Deanna Couras Goodson's Blog

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Jerry Springer appeared on Good Morning America yesterday (Wednesday, February 21, 2007) and announced the celebrities who will be appearing on the fourth season of Dancing With the Stars. Springer himself was a contestant last season. He was partnered with Aussie hoofer, Kym Johnson.

The celebs and their partners are: boxer Laila Ali (Maksim Chmerovskiy), singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus (Karina Smirnoff), former NBA player Clyde Drexler (Elena Grinenko), singer/actor Joey Fatone (Kym Johnson), ex-Miss USA/game show hostess Shandi Finnessey (Brian Fortuna), talk show host Leeza Gibbons (Tony Dovolani), model turned activist – and soon to be ex-wife of Paul McCartney – Heather Mills (Jonathan Roberts), 5-time Olympic medalist Apolo Anton Ohno (Julianne Hough), actor Vincent Pastore (Edyta Sliwinska), supermodel Paulina Porizkova (Alec Mazo) and actor Ian Ziering (Cheryl Burke).

For more info on the stars and their partners, click HERE. The fourth season of DWTS premieres on Monday, March 19 at 8pm ET.

Britney Spears checked into Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Rehab center in Antigua last week. A day later, she checked out. She returned to Los Angeles, shaved off all her hair – reportedly because K-fed told her he’d have her hair tested for ‘illegal substances’ and re-entered rehab. Now, Kevin is heading to court with his attorney for an emergency hearing. Speculation is high that he’s seeking full custody of the boys.

On a lighter note, Trista and Ryan Sutter met and fell in love on The Bachelorette. They got married in a two-hour special which aired on ABC back in 2003. Now, the happy couple is going to have a baby. Trista told People magazine, “We are so happy after two years of trying.”

Trista, who told Ryan after he returned from a mountaineering trip in Argentina, is currently 14 weeks along. She’s experiencing “horrendous morning sickness.” The couple expects their little bundle to make his or her debut sometime this summer.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Paris Hilton visited Austria. She hit the Alpine slopes for a pre-birthday treat. She was in Vienna at the invitation of Richard Lugner, a 74 year old married 'construction magnate' to attend the Vienna Opera Ball. Apparently, the "Stars are Blind" singer is not a fan of this musical genre. By all account, she looked bored and was caught "resting her head in her hands, absentmindedly flipping through the program and fiddling with her mobile phone."

On Friday, the celebutante made her way to Las Vegas and a birthday bash at the Hard Rock's Body English, an uber cool club. The 26 year old sported some weird-looking, red marks on her chest according to gossip rag, TMZ.

She spent the night with her beau, Stavros Niarchos. Jamie Foxx, Pink, Carey Hart and Ludacris were all present for the festivities.

Wanna see a slideshow? Click here!

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Tiffany “New York” Pollard found the time to chit-chat with wrestler, Viscera, on WWE.com’s Superstar to Superstar. She says that “it’s just glorious living in the moment.” Perhaps, a big reason for that is ‘cuz New York has found love. After being ditched not once, but twice, but Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav, New York has finally gotten the opportunity to be with a man who’s really feeling her.

New York is in love with the winner of her reality TV show, I Love New York, which is currently airing on Vh-1. Unfortunately, New York couldn’t say who the lucky dude is – and the two haven’t had any physical contact since the show wrapped in the fall. However, they do keep things “spicy” by sending “dirty pictures” back and forth via their cell phones.

She admits that this could really be the real thing and has used the “M-word,” but laughs that "Something like that is not gonna happen until I'm a lot older and grayer."

New York tells the New York Post, appropriately enough, that fame hasn’t changed her. "I've always been fabulous, I've always been over the top, I've always marched to my own beat.” She also defends her show, saying it’s “not garbage, it’s well-rounded and if the kids are watching it then the parents are watching it and if something risqué happens, I hope they’re there to kind of explain not to do it.”

However, Tiff preferred being on Flav’s show than doing her own because she “liked competing with the other girls.”

Don’t count Miss NY out of the reality TV game anytime soon, folks. Tiffany wouldn’t mind doing a show with her new love based on the My Fair Brady concept. Of course, she would want her loverboy to “be comfortable” with the idea, but she’d “encourage him to say yes.”

Mr. Boston, Whiteboy, Tango, 12-Pack, Real, and Chance are still in the action on I Love New York. Don’t forget to check it out on Vh-1 each Monday at 9pm ET or read the latest recap here at Suite101.com.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Cheryl Burke has appeared on two seasons of ABC’s smash reality-hit Dancing with the Stars. The 22 year old dancing diva, who is of Filipino/Irish/Russian descent, won both of the seasons she was on. No other dancer worldwide has repeated that feat. (DWTS franchises air in other countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Ecuador, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Spain and Sweden.)

First, she was paired up with Drew Lachey (and made headlines with a short-lived romance with his big brother, Nick – post-Jessica, of course). Then, she and Emmitt Smith hoofed their way to the top in Season Three.

Now, Burke has found love with another castmate’s brother. This time, Burke is dating Matthew Lawrence (27). He’s the younger brother of Joey Lawrence. Joey was partnered with Edyta Sliwinska and finished in third place during Season Three.

People magazine reports that “They are definitely together,” and “Cheryl is very happy.” Apparently, the two didn’t start hanging out together until the DWTS tour started. They were spotted dancing at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa after the tour wrapped up in Atlantic City. Later on, Cheryl supposedly ordered a cake, champagne and strawberries to be delivered to her room. The cake said “Happy Birthday Matt.”

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

I love Flavor of Love just as much as anyone. I sat through two seasons and enjoyed myself immensely. I am currently watching – and recapping – spinoff #1, I Love New York, for y’all here. I will recap spinoff #2, Charm School, too.

Charm School, in case you hadn't heard, takes some of Flav’s divas from both seasons and teaches them some manners. Comedian Mo’Nique (Fat Chance, The Parkers) totally has her work cut out for her. (And I can't wait!) Hopefully, they'll have a special class on not pooping in the house.

I thought both of these spinoffs were fantastic ideas. Now, I’m wondering if Vh-1 is dipping into the Flavor pool once too often. C’mon, how many ways can you twist this idea around without getting redundant – or boring?

Well, Vh-1 has decided they’ll try at least once more. Why not? Three times the ‘charm’ so to speak, right?

In July, the network that used to show videos exclusively – those were the good old days – will begin airing a total of ten episodes of Rock of Love with singer/songwriter Bret Michaels of Poison. Poison is an 80s hard rock/glam metal band that had hits with “Talk Dirty to Me” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”. (Yes, I am a fan.)

Mr. Michaels is looking for love with a lady who understands that his first love is performing. She has to be beautiful and secure. She can’t be the jealous type. This, coming from a man who made a video with Pamela Anderson.

Good luck finding her, Bret. I'm sure I'll wind up watching.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

In the late 80s and all throughout the 90s, boy bands reigned supreme. They were at the top of the charts and on top of the world. Vh-1 is bringing four former boy-banders out of retirement (whether it’s self-imposed or not), putting them in a house – they’re hanging in Chris Kirkpatrick’s crib in Orlando, y’all - and filming them for a month.

The dudes have formed a boy band supergroup called Sureshot. They’ll work on writing, performing and producing their music, with the help of music industry professionals and their manager, Katie McNeil in the Vh-1 series.

Sureshot has already performed during halftime at an Orlando Magic game (January 23, 2007) and at the Mansion in Miami, FL (January 30). The show was shot for over a month and ended on February 2, 2007. The show is set to air in July 2007.

So, who’s in it?

Chris Kirkpatrick – formerly of ‘N Sync, Kirkpatrick was known for being the oldest member of the world-famous boyband (He was born in 1971). Recently, he’s done the voice of Chip Skylark on The Fairly Odd Parents and started his own clothing line.

Rich Cronin – the front man of LFO (Lite Funky Ones) used to date Jennifer Love Hewitt and sing about Summer Girls. He’s also battled leukemia and released an album in 2006 with a band called Loose Cannons.

Bryan Abrams – formerly of Color Me Badd, Abrams has been married and divorced twice. His exes have alleged that he has failed to pay child support. Bryan, for his part, would rather contend with that in court than in the press. He, Jordan Knight, fellow Sureshot-er, Jeff Timmons and other boyband luminaries recorded a tune called Believe to aid Hurricane Katrina victims back in ’05.

Jeff Timmons – Timmons founded 98 Degrees with his pals Nick and Drew Lachey. He’s also divorced and shares custody of his two young children. Jeff has toured as a solo artist with Jim Brickman and his 2004 CD, Whisper That Way, hit the adult contemporary charts. In 2006, Timmons was arrested for DUI in Brevard County, Florida. He’s also slated to host Vh-1’s version of Top of the Pops.

Want to learn more about Sureshot, check out their page at MySpace.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Anna Nicole Smith passed away on Thursday February 8, 2007. Speculation is high that the former Playmate of the Year succumbed to drugs. However, the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office will have the final say in that matter. They’re currently doing an autopsy on the body.

Anna Nicole was at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino when she collapsed. A bodyguard tried to revive her. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Her companion, Howard K. Smith was not with her at the time although he traveled to Florida with her. Her child, Danielynn Hope, remained in the Bahamas.

* * *

Katharine McPhee has a natural affinity with coming in second. The reality TV darling finished behind Taylor Hicks on the fifth season of American Idol. Now, her highly-anticipated debut album has earned the number two spot on the Billboard 200 album sales chart. She’s a step behind Norah Jones and one step ahead of another season five Idol, Chris Daughtry.

Katharine’s self-titled CD sold 182,000 copies in its first week out. Taylor Hicks’ self-titled debut, also hit #2 its first week out back in December 2006. It sold 298,000 copies, but who's comparing?

* * *

Jessica Simpson swears she’ll never do another reality TV show again. However, she denies that the cameras, which followed her and ex-hubby, Nick Lachey, around for their MTV series, Newlyweds, contributed to the divorce. Here’s what she had to say:

“No. I do not agree with that. We had a really good time until the last week in the last season when we were just over having all the cameras around. You become anxious, always thinking someone is watching you. It's like being bugged and everyone knows your every conversation... No more reality TV for me!"

Jessica would also like to be more like Angelina Jolie. She is very impressed with Angie’s humanitarian work and wants to pledge support to orphanages. She has admitted that she will probably adopt a child too at some point.

Hey, Jess, how about some acting lessons too?

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Lauren Conrad has just turned 21. The gal, who first shot to fame on MTV’s Laguna Beach and is currently starring in a spin-off centered around her, has obviously recovered nicely from her split with ex-Princes of Malibu hunk (and former Nicole Richie flame) Brody Jenner – rumor has it that Lindsay Lohan currently has her sights set on him - and is moving forward with her career.

The fashionista has just signed a contract with mark, “the boutique beauty and fashion brand from Avon.” The mark product line is geared towards younger women. It was launched in 2003. You can check it out online at http://www.meetmark.com.

Lauren will be featured “in the brand's magalog (a combination magazine and catalog reaching over six million customers every month), and in the online community.” She’ll also collaborate in both ‘beauty and fashion initiatives’ – whatever that means.

Here’s the press release for more info on that.

LC, who’s been hanging around New York during Fashion Week – she was spotted at the Heatherette show and backstage at the W Lifestyle Lounge before the Luca Luca show, told the New York Daily News that she is not interested in acting as a career. She had a small role in Epic Movie and is not looking to hit the big screen again anytime soon.

As she says, "I don't want to act…I don't enjoy it, and I can't make a career out of something I don't really like. It's not that fun, and I'm not that good at it."

LC also dishes about her heart-breaking separation from her first love, Jason Wahler, in the March issue of CosmoGirl, "Breaking up with Jason was the hardest thing I've ever done. I still wanted to be with him but I knew that I couldn't be."

She admits that she was lucky to have her best pal, Heidi Montag to help her through the experience. "It was important for me to know that I could still have a good time without a boyfriend. I slept in her bed for a month because I couldn't go into my room. The only thing that heals a broken heart is time. But it really helps hanging out with your girlfriends as much as possible."

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

RockStar might have helped revitalize INXS’ career. However, the same can not be said for RockStar: Supernova. The Tommy Lee driven vehicle is struggling under weak ticket and album sales. Of course, the band, which chose Lukas Rossi to be its frontman, hasn’t had an easy ride of it.

First, they had troubles with their name. Another band had rights to Supernova. Hence, the moniker RockStar: Supernova. Then, they faced a major setback with the loss of bassist Jason Newsted. During rehearsals for their tour, Newsted busted the rotator cuff in his shoulder. He required surgery for the injury.

The band’s self-titled album was released on November 21, 2006. So far, sales have been dismal. It’s also failed to produce a Billboard Top 100 hit. Currently, the band is touring with Dave Navarro’s The Panic Channel and Toby Rand’s Juke Kartel. Venues have been hardly selling out…and critics pan the group at every tour stop, it seems.

However, Lukas remains positive about the band’s future. As he told the Boston Herald, “I’ve done a thousand interviews and no one has asked about the next record. No one seems to get it. We’re going to be around a long time. We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with. And I’ll tell you this, there’s going to be a lot more of me on the next record.”

* * *

Dilana, who has hooked up with RockStar: Supernova on several of its tour dates, is still rocking it out. The lady with the smoky, sultry voice was taken to task for her ‘honesty’ on the show. The ballsy beauty told the DesMoines Register that American Idol “is the ultimate definition of cheesy.”

She is also hard at work on her new album. The as-yet unnamed disc will feature appearances by both Dave Navarro and Gilby Clarke as well as No Doubt’s Adrian Young. Dilana has no regrets about doing RockStar: Supernova. As she mentioned to theLantern before her gig last week at OSU, "It's the best move I made to get my music and my voice out there. I want to use my voice not only for singing but for getting a voice out there for a generation."

* * *

Although RockStar: Supernova couldn’t wait for Jason Newsted to recuperate before heading out on tour – they replaced him with former Black Crowes’ bassist, Jonny Colt - Jason is not without a rock n’ roll home these days. The former bassist for Metallica will continue to work with Canadian metal legends Voivod. The band will not release its new album until Newsted is fully recovered and can lay down his tracks.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

I love Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance. In both 2005 and 2006 I watched the Oxygen network air the two-hour specials. For those of you who don’t know what Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance is, you’re in for a treat. Mo’Nique, the plus-sized Queen of Comedy and former star of The Parkers, chooses a group of lovely, full-figured ladies to compete in a unique beauty competition. These women are not like your standard beauty queens. Neither is the average American woman, myself included.

F.A.T. takes a word that is derogatory to many and gives it a new – and sexy – spin. Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. means ‘Fabulous and Thick’. A woman who heads to her beauty pageant will learn to appreciate her curves – and rolls if she’s got ‘em. She’ll discover that beauty isn’t a number as in a number on a scale, y’all.

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and the F.A.T. beauty will not be ignored no more. Oxygen has seen the specials put up some serious ratings numbers. Now, they are going to let Mo’Nique take a new crop of her babies and turn them into beauty queens. The gals are descending on Paris where they’ll vie for the title of Miss F.A.T.

The episodes will air in seven, one-hour installments. I will be watching – and recapping – it here for you.

To get updates on Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance in the meantime, check out this link.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Jennifer Hudson is on top of the world these days. She’s just won a Golden Globe award for her turn as Effie White in Dreamgirls. She’s nominated for – and favored to win – a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Jennifer, who will also sing during the February 25th telecast of the event, has agreed to sit down with Barbara Walters for a pre-Academy Awards show interview. We're expecting some serious tears, y'all.

She has also dished about her time on American Idol with Essence. The diva tells the mag that, "On American Idol, you go through this mental thing; you've got to get yourself back together. You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think." She further says that the show “brands you” and you “become a character”. She knew she “had to just sing [her] way out of it.”

Whoa!

In other Jennifer news, the diva will most likely reprise her role as Effie White on The Great White Way. Yup! Rumor has it that Jennifer’s in talks with producers who are eager to bring the musical back to Broadway – and eager to lend her sudden star power to the show.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

This is a piece of news I’m not sure I believe, but…US Weekly is reporting that Paula Abdul might be replaced on American Idol by Courtney Love. The widow Cobain, who had a rock band called Hole, can’t sing. She also has a history of drug addiction - and she’s a b*tch.

Okay, maybe I’m being rude.

Truth be told - Courtney is intelligent. She does know music and she certainly won’t coddle the contestants. The actress/rocker who starred in The People vs. Larry Flynt would certainly not be boring. She’d also be able to tell the rocker wannabe’s what works and what doesn’t. Hole is one of my favorite bands from the 90s, but not because the singing is amazing. Of course, Paula isn’t exactly world-renowned for her pipes, either.

Courtney did tell US Weekly that the producer Nigel Lythgoe called her office and asked if she’d sit in for Paula. However, it’s not certain whether this would be a permanent or temporary thing. Ms. Love, who is currently with Smashing Pumpkins singer, Bill Corgan, both personally and professionally, is also working hard on her first solo CD.

Stay tuned. We’re sure to hear more about this rumor soon!

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Fever Pitch was a 2005 romantic comedy by the Farrelly brothers (There's Something About Mary). In the film, a Red Sox obsessed fan (Jimmy Fallon) falls in love with a career obsessed gal (Drew Barrymore). Their relationship blossoms during the 2004 season in which the Red Sox actually won the World Series.

As a girl growing up in the Boston area, I dreamed of such a day. Not the falling in love part, but the Red Sox winning the World Series. Now, I have the best parts of that season immortalized on DVD.

Yes, I own this film, but why am I telling all of you this?

Well, the producers of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy are developing a reality TV show that’s more than loosely based on this film. It’s called Sox Appeal. In each episode, a Red Sox fan will be paired up with a different date for two innings at a time during the first six innings at Fenway Park while the cameras are rolling.

During the seventh-inning stretch, the ‘fan’ chooses who they want to spend the rest of the game in. Then, it’s up to the other person to decide if that’s cool with them.

The web site for the series is expected to be up and running in February and casting should occur sometime in April. The series, which is set to air on the Sox-owned cable sports network, NESN in July, will have eight episodes featuring dates and two dealing with the casting process.

Oh man! I’m going to have to ask my sister to tape these for me and mail ‘em all the way to Texas. Why did I ever move away?

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

After the chefs engaged in some serious misbehavior and attempted to shave Marcel’s head last week, Chef Tom Colicchio admits that he was very angry at the lot of them. What’s worse, he got the call to handle a ‘crisis’ on the morning of his birthday when his wife had just flown in to be with him!

Tom watched the tape, and according to his blog at Bravo TV, said that it “stunned” him. He says it best here:

After impressing us with their skills and professionalism earlier in the evening, it seemed the chefs had swung the pendulum as far as they possibly could in the opposite direction, undermining their efforts to date with a ridiculous -- even cruel -- act of juvenile intimidation.

Tom thought the other chefs who took part in the incident – Sam, Ilan and Elia – were just as guilty as Cliff. He wondered, like many of us, why no one ever said, “Cut it out!” to Cliff. He likened the event to hazing or a frat boy-style prank, an assessment which I think is dead-on. Tom also told the producers that he felt the rest of the chefs should go home and Marcel should’ve won the competition by default.

I’m of two minds on this. I don’t think Cliff was the only guilty party, but I’m not sure if Marcel is the most deserving to win this competition either.

Tom ends his post on a strong note by saying:

I lost a lot of respect for Cliff, Ilan, Sam and Elia after what they did (or didn't do.) Not as cooks, necessarily, but as people -- and thereby as chefs. Chef means "chief" in French, and “chief” implies someone who leads -- not by bullying or even popularity, but by example.

Here, here!

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Some people say she’s a fake. Others think she’s really in love with Flavor Flav. I say that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Deelishis, aka London Charles, is a hard-working lady who’s using the fame she earned from Vh-1’s Flavor of Love to move forward with her modeling career. However, Dee has also maintained that she and Flav are in some sort of a relationship. They’re just trying to see where it will lead.

Flav recently confirmed this sentiment on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. He told the talk-show host that he still ‘loves Deelishis’ and has met her family in Detroit. However, he made it clear that he’s not marrying “anybody”, joking “I’m too young to die.”

Flav is also going to be a daddy again. He is having his seventh kid with a girl he met between the first and second seasons of his smash-hit reality dating show.

Deelishis, for her part, has been hitting the appearance circuit. On Friday January 12, Dee emceed a mega rap fest in Louisville, Kentucky which featured Ludracris, Shareefa, Ka’Mon and DJ Unk.

Dee will also be heading to Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday January 27. She’s hosting a “Get Fresh Contest” for Frontstreet Entertainment in which a male and female winner will get two tix to see the Atlanta Hawks face the Miami Heat on March 21.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

In the past week, I’ve been reading and re-reading the coverage of UK’s Celebrity Big Brother. The reality TV sensation was talked about in Britain’s parliament – and just about everywhere else.

Jade Goody, a 25 year old former dental nurse who won Big Brother UK back in 2002, and a few of her housemates, former Miss Great Britain, Danielle Lloyd, and former S Club 7 singer, Jo O’Meara, had been sort of ganging up on another housemate, Shilpa Shetty. (Check out this row over OXO chicken stock cubes at You Tube for just a sample.) Shilpa is a 31 year old actress from India. She’s made quite a splash in Bollywood.

The housemates, including Goody’s mum, Jackiey Budden, were very unkind to Shilpa. She was called a ‘dog’, teased about her taste in food, the way she spoke English and much more. Some of it was to her face…much of it was behind her back. Jackiey, who's already been evicted, refused to say Shilpa's name, only referring to her as "the Indian."

Well, the British public was incensed – especially the sizeable minority of Southeast Asians that live in the UK. They immediately began flooding Ofcom, a media watchdog in Britain, with complaints of racism. Shilpa, for her part, has denied the the ‘attacks’ were racially motivated.

However, she hasn’t been privy to diary room stuff and hasn’t heard what was said behind her back.

Shilpa’s mum in India wanted her daughter to leave. Her manager advised her to come home. The man many expect to be Britain’s next Prime Minister – Gordon Brown – spoke out against the racism on the show and mentioned that Britains would not tolerate this. Brown had to cut his first trip India short in no small part due to this whole Big Brother controversy.

Jade Goody apologized to Shilpa. So did Danielle Lloyd. This was only after Jade was put up for eviction against Shilpa, who is now an odds-on favorite to win Celebrity Big Brother. It was also after Jade’s perfume Shh stopped being produced by manufacturers. (Note: In a twist of irony, the perfume is manufactured in India!) Danielle, a model, was also dropped by one of clients, a British insurance company.

Never before have I seen a reality TV show have more real-world consequences. India’s Tourism Office also extended an invite to Jade, who was evicted with 82% of the public vote without a live studio audience for fear of public attacks, and Danielle to visit India and experience the ‘healing nature of the country.’

Regardless, this story is hardly over. Danielle Lloyd, who has also been dumped by her beau, soccer player Teddy Sheringham, is expected to be shown the door next. After that, Jo O’Meara.

For coverage of this story, check out the ongoing reports at http://www.teamrt.com.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

CBS has finally announced the contestants who will be taking part in the eleventh edition of The Amazing Race. So, you can stop wondering whether Chip and Kim or Jonathan and Victoria made the cut!

Uchenna and Joyce Agu, who won TAR 7, are the only winners to make it as All Stars. Rob and Amber Mariano, who were on the same season and the Agus, will also be making a re-appearance. Rob, who first made reality TV waves on Survivor, said, “This time, we're getting first place. No more second. I'm sick of second place.”

From Season One, we have Team Guido (Joe Baldassare and Steve Bartek) and Drew Feinberg and Kevin O’Connor. Charla Faddoul and Mirna Hindoyan, who made waves in Season Five, will be returning. Hopefully, there won’t be such a focus on Charla’s diminutive size this time. She totally rocks! Mirna, on the other hand, I can do without.

Eric Sanchez and Danielle Turner, who appeared on Season Nine with different partners, have paired up as All-Stars. John Vito Pietanza and Jill Aquilino (Season 3), who were in love while competing the first time around, have since split as a couple but decided to do TAR for old times sake. It proves the old saying that "money is stronger than love," or something like that.

Rounding out the remaining contestants are:

Oswald Mendez & Danilo Jimenez (Season Two)

Teri Pollack & Ian Pollack (Season Three)

Dustin Seltzer & Kandice Pelliter (Season Ten)

David Conley Jr. & Mary Conley (Season Ten)

The Amazing Race All-Stars kicks off on CBS this February 18th. I can’t wait! Honestly, I might start watching TAR again.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Donald Trump has told FOX TV that he wants to fire Condoleeza Rice. He thinks she's a nice enough woman, but he doesn't want a nice woman running negotiations with other world leaders. He says she lacks the skill to properly negotiate for our nation.

Oh man!

First, Trump and Martha Stewart had a war of words. Then, he and Carolyn Kepcher parted ways. We all are unable to forget, of course, the Rosie-Donald-Barbara triangle of hate that's going on, right?

Now, he is sounding off against Condoleeza Rice. "Nice" isn't really a word many of us would use to describe the current Secretary of State, but hey...he's The Donald and while his show is lagging in the ratings, we suppose he's going to say just about anything he wants to.

Oh...and don't expect the problems with Rosie to subside anytime soon. It's been discovered the current Miss New Jersey is pregnant and has resigned. We bet the moral watch dogs at The View are laughing this one up...I sure am.

Hehe!

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Survivor’s fourteenth installment premieres on February 8th (I can’t wait, can you?). This season promises to have some twists and turns. There’s going to be not one, but two secret, hidden immunity idols on Exile Island and the winners of the first immunity challenge will get a big reward – the chance to live in a space that has all the survival goodies they need. The losers will get a machete, one water source, a pot and nothing else.

This is the first Survivor that will feature an odd number of contestants, 19. Do we smell another Final Three?

Here’s a brief intro to the contestants. Let’s meet them, shall we?

Alex Angarita is a 28 year old attorney. He was born in Colombia, attended Harvard Law School and was a member of the school’s boxing club. He’s an avid Family Guy watcher and lover of the works of Brazilian author, Paulo Coelho.

Anthony Robinson is 32 years old. He grew up in Compton where he was raised by his mother and grandmother. He attended Yale and received a Bachelor’s Degree in American Studies. He currently works as an expert witness locator for attorneys.

Kenward “Boo” Bernis is from Lafayette, LA. He is a construction worker and bar owner. He is an Olympic-style weightlifter and practices mixed martial arts. He loves football, snow skiing and Fruity Pebbles.

Cassandra Franklin is a 42 year old civil engineer who has worked for the University of California for 23 years. She is active in many charities and has been married for two years. She loves cookies, smoothies and her family.

Andria “Dre” Herd grew up homeless on the streets of Wilmington, NC. He has two children and is training hard to become a boxer at a gym owned by one of his brothers. He loves to play chess, watch Seinfeld and drink water.

Earl Cole is a composer and Senior Advertising Executive. He plays the saxophone, piano and guitar. He has a variety of interests and is as cerebral as he is athletic. He lists The Bible as one of his favorite books.

Edgardo Rivera was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico 28 years ago. He played on Puerto Rico’s Davis Cup tennis team. He loves to listen to hip-hop and read Maxim magazine. Chocolate chip cookies are his favorite.

Erica Durousseau earned a track scholarship to Grambling College in her home state of Louisiana. She was displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina. She is a youth market director and manages fundraisers. She refers to herself as ‘confrontational.’ Erica loves the color yellow, Flavor of Love and Iyanla Van Sant books.

Gary Stritesky is 55. He lives in Ramsey, MN with his wife of 34 years. This father of four has competed in inline skate marathons. He also loves to bike and canoe. He loves to nosh on Cool Ranch Doritos and drinks root beer.

James Reid is a Boston native and former member of the US Navy. He’s also a bartender and loves sports such as football and wrestling. He describes himself as a ‘man’s man.’

Jessica deBen hails from New Orleans. She’s a fashion stylist/makeup artist. She was also a body painter for Disney’s Lion King show in Orlando. She loves badminton, Monopoly and hiking.

Liliana Gomez is the second oldest of eight children in a Mexican-American family living in Oxnard, CA. She’s a loan officer and former assistance for handicapped children. The 25 year old loves the outdoors, lilies, Latin music and Mojitos. She’s also a former Marine who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lisette “Lisi” Linares works as a customer service representative for a psychic services company. She hopes to be the Mayor of Miami, her hometown, someday. She’s of Cuban descent and enjoys eating tortilla chips and salsa.

Michelle Yi is a senior at the University of Cincinnati where she studies fashion design. She’s 23 and loves 80s pop music, The Amazing Race and John Steinbeck books.

Mookie Lee was born in Seoul, Korea and is a program manager for an internet loan company. His family is very important to him. He also loves basketball, skiing, golfing, and Cocoa Puffs.

Rita Verreos is the sister of Project Runway 2’s Nick Verreos. She’s 38, a single mother of two and a former finalist in the Miss Venezuela pageant. She’s a former fashion model who appeared in the film, Marked for Death. She loves her home basketball team, the San Antonio Spurs, and loves to play Barbie Fashion Designer with her kids.

Stacy Kimball was born in South Korea and was adopted at the age of six months. She was brought up in Montpelier, VT. Kimball received a BFA in Graphic Design from the Ai Miami International University of Art and Design. She’s 27 and works to create innovative web content for national clients. She loves to knit and make jewelry.

Sylvia Kwan hails from Hong Kong. She moved to the Los Angeles at the age of 8. She has a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the founder and Chairman of an award-winning architectural firm in San Francisco. Kwan and her hubby of 26 years have two children. She loves tennis, golf and skiing. She watches The Apprentice and enjoys books by authors such as Joyce Carol Oates and Jane Austen.

Yau-Man Chan is 54. He was born in Malaysian Borneo and received his Bachelor’s degree from MIT. He also has a Masters of Science degree and works as a Director of Information Systems for The University of California, Berkeley. He loves to play table tennis and read. He likes to snack on shrimp chips and M&Ms.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

The Real World begins production in Sydney, Australia for its nineteenth installment. The reality TV show is often credited with jump-starting the genre. Each season, the series heads to a new locale. So far, The Real World has taken seven strangers and thrown them in houses together in places like New York, Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia and Austin.

Currently, The Real World Denver is airing on MTV and is the most popular show on cable among the 12-34 demographic. So far, 74 million people have tuned into the Denver edition.

Lois Curren, executive VP of MTV Series Entertainment had this to say in a company press release, “The Real World’s global appeal has always been about giving the audience access into the lives of the diverse cast of characters as they deal with living in a foreign environment, and we’re happy to take the show abroad for the next season. The rich, dynamic culture of Sydney is the perfect backdrop for a new season that will undoubtedly satisfy its loyal fan base as well as attract legions of new viewers.”

In other Real World news, Jewel, the world-famous singer who’s currently appearing as the host of Nashville Star, told the New York Daily News that she once had an opportunity to be on the show. She declined the offer because she “didn't want to be known as the girl from The Real World.” Ouch!

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Paula has finally opened up … a bit about the difficult time she faced when former contestant Corey Clark alleged that he and the Straight Up stunner had a fling. She tells sources that Simon came to her defense and was “extremely distraught and protective and supportive of me when that happened.”

Paula says that she and the crotchety Cowell generally “get along just great.” However, when he’s annoyed or upset, she gets “the brunt of it.”

She gets it right when she says that they have a chemistry “that you can't duplicate or describe.”

Paula also mentions that she’s got no plans to leave American Idol anytime soon. “If people don't mind seeing me with a full head of gray hair, but by then I don't know if I'll have so many nervous twitches that my body will get in the way of watching the talent.”

Paula is also spreading her wings these days. She’ll start in and be an executive producer of Bratz: The Movie. It’s a live-action feature that’ll bring to life those adorable – and slutty – baby dolls that almost every little girl has. Shooting is slated to begin in February and the film will be released in August 2007.

My daughter and I can’t wait!

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

On September 4, 2006 the world was shocked when the news leaked that Steve Irwin, aka “The Crocodile Hunter”, passed away. He was stung by a poisonous sting ray while shooting footage for a documentary. That documentary entitled Ocean’s Deadliest will finally air on the Discovery Channel on January 21, 2007.

Footage relating to Steve’s accident and death will NOT be shown. That footage was given to his widow, Terri, and has since been destroyed.

Meanwhile, Bindi Irwin, Steve’s 8 year old daughter, who made quite a sensation with her poignant and beautiful speech at his funeral (click here to see it), is heading to the US where she’ll speak at the National Press Club in Washington, DC and appear on The Ellen Degeneres Show and The Late Show with David Letterman.

Bindi will also star in a 26-part series that will air later this year on the Discovery Kids Network. It’s entitled Bindi: The Jungle Girl.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

If you’ve been reading this blog since the beginning, you know I’m a fan of the reality TV Rockstar franchise. I loved the INXS season and thought that Dilana dodged a bullet by not winning the gig. Don’t get me wrong – I think Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted and Gilby Clarke are mega-talented, but I just didn’t see this thing they’ve created running smoothly. They’re not going to be a legendary rock band like Metallica, Guns N’ Roses or Metallica, three bands that have featured each of these three rock aficionados.

I certainly wasn’t planning to buy the CD or catch one of their concerts. When I heard that Newsted was out due to a shoulder injury – he’s been replaced for the time being by Johnny Colt of the Black Crowes - and the band sort of snubbed some of the acts like Storm Large and Magni Asgeirsson, who totally rocked it out, I was even less thrilled about this thing called Rockstar Supernova. Not to mention the whole name issue - remember they wanted to be just Supernova, but someone else had rights to the moniker? How poorly planned was this 'thing'?

But back to the issue at hand. Rockstar Supernova is on tour right now. The tour dates are below. (To get tix, check this link out.)

Rossi, the lead singer who was crowned on Reality TV, said that he had a “feeling of accomplishment” after the first show on New Year’s Eve. He also mentioned that “I think the band gave it 110 per cent. I think we just brought it as best we could, man. And it's going to get better. This is the first show of the tour, so it's taking baby steps."

Considering the band only had about two weeks of rehearsal time before the tour began, we guess it’s not so bad. Perhaps, those ‘glitches’ will work themselves out.

However, critics were less hopeful. Many wished that the band played some hits from their previous – and successful – bands. According to the Calgary Sun, the band “delivered a loud, if somewhat uneven, hour-and-20 minute set.” The Edmonton Journal panned Rossi as “almost savant-like in his ability to turn off, even alienate, a crowd. Lacking sense, taste, coherency, humour, edge and timing, his awful between-song banter obliterated any momentum Lee and the lads could muster.”

This article goes on further to say that the band better improve fast or they’ll face a “harsh, new reality”. Ouch!

December 2006

31 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint

January 2007

16 - Hollywood, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Live

17 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live

19 - Norfolk, VA - Constant Convocation Center

20 - Buffalo, NY - Shea's Performing Arts Center

23 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre

24 - Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall

26 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

27 - Wallingford, CT - Chevrolet Theatre

28 - Worchester, MA - DCU Center

30 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Spectrum

31 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall

February 2007

2 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center

3 - Rosemont, IL - Rosemont Theatre

5 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre

7 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena

8 - Minneapolis, MN - Roy Wilkins Auditorium

9 - Fargo, ND - Fargodome

11 - Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie

13 - Loveland, CO - Budweiser Events Center

16 - Portland, OR - Memorial Coliseum

18 - Everett, WA - Everett Events Center

19 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Queen Elizabeth Theatre

21 - Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena

22 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Arena

24 - Phoenix, CA - Cricket Pavilion

25 - San Diego, CA - Pala Casino

27 - Long Beach, CA - Long Beach Arena

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

January 10th

8pm (Armed & Famous) CBS

Armed & Famous turns celebs into crime fighters. Join Jack Osborne, LaToya Jackson, Erika Estrada, Trish Stratus and Jason “Wee-Man” Acuña as they go through the Police Academy and begin to patrol the streets of Muncie, Indiana. (*EDITOR’S PICK)

January 11th

8pm (The Rob & Amber Project) FOX Reality

Rob and Amber are heading back to reality TV. The young married couple, who met and got engaged during Survivor: All-Stars and ran The Amazing Race together, are heading to Las Vegas so Rob can realize his dream of becoming a professional poker player.

10pm (Nashville Star 5) USA

Follow Jewel and co-host Cowboy Troy as they look for the next big thing to hit the country music scene. The ten Season 5 finalists are: Meg Allison, Whitney Duncan, Angela Hacker, Zac Hacker, Tim LaRoche, Kacey Musgraves, Rickijoleen, Joshua Stevens, David St. Romain and Dustin Wilkes. Each week they’ll perform for you live at the legendary Acuff Theater.

January 15th

9pm (My Super Sweet 16) MTV

If you haven’t had enough of dramatic and spoiled teens who have to have the biggest, best and most expensive coming-of-age parties ever, then you’re in luck. MTV’s bringing you another season of tantrums, tragedy and terror. Yippee!

10pm (The Hills) MTV

LC (Lauren Conrad), a favorite from Laguna Beach, comes back for another season with her new LA-based friends. They’ve ditched their dudes. Yes, LC, Audrina, Whitney and Heidi are single and loving life…until some new guys enter the picture and create some serious drama. Will their friendships be able to withstand the strain?

January 16th

10pm (Real Housewives of Orange County) BRAVO

In Season 1, we learned that real housewives can be really, really hot. And no, they’re not all desperate. In season 2, we get to meet Kimberly, Jeana, Jo, Vicki and Lauri. They’ve graciously allowed the cameras into their homes and lives for a real look at a life of luxury, wealth and privilege that isn’t real – but we wish it were – for so many of us. We’ll see that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be…maybe.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Olivia Newton-John, the Aussie-born songstress who rose to fame as Sandy opposite John Travolta's Danny in the motion picture Grease, will guest star on the first two episodes of the NBC reality competition, Grease: You're the One That I Want. The series debuts January 7th at 8pm EST. Bravo will air reruns of the program on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm, Wednesdays at 12 AM, Thursdays at 11 pm and Fridays at 5:30 pm so you'll have plenty of opportunities to catch it.

Newton-John, who has won multiple Grammy Awards, will offer some "words of wisdom and advice" to the people auditioning to become one of the series' twelve finalists. After the first two episodes, which go behind-the-scenes of the nationwide casting search, the series takes the remaining contestants and sends them to Los Angeles to take part in "Grease Academy."

The top 12 performers at "Grease Academy" will perform the following weeks on live episodes until America eliminates all but two performers. The winners will earn the lead roles of Danny and Sandy on Broadway. They'll be part of the cast when it re-premieres in July of 2007.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Over on Suite 101's Accessible Travel topic, writer Jill Browne has posted a story about a surprise hit Dutch reality TV show called MISS Ability. The show was developed by a Dutch company called Absolutely Independent.

The show had top ratings – 25 percent of the viewers - in the Netherlands when it first aired, and now broadcasters around the world are buying the rights to make their own national versions.

MISS Ability is a beauty pageant for women with a visible disability. The show's concept has attracted some controversy: does it help or hurt persons with disabilities? Some say it's exploitation, some say it's empowerment.

As Browne pointed out in her article, the winner of the first competition in the Netherlands certainly didn't get a lot of glory from the show's promoters. The press release from Absolutely Independent announcing the winner had a story about the Dutch Prime Minister presenting her award, and inviting her to address the Dutch Parliament on disability issues. However, that same press release didn't even include the woman's name.

The show is bound to attract attention, and has reportedly been sold already in Britain, Germany and the U.S.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

Top Chef is a tasty, spicy blend of drama and food. It’s more challenging than Hell’s Kitchen and more entertaining. This season, the show got a new hostess – the lovely Padma Lakshmi (Did you know that she’s Salman Rushdie’s missus?) – and a new attitude.

The show has been a hit with Bravo viewers. It’s actually the number one rated food series in all of cable TV. (Take that Rachael Ray and Emeril Lagasse!) According to this press release, Laura Zalaznick, the network’s president, had this to say:

"The second season of 'Top Chef' has outperformed even our highest expectations both in ratings and the quality of this non-fictional competitive drama," said Zalaznick. "We look forward to discovering another group of culinary talents with the same passion for food and cooking with commanding personalities that make 'Top Chef' a must see every Wednesday night."

Top Chef 2 has increased its viewership by over 56% from the first cycle of the series. That’s impressive.

Casting for third cycle begins on January 14 in Dallas, TX. The series will also head off to Miami (Jan. 21), New York (Jan. 21), Las Vegas (TBA), Los Angeles (TBA) and San Francisco (TBA). See Bravo Casting for more information and an application.

Posted by Deanna Couras Goodson

January 3rd

8pm (Beauty & The Geek) CW TV

The third season of this Ashton Kutcher-produced series pits more intelligent geeks with less than brainy beauties. A competition occurs each episode in which one couple is eliminated. The previous two seasons are currently airing on MTV daily in case you want to check ‘em out.

January 7th

8pm (You’re the One That I Want) NBC

This new series brings Broadway to the small-screen. You’re the One That I Want is a talent competition that seeks to find the next Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko (parts made famous by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta on the big screen in Grease.)

9:30pm (The Apprentice: Los Angeles) NBC

The first episode premieres a half hour later than usual. Trump replaces Carolyn & George with his kids, Donald Jr and Ivanka. The series heads to LA and injects some new life with some Survivor-style twists and turns including a tent for the losing team.

10pm (Surreal Life: Fame Game) VH-1

How can you have an All-Star season of a show that features ‘celebs’? Hmmm? VH-1 doesn’t even attempt to answer this question for you. Actually, who cares? I mean with luminaries such as Vince Neil, Tawny Kitaen and Brigitte Nielsen competing in weekly challenges and living together…heck, I can’t finish the sentiment. I don’t care, but you can watch it if you wanna.

January 8th

8pm (Gay, Straight or Taken) Lifetime TV

How good is your ‘gay-dar’? Lifetime TV wants to know. They’ve set up this new reality dating game that has you guessing if the guys on the series are “GAY, STRAIGHT OR TAKEN.” Thank God I’m married! I sure as heck don’t miss the days of playing that game!

9pm (I Love New York) VH-1

This is what the Bachelorette would be if you took a dramatical diva with no ability to censor herself and throw in her opinionated, mean-spirited mama and 20 guys who are willing to really fight for the woman they want to love. This is a spin-off of Flavor of Love so you know it’s gotta be wild and crazy, y’all! (*EDITOR’S PICK)

(Note: All times are EST unless otherwise noted!)