Though it's losing Project Runway to Lifetime, Bravo is still home to the most robust, and formulaic, set of reality shows out there. Top Chef is a runaway hit with legions of fans; Make Me A Supermodel, though featuring the annoying Tyson Beckford and equally plain Nikki Taylor, was a drama-filled vamp-fest; Step It Up & Dance, the So You Think You Can Dance knock off, was decent (we're told); the new season of Shear Genius promises more haircare drama; and Top Design is coming back with new producers.
The format for all these shows goes like this: Line up a trio of industry experts to act as judges (there must be at least one Simon Cowell character); employ an attractive, personable, and mostly vanilla host(s); then roll out casting calls to New York, Los Angeles, and anywhere in between where wannabe actors can mingle with genuine talent in a house where cameras roll 24/7, all in an effort to win a modest cash prize and an industry gig where you won't become too famous to overshadow the next season's cast.
So what are Bravo execs going to do now that nearly every niche — yes, even real estate — have been covered? CONTINUED »
• Jon Lovitz finally does what most of us have only dreamed about, namely grab Andy Dick and smash his face into the bar. Repeatedly. And, despite having once said, "I wanted to punch [Dick's] face in, but I don't hit women." Ouch.
• Narcissists David and Victoria Beckham to adorn their new home with giant, poster-sized pictures of…themselves.
• Despite those persistent rumors about her latent promiscuity, Lindsay Lohan just isn't into going "backdoor."
• Just when things were finally starting to heat up between QB Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen, his ex, Bridget Moynahan has to be all, "Look at me, look at me! I'm having your baby."
• Lindsay's 21st bday was so boring, she had to take all the exploitative photographs herself.
• Meanwhile, Salman Rushdie's rep attributes his client's impending divorce to 'too many chefs' in Padma Lakshmi's kitchen.
• Robert F. Kennedy 3rd gets freaky with a "heavyset girl" from Missy Elliott's entourage.
• Tracey Edmonds ditches Eddie Murphy after occasionally hearing or reading things that "made her wonder." Presumably, Edmonds is referring to rumors that Murphy fathered a child with Scary Spice then totally denied it. Either that or she finally watched Norbit.
• Breaking: Lily Allen arrested for allegedly attacking a photographer four months ago.
• Padma Lakshmi continues to not-cheat on her husband, author Salman Rushdie.
• Barack Obama has 99 problems, but his iTunes collection ain't one.
• German has graciously ended its boycott on ambiguously gay Scientologists.
• Nicole Richie may be on the hunt for a size triple-zero Vera Wang wedding gown.
• During a recent concert, former Fugee Lauryn Hill ("looking not unlike a bag lady") tripped, fell and landed flat on her backside. Which pretty much sums up her entire performance.
Editorial Director
