I Hate Jill Zarin Mid-Week Update August 18, 2010

I Hate Jill Zarin                   Mid-Week Updates                        August 18, 2010

Happy Wednesday everyone! 

Bravo aired a new episode of the Rachel Zoe Project and I must say, Bravo to Rachel and Brad, I don’t think I heard the name Taylor once all evening.  That being said, is probably the only good thing I can say about this show. 

I used to enjoy the show and I certainly do not miss Taylor’s whining at all!  I just don’t see having such a nervous breakdown over clothes, shoes and accessories.  Rachel makes her life all about these things, she takes them so seriously and it really is over the top ridiculous!  Would it really be the end of the world if some shoes had to be switched out for other shoes or if one bracelet was out of place? 

Rachel Zoe is like a cartoon character, she really is!  I want to like her, I want to root for her to be successful (and I know that she is) but she makes it really hard when she acts like she’s going to rip someone’s head off over a belt or a scarf! 

I keep remembering what Alex McCord (RHONY) said, she’s a fashion risk taker and she has FUN with it!   Possibly if Rachel wasn’t so intense and actually had fun with it, maybe the show would be more enjoyable. 

Brad spends the majority of the show complaining that he can’t do what he’s been asked to do.  If he spent the time doing his job rather than complaining about the work, he’d most likely have plenty of time to do it.  The guy moves in slow motion and hesitates with everything that he does, he’s negative, has a bad attitude and always wants to take the easy way out.  He complains that he doesn’t get enough notice to get the clothing during this episode.  What should Rachel do Brad?  Jump into her time machine, read minds and inform you that Naomi Campbell is going to have an idea for a fashion show to aide Haiti?  I want to shake this guy and scream at him, “just do it!” 

Rachel’s husband really gets the shaft in this relationship.  He quit his regular job to become part of his wife’s company but nothing has changed for the viewer, the man still walks on egg shells around his wife whenever there is a big fashion event coming up and let’s face it, there is ALWAYS a big fashion event coming up.  Whether it is awards season, fashion week or styling models and celebrities for fashion shoots, this is a year round job for Rachel Zoe.  Rodger wants a baby, Rachel says she’s too busy but as Rodger correctly pointed out, when will Rachel not be busy?  Everyone is busy, a baby isn’t an inconvenience or something that you fit into your busy life and it is something that you want with all of your heart and soul.  If Rachel doesn’t feel that way, she shouldn’t become a mother. 

If there is anyone out there who is into fashion and enjoys Rachel Zoe Project, you are more than welcome to guest blog the show because, needless to say, it is not one of my favorites! 

I finally got around to reading Chef Tom Colicchio’s blog about last week’s Top Chef.  He posted it pretty late, as he is apparently on vacation and wasn’t going to submit one at all but due to the uproar about Kenny being sent home, Chef Tom felt the need to do some explaining.

Explaining he did, along with scolding and reprimanding.  It is clear that he is annoyed with viewers who questioned the outcome of the last episode but isn’t that what we’re here for?  If no one gave a damn, Chef Tom would not have a job with Bravo, would he? 

Let me start by saying I’m a huge fan of Chef Tom but I was pretty annoyed reading his blog as he is extremely condescending and rude to be honest.  Maybe he was annoyed that his vacation was interrupted by the need to explain himself about this episode or maybe he is just at the point where he doesn’t feel the need to explain anything to viewers? 

See for yourself…  http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-7/blogs/tom-colicchio/we-killed-kenny-we-re-bastards

The title is funny, yes, but the blog is most certainly not funny at all!  I’m insulted that he felt the need to talk to people the way that he did.  I don’t know where all of this anger is coming from, I don’t know if he was inundated with emails or tweets or comments on his previous Bravo blog but he really needs to relax a bit.  Here’s the thing though, if Tom was upset by the 600+ comments on his previous blog about this, maybe he should take it up with the idiots at Bravo who posted them all getting people even more riled up.  Tom posted a quickie blog saying he was on vacation and his blog will come later, apparently Kenny fans submitted comments about his dismissal there. 

I think in order to put the pea puree fiasco to rest, Tom is telling us now that he has heard from some of the other chef’s that were there who saw Alex purchase and blanch the peas.  What?  Where were those same chefs when THEY were accusing Alex of stealing the puree?  Viewers didn’t make this stuff up, it was the other chefs who were accusing Alex, and now these same chefs are telling Chef Tom that there is proof that Alex DID NOT steal the puree?  Sorry, I’m not buying it!  This is an attempt to make this pea puree nonsense go away.  The integrity of the show has been brought into question and I know that has to make Chef Tom insane, so he’s trying to put it to rest.  There is no way that all of this is coming out three weeks after the show aired and Chef Tom threw it into his blog almost as an afterthought, as if he was uncomfortable including that in the blog because it is a fabrication of the truth!  (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it)

As for Tom’s explanation of Kenny’s departure, I get it, both of Kenny’s dishes were poor and worse than the rest of his losing team’s dishes.  That’s the bottom line.  Here is where he loses me, Chef Tom repeats a dozen or so times:  “We judge only on the current challenge.”  Ok I get that too, but he goes on to say that when Gail Simmons said that they judge only on the food that they are eating, she was absolutely correct.  Here’s where the problem lies, why then do they discuss outside issues other than the food during judges table?  I’ve heard them talk about organization, sloppiness, time management, teamwork (or lack thereof) and attitudes to name just a few things outside of simply the food they’re given. 

Tom also repeats a dozen or so times: 

“Alex was on the winning team; he wasn’t up for elimination.”

Yes we know that, but does anyone else remember a season ago when Mike Isabella was a member of the winning team yet was brought back in with the losers to face the judges once again.  He was furious because as part of the winning team, he should have been safe, right?  He wasn’t sent home but the fact that he was brought in to be judged with the losing members was unheard of at the time.    Inconsistencies will ruin a show like this, you can’t change the rules when millions of people are watching and expect everyone to just settle down and accept it.

This is similar to Chef Tom saying that Ed should have stood up for himself and complained about his feelings that Alex may have stolen a part of his dish.  Any fan of Top Chef knows that Chef Tom has absolutely no patience for complaining or excuses whatsoever.   Chef Tom has never allowed anyone to make an excuse of any kind.  We have seen equipment failures and others leaving refrigerators ajar causing dishes to fail, we’ve seen people turning ovens and stoves off or turned up, we’ve seen many things outside of the contestants control and we’ve seen Chef Tom reprimand and belittle anyone who tries to bring these issues to the judges attention.  He refuses to look into any mitigating factor if brought up by a contestant.   Ed most likely knew that coming forward about his fears that Alex stole his puree would fall on deaf ears and probably get him a stern talking to from Chef Tom.

Chef Tom says that the producers were unhappy about the judge’s decision to cut Kenny loose, surely because Kenny was a fan favorite,  Tom says, “Believe me, the show’s producers were not happy with our decision”

In the next breath, Tom says, “And for the record, I’ve always thought it odd that the show puts two chefs out in the front of the house and have long begged the producers to change that aspect of Restaurant Wars.”

 I agree with Chef Tom, it never did seem fair for a contestant to be responsible for a dish yet not be allowed to be in the kitchen to prepare it.  However, if they’re going to have someone in the front of the house, why don’t they look at the footage of their behavior?  Why didn’t the judges know that Alex treated the wait staff so poorly?  Front of the house isn’t just about greeting and explaining the dishes, it is about organizing and ensuring food is arriving in a timely manner as well as leading the front of the house team.  The judges simply see the few minutes that the front of the house contestant is at their table only. 

Here is a final concerning statement, Tom says, “We don’t have time in the shooting schedule to halt production and go watch the dailies to see how much of the dish Alex claimed as his he’d actually cooked.”

So cheating can go on and if it did, it would go unchecked.  I’ve seen challenges where the chef’s were required to use a certain number of ingredients, or to stay with a certain number of calories.  If no one was watching and checking up on the chef’s during challenges, how do we know they stayed within the rules?  If someone cheats, they just judge on the food in front of them and move on.  Peers are discouraged from saying anything because to Chef Tom, it is just excuses and sour grapes. 

Inconsistency is the quickest and easiest way to lose credibility and integrity and it seems to be happening this season to Top Chef and that could be why Chef Tom is so angry these days, I think that he prides himself on his integrity as head judge on Top Chef and he puts his name on the final decisions that are made.  This season is, in many ways, calling the show’s integrity into question.

Overall this season has been a disappointment.  I don’t think we’ve got a whole lot of talent here this year, particularly compared to the high quality and upmost integrity, team work and sportsmanship we saw last season.   With the possible exception of Angelo, who appears to be able to put his money where his mouth is, I see very little talent here this season.  We have good chef’s, but not exceptional chefs as we’ve seen in past seasons. 

I don’t know how they could have possibly maintained the high standard and quality of chef’s that they had on last season’s show but the eliminated chef’s from last season could probably beat the pants off of any of the contestants from this season. 

Chef Tom says it is the food, just the food, only the food but I think in any job, it is more than just the one job that you’re hired to do that you must display expertise in.  A good chef needs to lead the team, be organized, have knife and prep skills, be able to handle disputes between team members, order and maintain inventory, menu planning, time management, customer service and communication skills.  So for Chef Tom to keep insisting that it is simply the food, just the food and only the food is ridiculous!  Why is it then, that every past winner of Top Chef has displayed a lot more than just preparing really good food?   The contestants who are rude, crude, use improper grammar and do not “look the part” of a high end chef, never win, do they?  Is their food substandard or is it the other things that cause them to pack their knives? 

I’m still predicting Angelo for the win, I chose him from day one and he still maintains the highest consistency of being in the top or winning each of the challenges.  Not only the food, Angelo has the right attitude, look and class to be a Top Chef. 

Ok folks, it’s time to vote for the First Annual Twitter Housewife Awards, here are the final categories:

1.  Best Book
2. Tackiest Housewife
3. Most Inspiring Housewife
4. Which 2 Housewives would you like to see in a cage match?
5. Which Housewife would your mate find attractive?
6. Best Housewife appearance on Watch What Happens Live?
7. Best / Worst Swimsuit body
8. Best Backstabbing Housewife?
9. Housewife you believe is under the influence of drugs while filming
10. Farthest Fall from Grace?
11. Most Evolved Housewife?
12. Housewife you would least like to see in a Sex videotape?
13. Sexiest Housewife
14. Worst Voice
15. Most Ambitious Housewife
16. Housewife who has abused her 15 minutes by overselling their wares
17. Best Blogger
18. Housewife/Husband that would make a perfect match
19. Best Fake Crying
20. Who’s better, Perez or Andy?
21. Best Reunion Argument
22. Worst Friend
23. Worst scripted scene?
24. Best Grandparents?
25. Housewife you want to return / stay gone
26. Housewife who loves to tweet
27. Housewife you wish would disappear
28. Best Pet
29. Best Pet Poop scene
30. Ugliest Pet
31. Best / Worst Home décor
32. Sickest kiss / intimate scene
33. Best Vow Renewal
34. Biggest/worst Liar
35. Smartest / Dumbest Housewife
36. Hottest Housewife huband
37. Best / Worst Dressed
38. Most Likely to Succeed / Fail
39. Housewife who is a plastic surgery fiend
40. Best / Worst Breast implants
41. Housewife with Saddest Childhood
42. Best Gay Husband/Friend
43. Funniest Housewife
44. Best Catch Phrase from any show
45. Best Introduction line by a Housewife
46. Richest / Poorest Housewife (financially)
47. Housewife most likely to be a lesbian
48. Most adored Child
49. Most hated Husband
50. Most likely to Divorce
51. Divorce we saw coming
52. Housewife who just doesn’t makes sense
53. Housewife who keeps it real
54. Who’d beat the crap out of whom?
55. Best Vacation?
56. Best / Worst Mom
57. Best / Worst Talent
58. Worst Song 
59. Team Jill or Team Bethenny?
60. City/State you’d like Bravo to take over?
61. THE WINNER OF THE 1ST REAL HOUSEWIVES TWEEPLES CHOICE AWARDS RUBBER ROOM KEY GOES TO…

How to vote:  Tweet one or all category votes to @followinyoazz final results August 25 so vote now! 

Teresa is in Los Angeles taping the Dr. Phil show, which is surprising, hopefully he’ll take her to task for her behavior of spending so much money when she owes so many people money!  Her attorney announces that she is “legally within her rights” to spend the $60,000 that she received as an advance for her book but after she filed bankruptcy.  She may be within her rights but how do her creditors feel about that?  Why wouldn’t she use that money to pay some of her bills, pay some advanced payments on her mortgage or even give some to charity if she is such a “good person” as she keeps announcing to the world.  “Ain’t I a good person?  Ain’t I nice?”   No Teresa, your creditors don’t agree that you’re a good person or “nice”!

Today’s tweet from Teresa Giudice:

“And I’m not doing George Lopez. He wanted us to do a skit about the mafia. Not happening. He can go scratch.”

Telling someone to “go scratch” is just about as classy as him asking you to do a skit about the mafia.  Where’s your sense of humor Teresa?  It’s all in good fun, right?   Maybe George should have asked you to do a court scene about a bankruptcy?  At least it would have been familiar territory!

Danielle has maintained radio silence since she announced that she’s not even thinking about Season 3 of the Real Housewives of New Jersey.  Reports are that she didn’t get her walking papers but she also didn’t get an invitation to return while three of the other NJ ladies did.  I’m not sure if I believe it, Bravo has its procedures for producing and casting these shows and I suppose they may have deviated from that just this once, but I don’t understand why they would unless it was to ensure that they secure these three ladies into a contract before some other producers swept them up for show’s of their own.  (yes, that was sarcasm) 

On the other hand it could all be rumors! 

I just wish that Bravo would get moving on the New York Housewives, and I bet they do too!  Typically they would be getting ready to begin filming around this time of year and Jill Zarin did mention in an interview that she was expecting to be notified any day now about a new season.  I do recall, however, Andy Cohen telling everyone to “hold tight until 2011” when asked about NY Housewives casting.  Keeping in mind that Bravo has two new housewife franchises with DC and Beverly Hills their schedule must be stuffed.  Atlanta is in the can and should begin airing in October, Beverly Hills is done or finishing up filming and Orange County is in the thick of filming right now.  Maybe there really isn’t any room at the moment for airing NY Episodes.  I’m just really anxious to see who is coming back and who isn’t.  Someone knows something but while we keep getting “insider” rumors about NJ, we’re hearing nothing at all about NY!

Update:  Teresa’s Tweets:

  I really appreciate George Lopez reaching out to me. Very classy. Love love love you George! about 2 hours ago via mobile web

George Lopez is so cool, he changed the skit b/c it upset me. So now I’m going. No hard feelings George… about 2 hours ago via mobile web

Could Teresa be a bigger TWIT!  She tells the man to “go scratch” instead of keeping her mouth shut or politely saying that she wasn’t up for doing a mafia skit, then has to put her tail between her legs – Where is your apology Teresa?  Yes George is classy, you are not!

Until Next Time…….