So, I'm watching the last epsiode of the first season of Top Model, and it's fascinating to see the final three, given what I know about what's happened since. Elyse says, "Well, now that I'm eliminated from the show, that's it for modeling -- I'm going to be a doctor." As far as I know, she's still modeling. They keep saying about Adrienne, "Well, she's not going to be on the talk-show sofa talking like that" or whatever, and who's scraped together a reality-tv career?

OK, I think I just caught the final of America's Next Top Model. What are those judges wearing! These people are deciding fashion? Was the one guy being attached by a rainbow?

I'm guessing you're talking about Miss Jay? The black guy? He's crazy. He added a ruffle each week that someone got eliminated.

Also, they're not deciding fashion, just talking about the people wearing it.

I'm getting my reality shows confused. All I could think of was Ruby from Fifth Element, which is not something that inspires confidence. I do not think I'm the stuff of which reality show audiences are made.

Have you guys been over to watch TNT's exit interviews (from Shear Genius)?

Being at home w/o sound, I can't but I hear that Tyson is all class and Tabitha still blames him for their ouster.

I'll have to watch those when I get home.

I can't believe that the show is almost over, howeve, I'm kind of over it at this point and can't wait for Top Chef to start! Especially if the changes I read about really do happen.

Especially if the changes I read about really do happen.

Changes? What changes?

Of the various iterations of the Bravo Reality Show that I've seen, Top Chef seems to be the one striving the hardest to give its judging and elimination process credibility (and also seems to be the one that gets the most grief about credibility, even though it has the most knowledgable and stringent judges). They also seem to be trying the hardest to make sure their challenge rules and judging criteria are very explicit and clearly understood by the contestants, possibly because they've had (arguably) the most problems with contestants and rules.

I haven't seen enough Project Runway to speak knowledgably on that show, but Top Design's judging never had a shot a credibility. And Shear Genius does have some credibility issues, and even bigger problems (from what we've seen, though it's created little on-show drama) with rules and judging criteria clarity, it also seems to be too cool to care about the precision and standards that Top Chef is looking for. But that's as a show about hairstylists should be.

Changes are that NONE of the judges do a walk-through - all the judging is blind. Also, Ted Allen has been added to the cast. . . sadly, as a judge not a mentor.

I know that the second thing is true but the first thing is just a rumor so far. (Oh, and that they've added waitstaff and the waitstaff are also competing.)

The major problem I see with Shear Genius' judging is that in real life, the only measure of how good (or at least successful) a stylist you are is how happy your clients are when they leave. You can rate technical skills to some degree, but when I walk out of a salon, I don't give a flying fuck what the editor of Allure magazine would think of my haircut. It's as much about catering to your client's taste as it is about having your own.

Likewise with Top Design, when you're designing a space for someone to live/work in, the only thing that's going to matter in the real world is how happy your clients are. If your client wants their office to be a hideous combination of lime and eggplant, it doesn't matter if those are "good" color choices or not, those are the colors you're going to use.

With PR and TC, the contestants are at least in fields where they'll have to appeal to a mass audience -- you're not making clothes for one person, you're making them for Average American Woman Age 18-44. And in a restaurant, your food needs to taste good to a wide enough variety of people that it can be judged as such in a relatively objective way.

(Oh, and that they've added waitstaff and the waitstaff are also competing.)

Seriously?? Is Padma going to say, "Waiters, this is also a competition for you as well"???