I Hate Jill Zarin Real Housewives News / Top Chef Finale Sept 16, 2010
It’s been a busy Housewives news day, Danielle Staub who insists that she was not fired from The Real Housewives of New Jersey, has announced and it’s been confirmed that she will be hosting a new show for Wealth TV called “Social”. A show that is being compared to “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”. Danielle will apparently pick up celebrities at their homes and escort them to fabulous events after touring their homes. To be completely honest, I’ve never heard of Wealth TV and I wouldn’t know how to find the show on my television, sort of like a cab in Manhattan that won’t go to Brooklyn, my TV doesn’t go there.
Danielle Staub Announces New Series http://t.co/fY45SdB
You just have to love Ramona Singer of the Real Housewives of New York, she always tells it like it is holding nothing back, a reporter got to her and she spilled the beans. All of the housewives, yes even Jill Zarin (heavy sigh) will be returning, damn you Andy Cohen! We may even add a few more to the New York cast. Ramona also confirmed rumors that Bethenny will be returning in small doses.
Bethenny Frankel has been named one of New York’s 25 most stylish people by US Weekly, a list that includes Katie Couric and George Stephanopoulos. This list also includes Kelly Cutrone of Bravo’s cancelled show, “Kell On Earth” making the list a whole lot less impressive.
Kelly Bensimon just can’t get enough of the “I Hate Jill Zarin” author. Although she blocked me on Twitter months ago, she continues to apparently monitor my tweets as they relate to her. A few days ago Kelly posted four or five photos of herself on Facebook. Nothing unusual there, like a 15-year old she is forever posting photos of herself, as if we all just can’t wait to see what she’s wearing or how she has forgotten to brush her hair each day. Just for fun, I posted this tweet:
@LynnNChicago @kikilet loaded photos on FB, she forgot this one http://twitpic.com/2o95v3
kikilet to @lynnNchicago. I love that u posted this pict. Running is ugly, but keeps ur mind/ body fit in 20mins. Be selfish, take care of u.
I never used the word ugly, Kelly came up with that one on her own but I’m really interested to know why she continues to monitor my tweets after she’s blocked me? It would make your life a whole lot easier just to follow me again Kelly Bensimon, then you wouldn’t have to do a daily search.
Michaele Salahi of the Real Housewives of DC, dropped a bombshell announcing yesterday that she has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for the past 17 years. Michaele was accompanied on a morning talk show by her husband Tariq and the author of her book, famous Michael Jackson stalker Diane Diamond. Michaele broke down crying forcing her ghostwriter, Diane Diamond to break the news to the world. The news spread quickly across the internet with many people skeptical about the news.
I find it hard to believe that she would lie about something that is fairly simple for anyone to confirm or that Diane Diamond would sit with this couple and confirm their story had she not done the investigating, including confirming with Michaele’s doctor that she suffers from this chronic illness.
The interview included Tareq claiming that the couple was unable to give interviews or provide the full story that would clear their names in the “Gate Crashers” scandal due to the contract with Bravo that doesn’t allow them to discuss what happens on the show until it airs. Bravo executives claim that the Salahi’s were free to discuss it with anyone they liked. Now Bravo may have made an exception for this one incident but we do know that Bravo puts the gag order on the entire cast of the Housewives series until the episodes air, only then they may comment on what happened. With something this huge, I highly doubt that Bravo would make an exception to their rule for this one incident. Possibly the Salahi’s were allowed to speak to law enforcement and Congress if necessary, however, I do not believe for one second that Bravo allowed them to speak to “anyone” as the Bravo representative reports in this interview:
That is not to say that given the opportunity, we would hear the truth out of the Salahi’s. The problem with this couple is that one lie that you are caught in or admit to can really ruin your reputation for being honest people. They have been caught in lies and in fact, admitted to lying about certain things. Michaele, being a cheerleader doesn’t give you credibility nor does it bring you prestige. Typically, cheerleaders have a reputation for being mean girls, air heads and not the sharpest knife in the drawer. In your case, Michaele, if the shoe fits….but honey, why make things worse for yourself. I am not knocking cheerleaders, it is the reputation, don’t kill the messenger. (send hate mail to Glee producers)
Tonight’s episode will show the Salahi’s house hunting and thoroughly wasting realtor Stacie Turner’s time, showing them homes that they clearly cannot afford. Tareq and Michaele, just because you hosted the Turners at your winery under armed guard protection, that doesn’t mean you can abuse the poor woman!
Top Chef Finale
The final three chef’s, still in Singapore, were given their final task and drew knives to choose their sous chef. This season Top Chef brought back three past winners of the title, Michael Voltaggio from last season, Ilan Hall from season two and Hung Huynh from season three.
Angelo’s illness threatened to take him out of the competition and there is really no way of knowing if it negatively affected the outcome of the show. The producers admitted in interviews that they were unsure of how to handle the situation, had Angelo not been able to cook at all for the finale, most likely he would have had to be disqualified.
This season of Top Chef just did not seem as dramatic or intense as past seasons had been. The fact that Chef Tom Colicchio and Chef Eric Ripert chose the proteins for the finale didn’t challenge the chef’s nearly as much as last year’s mystery box of ingredients. It didn’t seem like the chefs were tested to their limits as contestants had been in the past.
The only one specific instruction that was unique to this season was the mandatory dessert that was required of each of the three finalists. None seemed thrown by that, and the judges seemed impressed by all three of the desserts that were prepared.
I don’t think that there is much question that Kevin had an advantage by drawing the knife with Michael’s name on it, these two had worked together in the past and clearly Michael the best chef ever to compete on Top Chef. Michael’s skills and experience had to have given Kevin the final boost of confidence to get him through the challenge.
Ed continued to hope that Angelo wouldn’t be able to compete because Ed felt that without Angelo, he would be a shoe in for the win. That type of attitude is absolutely unacceptable from a Top Chef contestant and Ed should be smart enough to know that. No less than four different times this season Ed has interviewed that he wished Angelo would be eliminated because he was his biggest competition. What kind of sissy boy has that kind of thoughts, worse expresses them on television? Isn’t it more honorable to beat the best? Doesn’t he realize how bad he looks when he talks like that? Watching last season of Top Chef should have taught him that the best of the best chefs always wanted to compete against the finest chefs. A question for Ed - why would you want to tell the world that you’re afraid to face the best chef?
Even the final judges table was a let-down, no excitement, no anticipation and they didn’t send the third place finalist away like they have in past seasons. Remember watching Kevin’s walk of shame leaving Bryan and Michael as the two finalists last season? I’d have liked to watch Ed being sent packing before Padma announced Kevin as the winner.
In all honesty, I was hoping that Angelo would win it all, however, if not Angelo, I’m very happy that it was Kevin and not Ed! Nobody wants a sissy boy Top Chef! Ba-bye Ed!
Congratulations to Kevin Sbraga, Bravo’s newest Top Chef! Great job!
Top Chef, Just Desserts
Bravo premiered its newest competition show, Top Chef Just Desserts last night immediately following the anti-climactic finale of Top Chef and I really liked it!
Gail Simmons does a great job of mimicking Padma Lakshmi with an identical format to Top Chef, Top Chef Just Desserts looks to be a winner for Bravo. Opening with the contestants atop a double decker bus baking (pun intended) under the hot sun, we quickly learn that they’re not all professionally trained pastry chefs. With all different backgrounds and not one recipe available to them, they’re off to the races with a quick fire challenge that irritated the hell out of me right off the bat.
The chefs are told that they are to make their signature dessert and are given $50 to shop for ingredients and 90 minutes to finish their dish. Fifteen minutes into the challenge, Gail stops the contestants and throws them their first curve ball, they are to transform their signature dessert into a cupcake. Yes, cupcakes are hot right now but I was actually looking forward to seeing what each of them felt was their strongest dessert. It would have been a good way to get to know them a little bit better.
Two of the chefs were unable to complete the dish, not surprisingly because turning a dessert into a cupcake is not always possible. One served empty meringue shells and the other some sloppy goopy soup like substance that apparently had good flavors but was clearly not a cupcake.
I haven’t gotten all of the names down yet, but we do have some strong personalities and based on the previews for the season, we’re going to see a few power struggles among the contestants.
Someone has to be the first to go and we typically never hear from them again, in this case Tania was sent packing with Gail’s version of “pack your knives and go” converted to “pack your tools and go”. In typical Bravo style Gail softens the blog by including, “your dessert didn’t measure up”. Yes, Bravo, I get it!
A few contestants stood out, Seth who won the quick fire, will have a Kelly Bensimon style “breakthrough” later in the season and Zac with his big personality and snarky comeback’s will be sure to make an impression.
The first elimination challenge winner, Heather, along with Seth seem like they may be the ones to beat but after only one episode, it’s tough to pick, watch what happens.
Until Next Time…..
