I Survived a Japanese Game Show - Oh Baby!

The teams have to dress like babies this week complete with diapers. That is just wrong in so many ways! Rome is smitten with Meaghan saying how sexy she looked in her baby costume. Even if Brad Pitt showed up on my doorstep wearing a giant diaper, it still wouldn't be sexy. Sorry Brad. Anyway, some of the team members were really getting into the part even throwing tantrums.

The challenge is to see which team can get the most milk into a large bottle after being spun around in a "crib", filling the milk cups, stepping on spinning disks and climbing over various objects. The yellow penguins get to go first. After watching everyone spin around I thought there was going to be more to clean up then spilled milk! Cathy is up first and gets her cups filled but loses it on the first spinning disk. She has to complete the obstacle course before the next contestant can go. Andrew and Justin tried to keep their heads from spinning by looking at one thing for as long as they could. Looked like they were trying to give themselves whiplash. It seemed to work and they both didn't get as dizzy as they thought they would and both managed to get milk into the bottle.

The green monkeys are up next and Rome says, in Japanese, he just likes watching everyone fall even showing it again in slow motion. I wonder what else he says to the audience? He is really liking Meaghan as he says she looks cute and dizzy. Donnell takes a header and loses all of his milk. Meaghan holds on to a splash of milk and Mary gets both of her cups to the bottle. It wasn't enough to beat the yellow team who is on a serious winning streak.

Back at the house, Donnell starts stirring the pot about Meaghan's immunity deal trying to get Mary to go back on the deal. They have a while to think about it since their punishment is to shuck clams. Those little clams pack a punch of a smell! Poor Mary looked like she was going to heave any minute and Meaghan had her shirt pulled over her nose. They get a quick lesson on shucking and Meaghan realizes the clams are alive. OMG! Meaghan finally gives the clams a swift death while Mary keeps gagging. Most of the Japanese "shuckers" find the Americans entertaining except the one who keeps saying you keep working! She is going to get the most of her free labor!

The winning yellow penguins get treated to a soba noodle dinner. They go to a beautiful temple where Japan's best soba noodles are made. They get a noodle making demonstration and all the noodles they can stuff themselves with. That's my kind of reward!

Back at the studio for the elimination challenge and Donnell is working Mary to go back on the deal. At the very last second, Mary decides to keep her word and it's her and Donnell in the elimination. The challenge is called chicken butt scramble. That would have frightened me especially when they told Mary and Donnell to take their clothes off. They are conveniently wearing sports "undies" and they are given chicken heads to wear. They have to cover themselves in oil, slide down a ramp, roll around in feathers then pop giant "eggs" using only their butts. That challenge looked painful. Mary went first and after popping a few eggs, which made the mat slippery, couldn't stand up for very long and also kept sliding off of the eggs. She managed to pop 10 eggs and then it was Donnells turn. Donnell thinks he can do better since he has a bigger booty. I think he was liking the oil part a little too much, the judge had to tell him that's enough! Donnell busts through the eggs like nobodies business and wins the challenge.

So we say sayonara to Mary as she is carried out by the Japanese mafia. Majide! Double D

The Next Design Star-Family Affair

Final three, Trish, Matt and Jen. Last year this challenge was to design a room for a family in need, which I totally liked. You know giving back and all that junk. But this year, the contestants get to design a room for their families. I guess the judges thought designing for a family member would be challenging, well maybe for Matt. It seems his mother has her own ideas of what she wants and apparently is an avid crafter. Matt will be decorating his mother's basement and turn it into a craft/gameroom. Matt's main focus is to hide the kiln, I guess mother is a potter also. Trish's family lives in Detroit and she is decorating their living room. Her mother seems nice enough telling Trish whatever she designs, she'll love, while dad sits mutely. Jen is designing a living/dining room for her sister that lives in Iowa. Each one has a handyman to help them with the renovations. Trish's handyman is apparently new to his craft, when she ask him how long has he been doing this? duh six weeks. I thought for sure Trish would come back and the wood floor would be laid in a mismash design. Jen's design for her sister's house is to possibly refinish the wood floors, but decides that they are too messed up to do that and resorts to carpeting. Didn't her sister say they ripped up the carpet in the first place? I don't care if it's made with recycled stuff and is green for the environment and is so soft. I would want wood floors. I definitely thought the room had way too much carpeting. I did like her signature hand painted walls, which Vern said, be careful or you might become a one trick pony. Out of all three rooms, Matt was the most innovative, although Ms. Martha didn't understand why he chose 4 black leather club chairs for the seating area. I thought that was genius and looked great in that space. In the end, I knew for sure that Trish was going to be cancelled since she didn't bother to move the living room furniture in a different direction. She basically kept the same layout but just resurfaced the fireplace and added decorative pieces and got new living room furniture. Well I guess Dad got a new recliner out of it. Basically this episode lacked the drama, suspense, pizazz! Essentially, everyone lacks personalities. Heaven help them if they pick Matt, while a great designer, do we want to continue to look at that bald head and Trish's personality was mostly flatliner. Jen's the best candidate for this but is she really that talented? Well, we'll see what happens in finale, somebody, dazzle me!-Single D

The Next Food Network Star-Vegas Baby!

The group is still in Las Vegas for the second half of their challenge. This time it's a 30 second promo and they have Lisa strung up on cables at the wine tower where wine angels pluck bottles of wine for the diners, only in Vegas baby! Seems like Lisa can't fly and talk at the same time. Out of all the promo spots, this one should have been cake, but I guess it takes coordination to talk and be hoisted at the same time. Lisa could have been Tom Cruise's accomplice in Mission Impossible which was more like promo impossible. Not to mention that Lisa's coach was Guy Fiere. What better lay back personality can you get? He's just like one of the cast, which he was only a short two seasons ago and now he's a food network staple. Aaron has to walk through a casino and stop at a craps table then shoot the dice, much more harder to make it look natural but he manages to bring out that personality. Adam didn't fare too well as he did his shtick with two Vegas showgirls on stage. He looked like a clumsy Pee Wee Herman, with two left clodhoppers. Next they are told to bring their A game and cook up a monster buffet for their food challenge, so it's off to Whole Earth. While there, Lisa buys two packages of monk fish and accidentally drops one out of her cart as the camera pans to it on the floor. I just wanted to scream, Lisa your fish! Adam's buffet will be as he says a smoketacular and Aaron is making pasta 7000 different ways, ok maybe 5 different ways. Not only do they have to cook it all and thank goodness they had the help of the other cast offs, but they have to entertain and serve it up to Vegas personalities. Lisa and Kelsey start cooking when Lisa realizes that where's the second half of her monk fish? It's now fish rot on the floor of Whole Foods. Thank goodness she had her crown roast pork which looked impressive but unfortunately she managed to burn half of it. Hey haven't you heard of rotating the meat in the oven? I even know that! I would just like to see her cook something flawless for once, I know she can do it. Lisa makes her presentation by singing a song, which surprises everyone, since she does have a great voice. Who knew the lady chef could belt? The chain male cast of Spamalot were in love! Next it was Aaron's turn on the mic and all he managed to do was to embarrassed himself and the entire audience. He mumbled something in audible in the mic cue the crickets! His food was the plain step sister of the three buffets. They said make something over the top and all Aaron made was picnic food. Adam's smoketacular was the crowd favorite. What's not to like about BBQ? Smoked chicken wings and smoked pork chops, am I making you hungry? But does that show that he can really cook? I think this was the quandary when it came down to the judges. Who would they get rid of? Each one of them has major flaws, Lisa can't pull it all together to create a masterpiece, Aaron's food and persona don't quite hit the marks and Adam, Mr. Personality, but can he cook? I guess it remains to be seen next week as this week the judges throw out the rules and keep all three of them, where someone next week will be name the Next Food Network Star.-Single D

Project Runway Season 5-Grocery Shopping

While on my short hiatus, I did manage to watch Project Runway in my hotel room, gee is it that time already? Seems like each season comes so quickly. This season it's the usual suspects with quirky personalities. Here they meet up with Tim Gunn and Project Runway, season's one Miss Thing with more makeup than your Elizabeth Arden makeup artist. He makes his grand entrance by sashaying across a busy NY street, traffic stopping and not because of the red light! Tim announces that it's the grocery challenge, which our Miss Thing won, and the rest is history dahling! I'm like what, make fashion out of melons and pasta? Some of the designers did take it literally like Kroto buying kale and cherry tomatoes? Nothing like rotten vegetables on your dress, ok maybe a mid morning snack. Mostly everyone ran to the plastic tablecloth section and the housewares. Daniel used blue plastic cups for his dress which he melded into a bustiere cocktail dress. I wouldn't know whether to drink from it or wear it. Stella, dominatrix from Queens, immediately headed for the garbage bag section. Yep, she definitely is the garbage bag queen except when she opens the bags at the studio, they were the thin cheap type, she shoulda bought the Glad. Instead she got junk or in this case garbage. Then there is Suede, with his mohawk of royal blue states in his bio a good hoodie is a must and I agree. Suede designed a rather demure blue tablecloth dress something I would wear to work, except plastic might be too hot in Vegas in the summer. Terri took mop heads and braided a top out of it which seemed to work that is if you can resist the urge to stop, drop and roll. In the end, it was Jerry that was auf with his white on white trench coat which the judges said looked like some kind of serial killer out fit. Granted the yellow gloves were a bit much, but at least he sewed something, unlike dominatrix's draped garbage bag disaster. Wrong wrong wrong judges!! In this case it was garbage in and Jerry out, too bad we didn't get to see more of your talent! -Single D

This season we have a diverse group of designers half are hard edge, all are cut-throat and a few look like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, personality wise anyway. This should be good. We have Stella who is down right scary and designs for rock stars or pimps, OK. Blayne has an obsession with tanning, can you say skin cancer waiting to happen?

Tim Gunn wakes the designers at 4am to go to Gristedes grocery store. Austin Scarlett from season one greets the designers. You think that was a name change? All that was missing was the hoop skirt and lacy umbrella. The designers have to design an outfit from what they can find in the grocery store for $75.00. Everyone pretty much avoids the produce section. Did they learn nothing from Scarlett, I mean Austin, who won that challenge with a corn husk dress? I was thinking Romaine lettuce bodice, with cardboard backing when it wilted, with maybe a Pepsi carton skirt.

Stella buys trash bags, which is right up her alley, and says her "fabric" is garbage. Need I say more? Almost everyone else bought table clothes for their material and are called out by Tim who says the judges will think they are slackers. That seemed to kick them into gear. Leann started covering her table cloth dress in candies and Stella started sewing her garbage bags. Blayne's model had more curves than he thought and had to hand sew his "girlicious" outfit.

After the runway show, Jerry got a bashing from the judges when they said his outfit was freaky and looked like a handy wipe gone wrong. Blayne's outfit looked like something out of a bad ScFi movie. I loved Kelly's vacuum cleaner bag dress from the start. I thought it was one of the most original creations. Daniel's plastic cup dress was also very cute. Kelly's vacuum cleaner bag dress is the winner with Jerry being Auf'ed. I guess the judges wanted to see if Stella could actually do something. Double D

Ghost Hunters International - New Zealand & England

We start out at the Wellington City, New Zealand Opera house where the architect, Albert Liddy, committed suicide and apparently is still hanging around. Why kill yourself if you're going to keep coming back? I don't think the benefits are any better.

Andy, Brian & Dustin go into the catwalk to do EVP work. While Brian is provoking the spirit of Albert to make an appearance, takes a picture of a black mass. In the balcony, Donna talks to the spirits and sees flashes of light. Donna is so sweet, she even asks the spirits if they have are comfortable in their seats before she continues.

After all of their work, all the team gets is a woman's voice whispering "no" in response to the question, did you just make that noise. Rob says there is paranormal activity but not haunted.

Next is Gloucestershire, England and the Woodchester Mansion. We find out that Donna has to leave Europe due to having Crohn's disease. The story of the mansion is that while it was being built, the workers were spooked by something so badly that they dropped their tools, left the job and never came back. Sightings include full body apparitions, voices, blue lights, black clouds and the spirit of a dog in the basement. Sounds like a lot!

The team sets up and Rob goes to the basement, puts down an EMF detector and asks the spirits to show themselves and the EMF goes off. Rob then asks is the spirit wants to talk and the EMF goes off again. Rob brings Barry down who asks the spirit to show itself and they hear a loud bang.

Brian and Andy see the blue lights in different parts of the mansion. During the review, they here what sounds like a dog growling from the tape taken in the basement. Another tape yields a tin whistle sound and on video they catch one of the blue lights. Even Andy got excited on this one. Rob seems more conservative this season and does not declare a haunting, only paranormal activity. Hope you are feeling better soon Donna! Double D

Big Brother - Honey Bears

It's the Jesse and Renny show! They are trash talking each other to no end. Jesse says Renny didn't apologize for waking him up but the editors are standing by and flash the tape where Renny does indeed apologize (see previous blog posting). All that muscle has gone to his head!

Dan and Brian start setting up everyone to vote to evict Renny by promising each one that they will not be put up themselves. Oh what a tangled web we weave! I just hope they remember the promises they are making. Everyone was going for it except Memphis. Brian starts shooting his mouth off to Ollie and Dan saying that he is calling all the shots. Careful Brian, he who shoots off mouth usually shoots self in foot!

The veto competition is to retrieve stuffed bears from feather filled pillows piled on a giant bed. The catch is getting to the bed the house guests have to crawl through a pool of honey, find the bears by tearing open the pillows, crawl back through the honey and deposit the bear in a jar. The first to get 5 bears wins. No need to tell you what happened when the feathers started to fly! I guess that what getting tarred and feathered looks like on a more comfortable scale. Jesse and Michelle are neck and neck and poor Renny couldn't get through that honey for nothing. At one point she just rolled over and I thought is she going to try the back stroke? In true muscle head fashion, Jesse tears his shirt off after winning the veto. Everyone is covered in honey and feathers. I wonder if someone hoses these people down before they go back into the house.

After seeing Jesse win the veto Brian has to do some scrambling and tells Jerry that Memphis has to go. Again Jerry says Memphis will go bananas, does Jerry have a thing for bananas? But says he will do it. Meanwhile downstairs, Ollie is telling April, Keesha and Libra that they are safe because Brian is telling Jerry to put up Memphis. Brian walks in and confirms this which gets Libra thinking. April & Libra confront Ollie who caves then tells the girls to flip it on Brian.

The whole group decends on poor unsuspecting Jerry and beg him to put up Brian. Jerry isn't believing them. Come on dude, all these people coming to you telling the same story? You have to see something is up! Jerry did listen and put Brian on the block.

Ollie and April are getting all cuddly and Brian is still trying to keep what is left of is grip on controlling the game by saying that the girls need to be split up. At the same time, April tells the girls she is sure Brian will try to get them against each other. Stephen tells Brian he will help him any way he can (maybe a little crush?). Brian decides to go the "I'm too entertaining to get rid of" route and puts on a sock puppet show. Ollie plays himself with a black sock and April's sock has boobs. It was hysterical! So much so, it looked like Brian had swayed enough votes to keep him in the game.

The next head butt session begins. This time between April and Keesha. Keesha hears April saying she thinks Keesha has flipped and that's all it took. The claws started to come out but the guys turned referees and broke them up.

Brian gets evicted 9-1. I guess his puppet show didn't work as well as he thought. Jesse wins the HOH and April wastes no time throwing herself into his arms to congradulate him. Maybe she is going to pit Jesse against Ollie. Double D

Ok, I've been gone for a week and came home to watch all three episodes online and I always think, maybe this season I will be bored with the trials and tribulations of 12 people stuck in a house for several months. Not! Not only am I an addict, I don't think there is any treatments out there to wean myself off the capricious viewing of other people's outrages behaviors, how dull is my life? How quickly they suck you in! I need to join BB anonymous. At first it's like, I don't know or care about any of these bimbos with bosoms and muscle heads. But then, in the first episode, you're swallowed up like quicksand. Of course all the young people look the same to me, but it's the older guy, what is he 73? Jerry and the quirky redhead salon owner, Renny that piqued my interest. And as usual, I always root for the older ones on these things (go figure!). In an unusual beginning, they have to vote someone as HOH cold turkey. Who else to vote in, someone that is more like your grandfather than the bitch next door, good move. After watching episodes 2 & 3, I took an immediate dislike to Brian. Anyone who has the arrogance to think that he is the Godfather of the house granting immunity and suggesting that he will call on them for a favor in the future needs to be put out of his misery. His immediate pact making and side dealings eventually did him in and as he said, he tried to play three weeks of strategy into one week, like duh? Didn't he know it was going to come back to bite him in the tush? Glad he's gone! Looks like we're in for a wild season-someone check me in!-Single D

Prime Time Emmy Nominations

Well kids it seems our faves are everyone's faves! Nominees for the prime time outstanding reality competition shows are Project Runway, Top Chef, American Idol, Amazing Race and Dancing With the Stars. I was so excited when I saw Project Runway and Top Chef nominated! All that was missing was Survivor. At least our favorite cutie pie Jeff Probst was nominated for outstanding host of a reality series along with Heidi Klum, Tom Bergeron and Ryan Seacrest (sorry Howie, we don't blog your show but good luck anyway). Good luck to all!!!!!!! Double D

Big Brother 10

As we see the house guests come in and hear their taped comments, I can already see potential head butting. So many people who think they are all that in one house and you can be sure the fireworks won't be far behind.

Before they enter the house or even speak to each other, the house guests have to elect an HOH. What a twist! As we find out later, they end up electing Jerry, a 75 year old great-grandfather. Yeah, that's a safe bet. During the introductions, Michelle says she is 28 but looks more like 38. Renny, from New Orleans in a total nut case and will be annoying. I think someone must have accused April of having a boob job but she was very proud of them even letting everyone feel them. I thought sure Jerry was going to have to have mouth to mouth after that.

The first challenge is a food challenge. House guests split into two teams and have to pile into upside down VWs which are suspended on a track, pull the VW down the "road", pick up gas cans and deposit them on the other end. One house guest gets kicked out of the VW for each circuit. The last one left in the VW wins a classic car. Sweet! It comes down to Memphis doing rock, paper, scissors with Stephen. They tie and when it was evident that Memphis wouldn't give up, Stephen jumps out leaving Memphis the winner of a '69 Camaro.

Muscle head Jesse goes to bed early and gets awakened by Renny who apparently can't get her door opened. She keeps screeching, "it's locked, it won't open!" and running around laughing, at least I think it was laughter, who knows with that one. Jesse gets up all mad 'cause he isn't getting his beauty sleep, he needs it! Jesse is all wanting to trash talk Renny to her face but she keeps saying she's sorry but he isn't having any of it to which Renny offers to give him her cotton balls since he doesn't have any. It's instant hate between these two.

Having made an early alliance between himself, Dan and Ollie (sounds like an old kid's show), Brian goes to Jerry and tells him he should put up Jesse & Renny. Jerry says he likes Jesse and that he would go bananas if he is put up but does it anyway. Ummm. Double D

Ghost Hunters International - New Zealand

They're back! GHI heads to Dunedin, New Zealand and Larnach Castle. New Zealand's only castle was built in 1871 by Aussie William Larnach who committed suicide after finding out his second wife was cheating on him. Dude she wasn't worth it! Reports include an apparition in the ballroom, feelings of dread, objects moving and the manager of the castle was shoved down the front steps. Another worker also received a shove in the back and at the same time saw a door open that he had just closed.

The team sets up and Rob & Andy go to the first floor landing which is a hot spot and start EVP work. They hear someone say hello and the thermal camera gets some strange color changes.

Donna & Dustin go in the ballroom to do EVP and right away they see a shadow in one corner and a flash of light in another corner. Dustin tries to reassure the spirits that no one is going to hurt them and they hear plates rattle. They leave a camera in the galley part of the ballroom and leave.

Andy & Dustin debunk the cigar smoke smell by heating a table and chairs with a hair dryer which released the smells. Just like a scratch and sniff! Barry, in the ballroom with Donna (reminds me of a song), wants to try the Singapore theory which is to recreate the period of the house to prompt paranormal activity. They play 1800's classical music and immediately hear noises.

Barry & Brian go into the ballroom and also hear plates rattle and the EMF detector goes crazy. Andy finds wiring under the floor which explains the EMF readings. Andy is really good at debunking but doesn't seem real happy when something can't be explained.

Reviewing the tapes, the team finds the camera that was left in the galley didn't catch the plates moving but did catch audio of bottles rattling when no one was in the room. Barry had been using a new wide spectrum camera and gets a good shot of a man looking at the camera in the ballroom. Either they got a new investigator they didn't know about or they caught a ghost on camera!

Rob is pretty comfortable saying the castle is haunted. He even turned the manager into a believer. I did notice the subtitles disappeared at the end. I guess the editors finally realized Kiwis speak English too. Double D

I Survived a Japanese Game Show - Let's Ride!

The game this week is for two team members to ride bicycles that control the speed of a treadmill upon which another team member will be riding a tricycle. Not an adult tricycle but one built for a child. Which ever tricycle rider lasts the longest in the "red zone" wins, fail and end up in a pool of ice water.

Cathy is up on the tricycle for the yellow team and lasts a whole 5 seconds in the red zone while Bilenda managed a respectable 38 seconds before taking the plunge. That looked so uncomfortable riding the tricycles with knees sticking out all over and I know that seat had to hurt! Round two and Meaghan gets 28 seconds for the green team while yellow Darcy only gets 13 seconds. The yellow penguins win the game, or as host Rome says "pengins".

The winners get a VIP tour of the world's largest fish market where 4 million pounds of fish is sold daily. That's incredible! At that rate we won't have any fish left in a few years! They go to the tuna auction and get to sample the wares. The fisherman sliced the tuna right off the carcass, now that's fresh!

The losing team has to go to the rice paddies and plant rice all day. When they get their outfits, apparently there is a dress code in the rice paddies, Donnell says he looks like Bruce Lee's illegitimate half son. The rice paddies looked so pretty, from a distance. Right away everyone gets stuck in the mud. There was a Japanese man standing on the bank blowing a whistle at the team, for what, I don't know. I guess he was there to whistle at them if they weren't doing it right. He was blowing the whistle so much that Donnell asked if he was an NFL referee. This guy was certainly looking for the free labor, when Donnell feel down, the whistle blower tells him, get up, plant rice! Those Japanese don't mess around. It didn't look like they got much planted and what they did plant, they got yelled at for not getting the plants in a straight line.

For the elimination game, Mary says to put up Darcy & Donnell and Meaghan agrees. Later, Meaghan offers to go up against Darcy as long as she gets exemption in the next elimination. Good thinking Meaghan! Everyone agrees to her terms and the elimination is set. At the studio, Donnell decides he doesn't like the deal they made with Meaghan and earns her wrath. Look bud, you agreed to the deal don't be going back on it now.

The elimination game is "You look funny stuck on the wall". Yes, they jump onto a wall wearing velcro jump suits and try to land inside the form of a person. Meaghan hits hers perfectly while Darcy is close but no mocchi ball. After the jumps, the others, watching in the back, are wondering how they are going to get down. The girls have to be peeled off the wall. Meaghan continues to nail her forms and is declared the winner. They peel her off the wall and leave poor Darcy hanging on the wall. Finally host Rome looks up, like they all forgot about Darcy and has her peeled off and carried away by the Japanese Secret Service. Sayonara Darcy! Until next week....Majide!!!!!! Double D

Hell's Kitchen- The Winner Is.............

The last episode left us with a cliffhanger, not who would win Hell's Kitchen, but who would pick Jen and who would pick Matt, now that's a cliffhanger! Being the astute observer, I did notice that Jen was on Petrozza's and Matt was on Christina's team and I was right. Those two proved to be the wild cards of the episode and managed to steal air time from the others. I don't think Ben, Louross and Corey even uttered a single word on this last episode. Christina has to butter up Matt so that he'll be willingly to work, so she tells him that her inspiration for the risotto was due to him (as she tells the camera, not!). You could see him swell with pride, well, ok he popped with pride. He reminds of me Pumba from the Lion King, just give him some horns! Chef taste each one's menu and tells Christina to sex up her dishes, humm, he doesn't tell Petrozza that? Chef says that Christina's dishes are just plain Jane but could be great (maybe they need a little Victoria Secret). Petrozza's on the other hand has difficult dishes but could be fantastic if he can pull it off. I would love to try that souffle of his for dessert, yum! I like the decor in Christina's dining room, understated and elegant while Petrozza's reminded me of your grammy's dining room. During dinner service, it's the usual drama from Matt who keeps muttering under his breath, shut up! After the show, I'm sure he's headed back to the insane asylum, he's nuts! Jen started out and ended up one bitter person. She's just got the nastiest attitude and shocked Chef when she had the balls to ask him for a letter of recommendation. I think the only thing Chef can recommend is that Jen has a terrible sour atta- turd. Ya, you heard me, sour atta-turd! In the end, Hell's Kitchen didn't disappoint with all the drama and suspense when it came to the unveiling or in this case the opening of the door to reveal the winner of this season's Hell Kitchen.................Christina! She so deserved it and I'm sure Chef is thinking young enough to be molded by the great one!-Single D

The Next Food Network Star-Rachel Ray

Five down, five to go. This time it's a full on demo on how to whip something up in four minutes, this time before a live audience and with the help of an assistant, a brownie and not the chewy fudgy kind. I mean the little girl scout kind. Finally Kelsey has someone her size to help her. Each contestant is asked to cook something to appeal to the taste of their little brownie. Lisa is trying to convince her brownie that she likes horseradish cream sauce and flat iron steak. Poor kid, no wonder she had such a perplexed look on her face, what's horseradish? Lisa says you don't have to dummy down the food. I guess she's never been a mother. Yes you do have to dummy down the food or they won't eat it. Shane's girl doesn't like to eat anything and about the only thing she does likes is ham so Shane decides to make chicken cordon blue coated with puffy rice cereal, good choice. Aaron decides on meatball and broccoli pizza, good kid food, while Kelsey does a breakfast meatball sandwich with yogurt fruits and Adam decides on BBQ chicken pita. First up was Aaron on the Rachel Ray live audience show. The first thing Aaron says to his kid is that they need to wash their hands and turns his back to the cameras and audience, wrong! He immediately knew that was the wrong thing to do and quickly tried to recover by engaging his over zealous brownie to roll out the pizza dough. In the end he did pretty well and what kid doesn't like pizza? Kelsey makes the huge mistake of asking Rachel Ray to cook the only thing that needed cooking, the eggs, while Kelsey gave directions like she was the one hosting the show, hello whose show is it? You could tell Rachel was not happy cooking Kelsey's recipe. Shane was robotic like in his dealings with his brownie. You could so tell he's not into kids. Adam really did a great job hosting and handling the cooking with his kid showing high energy and making smooth transitions winning the judges over and their votes as the best hosting audition. I think the worst one was Lisa as she totally blanked out two minutes into it. Her mouth stopped working and Rachel had to carry on the show, you could almost hear the crickets in the audience and she had the look of Pinocchio caught in the headlights. Poor Lisa, you just wanted to scream snap out of it! The judges narrowed the field of elimination down to Shane, Kelsey and Lisa. Shane for his lack of personality, Kelsey for her too much personality and Lisa for her blank personality. I so totally think that Shane has no life experience to contribute at his tender age of what 21? Same with Kelsey except that her personality saves her life every time. You can tell Lisa has the most culinary experience out of everyone of the group, now if she can just pull it together in front of the cameras she would be great and someone I would watch for the recipes. My vote to go this week was Shane and I think the judges heard me as they send Shane back home for some more life real experiences and a little more culinary practice .-Single D

The Bachelorette Finale

As they say, all good things must come to an end and so it is with the Bachelorette. Who knew that crazy looking Jesse, with his pink shoe laces and paint splattered jacket, would be one of two standing? Didn't we know that Jason would be in the finale since he's the kind of guy we love, warm, sweet, kind? Both guys have to suffer the torturous scrutiny of DeAnna's family, sizing the guys up, both individually and a head to head comparison competition, can you say awkward? Of course we know who DeAnna's dad liked. At first he wasn't too thrilled with Jason with his divorce and built in family, but up against Jesse's free snowboarding lifestyle, Jason looked pretty good, you know steady job, family man, sincere, safe and secure (in other words, boring). DeAnna's gram was hysterically funny, her main criteria was which one is the richest? A woman after my own heart! Gotta love the gram! In the end, I think the sister-in-law said it best, when she said that a life with Jason will be fast forwarding your life by 5 years, where as with Jesse, you would be just beginning. Oh yeah, both guys passed the, may I ask for your daughter's hand in marriage, test too. Once back in the Bahama's Jeremy requested to talk with DeAnna again. I guess the guy just can't take no for an answer. Don't cha know when you go back you always look like the fool, and fool he did. It just seemed to me that he couldn't believe that she would pick those other two dorks over him, Mr. Perfect, Mr. I'm successful, Mr. I need to have my law notes on my walls in my apartment to show how great and smart I am. Well, she sent him packing. I did feel a moment of sympathy for him but he'll get someone else. I bet girls are already throwing their panties at him! I loved the presents that Jesse and Jason gave DeAnna on their last chance dates. I'm wondering if Jesse made that little scrapbook himself? He could always open up a scrap booking store once he leaves snowboarding and I thought Jason's bachelorette game was really inventive and original. He's very clever and thoughtful. After the dates, it seemed to me that DeAnna used the "L" word when talking about Jason but in the same breath described him as safe and secure. Do women really want safe and secure? No, they want excitement, fun, adventure, romance and bad boys! And I think Jesse is more that type except he's a good bad boy. I was having second thoughts when Jesse went to get the ring and then started throwing up. Not a good sign! Buying rings and puking don't go together. Looked like he was scared to death about the whole thing. In the end, both guys clean up pretty good, but I hated Jason's pencil legged suit which looked odd on him. When he stepped out of the limo first an "Oh no" escaped my lips as I knew he was headed for a beheading. It was really hard this time around, usually when it is the Bachelor picking, there is always one b#tch that you love to hate so the hope is on the other one. But with this season you just like both guys so much, couldn't they become polygamists? Good guys do get the girl in the end. Jason looked so happy when he stepped out of the limo and almost immediately drops to his knees to propose. Afterward, Jason lamented that he wished DeAnna hadn't made him drop to his knees, but I'm thinking she wanted to see if he would propose to her. I'm wondering why DeAnna wasn't too verbal with both guys. She didn't give the usual "you're a wonderful guy" speech, in fact she gave no speeches at all, she just let both guys do most of the talking. I would have loved to see her tell Jason that he was a wonderful person and really deserved the best girl, just not her. In the end, I think she shocked a lot of people by choosing against type by picking Jesse. I can see them together, but hey Jesse, what will you do when the snow melts? The After the Final Rose episode, DeAnna and Jesse looked very happy together, they were so smoochy, smoochy, get a room! yuck! Could it be that DeAnna is a clinging vine? She was all over poor Jesse, like fur on a bear. What was she trying to prove, that's she's in love? Was she really saying look what you missed Graham? Well, it looks like there's no turning back, the date is set for May 9, 2009! Is ABC planning to televise the nuptials to their loyal bachelor fans?-Single D About the only things I can add are: Jason could have shaved when he came to DeAnna's house. At least he brought flowers for everyone, nice touch. Loved the front porch on DeAnna's house, I'm all about a good front porch! I think her brother got DeAnna thinking about Jason when he asked her what the WOW factor is about him. I don't think Jason really had a WOW factor. Jesse got his hair cut for the family adventure, good thing since DeAnna's dad didn't seem to keen on a son-in-law with long hair. Dad obviously liked Jason the best and really put the screws to Jesse making him look like a deer caught in the headlights when he asked him what he would do when he was too old to snowboard. The next day it's meet the whole family day with both guys there at the same time. DeAnna calls her grandparents Yaya and Papu. I've heard grandparents called a lot of things but those two are new to me. Jesse arrives first still looking nervous. When the doorbell rings, I thought he would jump out of his skin. Camera pans to the front door and we see Jason standing out front jiggling around like he has to pee again. Wasn't he taught to "go" before you leave? Jesse finally relaxes a bit and shows the grandparents the funky handshakes. Grandma seems pretty down with it, you go Yaya! Later, DeAnna gets the heads up that Jeremy wants to talk to her. Did I call that or what? I'm sure most of you who have been watching also just knew it would be him. A teary eyed DeAnna tells him she doesn't feel it in her heart and doesn't want to lead him on and sends him on his way. The last dates in the Bahamas are one last chance at adventure and a lot of kissing. Jesse and Jason give the hand made presents, a scrap book from Jesse and a board game from Jason, how clever! I was wondering if ABC had a hand in those gifts. I really don't see Jesse sitting there making a scrap book. Jason on the other hand, would probably build a shrine to DeAnna in the backyard.

The big day arrives and it's more recap and more of Jason professing his love and Jesse professing his nerves. I'm sorry but if you get so nervous about something that it makes you sick, you probably shouldn't do it! Jason is first up so I'm thinking it ain't you bud. Was it me or did his feet look 5 sizes bigger in that suit? It looked like he was wearing dress clown shoes. DeAnna doesn't speak until Jason starts going down on one knee then she tells him to stop and that she is in love with someone else. Darn, he shaved and everything! So poor Jason rides away in the limo wondering what went wrong.

So it is Jesse who gets to snowboard into the sunset with DeAnna. I did like the way he proposed, asking her if she would spend forever with him. AWE!!!!! Double D

See Jason's interview after the final rose:

http://www.tvfunspot.com/forums/showthread.php?p=111876&postcount=1

The Next Design Star-Suite Sara Evans

This challenge takes us to Opryland and the Gaylord Hotel, where the designers learn that they will design two suites in the design stylings of country songbird, Sara Evans. The designers are split into two teams, playground pickin's with team captains Trisha who picks Mikey V and Tracee and Team Jenn with Matt and Stephanie, is that a dream team or what? They have 28 hrs and $15,000, but first it's a visit to Sara's country estate. Here Sara explains that her style is Southern elegance, shabby chic, mismatchy pieces with color tones of creams and whites with that down home southern comfort. That's me, shabby chic Target. The two hotel suites are large with circular windows and a separate bedroom. Team Jenn seems really organized where Team Trisha seems scattered as Tracee goes into a hundred different directions when shopping. She drives me crazy. I really like the architectural pieces Matt picked out for the bedroom head board. Tracee on the other team picks out old painted doors for their headboards and says to Mikey V that she will take total claim for doing these because he's not so sure of the flaky paint, I don't mind a nose full of flaking lead paint! I was surprised that Trisha and Tracee worked so well together or is it that Trisha has alot of patience, bless her. Back to team Jenn, Jenn keeps saying that she can acid wash all the dark wood furniture. Ok that's great if you have all the time in the world. Are you going to acid wash everything? On the last day, Stephanie's main job was to find the sofa that would go with the other leather sofa in the room and finally brings one back only to find out that it is too large to go into the hotel. Matt asks Steph what's plan B? Like duh, there's no plan B, just move some chairs around the big leather couch (I was like why did they buy that leather couch, that's so not shabby chic!). I'm wondering why they left that important piece for the very last minute? This episode was pretty tame now that the little sh*t stirrer Michael has left the building. Part of this week's challenge was to give a TV presentation of their rooms, while the judges were watching their performance from their judge's desk on the monitors. What was around Cynthia's Rowley's neck? Looked like some kind of neck ring made from tin can rings, are you part of some ring toss game? Tracee was totally tongue tied and what was up with Mickey V? He looked so like some homie with his grey wife beaters tee shirt, yo man, wasss up man! Like Vern said, it was like you better like my shabby chic or I'll beat you. Vern declares Trisha as the best, gee who knew? Next we get to see Sara Evans judging their suites. I thought Team Jenn's suite looked very lackluster, where was the pizazz, where was the wow? The biggest question though was why wasn't there a sofa in the room? Steph kept deferring to her teammates which Vern called her out on it. That's right Steph stand up and take responsibility. I bought the wrong sofa, I was wrong, say it with me. Sara did like Matt's wood work in the bedroom but wished there were more colors on the walls. When Sara saw Team Trisha's suite, Sara let out the biggest surprise horseface, you would have thought that she won a trip to the moon. She obviously liked this room the best and declared this the be the winning room and I surprisingly had to agree. Team Jenn's room which I thought was going to be the winner was just a let down. I would have bet money that Team Trisha's team was going to fail miserably. In the end, it was all about the accessories, all about the color, all about the comfy couches and personal touches. Sara felt so much at home, she got in bed with her shoes and clothes on. I guess the judges couldn't overlook that huge mistake, but the couch thing was like the silent elephant in the room and Stephanie's show was cancelled.-Single D

I Survived a Japanese Game Show - The Claw!

Ben can't seem to get acclimated to Japan and ends up in hospital and eventually sent home. Meanwhile back at the house, mommason makes breakfast for the remaining contestants. No bacon and eggs here. She makes some green stuff with shaved fish on top and soup with more green stuff. Yum! No wonder Ben ended up in hospital!

Darcy returns to take Ben's place on the green team. That didn't break any hearts on the yellow team. The game this week is, become the giant claw! Remember those claw machines at the arcade that you pick out the stuffed animal? Same thing on a giant scale. One contestant from each team becomes the claw while three other team members control the movements. The yellow team is up first with Justin as the claw. He and his team mates do a great job maneuvering around and pick up 10 stuffed panda bears. The green team is watching backstage and Meaghan, as the claw, starts to freak out thinking she won't be able to beat Justin.

The green team takes their places and Meaghan gets the first panda pretty quick and that's it. She couldn't hold on to the pandas and kept giving bad directions to her team mates. The yellow team wins it and as a reward get a day at the spa. At the spa, the team gets treated to a warm sand bath. As one team member puts it, you normally see people doing this on the beach only someone acts like they are peeing on you. After the sand bath, the team goes into a room with a small pond and are told to put their feet in the pond. Small fish, called doctor fish start swarming over their feet and eating the dead skin. Are these baby piranhas or something? I'd be afraid I would come out missing a toe or two!

The yellow loser team has to work in a Pachinko parlor doing various jobs like serving drinks, advertising and cleaning the Pachinko balls. The game looks like a cross between a pin ball machine and a slot machine and are very loud. Those balls are a little smaller than a marble and Donnell gets the job of cleaning them. After getting busted for playing one of the machines, Meaghan is told to go clean the balls. After a fun filled day in a loud Panchinko parlor, the team has to decide who will play the elimination game. Now you would think Meaghan would be the natural choice but no, she and Mary decide it should be Olga and Donnell because they are loud. What?! Let's see, we have a girl who pretty much screwed up and lost the game for the team or two loud people who, as far as I can tell, have been pretty good. I would love to bang some heads together!

Donnell pleads his case and Meaghan & Mary decide they need some man power and keep Donnell. Olga just plain loses it yelling at Donnell that she has had his back and he better not send her up. Since Meaghan seems to be making all of the decisions why didn't she decide who is to go up against Olga instead of Donnell? Donnell needs to grow a set and stand up to her. I know he at least stood up long enough not to be put up against Olga but come on! Anyway, Donnell figures he's a hated man no matter who he picks and sends up Darcy. I felt bad for Darcy since she really didn't deserve to be chosen, heck, she didn't even play!

The game is to deliver packages into slots going against a giant fan while the other throws trash at them. Olga goes first with Darcy doing the throwing. Darcy does pretty good nailing Olga with pillows and blow up toys but Olga manages to get 5 packages delivered. Darcy is up and Olga can't hit the broad side of a barn. It started to look like Olga may have it since Darcy kept falling on her butt. It was not to be and Darcy wins leaving us to say sayonara to Olga as she is carried out by the Japanese men in black.

I'm not sure how much more of this I can watch. I really would like to know where these people come from because I will avoid that place like the plague! Then again, I am the one watching. I do think mommason should have her own show! Double D