It’s baaaaaaack!

But first - a SHaQ Attack addendum. Some of you Super Sleuthing Blog Babes discovered two more Morgans in my backlist!! (I really love that name. ) There is another Morgan hero…and a heroine!! If you can correctly identify all seven Morgans and your name is picked as the winner, you’ll get a bonus book! (And yes, if you’ve already entered five names, you can go back and hunt down the other two if you wanna and email me again.) Happy Hunting!

So, American Idol is back in our living rooms a million nights a week again. Okay, so it just feels like total television domination. Look how many shows changed their nights so as not to compete against the juggernaut (Dancing With the Stars for one…a juggernaut of its own.)

High point of the show? A replay of Prince’s season finale song as they segued into the Minneapolis (home of Prince) try out show. The second high point of the night? That I have a TiFaux with a lovely fast forward option to blink past the freak show elements. This is my least favorite part of the season, the freak show episodes, so I was ready, with ice cream and remote control at the ready. And I did use that FF button pretty heavily. I would rather watch and get to meet some of the eventual contestants, rather than watch the more…ah…unique individuals who come to get their dreams and hopes crushed.

I always think, given the longevity and popularity of this show, that the freak show element at this point has to be there for the sole purpose of trying to be freaky enough to get their few seconds of fame (such as it is) on television by being best of the worst. And every season I’m astounded (and saddened) by the number of people who truly believe they have the gift of song and are stunned to hear the callous comments regarding their ability. It really amazes me. But it doesn’t really entertain me. So bless you fast forward button. It also made the two hour show go by in a blink. (Which meant more tennis for me! Woo hoo!)

Another thing that amazed me was the sheer number of people who showed up to try out. Stadiums full! It’s really mind boggling and you have to wonder how long it takes the teams of people who winnow the tens of thousands down to the few hundred or so who actually parade in front of Paula & Co. It just seems so daunting.

And out of that entire stadium in Minneapolis, only 17 got put through. 17. Wow. The only winning contestant who got my attention was the last girl (I think she was last) with the really long curly hair, who sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow. She had an attention getting voice. There were a few others who were interesting characters as well.

But the previews for tonight’s show, which features the Seattle tryouts? Oh. My. God. Honestly, I’m not sure there’s enough ice cream to get through this episode. Freak show doesn’t even begin to describe what this looks like. Shudder!

Thank goodness Top Chef is on tonight, too! Yay! Who do you think gets kicked off? And does that mean no one gets eliminated after the challenge? Inquiring mind want to know!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Okay, for this week’s contest, here’s the deal. Over the years, I’ve written about a bunch of guys with the last name Morgan (not all are related, I guess I just like the name.) There are five all together. Your job? Name ‘em. I will draw a winner from the correct entries on Friday. Winner gets a free book from my bookshelf. Send your entries to donna@donnakauffman.com with “Those Morgan Men” in the subject line. Happy hunting!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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We’ll get to Grease in a minute. I’m still having a hard time typing after witnessing the blinding white that are Donald Trump’s feet. My goodness gracious I didn’t know they made skin that translucent.

Okay, so this week’s Apprentice was really…all kinds of wrong. I’m perfectly fine with Frank’s team losing, because Frank? Wow, he needs to leave my television set post haste. (Although highlight of the show? Trump telling him not to worry about the sleeping in tents thing as he’ll be back in the Bronx soon. Ha.) And Carey? I’m with Muna. Way too much 411 with those trunks, sweetie. Not that the other team blew me away with their ho hum swim line, but dayum. Did they have to be pink, too? Really? And kudos to the winning team for acting all excited about that reward. Most Insulting Reward Possibly Ever. Playboy bunnies? Whose reward is this? Trump’s reward, that’s whose. Certainly not the women on the team. And neither most of the guys. I laughed and laughed when the girls pushed newly revealed gay guy Derek into the pool and got all that tanned boob flesh in his face. Talk about a waste of perfectly good implants. At least he (and the women from what I could tell) were good sports about the whole thing. I noticed Ivanka sat that one out. I knew I liked her for a reason. (Except, pssst, the shorter hair looked better. What? It does.)

What was good about winning was the fact that Heidi’s team gets double immunity. No one goes home this week, and they don’t even have to perform the next task. (I know. Makes no sense to do this, but whatever. This show is drowning and Burnett needs new ideas.) So it’s tent city (aka Trump Trailer Park) for Frank/Nicole’s team. And am I the only one who wonders how the hell they get all business-suit pressed and ready living in those tents? The camera shots of camp prove that these people are apparently used to living with hired help or something. Ew.

One thing I love? The other team listening in on their conversations through the hedge. I would totally do this. I would feel horribly bad about it, of course, (okay, maybe not where Frank is concerned) but I would totally listen in. Sure, you say you wouldn’t eavesdrop, but you know if you could hear their voices drifting over the hedge, you’d be all leaning over and trying to hear what they’re talking about while pretending to fix your sandal strap. Fess up.

The boardroom. So, some of the team tries to throw Michelle under the bus for being a solo player who thought the pink trunks were heinous and refused to go along with the team. Most notably the designer of said trunks, Carey, as he understandably tries to save his own (very fine) ass. Most of the team, however, tries to throw Carey under the bus for designing gaywear for the mainstream market (hey, he tagged it, not me.) This boardroom was a far more entertaining boardroom than last week (but then, root canal would be more entertaining than more of Frank screaming.) Everyone was pretty good natured about it, but I think right up until Trump fired him, Carey thought he was going to pull it out. He looked truly devastated to be leaving (even if he did get to keep the pink trunks.) But, given the choices, and despite liking him and thinking him well spoken, it was the right call. Maybe Nicole should have gone. I’d have been okay with that, but Carey, dude, pink mini trunks? Really?

So, next week it’s definitely Frank/Nicole’s team losing as they are the only ones playing, but there is the news of a boardroom bombshell being dropped. My my. I guess I’ll have to keep watching. (As long as I’m self medicated with plenty of ice cream and a pre-show party of Grease singing.)

Which brings me to Grease. A lot more of nothing much last night as we witness the last of the initial auditions and a lot of manufactured drama. I still like the show, like the judges, even like the Cat Deeley impersonator, (but less Billy this week - pout. I know this makes some people really happy, but I like Billy. Sue me.) What’s wrong with this show is that, so far, none of the contestants are really grabbing my heartstrings. And this worries me. We should be feeling some attachment by now and I’m more lukewarm than excited about any of these hopefuls. Maybe that will change when we get to know them better. Next up is Grease Academy, where the 50 semi finalists will train in dance, voice, and acting before being cut down to the final 12 who will compete for our hearts and our votes. I hope I love it more by then. I have faith.

Tune in tomorrow for the next SHaQ Attack contest question.

And, oh yeah, tennis is back, tennis is back! Yay!! Grand Slam season has returned. Now is that brief time of year when all of my sports are on at the same time. Football, basketball, and tennis. Life is good.

Tags: Writing by Donna
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…it must be time to announce this week’s SHaQ Attack winner! Woo hoo!

I asked you to name the first cover of mine featuring both hero and heroine. The answer is my 1994 Loveswept, Tango in Paradise. A whole slew o’ Blog Babes got this one right, but there can be only one winner…and she is Marie E! Round of applause (and a big wave of the ice cream scoop) in Marie’s general direction. She wins her choice of a book from my website. Tune in next week for the next SHaQ Attack hunt.

Okay, last night was double heaven. No, not just because my oldest is back in college and my youngest is packing to head out to Oregon to ski with family for five days (the brat.) No, last night was double heaven because both Grey’s Anatomy AND Men in Trees were back with new episodes. More ice cream for me!

Grey’s was the first of a two parter and sort of a mixed bag for me. George’s dad has his surgery and it’s not looking so good for him. Bailey teaches Callie how to do the Dr. McStareDown, which works on getting McDreamy to do a consult on a patient with a spine curved so badly she walks bent over at a 90 degree angle, but not so good on George, who does finally seem to pull his head out of his ass and realize what he has with her. Izzy finally deposits her check in a scene that totally cracked me up, and we get some seriously heavy foreshadowing that she wants to do something good with all that money, and that something good will probably involve the 90 degree bent-over girl…except, Izzy, getting emotionally and directly involved with patients like that is what got you in trouble in the first place. Her heart is in the right place, but you can’t write a check for everyone in trouble. Well, she could write a bunch of em, true, but even eight million dollars will run out at some point. I both applaud and worry about our Izzy.

McDreamy can’t sleep because Meredith snores. Meredith keeps running into her father in the hospital, being forced to watch him be the doting, loving grandfather to his new born, seriously ill granddaughter in a way he was never a father to her. Burke and Christina continue their very strange stand-off, which is so juvenile as to be seriously pissing me off to the point that I honestly don’t care about them anymore. But I do love how Burke is there for George and Christina is there for Mere.

And Addison and Mark are having some kind of anniversary of something Really Bad that is pissing him off, which, by default, pisses off Alex who defends her honor with vanilla cappuccino (you had to be there) which then leads to a very hot almost-kiss. Which is where Shonda leaves you hanging until next week. I hate it when she does that.

On Men in Trees things are either really great, or they really suck. Talk about your emotional roller coaster of an episode. I loved it. I think what I love most about the way this show is written is that a) it’s unapologetically a relationship show, first, last, and always, and doesn’t pretend to even need anything else. And it doesn’t. And b) it involves a lot of the standard relationship cliches, then doesn’t allow the characters to fall into any of them, but rather has them communicate, speak their minds, stand up for themselves…and still find themselves wading through dangerous emotional territory. Sort of like, you know, life. I think it’s funny that everyone talks about this show being fluffy and light, when I think its humor and quirkiness balance out the relationship truths beautifully. And that, despite it’s locale and oddball-isms, it reflects a lot of what we all go through in dealing with our various relationships.

To bring you up to speed, during this one hour, Marin decides to give Jack space while Lynn packs up and leaves, refurbishing her strength of will by constantly listening to his voice mail. You know, the one where he tells her in the absolutely sexiest gravelly voice ever, that he’s falling in love with her. They reunite, kiss madly, and know it’s just a matter of time before they can resume figuring out what’s going to be what between them.

Only, of course, true love doesn’t run smoothly. Lynn, who doesn’t know they’re an item, decides to stick around Elmo while she gestates… and comes to term with her feelings for life-long friend and recently ex lover, Jack. Which leads to a dark room kiss that Jack abruptly ends as he is up front that he has feelings for Marin. Only the kiss confused him. He doesn’t know what he wants now. Lynn is up front with Marin. Jack is up front with Marin. And Marin wonderfully stands up for herself and tells them both to essentially take a flying leap. I loved her home run speech. A lot.

In other Elmo-ian news, Patrick is pining away for Annie, who wants him to be a man, not a mama’s mouse, but mama finally remembers that being single isn’t all its cracked up to be and lets her hair down with her supervisor, a scene which I totally loved, and both she and Patrick realize it’s time to move on with their lives. I loved it when Patrick told her they should start seeing other people. Great lines in this show!

Then we have Ben, who is romancing his wife…only to have the show end with the other woman in his life getting off a bus, back in town again. That should be interesting! (And where was her son???)

But, my most favorite part was the Jane and Plow Guy…when he sent her the picture of all the boats being shipped out into the harbor on the darkest night, lighting the way toward a more hopeful dawn. I want a Plow Guy. I really do.

Can’t wait to see what happens next!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Ahhhh…. Last night was the latest installment of Top Chef. Something to MAC about, finally! It almost feels like normal.

Except I have to talk about these people. Sigh. And to think I once harbored such hopes for Sam and Ilan. But this whole group, except perhaps Elia, have really sunken in my estimation. I don’t want them to, but they’ve just devolved into Junior High Land and are not leaving it. (And next week looks even worse!) Not only that, but their cooking isn’t exactly looking inspired.

So, we’re left with six. They actually did a pretty good job with the Quickfire, I thought. The guest judge was rude, but apparently he’s known to be that way. I just wanted to smack the ten faux-hawked hairs off his head and tell him to be nice. And they wonder why the cheftestants are acting like immature children. Be a better role model, dude.

Anyway, after being forced to use mayonnaise, Italian dressing, or barbeque sauce in their snack dish, Sam and Marcel end up the winners of the Quickfire Challenge. They don’t get immunity any longer, so what they win is the honor of being the ones to choose their teams for the Elimination Challenge. Marcel, to the shock of absolutely no one, picks the only person who hasn’t dedicated his life to making Marcel’s miserable, Elia, and he also picks Cliff. This means Sam has Ilan and Mikey.

Their job? Open a functioning restaurant in 24 hours. Yeah. I know. And they wonder why they turn out half assed prepared food. Aaaaaanyway. They each get half of a restaurant slated to open later that month and they must paint, decorate, plan a menu for and essentially get ready to open and serve 24 people by that same time the next day.

Initially, Marcel’s team calls their restaurant Medi, for a Mediterranean menu they plan to serve, but after meeting with their designer, totally change things up in the cab ride home and go for an upscale diner instead. Apparently Elia makes these mind blowing hamburgers for the cheftestants and they decide to make those the cornerstone of their new menu, which features a “Best of” list of diner food, bumped up to gourmet expectations. They call their restaurant M.E.C. which, I’m guessing, is each of their first initials.

Sam’s team decides to call their Italian restaurant Lalalina, which is a composite of their three girfriend/wives names. Awwww. They seem to have a pretty rock solid idea of what they want to do, so they meet with their designer, then set off to do their shopping and prep. Mikey is in charge of all the hardware, Sam and Ilan buy the food. Only, they don’t manage their money too wisely, so they end up with no wine. For an Italian restaurant. This is not good. Mikey is called, and he doesn’t buy the wine glasses, meaning he has left over money. The Music Of Impending Importance chimes, so we know this is going to be a problem. (I wondered why they didn’t take the leftover money from the hardware to buy wine, but after reading the chef blogs - yes, I know, I have no life - they reveal they were only allowed to spend their budgeted money for what it was allocated for.)

So, off everyone goes in the race against the clock to prepare both food and the front simultaneously. Cliff decides to run the front for his team, saying that this is what he does for his restaurant back home, so it makes sense he’d do it for this challenge. Elia is a bit heartbroken as she feels this is her strength. And, I suppose, because she always gets stuck doing the slave labor cooking and never gets to do the customer related part, which I think she’d be good at. But, off they go.

For Sam’s team, they send Ilan up front. To be fair, none of the three of them have any experience doing that, and it might have been a nightmare with Mikey up there, but I think Ilan and Sam’s talents would have been better used in the kitchen as a team. On the one hand, it did seem that Sam was a bit over bearing in hand-holding Mikey through the event, but the editing made it hard to tell if he really needed such hand-holding, or if Sam was just patronizing him and assuming he couldn’t handle it. I’m thinking a little of both. Still, Mikey would have likely done much better with the customers, and certainly better than nervous, quiet Ilan did.

It’s time to serve the public. They filter in and get their first look at the menus, after which they will pick where they want to dine. Everyone wants to go to Lalalina, and people only go to M.E.C. when the first restaurant is full.

Judges head to M.E.C. first, where Cliff has become totally overwhelmed with the job he supposedly does every day at home. Yeah. I’m thinking he has hostesses who really do that and all he does is wander around and ask people if they’re enjoying themselves, grand poobah style. This actually involves work, which seems to be over Cliff’s head. He takes out his stress by being patronizing and condescending to their staff support, as well as his own team.

So, the judges are seated and they wait to be waited on. And they wait. And wait. Cliff is so overwhelmed trying to keep up with is customers, that he doesn’t even really acknowledge their presence. Bad move. They finally get their food and they are unimpressed with the opener, which is undercooked chicken, (never a good thing to try and kill your customers) but enjoy the second course of tempura, though they wonder if it’s really upscale diner food. Are singularly unimpressed with the Best Burger Ever (I thought it sounded delish - they said it tasted like meatloaf. I think that sounds YUM-EE, but what do I know?) and totally hated the dessert, which…lemon on an Oreo cake? Yeah, blech!

Now the judges head over to Lalalina. Customer service is far better, even if Ilan is more or less in automated robotron mode. They are disgusted to find a left over olive pit on the table and wonder why there aren’t plates for them to put pits and bread on. (Mikey.) And they also wonder why there is no wine list in an Italian restaurant. (Sam and Ilan.) But they are served relatively quickly, and they love the opener meatball appetizer. This is followed by a veggie fettucine dish they all hate, and then a pork dish that the guest judge is just plain rude about, although they agree it tastes okay, just that it’s not cohesively planned. They singularly hate Sam’s dessert, and Gorgonzola and watermelon, Sam? Really? Yeah, double blech!

All in all, despite a few highlights from both teams, the judges are totally unimpressed with their efforts, and, I think, embarrassed in front of their rude guest judge. So they trudge back home and decide what to do about this underwhelming challenge.

They discuss, agree there were scant highlights and a whole lot of lowlights, then call each team in, Sam’s team first. They immediately tell them that just because they were called in first, does not mean they won, and proceed to ream them out one by one. With tails tucked, they are sent out with instructions to send the other team in, who then get their comeuppance. Elia hates getting reamed out, and you can tell this leaves her very shaken. I feel for her, because I think she performed very well in this particular challenge. Cliff is a total ass, and when asked who should go home, says “Pick one of them” in a totally dismissive, rude way. You know, Cliffie? I enjoyed you a lot at first, but wow. Not so much anymore. You lost me with the whole Mia thang, and you’re just not climbing back up in my estimation.

The judges finally deliberate and decide there will be no winner of this challenge, only a loser. They call in all six cheftestants, and one by one, excuse those who can leave. At least Elia gets the benefit of being the first to be sent to safety, followed by Ilan, and then Marcel. This leaves Sam, Mikey, and Cliff in the bottom three. And even though, in this particular challenge, I say Sam and Cliff both made bigger individual errors, it is Mikey who finally gets the boot.

The only real uplifting moment is during Mikey’s good-bye clip, where, beaming in that true, twinkly-eyed Mikey fashion, he compares himself to the humble pig from Charlotte’s Web. Awww, Mikey. We love ya. But Top Chef you are not. Bya!

Next week? Hijinks on the homefront and it looks like things totally get out of hand. There’s a shock.

Don’t forget to enter this week’s SHaQ Attack! Check out Tuesday’s post for the details. Winner announced tomorrow!

And new Grey’s Anatomy and Men in Trees tonight. Woo hoo!!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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I’m staring down deadlines again, on both work fronts. So, for your enjoyment, and because I’m too brain dead to come up with anything scintillating to say here, I thought I’d give you a sneak peek at what landed in my inbox this week… It’s the back cover copy for the second Black Sheep book…The Black Sheep & The Hidden Beauty. (Available Jan/08)

They’re back—the boys your mother warned you about, the black sheep her mother warned her about—the bad boys every good girl needs oh so badly…

Raphael “Rafe” Santiago may have left the streets years ago, but the street has never left him. A rough childhood in the Bronx taught him never to let his guard down, to keep everything in order, and always to trust that little voice in his gut that tells him when someone’s got something to hide. Horse trainer Elena Caulfield, is definitely hiding something, and Rafe intends to find out what it is and take care of it—his way.

But his way wasn’t supposed to include feeling an intense attraction to the tomboyish Elena. With her mud-caked boots, quiet strength, and gentle manner, she’s nothing like the flashy, seductive, overtly feminine women Rafe usually beds. The closer he gets to her, the harder it is to control that fiery passion he’s worked hard to keep cooled, the kind that can catch a man off guard and leave him open to danger—because whatever secret Elena’s protecting, it’s big…and worth killing for. Because when you’re from the Bronx, you take care of what you love—or die trying…

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Time for this week’s SHaQ Attack contest….

Hmmm…..what shall we do?

Okay…here goes: What was the title of my first book featuring both hero and heroine on the cover?

Send entries to donna@donnakauffman.com with “It take’s two!” in the subject line.

Winner’s name will be drawn from all correct entries and announced here Friday morning.

Happy hunting!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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The MAC is back!!

I caught up on Top Chef, Season 2 over the weekend, so if you haven’t watched last week’s episode and don’t want to know who went home, stop reading now and come back tomorrow for the latest SHaQ Attack contest question. If, on the other hand, you know who went home, or don’t care who went home, read on and vent with me, sisters.

So…every episode my love for one of the remaining cheftestants vanishes. At this rate, I’ll be forced to root for Marcel. Marcel, people. He of the GastrointestinalMicrobiologicalElectrolytical….something. Probably with Foam. But the episode previous to the last one ended my Cliff Love after he not only threw Mia under the bus, but backed up and ran over her a few times in the process.

Then, this week, despite agreeing that Marcel is not a lovable individual, the way Sam the Studly Sicilian attacked him was nothing short of schoolyard bully. Lost a lot of respect there. Add that to the behind the scenes goading and manipulating he’s been pulling off the past few weeks, and, yeah, I’m no longer feelin’ ya brah. Which leaves my Cutie Patootie, Ilan…only you had to go play stupid reindeer games with the guests and publicly diss one of your co-competitors in front of not only the clients, but the judges.

This leaves me with Mikey (!!!!!) and Elia (who is single-handedly keeping the French stereotype alive and well.) Betty goes home, which, love her or hate her, and I’ve felt both, she was ready to ship. She has talent, but just comes up short enough in presentation or ideas that, well, maybe not over Mikey, but in this case, this week, he stepped it up just when you needed him tof fail to keep you in the competition. So, buh bye, Betty! Don’t let the door hit ya.

Except, now who do I root for? I just can’t root for Mikey. I can laugh and be endlessly amused by him, but root for him? No. Elia could earn my respect as a chef, but the elitist attitude is off putting and my enthusiasm for her actually winning has waned. Sam and Ilan pulled the let’s-gang-up-on-the-not-cool-kid card, and even though the not-cool kid is Marcel (dude, the hair? Honestly?) and I just am not getting over that. And Cliff? Slimey thing to do to Mia, dude.

So now I guess I just watch for the lovely plates and interesting guest judges. (Hi Tim!) Disappointing after an enjoyable first season to say the least.

In other MAC news…

I watched Grease. It’s like the kinder, gentler cousin of American Idol…with Dancing! I liked it. I will continue to watch. Then there was the latest installment of The Apprentice. Liked the tents, liked Ivanka, but Frank? For the love of god, shut the hell up. I couldn’t mute that man fast enough. He made me want to gouge my ears with forks. Martin (who dresses like that? Did Cliff the Colorblind shop for you?) deserved his exit, but I have to sharpen my Mad Mute Button Skillz if I’m going to continue to make it through this show. And yet, sadly, I will try.

Tune in tomorrow for the next SHaQ Attack contest!!

Happy rainy Monday everyone.

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Sorry to be a no show yesterday - family stuff. I will return, bright eyed and bushy tailed on Monday, but I wanted to announce the winner of this week’s SHaQ Attack contest. The question this week was to name one of my Aussie heroes and the title of the book they were in - correct answers were Reese Braedon from Wild Rain, and Devin Archer from Royal Hunter.

This week’s winning Blog Babe is Cheryl S from Ohio, who got them both right. Woo hoo!!!

Tune in next week for a new SHaQ Attack challenge. Have a safe and wonderful weekend.

Tags: Writing by Donna
8 Comments »

So, okay, we’ve been whining and pouting about the fact that Reality TV is a desert wasteland at the moment. (Yes, I know, some would argue it’s a wasteland by definition, but I Want My RTV. I miss my RTV. I need my RTV. And I’m not ashamed to admit it. So there.)

Aaaaaaanyway, it seems that there’s a whole slew of reality tv coming our way in the next few months. In fact, I would go so far as to say an unmitigated glut of the stuff. An avalanche. A tsunami. A run, run for your lives or you might drown in it level of programming. It’s not is there something to MAC about, it’s how to narrow it down to a number I can actually get through in a timely manner. I see lots of ice cream in my future. (Okay, okay, so I see that whether or not tv is in the equation, sheesh.)

But, having said that, reading through the article below, which lists all the reality programs coming our way for the winter season, I came to realize something about myself. Yes, I’ve become a reality tv snob. I know, I know. Sort of an oxymoron, but there you have it. Looking over the list, I pooh-pooh’d most of the shows as things I’d never be caught dead watching. And then I laughed hysterically and got over myself.

So, now I’ll share the list with you (from Reality TV World.)

What looks good? What looks bad? And what looks really, really ugly?

Read on…then we’ll dish.

2007 Reality TV Winter Preview: Coming soon to a TV near you

By Christopher Rocchio, 12/27/2006

With the new year comes several new reality shows, as well as the return of some favorites. The following is Reality TV World’s 2007 Reality TV Winter Preview, highlighting all of the shows that will be premiering in coming weeks as well as where and when to tune in.

High Maintenance 90210 (premieres Monday, Jan. 1 at 11PM ET/PT on E!)
Ever wonder what it would be like to wait hand and foot on the super wealthy and overly pushy residents of Beverly Hills? Probably not, but in this six-episode series premiering on E!, viewers will see the work environments of those employed as domestic help for some of California’s richest people.

Beauty and the Geek 3 (premieres Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 8PM ET/PT on The CW)
Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg’s twisted spin on a tale as old as time returns, as eight beautiful but intellectually weak girls are paired with eight super smart but socially awkward guys. The teams will compete in a series of challenges to claim the top prize of $250,000, and there’s no doubt the models and math wizards will learn a little something about the pitfalls of being judgemental as well.

Grease: You’re the One That I Want (premieres Monday, Jan. 7 at 8PM ET/PT on NBC)
Those winter chills you feel will be mutliplyin’ if you’re a fan of Rydell High as two leads for the new Broadway production of Grease will be picked in this talent competition. With America having the opportunity to chose the best Danny and Sandy for the production’s June opening, here’s hoping the new leads go together like rama lama lama ke ding a de dinga a dong.

The Apprentice 6 (premieres Sunday, Jan. 7 at 9:30PM ET/PT on NBC)
Eighteen new candidates hope to not be fired in the sixth edition of this reality competition, which will also provide those contestants who excel in challenges to live like “The Donald” and reside in a luxury mansion in Los Angeles. Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and several previous Apprentice winners will serve as advisors and to aid the real-estate mogul in his decision on which contestant deserves a spot in his organization.

The Surreal Life: Fame Game (premieres Sunday, Jan. 7 at 9PM ET/PT on VH1)
In an all-star version of this celebrity reality series, former contestants will participate in tongue-in-cheek competitions that parody Hollywood life for a chance to win $100,000 while living in Las Vegas. With one of the competitions being who has the most Google search results for their name, some of the contestants may wish they just stayed home.

I’m From Rolling Stone (premieres Sunday, Jan. 7 at 10PM ET/PT on MTV)
A press pass from Rolling Stone can get you into some of the hottest events of the year, and in this new reality series, six aspiring writers will compete for the chance to become the new contributing editor at the famed magazine. From interviewing Ghostface Killah to attending Lollapalooza, the contestants will be given a wide-range of writing assignments with the hope that their byline may one day appear on the cover of Rolling Stone.

I Love New York (premieres Monday, Jan. 8 at 9PM ET/PT on VH1)
If you were one of the several people who felt bad for New York after she was rejected by Flavor Flav for the second time, this show’s for you. With the aid of Flav’s once potential mother-in-law, New York will test 20 men on everything from physical strength to earning ability in an effort to have her heart won. Good Luck.

Ego Trip’s White Rapper Show (premieres Monday, Jan. 8 at 10:30PM ET/PT on VH1)
Finding the next great white rapper is not an easy task to undertake, but that’s what this new series is trying to accomplish, as twelve contestants from all over the country will hunker down in the South Bronx and learn firsthand that hip-hop is all about survival. Hopefully the winner will be more Eminem and less Vanilla Ice.

Gay, Straight or Taken? (premieres Monday, Jan. 8 at 8PM ET/PT on Lifetime)
It’s a question that every single woman of the 21st century faces, and this series looks to make finding an answer a bit easier. In each episode, one woman will go on a series of dates with three men and has to correctly identify who is gay, straight or taken. Keep score at home, this could get confusing.

Armed & Famous (premieres Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 8PM ET/PT on CBS)
Five D-list celebrities are issued guns and badges and are then allowed to patrol the streets on Muncie, IN as reserve police officers. People of Muncie take cover.

Nashville Star 5 (premieres Thursday, Jan. 11 at 10PM ET/PT on USA)
USA Network’s American Idol-like country music competition is back for a fifth season. This year, Grammy-winning singer Jewel will follow in the footsteps of Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, and Nancy O’Dell and do her best Ryan Seacrest impression. Where’s Brian Dunkleman when you need him?

My Super Sweet 16, Season 4 (premieres Monday, Jan. 15 at 9PM ET/PT on MTV)
These teenagers know how to throw a party, especially when its’ their own coming-of-age celebration. Follow the ups and downs as teens and their families throw a blow-out birthday bash rather than take the traditional route of blowing out the 16 candles on a cake.

The Hills, Season 2 (premieres Monday, Jan. 15 at 10PM ET/PT on MTV)
It’s a new year in La-La Land for Laura and her friends as they learn what it’s like to be women in the big city. Vegas has yet to place odds on whether their biggest challenges will come from work and school or the boys they date.

Dancelife (premieres Monday, Jan. 15 at 10:30PM ET/PT on MTV)
Who better to executive produce a series about real-life dancers working to make it in Hollywood than Jennifer Lopez, a former “Fly Girl” turned actress and singer? However unlike Lopez’ own ascension to stardom, the contestants will not have to endure a fling with Ben Affleck.

The Real Housewives of Orange County, Season 2 (premieres Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 10PM ET/PT on Bravo)
Picking up where it left off last year, the second season of this docu-soap reality series will continue to follow the lives of wealthy housewives who live in a gated community in Southern California. Let’s just say there should be more drama than what your average housewife is used to.

American Idol 6 (premieres Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 8PM ET/PT on Fox)
Reality television’s King Kong is back, and producers recently announced the upcoming season will feature a big event midway through. As if viewers needed another reason to watch.

Engaged and Underage (premieres Monday, Jan. 22 at 9:30PM ET/PT on MTV)
Follow the married lives of couples who aren’t even old enough to drink yet and must find other creative ways to deal with the stress of tying the knot.

Road Rules 14 (premieres Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 9PM ET/PT on MTV)
Did you ever think you’d make a better Road Rules contestant than some former participants? Now’s your chance to prove it. Off the air since 2004, the show’s newest installment allowed fans on MTV.com to pick their six favorite Road Rulers for the series. After each episode airs, viewers will then vote for the two weakest contestants to watch them square-off in an elimination challenge on MTV Overdrive. Those at home can also nominate potential challengers from an Internet message board to replace the loser. Now that’s reality television.

Two-A-Days, Season 2 (premieres Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 10PM ET/PT on MTV)
Hoover High School’s football team is in search of its fifth-straight Alabama state championship as the second season of this series begins, which will also feature some returning players from last year. Think of it as Friday Night Lights with real hitting.

Top Design (premieres Wednesday, Jan. 31 at10PM ET/PT on Bravo)
Apparently the world of interior design can be exciting, as this new reality competition series takes viewers behind the scenes of the creative business. Twelve aspiring interior designers will vie for cash to start their own firm and also for a spot in one of New York’s finest designer showcases. It should at least give you some ideas about what to do with that extra bedroom that’s been doubling as a walk in closet.

Juvies (premieres Thursday, Feb. 8 at 10PM ET/PT on MTV)
MTV might be trying to scare its viewers straight with this new series, which follows several first-time offenders as they navigate daily life in Indiana’s Lake County Juvenile Center. If nothing else it should foster a greater appreciation for high-school cafeteria food across the country.

Survivor: Fiji (coming late winter on CBS)
The castaways will now have two hidden immunity idols to wrack their brains searching for while stranded on Exile Island in the 14th installment of this reality television classic, which will take place in Fiji. Jeff Probst said contestants will be forced to battle each other more fiercely than ever before, a comment that’s pretty easy for him to make given he’s not the one doing the competing.

The Amazing Race: All-Stars (coming late winter on CBS)
An all-star edition or not an all-star edition? That had been the question until CBS confirmed last month that the series’ 11th installment would feature contestants from previous seasons. If you saw Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich running through your your local airport during the last month or so, now you’ll know why.

Dancing with the Stars 4 (coming March 2007 on ABC)
The ratings juggernaut will return for a fourth season, but will it air against American Idol? ABC has yet to announce that decision, but fans can still dance around their living rooms in celebration of the show’s quick return following its recently concluded third season.

America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 8 (coming March 2007 on The CW)
Beautiful models will once again compete for the affection of Tyra Banks and her fellow judges on the eighth installment of this series. You might want to wear protection while watching — these girls can be catty, and Tyra can have the biggest claws of them all.

The Bachelor 10 (coming March 2007 on ABC)
What girl wouldn’t want to date a 1995 ESPN Scholar Athlete of the Year, class valedictorian, Duke University graduate, undersea medical officer and triathlon competitor all rolled into one? That’s the type of guy the lucky ladies on this series’ 10th season will try to sink their paws into. Oh by the way, did we mention he’s stationed in Hawaii?

*****End of Article*****

So, okay… My tried and trues: Amazing Race, Survivor, and Dancing with the Stars are obvious. Other regulars? Well, I’ll watch American Idol although I reserve the right to fast forward through the freak show parts. I can only take so much of that. And, don’t be hatin’, but yes, I’ll also be watching Apprentice. I can’t stand The Combover, but the show sucks me in every damn season. I’m lame like that. Plus, I think his daughter is All That And A Bag of Chips, and I hear she’ll be one of the judges this year. Could be interesting.

As for New To Me shows? Well, I did the marathon taping of Top Chef, Season 1 over the holidays, which is leading me to tape the marathon of Season 2 later today, so I can catch up. And, if I like Project Runway, and now Top Chef, it only sort of follows that I’d at least try Top Design, right? So yeah, that’s on my New and Untried list. I’m also going to peek in on Dancelist and Grease. And I’m not even a groupie of that movie or musical, so why, I have no idea, but it looks like fun. I need more fun. Besides, Billy Bush is hosting and he’s a cutie patootie of the first order.

What’s the Blog Babe Consensus? What are your Must See’s and I’ll Give It A Shot’s?

Tags: Writing by Donna
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