TVSquad

The Survivor producer is probably not the only person wondering that, but Burnett is getting a little more specific.

Mandel was nominated for his hosting gig on Deal or No Deal in the "Best Reality Host" category. Now, I'm just as surprised as you are to see that DOND is considered a reality show and not a game show (I think it's the amount of time they focus on the contestants and the family members on stage and the tears and the personal stories that tip some primetime game shows into the reality realm). Burnett doesn't think it's fair that you have someone like Jeff Probst, who hosts an unscripted (?) show like Survivor put up against people who host talent shows and game shows.

The new season of Sesame Street is right around the corner and, while I normally wouldn't give it a second thought, I am unusually excited right now. No, this isn't a snarky rant about how I've been driven to children's TV because of the sorry state of grown-up programming. Sesame Street's 39th season, starting August 11th, looks like it has a lot of fun lined up not only for the pre-schoolers but parents as well. I already posted Feist's upcoming special take on "1 2 3 4", but I had no idea how many amazing guest appearances were coming. Just check out this star-filled highlight reel after the jump.

You knew when the Harvey Weinstein/NBC Universal case came to court over Project Runway that things were going to get testy. But the information that came out today -- that Tim Gunn wasn't paid a cent for the first season of Project Runway -- was a stunner. Testifying in New York State Supreme Court yesterday, executive producer Harvey Weinstein said that Tim Gunn received no salary in season one, and only $2,500 per episode in season two.

The whole reason for the court proceedings involves Project Runway running away from Bravo to Lifetime. The Weinstein Company wanted more money for the program -- one of Bravo's biggest hits -- and found Lifetime ready to pay big bucks.

Emblematic of this fight over money is the fact that Bravo, apparently, didn't think to reward Tim Gunn for his efforts in making the show a hit by giving him something after season one, and more than a token amount (in show biz money) in season two. Tim wasn't the only one who looked in vain for something from Bravo; Heidi Klum received flowers, but nothing more substantive.

Indeed she will, but she'll have some help. In a change born of trying to keep current with the state of television today, the Emmys will be hosted by the five nominees in the Reality TV Host category. Klum will share hosting duties with Ryan Seacrest, Jeff Probst, Howie Mandel, and (the man that should win it all) Tom Bergeron.

It's a great idea. The standard formula of these shows is something just asking to be shaken up. Klum is probably the biggest question mark here, for the simple fact that she has Tim Gunn to handle much of the unscripted action. I'll be curious to see how she handles the role, and I'm confident that the rest of the nominees will be just fine. The linked article also has a great stat. The average audience of the five nominated shows has been as high as 70 million. Jiminy. The broadcast takes place Sept. 21st, on ABC.

Despite rumors and conspiracy theories about Bravo trying to sabotage Project Runway because the show is leaving them for Lifetime, the premiere had the most viewers for a premiere that the network has ever seen, 2.9 million. That was enough to make Bravo the #1 cable network from 9-10 in all key demographics. And Project Runway was the top ranked cable telecast for the day in adults 18-49.

That's certainly cause for celebration, but there's more good news. The fourth episode of Shear Genius managed a milestone of its own, becoming just the fifth Bravo show to top 2 million viewers for an episode. The others are Queer Eye, Top Chef, Project Runway, and The Real Housewives of Orange County. Completing the trifecta of personal bests, Flipping Out broke a million viewers for the first time.

The success sets the stage for a very interesting ratings drama once Project Runway debuts on Lifetime. Will the fans follow the show to Lifetime? And will the Lifetime audience embrace a show that seems to fit the network's brand about as well as a new season of Queer Eye on Spike? I'd prefer to see it stay at Bravo, but I'm all kinds of curious to watch the change play out.

So, hot on the heels of Entertainment Weekly suggesting that Bravo wasn't giving Project Runway -- the new, and last before Lifetime takes over -- season its due, Bravo rolled out a press release today with the names of all 16 designer/contestants, as well as the celebrity judges for Project Runway Season Five.

On the celeb front, the show's landed Diane Von Furstenberg, Sandra Bernhard, Apolo Ohno, Brooke Shields, LL Cool J, RuPaul, Rachel Zoe, Cynthia Rowley and Francisco Costa. I can see potential fireworks from Sandra B and RuPaul. The rest -- eh. I mean, really, is Brooke going to be critical? And have you seen how Apolo dresses?

A couple of months ago, I interviewed Lifetime president of entertainment Susanne Daniels for TV Week, asking her about Project Runway jumping from Bravo to her network.

"We know for certain that Heidi (Klum) and Tim (Gunn) are returning. We would love to see the judges back, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia...but we're working on that," she said.

She went on to say that the show will look and feel very much like it did on Bravo; it will be airing in the same time slot, the same day of the week. And she secured Kors and Garcia, so the four important Project Runway principals all will be in place.

Now comes word that in an effort to keep Project Runway as much a hit on Lifetime as it's been on Bravo, Lifetime is bringing in the veteran production team Bunim-Murray to take over as showrunners.

Unless that little ad I saw during Top Chef was a total lie, Project Runway's fifth season will be starting Wednesday, July 16 at 9:00 (new time). I definitely was not expecting the new round to start this early. It feels like the painful fourth season ended only three months ago because, umm, it did. It worries me when competition shows seem a little too eager to pick the next hottest thing. Let the old hottest thing bask in the limelight for a little while! I really hope PR doesn't turn into a non-stop barrage of half-talent the way that American Idol has, popping out new seasons like they're Danielle Steel novels and not allowing the talent pool to grow.

Ever since Season Three, I have been feeling a bit nervous about Project Runway. I didn't feel as strongly about the talent and I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with the decisions and challenges in each episode. Of course, like any other lover of arty TV and sucker for punishment, I kept watching and even made it all the way through the travesty known as Season Four.

Hey, boys. I know it took, like, two whole seasons before you became comfortable enough with your masculinity to admit enjoying Project Runway and start watching the show with your lady-friends. It's really great that you were open-minded enough to spend a night every week with Bravo, NBC's flamboyant cousin. Anyway, about that... Project Runway is leaving Bravo for Lifetime. Secret Runway fans need come out now, because "Oh! I thought tonight was Top Chef! I guess I'll just watch this anyway..." isn't going to cut it anymore, because the only other options on Lifetime are Meredith Baxter TV movies and Your Mama Don't Dance.

(S04E14) Folks, we have finally reached the end of the line and, to be perfectly honest, I think I'm okay with that. This season, I haven't felt the same sense of anticipation from week to week. "Isn't there something I'm supposed to do on Wednesdays? Oh. Right. Project Runway." This near-apathy is a far cry from the screaming that had ensued in my house when Wendy Pepper moved into the final three of Season One or when Daniel Vosovic presented in Fashion Week for Season Two. That said, I was pretty satisfied with the top three because they really were the best of the bunch, even though that bunch wasn't so great to begin with.

(S04E13) These pre-finale episodes are always interesting because the viewers get to take a little peek into the world of designers as normal people, outside of the weird reality show setting. This season's visit to the designers was different though, for Rami and Chris still had to duke it out and figure out who would compete in New York Fashion Week. Good ol' Tim Gunn took a trip to the coasts to check in with each of the four designers and make sure their collections were chugging along.

(S04E12) I swear, if I hear Tim Gunn say that this group is the most talented season yet one more time, I will jump up and scream, "Lies! All lies!" and then flip over a table to kick-start my violent rampage. Sure, there are some super-talented individuals, as always, but I still don't believe that this is anywhere near the strongest group of designers yet.

Watching this Reunion didn't manage to convince me that this was the most exciting season either.

(S04E11) For the first time since the history of the show, I'm actually quite satisfied with the final group of designers going to Fashion Week. Now, that is not to say that I've changed my mind about how well this season's designers have been doing, because I still feel like it has been one of the worst seasons. However, this time it seems like the final group of designers all truly deserve to be there.

All right, before I get ahead of myself, let's go over just how well everyone did in this challenge. Please excuse me if I fail to fully suppress my pretentious artiness.

(S04E10) In one of the classiest moves in Project Runway history, the designers faced the challenge of creating outfits for the WWE Raw Divas to wear in the ring. When I heard the angry grunts and sounds of lady-violence behind the door, I thought they were going to face roller derby girls or something. The Divas were cool anyway, offering the designers a chance to get really crazy and maybe a little sleazy.

The designers seemed rather horrified when they saw their new clients, which was quite amusing, but not as amusing as the reactions (or lack thereof, save for Tim Gunn's polite chuckle) to the sex kitten ripping open her robe. I couldn't stop myself from mumbling, "Your goods have no power here, sweetheart."

By the way, the Blockbuster Total Access placement was real subtle, Bravo. Maybe next time they should have Tim pop in to share an exclusive coupon code.