Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Video Girls

I usually don't blog about VH1's Love & Hip Hop, because I don't watch it regularly. But I have seen many episodes from this season and last season. Last night's episode was so crazy, I really do need to address it.

There was a fight that may rival all other VH1 reality show fights - which is really saying something. It really wasn't the physicality of the fight that made it so major, but the pure unadulterated hate that set it off.

Video girl Kimbella, who hasn't made too many friends with her slutty-esque past, and video girl Erica, who isn't making any new friends with her shitty attitude, got into it in a big way. Yandy and Teairra were also there, but only as spectators. There has to be some unfinished business between Kimbella and Erica. The only explanation Erica can give for why she hates Kimbella so much is that Erica is paid to be a video ho and Kimbella does it for free. So Kimbella essentially makes Erica's job obsolete. I see the logic, Erica, but I don't understand where throwing drinks, pulling hair, and scratching each other's face comes into the picture.

It was so ugly, Kimbella, Yandy, and Teairra fled the scene and Erica called the cops. Now that's a first! The person who started the drama actually called the cops - for what reason, exactly, I have no idea.

This Erica girl needs to watch it. Her first scene in the restaurant with Yandy was actually fun. She's cute, funny, and can throw shade, but this fight was too much. I think she may be trying to be the Tami Roman of Love & Hip Hop, but this stunt just made her super unlikable, and made Kimbella look a lot better to the general viewing public. Can we say, "backfire"?!

What did you think of the fight? Watch it here. And tweet me!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Seeing White

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills have been serving up some GOOD drama lately, and last night's episode was no exception. I'm going with the advice column format again, so please let me know how you like it.

Kyle: Your White Party was stunningly beautiful, that goes without saying. I really saw you break down last night when faced with the idea of turning away Taylor, who seems to be falling apart herself. I can only imagine that you didn't want to hurt her more by telling her she couldn't come into the party, and thereby possibly breaking an already fragile woman in the process. However, you came at the situation in the wrong way. Like Chris Colfer said on Watch What Happens Live, you could have given Taylor a heads up about Camille being there and asked them both to steer clear of each other to avoid drama. I think you were pressured, not only by Adrienne and Lisa, but by Mauricio and Paul, to not allow Russell and Taylor into the party. As you feared, it didn't end well, and you were probably the one most hurt of them all. Kyle's grade for the week: B.

Adrienne: You were visibly and audibly terrified that you would be next to receive a threatening email from Russell, and I can understand why you would be. You have businesses and assets to protect, not to mention the ugliness of a situation like that. You were so adamant that Taylor knew about Russell's email, I have to assume that you have also tired of Taylor's inconsistent stories and unpredictable behavior. You got your way, Taylor was sent home, and you seemed beyond relieved. Usually, you're the peacemaker, but last night, you and Paul took a stand and didn't back down. I just wonder if you regret the way it came across in hindsight. Adrienne's grade for the week: C.

Lisa: I'd give you extra points just for letting us spend more time with Kevin Lee (still my boyfriend), but that wouldn't be fair. But I did enjoy your wedding-band-tryout scene. That was fun. At the White Party, you were pro-sending-Taylor-and-Russell-home, but you weren't as pushy about it, in my opinion. You did bring up the fact that Russell had sent you an email threatening to sue you first, a couple of times, actually, but no one quite reacted to that. I loved your reaction to Kim coughing in your face, which was quite disgusting. I would have tolerated you smacking her in the face, but we all know you're too classy for that. Lisa's grade for the week: B.

Camille: The drama was centered around you, but you couldn't have looked more calm. I really don't think you would have started anything with Russell or Taylor at the White Party, but you were the perfect card for Adrienne to play so that she could get Kyle to disinvite Taylor to the party. You seemed to be just fine, almost unaware that three of your castmates were in a tizzy over your email from Russell. I think if Kyle would have spoken to you, you would have told her to let Taylor and Russell in, and you would have kept your distance. And I think you would have made your friend Dedra keep her nose out of your business this time. Camille's grade for the week: A.

Kim: Oh, Kim. You're just out of control, aren't you? I don't think you took Paul's advice about reconsidering your prescriptions. In fact, you seem even more hopped up, if that's possible. Your talk with your daughters about keeping the drama to themselves really would have been useful for you at the White Party. I don't even mind you bringing your new man to the party, even though he was kind of awkward and didn't stop you from making a complete ass out of yourself. You seemed hell-bent on confronting Brandi, and you did just that. I gotta say, that scene made me laugh but not because it was funny, but because it was so cringey. Instead of quitting while you were ahead (somewhat), you just kept going and going and going. You became a 7th grade bully, and it wasn't pretty on you. I'm glad you checked yourself into rehab, because you seem like a good person - this just wasn't your night. Kim's grade for the week: F.

Brandi: Kyle didn't uninvite you, even though you two had a slap-a-thon at "your" house in Malibu on the last episode. I kind of admire your ability to bounce back after altercations with these women. The only nut you haven't cracked yet is Kim, and I gotta tell ya, you probably never will. I agree that your language is unnecessarily vulgar at times, and you get a little messy when you drink, but you have won me over to a certain extent. You handled Kim better than you have in the past, you let her vent, but you didn't take too much abuse from her. You said your piece and you thought she'd say hers and move on. But you have to remember who you're dealing with. You were wrong to say she was on meth at the game night, but you were right tonight in saying she has substance abuse issues. And thank you for bringing Jennifer Gimenez to the White Party because I love to just watch her face while all this craziness unfolds in front of her. Brandi's grade for the week: A.

Dana: I actually remembered you were in this episode, so that's a plus. However, your constant pandering and butt-kissing is insufferable. Oh, and you show off more than I did when I was 7 years old when my mom's friends would come over. Which is A LOT. I think you could be fun to hang out with, but your desperation is a major turn off. Calm the eff down, lady. Dana's grade for the week: D.

Taylor: I saved you for last for a reason. You were surprisingly subdued this week, which I suspect has something to do with being in your husband's presence the entire show. I understand you were still trying to keep a lid on the pot that was boiling over, as you put it on Watch What Happens Live. Your response to being kicked out of a party you hadn't even entered yet was heart-breakingly calm, but there was a sadness and anger just below the surface that I saw when you smiled and told Kyle to enjoy her party. I think you had to play the part of the adoring wife just back from a lovely Vegas holiday with her husband, and to get such a negative reception at the party (that your closest friend was throwing) had to be slap in the face. No pun intended. When you and your husband got in the limo, and Kyle was pleading her case, I feel you were still playing the part you felt you had to play. I've been tough with you this whole season, but I'm giving you some slack this week, because I can't even imagine how angry I'd be if I were in your shoes in this episode. Oh, and Jennifer from Basketball Wives called, she's pissed off that you stole her peacock earrings. Come on, you know I had to say it. Taylor's grade this week: B.

Watch What Happens Live was a Glee-ful spectacular, with Lea Michele and Chris Colfer. The show was a lot of fun, and both guests are obviously Housewives fans. In fact, Nene is going to make an appearance on Glee! Bloop bloop! Lea revealed on the After Show that she wants to marry Albie from the Jersey franchise, which I totally cosign on. Check out the After Show here. This was the last WWHL of the season. and starting January 8th, we'll get to hang out with Andy Cohen five nights a week! I can't wait!

What did you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Definition of "Gold Digger"

I'm gonna do things a little differently for this week's episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta, so let me know how you like it. It's going to be an advice column/Dear Abby/critique type of situation.

Kandi: Country music is definitely a fun departure for you. I am also glad you're doing the Kandi Factory!!! This is going to put you above and beyond!! I do want to see you do more of your own music, because your album was FIRE! But, there's a time and a place for that, maybe later on. I suggest doing some dance tracks and getting your disco diva game on and popping. Also, you handled that Marlo mess with grace and sophistication. Her simple ass couldn't understand the fact that she blew up her own spot on your show by saying she got her money from God, when she really meant that she got it from sleeping with wealthy men. You should have asked her about all her mugshots. Kandi's grade for the week: A.

Cynthia: You have got to get yourself together, honey. I like you a lot, but you need to let your sister go and hire a real assistant, who's not related to you. Get someone straight out of college, some young'en who's detail oriented, and who won't try to hassle you about your marriage. I really don't like it when people call you dumb (Wendy Williams, I'm looking at you), but when you let things get out of hand (and say "peeper" instead of "people"), you don't help your case. As far as your problems with Peter, you've already confirmed that y'all are still together, so obviously you two are sticking together, which I love. I don't know why, but I love me some Peter! He's real, he's messy, and he's passionate. I wish he were more considerate of you, but I do see the love between you two, and I am rooting for you as a couple. Cynthia's grade for the week: C.

Nene: Is it just me, or do we just see you arriving at parties the last couple of episodes? Not that I don't LOVE your grand entrances, because I do! And I love love loved when you were laughing about Marlo talking about Big Papa in front of Kim. I also love that you're not intimidated or affected by anyone. Some may see that in a negative light, but I see it as standing on your own. So get it, girl, because you have nothing to be ashamed of. I would love to see you hosting tv shows and events, and I would also love an accessories line from you. Maybe shoes, too? Whatever you do, stay positive, stay true to yourself, and keep good people around you. Team Nene all the way! Nene's grade for the week: A.

Phaedra: Your breakup with Sheree was mature and kind. I'm proud of both of you. I think it takes a lot for women to agree to disagree, especially on a reality show, but I give both of you a lot of credit for doing that. You behaved yourself at the fashion school party, so that makes a couple weeks in a row that you didn't annoy the hell out of me. Keep it light and fun, and you'll be a fan favorite in no time. Phaedra's grade for the week: B.

Sheree: Like I said to Phaedra, congrats on the successful breakup. It was really encouraging. I don't really begrudge you going after the child support, I just think you need to be honest with yourself about how you got your money, and how you spend your money going forward. Just tone down the label dropping (Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino) or else I'm gonna have to start calling you Dana. Sheree's grade for the week: B.

Kim: I think your new house is stunning. Your baby is adorable. You're lucky to have such an amazing circle of family and friends around you. But your language around your kids is absolutely disgusting, and come on, pumping your breasts while driving??? Please tell me you did that for the cameras. Oh and going in on Marlo being a gold digger? What's your little phrase at the top of the show, again? "People call me a gold digger". Yes, because you are. You know exactly what that is, because you lived it. Don't you dare put someone else down for doing the exact same thing as you. Kim's grade for the week: D.

Watch What Happens Live was a lot of fun with Sheree and Lawrence. I was really impressed with Sheree's answers to viewer questions, and she clarified why she's fighting for child support. I did like her answer, and it makes me a little more sympathetic to her cause. Lawrence was AMAZING on the show. Especially the after show. He READ Ms. Phaedra the HOUSE DOWN!!!! Check it out here.

What did you think of this episode and this new format? Tweet me!!

The Sole Survivor

Survivor ended on Sunday, and I have to say, I was very disappointed with this season's contestants.

Here's why. Ever since the season started, I was rooting for the newbies. I like the idea of an All Star Survivor, but when veterans come back to play with first-timers, it's not a true Survivor game. It should be an all newbie season or an All Star season, not both.

The season turned out so predictably, it was ridiculous. Ozzy continued to dominate Redemption Island, and got back in the game. He won the first immunity challenge, and Sophie broke down at Tribal when she heard some not so nice things said about her courtesy of Ozzy. I have always liked Sophie - she's smart and sharp, but she can be a bit of a brat at times. However, she's been a lot more tolerable than say, Brandon, Coach, or even Ozzy at times. Does anyone else remember when Ozzy was being a total douchebag?

Anyway, Sophie wins the next immunity challenge, so it's Ozzy's turn to leave and become a part of the jury. Coach had previously told Ozzy that he would take him to the final three, but truthfully, Coach told everyone that. So he stabbed Ozzy in the back and sent him packing, leaving Coach, Sophie, and Albert in the top three.

I noticed that Survivor doesn't do the whole "remember the entire cast" journey thing they used to make the top three do on past finales. I'm not complaining, though.

My favorite part of the finale is always the jury's questions for the finalists. It always makes me laugh how bitter some of them are, and others just say what we're all thinking. But this time, no one really gave us good snark, I have to say.

Albert was really never in the race, the jury just did not care for him. He was actually referred to as "sneaky". It was really between Coach and Sophie. Coach really was the mastermind/puppetmaster this season, but when he was confronted about being deceitful, he apologized and said he was playing to win and lost his spirituality along the way. Sophie made no apologies and took credit for many of the decisions that kept Upolu strong till the end. She really did make the more compelling argument, and it paid off, because the jury decided to give her the million instead of Coach.

Now here's my take on it. Coach certainly was the leader of Upolu, and he convinced his tribe to treat him like some kind of deity. Well, most of them. But, Coach messed up when he didn't own his game. In front of the jury, he should have stood up for himself and said, "Yes, I deceived all of you. You all fell for it. And I deserve to win." And the whole praying/honor/integrity bullshit was just too much. Coach, you need to leave God out of your sorry Survivor game. You didn't win because people can tell you're not sincere.

Sophie, like I said, owned her game, even the social part, which she wasn't so great at, and the jury ultimately respected that.

I wish this season would have gone a different way. In my opinion, Christine had the best strategy of them all, GET RID OF THE VETERANS ASAP! WHY would the tribe keep a veteran around, follow him like a bunch of idiots, and let them get to the final tribal??? You're essentially giving them the million dollars! Just because they can help the tribe initially? Seriously? Just keep them around for the first few challenges, let them build the shelter for you, and then get them OUT. That's just my take on it.

The reunion was kinda lame, they kept talking about Brandon's family being ashamed of his performance, blah blah blah. His uncle Russell turned up to put him down in front of millions of people as well ... nice.

I hate that the reunion only hits on the favorites, and doesn't address the other story points. They should have spent more time talking to Christine, Mikayla, and Stacey. Oh and they just glossed over the whole Whitney/Keith situation, and didn't even MENTION that Whitney was MARRIED when she started her AFFAIR with Keith. Whatever. At least Cochran was entertaining, as usual. I really like him.

What did you think of the Survivor finale and reunion? Tweet me!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

WATCH MY NEW YORK VIDEO!


Prepare Yourselves!

Mob Wives is coming back for season 2, and these ladies are NOT JOKING!

Drita's taken up boxing, which is perfect for her, and divorcing Lee.

Renee is doing a full body makeover.

Karen is almost done with her book, causing trouble, and bringing her friend Ramona along for the ride.

Carla's husband is home, and she's still Team Drita.

You have to stop what you're doing and watch the trailer here!

I am so excited about this season!!!

Winter Wonderland on FOX

Tuesday night, FOX gave us their Glee and New Girl Christmas episodes. I'll blog about them together, since they were a perfect pairing for us viewers. 

On Glee, Artie embraced his director side and put on an old school holiday television spectacular, in black and white, and bubbling with 50s era kitsch. Rachel and Finn discovered the true meaning of Christmas (spoiler: it's not jewelry), and Sue Sylvester's heart grew a little. We also saw Sam and Rory's friendship blossom, I think we're witnessing a bonafide bromance, here. 

New Girl was super cute, complete with Schmidt in a sexy Santa costume. Jess has trouble with her boyfriend after he declares his love for her, and as always, Nick is there to make Jess smile in the end. I love the back and forth with Jess and Nick, don't you? Oh and Winston might be the perfect babysitter. 

What did you think of these episodes? Comment or Tweet me!

I Went to Stanford and Other Defense Tactics

On a special Tuesday night episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta, the big story is Sheree's child support battle with her ex husband, former NFL player Bob Whitfield. I'm going to go on a tangent here, so stay with me.

First, Sheree has been talking about not getting child support since SEASON ONE. For someone who is so no-nonsense, who-gon-check-me-boo, and get-yo-muh-f*ckin-teef-fixed, she's REALLY gun shy about getting this child support that's supposedly owed to her. There may be a very simple reason behind this: reports are out that Sheree defrauded Mr. Whitfield when it came to splitting up their assets at the time of their divorce. If this is the case, it would explain why Bob is so intent on not giving her a red cent. See the story here. (Thanks to http://stoopidhousewives.com.)

Now, if Sheree did take more than her fair share when the divorce happened, she had to have known that this would piss off her ex. That's the normal reaction in a bitter divorce: "You take my money in the divorce, guess what, you don't get anything else." I don't condone it, I'm just saying I understand it. Sheree isn't the most honest person, and she has had money issues in the past. Remember when her former lawyers took her brand new sports car as payment when she refused to pay? I'm sorry, that just speaks volumes to her character. Whether or not you win your case, pay your attorneys' fees, come on.

Bob is definitely immature. I mean, he actually stuck his tongue out at Sheree then skipped away outside the courthouse. But, as we heard 5 times, he went to Stanford. He does seem like a smart enough guy, although he's got one argument, and he's sticking to it: "She has money, so I'm not going to give her more. Done." Like I said, he's not incredibly mature or even well-mannered. But he knows Sheree's weak points, and he's going to exploit them as much as he can. Maybe that's what he majored in at Stanford?

Sheree has also painted herself into a corner. The mansion she's having built, the designer clothes, shoes, and bags, not to mention the brand new Porsche - all of these things suggest she's more than capable of providing for herself and her kids. This is definitely going to be a factor in court. Especially if some of her resources came directly from her ex, which she allegedly took without any legal right to do so.

It's almost as if she wants to have her cake and eat it, too. I couldn't agree with Kandi more when she said she had to just tell Riley's father to keep his money - and she started focusing on her own success and stopped trying to get him to do the right thing. In Kandi's situation, Riley's father isn't in her life at all. Kandi says that the court system in Atlanta is rigged against women, so she vindicated HERSELF, which is exactly what Sheree should be doing. Sheree's kids see their father, and I truly don't think he wants to deprive them of anything. I think he's making his point that Sheree already got her cut, essentially. I do think it's cowardly of him to intentionally not work and make less money on purpose. He shouldn't be content to downgrade just to teach Sheree a lesson. We're really just talking about two immature people who are both too stubborn to come to an agreement on such a serious issue.

I also understand why Sheree wants the child support - it's the law. Bob is required to pay child support. But if she wants him to do the right thing, she needs to do the right thing and either prove she took the assets legally or admit that she took them despite the divorce agreement. That way, at least, they could both come from an honest place and move forward on the same page. But Sheree has shown time and time again, she will not admit her wrongdoings.

I do feel for her in the courtroom - she's shaken and emotional, but I find it very difficult to believe that she didn't know what Bob was talking about and why he was bringing it up. Phaedra obviously didn't know, and should have grilled Sheree for not divulging this information sooner. And then, Sheree has the nerve to be upset with Phaedra for not having a comeback for Bob's motion??? Come on, Sheree, Phaedra is doing you a FAVOR representing you. You know your track record with lawyers. Phaedra, I'm glad you like that Porsche - you may be driving it soon. Oh, and I loved that Sheree was giving Phaedra's office the runaround with her check. That's the Sheree we know.

Phaedra is a lot more likable in this episode, partly because she's actually talking about something she knows. I take her a lot more seriously when she's in her element. And I'm not mad at her for giving Sheree a deal on her lawyers' fees. But Sheree better show a little more appreciation - that's all I'm saying.

And can someone PLEASE tell me what Sheree's JOB is? What does she do for a living? Where does she get her money from? Please, if someone knows, please tell me. Because that's also not helping her case - as far as I can tell all she does is work out, shop, and go to lunch. Nice work if you can get it.

Let's move on to Kim and the arrival of her new baby. I really don't even want to write about Kim because my opinion may upset some of you ... but I have to say it. She's the most crass, obnoxious, trashy woman on this show. I know, you're saying, "what about Nene?" Well, I've never seen Nene go on and on about her son's penis and curse like a sailor in front of her kids, parents, and baby's daddy. Kim is quite possibly the most annoying person on all the Housewives shows, and I'm putting her in the same category as Kelly Bensimon so that should tell you how I feel about her. I think it's the constant cussing and inappropriate language she uses. It's not even cute anymore. Then she has the nerve to tell her oldest daughter to help out more, as she's watching her assistant wash her wigs. Seriously? And those wigs are still hideous, by the way.

My major problem with Kim is her attitude - entitled, spoiled, and ungrateful. I can see Kroy slowly waking up in each episode. Yes, she really is like this all the time. No, she's not going to change. Yes, she really does talk like that with her parents in the room. Oh, and her dad is a little too talkative about breast feeding. Just saying.

I do feel bad for Brielle, Kim's oldest. She's clearly not happy with this whole new family situation. I can only hope she looks at it for what it is, her mom is dependent on a man for her happiness, and that's how she's always been. If not Kroy, then Big Papa, or someone else. Please learn from your mom's mistakes, Brielle, and don't turn into her. I'm begging you.

Sorry if that sounded mean, but Kim literally makes me sick to my stomach. I've never seen a woman so up her own ass. Oy.

We saw some more of Charles Grant and Marlo Hampton, and I'm not impressed by either one of them. I am glad Charles clarified that he and Nene did not have a relationship. So, that's settled. Next week, more Phaedra/Sheree drama and Cynthia has a bash for her modeling agency opening.

Let me know what you thought of this episode! Tweet me!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I Heart NY

So, as most of you already know, I went to New York last week, which is one of the reasons why I'm so behind on all my shows. I've been to New York about 4 or 5 times before, but the last time I was there was October of 2002. Needless to say, it had been way too long.

I must explain that my love of New York is inherited. My mother was born in the Bronx, and raised in the projects on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She is a true New Yorker, and she passed the New Yorkiness on to me in several forms, including colorful language and extreme pickiness with pizza. Every time we'd go to New York, my mom would slip back into her accent and I'd just listen to her in awe because I just want to talk like that so much.

My New York accent is getting better, by the way.

This time around, I went with my sister and some friends. We did some tourist-y stuff like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (where I met boxer Antonio Margarito's trainer, Robert Garcia).




But my personal highlight was being a part of the audience at Wendy Williams.

I requested tickets for the Wendy Williams show on her website, and waited for an email back confirming that my request had been granted. Exactly one week before the date I requested, I got a call and an email - I was so excited!! There were some instructions, I had to email them back with some information, and there is a dress code. We showed up before 8 am and there was already a line, and we checked in with a very nice lady who gave us blue cards. We then waited in line for about an hour outside. Good thing it wasn't raining yet!

When we finally got inside, the audience holding room was packed. I mean, shoulder to shoulder. Everyone was super nice, and we all had to fill out "Ask Wendy" question forms. I couldn't think of a single question to ask her! Go figure!



Then they lined us up to go into the studio, and the producers seat you where they want you to sit. We got lucky and got seated in the center section, second row from the front.

The warm up guy, Kevin Thompson, was SO much fun! He sang, danced, flirted, and cracked jokes with the audience. We had an especially rowdy crowd, which just made the whole experience even more fun.
One of the producers came out and gave us instructions on what to do - when to applaud, don't look at the mounted monitors, smile a lot, etc. And we practiced our cheering a couple of times. I was so excited to just be there. Everyone around us was just as excited, so we just fed off each other's energy.

Wendy came out the double doors and the rest was a blur, really. You can watch a clip of the show I was on here. I'm in the second row from the bottom, center section, dark red hair, glasses, a fur vest with a black top underneath and a black belt. We won an iPod Boombox, a Roku, and a Carlos Mencia DVD. Wendy did say that she was feeling down because of the rain, but she still gave us a great show. It was so much fun, and during the commercials, the DJ played dance music and we danced and had a blast. I got on camera a bunch!! My DVR didn't record the show for some reason, so that clip is all I got. (Sad face.)

When the show was done taping, Wendy said thank you to the audience and posed for pictures. She is so beautiful - inside and out. 


Then, Wendy taped some promos for the next show and we taped some audience stuff. Oh and they kept shooting this snow stuff that made your hair and skin all sticky! I didn't care, though. I was on cloud nine ...

Another really special moment was when we visited the 9/11 Memorial. It was really emotional. There's still construction going on, but what they've done so far is so amazing. There are reflecting pools where the Twin Towers once stood and the pools are surrounded by the names of the victims.


The surrounding buildings are supposed to be for business, but they're not ready to be occupied yet, according to a guide at the memorial.

There is a preview site, which I really liked. There's a model of what the area will look like once the construction is done, merchandise such as t shirts and books, displays of items left at Ground Zero, and a timeline of the events of 9/11. 

It was such an emotional experience.

The rest of the trip was basically running around trying to fit 50 different things to do and places to see in a short amount of time. We ate at Tom's Restaurant, of Seinfeld fame:



We walked around Times Square, Tiffany's, Macy's, FAO Schwarz, and what seems like a million other places.

I think what I love the most about New York is exactly what other people hate about it: the pace. I love that you're expected to get where you're going, and get out of everyone else's way while you're getting there. I love feeling like everyone is so busy, you're just part of this big buzzing city that's so alive with energy. I also love the fact that New York is the place where dreams come true. SNL, Madison Square Garden, Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center, and countless other landmarks are iconic and thousands of dreams have come true in those very places. I like to think that New York will be where my dreams come true as well.

I hope so.

On Demand, Yeah Right

I'm a little sad, I can't seem to get last week's New Girl on my On Demand. So I'll just talk about the episode from November 28th - the one with the bells.

This episode was so funny. I loved the kids from Jess' school, I loved Winston's obsession with the bells, and I loved the fight between Schmidt and Nick.

I really want to see last week's episode, since Justin Long comes back as Jess' love interest. Come on, Comcast! Where is this episode???

What do you think of New Girl? Tweet me!

And the Winner is ...

The last two episodes of Glee were so great!! And I'm not talking about tonight's episode - that blog will be up tomorrow.

Overall, I'm loving the direction the show is going in. I feel like it's giving us a lot of options for plotlines in the future, and possibly spinoffs, which would be awesome as well.

Rachel got caught trying to rig the election for class president in Kurt's favor, and as a result, is banned from performing at Sectionals. Brittany wins the election after all, by the way.

Santana comes out to her parents, who accept it, but she doesn't get such a good reaction from her Abuela - who I'm still convinced is modeled after George Lopez's grandmother. Santana is still a mean girl, but since coming out, she's not completely evil. Now she just throws out clever insults and then laughs about it and holds hands with Brittany.

Quinn tries to seduce Puck, but he tells her he slept with Shelby instead. And can I just say, Puck and Shelby do make a cute couple. Quinn takes this information and plans to get Shelby fired with it. There's an awesome confrontation scene between them, and Rachel even gets into the mix.

Sectionals are here, and the Trouble Tones are the favorites to win. But I have to point out, New Directions sang three songs! Three! I won't ruin the ending for you, but I'm sure you can guess who won.

I can't wait for tonight's episode!! What do you think of Glee? Tweet me!

Tears Dry On Their Own

Last night's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was full of tears - some of sorrow, and some from laughter. We pretty much ran the gamut of emotions, which in my opinion, makes for an exceptional episode.

I want to start with the most unlikely friendship of the season. Taylor and Lisa. WTF?! 5 minutes ago, Taylor was accusing Lisa of selling stories about her marriage to the press and now they're besties? I really don't understand this. But they seem to be having fun together, so I guess it's not all bad. I do like seeing Taylor calm and not sobbing. And I think Lisa's really being a good friend to her, I mean, I don't know how I'd treat someone who had been so shitty to me. But that's why Lisa's the first lady of Beverly Hills, and I'm not.

Kyle's book cover photo shoot was awesome. I loved all of the clothes, the hair, and the makeup. Kyle is so stunningly beautiful. She's just lovely. I really want to check out her book. The scene with her and Kim was so tough to watch. I hate seeing Kim suffer. It's like she can't catch a break. But now I agree with Kyle's concern that Kim rushed into living with Ken. And Kyle's smart to not say "I told you so" - Kim is figuring it out on her own. What Kim really needs is some therapy and some self-esteem. Not some controlling jackhole.

The dual Vegas weekends were so ridiculous, each in their own way. Pandora's (aka Pandy) bachelorette party was too much - what the hell were those "Chipmunks" doing??? Lisa's lapdance was a little stiff, but she was into it, so I give her an A for effort. I did cringe a little when Taylor did her lapdance - all I can think about is how she was being abused at the time by her husband. It's just so uncomfortable. Speaking of Russell, I can't help but wonder how he felt about Taylor's rekindled friendship with Lisa? Adrienne takes Brandi, Dana, and Camille, among others bowling at the Palms. I love bowling, but I've never done it in heels. And I've definitely never done it in a cast/heel combo. Then, they go to da club, and Camille and Brandi grind each other. Ew. Seriously, no one needed to see that.

Next week, Kyle's white party looks like it's going to be a disaster. Kim and Brandi get into it, and Kyle is caught in the middle when Russell threatens to sue Camille.

Watch What Happens Live was really good. Dot Marie Jones, who plays Coach Bieste on Glee, and Vanessa Williams were a lot of fun. And Andy and Dot have an arm wrestling match. I'm not joking. It was hilarious.

What did you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Anatomy of a Meltdown

Last week's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was so disturbing, I almost don't even want to blog about it. Who am I kidding?

Let's start with Brandi's party. I'm glad she decided on belly dancing instead of the other theme she was considering. Bravo probably told her they wouldn't be able to show it on cable tv at 9 pm, so a change was definitely necessary. The party was going along fairly well, with awkward hellos and lots of drinks. Did you catch Jennifer Gimenez from VH1's Sober House? I'm so glad she wasn't involved in any of the drama.

Kyle pulled out her splits again (which she says will be the last time we see them this season), and Brandi says Kyle always has to have the attention on her. And you're surprised by this, Brandi? You're all on a reality show. All of you want attention to some degree. But I can admit, although I am a Kyle fan, she does seem to be trying very hard to be in the spotlight and the center of attention. So if Brandi is annoyed by it, so be it.

Taylor is a mess - from the moment she walks into the party, she's just not well. Unfortunately, they serve her alcohol, which has been a catalyst for her meltdowns in the past. Camille's friend Dedra decides to play Dr. Phil and mend the relationship between Camille and Taylor. Taylor flips out. I really don't understand why Dedra would even bother in that kind of a setting. The only explanation I can come up with is that she was tipsy and the words just tumbled out of her mouth. Remember, this all happened after the belly dancing and drinking. No good can come of this. And it quickly devolves into utter chaos. Taylor screams and sobs and curses everyone out and it all seemed to come out of nowhere. Again, the alcohol was the major factor here.

I think the funniest moment of all is when a clearly drunk Brandi asks Taylor to leave "my house". It's not Brandi's house! But nice try! LOL! A mini slap (hand) fight ensues, and any progress these women have made quickly goes out the window. I also loved how Adrienne was covering up Taylor's mouth so she wouldn't say anything she'd later regret. I'm pretty sure Taylor regrets saying a lot this season. It's so sad that she's so unlikable, because if it were any other housewife, we'd all be rooting for her instead of being exasperated with her. Not that I don't feel bad for what she was going through at the time, but she chose to present herself and do things in such a way that while I'm watching the show, makes me not like her very much. I apologize if that seems mean. I hope Taylor's in a much better place emotionally and mentally now.

And can we talk about the cigarette action at the end? TOO MUCH.

My boyfriend, Kevin Lee was on the show again and he definitely made me laugh. We needed that on this episode. Lisa didn't attend the belly dancing party, thank goodness, and I loved her and Ken's scenes in this episode. They are too cute.

On the After Show, Taylor was on as the sole guest, hawking her book. I just think it's too soon and in poor taste. How long did it take her to write the book? Or had she been writing it while pretending her marriage was improving? Do you see what I mean? Just not likable. But let me know if you agree or disagree. Are you going to read her book? Andy was a little tough on Taylor, especially when she lied about what her original opinion of the night's poll was. That's what I love about Andy. He's fair, at least in my opinion.

What did you think of last week's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Tweet me!

Not Much to Say

I'm back! I had an awesome time in The Big Apple, and I'm so glad to be blogging again. I'll be posting an in-depth blog about my experience in the next couple of days.

For now, though, I want to talk about the Real Housewives of Atlanta, since I haven't blogged about the last two episodes yet. Really, there's not much to say, but I'll address a few highlights.

First, Sheree's child support issues. I feel like we've covered this before. I understand that she doesn't want the scrutiny and embarrassment of taking her children's father to court - but come on! This guy really just doesn't want to pay you, Sheree. When he brought up her designer shoes and bags, I thought Sheree was going to do a lot more than throw water at him - which was SO Evelyn of you, Sheree, I'm disappointed in you. Anyway, I understand that Sheree is more upset that Mr. Whitfield isn't stepping up for his kids, and the principle of the thing that she's fighting for, not necessarily the money. But I have often wondered where Sheree gets her money from. Unless I'm missing something, we don't hear her talk about WORK at all. Enlighten me, please, if you know what Sheree does for a living. I feel for her, don't get me wrong. But I think she should at least quit building her mansion while she's crying about child support money. Was that wrong of me to say? I'm sorry, it just seems odd to me. You let me know.

I was really impressed that Peter said he wouldn't take Cynthia's money to get Bar One off the ground. I just thought that was a great moment. I actually like Peter and Cynthia's relationship, and I think Cynthia's sister needs to calm down and mind her own business. Believe me, I get the sister thing, but she's taking it way too far. I'm also super proud of Cynthia's modeling agency. I know some people write Cynthia off as being a dumb model (and her MC skills didn't exactly help her case), but I think she's a smart, loving, and kind-hearted woman who sees the good in people. You can't say that about some of her co-stars.

Kim and Kroy had their baby finally - and all I can say is: Kroy, I don't know what you see in her, but you seem to be a very nice man, and I'm sure you're a great father. I hope Kim doesn't stomp all over your heart someday, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did.

Nene is being wooed by her potential business partner, and it was CREEPY MCCREEPERTON. Seriously, this guy needs to simmer down now. I thought it was odd that she was accepting all of the gifts and behaving like it was a first date, when it was supposed to be a business meeting, but what do I know? I love me some Nene, but I was a little put off by her in this episode. She did make me laugh, though. That's for sure.

Phaedra never ceases to amaze me. I can't wait to see how she messes up Sheree's child custody case on Tuesday night's episode.

Kandi and her mom have patched things up after the whole Ridiculous incident, and I love Mama Joyce. She  is so cute.

On Watch What Happens Live last Sunday, Sandra Bernhard turned it out - calling Nene "ashy" and talking all kinds of shadiness - and Chef Roble Ali - who was quite inebriated on the After Show. It was hilarious. Last night's Watch What Happens Live was really great, thanks to Tracee Ellis Ross - of "Girlfriends" and her new show "Reed Between the Lines". She is Diana Ross' super talented daughter and if you don't know, do some research. Phaedra was there and was semi entertaining thanks to her ever present donkey booty. The After Show was a hoot!

What are your thoughts on the Real Housewives of Atlanta? Tweet me!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Make Room for Gaga

I know Thanksgiving is officially over and done with, but I finally watched A Very Gaga Thanksgiving, and so I must share some thoughts with you ...

The look of the special was really classic and beautiful. I love it when Gaga goes glam. She performed The Lady is a Tramp with Tony Bennett, complete with scatting and jazzy flair. I love them performing together. Such an odd couple on paper, but once the music starts, it works.

Gaga doing arts and crafts with the kids is probably one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

She performed Born This Way and You and I - the latter was really intense at one point, which was a little weird, but that's what I love about Gaga. No matter what she's going to look like, or how uncomfortable it may make some people feel, she's going to perform the hell out of her song, and more than likely, you'll end up loving it.

Her performance of The Edge of Glory was very poignant, given that it was dedicated to her late grandfather. The love story between her grandparents is sweet and innocent, the kind of love story we just don't have enough of anymore. Gaga has a cooking segment, which is just an amusing concept in and of itself. Apparently, she loves to cook. One of the many personal details we didn't know about her before this special.

In all white, Gaga performs a jazz rendition of White Christmas, and adds her own second verse. Her makeup is flawless, and this look may just be my favorite of the entire show. The next song is Orange Colored Sky, another jazzy tune, and her voice is mesmerizing. I love that she gets to show her range - hopefully kids will see it's cool to be multitalented.

For her performance of Hair, Gaga sits at a piano in what looks like an empty parlor surrounded by candles. It's all very Beethoven-ish. Gaga shouts out her fans, and thanks them for making her brave, urging them to remember that when they feel bullied, she's fighting for them. The song is so beautiful and reminds me of how I used to feel in high school. "I just want to be me" ...

Gaga turns it out for the Bad Romance number, and this for me was the highlight of the special - performance-wise. The dancing along with her killer vocals - while eating! - just made it super satisfying. I love that there are people eating their dinners while Gaga is doin' the damn thing.

Now, for the interview with Katie Couric. I have to say, there wasn't much in this interview that I didn't know before, except that Gaga's dad is opening a restaurant. I did love it when Gaga talked about keeping her love life private and then immediately jumped up to say hi to Sister Bayo, a former teacher of hers. I also enjoyed when she talked about where Marry the Night came from - the moment when she decided to be totally devoted to her musical career. We got a sneak peek of the video, and although the full video premiered tonight on E!, I still haven't seen it. I'm sure it's wonderful, though.

Gaga is an inspiration to me - and for that, I'm thankful.

Ridonkulous

The Real Housewives of Atlanta are the exact opposite of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and I couldn't be more grateful. While I love both shows, they balance each other out perfectly. Where Beverly Hills can get a little too Shi Shi Shi, Atlanta brings the realness.

And when I say realness, I mean ridiculous situations that make you glad you live a normal, boring life without cameras taping every dumb thing you say and do along with 4 or 5 other crazy ladies. For example, Phaedra apologizes to Kim for the baby shower disaster between her husband Apollo and Cynthia's husband Peter. Kim doesn't seem to really want to accept the apology, but since she rarely ever gets one, she kind of has to. Sheree's dream home is not coming along so well, and Phaedra decides the contractor needs a glimpse at her self-proclaimed "donkey booty" to get the job done. If only it were that easy.

Cynthia brings her husband and her sister together to resolve their issues with each other - after all, her sister did suggest hiding the marriage license ON THEIR WEDDING DAY. But, who's keeping score? Obviously, that wasn't going to go well. Peter is not a sensitive, new age, touchy-feely, kumbaya type of man. He's the kind of man who will hold a grudge and not apologize for it. And let's be real, what man wouldn't be offended about that?

Kandi celebrates her 35th birthday at a very nice party with all of her friends - even the ones who don't speak to each other - and all goes well. Until Phaedra brings out her present for Kandi, "the infamous Ridiculous"! Now, I have to admit, this whole scene was hilarious to me. The variety of reactions from the party guests just tickled me. But had I been there, I probably would have left the party, too. Phaedra should have introduced Mr. Ridiculous and then invited those who were obliged to see his performance to another room or another location all together. Then, the ones who didn't want to participate would have at least had a choice. And Mama Joyce was not amused at all. I don't blame her, even though she and Kandi are open about strippers and other taboo topics, this was just too much for her. But she shouldn't have taken it out on Kandi, when the culprit, Ms. Phaedra, was right there!

And what was up with Mr. Ridiculous' face? Was that makeup around his eye or a Tyson-esque tattoo?

Nene and Greg had relations, which surprised me. I thought Nene had moved on. I don't know how I feel about her taking Greg back. After all, he did that horrible interview about her - it's a tough situation to read at this point.

Rebecca Romijn and her goofy husband were on Watch What Happens Live, and I enjoyed their enthusiasm, even though I don't totally agree with everything they say. 

Two for the Price of One

I am so sorry this blog is so late. Life has been exponentially more stressful the last few weeks, and that's in no way an excuse, but merely an explanation, so please forgive me.

Last week, on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, some major drama unfolded. My thoughts about the end of the tea party are simple, Camille finally laid everyone's cards out on the table and stormed out, which infuriated Taylor because that was supposed to be her shtick. Taylor continued her childish behavior at her daughter's country-fair-inspired birthday party, by harassing the party rental guys and flirting with an American Idol reject. Seriously, what the hell was up with Ace? How could he have gotten creepier over the last few years? Because he definitely has. Adrienne got caught up in the tantrum epidemic by being offended that Pandora's engagement party in Vegas will not take place at her hotel. Since when does Adrienne have dibs on every event in Vegas? Even if Lisa wanted the party to be at the Palms, it's ultimately Pandora's decision. Maybe there was a reason she'd rather do it at Planet Hollywood?

Ellen Barkin and Andrew Rannells were absolutely charming on Watch What Happens Live that night. Ellen is one cool lady.

So let's jump into this week. My boyfriend, Kevin Lee, is front and center with some over the top wedding preparations. Did I mention that I love him? Because I do. Adrienne is organizing a charity event along with her show line and I really couldn't follow how those two things are related, but apparently they are. The scenes with Taylor, Russell, and their therapist were just unsettling. I think I've used that word (unsettling) every single time I reference a scene with Russell in it, so please forgive the repetition. It's just so sad. They seem to make progress at their session, but it's a very shallow progress. Like they're just barely understanding how to speak to each other, and not even close to resolving the real issues. I must say, Lisa's impersonations are so hilarious and accurate, she may need to take the act on the road. The cotton candy scene was priceless.

Adrienne's fashion show was pretty, but definitely uncomfortable. It seemed that at every turn, someone had beef with someone else. Ce la vie in Beverly Hills?

One of my all time favorite funny ladies, Kristen Johnston was on Watch What Happens Live with Brad Goreski, formerly of the Rachel Zoe Project. Both of them have new shows coming out soon. Kristen is one of the most hilarious WWHL guests of all time, and my only gripe is that she isn't on the show more. Please, Andy, more Kristen, please.


Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Viva Las Vegas

I apologize for the lack of blogs lately, I actually went to Las Vegas with my family on Thanksgiving weekend. It was a lot of fun, but it's made for a very hectic couple of days back in reality. That being said, I have a lot of thoughts on Vegas as an experience.

First, I have to tell you I didn't have the whole party-Vegas experience. I went with my parents and my sister and we visited my dad's buddy from back in the day. So it was chill to say the least. But not bad, mind you. Just not the typical Vegas weekend. We walked the strip on Thursday night and it was surprisingly packed - on Thanksgiving! I loved the Venetian, but I noticed it was super warm in there and all the high end stores were so beautifully out of my league, it was ridiculous. 

The Bellagio fountains were everything I thought they would be, the song that night was "Proud to be an American". Indeed. I think my favorite was Paris. It blew me away. I don't know if it was the fake cobblestone streets, the bakeries, or the Cabaret stage, but I fell in love. It makes me almost not want to see the real thing. Almost. 

New York New York was super fun, too. I do prefer the real thing, though, that I know for sure. But I really enjoyed the ambiance, and I definitely would love to stay there next time. We ate like kings the whole weekend, including a champagne brunch - minus the champagne. It was crazy how good the food is. Granted, we ate at mostly local spots, and nothing fancy, but still really tasty. I love getting to see the real town where locals shop and eat and play, in addition to the tourist spots. 

Speaking of tourist spots, we went to Fremont Street, and I hate to say it, but I wasn't impressed. I was very disappointed. I was expecting an old school classy vibe, and what I got was a raunchy, uncomfortable, and sad. I'll just leave it at that. 

What I really learned from Vegas is that anything can happen. There's such a mixture of every socioeconomic group - which is refreshing, but also kind of sad in a way. You see the young party-ers (although there weren't many on Thanksgiving weekend) with money to burn, the older semi-high rollers (the real high rollers aren't going to let you see them, I learned), and then you have the ones struggling to make it - handing out flyers to strip clubs and escort services on the street, dressed up as cartoon characters in raggedy costumes performing for cash, panhandlers, and drifters. It's like that ride at the fair that takes you to the very top of the tower very, very slowly, and then drops you down to the bottom in half a second. You get off the ride dizzy, wondering what happened, and with your heart in your throat. 

I'm not a gambler, but I can see the temptation. One big win, that's all you need. But that's rarely what happens. At least from what an outsider like me can tell. I guess Vegas is the ultimate symbol of freedom, like an oasis in the desert, where everything you can imagine can be conjured up if you have the money and the guts. 

Leaving Las Vegas was a challenge, not because I didn't want to go, but because we made the mistake of leaving too late and we were on the road in stop and go traffic for eleven hours. Yeah. For real. 

What are your thoughts on Vegas? Tweet me!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

JR WINS!!!

I am so excited for JR and Karina! What a great victory, and so deserved. This was a great grand finale. Karina and JR pulled out all the stops, not only last night, but also tonight with their jive and samba. I'm just so proud of them, they really deserved this win, in my opinion. I called it, too! Check my blog from earlier today!

I am a little sad that Ricki was 3rd, but I totally understand it, and her reaction was classy. She's a great performer, and this will definitely catapult her back into the public eye in a big way. I hear she's getting a new talk show? If so, that's awesome.

Rob did a great job, and I loved his attitude at the finale. So humble, so down to earth, and you can tell he had a good time. And Cheryl did an amazing job with all of the dances, so kudos to them.

I loved seeing the rest of the cast dance, especially Carson Kressley!! SO GOOD!! And Chaz and Lacey's dance with Lacey's dad was super cute. I really enjoyed that.

What did you think of the finale? Tweet me!

My Predictions

The DWTS Finals were last night, and you know I have my opinions. So let's jump right in.

Ricki performed a cha cha - and something was a little conservative about this performance for me. I wish she would have just busted out and blew our minds. No such luck, though. The judges liked it, but pointed out a few mistakes. Her score: 27.

Rob did the waltz and it was very pretty. Cheryl is an awesome choreographer and he definitely played the role of the leading man. Good job. The judges loved it, but let him know he missed a step here and there. His score: 27.

JR also did the cha cha, and it was chock full of fancy footwork. I liked it, but the judges mentioned his arms were a bit off and he lost his timing in the beginning of the dance. His score: 24.

Freestyle time!!!

Ricki's freestyle in a word, was disappointing. Very disappointing. It was a combo of salsa and quickstep, and although technically, it was perfect, it wasn't exciting. It was just nice. And that's not what freestyle is about. I did like the lifts and such, but it wasn't enough to win, in my opinion. The judges liked it, and mentioned it was a very demanding routine. Her score: 27.

Rob went next, and his routine was very 20's-inspired. I wasn't impressed with this one either! The tempo of the song was all over the place, and it was just clumsy at times. I did like Rob's pachuco outfit, though. The judges, inexplicably, loved it. His score: 30.

JR's freestyle was AMAZING!! THIS IS A FREESTYLE!! It was exciting, animated, and FUN! The lifts were awesome and the choreography made me wanna get up and dance. I think Karina nailed it on this one. This freestyle was the best one I've seen in a long time. The judges loved this one, as well they should. His score: 30.

JR won it last night for me. Unless Ricki pulls out all the stops tonight, I think she'll be number two. I really hope JR wins, though. Rob did a nice job, and I'm wondering if the powers that be will intervene and throw the number one spot his way. I really hope not. JR totally deserves the win.

What did you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Congratulations, Or Not

The tension is bubbling over on Real Housewives of Atlanta, and it's not just the ladies who are at each other's throats, the husbands get in on the action this week.

Sheree is demolishing a house in order to build a new one, because you know, old houses are yucky. Didn't Teresa from Jersey Housewives say the same thing? Hmmm. Anyway, Sheree says this house will only have the essentials - like a skating rink, lounge with DJ booth, and spa area. Who does this girl think she is, Adrienne Maloof? Whatever, Sheree. Stop trying to act like you're rich. You know you ain't got Nene money, so sit down. 

Phaedra and Apollo discuss his recent run in with the police. She says it was a case of mistaken identity, but everyone is talking smack about the ex-con being pulled out of his car by officers. Whatever the case may be, I feel for Apollo, because he seems like a nice man with a rocky past who's trying to do right by his family. 

Cynthia and Peter have Noel's father, the sexy as hell Leon, over and they talk about some of the issues with Cynthia's sister and mother after the wedding day bruhaha with the marriage license. There's so much unresolved pain there, and it doesn't help that Peter seems to be so stubborn. He definitely won't be the one to initiate a resolution. 

Kim and Sheree meet for lunch and I'm shocked that they don't immediately start trashing Nene. They talk about Sheree's new house, and Kim's upcoming baby shower. Instead of capping on Nene, they talk smack about Cynthia and Peter, because Peter gave an unfavorable interview to a magazine about them. Oh well! How many times have they been quoted saying something not so nice about their cast mates? Grow up!

Nene and her youngest son wait for Gregg to pick him up, and they discuss the separation. It's obviously hard on him, and Nene tries to be as diplomatic as possible about the subject. I thought it was nice when she said she still "likes" Gregg, and they seem to get along pretty well when he shows up. 

Phaedra and Kandi go shopping for Kim's baby shower gift, and Phaedra reveals that she was hurt by what Peter said in the magazine article as well. I swear, Phaedra should be the last one concerned with what Peter says. Who cares? But she does, and apparently, it's affecting her friendship with Cynthia. But she must not be too worried about it, because it doesn't stop Phaedra from calling Peter "Papa Smurf" and "Uncle Ben".

Nene, Kandi, and Mama Joyce get together and talk about men in a hilarious mini-scene. Love it when Kandi and Nene get along.

Kim's baby shower is quite the affair, and everyone is dressed to the nines. Kandi, Mama Joyce, Phaedra, and Apollo, arrive first, and Lawrence and Sheree show up shortly after. Kim's father gives Phaedra his business card in probably the sleaziest self-promoting speech ever. Gross. Phaedra can't help but notice the shower is just as extravagant as hers, if not more. Kim had no problem criticizing Phaedra's baby shower last season, saying it was over the top. I'm sorry, having those portraits all over the place was pretty over the top. And kind of tacky, if you ask me. Sheree says she no longer talks to Cynthia because she's too far up Nene's ass. They talk about the magazine article and Sheree decides to question Peter's manhood by asking "what straight man" would gossip in a magazine article. I don't know, Sheree, but you talk enough for everyone, so maybe you're not the best person to complain about such things. 

Oh, and Nene wasn't invited to the shower but she's not sweating it - check out this exclusive bonus scene

Cynthia and Peter show up late because she was out of town working. Kim notes that they didn't bring a present, and showed up 20 minutes before the party was over, so "what's the point?". Well, Kim, they wanted to come and celebrate with you despite your shitty attitude, but since all you care about is presents, you probably don't understand that. Sheree makes some stupid quip about Cynthia being off Nene's leash and coming to the party. Bitter is not your best color, Sheree. It's really ugly on you. 

Brielle gives a pretty hilarious speech - and in the process kind of throws Kim under the bus. I love Brielle! 

Kandi asks Peter what's new and he chats about his new bar, Bar One. Phaedra makes some passive aggressive dig about not being invited because Peter doesn't like her. And so begins the Baby Shower Brawl. Peter isn't the one, I'm just saying. Phaedra obviously thought she was going to guilt him into apologizing, um, no such luck. Sheree jumps in saying she knows she's cute, so she doesn't care what Peter says - I'm guessing he said she wasn't attractive. Apollo gets involved and the two men pretty much just start puffing up their chests. Seriously, this whole thing could have been resolved if Apollo would have said, let's just talk about it later. And Peter should have controlled himself a lot better. But the person who started the ball rolling was Phaedra. So what, he doesn't like you? Do you really care that much? And of course Apollo is going to back his wife up. It was just a bad situation. The security staff get ready to break it up, and Apollo and Phaedra walk away. 

Kroy looks really annoyed with this, and calls them "stupid people". It is really stupid to fight at a baby shower, and these guys should have known better. Just because you want to prove a point doesn't mean you should make an ass out of yourself. Cynthia is totally embarrassed, and thank the Lord for Lawrence, who knows how to make fun of any tense situation. Kim says if this were last year, she would have thrown a fit over this, but she's much calmer now, thanks to Kroy. Now if only Kroy could find a way to get Kim to shut up, I'd be happy.

Next week, Nene tells Cynthia about her sex life, Kim talks circumcision, Kandi gets Ridiculous for her birthday and fights with her mom, and Peter confronts Cynthia's sister. 

On Watch What Happens Live!, Cynthia and Keisha Knight Pulliam were the guests. You know Keisha as Rudy from the Cosby Show. She's a lovely young woman with a spot on Tyler Perry's sitcom on TBS. She was a really fun guest. Cynthia explained her and Peter's actions in this episode, including why she didn't bring a baby shower gift - Kim didn't bring them a wedding gift, brought her own wine, and gave their marriage less than a year - which I thought was pretty fair. Don't dish it out if you can't take it, Kim! Cynthia defended Peter, but I didn't expect anything less. They seem to be really happy, and I'm happy for Cynthia. Peter seems like a handful, but he also seems like a genuine guy. I'm not mad at him. The after show was a lot of fun - you can check it all out here

What did you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Just Go For It!

If you're still not watching Parks and Recreation on Thursdays on NBC, you should be ashamed of yourself. Now, do the right thing and go to this site and get caught up.

This week, Ben is still bummed out and tells Leslie he's made arrangements to no longer spend time at the Parks and Recreation department. NO! Ben and Leslie belong together!! Tom and Jerry are assigned to work on a new logo and overall makeover for the Parks and Rec image. Andy is thinking of going to college, and he has April and Ron by his side giving him their respective takes on what his college career should consist of. Leslie is panicking over the prospect of not seeing Ben anymore and Ann tries to talk some sense into her, which of course, doesn't work. Leslie decides to drag out the last project she and Ben will be working on so that she can continue to spend time with him. Oh, honey, this is not the way to go.

Leslie finally gets herself together and talks to Ben. You gotta see this episode. I LOVE THIS SHOW!

What did you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Love Letter to Andy Cohen and Watch What Happens Live!

OMG! I am so excited about the news that Watch What Happens Live! will be airing 5 nights a week, starting Sunday, January 8, 2012!

This means 5 nights of Andy Cohen in the clubhouse, and I, for one, am really super happy about this. I actually want Watch What Happens Live! to be an hour long, but if it's still 30 minutes, I'm ok with that. For those of you who aren't up on this particular show, first of all, where have you been? And second of all, it's going to be ok. Set your DVRs and prepare to be entertained!

Andy is an amazing host, charming and funny, and the guests are USUALLY a lot of fun. Not always, but 99% of the time. Guests are encouraged to relax and let their hair down, and that makes for a lot of really hilarious moments. Also, the audience tweets, facebooks, and calls in, not to mention there's a poll every show where the audience makes their voices heard on a subject of Andy's choosing.

Watch What Happens Live! is becoming a cultural phenomenon in its own right, and Andy and the clubhouse staff totally deserves all the success and recognition they have coming.

Sincerely, a fan for life,

Amanda (@humorandspice)

Sunday, November 20, 2011

AMA Awards

The American Music Awards started off with a David Guetta/Nicki Minaj performance that was marred by a slight delay in the video vs. the sound. We heard Nicki's rapping before we saw her mouth move. I have no doubt she was performing live, it seemed to be an issue with the sound/video not being sync'd up properly. Her hair was a cute mop of pink curls and her makeup was also on point. Her costume, however, was lacking. It looked like a homemade version of the Svedka robot. It was essentially dark grey bodysuit with mirrors and metal speakers sewn onto it in convenient places. Her costume people definitely should have done a complete metal bodysuit or just gone with a different concept all together. It just looked unfinished.

Maroon 5 won best group - no complaints here. I'm a fan.

The sound continues to be an issue as there's all kinds of background noise and it's really distracting. Taylor Swift wins best country female for the 4th year in a row, and looks completely shocked like she always does when she rakes in the awards. Annoying.

Justin Bieber performs his ridiculous Christmas song even though it's the week before Thanksgiving, which only confirms my theory that this kid hasn't even released enough songs to still be considered relevant, and yet he is. I hate show business. Oh and his voice is seriously changing and not in a good way. The sound/video was also off on this performance. Get it together, editing bay!

The Band Perry sounds great and the sound/video problem is fixed shortly after their performance begins. I can definitely understand why people love this song. It's really a good tune. Now, I wish I could rave about the lead singer's look, but it's just bad. Her hair is crimped and she's wearing a Scarlet O'Hara type ballgown. If she was going to go for the Gone With The Wind look, she should have gone all out and had her hair and makeup tight and right. But awesome performance nonetheless.

Chris Brown did a combo of some ballad and a dance song and I'll be honest I can't really watch him for more than a couple seconds so I tuned him out. Sorry. I will admit he has a great voice still.

Jennifer Hudson presents the award for rap/hip-hop artist, and she looks amazing. I was worried she'd get too skinny, but she looks great. I am so happy for her. Nicki Minaj wins and has to have security escort her out due to sky high platform shoes. She actually slips and almost falls, but is caught by her beefy companion. She's wearing the same curly pink wig, and a cute ballgown - the bodice is nude with black lace and a bright green skirt. Nicki thanked Taylor Swift for making Super Bass so popular with her fans after she covered it with Selena Gomez.

Jane Levy and Cheryl Hines from my new favorite show Suburgatory introduced Kelly Clarkson's performance, which was a big band stylizing of her song Mr. Know It All. I actually love this arrangement much more than the radio version. The radio version sounds too much like her other songs for me. Kelly looks stunning in a red sequined Jessica-Rabbit-esque gown and retro waves in her hair to match. Her voice is just as fantastic as ever, and she really gave us a great performance. Thumbs up!

Rihanna wins for best soul/r&b album, but isn't there so she accepts via video message, she's so beautiful, and Loud really is an awesome album!

Enrique Iglesias and the Crenshaw Elite High School perform a ballad and then we got Tonight I'm Loving You, which is a song that I really do love. And Ludacris makes an appearance which is always a good time! Love him! He makes the most danceable music with the most inappropriate lyrics, and I love it.

Jennifer Lopez starts her performance off with a ballad and I'm instantly yelling at the TV. NO! This is not what you're meant to do! As if she hears me, she rips off her angel robe to reveal a sequined showgirl mini dress to sing Papi, which is actually a really fun song. The sound/video is off again and it's super annoying. She gets into a Fiat onstage, which is a little weird, but let's go with it. Make fun of it all you want, gurl is making money. More power to her. I aint mad. She's running around the stage, and all I can think is: if I look this good at 42, I won't complain. The sound is finally back on track, and I can tell she's singing live even as she's running around and dancing. Her vocals are a lot better than before, and in my opinion she's definitely improving in that area. She'll never be a vocal powerhouse, but she's does her thing, and I'm a fan. She strips again to just a bodysuit with rhinestones on her private parts, and Pitbull makes a brief appearance for On the Floor. I still love this song. She's got dancers on stilts, and they're picking her up and swinging her around. She then gives us some very sexy moves, and there are sexy acrobats in the background. Jennifer's been wearing a lot of bodysuits lately for her performances, and I wonder if it's a happy medium so she gets to show her body without actually showing real skin. Could this have been one of Marc's ideas during their marriage? Britney and Xtina WISH they had this body. With this performance, JLo proves she's still a superstar.

Lady Antebellum wins best country group and now I can go back to not paying attention to them.

Adam Lambert (looking HOT) introduces One Republic, a band that makes the most boring songs that you can't get out of your head. The lead singer is having trouble with the high notes.

Taylor Swift presents the award for best rap/hip-hop album and Nicki Minaj wins again. She's crying, saying she can't believe it. She thanks Lil Wayne and I notice a huge diamond band on her wedding finger on her left hand. What's up with this? Or am I late to some news? She tells her fans to chase their dreams and shouts out female rappers, "past, present, and future", and specifically names Queen Latifah since she's in the house tonight.

Cutie Benjamin Bratt introduces Pitbull's performance, which starts with Lil Jon dj'ing a bunch of clips of Pitbull's many hits. Lil Jon is a great hype man. Pitbull makes more stellar dance songs than anyone out there right now. Marc Anthony comes out and starts singing Rain Over Me and I get up to dance my ass off for the entire performance. Oh and Pit's red/black combo was scrumptious. LOVE me some Pitbull!

Let me take this opportunity to say how much I love these clips from past AMAs. I'm not ashamed to admit that I actually remember some of these moments because we (meaning my mother and I) used to tape (yes, VHS tape) record the AMAs and I would watch them over and over. Don't judge me.

Heidi Klum is super irritating. Sorry, I just can't help saying that every time I see her on tv. They run a video package showing Katy's #1 hits from her album Teenage Dream: California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Firework, ET, and Last Friday Night. Katy performs The One That Got Away, and she's playing guitar. I like this a lot more than cupcake bras, but that's just me. She's rocking a retro Joan Crawford hair style (still pink), and her voice sounds better than some of the more recent live performances I've seen on tv. Heidi presents her with a special award for being the first woman with 5 #1 singles from one album. This is a great honor and I think it's well deserved. She seems genuinely grateful, and thanks her fans for letting her be a chameleon this year.

The band Hot Chelle Rae wins the fan vote award. I've never heard their songs. Meh.

Jennifer Lopez wins best latin music artist, and she really looks shocked. I thought Pitbull had this one in the bag. She looks gorgeous, in a nude gown with black embroidered beading and her hair in a classic bun. She looks amazing. If I'm not mistaken, it's been a long time since she's won something like this, right? She says it's been an amazing year, full of ups and downs, and adds that it's been exciting and overwhelming. she says she's grateful for her blessings. She thanks her family, her babies, and her manager Benny Medina, who she referred to as "my everything." She also thanked producer Red One and her latin fans in a brief speech in Spanish.

In what I think is the best surprise appearance of the night, Alanis Morrisette introduces Mary J. Blige. She looks absolutely stunning. Great white pantsuit with her signature blond locks pulled into a side parted low ponytail. She's singing a song from her new album, and it sounds really good. Her voice is still so tough and raw, I love it! At the end of her performance she briefly spoke about her recently departed friend, rapper Heavy D. Rest in peace.

Beyonce wins best soul/r&b female artist, and of course, she's not in the house. She accepts her award with a taped acceptance speech and thanks her fans and the AMAs.

Maroon 5 starts Moves Like Jagger, and I have to say, Adam Levine is the perfect frontman. He's sexy, he can sing, and he's got charisma to spare. Christina comes out, and I'm very disappointed in her stylist. When she came out, the first thing I thought of was Anna Nicole Smith. And not in a good way. Her bleached blonde hair was out of control, her makeup was way too severe, and that dress. That dress. It was tight, white, and short. No, no, and no. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Christina with some curves, so I'm not even going to call her fat. I love women with curves. The styling has to be right, though. She should have been in something dark and flattering, because that white dress gave her major baby bump, when all she really has is a belly bump. So unfortunate. Also, her vocals were weak. So disappointing. I want Christina to put down the vodka and get back to making good music and giving decent performances. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a huge Christina fan, but I know she can do better than this. And she needs to fire her stylist immediately. Adam Levine goes from Moves Like Jagger straight into a performance with Gym Class Heroes. This guys is a true pro and he makes it look so effortless.

Drake gave his usual Drake performance, nothing new here.

Bruno Mars won best pop/rock male artist. But I had to laugh at looney tune Julie Bowen opening the envelope early, she is such a hot mess.

And then Daughtry performed a song that sounds just like all their other songs.

Taylor Swift won best country album, no surprise there. This is her 9th AMA.

Jenny McCarthy is goofy as ever, and I love her in glasses, by the way! She introduces will.i.am's performance. I guess this is a new song featuring Jennifer Lopez - and she's rocking a side pony and a white geometric dress. It lights up with the black light effects, and it's very reminiscent of past Black Eyed Peas performance visuals. Will.i.am's face is on several video screens, and it's not as impressive as I'm sure he thought it would be. I love JLo as the backup hip hop girl. This suits her. This song is a club banger for sure. There's video screens with Mick Jagger performing now, and it makes me think Mick's having a hell of a year. The video is not synced up correctly again and Mick's mouth is moving with no sound coming out. Annoying!

Adele won for best pop/rock album for 21, which is totally well deserved. She's not there due to her vocal chord surgery. Jenny jokes that Adele told her she could sing the song for her. I thought that was cute.

Lionel Richie and Vanessa Lachey are presenting the award for artist of the year, and Taylor Swift wins. She's totally shocked. I can't take her reaction to winning again - she wins all the time, how could she still be surprised at this point?!

For the grand finale, LMFAO explodes onto the stage with Party Rock. These guys know how to make fun music. The audience has 3d glasses on but I'm not sure why. Shouldn't we at home have been informed about a 3d performance? I love the dancers in glittery jumpsuits. And of course Bieber has to make a totally unnecessary appearance. Barf. The guys go into Sexy And I Know It, and their performance is so hilarious. Not to mention the cameos from David Hasselhoff and Youtube sensation Keenan Cahill. Nice job, guys!

What did you think about the show? Tweet me!

How Mac Got Fat

The latest episode of "Always Sunny in Philadelphia" was one of the best this season. This show really deserves the cult following it has, and if you don't know, now you know!

Mac takes us on a journey back through the past to find out why he got fat, and all I'll say is it's a classic "Sunny" story. This episode was silly, funny, and as always, a little outrageous.

Watch clips and more here.

What did you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Two Peas In A Pod

This week's episode of "New Girl", possibly the best new show of the season, centered around the roomies doing Thanksgiving - Jess style.

Justin Long plays Paul Gunslinger, a fellow teacher at Jess' school. As Juno would say, he's the cheese to her macaroni. These two were made for each other - quirky, cute, and charming as all get out. Jess invites Paul to Thanksgiving that she (meaning Schmidt) will cook. Who knew Schmidt was such a chef-nista?

Well, maybe not, at one point the turkey was in the clothes dryer, but that's neither here nor there. Schmidt and Cece get flirty in the kitchen, and I think this could be the beginning of a very tumultuous relationship.

Winston and Paul bond over their relationship with their grandparents, and Nick wants nothing to do with Paul at all. Do I smell a little jealousy?

After a little turkey-in-the-clothes-dryer incident, the gang goes next door to use the neighbor's apartment for their festivities. She's not home, or so they think.

This episode was a lot of fun, and I love seeing Jess swoon over someone as cute as Paul. You can't watch the episode online because FOX is annoying like that, but you can see it on Comcast/Xfinity OnDemand. Check it out!

What did you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Friday, November 18, 2011

So Close

Survivor has been getting really good lately. And the only reason I haven't blogged about it is because I watch it with my family and then I forget to take notes on it.

A lot has gone down. Cochran has flipped over to the old Upolu and has alienated his old Savaii tribe, well, maybe not Dawn, so much, but everyone else from Savaii hates him. But I don't blame Cochran for turning his back on Savaii. Here's how it was going to go - he would have made it a couple more weeks, maybe if he was lucky, sticking with Savaii. They couldn't wait to get rid of him because he wasn't in their alliance to begin with, and neither was Dawn. So he did what he had to do. I don't begrudge him that, and no one else should either. It's really easy to be part of an alliance where you can sit back and be protected while the rest of the tribe gets picked off one by one. But if you're one of the outsiders, when you see an opportunity, you go for it, and that's what Cochran did - and it was a game changer. And Whitney can shut her face because she's just pissed that she's not protected anymore. She actually had the balls to tell Cochran he disgusts her. Well, Whitney, women who cheat on their husbands on game shows disgust me, so suck it. Read this and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Besides, Ozzy needed to get kicked off his high horse anyway. And although I was rooting for Jim, he made a huge mistake not flipping over with Cochran. It's really sad, because Jim is smart, but he's still playing in Ozzy's shadow. He had plenty of chances to get Ozzy out and become the leader, and he never did it. So, in my opinion, he needs to sit down and get out of the way. Anyone who thinks they can win by riding coattails anymore is delusional, at least in my opinion. Those days are over. Or at least they should be.

So, long story short, Keith, Ozzy, and Jim are all at Redemption Island, while Cochran, Whitney, and Dawn are still in it with the former Upolu crew. Coach warns his tribe that Jim was dangerous. Not really, if he was that dangerous he would have ousted Ozzy a long time ago. Cochran jokes that he has to play along with Coach's foolishness so he can stay a few more weeks. I think Cochran needs to keep making major power plays, which may mean getting Albert and Sophie to turn against Coach. That's what I would do.

At the duel, Jim, Ozzy, and Keith compete to stay in the game by holding up poles with the backs of their hands. The two losers are the first two members of the jury. We know none of these three will not be voting for Cochran to win. Jim's the first one out, and the first jury member. Keith is the next one out. Ozzy proclaims that Redemption is the best place for him, since he can sit back, away from all the drama and beat everyone who comes through Redemption. It's a great plan, and I think this will be the only way for Ozzy to win the game. If he does come back in the game, I'd send him right back to Redemption anyway. Better for him to be out of the tribe dynamic and make it clear that he's not the leader anymore. He's better as the outcast anyway. Power does not agree with Ozzy.

Cochran is willing to play with Dawn and Whitney again and try to get them further in the game, but he could choose to let them get picked off by former Upolu, who's now protecting him. In the Immunity challenge, Sophie wins, and I realized, I've underestimated her. I've always enjoyed her on the show, but I would be so happy if she won. That would be awesome. Cochran never had a chance with this challenge, and I wish there were more puzzles or cerebral challenges so he could really shine. It's pretty much decided that Dawn is next to go, and Whitney after her. Dawn says Coach has this loyal following, but I think they're only loyal because they're safe. Once the situation is right, Upolu is going to tear each other to shreds. To hell with that loyalty BS.

Albert wants to secure Savaii jury votes by getting Edna out, which I totally agree with. Albert needs to really step up his game, and he'll become my hero if he's able to blindside Coach. I want to see that happen. Coach sees Albert talking to former Savaii members, and this does not sit well with him. Albert hints to Cochran that he will be taken out in 7th place, which makes Cochran furious. Not only because that's the exact opposite of what Coach said, but because that would mean Edna would make it further in the game, when she hasn't done anything but kiss Coach's ass. Albert takes Cochran to talk to Sophie and she seems to be up for it. Sophie wants to make it to the end, and I think she deserves to. Coach is getting suspicious about Albert, and says that anyone who goes against the tribe will be "dead".

At Tribal Council, Dawn urges the bottom-of-the-totem-pole dwellers on Upolu to join them and shake up the game. Cochran says he's confident that he can do some maneuvering to stay in the game past 7th place. He says he's planning ahead for when there are fractures in the Upolu tribe and says it's the best time to make a big move, a statement which I think is directed to Sophie and Albert. Coach tries to say he's not the leader, and Whitney says he most definitely is. Albert says Coach isn't the leader for him, but maybe he is a figure head for some people who need someone to look up to. Dawn is voted out first, so she goes to Redemption. Wouldn't it be great if Dawn beat Ozzy at Redemption Island? OMG!! Awesome!!

Jeff announces there's another Immunity challenge happening right then and there, which is a series of questions regarding life on the island. Cochran should have won this one, but he was eliminated way too soon. Come on, Cochran! This one should have been yours! Sophie wins again, and I hope she keeps this momentum going. Whitney is voted out and goes to Redemption. Sorry, Whitney, but at least you have Keith to cheat on your husband with!!!

Upolu now has to figure out how they're going to start voting, and I suggest they start with Edna. Coach has it out for Brandon, though.

What do you think of this episode? Tweet me!

Someone Like You

Emma Stone has made my list of favorite SNL hosts. This season is just getting better and better. This Saturday Jason Segel is hosting with Florence + The Machine as the musical guest. I'm psyched!

But back to last Saturday. You can watch this episode and others you may have missed here.

The opener was another dig at the Republican Debates. I still find them funny, especially Bill Hader's take on Rick Perry. Still makes me laugh.

Emma's monologue was pretty good, and her gorgeous boyfriend, Andrew Garfield, making a cameo just made it even better.

Secret Word with Kristin Wiig was hilarious! I wish game shows were still like this.

Bill Hader killed again as Herb the Newsman. Or should I say he "died" again, LOL!

The digital short this week wasn't that great. And I'm not a fan of Coldplay's new stuff so I didn't pay attention to their performance.

Weekend Update was fun, as usual. I really love Seth Myer's delivery. Jason Sudeikis made an appearance as the devil, who is apparently not as informed on recent bad guys as we'd expect. This bit is always amusing. Kat and Garth, the musical team who just can't seem to prepare stopped by as well with their new backup singer (Coldplay frontman Chris Martin). This was really fun, I love watching Fred try to lose Kristin while they're ad-libbing but she keeps right up with him. So talented.

The French Kids sketch was cute, I don't know why I love it so much but I do. Don't judge me.

The Bridal Shower sketch was probably the funniest of the night for me. Emma was so hilarious in this one.

Another Coldplay performance - fast forwarded, sorry.

Happy Hour sketch was good too, and yes, everyone sings Adele's "Someone Like You" while crying when they're sad. This one was awesome.

The last sketch was "We're Going to Make Technology Hump", pretty self explanatory. And funny.

Can't wait till Saturday!! Love me some SNL ... what did you think of this episode? Tweet me!