Month: May 2008 (Page 13 of 17)

The Next Food Network Star Kicks Off June 1

May 8, 2008 / Mike Farley

In the category of time flies, Season 4 of “The Next Food Network Star” is kicking off on Sunday, June 1 on, um, The Food Network. If you’ve watched the show, you know that Guy Fieri, Season 2 champ, has become a huge success, and my personal favorite host on the network. Last season, Amy Finley was eliminated, then brought back on when JAG was disqualified, setting the stage for a Rory vs. Amy finale, in which Amy won her own show, “The Gourmet Next Door” (which is no longer taping).

Anyway, if you haven’t seen this show, but if you love to cook and/or eat (come on, that’s everyone!), you have to check it out. The premise is that the contestants compete each week in challenges in which they are judged by three experts, including Food Network personality and restauranteur Bobby Flay. They are judged in how they cook, how they present food, and how they act on camera while doing both of the above. And as with any reality show, there is always drama.

Check out this link for more information, and be sure to tune in June 1 at 10 pm ET.

Reality TV, The Next Food Network Star, TV

American Idol: And Then There Were….

May 8, 2008 / Mike Farley

Three left standing on “American Idol.” Yep, it’s been a blazing trip, hasn’t it? Still, David Cook and David Archuleta have been earmarked for the finals for a while. I think, though, that there have been more than a few surprises along the way. They do, however, continue to make the results show an agonizing hour long. With that, let’s talk about last night..

The four remaining contestants did a group rendition of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years,” which happens to be one of my favorite songs from my childhood. Well, not anymore after seeing that butcher job!

On to business. David Archuleta, safe. David Cook, safe. Damn, it’s too early in the show.

Then a bunch of phone calls, including a hilarious one from a 24-year-old single woman from Pittsburgh who asked David Cook on a date. Talk about being put on the spot…..she said “I see your tour comes through Pittsburgh in July…I will pick you up, show you around the city and take you out to dinner.” What could dude say, besides “I’ll have to see.” Oh, and another note to David….once you hit the outside world again, you’re going to get a lot of that, so enjoy it!

Then Maroon 5 performed, and though I do like this band a lot, they look really tired, and they are about to hit the road again for a global summer tour. After that, Bo Bice took the stage, singing his new single, “Witness.” This dude has some great pipes and is a throwback to good old Southern rock.
Anyway, I can’t look at Bo and not think he was robbed in Season 4. Remember, he finished second to Carrie Underwood. But, as I told Mrs. Mike last night, Bo probably would never have sold as many albums as Carrie has, so what do I know?

So down to Syesha Mercado and Jason Castro. Really now, did they even need to count the votes?
Jason, you are going home, and it’s really amazing that you made it this far.

So here we are, two weeks away from the finale. It should be David vs. David, but I’m still a bit terrified. Terrified that my boy David Cook is going to be toast next week, setting the stage for a lopsided finale of Syesha vs. young David. Hey, if Melinda Doolittle can be sent home before the finale, so can Mr. Cook, though he’s got the best voice and best future of anyone remaining.

Oh, and side note on David A….dude needs some interview coaching, because he just smiles and giggles at every question. Remember that buzzard that Bugs Bunny tormented, the one with the goofy laugh (“Oh, nope, nope , nope, nope…”)….you know the one, right? That’s who David Archuleta reminds me of when he speaks.

So, as we get closer to the finale, here are my power rankings

1. David Cook
2. David Archuleta
3. Syesha Mercado

If David Cook brings his A game next week, I’ll feel better..but I have a feeling all of them will sense the urgency of the impending finale. See you all next Wednesday, and remember, it’s free to leave a comment!

American Idol, Reality TV, TV

Shaving damage

May 7, 2008 / Jason Thompson

People sometimes ask, “Hey what’s entertaining in Philly?” And sometimes I just say, “Hey, just watch the TV if you’re ever in town.” If you do, you might be treated to some great local crap like the following:

External TV, TV

Hell’s Kitchen: Who the Heck is Shaina?

May 7, 2008 / Mike Farley

Last night’s “Hell’s Kitchen” featured a Sweet 16 dinner service instead of the usual fine dining experience. The teams would have to cook for a young girl’s party and please both the girl and her demanding mom.

The show started off with Ramsay and the chefs at a farmer’s market, where they had to gather ingredients and then cook one appetizer and two entrees for the girl and her mom to sample. This was the challenge of the day.

The red team (women) made shrimp scampi appetizer, Caribbean halibut and flank steak; the blue team (guys) made stuffed chicken wings, shrimp and sweet potatoes, and surf and turf. In a narrow margin, the guys won. Finally. And they got to celebrate by acting like kids with Ramsay all day–racing go-carts was just one of their activities. The ladies, meanwhile, had to deal with the flaming party planner and help prepare for the event.

During the dinner service, Roseann and Matt were both struggling, and both were called out by Ramsay–Roseann for undercooking the girl’s steak, and Matt for overcooking the mom’s fish. Yikes. But Matt has become a whiney, annoying, (for lack of a better term) bitch. I mean, he looks like he’s going to cry every time he’s on camera. He’s also one of those cancerous type employees that is always stirring up controversy by badmouthing everyone else.

But overall, the teams did well. The kids attending the party had to submit comment cards, and the guys scored 96% and the ladies 99%. So Ramsay declared that there was no losing team. However, someone had to be eliminated.

The guys nominated Matt (big surprise) and the ladies nominated Shaina. Who? Does anyone know who Shaina is??? Maybe that’s why she was nominated. Anyway, Ramsay thought Roseann should be added to the mix and asked her to step forward too. Then Matt whined his way back in, saying he would gladly go to the red team and that then the blue team would be exposed for having no talent.
I knew then that Ramsay would keep him around just for that. And he did, eliminating Shaina. Who? Yeah, that’s what I thought too.

This competition is still way up in the air, but one thing is for sure. There are some huge egos among this group. And I mean HUGE.

See you all next week!

Kitchen Nightmares, Reality TV, TV

American Idol: The Final Four

May 7, 2008 / Mike Farley

Here we are at the Final Four of “American Idol,” which means our Season 7 champ is going to be crowned in just a few weeks. And with no more mentors, the remaining contestants just had to choose two songs from among 500 of artists enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That’s a very large catalog. Of course, having so many songs to choose from can be a curse, too. Anyway, here we go….

THE GOOD

David Cook kicked things off, and his two songs were Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf” and The Who’s “Baba O’Reilly.” His first effort was pretty bland, but he brought his usual power the second time around, though it still was lacking compared to what David usually delivers. Randy said his first choice was just okay and the second was more like the real David Cook; Paula loved both because, well, she’s Paula; and Simon thought the first song was just a copycat rendition of the original, while the second was more like what we’re used to from him. In other words, the judges pretty much agreed with me on Mr. Cook.

Syesha Mercado took on Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” Continue reading »