Last night’s Top Chef was ruined for me when Kathie Lee Gifford showed up!!! AAAHHHH! I can’t stand that woman!
Fortunately it wasn’t until near the end, so I got to enjoy the first 40 minutes or so.The chefs were tasked to createa breakfrast amuse-bouche for the Quick Fire Challenge, which was judged by Padma and celebrity chef Rocci DiSpirito (Fabio’s a big fan – no, not that Fabio, the contestant on Top Chef, whose quickly become the fan fave).
Amuse-Bouche – another on of those cool terms I’ve picked up watching this show. It refers to a culinary bite-sized starter (appetizer per se). Some chefs had trouble limiting their offerings to bite-size while others hit the mark perfectly. Leah was chosen the winner, gaining immunity for the Elimination Challenge.
This week’s Elimination Challenged gave the chefs $100 and 30 minutes to shop for ingredients to come up with a 2 ½ minute television presentation creating an original dish.
Fabio went right for the tuna and asked to cut it himself. Eugene and Hosea followed suit cutting their own fish. Eugene for sushi and Hosea for a tuna dish. Melissa, Leah and Jeff went for shrimp. Jamie and Ariane went for salads (salads? Usually the kiss of death on this show). Jamie a frise salad and Ariane a beef steak salad.
Daniel conjured up a ginger soy steak. Leah chose to sear some duck, while Carla and Stefan decided to dish out some soup (tortilla and minestrone, respectively. Alex was the lone holdout for some dessert – choosing to make crème brulee. Fabio immediately thought this was a mistake, due to the time constrictions (they were only given one hour to prepare).
All chefs got an opportunity to make a live presentation for the judges, who were amused when Daniel smoked out the studio. Disappoints wer Jamie, Leah, Alex and Carla, while judges were impressed with Fabio, whom Rocco called “A dream guest,” and Ariane, whose presentation was “perfect.”
Melissa, Alex and Jamie made the bottom three, while Ariane, Fabio and Jeff were chosen to go to the Today Show and present their dishes to the female hosts. This is where Kathie Lee showed up – Ugghh! – and proceeded to spit out Jeff’s shrimp dish. Kathie Lee, as usual, always has to be the center of attention.
In the end, the Top Chef judges chose Ariane as the winner and she received Rocco’s book and some culinary tools. She also got to do a segment on this morning’s Today Show, but I forgot to watch, anybody else see it? I’m sure we can find it on Youtube.
As foretold by Fabio, Alex’s crème brulee proved to be his undoing and he was sent to pack his knives and go … now he can devote all his time to his upcoming wedding. Good luck Alex.Just wanted to add that I’m totally luvin’ Fabio!! He’s definitely the break-out star of the group so far. What do you think? Who’s your fave?
Top Chef repeats tonight on Bravo at 8 p.m.Next week the contestants get to cook for judge Gail Simmon’s bridal shower.

Tonight on CBS at 8 p.m. is an all new episode of Survivor: Gabon! And from the looks of the previews, this is the episode where the family members are brought in. It's getting pretty nasty, can't wait to watch!

And WTH is going on over at Seattle Grace? Find out tonight at 9 on ABC with a new ep of Grey’s Anatomy. According to show creator Shonda Rimes, the Izzy-Denny storyline is leading to a conclusion we’ll never see coming, and it doesn’t involve Denny being there to take Izzy to the other side (remember, Denny a ghost, he died 2 seasons ago). Personally, I hope they keep him around awhile, I love Jeffrey Dean Morgan and have really enjoyed his return, no matter how ridiculous …

JD Morgan, nice

After Grey’s, at 10 p.m. stay tuned to find out who Barbara Walters finds the Most Fascinating People of 2009. Guests will include Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Sarah Palin, Tina Fey, Miley Cyrus, Thomas Beatie and Frank Langella. At the end of the show, she’ll reveal who the No. 1 Most Fascinating Person is …. I’d put my money on Barack Obama, an easy guess.



In Other News: According to today’s NY Post, Real Housewife of Atlanta and troublemaker NeNe Leakes and her husband Gregory have been evicted from the five-bedroom house they were living in when the show was being made. The couple is said to owe more than $6,200 in back rent from an owner who lived overseas, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. When asked by the paper where she was living now, NeNe replied via email: “It’s none of your business.”

Naughty NeNe

The Office has been granted that oh-so-important spot after the Superbowl on NBC Feb. 1.

Showtime has renewed David Duchovny’s hysterical Californication for a third season. You can expect it in late 2009.


And totally off the TV topic, but I have to give a shout out – J.K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter and the richest woman in the UK, is releasing a new book today.

“Tales of Beedle the Bard” hits the bookshelves with raving applause. It’s a book of tales from the wizarding world, including “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” which figured prominently in Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the best-selling book series in the world (over 400 million copies in 67 languages).
I’ll be picking up a copy!

Sorry everybody, no time for frills today! Wanted to blog more about last week's Top Chef, but there just wasn't time. No time for photos or proofreading either, so please forgive.

The fur really flew last night on Bravo during the Real Housewives of Atlanta Reunion. And I loved it!
Let’s see, where to begin … the host stared off with a bang, stating that they received an overwhelming number of emails from viewers who don’t believe that blonde babe Kim isn’t really 29. She says she’s 30 now.
Next it was revealed that CNN’s Anderson Cooper loves loudmouth NeNe.
Who responded with much love for Anderson. Viewers also emailed over NeNe’s “saggy boobs,” saying she should dress more appropriately. And NeNe confirmed that she hasn’t been in touch with Curtis (who she believed was her father), since the paternity test resolved that he wasn’t.
After being asked the identity of Big Poppa, Kim revealed that he’s legally married and seeking a divorce. Which really set NeNe off! Calling Kim a liar and saying, “close your legs to married men!”
Kim replied with “grow up and you’d better back your ass up!”
Lots of bleeped cursing followed with NeNe boasting Kim’s a “trashy hooker” and wears a wig. Lisa climbed onto NeNe’s lap to keep her from getting up.
The host, looking nervous, took the show into commercial. After the break, he asked Kim if she was wearing a wig. To which she replied, that 3 years ago she found out that she got sick and found out she had cancer. NeNe apologized, saying she didn’t know about the cancer. About a minute later, Kim said she didn’t have cancer, that it was something else she didn’t want to talk about it. (It still wasn’t confirmed she wears a wig, but I can totally see it now.)
Following brief summaries of Sheree, DeShawn and Lisa, the show got back to the battle between Kim and NeNe, with the host bringing up NeNe’s song about Kim. I don’t remember what Kim said, but Lisa totally flew off the handle, calling Kim a “liar who needs medication.”
Then when Kim responded, Lisa said, “You don’t want to start with me, I’ll flip you over that couch!”
The show closed on an up note with the addition of NeNe’s gay boyfriend Dwight, who brought some all too needed comic relief. The show will repeat numerous times over the weekend. Check it out! Or you can watch it here http://www.bravotv.com/ Real_Housewives_Of_Atlanta/season/1/index.php

The Foo Fighters stop by Top Chef tonight on Bravo at 10.
Last week’s episode concluded with Fabio winning with his spericle olives, and Jill going home from making a bad quiche from Ostrich eggs. Sorry, there wasn’t time to post more ..

And to all my Twilight fans out there, don’t miss The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight. Robert Pattinson, aka Edward Cullen, stops by to spend some time on the couch.
Summit Entertainment has announced the Twilight's sequel, New Moon, will begin filming in March (hopefully with a November release date).