Reality on Bravo

People are still talking about it. Oh, Kathy Griffin. I suppose you’ll be making fun of religion more. It definitely is a great way to get press.

In any case, I’ve been passing over the posts and articles about this issue, simply because they all say the same thing. We can all argue until we’re blue in the face, but at the end of the day, no one is going to change sides on the issue. (some) Christians will argue that he remarks were inappropriate and that she’d be in a lot more trouble if she had made the comment about, for example, Moses. (some) Others will say that it was all a joke and people need to lighten up.

Well, I decided to read ONE MORE ARTICLE and finally read an intelligent comment about it:

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If you haven’t seen it yet, head over to iVilliage, and check out Tim Gunn’s feature spot!

He talks about his shows (including the upcoming Project Runway), announces his “jeans tour” to help you find the perfect jeans, and shows you what works and what doesn’t in pants.

Thanks, Winnie, for the link!

Last night during part one of the Top Chef finale, Bravo announced that Project Runway will premier on November 14, the typical Wed. 10 PM time slot. That should put an end to all the “When does Project Runway premier?” emails I’ve been getting!

And you know what that means, don’t you? Reality on Bravo’s PROJECT BLOG competition will premier on November 14 as well! In case you missed that announcement, Project Blog is the Project Runway of the blogging world and anyone with a blog can apply to be a “blogtestant”! You don’t have to be a Bravo or fashion blog to participate - some of the blogs in the lead for participation right now include a blog about football and a blog about celebrities. It will be a fun contest for ALL bloggers. We have some great prizes to give away every week, including books, gift certificates, and home decor items.

This will be a fun time for readers, too! You’ll get to participate by voting on your favorites, and every week, one lucky reader will win a prize as well!

There’s still time to apply! Originally, I had set a cut-off date for application on October 1, but because Project Runway isn’t premiering now until mid-November, I’m extending that deadline to October 15! Again, anyone with ANY blog (live journal, myspace, wordpress, blogger, networks, personal) of ANY subject can take part! To apply, click on THIS APPLICATION FORM.

I’m also still looking for a few sponsors. If you’re interested in sponsoring a prize in exchange for promotion on 15+ sites, email me at allison.boyer-at-yahoo-dot-com!

blogging, project blog, bloggers, project runway

Padma: Yay! I get to wear cute outfits to match the surroundings!
Ripert: What the HELL am I doing in the middle of the woods eating food from a stump?

Brian: Trout is not a fish. Everyone knows that. And now elk, another non-fish protein. They’re KILLING me here!

Dale: I don’t know anything about…. Well, I guess I have slept with a few cowboys…

Brian: Yee Haw! I’m a cowboy!

Producers: Hung, we’re going to play up the fact that everyone thinks you have no soul. So, you might want to address that…
Hung, to Judges in final plea: I deserve to be in this competition because heart and soul is everything…and I have it.
Tom, after the taping: What the hell was Hung talking about?

Casey: Well, the producers pretty much set this up for me. They gave me the less uneven stump…they used a protein that I’d be more familiar with than everyone else in the elimination challenge. And I still almost screwed it up. Oh well, see ya Malarky. Off to the finals with Dale and Hung!

My Boyfriend: The producers set this one up well. If Dale wins, a gay man with an amazing story wins for the first time. If Hung wins, the “bad guy” wins for the first time. If Casey wins, the first female wins. Way to go, Top Chef.

Me: Is it just me, or is Top Chef really contrived this season?

Tonight is the first part of the Top Chef finale. Are you as pumped as I am?

Who do you think will win? I love Dale, but I don’t think he’s the best chef left. Same with Brian My predictions: Hung and Casey as top two, with Casey the edge to win.

I’m hoping that this year the finale will be a little different…we shall see I guess!

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) announced today that Todd Oldham will team with Old Navy to serve as the brand’s design creative director, effective Oct. 1. Mr. Oldham will divide his time between New York City and San Francisco and play a key role in developing and implementing the merchandise creative direction at Old Navy.

Todd plans to also develop and launch a line of merchandise under the Todd Oldham name to be sold exclusively at Old Navy stores in the future.

“Todd’s successful career in fashion and design has distinguished him as an innovative creative thinker who also understands how to appeal to a broad audience,” said Dawn Robertson, president, Old Navy. “He understands and appreciates Old Navy’s new positioning and fashion potential and will help elevate and evolve Old Navy.”

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Buddy TV has an exclusive interview with Dale Levitski from Top Chef posted today. Check it out!

Dale: I was watching a Top Chef marathon on Bravo, I wasn’t working at the time, this was in January. And I’d never seen the show, because I would say I was a little bit of a prima donna, like “Oh, I’d never watch that, blah blah blah.” And then I found myself six episodes later yelling at the television and thinking ‘I can do this.’ Then a few weeks later, my boyfriend dumped me so I asked my mom for a plane ticket to L.A. and I auditioned for Top Chef and I got on the show.

Read more here!

Top Chef, Dale Levitski

I love it how Tim Gunn is beginning to become a household name. Even my mother, who doesn’t get Bravo (I know, it’s soooooo sad), knows the name Tim Gunn. Recently, Tim was part of a Martha Stewart commercial, which pokes fun of fashion (in a good-humored way). Check it out!

Tim Gunn, commercials, Project Runway, Martha Stewart

1. Better Half. I’ll watch it to keep all my readers updated…but come one, Bravo. Is this show really necessary?

2. A new season of Real Housewives without Jo De La Rosa. True, I wasn’t her biggest fan, but at least she kept things interesting!

3. The End of Top Chef. I feel like we just began, and I’m sad it’s already so close to being over.

EXCITING NEWS! Bravo has just announced that they’ve begun production for an all new reality series that’s a bit of a spin on The cherished Real Housewives of Orange County. Tentatively titled “Manhattan Moms,” this version of the hit Real Housewives show will follow five upscale wives of the Big Apple, in much the same way the Real Housewives of Orange County follows five upscale ladies behind the Coto gates.

So what exactly happens when you take someone like Jo De La Rosa or Lauri Waring and put her in Manhattan? I predict bitchier drama, more uptight lifestyles, and lots and lots of fake breasts (some things never change). Stand by for more news - I’ll keep you updated!

The recent news hitting the Internet is that Kathy Griffin may be engaged to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, her date for the Emmy Awards. The smiling couple hit the red carpet with class after Kathy’s “outrageous” Jesus remarks a bit earlier at the Creative Arts Emmys.

Why the speculation? Well it seems as the Ms. Griffin has been wearing a specious-looking ring her left-hand ring finger, which leaves Us Magazine asking if Woz popped the question.

“I don’t kiss and tell,” Giffin says of the ring. read more here…

Of course, as a true admiring fan of Kathy’s, I have to say that it’s more likely that she’s wearing the ring simply because it will cause speculation. Maybe he even bought her the ring, but I’d say that the recently-divorced couple (Kathy once, Woz twice), probably wouldn’t take the big leap quite so soon. Especially because of the whole Emmy controversy thing. I mean, Kathy’s media smart. She’d at least wait until this press died down before making the next big wave. She knows how to get people talking about her as often as possible - you have to spread the big news stories out a little bit.

So what do you think? Any guesses? Do you think Kathy’s engaged?

I’m still looking for more blogtestants, so here’s a quick reminder:

Have you ever watched Top Chef and wished you could be a contestant…if only you could cook? Or wished you could be on Shear Genius…if only you could cut hair? Or wish you could be on Project Runway…if only you could design clothing?

Well, now’s your chance to take part in a competition that’s perfect for you—Project Blog.

Project blog will begin this fall to coincide with the new season of Project Runway. Every week, you’ll take part in a competition that mimics the PR challenge, and readers will have a week to vote. The contestant with the lowest number of votes gets eliminated, and the winner will get a special prize. It doesn’t matter what kind of blog you write–all topics can participate. For example, if the challenge on Project Runway is to design an outfit from recyclable trash, I might as you to write a post that “recycles” a post you’ve written in the past.

And oh, there are some great prizes lined up for those who rise to meet the challenge, including gift certificates, books, DVDs, beauty items, magazine subscriptions, and fashion products. The winner, choose by a panel of judges and popularity (not by votes alone), will receive a prize every week, as will one lucky reader who votes and leaves a comment. At the end of the competition, the two bloggers still standing will compete for an extra-special prize pack full of goodies from our wonderful sponsors and maybe even some cold, hard cash!

To apply for a spot in Project Blog, click here. PLEASE GET YOUR ENTRIES IN BY OCTOBER 1 AT MIDNIGHT!

To sponsor one of the challenges email me at allison.boyer-at-yahoo.com.

I can’t wait to get started! Good luck to everyone involved!

blogging, contests, win, prizes

Don’t they look precious! I’m still a bit disgruntled that Top Chef AND Project Runway lost out to Amazing Race…but at least more and more Bravo shows are getting nominated every year!

Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio

We all know that she should have won this week. Hung only won because of his technical skills, and it takes more to be a good chef than being able to use a knife. You can teach technical skills. You can’t teach heart and soul.

Fantasy Network Programmers Vie For $100,000 Grand Prize

LOS ANGELES – If you’ve cursed the TV gods that canceled your favorite show, argued heatedly about network scheduling decisions and secretly speculated that you could do a better job than the networks’ programmers, here’s your chance to prove it. Bravo’s www.TelevisionWithoutPity.com – the premiere internet destination for the discerning TV junkie – introduces www.TVBigshot.com, an online season-long game that allows users to play ‘network executive’ by creating their own fantasy network lineups and awarding the individual with the most points a $100,000 grand prize. (Log on to www.TVBigshot.com for more information.) The announcement was made today by Jason Klarman, Bravo’s Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital, at the Television Critics Association.

TVBigshot – born out of Bravo Digital’s successful Fall Season DeathWatch, which also returns this year – will launch this September in conjunction with the new fall television season. The game will allow players to create, name and program their own fantasy television networks using both new fall shows and returning series from the five broadcast networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX and CW). Anyone can play and it’s free.

Starting with a budget of $300 million virtual dollars, each player must purchase shows for their daily primetime lineup. The user-created networks will earn points based on the success of their chosen rosters and will compete against each other for the top spot. At the end of the 2007-08 season, the player whose network has accumulated the most points – based on actual ratings for the programs, ratings growth, and “buzz” measured by press coverage and awards garnered – will win the $100,000 grand prize.

“Viewers root for their favorite shows just like their favorite sports teams,” said Klarman. “TVBigshot gives them the chance to channel that passion and take on their friends and the network executives.”

Like the real television world, the game can change at any time. Points are lost when a show declines in ratings, or worse, gets cancelled. Players have the power to call the shots, making executive decisions to sell shows in order to purchase others.
TVBigshot will offer special monthly showdowns throughout the television season for secondary prizes, allowing new players to join in the competition at any time.

www.TelevisionWithoutPity.com, a premiere internet destination for the discerning television “junkie,” became Bravo’s most recent addition to its portfolio of linked digital assets and broadband properties that includes www.BravoTV.com and the TRIO suite of channels: www.BrilliantButCancelled.com, www.OUTzoneTV.com and www.getTRIO.com. TelevisionWithoutPity provides witty no-holds-barred episode recaps and fan forums for television’s most popular drama and reality shows.

www.TelevisionWithoutPity.com has penetrated the pop culture television obsessed audience, drawing the devoted attention of viewers and Hollywood producers alike.