American Idol 8‘s auditions have ended after seven episodes and nine hours–and just in time, because the show ran out of people so fast they had to double-up audition cities in a single hour-long episode, never mind spending time on the losers that have been mostly, thankfully absent this year. The general approach–which included concluding …
Survivor Tocantins cast member Debra Beebe may be a middle school principal–she was Alabama’s middle school principal of the year in 2007 for her work at J. F. Drake Middle School in Auburn–but have you ever known a middle school principal who dances on tables with her teenage daughters’ friends? Debra told me that she …
Gordon Ramsay insists he’s never watched an episode of his Fox reality competition Hell’s Kitchen, which returned last night for its fifth season, because he doesn’t want to relive the “nightmare.” Because he’s Ramsay, though, he says it in a much more colorful way. In a video interview with Comcast.net’s Victor Balta, Ramsay first said …
During our conversation, Jerry Sims described himself as someone who is “just laid back, [doesn’t] get rattled real easily, can deal with stressful situations calmly.” That’s absolutely true; in a group of relatively easy-going contestants, he was easily the most relaxed and low-key. At 49, he’s the second oldest Survivor Tocantins cast member (behind Sandy, …
The producers of American Idol 8 have apologized to viewers via their web site over the editing of an audition, admitting to a “misinterpretation” of comments portrayed as threatening, and saying those comments “took everyone by surprise.” Last Wednesday during the Louisville audition, a distant grandson of convicted Lincoln assassination conspirator Samuel Mudd auditioned and, …
Gordon Ramsay returns tonight to berate another group of incompetent chefs when Fox debuts Hell’s Kitchen 5 at 9 p.m. ET. If the first episode is any indication, this season will be practically identical to the preceding four seasons, which is why it’s both awesome and surprisingly boring. In some ways, Hell’s Kitchen is the …
Tonight at 8 p.m. ET, HBO debuts The Trials of Ted Haggard, Alexandra Pelosi’s documentary that explores the former National Association of Evangelicals president and former minister’s current life. Now, he’s a traveling insurance salesman; last year, he was fired and/or resigned from his posts after having an affair with a male prostitute and buying …