Model Citizens...oh, and Singers, too...

Tonight was yet another busy night with the highly anticipated (for me at least!) America's Next Top Model finale and American Idol results show.

First up is the ANTM finale:

Here are my pre-show predictions/hopes:

• I think (read: hope!) Allison and Teyona will make it to the finals. Aminat doesn’t have a strong enough portfolio and I think Teyona will struggle with the commercial. I DO NOT want another upset like last cycle when Analeigh failed to make the finals despite her walking ability and amazing portfolio.



• Unless Allison wows during the final runway show, Teyona will walk away with the prize. This is annoying to me because she rivals McKey as the most boring winner of Top Model…ever!

First up was the make-it-or-break-it CoverGirl commercial. As predicted, Teyona choked on her commercial. She began crying and I can now see what the judges were saying about her not being telegenic. She was so nervous during the shoot and it was incredibly obvious to the judges. Fortunately for her, her photo was very CoverGirl and simple.

My fave Allison went next. She stumbled a bit with the commercial, but she looked simply gorgeous! She still lacked some energy, but so did McKey last season and no one could have less personality than her. But it was definitely better than her last commercial. Her still photo was gorgeous and the designer of the final runway show loved it. And she finally showed Tyra that she could be a commercial model

Aminat went first and she did pretty well. She looked beautiful but she looked incredibly rehearsed. She did have the most personality out of all the commercials but it was still a little ‘blah.’ And her photo failed to impress, showing once again that she is unable to deliver in a photo.

Allison was called first by the judges to be a finalist! Finally, I feel like the judges are realizing that she is actually good and that she can be a top model! Next, Teyona was called out to be in the final runway show for designer label Rosa Chá. Even though Aminat didn’t make it to the finals, she will clearly be signed by some agency because she is one of the fiercest runway walkers ever.

After panel, Allison and Teyona took their Seventeen Magazine cover shoots. Both looked very cute and definitely fit in with the Seventeen demographic. Of course, I prefer Allison, but perhaps I’m a little biased!

The final runway was Brazil-tastic! It was a colorful mix of Carnival and Samba with all of the beauty of Brazilian culture. The major challenge in this runway was the “Brazilian Stomp” which is the style of runway walk that has made all Brazilian models famous. The models were outfitted with large wings and stunning bathing suits. The models were introduced by capoeira dancers. Their second walk down the runway required the girls to Samba down the runway. The final pass down the runway saw the girls plastered in dark black paint all over their bodies and bikinis. What resulted looked like a uber sexy orgy of hot models. Somewhere during all of the gyrating and rolling on the ground, Teyona’s weave came out and she used it like a lasso!

The judges were amazed by Allison’s walk and her performance on the runway. Tyra even admitted that she expected Teyona to blow her out of the water but was surprised that Allison did as well as she did. The judges all felt that Teyona did well, as they thought she would. In their side by side photo comparisons, the girls looked very even. I was even surprised to hear Paulina speaking so well of Allison because it seemed all season that she didn’t like her. Both girls proved that they take good photos and they can both do editorial and commercial.

I have to say this was probably the hardest decision since Danielle and Joanie in Cycle 6. They both have equally amazing portfolios and both did exceptionally well during the runway show. During deliberation, it was revealed that the judges thought so much of her going into the runway show but were ultimately underwhelmed. Whereas with Allison, they were so surprised by how well she did that she stunned them all. However, despite this, the judges went with Teyona. AAHHHH!! Why?! Allison completely deserved to win. Well, I guess we will just have to wait to see next cycle’s hopefuls to see if Top Model and Tyra will ever get it right!

On to another nailbiter - the American Idol results show:

Much like the DWTS results shows, I don't much like the American Idol ones either as they take WAY too long for what should only take 10 minutes! As is the case every week, there is a lame Ford Music Video that I think all AI contestants should be ashamed of and request that the producers burn them in acid after it airs - or better yet, before!

Oddly enough, Ben Stiller, Bill Hader, Hank Azaria, and Jonah Hill introduced the show and shamefully plugged their new move, "Night at the Musem 2". They're just lucky that I'm slightly in love with Bill Hader otherwise I would have been completely pissed off at the waste of time.

Another way of filling the hour was following the remaining three's visits home. Does anyone else thinks it's odd that they are all touted as Hometown Heroes?! All they did was sing on a national televsion show!! Who cares?! Alright, maybe I'm not the right person to be asking that question since I am watching it and writing about it. But still! I guess it was pretty cool to see Adam in San Diego, too. I actually knew some of the places he was at, kinada exciting. Again, like the weird intro, one moment saved it all for me, which was when they played "Falling Slowly" from the movie Once during Kris's hometown footage. That song will never get old and will never fail to give me goosebumps! I know what I'm listening to on my iPod tonight before I go to bed! ;)

Then was a performance from the recent AI winner, Jordin Sparks. I guess I can't really consider an AI alum coming back to where it all began for them as being a waste of time, but that doesn't mean I'm happy that I have to sit through more nonsense that are not the results! I gotta say though she looked good and more grown up. Congratulations to her for actually having a singing career after AI.

And before we could get to the actual results, we had yet another performance by Katy Perry. Nothing else worth commenting on here.

FINALLY the results! And the first one to make it to the finals...Kris Allen! It had to be the "Heartless" performance! So who would be next to him as the other half of the final two? San Diego's own Adam Lambert!

Alright, so I promised I would say why I don't think Adam should win...but I'm actually going to wait until next week's finale! Sorry!

It's Time For A Three-Way!

What a night! Three shows in one night, geesh! First up, The Biggest Loser finale!

First off, my predictions:

Who will make the finals? I feel America will go with Mike, the youngest contestant. Not only because of his incredible transformation throughout the show, but also his father's plea to keep him in the running.

Who will be the biggest loser? It has to be Tara. She has been a powerhouse competitor from the beginning and although I was sometimes annoyed with her attitude and the fact that she couldn't handle when other contestants thought she was the biggest threat, she is clearly the best contestant.

Who will be the biggest loser at home? This will be tough. I think it will be between my favorite contestant ever, Kristin, Nicole from the Red Team, and Daniel from the Orange Team.

Ok, on to the show! As predicted, Mike was sent to the final three with Helen and Tara. And dang, did he look good! I feel a little ashamed saying that considering he is 18 but he has definitely done well for himself.

Allison introduced a new challenge of choosing the last contestant for the next season. America had to choose between two young, blonde girls, both of whom weigh around 230 lbs. Before the final weigh-ins, it was announced that Amanda would be joining the ranch for the next season. Good luck, Amanda!

First to show their transformations pre-weigh-in were the White Team (and the oldest team), Jerry and Estella, and the Red Team, soon-to-be-married Damien and Nicole. All of them look great, especially Jerry and Nicole. And with their weigh-in and stories, came my waterworks! Just assume that this post will be stained with my tears! Jerry amazed everyone with a weight loss of 177 pounds, resulting in a 47.97% weight loss! Nicole ended up with her total percentage of weight loss just under Jerry's.

Next out were the Tongan Cousins of the Blue Team, Felipe and Sione, and the fractured Silver Team, Joelle and Carla. Carla looked like she could be attending the Grammy's in her hot purple outfit. And the Tongan twins looked just as hot as ever. Ultimately, none of them could best Jerry's amazing results. But, they all clearly won in their own right and all look happy and healthy.

The second pair of cousins, Black Team's Blaine and Dane, and the Yellow Team sisters, Mandi and Aubrey, were next out. I have to say that Mandi stood out in this group and she looked fantastic! Her yellow halter sundress was incredibly flattering and she seemed truly happy for the first time on this show. Both Blaine and Dane put up huge numbers but still couldn't knock down Jerry. Mandi simply glowed during her post show interview and her weigh-in. She looked so beautiful. And while Aubrey didn't lose a large amount of weight, she showed inspiration for all the moms out there.

Finally, out came my fave Kristin and her mom, Cathy, from the Purple Team. They were followed by the Orange Team, David and Daniel. And, wow! Kristin looked fabulous in with her new uber blonde spiky hair and slim figure and Daniel, who clearly shed a large amount of weight. Kristin wowed the crowd but missed the mark of the greatest weight loss by only 7 pounds! Unfortunately for David, he still is missing some motivation as he only lost 43 pounds. I hope that he will find some way to kick it into gear and do better for himself. On the flip side, Daniel, who was the biggest competitor ever, is well on his way to becoming the person he wants to be.

With Jerry still in the lead for the largest percentage of weight loss, only three people were left to weigh in: Laura from the Green Team, Shanon from the Pink Team, and Ron from the Brown Team. Laura did well with her weight loss but was still as "blah" as ever. Shanon looked great and definitely happy! Finally, it came down to Ron and Jerry. Ron needed to lose 206 pounds to beat Jerry but fell 14 pounds short, meaning Jerry lasted from the beginning to the end with the most weight lost at home! Pretty dang good for a 65 year old man! Looks like I lost this prediction.

Now time for the final three! We had a little intro from our favorite trainers, Bob and Jillian. And I love me some Bob and Jillian! Each of the remaining three had a video montage of their journeys, which was honestly a filler of space and nothing we hadn't seen before. Just get to the good stuff already!

Helen and Tara broke through their Day One photos to reveal their new slim figures and met Mike at center stage with Allison. Because Tara won the last weigh-in on campus, she decided the order of the final weigh-in. So, here we go:

• Helen - she started the show at 257 pounds. Her current weight: 117 pounds, leaving her with a total percentage of weight loss of 54.47%. She lost over half of herself former person!
• Mike - he started the show at 388 pounds. His current weight: 181 pounds, leaving him with a total percentage of weight loss of 53.35%. Mike lost more than he currently weighs! Unfortunately, it was not enough to beat Helen.
• Tara - she started the show at 294 pounds. Her current weight: 139 pounds. Ultimately, the Unbeatable Tara was defeated by 48-year-old Helen.

Congratulations to Helen, the newest Biggest Loser and winner of $250,000!!!

Next up for review is the Semifinals of American Idol.

I gotta say, I am not too happy with this "Boys Club" for the Final Three. Allison Iraheta was way good and deserved to be in the Semis. Oh, well, I don't bother to vote in these things so I suppose I can't complain ;)

Singing first was Danny Gokey. Now, it's that I don't like Danny but I don't think he's the best. He does have a good voice and he is talented, but I also think he knows he's good and he expects to be in the finals because Paula told him he would be there from Day One. So, naturally, Paula selected one of Danny's songs tonight and she chose "Dance Little Sister." For someone who doesn't know the song, I would say Danny's rendition doesn't make me want to run out and by the single. I don't think it matched his voice all that well - I see him ultimately singing songs similar to Nickelback. Danny's choice of song was "You Are So Beautiful." Before he started singing, I wasn't sure if his voice was soft enough for this song. And I think I was right. He was trying too hard to be sincere and tender and it made me sleepy and bored in the beginning. Then he tried to make it a power ballad at the end, which didn't work at all to me. He should have just done a power ballad and not try to change a soft song into something it's not. Paula gushed over it and Simon called it "a vocal masterclass." What?! Gross.

Newlywed cutie, Kris Allen, was next. At first, I was amazed that Kris even made it to the Top 13. AND that he’s made it this far. But, I am beginning to see his appeal. He may not be the best singer, but he could definitely sell records with his John Mayer-esque voice. Randy and Kara chose the recent mega-hit “Apologize” by One Republic for the Judge’s Choice song. We got to see Kris at the piano again and he did better than I thought, though no where as good as one of my past faves Matt Giraud would have done on it with his beautiful falsetto. Kris just doesn’t have the wide range to be hitting that chorus. But it was a great effort and I think voters will like it. Kris's personal choice was "Heartless" by Kanye West. What?! He knows that Kanye can't sing right?? Kris came out with his acoustic guitar and a blank stage. And surprisingly...it was GENIUS! It makes me wish Kanye never sang the song so that I would only know it as being Kris's. It was a great 'unplugged' performance that was incredibly unique and reminiscent of Jason Mraz's skills with rap-singing. It was a huge risk but I think it will really pay off for him. The judges loved him and now, so do I! I actually hope he gets to the finals.

Last to go was Adam Lambert. Simon chose “One” by U2 as Adam’s Judge’s Choice. I am not the biggest Adam fan, even though he does have an amazing voice. More about my thoughts on him to come during the results show! It was nice to see a toned down version of Adam during his rendition of “One” because he does have that uncanny ability to be powerful and tender at the same time. And of course, the judges loved him. Adam choose Aerosmith for his final song. No point in even deciding if it will be good...it will. He was meant to sing this type of music. Unfortunately, the back-up singer on the chorus overpowered Adam a little. Fortunately, Adam is such a skilled singer that it didn't mess him up one bit. His ability to sing Aerosmith and other rock songs is another reason why I don't think Adam should win. Again, more on that tomorrow! The judges all loved him and I think they are running out of things to say to him. They just know at this point that he will be in the finals so they aren't overly excited anymore like giddy school girls. Simon, being the only realistic one, stated that we can't just assume Adam will make it but that he wanted people to vote for him because he deserves to be there. Which he does.

So, my predictions for tomorrow's results show? I think based on performances, Kris and Adam should be the final two. I am still in complete awe of Kris's rendition of "Heartless" and that alone should make him fly right into the finals.

And now, finally to the last show of the evening, Dancing with the Stars results show.

Ok, usually I don't watch these results shows because they make what should take 10 minutes max into a full hour-long episode. So, to be brief, we are skipping the guests performances, the pro-ballroom competition to see who will be the next pro on the show, and the re-play of last night's performances. Let's get down to what really matters and see if Ty Murray was sent packing.

First to be saved and headed to the finals were Gilles & Cheryl. Announced next wer Shawn & Mark. This left Melissa & Tony and Ty & Chelsie in the bottom two. This is what I expected since Melissa wasn't at her best last night. The judges and hosts continued to point out that Ty was clearly the most improved. However, this couldn't save him and Ty was finally voted off the dance floor. Ty knew that he wasn't as good as the other competitors and compared his experience to a blind person being taught how to paint.

So, it was a night of upsets, losses, and wins. How exhausting!

Next up on Get Real, the Top Model finale (!), Make Me A Supermodel, and American Idol results show, so stay tuned!

DWTS - Semifinals

Tonight was the nail-biting Semifinals of Dancing With the Stars. As usual, co-host Samantha Harris was pointless and a waste of time and space on the show, only this week she had the unnatural glow of a traffic cone. Luckily Tom Bergeron is there to make witty transitions and tie everything together. The four remaining couples had their dancing shoes put to the test and as each pair had to perform both a ballroom and a latin dance. BUT before we could get to any real dancing, nearly half an hour was spent with play-by-play commentary of the couples talking about their "best" dancers. Boring! Already being 45 mins late to starting the show, I should have just fast forwarded throughall this and caught up by the end. Finally we got to the dancing and...


First up was The Bachelor star Melissa Rycroft and her partner Tony Dovolani. This week, she tackled the Quick Step and the Cha Cha. Melissa's Quick Step was reminscent of old Hollywood glamour straight out of a 1930's musical. Len called it "Gorgeous" whereas Carrie Ann blasted the bachelorette, saying that the dance didn't come from her soul. She scored a total of 28 with a ten from Len, and nines from Carrie Ann and Bruno. Next, she danced the the Cha Cha. The result was a little like Gene Kelly meets the gypsies. I admit it was a little boring but still good. She ended up with a good 27, leaving her with a total of 56 out of 60 for the evening.


Second to go was Gilles Marini and his stellar partner Cheryl Burke. Gilles' two dances were the Waltz and the Salsa. I have to admit Gilles was at the top of his game tonight. During his Waltz, set to the Norah Jones tune of "Come Away with Me," I felt almost a little voyeuristic. It was so intimate and romantic, as if they were two people expressing their love for each other through dance and no one was in the room but them. It came as no shock when the judges rewarded them a perfect 30. His second dance was a Salsa, which I fully expected him to excel in. Naturally, Gilles and Cheryl moved across the dance floor seemlessly and oozed sexuality. Bruno even quipped "Lil' Kim is alive and well and living in your pants!" The pair earned their second perfect 30 of the night, putting them at the top with a 60 out of 60.


Next on the dance floor was olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and my favorite pro, Mark Ballas. Shawn was given the task of completing the Argentine Tango and the Jive. From Mark's clockwork orange-like guyliner to Shawn's ultra sultry dress, it was clear that the duo were planning to hit the Argentine Tango head-on. The performance was mature and Chicago-esque, leading Bruno to naming the pint-sized gymnast "Catherine Zeta-Shawn." With the audience and judges equally loving the dance, the pair won the coveted perfect 30. Shawn then had to dance the Jive and it was, unfortunately, a little less that peppy. Though super cute, it was a little sloppy and Mark did not look happy during the judges' comments. Ultimately, they couple dropped down to a 26 from the less than jumpin' Jive, leaving them with a 56 out of 60 to tie Melissa and Tony.


Last to dance (perhaps not just for the night?) was last week's salvaged duo, rodeo cowboy Ty Murray and SYTYCD alum Chelsie Hightower. Ty and Chelsie first took on the Viennese Waltz, which was a good first dance for the team. Ty has been known for his good frame and natural rise and falls. However, it was a little too end-of-Disney-movie/"Enchanted" for me. Ty was too jerky and the dance lacked any romance, looking more like a brother-sister dance at a wedding. The couple received a 25 for the dance. Finally, Ty was confronted with the dreaded Samba. And let me tell you, I was dreading it. Though it was definitely a poor display of the sexy Samba, it was clear that this was the best that Ty could do and that just made me smile the entire time. Neither Chelsie nor Ty seemed disappointed with their low score of 23 or their final score of 48 out of 60.


So, my predictions for the results show and who will make it to the finals?

• Melissa and Tony - I do love Melissa and I am so glad that she has bounced back from that awful Bachelor ending. She clearly deserves to make it to the finals and dance again. And as much as I want her to win it all, because I like her and she's clearly a good dancer, I think she has already won in her own right. All Bachelor fans wanted to see her come out that on a good note and she has now proven that she has. Ultimately, she will make it to the finals.
• Gilles and Cheryl - I was never the biggest fan of Gilles, mostly because I felt he coasted on his sexiness for too long. However, after tonight, he shed all of that (not literally, thankfully...or perhaps unfortunately?) and it was clear that he was passionate about the competition and winning. He will definitely make it to the finals.
• Shawn and Mark - They have been my favorite from Day 1. Perhaps that's just because I love the olympics and Shawn is just so dang cute. But she has also shown so much growth both in talent but also as a person that she clearly deserves to make it to the finals. Besides, doesn't anyone else want to see what kind of tricks she will do in the Freestyle dance?!
• Ty and Chelsie - I love both Ty and Chelsie. Ty is so lovable and just so cute. He makes you want him to do well. Chelsie was one my faves from SYTYCD and her performance with Mark is the only reason I can stand Leona Lewis's "Bleeding Love." However, these two should not make it to the finals. It was surprising when they bested Lil' Kim but I don't think they have another upset in them.

Up next on Get Real: American Idol, The Biggest Loser Finale, and DWTS results show. Stay tuned!

The Fashion Show - The Must Have...or Not

Welcome to "Get Real", your source to 'good' reality tv! This blog will mostly follow competition reality shows with an occassional exception.

We will begin with Bravo's newbie, The Fashion Show and other shows will soon pick-up, such as The Bachelorette with Jillian Harris and my favoritest So You Think You Can Dance! And because I can't leave all of my others behind, I will mid-season it with the current shows I am watching, like American Idol, The Biggest Loser, America's Next Top Model, and Dancing with the Stars.

But, as promised, first up is Bravo's newest show, The Fashion Show!



I admit that I was very wary of this new Faux Project Runway. True they were able to get renowned designer Isaac Mizrahi to be a host/mentor to the budding designers which added some legitmacy to the show. But Kelly Rowland? How does she qualify to be a host/mentor? I guess being a former Destiny's Child member and not being caught wearing Beyonce's dreadful House of Dereon automatically makes your a couture diva.

So, why would would-be designers decide to go out for this show instead of Project Runway? Well, I bet the $125, 000 grand prize (furnished by TRESemme...hmm, sound familiar?) isn't too bad. And some of their designs will be sold online at bravotv.com. And I guess the ego-inducing idea that you are the first (and maybe last?) winner of a new tv show can't hurt.



The contestants? Again, a bit of PR deja-vu. There's Kristin: the cute, spunky, eco-friendly designer who's just a little too reminiscent of past PR-alums Kit and Allison with a little bit of Welsh sensation Duffy thrown in; Merlin: who reminds me of cry-baby Ricky and an even more annoying Daniel Franco in a red pimp suit; and Johnny: who might not remind of a past PR designer but I just find him gross! And with other 'characters' like Andrew 'The Pantiechrist' Christian (could you guess he's an underwear designer?) and Reco the stripper outfitter from the hood, this show seems poised to be a near twin to the original designing show we all love.

The show began with a challenge of designing the classic LBD out of a simple black t-shirt. No surprise that Reco designed a stripper inspired outfit and the 'experimental' James-Paul used safety pins and a pleated garment bag (hello Hot Topic!) for their outfits. The best designs, as chosen by Laura Brown from Harper's Bazaar, were: Keith, Merlin, and Johnny (gross!). Their success in winning the challenge led to most designer's nightmares: working in a team and being the team leader - gasp!

After bitching about the hard task and choosing teams by design (still leaving the last two griping about feeling like a school child being picked last for a sports team), the elimination challenge was revealed: The Must Have. Each team would need to design the next must-have item and showcase it in 5 different wearable ways. Team Johnny went faux couture with grey satin Harem (aka Hammer) pants, Team Keith chose a tube skirt/dress that could be worn inside-out, and Team Merlin settled on a navy Bolero.

As drama ensued with between "just-out-of-Design-school know-it-all" Daniella and Merlin, things appeared not so smooth between Kristin and the rest of Team Keith. Both Kelly and Isaac made the rounds and "mentored" the designers. An interesting choice in the format of the show allowed for us to see the "real" thoughts of Kelly and Isaac after visiting with the designers. Neither had high hopes for the designers and they were right to think so.



The format of the final runway show adds for some new excitment as a live audience of industry insiders are invited while the designers watch from backstage on a tv. The pressure is now on in a big way and perhaps more than ever was for ProRun contestants. However, since the final designers in The Fashion Show don't get to show at New York Fashion Week, I think ProRun still wins out here.

Team Johnny went first and the muted greys and blues of the designers were less than inspiring. The best of that group was shockingly Reco the stripper designer who pulled off a sleek tank with a structured and fun grey cropped jacket that actually made the Harem pants look fashionable. All others were pretty forgettable. Team Keith was a trainwreck with too-tight skirts that made the barely there models look as if they had just been shrinkwrapped in tan wool. The stand-out here was again surprising - Andrew the Pantiechrist! Last was Team Merlin with their uniform-like Boleros. Merlin and James-Paul were the clear stand-outs as their designs showed relevance and ready-to-wear looks that any woman would want to wear.

Judging was made up of Kelly and Isaac, industry staple Fern Mallis, and designer Elie Tahari. They revealed that the audience felt that Team Johnny was safe, leaving the other two teams waiting for their fate. Team Merlin came out as the winners, and rather than relishing in her success, Daniella decided to bitch about working with Merlin and came off as a stuck-up design-school snob. Not surprisingly, James-Paul and Merlin were the favorites with the ultimate win going to cute, exotic James-Paul.



In the bottom two from the failing Team Keith were Kristin and Jonny D. Kristin was blasted for efforts of playing with proportions with some critics asking "What was she thinking?!" whereas dear Jonny's design was called slutty and it was commented that he took the best part of a woman's body (her breasts, naturally) and made them look terrible. Ultimately, Kristin's creativity and daring won over the judges and Jonny D was sent packing.

So how would the contestants be Auf'd? Isaac wittingly tells them "We're just not buying it". And Kristin's status the newly saved designer? Well, she's "hanging by a thread". Haha, oh puns. How clever.

Ultimately, if you're looking for just one designer show to follow this season, wait it out another month or so and catch Project Runway on Lifetime (tear!). But, if you're like me and you need a designer fix now, The Fashion Show will have to do.



Next up on "Get Real", the semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars!