by now? I know she failed her GED test, but she certainly should know how not to fail a pregnancy test.

If this baby is Gary's, he's in for a wild ride...yet again. Even worse, what if the baby isn't Gary's? I bet Gary would stick around and love the baby for Amber and Leah's sake. The boy needs to grow a pair and either walk out on Amber or tell her she needs to shape up...and stop getting freaking pregnant.

I Love Money: The Gold Team Tried to Throw a Challenge, and It Failed

2010-10-21T04:15:00.000-07:00

This week on I Love Money, Feisty and Garth were team captains.

The challenge this week was a mental one. Even though some members of the Gold team tried to throw the challenge to get rid of Punisher, they still ended up winning.

Corn Fed and Mindy ended up in the box, along with team captain Feisty.

Alliances went crazy. The girl alliance broke down, Punisher tried to manipulate everyone and Garth and Feisty made a deal to save each other.

Garth went back on his word and got rid of Feisty. While he ultimately did lie to her, I believe that he didn't mean to do so....it's the nature of the game.

Teen Mom: Check Up With Dr. Drew

2010-10-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

This week, MTV showed us Teen Mom: Check Up With Dr. Drew, which is a reunion show for the cast.

Catelynn

First of all, Catelynn looks fantastic. She lost a ton of weight and looks fantastic. Props, Catelynn!

Catelynn and Tyler have come a long way. Carly has helped them to realize their goals and ambitions.

Catelynn came to terms with how she gained a lying problem. It came from her negative upbringing. Now, though counseling, she's come to terms with her lying issue and is overcoming it.

Catelynn's mom April made an appearance on the show. April claims to be over the fact that Catelynn and Tyler gave up Carly for adoption. However, on the show, she was truly an awful mother, and was obviously upset about the adoption. April claims to regret all of the negative things she said to Catelynn. While the apology is noble, but it doesn't undo the pain she caused for Catelynn. That being said, she also needed to stop Catelynn from having sex so young! Catelynn was having sex even before dating Tyler!

Farrah

Farrah's still renting the rental house that her mom owns. She got really upset when she had to talk about the loss of her boyfriend, Derek. The poor girl is grieving so much but can't fully heal from the situation. We wish you the best, Farrah!

Farrah seemed genuinely happy to be in touch with Derek's sister, Kassy. The relationship is amazing for both Farrah and Sophia.

Farrah's mom Deborah made an appearance on the show. Deborah explained that she now better understands the grieving process that Farrah is experiencing, and opening her mind to that has helped her and Farrah rebuild their relationship.

We learned that Farrah's mom didn't want Derek to know about the baby. It's an interesting story with Farrah and Derek - their relationship was clearly tumultuous, and Farrah probably is idealizing it now, but she truly is remorseful to not have Derek in her life. There is no changing the past, but it would be interesting to know if Farrah, Derek and Sophia would have a relationship now if Derek was alive.

Amber

Amber admitted that she never felt like a teenager because even before having Leah, she had to parent herself. This is interesting, because it explains why she lashed out when she couldn't count on Gary. I'm not saying she was right in any capacity, but her actions do make more sense knowing what she went through.

Amber still doesn't have her GED. She doesn't care anymore. She seems like she's truly been beat down by the world. I feel bad for her - she seems so depressed that she can't handle the world.

It seems that after watching this season of Teen Mom, Amber learned to appreciate Gary more. He truly deserves it - he's a great guy. Amber admitted that she loves and wants to be with Gary, although she hasn't particularly been able to show it.

Maci

Maci looked great, as always. She defended her choice to move to Nashville and away from Ryan and his family. She did handle the situation properly; Ryan was actually able to see Bentley more than before Maci moved.

Kyle is back in Maci's life. Maci says she can see herself marrying him. It turns out that Kyle and Maci were sort of dating when Maci met Ryan, and she subsequently became pregnant. The drama comes out!

Kyle and Maci seem to have a communication issue. They both really care about each other but can't express it to each other. Yet, they can tell Dr. Drew about their feelings. It's a bit strange.

Like Kyle, Ryan, Bentley's dad, made an appearance on the show. Maci admits that Ryan has become a better dad, but she still harbors negative feelings towards Ryan as a dad since he ran away from the relationship when Bentley was born. Sadly, Ryan blamed the way he looked on television editing, but Maci was able to combat his words and show that Ryan actually wasn't there for Bentley.

The Millionaire Matchmaker is Back!!!

2010-10-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

The Millionaire Matchmaker is back, and Patti Stanger has moved the Millionaire's Club to New York City.

She may have needed a change after she broke off her engagement with Andy Friedman in August. Well, actually, the show was probably filmed before the breakup, but still. This season, Patti and her team are taking on Manhattan.

Destin was responsible for the move, as Chelsea left the company. She's been replaced with intern Andreea (pronounced Ahn-dray-uh).

The season opener featured a guy who Patti called a "Guido" and a 26 year hold stuck up heiress. The heiress has a child with a man twice her age and demands a Jewish guy who is not from Staten Island and does not wear Ed Hardy.

The millionaire, Derek Tabacco, is Jersey Shore and half. You know what I mean - Staten Island accent, likes hot women with nice butts (he said it in a less nice way) and is all about the sex.

Bryce Gruber is the millionairess. She owns the website "The Luxury Spot." She comes from money, makes money and has child support coming in. However, she's never found love and is looking for the man of her dreams.

Andreea turned out to be a problem right from the start. She couldn't weed out the losers from the qualified candidates to date the millionaires. Then, Patti gave her a list of girls to find for the mixer, yet she brought younger girls instead. Later, she ended up enticing Derek and making him want to date her, which is a major no-no for a Millionaire's Club employee.

Bryce was completely underwhelmed by all of the guys at the mixer. The guys were all too young, too lame or not cute enough. No wonder she couldn't find a man on her own - she can't even find a guy in a room full of qualified Jewish men. Bryce ended up allowing Patti to choose the men for her since she didn't like anyone.

She ended up going through with the dates, but managed to alienate both of the guys. One guy said he's a kid at heart, and Bryce said something along the lines of 'Like cartoons and cereal?' Seriously, Bryce, seriously?!?

Derek's Date

Derek selected two girls to date: one who was good for him and another who was too young. He ended up selecting the younger girl for his master date. Patti was not happy.

Derek and his date ended up having a good time. The girl, Colby, was totally smitten with Derek. They had fun with wine, cheese and sports. Derek showed his fashionable side by picking out several outfits for Colby to wear. It was cute!

Derek was aware that he picked the wrong girl, so Patti is hopeful she'll find another date for him.

Bryce's Date

Bryce and her date, Keith, didn't have the same luck. It felt like they barely had anything to talk about. Fashion-wise, Bryce surprised me. She's super stuck up, but she wore a plain t-shirt and jeans on the first part of her date. Where's the effort?

Bryce seemed to be appalled by the concept of sex. She's actually abstinent, but when her date said that he's good at sex, she looked like she was going to pass out.

While Bryce's date said he'd date her again, Bryce shot that down. Destin said he'd try to find more matches for her, but the hope for finding a man for her isn't looking good.

On next week's Millionaire Matchmaker...

Next week, Bravo will whore out its other shows by featuring Caroline Manzo's sons on The Millionaire Matchmaker. If you aren't aware, Caroline Manzo is one of the stars of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. It's like television incest - only it's actually a good thing. (Real incest, bad. Mixing the best of Bravo shows? Oh so good.)

Note: Derek, if you read this, thank you so much for linking this article from your Facebook page! You were great on the show. (I added you as a friend on Facebook using my real name - Cadence is a pseudonym.)

Rock of Love Girls: Where Are They Now?

2010-10-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Rock of Love Girls: Where Are They Now - A VH1 Special.

On this VH1 special, we saw girls from Rock of Love, Rock of Love 2 and Rock of Love Bus, and learned where they are now. If you don't remember, all of these girls competed for the love of rock star Bret Michaels.

Here are some notable updates on the former Bret Michaels lovers:

Tamara is still kind of dumb. If you remember, she tried repeatedly to walk out the wrong doors. She's doing well, but she doesn't seem to have become much more coherent.

Heather said she's over the party scene. She's also shooting a 2011 calendar. She says she's living a 'zen' life.

Kristi Joe lives in Arizona with her husband. You know, the one she was still married to when she dated Bret. After the show, she said her husband reevaluated his actions and made up for his bad behavior. He won her back. She's very happy and it seems like her life is going well.

Lacey is the new singer of Lords of Acid. Say WHAT? I love that band but I'm not sure I'd like it with her as the singer. On a positive note, Lacey started a dog rescue, which is amazing. Props, Lacey!!!

Mindy says she lives a chaotic life and doesn't want to pay rent not to live somewhere. So, she's living with a friend. Mindy, like Heather, made a calendar, featuring some scary looking pictures of herself...which is sad because she's actually a really pretty and nice person. Okay, so we only saw one photo shoot, but it was an un-sexy version of Mindy covered in brownie mix.

Rodeo is still laughing with her very distinctive laugh. She's also into doing charity and helping horses. She's filming a very over-the-top commercial about saving animals...or something.

Marcia, who kissed Bret after throwing up, frequents a shooting range. This is cool, but also a concern since she loves tequila, and tequila and shooting ranges don't mix. Marcia also reminded us that she loves sex. Thanks for letting us know, Marcia.

Brandi C. moved back to Orlando, Florida. She and her boyfriend got matching teddy bear tattoos since they call each other 'Bear.' On the show, Brandi's kind of douchey looking boyfriend proposed to her. If they're happy, that's what matters!

Daisy is doing stuff for TV, as she's loving the fame. (She did, after all, do "Daisy of Love.") She's also in a band...and she says she'll always believe in herself. Which is good, because I'm not sure that record producers are going to believe in her. Then again, Katy Perry can't actually sing and she got a record deal, so there is hope for Daisy De La Hoya.

Destiney reminisced about her dad and how Bret Michaels helped to make the end of her dad's life special. It was sweet. Destiney says her life now revolves around her son. She's a single mom, so she's doing a shoot with Hustler to bring in some cash.

Farrah and Ashley are still best friends...and strippers. They live together in Vegas and drink a lot. They don't seem like they have a lot of depth, but they probably are making a ton of money. I wonder how Ashley's son is doing...he wasn't mentioned at all during her segment.

Megan Houserman and her dog Lily are living the dream. After Ms. Houserman got her own show, "Megan Wants a Millionaire," (which was canceled due to a tragedy), she met a rich man and moved into her amazing house. Just like she wanted, she got her rich man and she's living her life as a trophy wife.

Angelique, otherwise known as Frenchy, drives a pink car and is a stripper. That just about sums it up.

Taya will be hosting a show at the Sahara in Vegas. It's called "Striptease." She's got a great hotel room, a big show and a new shot at fame. She's also doing a Penthouse cover. Looks like Taya's doing well!

Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It Was Also On TV Tonight.

I think Bret Michaels is fantastic, but I'm just not into this show. It lacks the drama, glitz and glamour of the previous Bret Michaels shows. Oh, well!

And, Some Dancing With the Stars Info.

I am no longer watching Dancing With the Stars, because I'm really not that interested. I liked watching Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, but when he was kicked off in week four, I lost interest. Now I'm on team Bristol Palin, even though I won't be watching the dancing competition on TV.

I find it funny that Wikipedia lists Bristol as a teen activist. Yes, she stands up against teenage pregnancy, but let's be realistic. She's no more teen activist than Heather Mills was a philanthropist. They're both famous for being associated with other famous people. For Heather Mills, philanthropist meant ex-wife of Paul McCartney. For Bristol, it means formerly pregnant teenage daughter of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

VH1 is also premiering a show called My Big Friggin' Wedding. It seems to be about crazy brides with douchebag fiances. I think I'll skip this one.