Posts from — August 2010

The X Factor had a solid start in the ratings last night getting 1,186,000 for their first episode, but the real winner out of all this was the Bert and Patti interview about their son Matt Newton on A Current Affair.

The interview must have been hard to do, however they did reveal that Matt Newton has been having mental health issues since he was 14 years old.

Amanda Meade writes a good article in The Australian about it.

She says Patti revealed that Matt has had problems for awhile and is currently on suicide watch:

Last night his show business parents, Bert and Patti Newton, spoke about their son’s battle with anger and depression.

Bert sat largely silent beside Patti with tears in his eyes as she told how they had watched from the sidelines as their talented but troubled son had lurched from one catastrophe to another.

“He didn’t want us to be very much involved – there’s been a bit of that through his life – he loves us but he’s always wanted to do his own thing,” Patti said.

The Newtons believe their son has a mental illness rather than a problem with drug and alcohol misuse.

“He’s never really accepted the fact that he had an illness,” Patti said, describing how at 14 he had been told by a psychologist to “make sure you never do drugs or alcohol because you have the sort of personality where it will take over your life”.

“All that Bert and I can do is be very sorry for everything that he’s done to cause any hassle with anybody and also to try and get him the best help that he can have, so that maybe there’s something, a life, that he can still have.”

I think anyone who is a parent or knows what it is like to deal with mental illness must feel for Burt and Patti.

It is week two of Come Dine With Me Australia and first out of the blocks is Jesse who is portrayed as a bit of a sports loving yob. He calls his home Hotel Hibiscus which he thinks people don’t want to leave.

It was interesting that even though he had the Uncle Norm persona he was using some to top quality ingredients, and serving some interesting wine and beer.

His first course was chicken, bacon and mushroom risotto.

His main was Hibiscus Hotel Prime Rib-Eye with veges, one being bali corn which he said he survived on when he was holidaying there. He said otherwise there was only slugs and grasshoppers to eat. As James Valentine said what part of Bali was he in?

Also is Arnott’s Chocolate Ripple Biscuit’s sponsoring the series, it has been the second chocolate ripple dessert in a week. I’d never heard of the biscuit nor the dessert, but David the 42 year old advertising guy seemed to know it. Obviously a culinary delight I have missed.

The other diners this week was 35 year old Jane Izzaro a marketing manager for her husband’s fashion business. Her Italian husband is 28 year old older then her. I think thought she was a bit more posh then she actually was. For someone who preferred to read rather than dirt bike ride, she did not seem that articulate.

However she was presenting herself as nice and the person who gets on with everyone, which I am not sure I am completely buying it.

I really like the Japanese karate lady Kyoko, I think she will be telling the people what she really thinks by the end of the week. Also she is not drinking much as it does not agree with her so she will get bored quicker than the others.

At the other end of the relationship spectrum, we have bogan scrummy muumy 36 year old full time mum Sharon. She is into dirt bike riding and hanging out with her 24 year old boyfriend. She has just come back from getting a boob job in Thailand, and may have gotten some botox when she was over there as well if her unanimated face is anything to go by.

Since she cannot cook I am unsure why she has applied to go on the show.

41 year old David Whiteside who is in advertising and looks like he is a neat freak. But seems to be cast as the nice guy of the week like Paula was. But like her he might be a little dull.

Jesse’s rissotto did not rock their socks off, and Jane thought it more an Australian way of cooking it rather than Italian.

The steak main looked pretty damn good, and got the thumbs up from all involved, whilst the dessert was given mixed reviews. Kyoko did not like the alcohol taste of it, and David thought it was not complex enough.

Jesse finished the evening with a song he had written about his daughter and it was quite good, maybe he should have toddled up to The X Factor auditions.

David gave him a 7, Kyoko an 8, Sharon an 8, and Jane gave him a 9 for a total of 32. A stand out score that will be hard to beat. Jane has not given herself much room to move if she has a really sensational evening on another night. However, Sharon’s turn tonight does not look like she will be able to crack a ten.

Here they are the three gorgeous stars from the Emmy award winning show Top Chef. From left Padma Lakshmi, Tom Collichio and the delightful Gail Simmons.

Today they stopped The Amazing Race from winning the Emmy for Best Reality TV Show for the eighth time. The other interesting thing is that it is has a smaller audience then the other three nominees. The Amazing Race, Dancing With The Stars, and American Idol.

Jeff Probst won best reality host.

Source (LA Times)

Sheesh Channel 7 was there meant to be some sort of symbolism of having new host Luke Jacobz standing on a cliff in the opening sequence? Christ if Matt Newton was watching the show this is exactly where he would want to be knowing he had blown his big come back and that his entertainment career is officially in rigor mortis.

By the way the Bert and Patti interview on ACA I am still not sure why they did it, to try and gain some sympathy for him? Now The X Factor has started I think the Matt Newton saga will now fade into the background as there is more to talk about.

I really didn’t need the ten minute opening sequence of boats on the harbour and blurb about the judges, but after that I did enjoy the episode. Something I wasn’t expecting as I normally hate the audition episodes. And props for not having any mentally ill people for the judges to poke fun at. However they did break 60 year old Gail Matikainen heart after she butchered her song. However someone should hook her up with fellow auditioner  Hoe Ng 56 year old admin worker who is a ghost from Christmas karoke parties in my past.

At the moment it is the  Kyle Sandiland show with his quips that at times are rather amusing, with Natalie Imbruglia playing the pretty nice girl part very well. However isn’t she too young to be doing the botox thing? She had to move her eyes more because her forehead wasn’t moving. Guy Sebastian was also playing good cop, but if I were the contestant’s this would be the mentor I would actually want.

And Ronan Keating I am not sure what his role is –  a bit bad, but a bit nice. Maybe he is there to sex up the panel a bit.

Apparently the groups in the auditions have been ordinary, and  to prove that point they show It Takes Three who said they kept in touch after they left school, they looked so young I thought they meant primary school. They  sang out of tune acapella and were sent back to uni.

India-Rose Madderom who has signalled out as a favourite due to some Sunday paper loving yesterday, sang a Joss Stone song. She was good, but a bit out of breathe. You do wonder if she had not been gorgeous whether the judges would have been quite so gushy.

Sometimes you have got to let go of the dream and  Altiyan Childs who at 35 has been wanting to “make it” for quite sometime probably needs to. The wannabe rock star and forklift driver forgot the lyrics to This Sex Is On Fire, and did some crazy posturing moves. Michael Hutchene’s has a lot to answer for. However he is getting a second chance and we will see if he gets through tomorrow night.

On the plus side there was not a lot of Whitney, Mariah or Celine sung, but there was a lot of Lady Gaga. Finally a generational change.

Sarah Slim was one such person, who actually wants to be as famous as Lady Gaga. She was built her up as being someone to watch, but she turned out to be just another deluded soul. I think if she is wanting to get famous she should hope for a return of Big Brother and do something outrageous in the spa.

Daniela Gorelik who is a student also sang Gaga badly.

Amanda Grafanakis a 27 year old hospitality worker who for some reason reminded me of a brunette Fiona Horne finally bought a bit of cred to the show with a good rendition of Gaga. Her shoes were amazing like a stiletto trainers.

Bonnie-Rae Barnes who was 17 but looked 12 murdered Cyndi Lauper True Colours, Kyle said “you are like a drunk monkey driving a semi-trailer”. Is that the new way of saying she was a train wreck?

Harry Abu the gay guy from Brunei sang This Is The Moment. And wasn’t he perfect reality TV casting. Emotive story, boy next door sweetness, and could sing. Also he was prepared to come out on national TV. His parents hopefully aren’t online and know what You Tube is as they will now know there little boy won’t be bringing an Aussie girl home to meet them soon. But hey good on him.

Andrew Lawson an 18 year old from Brisbane was my personal favourite of the evening. He sang Sinatra but looked like a cool boy. If he gets through is going to be a hit with the girls. His only negative he had a Matt Newton look about him.

Nicole Kenaway an unemployed country girl who was being portrayed as a young Susan Boyle of the competition, currently lives in a shipping container. She sang Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood. Her voice was great and it will be interesting to see how she goes once a bit of spit and polish happens to her.

Trent Bell underwhelmed me with his rendition of Sex Is On Fire, but Kyle predictably thinks if they are good looking they should sing pop.

George Walter 19 student was OK the judges thought he was better than I did as Kyle called him “sexual chocolate”.

TJ Alijanz the 16 year old was a little cutie with an average voice he got through. I doubt he will still be there for the performance shows.

Another one of my faves was Rodrigo Alvarado from Chile who is a former cruise singer who sang Queen. He has kept a bit of that P&O Princess cheesiness with his spanglish singing accent and bolero moves. No surprise  he got through to boot camp.

The show continues to bounce back and forward around the auditions so if it is the pink dress for Natalie it must be Melbourne, but other then that the first episode set a good pace, with the lack of host not really noticeable. With four personalities already, we don’t really need one more.

Congratulations to Top Chef for taking out the Best Reality TV Show Emmy. This was quite a coup as The Amazing Race has won it since the award commenced.

For those who don’t know Top Chef it is a quality TV show on Arena TV which comes from the Bravo stable in New York. Up and coming chefs fight it out over three months to see who will become the Top Chef.

There is great cooking, great challenges a lot of which we are seeing on our own Masterchef Australia, and enough interaction and personalities of the contestants to keep it entertaining.

The host is the luscious Padma Lakshmi who has no problem being seen to eat food on TV and give a forthright opinion on it. Also the other co-host is the spunky Tom Collichio a renowned chef in the US. Other judges are Gail Simmons from Food and Wine Magazine, Eric Ripert an uber-chef as well as other guest judges who are leaders in their fields.

The new season set in Washington DC commences on Arena TV 7.30pm the 12 September, if you have pay TV watch it.

However it is time for a free to air channel to get the episodes or even do an Australian version of the show.

Rob Palmer wins Dancing With the Stars beating Tamara Jaber and Alex Fevola to take the title.

Junior Masterchef will premiere on Channel Ten on Sunday 12 September at 7.30pm, it will go head to head with Channel Seven’s big reality show The X Factor.

The X Factor will also be having a show following it on 7TWO called the The Xtra factor to be hosted by Natalie Garonz. It will follow what happens after the performance and judgement shows.

For people who are missing Masterchef Australia, the UK version has started, and if you are wondering what is is about Injera has the precis on her blog.

Also another reality/cooking show on BBC Knowledge is The Restaurant and if you are wondering whether to watch it, check out this recap again on Injera’s Blog. In fact she has some great blog posts on cooking related shows. Go and check it out.

Paris Hilton shows just how stupid she is being busted for cocaine possession in Las Vegas. Her boyfriend gets done DUI and whilst she is talking to the cops she pulls out her lip gloss, and out drops the coke. (Source: Daily News)

The Australian version of Four Weddings will premiere on 8 September at 7.30pm. It will be hosted by Fifi Box, who was hospitalised last week due to an allergic reaction to a fake tan lotion. (Source: TV Tonight)

Jeff Probst won the best host for a reality TV show at the Emmys for his role on Survivor.

If you are wondering what most of the Real Housewives look like in a bikini then go to the Huffington Post for a slide show.

Also speaking of photos the Huffington Post also has pics of Rachel Zoe on her honeymoon and she looks young.

Page Six also say the Real Housewives of NYC are miffed that they are not being paid as much as Snooki and co on Jersey Shore. Currently the Housewives get paid $4000 per episode.

Two studies have shown that reality TV is making some people have unnecessary plastic surgery. You could say most plastic surgery is unnecessary. (Source: PR Web)

Will The X Factor use auto tune, American Idol have been forced to come out this week to say they don’t use it. However The X Factor and America’s Got Talent does. Auto tune takes away the pitchiness of a singer. It will be interesting to know if the Australian version of the show will be using it. (Source: Reality TV blog)

Just when you thought The X Factor couldn’t get anymore controversial there are now allegations that Guy Sebastian is displaying favouritism on the show. Guy Sebastian’s female back-up singers have entered The X Factor as an all girl group, with other contestant’s raising this conflict with the producers.

The Sunday Telegraph writes:

Well, this columnist has learned that among those being “helped” by Sebastian is a group he knows quite well – his back-up singers, The Roquettes.

According to a disillusioned production member, Sebastian has championed the all-girl quartet – who have adopted the name Mahogany for the televised competition – from the outset, putting them through the program’s initial stages.

“Just how this isn’t a conflict of interest, I really don’t know,” the source said last week.

It was claimed another contestant had raised the issue with producers. Their alleged response? To “simply ignore” the obvious, namely that Sebastian’s professional relationship with the group called into question judging on The X Factor.

A Seven spokesperson confirmed the presence of Mahogany in the lavish production but denied a conflict of interest.

“Our judges are some of the most established in the business. We would not consider it unusual for their paths to have crossed while working in the Australian music industry.

“Our judges have made their decisions based purely on the performances given during The X Factor competition.”

I will reserve judgement on this one until I have seen the show, however if he is mentoring the groups it would be very unfair.

The UK Apprentice continues to be one of the best TV shows currently on Australian TV. The last three episodes have been crackers, a trip to Marrakesh, a bridal show, and a TV commercial shoot.

Firstly the Marrakesh episode could be the most entertaining one of the whole series. The challenge was to buy the exact list of products provided for the least amount of monies.

The highlight was Michael and Jennifer buying chicken which was meant to be kosher. Jennifer thought it just meant the chicken had to be blessed. Michael who is allegedly jewish appeared to  not know what kosher meant. In fact it looked like Michael had put that he was part jewish on his application to the show to try and ingratiate himself with Sir Alan.

Anyway the two Jennifers ended up getting eliminated in that episode.

Then there was the bridal convention episode which saw Lucinda’s team win with an upmarket  bridal designer, mixed with some down market g-strings. Again Michael managed to survive even though on the losing team he was trying to flog expensive wedding cakes like you would second-hand cars, and Shari was fired.

Just when I thought Michael could no longer dodge any bullets Rafe was fired ahead of him because of their advertisement they made promoting tissues. Ok Michael and Rafe got carried away with the creative side of things, but the advert I thought was pretty classy. Clare who is starting to look like a contender pointed out they needed to show the brand a bit more, but they ignored her.

Interestingly enough their I heart my tissues box was not as well liked as the garish Aitishoo pack of the other team. And their corny ad won because they mentioned the product plus that it was anti-bacterial.

And then for some reason Rafe was fired, and I still cannot work out why. Was it because he had taken the lead with the commercial? Any way very disappointed as I thought he stayed composed when everyone else was losing it, or taking swipes a the other contenders.

Alan hinted that he thought there was not much behind the facade, but I thought Rafe was a team player and led when he had to. Michael who is more bluster then substance, lives on for another week in Apprentice land.

Just as the latest Australian version of Dancing With The Stars is wrapping up tonight, with Tamara Jaber, Alex Fevola and some other dude battling it out in the final.

But they should just dump then next season of the Australian version of the show and import the next season of the US Dancing With the Stars, as the cast released last week totally rocks.

Firstly they have Bristol Palin on the show, and also Jersey Shore star The Situation, who will be flashing the six pack at every opportunity.

Also Brady Bunch mum Florence Henderson, Michael Bolton, The Hoff, Brandy, Kirstie Alley, Jennifer Grey, and Audrina Partridge.

This casting is inspired.

(Source: Huffington Post)

All the media outlets are continuing to run hard on the Matt Newton leaving The X Factor story.

Channel 7 must be loving it because if anyone did not know there was a show called The X Factor and it is starting tomorrow night they must do now.

But I wonder when did Channel 7 and Fremantle Media know they had a problem with their host? Also if they did know it was going pear-shaped what were they doing to try and deal with it?

The latest New Idea which you can presume is the Channel 7  mouth piece had some contestant’s saying that Matt was aloof, and that he smelt of alcohol.

The Sunday Telegraph went in hard today, claiming Matt Newton has drug induced schizophrenia because of his use of hard drugs including ice. They also said his drug use was known to his family and to some senior employees at the Seven Network, when it hired him.

They also state that Matt’s parents Patti and Bert will be interviewed on A Current Affair tomorrow night. They reveal he suffers from anger and mental issues.

Ros Reines in the same paper says that Matt Newton’s problems have been brewing for years.

However Sun-Herald quoted contestant India-Rose Madderom who said she was surprised that he had left, and that he was doing a really great job.

Anyway one thing is for certain, new host Luke Jacobz won’t generate the column inches that Matthew Newton has.