But I guess the only person I'm rooting for at this point is Eliza, because she rocks at challenges, is clearly the smartest person there, and doesn't appear to have her ego all up in it, OZZY.

Cirie has been my biggest disappointment this season. I was not an Ozzy fan during his season. He wasn't even the prettiest because, hello, Yul was there. But I loooooved me some Cirie. She was smart and wily and she outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted for a lot longer than she had any right to. To see her so smug and un-fun this season has not been pleasant. Still and all, out of the folks who are left, I wouldn't be upset if she won.

Top Chef:

What is it about chef personalities that make them so volatile on this show? I cannot stand about half of them, and it doesn't look like next week is going to make them any warmer or fuzzier. Zoi needs to go home. Hat dude needs to go home. Or at least, stop talking.

I mind Richard less and less, surprisingly. And I applaud that they had a problem with their gear and came up with a solution. That they were able to abandon their plastic wrap and make the dish happen.

That show needs a mentor, though, srsly.

SIUaD: Eh. And that one girl needs to stop crying. I cannot believe she ran off the stage. Who runs off the stage? Agree that the dismissal line is lame. Think it's weird to make them dance the Dance of Forlorn Losingdom Alone In The Room Of Mirrors. 'Cause that's just sad.

MMaSM: Yay, Holly! However, other than that, I think this whole episode was awkward and weird and somehow broke the wall in a way I can't really understand. I don't get how it's so different a vibe, but there's just something about the realtimeness and the intimacy of the modeling and the house scenes that just was clearly so straining for everyone's relationships. (Except Holly's, evidently. Her fiance is made of awesome.) I think Ben's marriage is in trouble. I think Perry's being a sucker and his girl is too camera aware. And I think I didn't want to know any of that, really.

Like somehow, we got to see more of the aftermath just because it was realtime for the family members. Of course all these long reality shows have effects on the cast members and their families. But somehow I'm not privy to the struggle. I dunno. It was weird. I'd be happy speculating about it all if they were fictional. But they're not.

Back to the modeling, I thought the go-sees were telling. I think they picked the right model, and that Holly will work for a long time. Voice is something you can correct, and you can bet that the agency will do that for her. But Perry's attitude you can't correct, and I think they're right in that he'll get booked once, but maybe not twice.

What is it about chef personalities that make them so volatile on this show?

I think it may be a trait of chef personalitites period (big generalization there). To be in charge of a kitchen under pressure requires at least, a strong, forceful personality, and I think that can often tip over into overbearing all the way to assholery. There are always exceptions, but I think being able to get people to do what you want to in a short amount of time is an absolute pre-requisite. They aren't under exactly the normal pressures, but you've got a bunch of alpha personalities in comptition. I'd guess it brings out the worst in a good many of them.

Liese,

I think your observations are on point. MMaSM: Truly. Fascinating stuff. And Uncomfortable! Perry and Ben's interactions with their SOs were just cringe worthy. I don't believe any of that was staged at all - though Perry's friends and family are gonna have to tell him that he is getting punk'd.

I don't get how it's so different a vibe, but there's just something about the realtimeness and the intimacy of the modeling and the house scenes that just was clearly so straining for everyone's relationships.

I thought about this and I have a theory. I think that on most reality shows, your SO goes off and does the show. And maybe you're sad and lonely and miss them. Then they come back and there's an adjustment period and they tell you what happened and, eventually, you see it on TV. So when you see them flirt with some chick or dude, they're sitting next to you on the sofa and can explain it. Like, "oh, right before this challenge that looks so cool on TV there was a monsoon and we were all soaked and I hadn't eaten anything but a rat in the last 48 hours."

With this show, you were watching your SO have all these adventures while you were alone, which I think would amplify those feelings of being sad and lonely. You're kinda watching the highlight reel and there's no context. Plus there wasn't any adjustment period of having this person back and hearing their side of things.

I'm not sure that made any sense. It does in my head but I'm probably not wording it correctly.

And I think I didn't want to know any of that, really.

It does feel like the voyeurism of reality TV got bumped up 12 levels, at least for me. I like the competition reality shows. The ones about people's actual lives always make me uncomfortable.

I'm not sure that made any sense. It does in my head but I'm probably not wording it correctly.

It makes sense to me. It was also jarring as a viewer, because usually on reality shows, the personal lives of the people you're watching are only seen to the extent that as they relate to the show/competition. Here that had mostly been true all season, and then suddenly they stepped away from the competition to add in personal lives after the competition was effectively over. The timing of the whole thing was way off.

I also think Ben's marriage is pretty much doomed, and two years from now he's going to be back home, talking about his glory days and growing a beer belly, and that made me sad.

Agree that the dismissal line is lame.

(that was in reference to SiUaD, or whatever acronym we're using)

Did any of you ever watch the hideously boring design show Bravo did? So boring that at the moment I can't even remember the name of the man who was the main draw for the show. Anyway, his dismissal line was "See you later, decorator." I cringed every time it came out of his mouth.

Can someone please explain what a blue steel look is? (In reference to MMaSM)? I keep thinking about the Jamie Lee Curtis movie, and I doubt that's what everyone means.

It's a reference to Zoolander.

It's a reference to Zoolander.

I also think it's the word that's used to describe the color of gun metal. Besides gunmetal, I guess.

Signed,

Knows too many people who paint lead miniatures.

Blue Steel in a blog: [link]

With this show, you were watching your SO have all these adventures while you were alone, which I think would amplify those feelings of being sad and lonely. You're kinda watching the highlight reel and there's no context. Plus there wasn't any adjustment period of having this person back and hearing their side of things.

Yeah, I think that's it, totally. If the person is already back home, you've heard their side before being confronted with whatever images end up on TV, as well as having them right there.

So boring that at the moment I can't even remember the name of the man who was the main draw for the show. Anyway, his dismissal line was "See you later, decorator." I cringed every time it came out of his mouth.

Aw, I still love Jonathan Adler. Love!