Reality Bites

As you know, it’s very hard to take anyone who was ever on a reality show seriously. Even when they are successful, their fame will always be undermined by the prejudice we have for people who used the paltry platform of low-budget television to elevate themselves to commercial success (the offense to the hauteur is thus twofold: one strike for being on the show and another other for wanting to be commercially successful.)

I think the victims from the endless bevy of modeling shows have it the worst (let’s just say Kelly Clarkston’s industry and fan base are not judging her quite like Anna or fashion insiders are judging Eva and CariDee). America’s next top model is really some 16-year-old kewpie who can’t speak English, Tyra, you know that as well as we do.

But brave-hearted ones give it a go, however, and Perry Ullman is one of them.
If you gave Bravo’s Make Me a Supermodel a chance, you’ll remember Perry as the would-be model who should have won. He and the top five contestants from that show are currently on the board at New York Model Management. How long before they’re dropped? I won’t be that pessimistic.

Suvi made it, after all.
*Ms. Koponen started her modeling career after winning Mallikoulu, Finland’s [unaffiliated] version of ANTM.

Girl Power

Here’s a shock: Buffy Summers tops The Defamer’s list of the "Top 10 TV Female Characters Women Want to be like and Men Want to be with."
Buffy is obviously an icon, but really, Sarah Michelle Gellar is, too. I’d like to congratulate old girl for her commitment to female-empowering roles and refusal to play the victim (except for those few times she was shredded by a knife). Moreover, when has she shown up to an event and not looked good? I’m feeling loads of love for SMG at the moment; I feel a feature coming up shortly…

Reality Zoe

People talk a lot of shit about Ms. Rachel Rosenzweig, so much that I no longer feel obligated to contribute. In fact, I’m prepared to give credit where credit is due.

‘Styling’ as a profession is really just a smart con, and I always applaud smart things. So while Rachel Zoe is obnoxious, cheers to anyone who can profit off the wealthy and incompetent. Next.

Despite reservations, I recently watched the preview for The Rachel Zoe Project (the full show premiers on Bravo in September), and as far as reality television goes, it’s not that bad. Again, it’s one of those instances where you think, “how dare you consider yourself worthy of an hour of my day,” but at least you get to see some pretty clothes (what do you offer us Denise Richards?). After the 21 minutes I didn’t like Rachel Zoe more, but I definitely despised her less. My guess is that’s exactly what she wants.

Need a Tudor?

There’s a lot I could say I want in this picture, but what I want the most is time to watch The Tudors. Here, Rhys Meyers is in the process of filming for the third season, and I really can’t believe I let that many go by without tuning in. It’s everything I love—history, sex, scandal, court drama, corsets—everything.



Nevertheless, watch the new season on Showtime in 2009. If my schedule permits, I will, too.