Tina Fey Says, "Bitch Is The New Black." Word!

Mario Lopez + Mark Consuelos = Muy Caliente

Ok, why didn't anyone tell me that Mario Lopez and Mark Consuelos made a movie together? I love them both. Below is a clip of the made-for-tv movie Husband for Hire, which aired on Oxygen a few days ago. I know what you're thinking; Marius, why in the world would you waste your time watching this crap? Oh, dear friends, when it comes to Mario and Mark, I'd endure anything--even a bad lifetime movie.




Ah, I love Mario Lopez so much, but this little clip left me wondering. Why is the choreography so bad? Why didn't Mario take off his shirt (and pants)? Why did they cast Mario Lopez, a Mexican American, to play a Puerto Rican? Is there a shortage of Puerto Rican actors? Anyway, I haven't seen this movie. But if I happen to stumble across it while channel surfing, I'm so going to watch it.

Notes On Entertainment

Ellen Page rocks!
Yep, it’s true. I heart that girl. As most of you probably know, she is now officially an Oscar-nominated actor. Isn’t that just wonderful? I had an interesting discussion with a friend yesterday, and my friend strongly believes that the movie Juno is overrated. Well, there may be some truth to that, but I prefer to focus on the positive. I thought Juno was great. I don’t care if people call it a “chick flick.” Whatever! This film presented an interesting (female) character that has to deal with an unexpected pregnancy. Ellen was perfect as Juno MacGuff. There was something fresh and exciting about this film. I’m so glad the critics (and America) embraced this film with so much gusto.

Cloverfield delivered!
I was completely satisfied after watching this film last week. J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Drew Goddard created an impressive movie that lived up to my expectations. Cloverfield has
been described as “Godzilla meets The Blair Witch Project.” Yeah, that’s a fairly accurate statement, but that doesn’t take anything away from the film. It was quite effective. Others have complained about the lack of information throughout the film. You know, it’s kind of annoying that some people expect everything to be explained to them. What are we? A collection of brainless tissue? This movie forces the audience to pay attention. I felt like an active participant throughout the movie, trying to make sense of the whole situation. That’s what things are like in the real world. When a natural disaster strikes, we don’t have a nicely written manual to refer to; we have to pay attention . . . if we want to survive.



An untimely death.
When I learned of Heath Ledger’s passing, I was at a loss for words. To be honest, I didn’t quite believe it at first. He was so young and talented. It’s a real shame, and he will be missed by his fans. His ex-wife’s father released a statement about Heath that I found quite touching. He said,

I think [poet] Tennyson got it right in the poem when he described someone as having died at a young age but burning the candles at both ends, and oh what a beautiful flame he made, that was Heath, what a beautiful flame he made and a great talent.

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

Gorgeous

Ok, I'm falling in love with Charlize Theron. She looks amazing in this Dior J'Adore commercial. She's just . . . so . . . gorgeous.

Black Friday, Rachel Ray, And Anthony Bourdain

I woke up quite early on Black Friday. It was 4:30 AM or so. My brain was barely functioning, but I still managed to drive my car to various shopping areas. Best Buy was packed, so I drove to some other locations. I eventually made my way to Kohls. And, once inside the store, I rushed to the kitchen and dinning area. Of course!

I walked around, looking at various items of interest, when out of nowhere something obscene hit my poor, unsuspecting retinas. Pictures of Rachel Ray were everywhere. On cookbooks; on various products; there was no escaping this woman. It was quite annoying. Ok, I admit that I have watched her on the food network from time to time. And she’s making money and doing well in the entertainment world. Good for her. But she doesn’t deserve to be idolized as a culinary deity by the American public. Let’s reserve praise for chefs and culinary experts who deserve it.



Anyway, let’s move on. If you’re a fan of the wonderful Anthony Bourdain, then you have to listen to his discussion with the Commonwealth Club of California. Anthony never disappoints. He talked a little bit about Rachel Ray. But he mainly focused on his life, television show, and other interesting topics. Enjoy!

The Problem With Perez

Sometimes the gay media pisses me off in a major way. What did they do now? Well, Out.com recently recognized Perez Hilton as one of the most influential gay people in this country. He even got the royal treatment by the folks at Out.com (check out the following picture), and that's what I object to.



Now, in all fairness to Mr. Lavandeira (aka Perez Hilton), I have to acknowledge that his blog, Perezhilton.com, is one of the most popular blogs on the web. Is he influential? Well, I'll give him some credit. He gets a lot of attention from the main stream media. He was on the view and he appears on MTV and other popular news and entertainment outlets on a regular basis. So, from a very objective perspective, I'd say that he is influential. But does that mean he should be honored by the gay media?

Funny thing is, he is every activist's dream. He's out, proud, and successful. Oh, but it gets better. The man doesn't hide his sexuality. Many have seen a side of Perez Hilton that's too disgusting to describe on this blog. My point is: he is not asexual. I read somewhere that's he's getting his own show. That's impressive. So, should we kiss his ass? I don't think so. I contend that he is not an asset to the LGBT community. I'm sorry, but simply being out and proud shouldn't be some sort of badge of honor. I think it's great that's he's out. It's always wonderful to see someone who's comfortable with his or her sexuality, but we shouldn't just shower someone with praise for being out. He is not a good role model for LGBT people in this (or any) country. He's a smart internet personality. Good for him, but why does the gay media have to jump on the "I love Perez" band wagon.

I'm fully aware that Perez is a part of our community, whether we like it or not. The LGBT community is not a monolith. We are a very diverse group of people, and Perez will always have a place in our community. My beef is with the gay media and the writers who work for and/or are associated with them. These individuals often serve as representatives of the entire LGBT community. And that's a shame. They only represent a segment of our community. It's interesting that Perez Hilton is Hispanic American but contributes nothing significant to the plight of gay men and Lesbians of Hispanic descent. I'm not saying Perez is obligated to do anything; I'm just pointing out that he's just a successful American blogger who has nothing meaningful to contribute to any cause. Where are other gay people of color? Don't they exist? They have a very different perspective that's rarely heard. How about gay people who can't be out for various reasons. This large group of gay men and lesbians may not be out to the world, but they are on the internet consuming gay culture. They are a part of our community.

A Trip Down Memory Lane With The Gals of Project Runway

Ah, Project Runway 4 is just around the corner, and Bravo bloggers all across the blogosphere are more excited than Anderson Cooper at a Scissor Sisters concert (sorry, I just had to use that line again). Anyway, now we’re stuck waiting—waiting for the queen of all Bravo shows to begin. Be patient, my dear friends. Let’s prepare for another great season of PR by taking a trip down memory lane to celebrate the great women of Project Runway.




Kara Saun will always have a special place in the heart of the truly devoted Bravo viewer. She may have lost to Jay McCarroll in season 1, but she earned the respect of many people in the fashion industry. Her talent and professionalism are, of course, undeniable. But Kara contributed greatly to Bravo reality television in so many ways. She set the stage for future generations of women and minorities in project runway. She’s a great role model.



Chloe Dao’s victory in PR 2 is a clear indication that the American dream is alive and well. Her family came to America from Vietnam with almost nothing. They started a new life in Houston, Texas and never looked back. Their success in this country is quite inspirational. I respect Chloe tremendously because of her amazing work ethic. She stands alone as the only female champion in Bravo reality television. How do you like them apples?



Laura Bennett is by far a Bravo blogger’s dream. She’s fabulous, friendly, and accessible. And she’s everywhere. She’s a regular over at Tom and Lorenzo’s blog, and she even appeared in an episode of Tim Gunn’s unfortunate reality show, Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style. This woman really knows how to market herself. While Jay spends his days bitching about his sad, sad life, Laura is busy raising her children but still finds time to do various things. I have to say, Laura is quite possibly the most efficient designer in the history of Project Runway. Even Tim Gunn was impressed with her progress during the weeks leading up to the finale. I can’t imagine what it would be like to prepare 12 pieces for fashion week with an expanded uterus pressing against one’s internal organs (particularly the bladder). Talk about pressure! Laura Bennett deserves a special award for performing so well under very stressful conditions.



Uli Herzner won me over the minute she smiled at the camera. Like Chloe before her, Uli came to America with a strong desire to succeed in the fashion industry. Well, her hard work paid off. Although she was unable to beat Jeffrey Sebelia in PR 3, she still created a great collection that deserves to be praised. However, the thing I love most about Uli is her humility and respect for others. She's living proof that good things happen to good people. And it doesn’t hurt that she’s as cute as a button. Rock on, Uli! Rock on!

Chris Hardwick Is Back

So, I'm excited. Yes! I found out a few days ago that Chris Hardwick will be hosting a new PBS program called Wired Science. According to their website, it premieres this Wednesday, October 3 at 8 PM. I assume most local PBS stations will air this program, and if they don't, you should call and give them a piece of your mind (and some money, of course). I can't wait.

Chris Hardwick used to host a show called Singled Out on MTV back in the 90s. At that time, MTV was just starting to morph into the strange thing it is today. Sorry, I just can't watch MTV anymore. In the 90s, MTV had a good mix of music videos, reality television, game shows, and lifestyle programs. My, MTV sure has changed. Anyway, Chris was great and he worked really well with Jenny McCarthy. Those were the days.

Well, Chris is back and better than ever. I've always been attracted to Chris. He's cute, funny, and, most importantly, intelligent. Here are a few clips of my beloved Chris promoting his new show. Enjoy!

Congratulations, Salma

Ah, Salma Hayek. You and I have had an interesting relationship. There were times when I thought you were a brainless little tease. Women would kill to have your looks and curvaceous body. But then you did something quite unexpected. You produced and starred in the surprisingly good film Frida. It was a labor of love for you and everyone involved, and it showed. Now, you're a successful TV producer. You managed to create a hit comedy, Ugly Betty, against all odds. I mean, who knew Americans would respond so positively to a story you borrowed from a popular Latin American novela.

A few days ago, you gave birth to a lovely girl, Valentina Paloma Pinault. Congratulations! I really love your daughter's first name, and I also love the name Paloma. However, I don't think they go well together, but that's just me. Anyway, I wish you and your significant other, François-Henri Pinault, the very best. It was rumored that he had something to do with Tom Ford's decision to leave Gucci. Someone actually reported that Mr. Pinault refused to renew my beloved Tom's contract. But don't worry, Salma; let's forget about that and move on. Actually, we can discuss that later. Anyway, I've posted a little clip of you in a commercial for Campari. You are gorgeous!

There’s More Than One Way To Be A Sissy.

The always wonderful GayProf wrote an interesting piece about the media’s obsession with the Larry Craig scandal and what that may tell us about how society views gays. It’s an excellent post. In that post, GayProf provided a link to another post by Kenneth Hill. I thought Kenneth made some excellent points. However, I didn’t buy it. Actually, it kind of irritated me. And here’s a passage from that post that essentially sums up the tone of the article,

Basically . . . people hate a sissy, aka anyone who acts too gay (read: too effeminate).

Please note that Kenneth discussed other issues and provided an overall compelling argument. But I found it devoid of true objectivity. In fact, this very statement and other comments made in the post seem to place gays into two categories—sissies and non-sissies. And, according to Kenneth, in order for gays to be free, we all need to accept our sissies. That’s a good point, but, again, I have major issue with this and other statements.

First of all, as most probably know but tend to forget, gay people are a very diverse group. The sissies that Kenneth speaks of probably represent a small minority of the gay population. Interestingly, this small sample seems to get a lot of attention. More about that a little later. My major beef with Kenneth’s piece is that he seems to ignore the fact that there’s more than one way to be a sissy, so to speak. Relative to many straight men, I’d be considered a big ol’ sissy. Now, that doesn’t mean I’m more effeminate than a fabulous drag queen. I’m actually considered straight-acting by most, but I will never deny that I have female-typical traits and interests. In fact, I celebrate those traits. I mean, have you read my blog? Check out the banner and some of the side bar pics.

I also don’t get what he means by too effeminate. I mean, I know what he’s talking about, but, again, I find that phrase a little off the mark. Gay men are first and foremost living, breathing mammals, and, in all sexually reproducing species, diversity is the rule rather than the exception. Sorry, I study animal behavior for a living; please bear with me. Anyway, my point is: Effeminate gay men are as diverse as any group of human beings or animals, for that matter. Whoever came up with this sissy/non-sissy dichotomy is just foolish and lazy.

Ok, I’ll admit that generalizing and keeping things simple can often be very effective and desirable, something John Kerry should know by now. However, I expect more from intelligent gay men. Why? Because these men are near and dear to my heart. And I have to say that I found it quite objectionable that Kenneth lumped Carson Kressley and Chris Crocker in the same category. Carson Kressley and youtube sensation Chris Crocker may seem identical on the surface, but when you really start to compares these two gay men, you will immediately see that they are as different as night and day. Chris seems to enjoy making vulgar comments, dancing provocatively, and doing other questionable things. Casron, on the other hand, has established himself as a respected television personality. His quippy comments and success as a fashionista have made him what he is today.

Finally, I’d like to comment about the homophobic statements directed at Chris Crocker. Of course, I think that’s deplorable. And it is a sad reminder that gay men who don’t conform to societal standards—gender norms and other rules—are often subjected to verbal and/or physical abuse. However, the behavior exhibited by Chris should not be considered gay-typical. Even straight women are subjected to hateful comments if they appear “too” sexual. In fact, Paris Hilton, a woman I can’t stand, is often bashed throughout the blogosphere. Yes, the media may often shower gay men like Chris Crocker with the wrong type of attention, and society can be harsh. There’s no question about that. But society also praises certain effeminate gay men (see Tim Gunn). What I’m trying to say is that being effeminate (or even too effeminate) isn’t the same thing as being histrionic (and effeminate). Again, there’s more than one way to be a sissy.

Bravo And Their Sick Little Games (Top Chef 3; Episode 11)

So, they finally got rid of CJ. To be honest, I’m a little surprised he made it this far. I mean, let’s face it; he isn’t Top Chef material. However, he’s probably one of the nicest guys in the history of Bravo reality television. Yes, fans and bloggers all over the blogosphere are expressing their love for CJ. He will be missed.



I could make a comment about a certain part of his male reproductive apparatus, or lack thereof; but I won’t. I could devote an entire post to his distracting double chin, but I refuse to do that. I could chastise him for being a bitch to Brian at the judges’ table during the Restaurant Wars episode, but I shall hold my breath. No, I want to celebrate CJ, a man from California who literally towered over the competition. In a world of pompous foodies and culinary types, CJ maintained his All-American charm. And that, my friends, is why many viewers quite fancy the Jolly Green Giant.



This episode revealed another side of CJ, an X-rated side. Ok, ok, I’m totally exaggerating. Anyway, in this episode, we learned that CJ has a thing for ethnic beauties. When Padma nudged the sleeping giant, she was careful not to get too close. There’s no telling what a man of such size is capable of doing in a heightened state of sexual arousal. She probably feared for her life. CJ didn’t cool down after that sexually charged encounter. A few minutes later, when the chefs were given their tickets to some mysterious destination, CJ immediately thought of Japan. He must have been fantasizing about geishas and other lovely Japanese women. But, instead, the chefs were sent to Newark Liberty International Airport. Poor CJ; he must have been so disappointed.



Hung started off the show strong. He won the quickfire challenge by preparing steak, eggs, and a shake. He also made a very wise decision by going with Chilean sea bass for the elimination challenge. He didn’t win, but he certainly impressed the judges. I have to say, Hung is officially my favorite cheftestant. Of all the chefs, he’s the most versatile. He’s very knowledgeable and can prepare dishes that are safe beats, but he’s also not afraid to take risks. He is the man to beat.



However, the win went to Casey, the Texan who has more lives than a cat. I’m not going to lie, I like Casey. But there’s no denying she’s a real mess. There's no telling what she'll do this week. Seriously, if she gets eliminated, I won't be surprised. I can’t believe she’s managed to win two elimination challenges in a row. How did she do it? It appears that the women are saving the best for last, and that’s certainly something to celebrate. Sara didn’t do so well this time, but her performance a few weeks ago was phenomenal. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, she kicked some major ass.



This raises an interesting question. Why has it taken this long for us to discover that . . . surprise, surprise . . . the women can actually cook? I remember reading Andrea Strong’s blog. She mentioned that every chef is followed by a camera man. Everything they say and do is recorded. Bravo has hours and hours of footage, but most of it will probably never see the light of day. And this very fact annoys the hell out of me. The producers and editors try very hard to create a story line. Each show has to have a villain, an underdog, and various other characters. There’s a lot of information that is kept from the viewer. There are other bloggers who can see right through Bravo’s sick little games, but I’m the sucker who seems to fall for it every time. When will I ever learn?

The Media Giveth, The Media Taketh Away

Ok, I don't even know where to begin. This whole Britney debacle has been buzzing around the blogosphere for the past few days. It's old news, but there have been some new developments that we should consider. Even the popular Bravo bloggers Tom and Lorenzo blogged about Britney's unfortunate performance. Are the boys right? Is Britney's VMA performance going to destroy her career in the music industry? Who knows. This is the same industry that profited from the William Hung phenomenon and managed to get people to buy Paris Hilton CDs. I don't question it. It just is. So, Britney probably won't enjoy the level of success she achieved as a teenage pop diva years ago, but she'll probably be around for a while.

To be honest, I never understood the whole Britney phenomenon. Back in the day, she was worshipped by millions of fans around the world. Sure, she was hot, but she lacked the one thing that defines a real musical artist--talent! Yep, I couldn't understand her success. How could a girl with little talent dominate the music industry and popular culture the way Britney did years ago. Well, I think her success was due at least in part to the attention she received from the media. They were obsessed with her, discussing almost every aspect of her life on and off the stage. The media created Britney Speras. Well, now the tables have turned. The media types that declared Britney the queen of pop music years ago have now turned against her. And they delight in showing clips and images of Britney behaving badly.

Of course, you can't blame the media for Britney's unfortunate mistakes, but one can argue that they are at least partially responsible for creating our media obsessed culture. They, quite frankly, created Britney Spears. They also created Jennifer Lopez and the Spice Girls. In fact, I think Britney should have faded into obscurity just like many artists have done for decades. That's just the nature of the business. But, no! Viacom, MTV, and various other media outlets keep pushing Britney Spears on their young consumers. I blame the media for all of this mess.

I enjoyed some of her songs back in the day, but I am not a fan. I consider her little more than a superficial product of the entertainment industry. Ok, I will admit that I kind of feel sorry for her, but I'm not going to shed a tear for Ms. Spears. She's a very wealthy woman; she'll survive.

Fortunately, Britney has never been alone. She will always have the support of some members of the gay community. For example, Boy Shakira, an amateur drag queen, performed Hit Me Baby One More Time on America's Got Talent. It's very clear that Boy Shakira loves Brit.



And recently, the youtube phenomenon Chris Crocker defended Britney with a passion that one rarely sees expressed by sane individuals. Here's what Chris had to say about his favorite pop diva,



God, I love unstable gay men. I didn't think anyone could possibly top Boy Shakira, America's favorite amateur drag queen. Well, Chris' little outburst is certainly giving Boy Shakira a run for his money. Oh, and Chris is now getting a lot of (negative) attention for his little youtube rant. Fortunately, my beloved Seth Green has a few words for all you Chris Crocker haters.



American culture never ceases to amaze (and scare) me.

Flipping Out Preview Clip (Episode 6)

Flipping Out Preview Clip (Episode 5)

Reality Star Life Cycle: From Birth To The Supernova (Top Chef 3; Episode 9)

After last week’s disaster, the producers had a huge hurdle to overcome. Whether or not they succeeded is subject to debate. Now, I enjoyed this episode for various reasons. For starters, the quickfire challenge was great—a real competition. And the restaurants looked much better and the service was also quite improved compared to what we saw last week.

This episode offered two extremes. We witnessed the highs of success and those almost miraculous moments when things just come together perfectly. But we also got to see abject failure. Sara M’s performance in this episode was phenomenal. Not only did she kick Casey’s slow ass, but she also kicked my ass and made me eat my words. I will never call her lazy again. She rocked!

Interestingly, this episode kind of made me think of the life cycle of a star, those magnificent entities that live in solar systems near and far. I know, the strangest things pop into my head as I watch these reality programs. Anyway, Sara M’s success represents the birth of a star—a reality star.



She came out of nowhere, diced onions like there was no tomorrow, and proved more than effective as the executive chef of Quatre. Her star shone brighter than any other. Tre, on the other hand, represents the other end of the spectrum. He started off strong; easily one of the most promising of all the chefs.



Yes, he was once a bright star, wowing the judges with his well executed and beautiful dishes. Everyone expected him to make it to the final. However, he was unable to pull his team together. His unfortunate fall from grace was kind of like a stellar event—an explosion or supernova, one of the final stages of a star’s life cycle.



This episode offered quite a few pleasant surprises. We got to see a very loquacious Steven, showing off his sommelier skills. I actually like Steven.



There were other familiar faces—Joey, Sara N., Camille, and Lia. Oh, I just have to commend Lia for looking so amazing. Well done!




I was particularly pleased to see the lovely Camille. I can’t explain it; I don’t know much about her, but she seems like the kind of person who’d be fun to hang out with. She’s my kind of girl.



I have no idea why they invited Christopher Ciccone to participate this season. I mean, there are certainly better qualified interior designers. I guess producers assumed the gays would love to see Madonna’s pompous brother. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Bravo is seriously courting gay viewers. Yeah, they want us!



Now, I’ve made it very clear that I like Dale. I think he did an excellent job at the front of the house, and he also contributed a successful dish. However, this man has the most insane mix of gay traits. Stereotypes can be a gay man’s best friend. For example, people often assume that gay men have impeccable taste. Of course, not all gay have good taste, and some gays should never be allowed to express their inner gayness. Dale, I’m afraid, is a case in point. His unfortunate fashion sense, terrible interior design skills, and penchant for scented candles could have been his undoing in the previous episode. Fortunately, Bravo gave him and the other cheftestants another chance. Well, Dale did something that I found quite bizarre. As Ted pointed out, he was not dressed appropriately for the challenge. I can’t understand how any gay man could turn down an opportunity to dress to the nines. Brian looked more presentable. It’s a sad day when one is out-gayed by a straight man with subsyndromal Adult ADD. Hold on a minute; is Brian straight?



I’ve complained about the lack of female talent this season. Fortunately, Sara M stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. Casey is another story. She was the reason her team lost the quickfire challenge. Watching her dice onions was unnerving. How can one be a chef with such poor knife skills? I guess it’s possible, but I’m sure that kind of Chef is not Top Chef material. I’m so close to giving up on Casey. Actually, she should be eliminated soon. She really doesn’t deserve to make it to the final. I love ya, Casey, but I’m just being objective here.

CJ and Brian did almost nothing. They essentially left Tre alone. CJ’s dish failed, and Brian didn’t prepare anything. And his customer service skills were far from exceptional. I was a bit surprised that they eliminated Tre. However, his inability to lead his team to victory was a major downfall. How can you be a Top Chef and have poor leadership skills. Also, at this point of the competition, he should have known better than to send out food that was less than perfect. And it’s a shame that none of the other chefs bothered to scrutinize any of the food before it left the kitchen. They all failed their executive chef and themselves. It's sad that Tre was eliminated, but the show must go on.

Flipping Out Montage

I put together a fun little clip for fans of Bravo's new reality show Flipping Out. The name of the song is My House by Tom Novy. Enjoy!

Jeff Lewis Interview

I found this little gem on youtube. Enjoy!

Not a War; Not Even A Battle (Top Chef 3, Episode 8)

This episode of Top Chef: Miami offered the much anticipated Restaurant Wars. This tradition makes sense on paper. However, it’s not easy to execute. Some chefs get to cook, while others have to work in the front end. This division of labor makes it difficult to evaluate each chef’s performance. How does one compare Howie’s risotto to Brian’s front of the house performance? Both were bad, but we’re talking about different types of bad. If you ask me, I don’t think it’s very fair. The show is called Top Chef, and eliminating a chef for having poor interior design skills makes no sense to me.

I was pleased that CJ won the quickfire challenge, which earned him an important advantage. He seems to be coming out of his shell, so to speak. Anyway, the chefs were divided into two teams of four. CJ’s advantage was getting to pick his team. He chose Tre, Casey, and Brian. They called their temporary place Restaurant April. The remaining chefs—Howie, Sara, Hung, and Dale—called their restaurant The Garage. I find it strange that none of the chefs expressed concern about such an ill conceived name.

Team Garage seemed to have the most problems—scented candles, a tacky environment, and two poorly executed and heavy dishes. Dale claimed to have the most front end experience, and it showed. I think he did an excellent job. He’s quite a character. He said the following of working as a server in the front of the house,

You’re half prostitute, half performer . . . in the front I’m smooth; in the back, I’m a raging bitch

Dale is now officially my favorite chef. Yes, I love gay men! You know, I found it interesting that he and Hung were out done by Brian and Casey. Come on; what’s the world coming to? Aren’t gay and bisexual men supposed to have better taste? It was so disappointing.



The judges weren’t too impressed with either team, although it appeared that Team April was ahead. Even Ted mentioned that he preferred them over Team Garage.



I also have to acknowledge that I’ve been too hard on Sara M. In this episode, I think she redeemed herself in my eyes. She volunteered to be the executive chef, a very risky move. And, at the judges’ table, she openly accepted full responsibility as head of the kitchen. I was impressed and so were the judges.



In the end, Dale and Brian were both in the hot seat for crimes against good taste and service. Dale committed a major sin by placing scented candles all over the restaurant. Shouldn’t most chefs know better?



I really thought the judges were going to send Brian home. He really lost it this time, and a good chef has to know how to handle pressure. You can’t just give up like Sara did in the previous challenge, but you can’t run around like a chicken with its head cut off either. I’ve made it clear that I like Brian. Actually, I like looking at him. So, I was ready to see him go.

Well, no one was eliminated; the judges decided to give both teams another chance. Some bloggers liked the idea; others . . . not so much. I hope the producers, chefs, and judges take this opportunity to iron out all the kinks. But I doubt they will.

Ah, I have to talk about the guest blogger. I loved the idea. I wish Bravo would do it more often. Click here to read guest blogger Andrea Strong’s description of this episode. She offers an outside perspective of the show. The one thing I didn’t like about this whole thing was that Andrea had to sign a confidentiality agreement. She wasn’t allowed to discuss Top Chef on her blog. Yeah, that kind of sucks. Ok, I get it. Bravo needs to ensure that no one leaks vital information about each episode before air time; but couldn’t they come up with a clever way to include bloggers in the process without the gag order?

Bravo is well aware that bloggers have added so much to their various shows. What would Project Runway be without Tom and Lorenzo? How could we enjoy Top Chef without Amuse-Biatch, Blogging Top Chef, Top Chef 2: They Cook, We Dish, Dishin' Dat, Eric Three Thousand, and Reality on Bravo? Maybe next season the producers will invite some of these wonderful Bravo bloggers to participate. How awesome would that be?

Flipping Out, Episode 4 Preview Clip

For more clips and information about the show, visit Bravotv.com.

I'm Still Hooked On Flipping Out

I’m convinced that Bravo has me under some sort of spell. That’s the only thing that could possibly explain why I’m still loving Flipping Out so much. Episode 3 (Betting Men) did not disappoint. It’s tempting to compare this show to Work Out, another Bravo reality show. They are similar in some ways but quite different in others.

Anyway, the best thing about Flipping Out is that the producers seem to be shifting the emphasis from personal drama to the actual process of house flipping. In this episode, the work environment took center stage, while all the drama occurred in the periphery. It’s also interesting that the source of the drama seems to change from episode to episode. We’ve seen the perils of kitty acupuncture; the stress employees have to endure working with Jeff; the volatile relationship between Jeff and Ryan; and the list will probably get longer.



Jeff Lewis has been called crazy by some, and some people just can’t stand the guy. I can see where they’re coming from, but I happen to think the world of Mr. Lewis. Of course, I acknowledge that he can be a bit psycho at times—there’s his OCD, unreasonable demands, and unusual social skills.



In this episode, Jeff enlisted the help of another psychic, Fiona. I don’t believe in such things, but I know that some people do. And Jeff depends on psychics whenever he makes important decisions. Again, I don’t understand it, but that’s his thing.






I’m starting to like Jenni a lot. It’s great seeing her interact with Jeff. He actually lashed out at her for moving an appointment to a time that was more convenient for Ryan. Clearly, she’s a considerate person. Jeff, on the other hand, is a control freak and also a tad manipulative. In my book, that’s a huge character flaw, but there’s no denying he usually gets his way no matter what. And that’s important in his line of work.



As mentioned before, Jeff and Ryan Brown were an item years ago. I sometimes sense a degree of uneasiness between them, but they seem to tolerate each other. And I'm sure they care for each other. But there's no question that their relationship is quite complex. Ok, I have to say, Ryan is such a hottie; I like him so much that I’m willing to overlook the fact that he misspelled lose. Anyway, both Jeff and Ryan obviously enjoy what they do, but Jeff is far more ambitious. Ryan seems content with having a permanent home and focusing on a few projects at time. Jeff never seems satisfied; he has way too many projects and the thought of settling down in one place seems like a waste of money to him.

In this episode, Jeff was running out of money. He wanted Ryan to sell his home, which would free up some additional money. Ryan didn’t like the idea, but Jeff made a very attractive offer. The first person to sell their current residence would get to move into their best property, a multi-million dollar home they called Nottingham. Ryan loved the idea, and the bet was on. Well, Ryan won. Things are getting interesting. I'm really looking forward to the next episode.

It’s A Man’s World After All (Top Chef 3, Episode 7)

This episode of Top Chef: Miami had the strangest effect on me. It forced me to reconsider an issue I had long forgotten—an issue I had placed under lock and key somewhere in my over-crowded brain. I’ll get to that a little later.

There was reason to celebrate this week. Yep, Dale won the quickfire challenge, and that made me one very happy gay man. In other news, Dale dumped Casey for Sara N. Honestly, I think switching hags like that isn’t a good idea. But that’s just me. Actually, Dale really lucked out this week. He didn’t even have to participate in the elimination challenge. His reaction to that was wonderful.



Wait, it got better; in addition to getting the night off, he had dinner with Govind Armstrong. Yeah, that was a pretty sweet deal. I’m sure the other cheftestants weren’t too happy about that.



Now, let’s discuss the bad stuff. The cheftestants were told to get ready to party because Bravo was going to foot the bill for a night on the town. Those silly fools believed it, and their hopes soared higher than Hung’s ego. Oh, reality can be such a bitch. The cheftestants were all dressed up when Padma and Govind broke the news that they were not going to some awesome Miami club. Instead, the cheftestants were going to cook some food for party-goers as part of their elimination challenge. The women were pissed. The guys weren’t happy, but they eventually got over it. In fact, Brian was having a blast the whole time. And Tre was a little too eager to show off his big guns.



The women never quite got over the deception. Well, I should point out that Sara M seemed perfectly fine with the whole situation. She said,

I don’t give a shit

You know, Sara M drives me nuts, and not in a good way. She’s on my and Tom’s shit list. She just seems like a really lazy person. I was not surprised that she had no issues, as a woman, with this challenge. It’s actually kind of scary. She reminds me of a terrible mother with six kids who lets themplay on the streets at 2 AM. Why? Well, because these mothers don’t give a shit. I have one question for Sara M; do you give a shit about winning the title of Top Chef? Actually, she has prepared some surprisingly good dishes in the past; she may be one to watch. But she still drives me crazy.

At the judges table, the judges seemed baffled by the women’s reaction. And that kind of irritated me. Tom was shocked when Casey and Sara voiced their concerns. Even my beloved Ted Allen was a little surprised by the women’s poor performance. He asked,

. . . you can’t cook because you don’t like your outfit?

He totally missed the point, I think. Fortunately, Ted took back his comments, and he offered a different interpretation of the whole situation. He even acknowledged that he and the producers were a little insensitive. Click here to read his blog entry.

However, I cannot blame Sara N’s elimination on the producers' and judges' insensitivity. Padma made a very good point when she said,

If you’re gearing up to do one thing, and you . . . (end up doing something else????) . . . I can appreciate that . . . you should be able to bounce back.

Yeah, I couldn’t understand what she said before the “I can appreciate” part. Anyway, Padma was absolutely right. Life isn’t always easy and predictable. You have to be able to adapt to different situations and working conditions. You may have clients that you’re not used to serving, or you may have a demanding boss who expects damn near perfection. And, if you want to keep your job, you’ve got to deliver.

So, I think the judges made the right decision. In fact, Sara N gave them every reason to send her home. My biggest problem with this episode was the clear lack of consideration for the female point of view. Ted described this in his blog entry, and I would just like to add a little more to that.

It’s kind of sad that in this day and age women (and gays, too) have to adjust to various work environments that are dominated by heterosexual males. In this episode, everyone seemed surprised that two of the women were very uncomfortable. Even other bloggers questioned Casey’s and Sara N’s behavior. To some people, it may seem strange that two women made such a big deal about this. However, one must consider how women are viewed in our culture. Women have to juggle multiple roles. They are sexual beings, of course, and it’s normal for a woman to want to look sexually attractive. But these same women have to be very careful when picking out an outfit for work or some other more conservative function. Sure, they want to dress to impress, but they also want to be taken seriously. It’s interesting that in our culture no one seems to care whether a man behaves a certain way in or out of the work place. In fact, our culture often celebrates male promiscuity and aggressive behavior. It’s a dog eat dog world, they say. It’s all justified. Well, that’s a complicated issue that I won’t go into here.

Again, I think it’s important to be able to perform effectively under any kind of pressure. Most dedicated and successful people can weather almost any storm. And there are many women who have accomplished so much in the face of adversity. I just think we should do more to support women in the work place. I once heard a supervisor complain that his employee’s pregnancy was a big inconvenience for the company. That really upset me. It pains me to say it, but there’s no question we live in a man’s world. It's kind of depressing. I think I'll keep this little bit of reality under lock and key in the most inaccessible part of my brain.

Domesticated Animals And The Gay Men Who Love Them

I’m sure many of you have pets. I don’t. In fact, I’m not really an animal person. I’m certainly capable of caring for and nurturing a domesticated animal. But, for now, I prefer to invest my time and money on one mammal—me!

I think that makes me something of an oddity among my fellow gay men and lesbians. Of course, I shouldn’t generalize, but it’s very tempting to say that gays and animals go hand in hand. Interestingly, two Bravo reality shows seem to be reinforcing this stereotype.



In the new reality show Welcome to the Parker, interior designer Jonathan Adler was shocked to learn that management was planning to ban all animals from the five-star resort. He didn’t take the news lightly and did what any dog-loving gay man would have done. He challenged Thomas, the general manager, to a game of ping pong. The winner got to decide the fate of all animals at The Parker. Adler won and the dogs got to stay! You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I found Adler somewhat attractive in this episode. He annoyed me in Top Design, but in The Parker, he’s way more likable. Interesting. Anyway, yeah, the dogs got to stay. Happy endings are always nice.

Flipping Out, my newest obsession, is about a gay real estate speculator, Jeff Lewis, who treats his pets better than his employees.



In this episode, he had Stephen, one of his assistants, take his cat Monkey to the vet for acupuncture treatment. Now, I may not be an animal person, but I have enough sense to know that animals don’t usually like to get stabbed with sharp objects.



I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the whole acupuncture scene. The cat was pissed and ended up biting poor Stephen. Not even the vet was able to calm Monkey down. After the ordeal was over, Stephen called Jeff who seemed unmoved by the story. Stephen’s reaction to Jeff’s indifference was priceless. He started crying. Ok, I don’t usually like to see people crying, but this was comedic gold for me. I swear; the producers made this show with me in mind.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this show is surprisingly good. As most of you probably know, I love the reality show Workout. Jackie Warner is the real deal. However, the one thing I don’t like about the show is how misleading it can be. I don’t recall ever hearing anyone mention the fact that most of the trainers were actors or even former reality show contestants. Of course, that will never stop me from loving the show.

Flipping Out is quite different. It was made clear at the outset that most of the assistants and employees were struggling actors or performers. In fact, a lot of the tension and comedy on the show is caused by the employees trying to juggle both aspects of their lives. They have auditions to attend, but they can’t afford to neglect their obligations at work. Now, I acknowledge that a lot of the scenes are staged, but that’s true of most reality shows.

I should also point out that there are a number of people who don’t seem to like Flipping Out. And, you know what, I can totally understand that. Not everyone is going to like Jeff Lewis, a man who I find very fascinating. Not everyone wants to learn the ins and outs of house flipping. I, on the other hand, find this topic quite interesting. There are a number of reasons to love or loathe this new Bravo reality show, but I like this show for one simple reason: it’s essentially a show about a successful gay man.

This episode ended perfectly. Jeff’s crew celebrated Zoila’s birthday. All his friends (and animals) were there. They had cake; hit a piñata; and just had a wonderful time. This show is really off to a good start. Well done, Bravo!

New York For Brains: The Final Stand (Top Chef 3, Episode 6)

I’ve often compared Bravo to an academic institution. Remember when I declared Sally Hershberger the Dean of her very own School—the Hershberger School of Coolness? Why would I say such a thing, you may ask. Well, because she’s one of the coolest judges in the history of Bravo reality television. Period. What! You don’t remember? Whatever; let’s move on.

Anyway, Top Chef:Miami is one of Bravo’s most successful reality programs. And I’m still trying to figure out each participant’s place within Bravo University. We all know that Tom Colicchio belongs in Hershberger’s School of Coolness. That’s an easy one. Most of the other participants—guests and cheftestants—are also quite easy to place. However, there are two men who can’t seem to fit in. So, dear readers, join me as I try to find a home for Joey and Howie within Bravo University. For your consideration, here’s what Howie had to say about this week’s quickfire challenge.

I really like that type of a challenge. I’m a little bit more of an academic in a lot of ways. I’m a thinker. I mean, I AM a thinker.

Oh, Howie. Let’s not rush into things. I would hardly use the words academic or intellectual to describe this challenge. Come on, even a dog or Hung’s monkey can learn to distinguish between different foods. And I would never call a dog an academic. Whether or not Hung’s monkey should be awarded an advanced degree is subject to debate. Primates of any kind are quite remarkable. Some are probably smarter than you.

Ok, I admit that Howie has a way with words at the judges’ table. And it helps that he's read a few Anthony Bourdain books. But it takes more than that to be considered an academic. Now, let’s hear what Joey had to say.

You have to know your clientele . . . understand what type of food they like . . . they’re not looking for something out the box.

Ah, Joey. I have no idea what you're talking about, but I love the fact that you don’t pretend to be something you’re not. You’re a stubborn Italian guy from New York who seems to suffer from temporary hearing loss. IQF, Joey! IQF!

Well, after little deliberation. I’ve decided that these knuckle heads are not academics. There is, however, an opening in the cafeteria kitchen at Bravo University. I’m sure they’ll fit right in.

I have to say, this quickfire challenge was a lot of fun. Early in the game, Dale struggled to identify one of the food items and his reaction was priceless.



He placed his huge (flinstone-like) hands on his head and made a few cute gestures. He provided the wrong answer. Oh, and check him out wearing a black muscle shirt.



He’s such a tease. Dale, I’ve already told you that I’m trying to make things work with Brian. You know how hard it is to crack a straight guy. However, I’m willing to meet with you in private to discuss other arrangements. Call me.



My beloved Brian was so close to winning, but he wasn’t able to identify eggplant. Oh well. You’ll get them next time, tiger. Ok, I’m not going to lie; I was kind of surprised that Casey ended up winning the quickfire challenge. Yeah, I totally didn’t see that one coming.



You know, it’s easy to underestimate this lovely Texan. I used to think she lacked motivation. But Casey has somehow managed to keep herself in the game. And I think she’s the strongest of the three remaining women. One great thing about Casey is her ability to charm the pants off of any living thing. She got Lia to love her, and now Dale just can’t seem to get enough of her. How does she do it? She's like a heroine--a few hits and you're addicted. However, the big question is, can Casey win this thing?

I can’t tell you how disappointed I am with the two Saras. Sara N. is slow and clueless, while Sara M. doesn’t seem to care about anything. Actually, Sara M. did snap back at Tom at the judges’ table. I guess that should count for something. I really don’t expect much from these two. And it’s so obvious that Tom wants Sara M. out.



CJ and Tre ended up winning this elimination challenge, and they deserved it. Tre is certainly one to watch. I’m not sure about CJ; however, the guy is really likable, and he has a great sense of humor. I wish him the best. Brian is another one to watch, I think. He’s been playing it safe by sticking to what he knows best—seafood. That plan may backfire on him. Yeah, he really needs to wow the judges again soon. I have a kind of love/hate relationship with Hung. I think he’s talented, but his little diva attitude is starting to get annoying. Now, I have nothing against true divas. Hung just needs to stop telling us how great his is and start showing us. As they say, actions speak louder than words. I’m already getting tired of Howie. Both he and Sara brought out the worst in each other in this episode; not a good thing at this stage in the game. And Howie’s already on Gail’s shit list. I was rooting for him at the outset, but I’m starting to reconsider my position.

So . . . that leaves us with Joey. The judges asked him to pack his knives and go. I wasn’t at all surprised. It was his time. It’s funny how Bravo seems to reinforce some stereotypes, while breaking down others. In Shear Genius, they had two Lesbian stylists. In this season of Top Chef, the women seem to be more calm and collected, while the men are emotional and unstable. In fact, Howie and Joey provided most of the emotional instability in this episode. Yep, in Top Chef:Miami, it’s the men, not the women, who cry like babies.

Confession of a Bravo Whore: I Enjoyed Flipping Out

I’m sure many of you watched the series premiere of Flipping Out last night. My friends over at Bravissimo wrote a great little piece about it. They even came up with their own list! To be honest, I was really looking forward to Bravo’s new reality show offering, but I was expecting the worst. Seriously, some of the clips I had seen over the past few weeks looked so fake and scripted. I know that’s not surprising for a reality show, but things didn’t look promising for Jeff and his gang. Fortunately for the suits at Bravo, I’m a proud Bravo whore and my general curiosity kept me glued to the television last night. That and my love for successful gay men!



Well, for some reason, I actually found the show entertaining. And I can’t really explain why. I mean, there are so many things about this show that make it seem like a bad idea.



For starters, Jenni and Chris are both struggling actors. They’re also married, which is the cutest thing. Oh, I should point out that I thought I was going to hate Jenni, but after watching the first episode, I’ve decided that I don’t hate her. I’m still not sure what to make of this Elaine (from Seinfeld) look-a-like, but I think she’s going to win me over. She seems a bit too lethargic and uninspired at times, but she also knows how to have fun. Also, I suspect most of Jeff’s employees are also actors or somehow affiliated with the entertainment industry. Hey, they all live in L.A.; I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.



The biggest hurdle for the show seems to be getting the public to connect with Jeff Lewis, the show’s star, on some level. Bravo failed miserably with Hey Paula! Yeah, let’s not go there. Anyway, Jeff talks openly about having OCD; he criticizes his assistants for every little thing; and he seems to think the world revolves around him (and his animals).

However, I would consider Flipping Out a surprising success. Ok, it’s not as good as Shear Genius, and I doubt it will have all the drama that was packed into Workout Season 2. But all the individual elements of this new show seem to be coming together quite well. I want more lists! I want to see more of Jeff wearing his perfectly ironed shirts! I want to see more of Jenni dancing (not rapping) and working in the studio! I want to see a shirtless Ryan working on something—anything! Yeah, I’m already looking forward to the next episode.

Ryan Speaks

Ryan is a certified hottie. We didn't get to see much of him in this episode. But I'm sure he'll get more air time next week. Ryan is Jeff Lewis' business partner and ex-boyfriend. Yep, that's a recipe for disaster.

Never Judge A Book By Its Cover (Top Chef 3, Reunion Special)

Bravo’s Watch What Happens special aired a few hours ago. It was nothing spectacular; Andy Cohen interviewed past and present Top Chef contestants. But I enjoyed seeing some past cheftestants talk about their experiences.

Ok, now let’s get down to business. I’m sure other bloggers are going recap the entire thing; so I’m just going to focus on two aspects of the show: tolerance and the importance of not judging a book by its cover! Please let me explain.

In most societies, it’s not easy being a fabulous harlot. Women of ill repute are often shunned by others. In some cultures, even a straight-laced gal who falls from grace one time can end up wearing a scarlet letter for life. It’s not easy being a whore.

I feel for these women. I really do. Out there somewhere is a prostitute with a heart of gold. Or a stripper who dutifully performs for disabled veterans. Or a desperate housewife who pays for her young gardener’s college education. I refuse to judge these women.

Anyway, at one point during the show, Andy read a comment submitted by a Bravo viewer.

How the hell can you cook anything with that Padma parading around. Christ, I’d eat anything off of her; I’d drink her bath water.

First, I was shocked to learn that heterosexual men actually watch Bravo. Interesting. The suits at Bravo sure knew what they were doing when they hired her. Yeah, sex sells. Anyway, at first, I was concerned for our Padma. For a brief moment, it appeared that Padma’s sexuality was on trial. Here’s the evidence.











It’s undeniable; our beloved Padma is asking for trouble. However, just when I had given up hope, an angel appeared on the screen. No, he wasn’t an angel, he was more like a deity—a gay deity with impeccable taste. It was my personal hero Tim Gunn. He said of Padma,

I love Padma’s style! Padma is who she is, and if risqué is the way she wants to be, risqué is how she should be. Padma, keep it up.

Then, fellow judge Tom Colicchio added,

In Padma’s defense, she’s not cooking in that kitchen.

While all this was going on, former cheftestant Sandee was jumping up and down like a teenage boy at a Jessica Simpson concert. She must have heard the news that Padma was leaving her husband. Oh, one can only imagine the types of thoughts that were in her head at that very moment.



Sandee immediately offered the object of her affection the following words,

She’s a pleasure when she comes in the kitchen . . . she comes in and it brightens our day.

How touching. Of course, Padma was allowed to speak in her own defense. She said,

It doesn’t matter; all I have to do on the show is think, speak, and eat; and I’m dressed perfectly for those three tasks . . . people don’t know this, but Gail’s actually much more, uh . . .

I’m the real slut is what she’s trying to say.

Finally, the truth was revealed. So, it turns out that Padma may look like a slut, but she’s really just a misunderstood beauty. Seriously, if she wanted, she could dress that way in Bollywood and still play an innocent virgin who saves herself for the right man. But, instead, she’s a reality star here in the States. And I think she’s doing us a favor. You know, I’d pay to see her dancing in one of those Bollywood dance numbers. Yes, I’d love that. Anyway, now we all know who the real whore is; don’t we, Gail?

This reunion special taught me many valuable lessons. The most obvious lesson is to never judge a book by its cover. But, the most important lesson of all is that we should be tolerant of everyone. Even harlots need a little love.

Kathy Griffin: Red-Headed Oprah