Last night's finale of The Apprentice: Martha Stewart capped off a season where we learned a very important lesson -- don't try to copy an already good show. You'll just end up with a disappointment. Not that the show didn't have its moments. (or that I didn't watch every last second of it) But if Jim hadn't been one of the contestants, there would have been very little to watch.

Right away in the finale we could see that this was going to be stretched out just like the finale of Donald's show; at least they only stretched into one hour. As we saw the two tasks play out, it looked like Bethenny's event was actually going much better. Bethenney, while she didn't have control of her team, had complete control of the event. I loved the moment when Carrie and Jim were sitting and talking about how Bethenny hadn't even started the VIP event, and Bethenny walked in to tell them that she had taken care of it and the VIP event was done. So in all reality, her team did very little. We know she took care of the entire VIP event. We saw her decide that more money needed to be raised for the charity and adding a silent auction. And we saw her team (especially Jim & Carrie) constantly sitting around complaining instead of working. The circus seemed to be a great success, and it was Bethenny's doing. Sure, at the very end she didn't really thank her team, but that didn't bother me that much. They were so rude to her -- why should she be over the top in thanking them?

Over at Dawna's fashion show, two things jumped out at me. First, why did so much of the responsibility get delegated to Amanda? If Martha liked the event so much, perhaps she should have hired Amanda instead. Second, from the editing, it seemed like there was a lot more to Bethenny's event than Dawna's (although that could be a product of the editing). While the fashion show looked good, it's unclear what else Dawna did -- was there a VIP event? Was there a charity element to her event? What did Dawna actually do?

On a side note -- I loved Dawna's to-do list. Way to show the world that making lists is a great way to keep organized, and does NOT make you strange (darling husband of mine, I hope you're paying attention!!!)

Anyways, we get to the conference room, and the one thing that Martha really points out are the programs -- Bethenny's which looks amazing and Dawna's which looks like she printed it off of her computer moments before the event. At this point it seems like Bethenny is the winner -- her event was so well planned, and raised a lot of money for the charity (and why didn't Martha mention this -- was she unaware that Bethenny added an entire element to her event?). But of course, the decision won't be made right away -- they'll have to wait until the live show.

So the two finalists could not be any more different; I think we all knew that it would really just come down to a matter of which type of person Martha wanted in her organization.
But if they were being judged on performance, I don't know how Martha could not hire Bethenny. This brings me to my point with the live finale -- it allows Martha (and Donald on the other show) to watch all the footage. And, alas, Bethenny rubbed a bunch of people the wrong way. So in the end, Martha opted for the safe choice in Dawna. That isn't to say that Dawna isn't a good choice -- she is. It's just that Dawna is like any other job applicant -- she'll be a good employee. But Bethenny would have brought something different to MSLO. Oh well. At least we all know that we'll never have to watch another episode of this less talented little sister of Trump's show again.

And with that, I'm off to watch holiday specials and re-runs until January. Happy Holidays...

I can't believe what I just saw on the finale of The Apprentice. It's been a few minutes, and my jaw is still hanging open. (really) Oh my goodness.

So, the biggest part of tonight's show was the commercials. Could NBC have crammed any more commercials down our throats? And they had to shoot back to the live scene in NY between each commercial. It was absurd. Why couldn't they just show us more of the events (which both looked good)? NBC -- this was a bad move.

Anyways, the two events were both really good. Randall, who will never start another day without checking the weather, bounced back from not having a "Plan B" relatively nicely. What I didn't understand was what would have happened if the weather had been nice. Would they have still had the auction? And there didn't seem like enough celebs there to play an actual softball game. I think that the rain was really a blessing in disguise, giving Randall an opportunity to showcase his speaking and fundraising skills. I don't think he would have had such a chance with the game.

At Rebecca's event, she bounced back very quickly from Joe Piscopo pulling out from the MC job. (although I don't understand why she didn't try to work it out with the union...I hope she did, that we just didn't see it) Rebecca's event was fantastic...the major snag was caused by Trump himself. And George was a remarkably good sport with the comedians. I wish there had been more of a focus on the charity. But I disagree with Trump that Rebecca should have just gone ahead with her fundraising against the wishes of Yahoo. If she had upset the Yahoo execs, he would have been annoyed with her on that end. This was really Yahoo's mistake, not Rebecca's; from the giant donation made by Yahoo during the live portion, I think they realized that as well. (it just couldn't have been publicity for them to have Yahoo execs saying that they wouldn't be comfortable asking their VIPs to give to the charity)

So, we get to the live portion of the boardroom, and my questions begin. What on earth got into Alla & Felisha? They were part of that whole "sorority girl clique" in the early episodes, and Rebecca wasn't part of it, but still. There's a point where you go from supporting Randall to making a fool of yourself on national television. I think most (including Trump) would agree that this season there really was no clear winner. For Alla to be going on and on about how Rebecca didn't derserve the job, spoke volumes about her (and Rebecca for that matter, who never turned around and said "I made it further than you, didn't I?"). And why didn't they show us who stood up when Randall asked the fired candidates who would hire him? And what was written in big letters on the piece of paper on the board room table in front of George.

Anyways, I would imagine that Randall and Rebecca had both gotten wind of the rumors that were circulating today that Trump was going to hire both of them. So they probably got a chance to think about what that would mean. I can imagine that they both wanted to win, not tie. So when Randall was hired, he got what he wanted -- he was the winner. Now here's where my jaw fell open. Trump called them both back, and asks Randall if he would hire Rebecca as well. Now, one of the reasons that Randall has been hired is because he "leads through kindness." But he tells Trump no -- he wants to be the only apprentice. WHAT????? You won. It doesn't hurt you or cost you anything to put in a good word for Rebecca. And you're not even guaranteed that he will offer Rebecca the job. Instead, we see a part of Randall's personality that didn't really come through on the show, and it's not pretty. If nothing else, Randall should have told Trump that he thought Rebecca would be an asset to the company, then launched into his "it's not 'the apprenti'" shpiel. After what was really a great season of the show, the last few minutes just left a bad taste in my mouth. Anyways, I can't wait to hear them both on the talk show circuit tomorrow.

Good luck to Martha on topping this one...

So the real question from tonight's episode of The Apprentice: Martha Stewart is simple -- would you rather have someone on your team who is hungover or someone who holds a grudge from weeks ago? Oh boy.

The interview portion of the episode was really no big surprise. We already knew that Dawna hadsthe most business experience, but isn't too dynamic. We all knew that Bethenny is the
most creative, but can be a bit manic. And anyone who was surprised that Jim didn't make much sense really should be watching something a little less intellectual (oh dear). I only wish that they showed more of the interviews -- I would have liked to see what made the execs say that they just couldn't understand him. Two questions though -- why did she have them all drive out to Connecticut to find out that they were doing the interviews. That seemed like a waste of time. Also, when Martha fired Jim, why did it seem like the majority of her comments were done on voice-over? Was it just poor audio quality or did she really say something a bit different.

So, Dawna and Bethenny in the final two. Interesting in that they have talked before about how different they are -- if Martha wants one, she definitely doesn't want the other. So both versions of The Apprentice have the final two choosing their teams. But the choices weren't great on this show -- in fact, I don't think that Bethenny even had any good choices other than Jim. But even with a bunch of bad choices, why on earth did she choose Carrie? That decision could cost her the job. Of course, Dawna chose three people who think highly of her, but really aren't very good either.

Over at the circus, Bethenny is way too focused on the fundraising aspect of the task, and not on anything else. And she is dealing with the fact that Carrie is still way too bitter. She does have Ryan and Jim though, who are both very good workers.

Dawna has her own set of problems. She chose people to work for her that she likes, and like her, but really aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer. And I think that will come back to get her in the end. (although I loved watching drunk Howie...really great television).

My guess is that this will be a lot closer than some of the other seasons of the show. And it will really come down to which type of person that Martha wants more. If I had to pick one?...Bethenny, by the slightest of margins.

So this season of The Amazing Race was definitely not my favorite. But I am really happy with the last leg. Thank goodness the Linzes won!

This season just seemed so lacking. The tasks were far too easy -- putting together a puzzle is not a million dollar task. Every clue just sent them to a new location -- they didn't have to do much to solve them. That is, of course, with the notable exception at the Olympic Stadium. How much fun was it to watch them walk through row after row after row of stadium seats? :) Now, what I didn't understand was why they walked across the rows. If you've ever been to a sporting event, you know that if you're at the back of a section looking down at the seats in that section, you can usually see the back of all the chairs in that section. Not that it mattered all that much -- the teams were at most 10 minutes apart. And they all met up at the binocular task -- a staple of The Amazing Race.

Speaking of looking for things, why oh why do the Weavers keep asking God to help them find things? As my husband says every week, "God is NOT your errand boy!!!". If they really do believe that God is helping them find entrances, doors, cabs, etc., what about all the people that God really should be helping? My husband did enjoy that it took them so long to find the stadium entrance...apparently they should have been praying during regular business hours.

A side note to the Linzes -- I agree about the curling. It looks like a lot of fun. Did you know that the United States has an Olympic curling team? My guess is that you could join up with that team pretty easily -- nothing makes a million dollar win better than a trip to the Olympics.

Anyways, this was one of the few times that the ending really was close. I like it when they really are close, not seeming close because of the editing. And the two best teams really were the last two standing. They both played clean games (and speaking of clean games, what was up with Rolly Weaver tackling one of the Linz boys at the airport? We went back and watched it frame by frame...Rolly really did grab his backpack and throw him down) and were nice to the other competitors. They both have a lot to be proud of.

Until February (with a "real" season)...

Not too much to say about the special "holiday episode" of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The concept of the different people who had been helped by the show doing something to help others was nice. And because they had the full power of ABC, they were able to do some pretty big things. (did you know that ABC & Disney have the same parent company?)

Of course, I did wonder why Laura Bush went to help -- it seems like she is the only one in the White House who really cares about the hurricane victims. (ok, so I don't watch just reality tv) My favorite, though, was opening up Disney World at night for the kids who can't be out in the light. That was amazing. And I loved the girl who was excited that the princesses were there because the princess "only are out during the day." That's the type of thing that those families will never forget.

The only thing I had a problem with was the constant use of the phrase "pay it forward." It just seemed ridiculous. But the idea of paying it forward is simple -- I help three people out. When they ask how they can repay me, I ask them to "pay it forward" -- help out three other people. This means that now 9 people are helped. It's exponential growth in action. If it took a week to help the three new people, and everyone who is helped helps three more, continued to happen like this (each person helped helps out three more), in six weeks, 1,853,020,188,851,841 people will be helped. Really. (I double checked my math more than a few times). That's pretty amazing. Think I might go out and start my own campaign to get people to pay it forward...

Thank goodness for the magic of tivo. I was out Sunday night -- who knew that when I bought tickets to see Les Miz they would schedule the finale for Survivor: Guatemala the same night.

This brings me to my only problem with tonight's episode. When the football game ran long, who at CBS decided to show 60 Minutes in its entirety? Because I also recorded the reunion show, I at least saw the whole episode. But if you didn't, you missed tribal council. And more than that, why would they delay the start of the season finale of one of their most popular series? It's a decision that simply did not make sense.

Anyways, the episode itself was really good. The first immunity challenge was insane. They really did want to make this the hardest season of Survivor ever. It must have been hell for the survivors, but it made for great television. But even better was when they got home from the challenge. Apparently it wasn't enough for Steph to ask if they could eat the chicken during the ritual; once the Mayan were gone, she finally was able to eat the offering. I already liked Rafe, but I was so impressed with his ability to turn down a meal to stick to his principles. And because you know how I feel about karma, I wasn't so surprised by the super storm. And it was all complete when you saw the reaction on the face of Jeff & the jury when they found out. You know that in the back of his head he was thinking "so we manage to have an actual Mayan ritual performed for you all and you at the offering????". Hee hee! I heard Rafe say Monday that they had all made a pact not to mention it at tribal council; that's why they all reacted the way they did when Lydia brought it up. And I wasn't so sad to see Lydia go.

It was at this point that I think Danni won the game. Rafe would have taken Danni. And Steph would have taken Danni. And even though they didn't think so, Danni would have beaten either one of them. So the final immunity challenge really was just a matter of who would sit next to Danni. It was a very different final challenge for Survivor. Usually the final challenge just comes down to will. This one was strength as well. It was interesting how they all figured out how to wedge themselves in against the pole. I wondered if the challenge designers had anticipated that, and whether they had set the rule about not touching the pole with their hands in advance, or once they were all wedged.

Anyways, I still can't believe that Rafe "released" Danni from their promise. He played such a great game, and he threw it away at the end when Steph cried. Boo hoo. She didn't win. I can't believe he was swayed by that. So Danni made the decision to take Steph to the final -- a million dollar choice. I truly think she would have still won against Rafe, but with Steph she pretty much guaranteed herself the million.

The final tribal council was FANTASTIC. I was glad that people like Judd were still angry -- it makes for GREAT television! :) It did almost seem that at some point Steph gave up. She wasn't giving good answers to their questions -- she still was acting like she deserved it just because she was Steph. Danni knew she had the numbers, yet she still answered every question honestly.

So it was no suprise when Danni won. (although she did look SO different -- I knew she had lost a lot of weight, but I hadn't realized just how much) And you know what she is planning on doing with the money? She's taking her dad to the Super Bowl. You go girl. Until "Exile Island"...

It's the start of the final task on The Apprentice and it's time for the two big tasks. This season they are both charity events (albeit with huge corporate sponsors) for two very worthy charities. As a teacher, I've seen what autism does to families. And Mark Burnett has been committed to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation since Survivor: Africa. These should be great events.

From the start, Rebecca is way more into the task than Randall. She has already picked out her team, and is willing to play hardball to get them. Randall really seemed surprised that Rebecca was so into it. And you could see that both Carolyn & George took notice as well. I liked that they got to choose from everyone this season -- in the past they have gotten to choose from a selected group (or even been assigned a selected group) of "characters." In Mark Burnett's book he even talks about the fact that having Omarossa on his staff most likely cost Kwame the job in season 1. I guess even Trump couldn't take any more Markus.

My favorite part of the episode? Chris picking out the different purple fabrics. Did he say "decor"? Nothing like a football player choosing fabric because it's shimmery. So glad we got to see that!

I definitely think that Rebecca is going to win. They keep showing her on top of things, while Randall seems to be making some strange choices (four people at Party City???). And we know that they'll show both teams with a looming problem (it makes for good television), but Rebecca's seems so much easier to solve. She can call the Union; Randall can't do much about the weather. (although if he can he will definitely get the job!)

This season of Survivor has been the season of Tribal Council exits. After the best Tribal Councils in recent memory, we have been treated to more "less-than-graceful" exits than ever before. I love it love it love it!

Right away I thought I knew what was going to happen tonight in the reward challenge. I had seen in the previews that someone would have to make the choice whether to keep the car (and "the curse") or to give up the car so that the other four would win one. And based on the clip with Steph talking about how she has never had a car before, I was convinced that she would win the challenge AND that she would keep the car. So I was happily surprised when Cindy won. I was also shocked when she kept the car. Now, I've had a big dinner, so I'm thinking on a full stomach. But I know that if you don't give them the cars, and you don't win immunity, you're the next to go home. Giving away the cars buys you at least one more day out there. It also means that you, at the very least, win the 4th place prize instead of the 5th. I'm not sure what the difference is, but it has to be enough to buy a car. And if you do make it to the final four, there are three people one the jury who you gave a car to -- that seems like 3 automatic votes to me.

Speaking of votes on the jury, I have no idea what Steph is thinking. She understands that she clearly doesn't have Judd or Jamie's votes. She probably doesn't have Bobby Jon's either. And she knows that voting out Cindy will be another vote against her. So why would she put another vote against her on the jury? I just don't get it.

The immunity challenge was good, but I was so hoping to catch a contestant running towards the finish line without enough rope, full speed, only to be pulled back. Steph slowed down, so, not quite as funny. Still funny to watch though.

Tribal council wasn't much of a shock. I was hoping that Steph would give immunity to Cindy, but clearly she had already decided to go against her word again instead. The curse of the car lives on. I loved Cindy's final words as she left..."I'll think of you whenever I look at the stars through the sun roof of my new car." Hee hee!

Finale is Sunday. I think tonight's vote enures Danni a place in the final two. And Cindy was right -- Danni will beat any of them at the end.

I wish you all could have been at my house tonight as I watched The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Not because of the comfy couch or the fact that my husband made hot chocolate. No, it's because I was able to tell what would happen before it did. That's right boys and girls -- I predicted the future.

Ok, not really. It was really just a case of the editing telling us exactly what would happen before it did. First, about two seconds in to the task, Ryan decided that his "baseball player" idea would appeal to Song's clients, even though the execs told them that the target market was middle aged women. Hmmm. Sports commercial? Now, in my family we're all giant Red Sox fans. But even my baseball loving mom & aunt wouldn't really go for the sports commercial. And just in case we weren't positive that this was a bad idea, right after the first commercial break is Martha's piece of advice about meeting the needs of the customer. I think it was at this point that I looked at my hot chocolate making husband and said "So, Ryan's going home tonight."

I did like the move by the NBC folks who promote the show. I read several places that in tonight's episode "one of the candidates has a little too much to drink on the job." And in the previews they show Jim with a drink in his hand being generally goofy on the plane. But it wasn't Jim (and how funny was it that Dawna told the flight attendants not to serve him?) but Ryan. And he didn't just have one or two too many. Well, maybe one or two of each type. The same editors who made it clear who would go home in the first 5 minutes of the show were kind enough to show Ryan going to the fridge over and over and over. They even showed us scenes with Ryan coming up with his "brilliant" ideas with a beer in each hand. Come on. Anyone who went to college (or high school for some) knows that the ideas that seem great when you're drunk usually don't pan out too well the next morning.

So, we get to the conference room and we of course know that Matchstick has lost (because even if we aren't bright enough to pick up on the editing, we did see each of the ads). But the conference room was still fun because Jim just can't kiss enough butt. Did anyone but me hear him after Martha explained their reward exclaim "I love Scrabble!"? And speaking of Scrabble, how on earth can you be a well educated adult and never have played Scrabble? Or even grasp the concept? Oh Dawna.

Of course, when Ryan and Marcella walked back to the conference room, I said (I promise, I really did say this) "so we know Ryan's going home; it's now just a matter of whether or not Marcella goes too." And sure enough, I was right. I was glad that Martha commented on the alcohol issue. My goodness -- you're on national television. The fact that "the beers were free" is a horrible excuse. I so wish that this was Trump's Apprentice -- he would have either fired him right then and there or made some off the wall comment about enjoying a free beer.

With the interviews coming up, this should get interesting. There's no clear leader, especially when it comes to interviews. Dawna is probably a stronger candidate than Jim, but Jim can hang with them with an interview. My prediction? Bethenney & Dawna in the final.

So, before I write about tonight's episode of The Amazing Race: Family Edition, a note about why there's no blog about Fear Factor. Simple reason, really -- I don't like Fear Factor. The stunts are fine (although it shocks me that anyone is crazy enough to do them) -- it's the gross and creepy crawly stuff I hate. Word is that there will be a lot more stunts and less gross stuff this season, but I don't care. For me, fear really is a factor. Ugh.

Ok, so on to tonight's episode of Amazing Race. Last week I questioned why the Linzes were not given a time credit for the fact that the production team draining their battery. Tonight we found out why -- it didn't matter. All the teams bunched up at the ranch. I guess I should have seen that coming. Every time a team finds themselves in that sort of predicament, things sort of even out. Either there's a non-elimination leg, or an overnight, or a bunch point. I don't ever remember there being a season like that before. Usually if a team falls far behind, oh well. Teams have finished hours later. There have even been legs where a team is so far behind that they end up skipping a few stops on their way to the mat. I just don't understand the producers' motivation behind constantly evening up the teams. It just doesn't make for overly compelling television.

Thankfully, the Weavers weren't nearly as annoying as they have been. Although, I loved seeing karma come up and bite them in the butt when they got pulled over for speeding. I did actually laugh out loud. And they very clearly are almost out of gas. I still don't understand why they didn't fill up when they were stopped at the gas station...they could have at least put a gallon or two in while the mom asked for directions. My guess is that it will come into play next week, since they very clearly highlighted that decision.

I really wasn't sad to see the "desperate houswives" get eliminated; their arguing was getting on my nerves. But I understand how that works with sisters. I love my sister, but there is no way she would make it home alive.

Two hour season finale next week...my prediction is that the Linzes & Bransens have a close finish but that the Linzes finally pull out the win. (and my goodness Meg deserves it for putting up with those brothers!!!)

I set a new record tonight watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. SIX MINUTES. That's right -- six minutes in, and I was already crying. Oh dear.

It was a really good epsiode. This house may have been one of my favorites, especially from the outside. Sometimes the houses are prettier inside than out (they look a little bit like all the others), but tonight's was beautiful from outside as well. And the stained glass angel was the perfect touch.

My only complaint was that they didn't show more of the house...I wonder if it had to do with the ages of the children. Because they weren't old enough to talk, they just might have not had as much footage as they usually do. It also may have had something to do with the circumstances that brought the team there. At one point the grandmother was with the family, then she wasn't in the footage. And there was a lot of time with the dad actually getting a chance to grieve. Of course, I did enjoy the camera inside the washing machine ("we even washed your camera for you!")

Now for more tissues...

A few weeks ago, Randall and Rebecca demonstrated that they had learned a very important lesson while on The Apprentice -- when Donald Trump fires someone, do not move a muscle. Don't get up. Don't say anything. He just might not be done. Alas, this was not a lesson that Alla appears to have learned. Which is why at approximately 9:55 EST, you may have heard a giant gasp coming somewhere from the vicinity of my house. Trump fired Felisha, and Alla stands up and starts to say her goodbyes. Oh Alla -- and I thought you might win.

The episode itself was really interesting. Not because it was essentially a coronation for Rebecca, but because of the dynamic between Alla & Felisha. Alla and Felisha have a friendship. From the start of this season, they have had almost a sorority girl thing going on. I think a friendship like that works really well early on in the game. But in the later stages of the game, you have to remember that you are competitors. They just couldn't seem to get past the fact that if they lost, one of them was going home. And neither girl was going to let it be her. So they spent the entire time trying to not let the other shine. It was really strange. I had initially thought that they would both be trying to out-do each other; instead, they seemed to both be trying to make sure the other underperformed.

So it was no surprise at all that Randall & Rebecca won. And I was glad to see that Randall got to see his wife (of course, did you notice that earlier in the episode, Rebcca talked about how nice it would be to be sharing dinner with her boyfriend, and Randall talked about wanting to see his wife. Foresahdowing anyone?). It seemed to soften him a bit, and I thought they both really derserved it.

Next week should be good. Neither of them are expecting to be at a head-t0-head task yet. And I guess that they are not doing the "interview" section of the show this year. I just hope that Rebecca can finally get that darn cast off of her ankle -- I feel so bad for her everytime she hops into a room. Of course, if all my shows are about to have their season finales, and the new ones (like The Bachelor and American Idol) won't premiere until January...oh dear.

What a great episode of Survivor. Another challenge that shows off alliances with half the tribe getting a huge reward. A puzzle immunity challenge that we just know Judd can't win. And an actual surprise at tribal council. Wow.

Ok, so I've said over and over that I love the challenges that show off alliances & a pecking order. And I usually love the "Survivor auction" reward challenge anyways. (there's something so sad, yet so riveting, about watching people pay $100 for a piece of pizza) But the twist of bidding on a night with a loved one was huge. I was shocked to see Cindy just hand her money over to Judd -- you could tell that she did that purely out of kindness. Because for all his tough exterior, you could tell that he really wanted to see his wife. And Rafe and Danni kept teaming up as well -- I hadn't realized that they were so close. And of course, Lydia continued to be Steph's puppet and handed her money over. I really wish we had seen more of the auction -- there was definitely more than what we saw. Anyways, that was quite a choice that Judd had to make. Chosing Cindy to come along for the family reward was a no-brainer -- it was half of her money anyways. But I was surprised that he chose Steph. He would have been much better served to pass her up and let someone else have a chance at a reward. (of course, hindsight is 20-20...he's probably thinking the same thing right now too)

A quick side note -- did anyone else notice how Judd's wife seemed to get more and more uncomfortable with Steph? The more she talked about how close she and Judd were, the more his wife appeared to squirm. Interesting. And did Steph say that she had been dating her boyfriend for seven years? Seven years? What's up with that?

Anyways, the immunity challenge was a mental one -- a twist on the puzzle that they played with their loved ones in Marquesas (they may have played it another time as well). It's all strategy -- and Steph clearly knew how to play the game. That's why it was great when Danni switched with her. Steph's reactions are ridiculous -- like she deserves each reward and immunity. How dare someone switch with her! How dare they not give her a reward! Steph -- you are simply going to have to get over yourself. The only silver lining in that is that if she actually makes it to the final two, there is no way they would give her the million. Thank goodness.

Now, Steph talked about how Judd had given her two big rewards. So how do you thank someone who has done that for you? Well, apparently by voting them off. And Judd didn't take the news so well...how many times did he use the word "scumbags" exactly? Wow. Have you people not learned anything from watching previous seasons? Judd now gets to decide which of you wins a million dollars -- and he will make at least one of you pay for your actions. I can't wait to watch him on "Survivor Live" tomorrow -- I'm guessing he has a few things to say. :)

Only two more episodes left...

The Apprentice: Martha was really good tonight. Actually, I'm kind of surprised...it was really good. Donald good.

The first thing that made tonight's episode good was the task. So many of the tasks have been sales tasks -- this one wasn't, and I was really glad for that. Creating a huge display for the car was an actual challenge -- they had to both be creative and market the car. I really liked Ryan's idea and his original video. If they had actually executed, they may have pulled off a victory. Of course, the display for Primarius was elegant and with it's clean lines looked to be just what the execs wanted. And way to go Bethanny -- I'm glad to see you step up and show Dawna that you are actual competition.

The next thing I liked was the reward. Ok, I couldn't care less who they were eating with and what Charles (with his stupid cigar) is really like. What was interesting was the voice over of Charles talking about the three contestants. Sounds like Jim is nearing the end of his time on the show. And because it sounded so much like a voice over, it makes me think that Bethanny & Dawna are in the final round. (at least the "interview" round) I also liked that Jim talked "strategy" -- if you watch any reality tv at all, you would know that this is not a good idea! Don't broadcast your strategy to the other players, and certainly not to one of the execs that helps make the final decision!!!

Finally, thank you thank you thank you to whoever figured out that editing the show to tell you who gets fired is NOT a good idea! Yes, I know that it was clear that Leslie would be fired if her team lost. But that had nothing to do with the editing; it had everything to do with her talking about wishing she had another Leslie on the team (really?) and complaining about hauling furniture while wearing Armani. (ok, so that did make me laugh a bit) The editing helped this episode immensly -- it really showed how editing can make or break a reality show.

Anyways, I was glad to see Leslie go. I like Marcella, and hopefully she will choose next week as her moment to shine!

Well, I'm glad that I'm not the only one who doesn't think this season of The Amazing Race: Family Edition isn't quite up to par with the other seasons. On the official website, there is a section where former players blog about the episode (there is a similar blog for Survivor which I love!). They have noticed that there just isn't a lot to this season. They have toned it down to accomodate the families, and in doing so, have taken a lot of the fun out of the show. Now, don't get me wrong -- I still am enjoying the race. And it's still way better than most things on television. But it's just not as good as it could be.

Part of it is the fact that the majority of the race is taking place in the United States. I understand it would be a nightmare to send familes around the world. But the language barrier (especially in taxis and other forms of transportation) is a huge part of the race. And speaking of transportation, I hate the fact that the teams are given transportation (and, if I recall correctly from the beginning of the race, gas money). Where is the challenge? And when they lose all of their money, what does it matter? The Weavers lost their money on the last leg, but they haven't needed any money yet. So where's the penalty? The other part of going country to country is that great equalizer known as the airport. There isn't really that great equalizer this season -- no place for the teams to bunch up.

The tasks are also way easier than usual. I understand that they can't have kid doing some of the things that have been done in past seasons (remember walking in the tiger pit?). But finding places that are on any map isn't but so much of a challenge. And the clues aren't even tricky -- they have the addresses on them. Go back and watch season 1 (they replay them on GSN...I think it's on DVD as well) -- each clue was actually a clue -- they had to figure them out to decide where to go. The clues have been getting easier each season, but this is a huge leap.

I also question what on earth is going on with the production crews using the car batteries to run their equipment. This is the second episode where a team fell behind because a camera crew drained their battery. Why on earth does that happen? (and happen twice??) You would think that they would know better. And why haven't the teams received a time credit.

Oh dear. Even the previews aren't as good -- last week the preview for tonight's episode made it look like there was going to be a hot air balloon crash; it was really just a "nudging." So I'm hesitant to get excited that the previews for next week's show have the Weaver's being pulled over by a cop. It just might be too good to be true.

Anyways, I really did enjoy tonight's show...I guess I'm just still cranky that the Weavers are still there (message to Mrs. Weaver -- you are now a single mom -- please be a ROLE MODEL for your children!). Maybe they'll spend part of the next episode in jail...

Tonight's finale of The Biggest Loser was amazing. The contestants looked so good -- I can't believe how much weight they lost.

Of course, there were a couple of things I did notice. First, I was not surprised in the least that Nick didn't participate. I was hoping he would, but after his "Diet Rite transformation" video (oh I love the product placements), it was clear he had a miserable experience. It's sad -- almost all of the other contestants really transformed their lives. I do say almost -- it seemed like Kathryn was really unsure of whether she wanted to be there. She looked miserable when she first came out -- probably because she saw how amazing the other contestants all looked. I wonder what happened -- why she wouldn't have at least continued the diet. I do give her a lot of credit, though, that she had the guts to still weigh in. She could have walked off the set, or not participated in the first place. But she went though with it, and I have a lot of respect for that.

Side note -- on a lot of the shows, participating in the reunion show is part of the show contract. I wonder if it was not part of the contract for The Biggest Loser (which I think is highly unlikely, considering they have a second competiton based on it) or if Nick just violated his contract. And what is the penalty for that? I am so curious...I'll be checking the web on this one!

Other than the amazing transformation of the contestants, the thing we really noticed was Caroline Ray. She usually looks so pretty and small standing next to the 300 pound contestants. But the contestants are all so skinny and toned now. And standing next to Caroline you could really tell. And to top it off she appeared to have made her hair bigger to try and counter that. I don't understand why she doesn't get in the gym and work out with the trainers now and then. She works where there is a gym! Oh dear...

Anyways, I was glad to see the final three were so close. They really changed their bodies and their lives. And even though the prizes were from Jell-o (again, got to love the product placement), it was great that all three got money. It looks like they all lost a lot more weight than the finalists on season 1 as well. (especially Suzy)

This was a great season -- I am inspired by them, and by the fact that they did this with diet and exercise -- no plastic surgery involved! I can't wait for the "special edition" (where it's families vs. families...they're not living on the ranch, and a new match-up each week) in January!

I love Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It's an amazing show -- both as a "makeover" show and as a "home improvement" show. But I think that the best thing that it does is showcase issues and areas that the general public needs to be aware of. From gang shootings and special needs kids to homelessness and disease, they bring these issues to millions of Americans each week. And tonight's episode was no different.

So many families have the same story as the Lewis family. Cancer doesn't care who you are or where you're from. And the brave people who are struck with the disease are so often the strongest people I have ever known. Even though cancer might make us feel helpless, there are things we can all do to help.

First (and I think this was a big part of tonight's episode) is being a friend to those who have cancer. The Lewis family kept talking about how much the support of their friends had kept them going. I was blessed know a student who passed away last year from cancer who made it much longer than expected because of the love of his friends. Friendship can help the soul and the body.

There are other ways to help. Organizations like Locks of Love are amazing. And donating money to organizations that are doing research towards treatments and a cure helps too. Finally, Ty always tells people to check out www.abettercommunity.com. This is ABC's website to help you find ways to help the organizations they talk about on the show. Millions of people watch the show every week. Could you imagine what would happen if everyone who watched tonight's show gave $5? Or volunteered for an hour? The scope of the show knows no bounds.

Hoping that even more families can benefit from tonight's show...

Two episodes of The Apprentice in one night! Of course, when NBC was promoting two new episodes of The Apprentice (I swear, I saw the commercial for "two new episodes on Thanksgiving night!!!!" about 4 million times) they never mentioned that the first episode was just a clip show. The name of the episode was actually "clip show." Wow. The only thing that was interesting about it was the fact that it was narrated by Trump. Now, that doesn't seem that interesting, except for the fact that the final episode (where he makes the final decision) is taped live. So we know for sure that he is able to see all the footage before he makes that choice. Good to know.

The second episode was the actual episode with a task. I've actually heard of wrapping, since there is a company that will pay you to wrap your car with an advertisement. They pay you based on how many miles you put on your car each day and where you drive. Why do I know this? My dad thought this would be a great way for me to make some extra money. No, I did not get my car wrapped...I somehow thought it would be awkward to be a mobile billboard. Anyways, the teams could have wrapped anything. Why oh why did Capital Edge think that wrapping horse drawn carriages would be a good idea? Come on -- carriages??? I would have thought that Alla knew better than that. As soon as they made that decision, I knew Adam was going home. Oh Adam.

This leads me to the whole issue of the megaphones. Of course, it was a great move by Randall & Rebecca to buy the megaphones. But why didn't Alla reserve them with her name? It seems almost too easy -- Rebecca never went in and said "Hi, I'm Alla. Do you have the megaphones I reserved?". She just went in and asked for the megaphones. And no one in Radio Shack ever questioned her. Hee hee! :)

So the final four is Randall, Rebecca, Alla, and Felisha. The preview for next week showed that there is another task -- usually once they are down to the final four they are ready for the interviews. So I'm glad to see that they're mixing up the format this year. Every time I make a predicition, I appear to be wrong, but I think that it will be Randall & Rebecca in the final. Either way, I can't wait!

Nothing says Thanksgiving like Survivor. And what an episode it was! Cindy & Rafe get a massage! Gary & Lydia make an alliance! Lydia loses her mind!

Did anyone else notice how the entire time that Steph was yelling about not always winning the food challenges, her mouth was full. She never stopped putting nuts or corn or whatever that was in her mouth. Now, I love some good irony. But that was just ridiculous. I can't believe no one said anything about it. And Lydia -- do you really think that you're derserving of being where you are? Of course you're being used for your vote. So many times you could make a power move, but you never did -- you are just along for the ride. And while I was hoping tonight would be your last night, you might just be around until the final 3 or 4...it's all about the numbers.

I love Rafe. He has won nearly every immunity challenge, yet no one seems to consider him a threat (which is really astounding to me). And he's so nice and likeable. I loved when he talked about being a gay Mormon, and how he never saw any gay men who were athletic. You rock Rafe -- I'm glad you can be a role model for others, and show others that being gay and being athletic are not mutually exclusive.

This is the first season I can remember where tribal council has been so fiesty. When Judd sat there and said he had never lied, you just knew that Gary was waiting to bring up the whole "it's hidden on the ground" thing. And did you see the reaction of Bobby Jon and Jamie on the jury. The jury is usually so stoic. If nothing else, the final tribal council will be amazing.

Can't wait for next week...

I am a big fan of irony. And my favorite bit of irony tonight has to do with the fact that Amazing Race: Family Edition is on opposite My Name is Earl. For those of you who only watch reality tv, the basic idea behind My Name is Earl is karma -- what goes around comes around. How ironic that the one team on The Amazing Race who really should watch a show about karma can't because they are presumably watching themselves on television. Oh, sweet irony.

I just don't know where to start with the Weavers. I spent so much of the episode saying "did they just say that?" Like when they were driving through the natural beauty of Utah and one of them said "God must have spent a little less time on this state." Or the time when they were talking about the fact that a lot of Mormons live in Utah, and one of the girls said "Well that would explain it..." (it actually sounded like she said something else that was so horrible it had to be edited out). Or when the Linzs were commenting on the beauty of the waterfalls, and the Weavers called them "pimples on the mountains." Or maybe when Rolly yelled at a random biker that he wasn't Lance Armstrong. Wow. That "scenic loop" kind of came right up on you. As did the yield. And the fact that "none of the teams like you." Oh karma.

Aside from the joy of irony, my favorite part of The Amazing Race is always seeing the places that they go. And I loved looking at the scenery in Utah. In fact, I've decided that my next trip will have to be to Utah. It was just breathtaking. The producers did just a great job planning this leg of the race. I also loved watching the teams on the roadblock. Hee hee!

Hoping karma continues to bite the Weavers in the butt...

Ok, did tonight's episode of The Biggest Loser seem anticlimactic to anyone other than me? It just seemed like there wasn't a lot to it. No temptation this week; not a lot of time in the gym. Just a challenge, weigh-in, and a vote-off. Well, except for the oatmeal commercial...I sure hope the 4 contestants and Bob get some sort of cash for thei convincing performance as oatmeal lovers.

I did like the challenge. Well, the twist on the challenge, actually. When Caroline said that the winner would be the contestant with the fastest time, why didn't anyone ask "so, the person who gets to the top first wins, right?". The look on Matt's face was great -- his speed ended up hurting him in the end. Of course, he did get to have his coach and friend come in earlier, so what is he complaining for (Hasn't a visit from a friend been a reward in the past? How come only he got that?).

Even though I'm surprised that Andrea was eliminated, I'm glad Suzy will be in the final. She has a real shot at beating the boys...and it would be great to see a woman win!
Can't wait for the live finale next week...

Alright, I'm not afraid to admit it. I cried during tonight's episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. What an amazing family. And what an amazing kid.

The thing about this show is that it makes you realize how thankful we should be for all we have. Of course, when you're a rabid Red Sox fan, and the house that they are doing is for a family of Red Sox fans, jealousy creeps in as well. For those of you who were wondering, when Ed said that the Green Monster is the Holy Grail for Red Sox fans, he wasn't exaggerating (inside the Monster are the signatures of hundreds of players that have played at Fenway...wow) In my Red Sox room (yes, I do have a Red Sox room in my house...my husband, though, prefers to call it "the basement") I don't have lamps or pillows or signed bats. I don't have a replica of the Green Monster. I don't have a Red Sox bedroom set. And I certainly don't have Curt Schilling in my closet. (and I LOVED how the biggest concern of Mrs. Johnson was that Curt was supposed to be pitching that day!) But if I can't have all that stuff, I'm glad that the Johnsons do. Did you hear that the older kids have given up birthday presents so they could make donations? THIS is why this family deserves a home makeover.

One thing that ABC didn't mention (and I wish they had) was what happened after the crews left. Because the family had all new furniture, they had to do something with their old furniture. So they staged an "Extreme Home Yard Sale." All the money they raised went to support research to help kids with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Curt Schilling came back as well, and did his part to help raise money, giving autographs & photos for a donation to the fund.

So I've stopped crying, and stopped wondering where I can get a Red Sox jersey beadspread. And I've gone back to being so thankful for my family and friends and the many blessings in my life. What a perfect way to start the week of Thanksgiving.

Randall & Rebecca have learned a very important lesson from Donald Trump. One that will most likely stick with them throughout their business lives. When Donald Trump fires someone, do NOT move a muscle. Don't blink. Don't cough. Don't say a single word. Because he might just fire you too.

Thankfully, this is a lesson that they have learned well. Because they had to know they would need it as soon as Clay moved to their team at the beginning of the task. When a team is overjoyed to lose a member, that is NOT a good sign. And it was a good thing that Clay acted professionally about it (did he actually ask Randall for a hug??).

Now, Mark Burnett and the producers could not have seen coming Trump's multiple firings. So you would think that they have extra tasks now planned...3 or 4 extras, actually. So why did this task make the final cut? I just didn't see the point, other than the fact that XM Radio clearly paid a lot of money for it. This is why NBC has the most "product placement" of any network on television. While we thought we were watching The Apprentice, we really just watched a lengthy commercial for XM. (although if that's what I'll hear on XM, I think I'll stick to free radio, thanks) I love this show, but I liked the tasks from season 1 better, where the corporate sponsorships were a bit better hidden. (remember renovating an apartment, selling lemonade, or the negotiation scavenger hunt?) I want to watch a show, not an ad.

While the boardroom was predictable (how could Trump not fire Clay?), it was still good. Rebecca is clearly the woman to beat. She has established herself as honest and trustworthy, and these attributes will clearly get her far in the game. Quite possibly it could be an all woman final...wow.

Two episodes next week...my tivo will be getting a workout while I stuff my face with extra pie. Ahhh...Thanksgiving!

If there was an Emmy handed out for best expression at Tribal Council, Judd & Gary would be walking away with the statues tonight. This is exactly why Survivor is my favorite show.

Tonight's challenges were the center of the show. While the reward challenge wasn't all that exciting to watch, the reward was fantastic. I can't remember a Survivor reward that was like this before. They've had getaway rewards, they've had family video rewards, they've had rewards where they can take a friend or two. But never all at once. And even more important was that half of the tribe got to enjoy the reward. Regardless of how the teams randomly broke down, sharing that reward was going to shake up the game. See, I told you that Mark Burnett was a genius. :)

The immunity challenge was great too. I'm feeling really smart because I thought Rafe would win (but you already knew that right?), but I loved watching Judd trying to figure it out. "You giving up Judd?""No Jeff, I'm just trying to figure it out." Wow. And with Lydia's size, I would have thought she would at least get to the second round. Which brings up an interesting point -- why is Lydia still there? I like her -- she seems really nice, really geniune, someone who I would like to be friends with. But that doesn't mean she should win Survivor. And even if they just drag her along a little longer, remember that some of the challenges are always mental. If she wins immunity at the right time (like she easily could in a "Fallen Commrades" challenge), she could sneak right into the finals. And don't think she deserves it. Sorry Lydia.

Jamie Jamie Jamie. When Rafe finally said to you "if you ask me one more time, I will vote for you," maybe it's time to shut up. The original alliance still has the number advantage, and they've eliminated their loose cannon. And he proved that he was the right choice when he was elminated. Although the expressions on Judd & Gary's faces were priceless. Yes, I rewound so I could see them again. Wow. Can't wait till next week...

Why did I like tonight's episode of The Apprentice: Martha Stewart? Because Amanda was finally fired. Thank you Martha! Thank you for doing what I wished I could have done with all those "Amandas" I have had to work with over the years. You know who I'm talking about. Everyone has at least one Amanda at their office. That person who is happy to tell you what's going wrong, what they could do better, talk about how great they are at the job, yet never actually do anything. And then, whenever your project/task fails, it never seems to be their fault. Thank you thank you thank you for firing her!!!

Tonight's task was actually pretty interesting. Not because the product was great (would you really pay $169 for a coffee pot?), but because they were given $40,000 seed money. $40,000! It was interesting to see how different the 2 approaches were. And while Marcella's team hated her pastery chef idea, getting a celebrity chef was actually a great way to bring in traffic. If only the team could have sold a few machines to that traffic. And Dawna took a big risk in hiring that PR firm. Which brings me to my big question for the night -- how can I get paid $30,ooo to do 1 day of "PR" and "marketing"? I can find 20 college kids to blanket a city with advertising (20 kids at $200 for the day...ok, that's only $4,000 of my budget...). I can set up boxes. I can make posters. This is so the job for me!

Anyways, I think that Bethenny, Jim, & Leslie will be around in the finals. And Leslie is my pick to win it all. I really liked how she handled herself in tonight's episode. Hopefully, this Apprentice will have a live finale, like Donald's does. The live finale means that Martha can watch all the footage before making a final decision -- I think that makes a big difference. Seeing what goes on in the loft and behind the scenes on tasks really shows a lot about some of the contestants.

Tomorrow is Thursday...thank goodness...

If you're a fan of final immunity challenges on Survivor, you probably loved the challenge on tonight's episode of The Biggest Loser. For those of you who are new to Survivor (really? where have you been??), the final immunity challenge is always some sort of endurance challenge. It can last for hours, and is just a sheer test of will. So tonight's challenge was very similar. Contestants had to hang on to a pole suspended over a pool. There was a small ledge to put your feet, but that was it. It was a test of will -- who wanted it more. I like challenges like this -- it shows what the contestants are really made of. And it was no surprise that Andrea won. Regardless of what anyone says about her, she has such spirit. And if she watched last season, she had to figure that she might get to see her husband at the hotel.

What I didn't understand was the temptation. Yes, I understood how it worked. But why didn't they tell the contestants that there wasn't actually immunity up for grabs? And if they thought there was immunity, why on earth wouldn't they take the chance?

Before the weigh in, I told my husband that Andrea should choose Jeff to give the pounds to, and even though you don't know for sure that I did this (really, I did), I was right. He was bound to have a low week sooner or later, and she knew that as soon as he was below the yellow line, he would be gone -- he was too big of a threat. And that's exactly what happened. But did you see the "after" shots? He's lost 130 pounds! That's another person! And he looks totally different. I can't wait for the finale to see what he looks like. And if they do a second prize for the player overall with the highest percentage lost, he's sure to win. What an inspiration.

Tonight's episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was not without a bit of controversy. On tonight's show, the Goodale family is living in some pretty bad conditions. The dad lost is arm in a gruesome lobster boat accident, and can't do the necessary improvements on the family's home. And winter is coming -- with no heat (and living in Maine) the family is in serious trouble.

Sounds like the perfect story for this show, doesn't it? Except that after filming, ABC found out that Mr. Goodale had quite the past. He was arrested for armed robbery (and did jail time), along with several other incidents & a drunk driving arrest. Apparently several residents of the town, including his ex-wife, tipped them off. It's unclear whether or not Mr. Goodale disclosed the arrests to ABC on the family's application. And regardless, the incidents occured when he was young -- 18 or 19. So the question now is, should they have done the show?

Honestly, what I think doesn't matter much. But I have been thinking about it; with all the really needy families out there, should ABC have rewarded this one? The answer I keep coming back to, is yes. First, he served his time. And apparently has done quite a bit of community service as well. He realized he made mistakes, and turned his life around. That, in itself, sounds like a story that this show loves. But more importantly, the makeover was for his kids. His kids did nothing wrong. His kids shouldn't have to suffer. And one thing that I always notice on this show is that the first priority is always the kids. The rooms were spectacular, and they even built a dance studio -- the studio that the girls had been dancing at had closed.

Next week the show is back to helping a family with a sick child...this week it was nice to see one with healthy children who just wanted a safe life for their dad.

Tonight's board room on The Apprentice showed why Donald's version has such higher ratings than Martha's -- boardroom boardroom boardroom.

So the task itself was easy -- create an advertising display for Star Wars Episode III. If you saw the any of the Star Wars movies (or even the never ending ads for them), you knew that the whole point of the movie was to find out how Darth Vadar became Darth Vadar. Of course, the task would be easier if you bothered to show up for the meeting with the execs. Here's where I get on my soapbox for a minute -- being late is such a pet peeve of mine. When I was interviewing for jobs, I would figure out how long it would take to get there, then leave an hour early. Really. I would usually figure out where the closest Starbucks was when I figured out the directions as well, just so I would have somewhere to go while I waited. I was never late. I even got to spend an hour in a small town in Virginia (where when I walked into a small store, I was greeted by the locals because they had never seen me before). So why oh why would Brian leave 15 minutes before the meeting? It can take 15 minutes just to get a cab!

Because they missed their meeting, Excel had to rely on Randall to tell them about the movies. I guess they should have been thankful at that point to have a fan on their team. But they didn't even attempt to reschedule the meeting, or find someone else to meet with. Brian pretty much sealed his fate. (although Marshawn did make a strong case to get fired by bailing on the presentation)

Over at Capital Edge, Clay was being Clay. Not only did he let Alla run the entire task, he actually walked away from the photo shoot to flirt with a production assistant. Maybe it's just me, but that seems a bit unethical. Flirting on a job interview is on everyone's list of "don'ts." Thank goodness Alla is so good. I think she and Randall will fight it out in the end.

But again, the best part of the show was the boardroom. While we knew that Excel would win, it was great to see the entire team vote against Clay having an exemption. And was he actually shocked? If you didn't see that coming, maybe Trump should fire you right now. And Marshawn...don't lie in the boardroom. First you said that you didn't present because you thought Brian could do a better job. Then you said that you thought Rebecca needed to do it. Which was it? I'm glad that Trump caught that too. And then came the shocker -- Brian AND Marshawn got fired. Really, Brian should have gone a few weeks ago when he fired the entire team -- the only thing that saved him that week was his exemption. And Marshawn, well...didn't you learn from last week that playing "cover your ass" will only get you fired?

Thank you Mark Burnett for making my Thursday night so great. I'm still hoping to have dinner with you...my husband won't mind too much. :)

Have I said lately that I LOVE SURVIVOR? Tonight's episode was the best in weeks.

First were the challenges. Did anyone but me think that Gary should have done much better than he did during the reward challenge? I never saw him play in the NFL, but if he were my quarterback, I would want him to be a bit more accurate. (Favre he's not) That was Gary's challenge, and he didn't even place in the top 3. Then there was Jamie giving up his spot to make up for his behavior. I know that this totally looked like a strategic move -- making sure that no one in his alliance swings against him. But I just don't think Jamie is that smart. I really think that he's just a "good old boy" who realized he needed to right a wrong. Either way, it was a smart move (and remember, he did have a huge meal a day or two ago during the immunity challenge he sat out of). I also loved the aspect that Judd got to choose two people to join him for drinks and desserts. Whenever they have to make choices like that, it always impacts the game. I'm sure Judd's alliance questioned why he chose Bobby Jon instead of Jamie, and where his real alliances lie.

The immunity challenge was also excellent, especially if you remember back to the second week when Rafe couldn't get up the rope ladder. All of a sudden, Rafe is in the final leg of the challenge. And when he fell off, I'll admit it -- I was kind of hoping Jamie would fall too so I could see Rafe get a chance to scale the rope ladder (ok, that was mean -- especially because Rafe seems like he's really a nice guy). But Jamie winning immunity was huge. I really think that he would have been going home tonight without it, especially after he told his team that Gary was going to vote for him (and what was that all about??).

So, all of a sudden, at Tribal Council, Gary pulls out the second immunity idol. I kind of figured he would, especially since he noticed that Judd was looking up, rather than at the ground. Good for him to shake things up. If he's been holding back on the challenges, now's the time to step it up. Because he is definitely next to go -- he is such a physical threat. My favorite to win right now? RAFE. Really. He is so sweet, and he's playing smart. If he can win a couple of immunity challenges towards the end, he's there.

I wish I didn't have to wait a whole week for another episode...

So, it's Martha's Apprentice night, and all is well with the world. Why? Certainly not because of the task, or the business advice, or the editing that shows you who will go home from about 20 minutes in. No, it's because of the tidbits we learn about Martha Stewart. Tonight's bit? Martha collects taxidermy.

That's right, you heard me -- Martha collects taxidermy. And not just fish. Oh no. She loves all animals. In fact, she loves taxidermy so much she had her house designed around the giant fish on the wall. Does anyone else think this is strange? When I think of Martha, I think of elegant, classy dinner parties, and making dinners at home that would rival the finest restaurants. I just don't think of giant fish mounted on the wall. My whole outlook is shaken.

The show itself was actually really good. I love the QVC task, mostly because they all think they can do it, even though they can't. When you watch QVC (alright, I admit it, sometimes I watch QVC), the hosts make it look so easy. But, like everything else in the world, sometimes the things that look easy are actually quite difficult. So Howie thought directing a 10 minute QVC spot would be easy. HA! I did, though, really enjoy the moments when he was testing the earpieces ("Jim, can you hear me?" "No, this is Dawna." "Ok, now Jim can you hear me?" "Still have Dawna." "Dawna, give me a thumbs up if you hear me." oh wait...that's Jim).

Speaking of editing letting us know who was going home, what was the deal with Amanda. I loved that Ryan noticed that every time she was on screen, the numbers dropped. And as soon as they went back to Leslie, the numbers shot back up. I think I should add the QVC control room to my list of places I would love to visit (inside the Green Monster at Fenway, Ellis Island, QVC Control Room...).

So, no surprise, Howie went home. And Mark Burnett, if you ever read blogs, PLEASE have whoever edits this show take a lesson or two from the people who edit Survivor. We don't want to know who will go home from the beginning! It takes all the fun out of watching the show!!!

Only 21 hours until Survivor...

It's The Biggest Loser: Matt edition! Matt gets his hair cut! Matt wins the challenge! Matt gains 12 pounds! Matt casts the deciding vote at elimination! Matt Matt Matt! Ok, they showed a little bit of Andrea and Shannon too (which is how you knew they would both be below the yellow line), but this episode was really all about Matt.

I do enjoy Matt. I know, I was tough on him last week with the crying (I mean, come on!), but he's a competitor, and is the man to beat. And after he let Suzy cut his hair, he looks like he's lost a lot of weight. It's shocking how much a hair cut can make a difference. He also wins the challenge -- biggest jump rope ever. Matt is definitely on a roll.

Oh my goodness -- I almost forgot about the temptation challenge. I am shocked that more of them didn't participate. 10 calories per throw? I burn about 100 calories per mile I walk on the treadmill. So for 18 minutes of extra workout (I walk slow), that's 10 throws. Why on earth wouldn't they take a throw or two? And really -- if 3 M&Ms is going to throw off your whole diet, you're doing something wrong.

Anyways, back to the Matt episode. I couldn't believe his "strategy" to gain weight for his non-elimination weigh-in. Aside from the fact that it will probably come back to bite him in the end, how on earth did he manage to gain 12 pounds in 7 days? Something doesn't quite jive. I mean, he lost a pound just in hair. I question the effectiveness of the Biggest Loser diet if he goes off the plan for a few days, and gains 12 pounds back. How on earth are these people going to maintain their loss in the real world of office birthday parties and fast food?

So, Shannon went home, and her "24 hours later" video was amazing. Now, I am not one to mock big families (and by big, I'm not talking about number of members). In fact, I come from a family of big-boned relatives. But Shannon's family was all overweight. I hope that she helps them to learn healthier ways to eat as well. She seems like someone who would...that would be a great outcome of the show.

So we have to wait another week to find out if Matt's plan backfires...next week will be good!

Amazing Race: Family Edition...or "I still hate the Weavers." That's right, I said it. I hate the Weavers. Don't get me wrong, I do feel bad for them that their father died. That's a horrible tragedy that no family should have to go through. But that doesn't give you the right to be mean.

Over and over they asked "why are they so rude to us?". And had the guts to complain to Phil that the other teams were "classless," while they were trying to be "Christians." Where to start, where to start...Oh my God!!!! You don't know why other teams are rude to you? Maybe because you threw apple cores at another car? Maybe because you constantly make fun of the Paolos for being a garbage collector? Maybe because you asked the guard at the Grand Canyon to hold up the Linz family? If this is how Christians act, I'm proud to not be a Christian.

Really, what on earth are you thinking? If you're not eliminated next week I may have to stop watching...

It's hard for me to believe that Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality show. It's so different from most reality shows, both in its format and its mission -- to help people who really deserve it. Not someone who won a bunch of challenges or lost a bunch of weight. Really deserving people, like the family featured in tonight's episode.

I'm not going to say a lot about the episode (which was a real tear-jerker) or the amazing house. I want to talk about the message of tonight's show -- regardless of whether a child has a disability or a disease, they are all still kids. The girls featured in tonight's show are just like any other teenage girls. They love to draw, watch the Backstreet Boys, read, and dress up. They want to hang out by the pool and lay out to tan. They are, above all else, kids. When you meet a kid with a disability, don't stare. Treat them like you would any other kid. Remember -- never judge a book by its cover.

Stepping down from my soapbox...

Ahhh...I love Mark Burnett night continues with The Apprentice. After last week's boardroom massacre, I don't know how they can top themselves. Just the look of the four of them all crammed in the back of the taxi, silently looking at each...reality tv gold.

In previous seasons, contestants have said that they don't actually pack their bags for each boardroom. In fact, in season 1, they filmed all the shots of the fired contestents getting into the cabs at once before filming even started. If you watched carefully, you could tell, especially with the girls. They would have their hair up in the boardroom, down as they walked to the cab, then back up in the cab. (yes, somewhere there was a tape of season 1 winner Bill doing the "walk of shame") And even past season 1, they would just get in the cab, drive around the block, then come back to the suite to pack and say goodbye. So I am wondering what happened when the four contestants got the boot last week. The remaining players waited up for them, but no one ever returned, or even called to tell them what happened. It wasn't until they asked Trump that they found out. Did they change the way contestants leave this season? Or did the four who got fired really just spend a night with none of their stuff? (is it wrong that as a gainfully employed adult I have put this much thought into a 3 minute bit of reality tv?)

The task itself tonight was interesting. I had never heard of the Learning Annex, which was a nice change from the ridiculous product placements that usually make up a task. I loved the class that Excel designed. They could actually speak to the subject matter, and there are actually people who would be interested in the subject matter. (I do wonder if the students knew what they were going to see, and if they paid for the class) Capital Edge's class was so ill-conceived. But I guess watching Clay talk about slapping-ass makes for good television.

The majority of the show was after the task...I guess someone realized that we really just want to see boardroom. Donald Trump is just so good yelling at these kids. He certainly didn't disappoint tonight. I about fell off of my couch when he explained homosexuality as "that's why they have menus in restaurants. Some people like the steak, others like spaghetti." I guess that's what it does really boil down to, but it made me laugh so hard. And while I was happy as heck to see Markus finally go, I do wonder if Clay stayed on another week so it wouldn't look like Donald was firing him because he's gay.

Oh, Markus. Will you ever learn? After Trump fires you because you just won't stop talking, you proved him right. Have you ever heard of being a graceful loser? And it never seems to occur to the fired contestants that even though they won't be working for Trump, they still want to work for someone. Don't be a sore loser on national tv!

My odds on favorite to win it all? Randall. No question.

It's Thursday night...the greatest night ever for a reality tv addict...also known as "why Mark Burnett is a reality genius" night. And thanks to the magic that is tivo, I can watch them again and again. Sigh...

First, you have to understand that while I love reality tv, Survivor is my favorite. Not just my favorite reality show; my favorite of any show. So it's no surprise that I am sure happy it's Thursday. And since I heard through the grapevine that they were going to have to choose immunity over food tonight, I was more excited than usual.

The episode started with what really had to be the lamest merge ever. I'm sure that it seemed like a good idea to surprise the survivors with the merge. In fact, as I'm typing this, it seems like a really good idea...the kind that should make for good television. But it wasn't all they thought it would be. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that they woke up Nakum...I know how I am when someone wakes me up in the middle of the night (I was that person who needed to be woken up by my roomates in college if the fire alarm went off...I am that sound of a sleeper). But the more interesting thing was the talk by Bobby Jon on the way to Nakum...I knew he didn't like Jamie, but what about Steph? I thought they were friends. That was strange. (and then later he begs her to keep him around for the jury) I was also glad to see that the four of them were going to stick together strong.

Now, it's smart in the game of Survivor to stick together. But it is not smart to flaunt that "stickyness" to others. First, the old Yaxha goes off to fish together, allowing the others to plot against them. Did none of you watch any of the other seasons of the show? Really? Because you all should really know better.

The other stupid flaunting of "stickyness" (is that even a word?) was Jamie. Jamie Jamie Jamie. What on earth were you thinking? Remember in Marqueses when John's group of four pretty much laid out the pecking order? John went home next!!! Please tell me that you are not one of those players who didn't watch the other seasons. I am shocked that you lived to see another tribal council. Of course, that was a great immunity/reward challenge...nothing quite like choosing food over immunity. In the back of their heads, they have got to be thinking that they might be eating million dollar chicken wings.

Which leads me to my next question. Most reality shows have a clause in their contracts that the contestants sign about physical violence. Physical violence against another contestant generally gets you booted. On some shows, even threatening physical violence will get you out. So, I am wondering if Survivor has this type of clause. Because between Bobby Jon and Jaime, you know that something is bound to happen. I think that Jeff Probst is just hoping it doesn't happen when he is around (did you know that he is dating Julie from Vanuatu? really!). The look on his face at tribal council made me so thankful for tivo...i watched it over and over and over...

The other twist tonight I'm still not sure if I like the idea of the extra immunity idol. I wonder if Mark Burnett had already thought up this twist at the beginning of the show, or if he added it later (if you can't tell, Mark Burnett might be the person I would most like to have dinner with...I would just love to sit and talk Survivor with him). I wonder this about a lot of the twists, and I've never really gotten a good answer. It definitely plays with their minds, which adds a whole other dimension to the game.

I'm sad to see Brandon go...he really is a good guy. And they really could have voted Jamie off and still had the numbers advantage. I would pay good money to see the uncut version of tribal council (Mark Burnett...if you want to make more money, sell a subsrciption on the web, or show it on pay-per-view). I know that they edit it down to show us the best scenes, but I think with this group, watching the entire council straight through (they usually last upwards of an hour) would be excellent.

I can't believe I have to wait another week for a new episode...

Wednesday night...must be time for The Apprentice: Martha Stewart! (tagline: not as good as Donald's, but still better than most of what's on tv) Tonight's task -- create a "mobile billboard" to advertise Tide to Go. Let's check in with the teams...

First up: Matchstick. Their idea involves "Tide to Go Man." As soon as I saw Ryan in the costume, well, let's just say it made the entire hour worthwhile. I actually laughed out loud. Hard. In fact, I'm still laughing. If the task is measured with the ever popular "applause-o-meter," they have this task in the bag.

Over at Primarius, there are laughs as well. Of course, I'm laughing at them, rather than with them. Sarah, who apparently has no leadership skills whatsoever, has them all brainstorming silently. This, by the way, is a slam dunk for riveting television. Finally, Bethenny & Howie take matters into their own clearly capable hands, and start calling around to book acrobats and jugglers. I am watching the show as I am typing, and I still have no idea what their concept is.

Now, the performance section of the show. Matchstick has a boxing ring where Ryan boxes various stains. There's actually a good crowd around, and lots of people trying the pen. Meanwhile, Primarius is out on their flatbed truck rapping about Tide to Go. Oh my goodness. You know how sometimes on these shows there is something that is so bad it's good? This was so bad it was past the point of good television. The entire team should be fired. If nothing else, they should get some sort of permanent stamp on their resume (or their foreheads) that says "Do NOT hire for a job in marketing. Ever." Of course, Matchstick wins by a landslide. And in an actual shocker, Sarah can't believe that they lost. This, does, however, answer the question of whether she is naturally blonde.

Martha doesn't do "boardroom"; she has her "conference room." And this is where her show differs so greatly from Donald's -- he would have already yelled at them, and maybe even fired the entire team. But there are a lot of questions, and, of course, no answers. (and by the way, what on earth is the deal with Charles? Carrying around an unlit cigar just doesn't seem very "Martha." Does he think it looks good? Oh dear...) Ok, we're back from commercials, and Martha is finally getting harsh with them. (you go girl!) And, thankfully, she fires both Sarah & Carrie with her lackluster catchphrase "you just don't fit in." They were both so bad...thank goodness they're both gone.

(by the way, gotta love the Thelma & Louise-type moment at the end where the girls walk down the long hallway holding hands. Please please please tell me that they did that on their own, and not because some production assistant thought it would be good tv!)

Next week? Jim's on live tv...oh my...

Next up on Tuesday? The Amazing Race: Family Edition. Ok, so while I'm not such a fan of the whole "family edition" thing, Amazing Race is still one of the best reality shows on tv. But Tuesday's episode should have been named "Why I hate the Weaver family."

I know, that sounds harsh. You're probably wondering how I could hate a family that I've only seen on tv. Or, you could have watched the show, and be hating them along with me. First of all, don't give me any more of this "feel-sorry-for-us-our-dad-died-and-now-we-have-to-run-this-race" stuff. Let me remind you that you applied for the show. That's right -- it was your decision to go on national television. Let's all just remember that every time they want us to feel sorry for them -- they decided to go on the show.

Next, I consider myself a religous person. I believe in God. I pray. But there is a big difference between praying and asking God to run errands for you. "Please God, help me open this jar of pickles." Wasn't this an episode of The Simpsons? Didn't it not work out so well for Homer? Did it ever cross your mind that God's first priority might not be deciding who wins The Amazing Race? And what makes it even worse, is their behavior at the Yield. After being rude to every team (or did you not remember when you asked the driver of the other boat to go slower?), they were shocked that someone would want to yield them. They then proceeded to make fun of people on the other teams...that one team posed in front of a garbage truck, that another girl looked like she had "fake boobs", that another kid looked "retarded" (which, by the way, is a horrible horrible horrible thing to call someone). They then proceeded to say that they would never play dirty (who knew that yielding someone was playing dirty?) because they "answer to a higher authority." Really? How on earth did you not get crushed by the irony?

At the same time, I decided I loved the Gaghan family. With their 2 little kids, they stayed positive, and supported each other through the whole race. They took time to appreciate the majesty of where they were. And I loved it when the dad said that they would come back to Costa Rica for their vacation so they could see more of the country. What great parents. (note to self...be supportive to future children...) I was so bummed to see them be eliminated.

The episode itself was really good. I loved the coffee bean challenge -- reminded me a lot of unrolling the bales of hay in Sweeden a few years ago...total luck. And they are finally out of the United States. That's my favorite part of the show -- getting to see all the places in the world that someone like me (read: a 29 year-old without a passport) has never seen. Costa Rica looked amazing -- I wish I could go.

Maybe the Weavers will be eliminated next week...

Ahhh...Tuesday night. The Biggest Loser and The Amazing Race. So good to have 2 shows at the same time! So, we'll start with The Biggest Loser. My friend Jim says that there is nothing so captivating as watching obese people on a scale. And I think he's right. Why else would I watch this show? There are more commercials than show, and the editing is horrible. But, I never miss it. And I even bought the book. Oh, the irony.

Last night's episode started strong...makeovers for everyone! Did I say strong? Because they didn't really get makeovers. Just a hair cut and some makeup. Lame. And we got to see more of Matt whining. Did he really say that he would rather be working out than getting a hair cut. That does explain a few things...

Anyways, I did like that they showed their "photo shoot" pictures alongside their starting pics. Wow, have they lost a lot of weight. It's shocking, really. I wish I could drop weight that fast. Of course, I also wish that my beloved Red Sox hadn't let Theo go, and that I could afford to sit behind home plate at Fenway. A girl can dream, can't she?

So next, we come to the challenge. Anyone who didn't see that one coming, please raise your hands. If your hand is up, you seriously need to get out more. You just knew that their loved ones were behind the signs. Although it was great to hear someone in the background say "wow, Dr. Jeff's wife is really young!" as he hugged his 16 year old daughter. I also was shocked that Seth was married, since last week it looked like he and Suzy were more of a team than the others, if you know what I mean. But while it was nice for them to see their families, I hated the challenge. There was no way the women could win. And the producers knew it too -- they put all three of them in the back of the pack to start. Hello...what was that all about? Oh well...Seth & Suzy won again...they needed that win, because they so should have been voted off long ago.

Finally, we got to the weigh-in. And here's where the producers bug me week after week. With all the tears from Andrea, you knew she and Mark would be "below the yellow line" (which might be the lamest catch-phrase ever). And why didn't the men take off their shirts this week? Did someone realize that with all the weight loss, Dr. Jeff jumping up and down on the scale was NOT a pretty sight? And yes, Andrea and Mark were "below the yellow line."

So when it comes time for elimination, we got to see Matt cry again (oh come on!), and Mark was finally eliminated. I can't believe I love this show...