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)

Tweet This Post

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.

Tweet This Post

I am seriously hoping to catch the ebola virus for the month of September by the look of what Arena has got on its programming next month.

Top Chef Washington will premiere on Sunday at 7.30pm on the 12 September.  The luscious Padma Lakshmi and hunky Tom Colluchio are returning as hosts of this cooking competition where professional chefs battle it out for the title of Top Chef. If you like Masterchef you will love this. In fact quite a few aspects of the Australian version of Masterchef are taken from Top Chef. Well that is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Project Runway Season 7 will see the crew returning to New York. This will premiere on September 13, Mondays at 8.30pm. Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors and Neeeeeeeennna Garcia are all returning. This will have to help us get over that there won’t be an Australian version of the show this year.

Models of the Runway, will again follow it on September 13, Mondays at 9.30pm. This is a companion series to Project Runway, which follows the models on the show. I hope they continue to keep it to a half hour show, as this got a bit tedious once all the nuttier models were eliminated last season.

And also one of my favourite reality shows Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew Pinsky returns for it third season on September 16 at 9.30pm. This is not the Rachael Uchitel one which is currently filming but the series has celebrities Dennis Rodman, Heidi Fleiss, Joey Kovar, Kari Anne Peniche, Lisa D’Amato, Mackenzie Phillips, Mike Starr, Mindy McCready and Tom Sizemore going through an intensive 21-day detox and treatment program.

All-new to Arena is Launch My Line where celebrities will design, cut and stitch their way through a one-of-a-kind creative competition to determine who has the vision to go from icon to fashion star and launch a trendsetting clothing label.

Premiering September 8, Wednesdays at 8.30pm, the celebrity contestants will each be paired with a fashion expert, who will supply the technical know-how to implement the celebrity’s creative vision.

Most of the time I am a bit dubious of reality shows with celebrities in them, Celeb Rehab being the exception, but this is from the Bravo stable which I do worship at the altar of. So will give it a look even though the premise looks a bit spurious.

Another Bravo show that  Arena premiering on September 14, Tuesdays at 9.30pm, is 9 By Design. The series follows husband and wife design team, Bob and Cortney Novogratz and their seven children. Owners of New York based design firm, Sixx Design, this young, hip and artsy couple have developed and designed unique properties in Manhattan, rebuilt entire blocks in the city, and turned funky into fabulous with taste and confidence.

I hope this is more Top Design, than Kate and Jon Plus 8.

Tweet This Post

Good news for all those people wanting another foodie reality TV show to watch. Top Chef Washington DC will premiere on 12 September on Arena.

Other shows starting on Arena in September are Project Runway the US version on the 13 September, and Celebrity Rehab Season three on the 16th.

Celebrity Rehab looks to be a cracker as it will have Heidi Fleiss, Tom Sizemore, Mackenzie Phillips and Dennis Rodman.

Casting for Season 4 of the show also looks interesting with Tiger Wood’s former mistress Rachael Uchitel signing on, as well as Janice Dickinson (possibly for her addiction for being on reality shows?) and Leif Garrett.

Tweet This Post

Cat Deeley’s Star Continues To Rise In The USA

You thought she was pretty successful already with a hosting gig on So You Think You Can Dance, and So You Think You Can Dance Britain, but Cat has really hit the big time stepping in as guest host with Regis Philbin on the morning show Live With Kelly and Regis. One thing I did not realise was that Regis was 78 years old. (Source: Daily Mail)

Alex McCord and Simon Van Kempen’s Parenting Book Now Released

Everyone on the Real Housewives of NYC has  some product they are plugging on the show, and the McCord’s/Van Kempen’s have released their parenting tome called Little Kids Big City: Tales From A Real House in New York City.

The Daily News writes a fairly snippy article about the couple and the book. However, there will be people reading it with a critical eye. Yes Ramona I am looking at you.

Real Housewife From Orange County Is Getting A Divorce

The Daily News says Orange County Real Housewife Tamra Barney’s husband Simon has filed for divorce.

What Is It Like In The If I Can Dream House

The Daily Beast has an interesting article about the If I Can Dream House about both the show and what it is like being in the house. I still think it is like The Truman Show, except they know they are on it.

Christian Siriano’s New Reality Show Shows Him As A Business Man

Project Runway winner Christian Siriano’s new reality TV show on Bravo TV portrays him as a business man rather than a fashion diva, however he does have some “moments” according to NYC Daily News.

Top Chef’s Gail Simmons Talks About Her New York City

Gail Simmons who this year will be seen on Top Chef, Top Chef Masters and Top Chef Desserts talks to NYC Daily News about her New York City. Since she is such a foodie she does mention some interesting shops and eating establishments.

This Week On American Idol – The Contestants Will Be Singing The Beatles

The top Nine will be singing Beatles songs on American Idol this week, and there is a rumour David Archuleta will perform on the show

Tweet This Post

Next Top Chef To Be Filmed in Washington DC

Politico says the next Top Chef will be filmed in Washington DC, hopefully there will be cameos by former contestants Spike Mendelson, and Carla Hall.

So You Think You Can Dance Season 7 – More  Format Changes

Nigel Lythgoe is really shaking things up for the next season of So You Think You Can Dance in the US. One of the other changes will be ten contestants to be paired by favourites from previous seasons. However the ‘All stars’ won’t be able to be able to be eliminated. (Source Mjs Big Blog)

Reality TV Does Pay – Susan Boyle Got a four Million Dollar Royalty cheque

Susan Boyle’s life has been transformed since coming runner-up in Britain’s Got Talent, BTW who actually won? This week she received her first royalty cheque from her CD I Dreamed A Dream (Source: Indian Express)

I Want Top Chef Master Judge, Gael Green’s Life

New York Times food critic Gael Green is a judge on Top Chef Masters and after reading this i Village1 I have decided I want her life. She eats out six nights a week.

Didi Benami Eliminated From American Idol

Another girl was eliminated from American Idol, and here is Didi’s exit interview

Tweet This Post

Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi who gave birth to her daughter Krishna Thea Lakshmi last month has now confirmed the father of the baby. It is Adam Dell, brother of the guy who owns Dell computers. I should add Adam is successful in his own right.

Adam Dell is currently negotiating visitation rights with Padma. (Source Daily Mail)

I was wrong on who had fathered the child I thought it was either a sperm donor due to her endometritis issues, or a Top Chef contestant. Ok I was hoping for the latter.

Anyway for Top Chef fans the next series will be set in Washington DC.

Tweet This Post

Veiwers who are currently watching Top Chef Las Vegas on Arena TV will know who the hot Voltaggio brothers are. There is not need to be down when the show finishes in a few weeks, as they will be seen on an internet show in 2010.

Speaking of chefs and reality TV, Curtis Stone is currently filming Celebrity Apprentice, with Donald Trump. Other contestants on the show include Sharon Osbourne and Cyndi Lauper. The prize is not a job with the Donald, but money towards their favourite charities. (Source: Herald Sun)

Reality TV star Tila Tequila’s  fiancee heiress Casey Johnson has died of an overdose. However Tila is still tweeting. (Source Daily Telegraph)

Season One Australian Idol runner up Shannon Noll has parted ways with Sony music, no news on who he will be signing with. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Simon Cowell has apparently slept with between 70 and 100 women according to the Daily Mail in an article about Warren Beatty’s sexual dalliances.

News from other American Idol alumni, ABC News has an indepth interview with judge Kara DioGuardi, which talks about how she got into song writing. Also new judge Ellen De Generes talks about her role as a judge here.

Tweet This Post

Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi normally doesn’t put a foot wrong in the fashion stakes, but maybe she is still finding her feet when it comes to maternity clothes.

Tweet This Post

With all the hype of Chelsea Handler from E channel coming to Australia and doing her show from here, I thought I would check her out. I found this old interview she did with Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi and I found her self-depreciating sense of humour quite funny. Padma talks about her weight, that scar, and her cook book.

Tweet This Post