What It’s Like to Actually Eat in Hell’s Kitchen

James Hibberd wrote a very good article about what it’s like to actually dine in Gordon Ramsay’s tv restaurant, Hell’s Kitchen. All in all, it sounds like a great time, especially if you are lucky enough to actually be served.

To read Hibberd’s TV Week article, click here. 

Phenomenon Coming to NBC

NBC’S CONTROVERSIAL NEW LIVE COMPETITION SERIES ‘PHENOMENON’ — THE
SEARCH FOR THE NEXT GREAT MENTALIST FEATURING CRISS ANGEL AND URI GELLER
– TO PREMIERE WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 24

(Criss Angel)

(Uri Geller)
BURBANK, Calif. – September 26, 2007 – An intriguing and mystifying
meeting-of-the-minds is set to take place on NBC when world-renowned
mystifier Criss Angel (“Criss Angel Mindfreak”) and famed mentalist Uri
Geller conduct an intensive search for the next great mentalist on
“Phenomenon.” The riveting new live reality series will premiere on
Wednesday, October 24 (8-9 p.m. ET) airing its five-week run Wednesdays
at 8 p.m. ET, with a special two-hour live episode on Halloween night,
October 31 (8-10 p.m. ET).

The announcement was made today by Craig Plestis, Executive Vice
President, Alternative Programming, Development and Specials, NBC
Entertainment.

“To be able to showcase the unique talents of this stunning and
mysterious genre on live television, where absolutely anything can
happen, ups the ante enormously,” said Plestis. “We hope viewers will
watch with their friends and talk about and debate what they see, making
this a truly interactive television experience.”

“Phenomenon” is an exhilarating and mystifying live show based on a
successful Israeli version judged and monitored by Geller, which
achieved a historical record-breaking viewing audience. The series
showcases 10 carefully selected mentalists who will compete live against
one another each week by demonstrating a wide spectrum of mystifying
talents on a panel of celebrity guests who experience the spellbinding
illusions along with the studio audience.

Together, Geller and Angel will assess the contestant’s talents each
week and offer their unfiltered opinions. Ultimately, the fate of the
winner is in the hands of the viewers at home, who will vote to
determine which competing mentalist will receive the grand prize of
$250,000 and become the next great mentalist.

(The Contestants)
Geller soared to international fame by claiming extreme mind-over-matter
abilities that aroused much controversy to this day in his hundreds of
TV shows across the globe — particularly the ability to bend spoons,
among others. He was instrumental in creating the first interactive TV
show worldwide when mysteriously objects bent in people’s homes and
broken watches came alive.

The visually arresting Angel is the creator, director and star of his
self-titled, alternative cable series, “Criss Angel Mindfreak,” which
has wrapped production on its third critically acclaimed season and is
currently in pre-production on season four.

In addition, Angel created and starred in two cable television specials:
2002’s “Criss Angel Mindfreak” and 2003’s “Criss Angel: Supernatural.”
He has been the featured guest-star on both NBC’s “Las Vegas” and “CSI:
New York.” Angel also has appeared on numerous talk shows including “The
Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Larry King Live” and NBC’s “Late Night with Conan
O’Brien.” In the summer of 2008, Angel will team up with Cirque du
Soleil for a live magic experience at the Luxor Resort and Casino in Las
Vegas that is slated to run for 10 years and over 4,600 shows.

“Phenomenon” is executive produced by Suzy Lamb (“Grease: You’re The One
That I Want”), Michael Agbabian (“Last Comic Standing”) and Dwight Smith
(“Last Comic Standing”). The series is a Granada America/Keshet
Broadcasting/Kuperman Productions co-production in association with
SevenOne International. SevenOne International controls the worldwide
rights to the program.

Amazing Race Returns November 4

Reality show, The Amazing Race 12 will make an early season debut November 4th, as a replacement for the Hugh Jackman’s abysmal Viva Laughlin. Laughlin, which was a musical-drama set at a casino, was put out of its misery by CBS, after two weeks of low ratings.

Which just goes to show: when one door closes, sometimes a much more entertaining one opens.

Tori and Dean’s B&B in the Path of Wildfires

According to People.com, the bed and breakfast used to film the Oxygen reality show Tori and Dean: Inn Love is one of the structures at risk of destruction by the raging wildfires in California.

Chateau La Rue, the newly renovated bed and breakfast owned by Tori Spelling and her husband, Dean McDermott is located in Fallbrook, which is 100 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The town was evacuated.

Tori and Dean were at Dancing With the Stars last night, cheering on their friend and castmate Jenny Garth.

Marie Osmond Dances and Drops Like A Rock on Dancing With the Stars

Last night on ABC’s dance competition reality show, Marie Osmond fainted while awaiting the judges scores for her dance performance. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious.

The former pop star of the 1970’s and Donny’s sister explained and, “Once in a while it happens to me, when I get winded…I stop breathing.” I’ve also found that the reverse is true for people: when they stop breathing, they get winded. So it works both ways.

Marie’s final score was 21 points out of a possible 30. So much for the fainting sympathy vote…