Tonight marks the debut (I believe) of a new cast member on The Real Housewives of New York City. Her name is Sonja Morgan, and based on the clip above, I kind of like her. She seems like a total ice queen, which I always love, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a little firebrand in her too. My only question is this: why? Why meddle with a darn near perfect formula? The six current housewives are so perfectly balanced in lunacy and depravity (except for Alex, who seems like a sweetheart), it’s hard to imagine why a new face has to be brought into the mix. I suppose maybe Bravo is gearing up for that long-rumored Bethenny departure, and if not Bethenny, then Alex. Heck, maybe both are heading out as there’s apparently yet another housewife joining the ensemble later this season. Who knows.
For now, enjoy this preview of Sonja.
Plus, after the jump is a bonus clip from tonight’s episode featuring LuAnn and Jill talking about the mens.
ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Korean Chicken Stew
The spate of Korean cooking continues in my kitchen. What can I say? I love the cuisine. This time around, my friend Bets joined in on the fun, and after perusing through my cookbook, we decided upon an intriguing chicken stew of sorts — one that looked both delicious and easy (two of my favorite words). After a jaunt to the Korean supermarket (with a side trip to a dumpling spot to temporarily sate our hunger), we returned to my abode and began the cooking process. Results after the jump.
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BUY THIS BOOK: 'Reality Matters' Edition
Today the book Reality Matters hits store shelves, and I want each and every one of you to buy it. The volume is an anthology about reality television, and not only has it been edited by my friend Anna David, but it also features the contributions of such authors as Toby Young (Top Chef), James Frey (A Million Little Pieces), Neil Strauss (The Game), Stacey Grenrock Woods (The Daily Show), Jerry Stahl (Permanent Midnight), Mark Lisanti (Defamer, Movieline), and even yours truly (pause for applause and gentle adulation). Yes, this is the first time my writing has been published in a book, and I’m quite excited, especially since I’m in such esteemed company.
Clearly, if you want to support me, my friend Anna, and America in general, you’ll do the right thing and buy this wonderful book.
Additionally, there is a whole slate of events tied in with the release of Reality Matters. California readers of this blog should take note. On Wednesday, April 21st, I will be taking part in a book reading for Reality Matters at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove (on 3rd and Fairfax). The following week, I’ll be up in San Francisco on Thursday, April 29th to do it all over again at the Borders in Union Square (400 Post St.). Both events start at 7 PM. This is my very first book reading (at least since perhaps a 7th grade recital of my epic story, “The Pocket Watch”), and as such, I am very excited. Come on by and check it out!
Get 'Planet Earth' For Free!
In honor of the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day, BBC Earth and iTunes is offering free SD and HD downloads of the “From Pole to Pole” episode of Planet Earth. If you’ve never seen this epic series, do yourself a favor and download it. “From Pole to Pole” is sort of the sampler episode, and I’m telling you, it’s breathtaking.
Act sooner rather than later though. It will only be free until April 26th.
For more information, check out the official press release here.
And for a direct link to episode on iTunes, click here.
YOU’RE WELCOME.
CALLING ALL MASSHOLES: Time To Be Famous
After the runaway success of Jersey Shore, people soon began theorizing about which other ethnic subcultures would soon receive the reality show treatment. There’s been chatter about infiltrating the Russian community of Brooklyn in a project called Brighton Beach. There’s been murmurings of an all Asian experiment too. But for those of us from the Northeast, and especially those of us who went to school in New England, we knew there was really only other subculture as ridiculous yet fascinating as the guidos of New Jersey. I talk, of course, of the Massholes. It was only a matter of time before they got their own show, and now, ladies and gentlemen, it looks to be coming to fruition.
I just received a casting notice for a show called Wicked Summer (or rather “Wicked Summah,” as the casting notice calls it). One choice line: “Are you down for one wicked cool summah, and to be a part of the most wicked reality show evah!?”
Oh. Em. Gee.
The full casting notice after the jump…
Chatroulette of the Week
I didn’t post a lot of content last week; so I thought I’d go a little nuts and return to my new wellspring of fun times: chatroulette! This time around, I encountered many teenagers, a mixed bag of disturbing images, and of course, some human anatomy. So, you know, the usual.
Pics after the jump.
Fire Comes Perilously Close To Zarin Fabrics; Bethenny To Blame?
A fiery blaze lit up a building on Manhattan’s Lower East Side last night, just spitting distance from the hallowed storefront of Zaaaaaaarin Faaaaabrics, owned and operated by Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin’s husband, Baaaawby Zaaarin. Could it be that this was a hostile retaliation by Bethenny, Jill’s once-loved, now scorned former BFF? It’s too early to tell, but for now, my arsonist-dar is going off like cray cray!
Thanks to the lovely Heather Whaley for the tip.
More information here.
Conan O'Brien Moves to TBS As I Silently Weep
Earlier today, it was announced that Conan O’Brien would be moving his late night show over to TBS, home of George Lopez, Tyler Perry, and the misleading tagline “very funny.” After several years of branding itself as a comedy treasure trove, I’ve yet to actually find anything on TBS worth crowing about, which makes this gamble on Conan a bit worrisome. Clearly it’s an effort by the network to boost its legitimacy on the humor front, but will this move work? Can Conan’s edgy, young-skewing style work on a down-the-middle, generally safe cable channel that quite frankly seems more likely to suit Jay Leno than anyone else? I’m not sure. This seems like the most incongruous pairing since Project Runway wound up on Lifetime. And we all know how that’s working out.
It’s too early to say if this is truly a smart move or not, but with Jay Leno back at the Tonight Show and ratings up, I can’t help but feel like this late night saga doesn’t have the Justice-Is-Served happy ending I was not so secretly pining for. I’ll continue to follow Conan’s valedictory advise and not be cynical, but man, he’s certainly testing my limits.
What do you think about the move. Smart? Dumb? Will it work?
REAL HOUSEWIVES PHOTOCAP: Like A Bridge Over Troubled Waters
How crazy is this season of The Real Housewives of New York City? The drama is so thick, so tense, and so frequent that often times we get not only a fight at the end of the hour, but also at the top. It’s almost like there’s too much cattiness for Bravo to even handle. Case in point: this latest episode began immediately with the sort of imbroglio that other seasons spend three episodes building up to. The settup was simple: Bethenny and Ramona were to take a simple stroll across the Brooklyn bridge, a journey fraught with significance as Ramona is loath to enter Brooklyn, especially by foot. Well, after pleasantries were exchanged, Ramona managed to reduce Bethenny to a puddle of tears, informing her — perhaps correctly, if not a bit harshly — that she had no friends, she was a media whore, and was destined to screw things up with Jason. Bethenny understandably didn’t take this criticism well, and I can’t imagine there were many things more embarrassing than nearly sobbing right there in public as onlookers — and there were many — stopped in their tracks and craned their heads. To be fair, most of these people were merely fascinated by the cameras, and Bethenny can take some solace in knowing that the passers-by seemed more concerned with flapping their arms in the air and saying “Hey mom!!” than actually scrutinizing her quivering chin.
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HOUSEWIVES PREVIEW: Sh*t's Going DOWWWWN Tonight!
According to the previews at the end of last week’s episode of The Real Housewives of New York City, it looks like we’re in for another crazy Ramona interlude, not to mention another shocking showdown between Jill and Bethenny. So far be it for Bravo to actually include any of that in their preview clips for this week. Alas, while we all get excited for the real drama, take a look at these rather benign videos. The top one features Alex trying her best to gossip with Jill without actually gossiping. After the jump is a silly glimpse into the hard knock life of Kelly Bensimon, reporter at large. No surprise here: it features plenty of “Hiiieeeee!!!” and “Byyyeeeeee!!!”
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