Top 10 of 2007 - Reality Shows

#1 - My Life on the D-List - we can thank Kathy Griffin for another outstanding season of her show that not only gave us a hilarious look at the Gay Porn Awards but show the real pathos of her life and loss of her father. Kathy got an Emmy so you can "Suck it Jesus" and raised even more Hell with another special on Bravo. We better get more than 7 episodes this season...

#2 - So you think you can Dance? has helped bring dance back to the tube, and is the best damn competition between real dancers that you can not miss. Kat Deeley has charmed me with her height and "jiges", Mary Murphy has ruptured both my ear drums and we have seen the likes of Mia Michaels and Wade Robson make us cry with their powerful choreographies. Doesn't hurt that there are tons of beautiful boys either...

#3 - Dancing with the Stars - has managed to do the unthinkable and bring the variety show back to TV. Not only do we get surprising performances from celebrities that you would never expect to be decent dancers, but there is lots of humor, drama and fun. Besides, where else can you see Marie Osmond faint live on TV and practically hear the entire country gasp together?

#4 - The Amazing Race - there is a damn good reason this show keeps winning the Emmy each year for best reality show, because it is just that. We get incredible scenery and a fascinating trip around the world with real people that behave, well, like real people. There is always some one to cheer for, always the team that everyone hates and tons of meltdowns. It's like taking a family vacation and not having to deal with it yourself, and that can often be a situation that it's better to be an armchair observer than to have to go through it yourself.

#5 - Survivor - Still the original and often imitated, but no one succeeds like this show. Exotic locals, tons of Type A personalities and no food, you think that they must be border line psychopaths to want to do this show. I have watched from Day 1 and marvel each time at how we get such an interesting look at society and the interactions between people. I feel like an anthropologist studying social structure and love all the wacky challenges.

#6 - Project Runway - Bravo gets huge kudos for bring the drama of fashion back to television and making it so fabulous! Not only do we get some pretty wacky designers, but some very interesting challenges and the oh so gay Tim Gunn. Heidi Klum has made a new industry out of herself and paved the way for other fashionistas. I can't bear to miss an episode and find out who is in... or out.

#7 - Project Runway Canada - Imitation is the best form of flattery, and what better than having a home made version of a successful show? I had to check it out, to see if it had the same "oomph" as the original and was blown away by Iman as the Host. Her deadpan " In fashion, sometimes you just don't measure up." was delivered with such a tone that it made me cringe at home.... the challenges were different as was the supporting cast (but it was missing Tim Gunn and needed a Nina type character) but it was still gripping fashion reality and a scream to watch.... and yes I screamed a lot when they announced the winner....

#8 - America's Most Smartest Model - What other show would have the balls to have Ben Stein judge the intelligence of some pretty stupid models? Not only was there lots of eye candy and some pretty hilarious challenges, but we got to see more of the harsh reality of being a model and all the drama.... well actually I really only watched it because it was so terribly good and besides, some of those models were damn fine...

#9 - The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency - Janice is such a trip and everything is so hyped over the top that it is SO bad that it is good.... and besides it seems like every episode there is some reason to have the models running around in their underwear or posing nude or...... you get the picture. It's voyeurism at it's best with a big helping of crazy included.

#10 - The Soup - It's not really a reality show... but it makes it's living by talking about them and spotlights all of the best stuff that is on the tube, and is must see TV in my house each week. Joel McHale is absolutely brilliant (and his writers) for the stuff that they dig up each week, it has some of the best snarky comments that you will hear anywhere and has created new icons such as Mankini. I can thank Joel for pointing out shows like America's Most Smartest Model that I would have missed if he hadn't given me a peek inside, and he makes me laugh my ass off each week.

America's Most Smartest Model - VJ wins - what ever !

After all of the weeks of drama and freak outs, and watching Ben Stein and Mary Alice Stephenson test our models, things finally got down to the final episode and the final chance to prove how smart are models actually are..... or not...


I do have to give VJ props for working so damn hard on his presentation, and he did a great job and yes is a good spokes model. I still don't really like the guy, and don't think that he is the better model, but definitely proved himself to be the smarter one of the gang. He did use his smarts, and did very well for someone new to the industry, but it was pretty obvious that he is one of those pretty boys that knows how to sell himself. I won't try to imagine what kind of practicing he has done to get him to this level of whoring but am sure we all have a few ideas. The guy always felt like a snake oil salesman to me...

Andre is the better model but not the smartest in the way they were judging the contest (nor was he my top pick, but Brett got eliminated a few weeks ago), and as good as his idea was to get our friend Pickel (who can't seem to miss an episode for some reason or another) to come in and do his presentation, it just didn't have the same impact as someone whoring themselves. I don't think he had a real chance at winning (it was really the shock value of having our Soviet bad boy against the American boy), but can't help but wonder if he had kept his mouth shut if it would have helped. No worries, we will surely see Andre in all of his glory all over the place, and that's a good thing.
I can hardly wait until next season!

America’s Most Smartest Model - Never trust a Rottweiler

Here we are, down to the final 3.... and Andre, Angela and VJ are sent off to Palm Springs for some down time with Mary Alice before a rock & roll photo shoot the next day.

Andre is still killing me every time he is on screen, not just because he is Russian (he says it at least 100 times per episode) but because he is an arrogant model who knows what he is doing... and from the quality of his photos YES he sure as hell knows what he is doing. No surprise that he wins the Edge challenge and has the snazzy new telephone to help him out with the final challenge.

Angela just tanked tonight and it is no surprise that she was purged. Seriously girl, stop playing air band and do some modeling as the judges were not impressed with your attempt at being a rock god. I am not surprised in the least that we are having the great USA/Soviet showdown for the finale... seems to me that they have been building up to this all season.

VJ was being his typical dickhead as usual. The competition is America's most smartest model, not the most sneakiest, and his attempts to derail Andre by stealing his models and then his poses was not lost on Mary Alice. VJ may be pretty to look at, but he doesn't have the range or sheer ability of Andre and it shows with his sad photo shoot. Andre oozes confidence and hot sex in his photos, VJ tries hard but misses the point most of the time.

I loved Andre going over the wall of contestants and saying how he took each of them down... and how he knows he has already won so just give him the money and let him get back to work. With the final challenge being the PowerPoint challenge Andre may be at a disadvantage due to his language barrier... but it appears he has a secret weapon that he can contact via his phone and I can hardly wait to see how the presentations turn out.... my bet is that Andre will win this and rub it hard into VJ's face... and can hardly wait to see that...

America's Most Smartest Model - Final Five

After losing Pickle last week our models are down to the final five, and have to choose teams for the next challenge. Andre & Rachel decide to work together, VJ & Angela team up and that leaves Brett to be alone... he's still upset that his BFF is gone but we know that Pickle is not far from his heart....

Going to the brains part of the Edge Challenge, our teams have to construct a Go Kart and then the 2 teams that finish first get to race for the Edge. Carter Oosterhouse shows up to stand there and look pretty.... and surprise it's team Import vs team America. Brett can't handle the challenge being all alone, even though Pickle pops up in some weird Yoga kind of a way. I feel your pain Brett. Angela is the queen of everything it seems and has mechanic experience so their team finishes quickly.

Our team of sassy Imports manages to win the race, VJ is pissed and Angela practically cries. Andre & Rachel have the Edge and get all the info for being a Spokes model for the sassy 2007 Jaguar XK-R. VJ calls a friend to get info on the car so he can be prepared as well. Brett pouts and misses his BFF and looks dead behind his eyes. The models get to nominate who they think should be eliminated and VJ gets the nod from the Alliance. If he doesn't win the challenge he might be purged.

The next day is the challenge, and the models go up one at a time to present and sell the car to an eager public. The models are freaked as they weren't expecting an audience, and horror of horrors, the car is on a giant turntable that spins.... just like in every car show that you see everywhere.

Rachel chokes and doesn't know what to do when things start moving, Brett is dead man spinning and even manages to lay an F bomb on the crowd, Andre is so not a spokes model and does just as bad. The worst thing is that Andre and Rachel had all the information ahead of time so have no excuse for not being prepared. VJ does a great job, and in an interesting move gets off of the turntable to do his presentation while the car spins. Angela does an even better job and actually stays with the car and sells it like no tomorrow. She can do anything.

I am still surprised that the Judges decided to have a tie for first place, and VJ and Angela are in to the next round. We have 3 models on the chopping block and first Rachel is eliminated, then we are told there is still another that has to go as there is only room for 3 in the final challenge and Brett is cut also. I am sure he is off to be consoled by his BFF Pickle. I am convinced Andre is kept only because he is such a prick and adds that needed tension to the show, besides what is better than having VJ and Andre butt heads and get all up in each other's face. Next week the final 3 are off to another photo shoot and it looks like some tiny tiny swimwear is involved... definitely highbrow enough for me!

America's Most Smartest Model

I have already admitted that I am a complete trashy reality show junky, and have been catching episodes of this very nifty show on VH1 for the past few weeks. How can you not like such a cleverly named show that is trying to find that perfect mix of brains and beauty... and has the stellar Ben Stein as part of the judges.

The show is just best mixture of eye candy and stoopid people that makes it an extremely entertaining car wreck of a show to watch. Even better than StripSearch or that crazy Paula Abdul Show... but let's get back to this episode.

So the competition has been bitching and posing it's merry way for the past few weeks, and the last episode had the gang celebrating Daniel's birthday but unknown to them (seriously?) it also included the requisite "Edge Challenge", giving one of our models an advantage in the next Callback challenge. It was all about networking with some LaLa land VIPs, and only a couple of the models caught that and most were drunk and more stoopid. Russian guy Andre spent most of his time trying to get jiggy with some bar chick, Daniel was hammered for his birthday, Rachael was incoherently drunk, Angel thinks some creepy guy is hitting on her, Pickel is too friendly and very animated with his hands, but VJ and Brett catch on and do well. Once the gang finds out that it is a real challenge and not just a night out, it all hits the fan and Daniel has one major meltdown, which also entails him running around in his underwear and having one major tantrum. VJ wins the Edge and the next day has the most amount of time for the photo shoot and will select how much time each model has for their respective shoot.

It's all good TV. VJ is on a power trip and most of the gang hates him.

Finally we get to the Challenge and it's for some

Jeans Company and you have to pose with an animal. Oops!

VJ gets to choose first, and goes for the horse, Angela takes the goat, Rachael gets the donkey, Pickel snatches up the chicken, Brett gets the pig, Andre takes the llama and that leaves Daniel stuck with the ostrich.

Since the models have different amounts of time, VJ has lots of time to get his very gay pose down much to the chagrin of the photographer and judges. Andre thinks its stoopid, but he thinks everything is.

Angela gets too "posed" with her goat and Rachael doesn't fare much better with her donkey.

Things finally pick up when it is Pickel's turn, not only does he get in tons of shots, but he seemed to be the only one that really connected with his animal. It probably sounds more perverted and scary than it is, but it was great.

Brett manages to get a couple of snaps before losing the pig, and is traumatized for life from the squealing ... someone should send him a copy of Deliverance to see his reaction.

Andre gets all butch with his llama and actually gets the best shot and ends up winning the challenge.

Poor Daniel has no luck with the ostrich, and gets nothing but a panic ridden shot that ends up sending him home. Before the big elimination we are treated to another blow out between the guys (just a bunch of bitchy girls it seems...) and I loved how Andre was taking his shirt off while yelling at VJ... the boys are trying to unite against VJ and it's funny to watch them preen and strut. Like I said... more quality TV.