I can't say that I'm the biggest reality TV freak on the planet, but one show I always look forward to is The Rachel Zoe Projecton Bravo. A lot of that fascination is not only because of the teeny-tiny Rachel herself, but also her tortured assistants, Taylor Jacobson and Brad Goreski. These three, along with Rachel's husband, Rodger, make up one of fashion's most lovably dysfunctional families.
Taylor is possibly the most non-people-person ever to appear on a reality show, and the bow-tied Brad is the guy I'd most like to have as a girlfriend. He's upbeat and funny, which is the exact opposite of the broody Taylor. But together, they somehow make it work, as Tim Gunn would say. Or as Rachel might say, they're "a soldier of rising above it all" (OK, she was talking about herself with that comment, but still ... ).
In the war between the cable channels, score this week for Lifetime over Bravo. The battle for Project Runway had been a legal wrangle that delayed Lifetime getting to show the fashion reality series until last Thursday, but when it finally appeared it was a ratings bonanza. Project Runway was the highest-rated series premiere in Lifetime's history. That's 25 years!
This was actually a reality show that was already in the works at A&E way before Michael Jackson died in June. They filmed a one-hour special and they were hoping that a reunion concert with Michael would happen in the last episode.
There's no official word yet, but sources say A&E is going to do the series after all, and it will focus a lot on how the brothers are coping with Michael's death. Will you watch it?
I've been following the progress of this for a little while. A&E has been working with Tony Danza to follow him as he spends a year teaching 10th grade English. Originally set up in Yonkers, New York, the show was shut down after the pilot was shot when the New York school board pulled out of the project. Adrift and without a home for awhile, the team stuck at it until Philadelphia came on board this past Wednesday and agreed to host the show.
This isn't a spoiled celebrity getting up to antics, though; Danza is serious about being a good educator to these kids. Before he got into acting, he procured a degree in education. In other words, this is a real-life documentary about a first-year teacher. He just happens to be Tony Danza.
The teaching profession is one of the most underpaid and under-appreciated professions in this country, so I applaud Danza for stepping into that arena so sincerely. I'm already more interested in his struggles in this arena than I will ever be about the pampered whining rich brats of [insert so many show names here].
(S06E01)Project Runway is back! With few exceptions, the show seems remarkably unchanged by the move to Lifetime, so those who were fearful that without the Bravo touch Project Runway would cease to be... Project Runway, your fears should be allayed. The one significant change, one I'm still not sure about, is the move from New York to Los Angeles. New York just screams fashion to me, the rag trade, and the buzz of Seventh Avenue. L.A. doesn't, but we shall see how it plays out.
Meanwhile, Heidi, Michael, Nina and Tim were there, the touchstones of the show, and as the new contestants were unveiled, PR was off and running.
In a smart programming move, Lifetime ran a Project Runway: All Stars edition before the Season Six premiere. Seeing familiar faces from the Bravo years immediately sent a message to viewers that this was the same Project Runway.
Yesterday, NBC revealed the cast for the new season of The Biggest Loser, and I was thrilled to see that last season's heaviest contestant Daniel Wright was among the new losers. Daniel was heavily crippled in his weight loss goals by the "Couples" format in place last season.
Dan had a great attitude and really wanted to make things work, but his partner David didn't have the drive to change, which ultimately cost them both the chance to continue beyond the fourth week. Daniel, who started at 454 pounds (the heaviest contestant ever until this season), still managed to drop to 312 pounds by the finale.
(S06E01) The producers of Top Chef must have listened to the criticism from the last edition of the show, the one set in New York with the contestants housed in Brooklyn. Despite being in perhaps the most exciting culinary city in the world, TC-NY was pedestrian. Well, Top Chef season six, is in Las Vegas and judging by the premiere, the stakes -- as they said a few times -- have been set very high. The round-up of players was filled with James Beard awardees, Michelin star cooks, people who have restaurants already... and a couple of others who have something to prove.
Last night, everybody's favorite obsessive compulsive decorator and house flipper, Jeff Lewis, was back on Bravo, and the ratings for Flipping Out were through the roof. The Season Three premiere was the highest ever for the reality show, up 53 percent from last season's opener.
More important than the numbers, though, was the show itself. If you want to see how the recession has hit the real estate business, check out this show. Instead of flipping million dollar homes in Southern California, Jeff is now reduced to taking renovation jobs and working for other people. He's not used to having to work for others, but it's great to see it happen.
For Top Chef fans, especially the ones disapointed by Top Chef Masters, tonight is a big night. It's the premiere of Top Chef: Las Vegas, when we get back to the regular version of the show. Here's a preview of the first episode (and you can meet the contestants and see more previews here).
It seems that all of television is slowly losing its identity. The History Channel doesn't cover history. TV Land clogs their airwaves with run-of-the-mill reality shows. Comedy Central gives Carlos Mencia his own show.
It must be hard to draw in the kind of ratings the average television executive expects (average=viewers who are willing to commit mass suicide if they miss a rerun of Chico and the Man) when you're anchored to one theme or genre. But it's not impossible.
One network that seems very close to giving up entirely is the Cartoon Network. According to the Los Angeles Times, CN's new lineup of live-action, reality-based programming is tanking in the ratings and rumors are swirling that the CN may drop the "C" in its name. Does the head of Radio Shack now work for the Cartoon Network?
Tonight is the series premiere of ABC's new celebrity reality competition whatever show, Shaq Vs. But if one guy gets his way, you won't see it.
Author Todd Gallagher says the idea for the show was stolen from his book Andy Roddick Beat Me With A Frying Pan. That's not an accusation of assault against the tennis star, the book was about Gallagher challenging people to sporting competitions if they gave him an advantage in some way. Roddick used a frying pan. I haven't read the book but I would love to see him play golf against Tiger Woods, with Woods having to use a giant ladle.
He says that William Morris Endeavor wanted to turn his book into a TV series last year but then went ahead and did it anyway, changing the name to Shaq Vs. Since the show airs in 30 minutes, I'd say he won't be able to stop it, at least this week.
Sometimes ratings can paint such interesting portraits of the American audience. Mad Men set a series high and ranked as the top show on cable Sunday with its third season premiere. And yet, its victory on the night was only 0.1 million viewers over the premiere of E!s Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami.
So one the one hand we have one of the most deservedly acclaimed television shows of the past decade, and right there with it, running neck and neck, is yet another reality spin-off featuring rich people who are only famous because ... they're famous. I blame Paris Hilton. She was one of the first people who got famous for doing absolutely nothing.
Kelly Choi grew up in a family and a culture build around food -- an upbringing that made her a natural gourmand and foodie.
That led Choi to a career on local New York City TV as an expert on Manhattan restaurants and global cuisine. Her popularity in the Big Apple led Bravo to sign her up as the host of the ultimate exhibition of culinary competition, Top Chef Masters.
The daughter of Korean grocers, Choi grew up in and around her parents' store. Choi's friends and family would gather to share, enjoy and discuss food. So, her gig as host brings her back home to her roots.
I spoke with Choi as Top Chef Masters fans prepared for the series' season finale on August 19.
Is television taking up too much of your time? Do you find yourself spending night after night on the couch, spending hours of quality time clutching your remote in the hopes it will lead you down the primrose path of perfect entertainment? Have you wasted entire days of your life decreasing the firmness of the coils in your couch with your ever increasing ass planted firmly in front of the idiot box?
If so, maybe a more physical activity would perk up your droll and dull life. Why not put down that remote, throw that TV Guide in the trash compactor and pick up that video game controller for a few hours of TV-related interactive entertainment? Because exercise is for people with no creative thought for self-entertainment.
Here is just a sample of some TV show game spinoffs headed to an XBox, Playstation or coffee table near you.
It's not really possible that every summer premiere on the great American broadcast TV schedule crashed and burned, is it?
But, out of all the original programs that premiered on the major networks after the completion of the fall 2008 season, not a single one got traction.
According to analysis reports, you can take your pick from any of the following shows: Defying Gravity, The Superstars, The Listener, Mental, The Philanthropist, Hitched or Ditched, Merlin and Great American Road Trip. All of them bombed -- each hovering just above a one market share.
In fact, you don't need numbers to prove that the fall crop crapped out. Ask your friend what his/her favorite summer replacement show was. You'll be waiting awhile.
I can't say that I'm the biggest reality TV freak on the planet, but one show I always look forward to is The Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo. A lot of that fascination is not only because of the teeny-tiny Rachel herself, but also her tortured assistants, Taylor Jacobson and Brad Goreski. These three, along with Rachel's husband, Rodger, make up one of fashion's most lovably dysfunctional families. 
This was actually a reality show that was already in the works at A&E way before 
I've been following the progress of this for a little while. 
(S06E01) Project Runway is back! With few exceptions, the show seems remarkably unchanged by 
Yesterday, 
Last night, everybody's favorite obsessive compulsive decorator and house flipper, Jeff Lewis, was back on Bravo, and the ratings for 
Tonight is the series premiere of ABC's new celebrity reality competition 
Sometimes ratings can paint such interesting portraits of the American audience. 
Kelly Choi grew up in a family and a culture build around food -- an upbringing that made her a natural gourmand and foodie.
American broadcast TV schedule crashed and burned, is it?
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