Lily Allen has schleped her singing career and is now going to be in a reality TV. The show will be about her trying to become a fashion designer.

This Frisky article quite rightly points out wasn’t reality TV meant to be about unknowns getting their 15 minutes of fame? But more and more it is about people trying to extend or renew their profile.

It is interesting that Sarah Palin is schleping around a reality TV show – this could possibly make her the first reality TV star to become the President of the USA. Also American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi is also trying to get a show made where people who have been dumped by their record label compete to see who will get a second chance. I would probably watch that.

Tweet This Post

These are a bit late but here are the exit interviews from the first four dancers eliminated.

Go Who Mag to see what Mikheala and Gaz have to say. Unfortunately Gaz picked Grace to win but she was eliminated the week after him.

And here is an interview with Ilona and Will who were first dancers to be eliminated. Will still won’t reveal who he is engaged to. Apparently they are a lead in another show, but not a dancer. Does anyone want to take a wild guess? I have no idea.

Tweet This Post

Also have Natalie Bassingthwaighte’s boobs double in size since she has become pregnant? Wow.

It was no surprise that Don and Issi, and Phillipe and Renee were in the bottom three. I was slightly surprised by Matt and Jessie, as I thought their routine was pretty good. But as a reader (akris)  of this site noted under last night’s blog post, that jazz routines in weird costumes never do very good. Well they were spot on.

I think Phillipe’s solo was pretty underwhelming and in a stronger bottom three would have put him at risk of elimination. Matt’s was definitely the best. Don tried but I had seen a lot of those moves before.

The girls were much stronger. Jessie was amazing, Renee was great, and Issi’s was original but a bit too cutsie.

No surprise Issi and Don were eliminated. I feel sorry for Don, I got the feeling he never got started in the competition as he never really clicked with Issi and you knew an elimination was inevitable once they both hit the bottom three. Considering he auditioned three times, and was probably one of the strongest B Boys the competition has had his elimination was a bit sad.

Tweet This Post

The Fug Girls in an article in NY Mag have rated their top ten greatest reality TV judges ever.

They include the obvious like Simon Cowell, but also put in Top Chef’s Gail Simmons, and Top Design’s Kelly Werstler.

Anyway it is a fun read.

If it was including Australian judges I would include:

•  Dicko (in his first few years on Australian Idol before he left), he was like a breath of fresh air, with his direct judging style and quick wit in the first few years of Idol;
• Matt Preston - Masterchef, who else can wear a cravat, be bulging out of white pants and still have the female population swooning over him, particularly when he was stroking paella;
• Alex Perry - Australia’s Next Top Model – who tells it how it is but in a witty way;
• Sarah Gale, and Jayson Brundson – Project Runway Australia some of the expressions on Sarah’s face as a ghastly outfits sashays down the runway is hilarious, she is not afraid to give a contestant a tongue lashing, and with Jayson there is a nice chemistry.
• Helen ‘The original cougar’  Richey from Dancing With The Stars - she refuses to be painted in the middle aged, nice judge corner. She looks sensational, perves openly and is direct in her comments; and
• Matt Moran I am sure he has been a judge on a show somewhere sometime…

Tweet This Post

Just a few thoughts on the show:

• I think Issi is sucking the Mojo out Don, metaphorically speaking – I think it is time for them to go;
• Robbie was amazing in the routine even though with the moustache he reminded me of Prince, and Ivy was a little Sheila E.  Ivy now she has flicked Gaz and stopped gabbing so much is looking like a major threat;
• Jessica and Heath were good, but I am a bit over the the depressing plots of the contemporary routines;
• Keiran and Carly also did a good contemporary routine, but I think Carly over dances;
• I really loved Matt and Jessica’s routine, I guess Matt’s ankle must be getting better as he put a lot of weight through it;
• I thought Phillipe and Renee’s waltz was boring and looked  a little awkward;
• Jess outdanced Nick in their old school hip hop routine, but he looked low on energy compared to her;
• Again I thought Jason Coleman took a swipe at Adam Williams about the Chicago routine, is there some history there?

Bottom three predictions – Issi and Don, Heath and Jessica, and Renee and Phillipe.

Tweet This Post

The interesting thing about the Survivor Heroes V Villains concept is that someone on the Heroes team is going to have to turn into a villain, at least until the merge, and at this stage it looks like JT maybe that guy.

 I cannot believe I am hoping Russell stays in the game awhile. He knows he playing in the A grade now, but he is using his same strategy. Yes the others have not seen the series he was on, as this was filmed just after his series and it had not been shown on TV at this stage. But it took Parvati all of three seconds to work out his strategy.

It was an interesting opening episode which showed it is going to be a great series, everyone was playing the game straight away. I think with all the alpha players around a good strategy maybe floating under the radar.

Here are a few comments on the first episode:

• I hate the wrestling challenges as I think they are too unregulated, seriously tackling people around the neck is just wrong.Props to Stephanie at just getting on with it after her shoulder popped out and was popped back in;
• I know the male viewers must have been frustrated by the pixelation in that challenge of Sugar’s boobs and Danielle’s crotch.
• Tom is playing smart but he has got to have a target on his back. I liked his line to JT another winner saying that if you make top two you need another winner with you, otherwise you don’t have a shot at the title;
• Boston Rob just made himself the alpha male of the villains by starting fire without flint, and he made Randy look and feel like a douche;
• Does Rupert have a stash of those rainbow coloured t-shirts that he just wears when he is on Survivor?
• Sugar obviously cannot not read body language as she chased Colby around camp, plus waking up the whole tribe;
• Are Shambo’s chooks still running around on Samoa?
• I wasn’t unhappy that the villains won the first challenge.
• Sugar is a moron – you put the knife in Amanda when Cirie is right there.
• Tom made another strategic move and said keep Sugar as she is a follower, and pointed out that Cirie’s got a strong strategic game and she should go. Cirie tried the throw it right back at you strategy and tried to get Tom or Stephanie eliminated, but at this stage that would be a dumb move as you need physical strength to win challenges;
• Due to Cirie’s absolute uselessness in challenges she will have a huge target on her back in the beginning, the fact she has gone so far in Survivor with this liability definitely makes her a hero.

However they made the right decision – it was no loss losing Sugar she was useless.

Just to show how dumb Sugar is apparently she tweeted that she had slept with JT pre game and he promised they would stick together – see the whole sorry tale on Blog Zap2It

Also here is an interview with no spoiler links where Sugar claims some contestants may have some inside knowledge on Russell as they have inside links on Survivor. Ok she named Parvati.

Tweet This Post

The contestants from My Kitchen Rules were not shy in an article in the latest edition of  TV Week on  whether the show is fixed – Rowan and Sophia believed the judges showed preferential treatment.

Here is the article:

While everything looks fair on TV workmates Rowan and Sophia from Victoria believed there has been some preferential treatment on the part of judges Manu Feidel, and Pete Evans.

“I think the judges decided who they wanted to win beforehand. In my eyes, it’s a bit fixed,” Rowan claims. “I feel that the judges have bonded with group one more than they have with us and they’ve definitely marked our lot more harshly.”

“I’ve certainly seen preferential treatment of some couples,” Sophia weighs in. “Tan and Gen and Holly and Grace – the all-female teams – get a bit of favouritism, particularly from Manu.”

WA’s Grace refutes these claims. “We’ve never thought there was any preferential treatment coming anyone’s way,” she says. “Manu and Pete have been professional the whole time.”

Also Rowan and Sophia did not care for Pete Evans they told TV Week:

“Pete is colder than Manu,” Rowan says. “I don’t think he has much time for teaching at all. Manu is a lot more eager to talk about his experiences whereas Pete is more like, ‘That was wrong!’”

“He definitely has on-and off-camera personas,” Sophia says. “He isn’t consistent. Rowan and I haven’t warmed to him.”

But not all the foodies feel the same way.

“I don’t find him cold,” Grace says.  “Off camera, he’s just a normal, down-to-earth Aussie bloke.”

“I love both the judges,” NSW’s Gabe agrees. “They are both fantastic and down-to-earth.”

Also Rowan and Sophia talk about the other contestants to TV Week:

While most of the contestants get on like a house on fire, there isn’t any love lost between some.  For starters, Queensland sisters Tanja and Gen have rubbed a few people up the wrong way.

“The only team I don’t like is Tanja and Gen,” Rowan says.  “They keep saying that they’re just mums who cook, and it’s a bit fake. It’s like they’re playing down how good they are, then they throw something amazing at you.They’re definitely playing the game.”

SA’s Paul adds that he wasn’t keen on the siblings to start with. “I didn’t like Tanja and Gen at the beginning – Mel and I were both put off by them as it seemed like they were looking for attention,” he says. “Wehn we got to know them, however, we realised how cool they are and we’re now firm friends.”

For Paul’s partner Mel, however, it’s Rowan and Sophia who have made the least impression.

“Rowan and Sophia really keep their distance,” she reveals. “Everyone else makes the effort apart from those two. They don’t seem to be bothered even trying.”

Meanwhile group two’s Melissa admits she isn’t keen on group one’s Mossy. “Everyone loves Mossy, but I find him to be a pain in the arse, personally,” she reveals. “He seems really miffed that there was a second group,” adds her ex-hubby, Matt.

On a nicer note here is an article about My Kitchen Rules judges Manu Feidel talking about his life as a father in Who Mag.

Tweet This Post

Tweet This Post

He also states the winner will surprise us. On the blog here he is pretty forthright and entertaining.

Also it appear My Kitchen Rules has cashed in on sponsorship, with the obvious Coffee Club advertising, but also Breville products. I had not noticed they were there until I read this article. Breville is expecting an increase in small appliance sales. Brand placement is a savvy way of advertising because even people who fast forward the ads on the digital recorders have to see them.

By the way those people interested in applying for series two should check out the official website www. mykitchenrules.com.au

Tweet This Post

Rumour was the Jacquie was a judge in the pilot with Manu Feidel but it was decided to go with the Pete and Manu combination.

Maybe be I am not paying enough attention but I am totally confused by the format of the show. Did Mossy and Gabby line up against Holly and Grace because they were in opposing groups, or was it because they had the second and third highest score from the home restaurants?

I think it is a bit unfair that the top four teams are not judged against each other. Also in fact it is even more unfair because if it was done like final’s footy and CG suggested and the top teams should have gone against the bottom four teams. As they are all in sudden death eliminations. So the top four teams are going head to head with the loser to be eliminated.

Would Holly and Grace still be in if they went against Tania and Gen, or Matt and Mel? I think they would be.

Anyway here is a few observations on the episode:

• Minus ten points for the blatant Coffee Club advertising. I noted neither team drank it;
• I see the 80’s are back in a big way in cuisine with the art nouvelle plating of the girls entree, and Mossy using sundried tomatoes
• I liked the flavour combinations in the girls entree, but thought there was way to much goats cheese, and not sure there needed to be garlic it it. The beetroot looked inedible,  Holly clearly had some brain explosion when she tasted it and declared it perfect.
• Cooking risotto on a cooking show is like trying to sing Celine Dion on Idol, risky and very rarely pulled off. The critics thought the girls porcini risotto was good, However Paul from SA thought it just tasted off salt.
• Mossy’s and Gabe’s stuffed chicken thighs was thought to be a bit dull and Karen Martini proclaimed that tomato sauce and asparagus don’t go together. I am not sure what the fresh pasta was going to add to the dish.
• Manu and Pete I have to disagree with you I think cream enhances everything.  Mossy and Gabe coconut pie with all it’s accoutrements looked sensational.

Holly and Grace were eliminated, losing by one point. I bet they wished they had landed in the bottom half of the competition to have given themselves a better chance at going further in the competition.

Tweet This Post