Happy New Year dear readers, I wish you all a good one for 2010. Sorry about by lack of posts over the Christmas/New Year period, however I took a bit of a break and this coincided with reading the third book of the Stieg Larrson series.

Anyway it is now back to business as usual.  And what about what we can expect on reality TV at the beginning of 2010?

Survivor Samoa continues to be shown on Channel 9 on Tuesday nights at 7.30pm, and if you are not watching it you are missing out on seeing one of the true characters from the show, misogynistic Russell. And yes the recaps will be back Tuesday night.

Top Chef Las Vegas has only a few more weeks on Arena on Monday nights at 8.30pm, and for those who care the spunky Voltaggio brothers are still in the contest. In fact I must be imagining it but both Nigella Lawson and host Padma Lakshmi perked up when Michael Voltaggio brought in the room service breakfast in last weeks quick fire challenge.

American Idol commences on Fox 8, fasttracked from the US on Wednesday the 13 January. This year there will be no Paula Abdul as she has been replaced by Ellen De Generes, which should bring a different dynamic to the show. However, we won’t see her until after the audition shows, until then special guests will be on the judging panel like Posh Spice.

Channel 7 is hoping to get a good start to the year with their “Masterchef Australia” type show, called My Kitchen Rules.  The new series will travel the country with the aim of finding Australia’s best home-cooking team. The teams-of-two will do battle from their own kitchens in each state.  One Sydney food blogger on Twitter claimed she had been approached to audition for the show, but declined. Manu Feidel and Pete Evans are the judges.

Channel Ten has already started the pre-publicity for their high rating reality TV shows, The Biggest Loser, and So You Think You Can Dance Australia. Hayley Lewis, is the new Loser host replacing sacked Ajay Rochester. And even though the cast hasn’t changed Natalie Bassingthwaite in an interview last year foreshadowed some surprises to keep the show fresh.

To whet the appetite here is a preview of the 2010 season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.  It looks great, and it is good to see that Jason Gilkison and Kelley Abbey are involved this year. I seem to be having trouble embedding it into my blog, but click on the link and it will take you through to clip (SYTYCD Australia 2010 Preview))

The Contender  is coming to a finish on Fox 8, I watched a couple of episodes, but have to confess I am not a fan of boxing. However it was interesting that there were claims that the show was rigged. (Source Blacktown Advocate.).

Arena TV are also commencing a few series in January that look particularly crappy/awesome. These are Miami Social, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and New York Prep (apparently a real life Gossip Girl).

Also Tyra Banks will be back on Fox 8 with her new series of America’s Next Top Model in January. I think this series is the one where they allowed shorter girls to apply.

Anyway it looks like a great start to the reality TV and I will continue to keep you as informed as possible.

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MasterChef Hottie Manu Feidel Has A Restaurant in Paddington Sydney

For all you Manu Feidel fans and there appear to be a lot of them both before and after his appearance on MasterChef Australia, he has a restaurant called Manu At L’Etoile. His traditional french establishment was given a good review in the Sunday Telegraph.

The address for stalking is 211 Glenmore Rd, Paddington, and the phone number for bookings  is 9332 1577.

Adam Lambert – Could Be The Next Lead Singer Of Queen

American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert would be considered to be the next lead singer of Queen News.com.au reports. Brian May was not adverse to the idea of Adam Lambert stepping into the iconic Freddie Mercury shoes. The article said “But (drummer Roger Taylor) and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with (Lambert) at some point. It’s not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn’t that easy. But I’d certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there,” May told the magazine in an e-mail exchange. 

Personally I think Adam has the talent and charisma to make it on his own rather than singing Queen covers, no matter how fabulous the band is.

Brian McFadden Wedding on Hold To Delta Goodrem

Football Superstar host and rumoured Australian Idol participant Brian McFadden’s wedding to Delta Goodrem has been postponed. They are denying any relationship issues, just “work commitments”. I am assuming they mean hers not his. Full story News.com.au

Brian McFadden has been in the news lately because he was the reason for Dicko storming out of Australian Idol auditions. Of course this could have been a beat up to try and whip up some drama and hence interest in the upcoming season of Idol.

But also his other alleged fuck wittery was at the Astra’s where he supposedly dissed former co-host of Football Superstar, Amy Taylor, by inferring she did not have a brain. Fully story here.. Apparently she is considering legal action. Personally I thought her natural on screen presence was refreshing in the first season of the show.

If he and Delta are on the rocks it will be interesting to see how long his star lasts in Australia.

Paulina Porizkova from America’s Next Top Model Is A Victim Of The Economic Crisis

Apparently Paulina Porizkova judge from ANTM has been sacked because of the economy EW.com reports. In a statment Porizkova said she was gone because the show had “gotten too fat and they needed to cut some fat and the fat was me.”

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Three wannabe models arrested. Six hurt in a melee that occurred in a queue whilst waiting to audition for America’s Next Top Model. Maybe they were taking Tyra’s mantra of being fierce a bit too literally.

Full story here

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Joanne Pacitti is this year’s Carly Smithson in American Idol genertating some controversy with the fact she has previously had a record contract, and had one of her songs covered by Britany Spears. MTV has the best article on the saga and gives a good summary of her show biz past.

Whitney Thompson the plus size model who won America’s Next Top Model is getting plenty of work, in this article here she tells us that she has pressure to both increase and decrease her weight, she is currently size 10.

If you live in the US and you have a bit of cash, you may want to bid on tickets to sit front row at  Project Runway winner Christian Siriano’s  New York fashion week show. The money will benefit the New York Restoration Project. More details here.

Ever wondered why we see some auditions on American Idol and not others. Well it all comes down to getting and paying for the song rights. The Seattle Times has a great article on this issue, and how it means we sometimes don’t see some contestants until the top 36! Did anyone see Jason Castro until the top  24 rounds last year?

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Jessica Mauboy Is Now Single.
Adelaide Now says that Jessica Mauboy three year relationship with her boyfriend Abdullah is now over. Time apart is the reason given. However she can console herself with the news that her single Burn is number ten on the charts. Source The West.

Simon Cowell Judgement Gets Clouded By Sex
Now Mag quotes Simon Cowell’s ex girlfriend Sinitta who says his judgement is clouded by sex. Personally I think this is way to much information.

Sinitta appears to keep her media profile high by gibbering about her famous ex all the time. He must not care as she is holidaying with him in Barbados. I wonder what she will divulge from there.

Kara DioGuardi The New Judge On American Idol Has Hit The Publicity Trail
New judge Kara DioGuardi is now out spruiking the show that will be commencing next week. She thinks the male contestants may have the edge this season. Full interview here.

Top Chef Chicago Chef Spike Is Holding a Burger Presidential Inaugeration Party.
Spike, who really should get his own show with his off sider from Top Chef Season Four Andrew. Who would ever forget Andrew saying about Spike “I am not gay but I would let him bang me.”
Anyway he is holding a more relaxed inauguration party at his Burger Joint in DC.

If you are lucky enough to be in Washington at that time the details are here.

Updates On What Top Chef Contestant’s Are Now Up To.
People mag has an article which outlines what some of the chefs are now up to, and where they are cooking.

Also Adventurous Tastes Blog reviews Top Chef Chicago runner up Richard Blais’s new burger restaurant in Atlanta, and gives it the thumbs up. I am not sure about the Krispy Kreme milkshake.

America’s Next Top Model Cycle 10 Winner Whitney Thompson Honoured.
Whitney who was the first plus size model to win ANTM has named as one of MSN Lifestyles Most Influential Women In 2008.

Natalie Bassingthwaite To Perform At Mardi Gras Party.
You know you have made it in Sydney when you are asked to perform at the Mardi Gras party. Congratulation to So You Think You Can Dance Australia host Natalie Bassingthwaite as she will get to shimmy and sing there. Full story in here.

Update On What Former Australian Idol Marty Simpson Has Been Doing
I’m With The Band has an update on he who went much further then he should have, Marty Simpson, and what he has been doing post Idol, apart from smoking pot.

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David Cook American Idol Winner Apparently Has Proposed To Kimberly Caldwell.
Now this could be a load of bollocks as there is not much coverage of it. If it is true that these to American Idol contestants are engaged it would make them a reality TV couple in the league of Rob and Amber (from Survivor and The Amazing Race fame).

Source: here.

Simon Cowell To Build a 10 million pound house in Barbados.
Apparently he also wants mirrored panels in the house. I don’t think I really needed to know that.

The Sun has the full story.

New Reality TV Series Starring ’80’s Teen Idols Like Christopher Atkins.
TV Tonight has an article stating that on VH1 in the US has a new reality TV show starring former teen Idols called you guessed it Confessions of A Teenage Idol.

Christopher Atkins from that iconic but crap film Blue Lagoon is in it, and the series is directed by Chachi from Happy Days (Scott Baio.).

It is unknown whether this show will be coming to Australia. If it is does it is guaranteed every Gen X female will be watching it.

Project Runway Winner Christian Siriano Says Being On The Show Fastracked His Career By Five Years.
The Arizona Daily Star has an interview with Christian Siriano, who says that by winning Project Runway opened so many doors that it fastracked his career by five years. He also discusses his new maternity wear line.

If You Want To Experience American Idol Go To Disney Orlando.
If you sing a little karaoke you may want to consider this. There is now an American Idol attraction at Disney in Orlando, Florida.

Hopefuls will go through the audition process and perform in front of a live crowd, just like their favorite contestants on the TV show.

Wannabes will sing for a Disney’s Hollywood Studios producer for the chance to be cast in a theme-park show.

The person with the most votes will compete in an end-of-day Grand Finale show at Walt Disney World, and the winner of the Grand Finale show will receive a guaranteed reservation for a future regional stadium audition.

I think I will just stick to It’s A Small World After All ride.

Full story here.

Time For The American Idol Predictions For The Upcoming Season
Examiner.com has an amusing article outlining their top 10 predictions for American Idol 2008.
I particularly liked number 5 which is Randy Jackson will spend a lot of time pimping his new book, “Fat F–k,” inspired by the popular novel “Skinny Bitch” (foreword by Oprah Winfrey)

Australia’s Next Top Model Winner Alice Burdeau Has an 18 Page Spread in Elle UK.
Alice Burdeau shows she is still getting major modelling assignments OS with this spread in Elle UK. Go to Australia’s Next Top Model Blog to check out the pictures. They are sensational.

Former America’s Next Top Model Contestant Bianca Golden Has Had Assault Charges Dropped.
Last year Bianca Golden from ANTM Cycle 9 was is in a bitch slap with Nikki Blonsky from Hairspray at some Carribean Airport. They were both arrested at the time, but now the charges have been dropped. Full story on this unedifying incident here.

Jennifer Hudson To Perform At Barack Obama’s Inauguration.
Way to go girl. Full story here.

Kristy Lee-Cook Gets Dumped By Her Record Label And Is Blaming Carrie Underwood.
Kristy Lee-Cook, she who crucified The Beatles song 8 Days a Week has again been dumped by Arista. She blames a former Idol winner Carrie Underwood for getting all the record label’s attention. Full story on The Boot.

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It must be the angle of the camera but this baby lump looks lopsided. Not that it matters now as the baby girl has now been born to Nigel Barker, and his wife Cristen.

They have named her Jasmine and she is a little sister to brother Jack.

Last night on America’s Next Top Model Cycle 11, Lauren was eliminated. This cycle is not as good as some of the others due to the blandness of the contestants. Even a tranny couldn’t make it interesting.

Lauren a blonde sorority girl was one of the blander ones.
An exit interview with Lauren is here at Buddy TV

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Ricky-Lee Coulter To Be A Divorcee at the age of 22.
The men in Australia will be rejoicing today now it has been revealed her marriage to Jamie Babbington is over. Ricky-Lee’s publicist cited “distance and time apart” for the split. Ricky-Lee moved to Sydney to be a co-host on Australian Idol.

The couple were together for seven years. So she must have been 15 and he was 24 when they started going out. I am not sure what I think of that.

Full story on Daily Tele.

So You Think You Can Dance Australia auditions in Brisbane Today
Brisvegas dancers were out in force today for the auditions of SYTYCD Au. Season 1 winner Jack Chambers was from Brisbane, he will be permanently moving to New York in March. Part of his prize money has gone towards buying an apartment on the Upper West Side. Nacho Pop and Jack were also at the auditions today.

Brisbane Times has more details.

Charlotte Dawson’s Boyfriend Is Doing Jail Time.
Now what is it with Next Top Model judge Charlotte Dawson and her propensity for men who have difficulties with the law. Her former husband Scott Miller currently has drug charges laid against him, and her current squeeze Matthew Rodin just spent the night in jail on fraud charges.

$100,000 is required to get him out of jail. Now Charlotte seems like a sensible woman she needs to ditch this guy and fast. Does she really want to be schleping to Long Bay Jail each weekend if he is convicted? The charges relate to a $7.5 million fraud.

The Australian has the full yarn.

America’s Next Top Model Cycle 12 Spoiler Alert.
NY Mag has a little article saying the overseas trip for the Cycle 12 models is in Sao Paulo.

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Everyone who watched it on Fox 8 will already know Caridee won, however tonight was the final episode of season 7 on Channel 10 who has the repeats of America’s Next Top Model.

Caridee was popular from the start not just her looks but she also had a personality. Therefore a good reality TV person.

Buddy TV has an interview with Caridee about what it was like on ANTM, and Wiki has a article on her and what she has been up to since Top Model.

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