I know that I’m a really horrible TV Blogger, I get it and I know it sucks. If I’m not gallivanting here or there, I’m too busy doing X, Y & Z or like this past week… packing and moving. That really puts a huge kink in television viewing which then means I’ve got nothing to blog about.

Trust me, it annoys me more than it annoys y’all. The only thing I can tell you is that Kath (GMMR) and I plan on doing another podcast as soon as possible because we know there’s a ton of stuff to talk about.

What are you all watching? What do you all want to talk about? Should we talk about Jason Stackhouse’s abs (TRUE BLOOD)? Thomas Jane’s monster wang (HUNG)? HARPER’S ISLAND’s newest dead weight? Who’ll become THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR? NURSE JACKIE? WIPEOUT?

Oh no, I’ve got it… THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ’s crazy assedness! While I love the HOUSEWIVES franchise and thoroughly enjoyed New Jersey’s cast, that reunion show was the most boring thing ever!

You know how Dina’s Husband Tommy has never been on the show? Well I got to see him today! Randomly I turned on the tube for a couple minutes and saw Dina and Caroline! It wasn’t Housewives though, it was a 2007 rerun of MY BIG FAT FABULOUS WEDDING! The show chronicled Dina and Tommy’s $1,125,000 750 guest wedding and it was banoodles! I loved seeing little Lexie, roots for days Dina and semi-Kate Gosselin bad hair on Caroline. No sign of Teresa, Jacqueline or whorey mcwhoresalot Danielle.

I hope to be back to regular viewing shortly, in the meantime thanks for being cramazing.

Tonight my summer viewing schedule officially kicks into overdrive. Not only are summer staples So You Think You Can Dance and Big Brother 10 burning up my screen, it’s the premiere of Project Runway 5!

This is the first time all summer that I’m starting to feel overburndened by the amount of television programmed. I love that summer has become yet another bonafide season but I hate that every show I’m interested in seems to be jam packed onto the same nights. I’m not saying I have a solution or that programming on Friday or Saturday nights in the summer would be any better than what we’re presented with but damn, it makes me anxious to think about the number of shows I need to keep track of.

To give you a rundown, here are the shows I’m interested in and their nights. It’s banoodles I tell you, banoodles!

Mondays: The Closer, The Middleman, Weeds, Secret Diary of a Call Girl (though I’m totes behind)
Tuesdays: Wipeout, Big Brother 10
Wednesdays: So You Think You Can Dance, Big Brother 10, Project Runway, Shear Genius
Thursdays: So You Think You Can Dance, Swingtown, Burn Notice, Fear Itself
Fridays: Doctor Who, Psych
Saturdays: Nothing
Sundays: Generation Kill, Mad Men, Design Star, Next Food Network Star

Surely I’m missing some shows and obviously you can tell I’ve already left some in the dust. My Boys and Kathy Griffin, sorry I’ll catch you in a marathon or on DVD, I don’t have the time. In Plain Sight, you just couldn’t hold my attention no matter how hot some of those leads are… sorry! I get brutal with the cuts in the summer and surely more will come. Just give me time, heat makes me a total raving bitch so I’ll leave a show in the dust without hesitation. Fate and Ducky are two fickle bitches!

We promised you a SUMMER TV PREVIEW podcast and here it is! Kath and I run through all of the summer premiere dates for the new and returning shows as well as give you our input on our faves and more importantly the ones we would never watch in a million years! It’s great fun…

So You Think You Can Dance, The Closer, Big Brother, My Boys, The Mole, The Next Food Network Star, Design Star, Swingtown, Fear Itself, Army Wives, Ice Road Truckers, America’s Best Dance Crew, Wipeout, Flashpoint, Psych, Monk, Mad Men, The Middleman, Burn Notice and more… there’s no reason to be outside when what’s on TV is this hot!

It’s TV Talk with GMMR & Ducky #24!

Subscribe and Listen via iTunes

Listen Online: TV Talk with GMMR & Ducky #24

Interested in catching up on our past podcasts? Head on over to the podcast page where you can listen to all of our previous episodes.

Have a question for Ducky and GMMR? There are a couple ways to contact us: (more…)

The Next Food Network Star Season 3 concluded tonight and it named San Diego’s AMY FINLEY as it’s winner. I was psyched because Amy was my pick for the last couple weeks. I was a little worried when she tried to quit a couple weeks back, I thought that might even work against her in the popular vote. I’m happy to say I was wrong.

The Gourmet Next Door prevailed and we’ll see Amy Finley’s new show on The Food Network come Fall 2007.

I know that there’s been talk about Amy leaving her husband, etc. but there was no evidence of the husband in tonight’s finale nor in the clips from Amy at home. She lives on a hippy-esque commune with her whole family so those kids are well looked after, noone worry about that. I don’t know what her personal sitch is and frankly, don’t give a damn. She’s not giving parenting or relationship advice, she’s cooking and I could care less if she was a seal clubber; she’s got a magnetic personality and I think she’ll make a good addition to the network.

Can we talk about how bloated the show was? This was as bad as an Idol finale with all the fluff thrown in. I did like seeing all the contestants back, even Jag. Anyone not think Jag and Paul are brokeback mountain’ing it? For reals, they’re so all over each other. I half expected Courtney Love to throw her shoe across the room and steal the spotlight from the love birds.

Marc Summers? Really? I was kind of upset to see him hosting the finale. Alton would have been a better choice, or just have the judges host the hour long broadcast.

Anyone else wish that Adrien would have been smothered by all those balloons? I can’t stand to hear him, see him, nothing. He’s so annoying. But luckily he’s had his own show on public access for three years now. Ugh.

Overall, I was so impressed with this show and it really did take over as my favorite summer cooking show. Top Chef has a lot to live up to if its going to fill the void left behind by The Next Food Network Star.

Congratulations Amy Finley, see you in the fall.

The Next Food Network Star has surpassed my expectations, has reached new heights of culinary television and even surpassed my love of Top Chef to gain the title of my favorite cooking show on TV. That’s a bold statement, I know. Let me just tell you that if I had any doubts that this show was amazing, tonight’s next to last episode removed all of them.How many cooking shows go beyond food and challenge a contestants personality, presence, and storytelling ability? How many shows ask you not only to cook but talk about cooking and to have expert knowledge of all things cuisine? How many shows can name the final two contestants only to have a major upset in the 11th hour?

The Next Food Network Star has all those things and more. My favorite for the last few weeks has been Amy, The Gourmet Next Door, so imagine my disgust and shock when she was eliminated tonight? WHA-WHA-WHAT? I let out the biggest screech of shock because she consistently was the best on camera, in the kitchen, and in person. She nailed most challenges and was super easy to realte with as a person and a chef. I’d watch her and that says a lot. She’s just perfect for The Food Network. A slam dunk. She was sent home leaving the very good Rory and the very spastic Jag as the final two. My heart sank a little.

If you turned the channel when they announced the two finalists, you made a huge mistake.

*SCANDAL!

Title cards hit the screen informing us that a couple months after this episode, it came to the Food Networks attention that Jag was a big fat liar. He said he served as a Marine in Afghanistan and graduated from Culinary School. Both lies. Yes he was in the Military but he never served overseas. I still don’t even know if he even went to cooking school. Shocking!

Apparently the internet and some blabbing buddies forced The Food Network to bring Jag back in (apparently fairly recently) to give him the chance to set the record straight and to give him the boot. He fessed up to lying about it all and then “withdrew” himself from the competition. WHAT THE FRAK?!!!

Never in a million years did I expect this level of scandal to come out of this little Food Network show! I absolove it! Jon’s convinced that Jag is gay so that’s why he’s not in the Marine’s anymore. I never really got that vibe but there totes was something off and maybe its just that he was a pathological liar? Either way, it looked really bad and he must have died when this all came out and having been under contract to go on camera no matter what. Ugh! Amazing TV!

They called Rory into NYC from Texas and told her that Jag was out and that my girl Amy was back in! It sucks that Amy’s in the finals on a technicality but I’ll take it anyway I can. She’s my pick for The Next Food Network Star and I now call on your readers to help make it so.

We have 2 days to vote for our favorite contestant. Voting is open until Juy 17th and then next Sunday night we’ll see who wins Season 3 of The Next Food Network Star *cough* Amy Finley *cough*.

To Vote for The Next Food Network Star, head over to FoodNetwork.com and vote Amy Finley (or Rory Schepisi – if you must). You can also text your votes: Text “A” to FOODN for Amy Finley or “B” to FOODN for Rory Schepisi.

Tune in next sunday night to see who The Next Food Network Star will be!

The Next Food Network Star has surpassed my expectations, has reached new heights of culinary television and even surpassed my love of Top Chef to gain the title of my favorite cooking show on TV. That’s a bold statement, I know. Let me just tell you that if I had any doubts that this show was amazing, tonight’s next to last episode removed all of them.

How many cooking shows go beyond food and challenge a contestants personality, presence, and storytelling ability? How many shows ask you not only to cook but talk about cooking and to have expert knowledge of all things cuisine? How many shows can name the final two contestants only to have a major upset in the 11th hour?

The Next Food Network Star has all those things and more. My favorite for the last few weeks has been Amy, The Gourmet Next Door, so imagine my disgust and shock when she was eliminated tonight? WHA-WHA-WHAT? I let out the biggest screech of shock because she consistently was the best on camera, in the kitchen, and in person. She nailed most challenges and was super easy to realte with as a person and a chef. I’d watch her and that says a lot. She’s just perfect for The Food Network. A slam dunk. She was sent home leaving the very good Rory and the very spastic Jag as the final two. My heart sank a little.

If you turned the channel when they announced the two finalists, you made a huge mistake.

*SCANDAL!

Title cards hit the screen informing us that a couple months after this episode, it came to the Food Networks attention that Jag was a big fat liar. He said he served as a Marine in Afghanistan and graduated from Culinary School. Both lies. Yes he was in the Military but he never served overseas. I still don’t even know if he even went to cooking school. Shocking!

Apparently the internet and some blabbing buddies forced The Food Network to bring Jag back in (apparently fairly recently) to give him the chance to set the record straight and to give him the boot. He fessed up to lying about it all and then “withdrew” himself from the competition. WHAT THE FRAK?!!!

Never in a million years did I expect this level of scandal to come out of this little Food Network show! I absolove it! Jon’s convinced that Jag is gay so that’s why he’s not in the Marine’s anymore. I never really got that vibe but there totes was something off and maybe its just that he was a pathological liar? Either way, it looked really bad and he must have died when this all came out and having been under contract to go on camera no matter what. Ugh! Amazing TV!

They called Rory into NYC from Texas and told her that Jag was out and that my girl Amy was back in! It sucks that Amy’s in the finals on a technicality but I’ll take it anyway I can. She’s my pick for The Next Food Network Star and I now call on your readers to help make it so.

We have 2 days to vote for our favorite contestant. Voting is open until Juy 17th and then next Sunday night we’ll see who wins Season 3 of The Next Food Network Star *cough* Amy Finley *cough*.

To Vote for The Next Food Network Star, head over to FoodNetwork.com and vote Amy Finley (or Rory Schepisi – if you must). You can also text your votes: Text “A” to FOODN for Amy Finley or “B” to FOODN for Rory Schepisi.

Tune in next sunday night to see who The Next Food Network Star will be!

The Next Food Network Star is quite the show and its quite the powerhorse reality television-wise. Not only is there extreme cooking talent needed, you must be able to shine on camera. As the weeks have gone on, we’ve lost some interesting personalities but clearly they didn’t have what it takes to become TNFNS! And some of these contestants were lucky they didn’t have to endure Alton Brown two weeks in a row.

Last week, Alton Brown ruined the final five contestants and this week he came back to push them even further by not only putting their cooking and hosting skills to the test, he forced them to be Iron Chef commentators as well. The walking encyclopedia of cooking threw zinger after zinger at these commentators and some died a horribly fiery death (Paul and Rory) while last week’s almost quitter Amy showed she can dominate the room when she puts her mind to it!

Paul pains me because you just love him as a person and you want to just squeeze him and hold him until he calms down enough to function like a normal human being but that’s also his charm, the jumping bean aspect of his personality. He killed me when Alton asked what kind of tomatoes were being used and he said: “Plum” and when asked where they were from he said: “PLUMMY” – well obviously. The great continent of Plummy! Hysterical!

Rory, still my pick to win the whole show, needs to watch her ass because she was a little too sassy and it cost her big time. She needs to learn that there is a line and crossing it has consequences. I think she’s been schooled and it will not happen again.

JAG crashed and burned. He lost all confidence, all character, and all taste last night. Bobby Flay was disappointed in Jag’s performance and for some reason it was if his Mother scolded him. He went back to the loft and cried his eyes out because he made an ass of himself in front of his hero Bobby Flay. Deal Jag, it’s not that big of a deal. Okay it is, but come on dude, you’re military man. Buck up!

Then there’s Amy. Amy is the sweetest person and I bet she’s the coolest Mom. I just want to hang out with Amy because she seems like she has great stories and that she’s really relatible. That’s key. I want to spend more time with her. I don’t know that I can say the same about Rory any more. It’s a toss up.

So, in the end Paul and Jag were the final two. I was sure that Jag was going home because of his track record with his temper and the inconsistency of his performance. I was sadly mistaken. Poor gay Paul got sent packing! It was shocking. I thought Amy was going to pass out from sobbing so hard. Everyone loves a gay and Paul made some great friends and impressions on that cast. He’ll be missed!

So the final three are: Jag, Rory, and Amy. Obviously a woman is going to win this year. There’s no way they’re going three seasons in a row with men taking the reigns. There are too many women at the Food Network to allow that to happen.

Next week, the ticking time bomb with her trash bowl plays guest judge and I cannot wait to see what Rachel Ray has to say about these three as they cook up a storm in her kitchen.

It was a busy weekend and I’ve not had much time to write so I wanted to quick let you know which posts I’m working on so you can come on back sometime today.

Degrassi & Doctor Who

Big Brother 8

The Next Food Network Star

2007 World Series of Pop Culture

Hope to have them rolling out soon…

Add Alton Brown to the list of Food Network star Judges that are crazy insane scary. Alton joins Giada as the most feared guest judge on their increasingly addictive show The Next Food Network Star Season 3.

I’m afraid to say it but The Next Food Network Star has over thrown Top Chef 3 and has claimed my heart as the best food themed reality show on television at the moment. I don’t know how to explain it, I don’t say I’m proud of it but damnit it’s true, I Heart TNFNS!

Last night Alton Brown of Good Eats on the Food Network (as well as Iron Chef America) brought the pain on the remaining 5 contestants. Rory, Amy, Jag, Paul, and Adrien didn’t know what hit them when the episode was over.

This was the first time this season that I was begging for the judges to send one of the contestants home. My hatred for pretty boy, ex-UPS man Adrien grew weekly until finally last night I burst out with explicatives and bile. If we had to hear him tell the camera one more time that for 3 years now, he’s hosted his own tv show in Podunk, USA I would have kicked my flatscreen out the window!

Here’s a thought douche, if you’re so comfy in front of the camera and are such a master, then why the hell do you suck so bad at the on-air presentations? Think about it. Both challenges last night, the guy bombed. The first one was a 3 minute cooking demonstration and he didn’t cook anything. No pots, no pans, no heat, no flame, no nothing. He just told stories and talked about what he would do if he was cooking the dish. WTF?

IT’S A COOKING SHOW, COOK SOMETHING! During the elimination challenge, he pulled a similar stunt. He barely made anything. He was jittery, and sloppy on camera. Michael J. Fox would have been less all over the place in that kitchen. Seriously!

Regardless, he’s gone and I’m a happy camper. Amy scared the bejesus out of everyone on the show and at home when she came *this close* to quitting. Girl had a meltdown and as much as I’ve loved her, she was working my last nerve. I get that you miss your family and that its hard to do this show but pull it together and don’t go on a reality show that could change the course of your life and your family if you’re not ready to be away for a couple weeks. Pull it together Amy or you’re gone next.

Well, probably not. JAG is such a hot head and freak up there that I’m sure he will be gone soon. Paul was the surprise winner of the night. The man who’s usually the most frantic, unprepared and scattered was the one most in control of things. Kudos Paul! About damn time the gay steps it up! Too bad his cooking agenda is: Party Food on a Budget. As Jon and I joked last night, one gay on the food network already has that show (and I heart him more than anything).

Rory, she’s still my pick to win this whole competition but she needs to refine her cooking philosophy STAT.

It’s summer and it’s hot outside and on TV! Podcast #10: Ducky and GMMR Sun Themselves

TV Podcast 10: Ducky and GMMR strap on their tankinis, floaties, and hit the pool to tackle the chaos of the summer television schedule in the sweltering heat.

Shows we’re watching: Age of Love, Top Chef, The Next Food Network Star, Kathy Griffin’s D-List, The Closer, Rescue Me, Traveler and obviously So You Think You Can Dance.

Shows we’re looking forward to: The return of Big Brother 8 and the premiere of Burn Notice.

Then we hit the news and crazy ass Isaiah Washington, Heroes casting, the return of Sark, Nip/Tuck, 24’s Female President, and we give big bear hugs to Kelly Clarkson. Oh yeah, and we talk The Office cast on the big screen.

We’ll cover a ton of shows so thanks for coming back and listening to the joint TV Podcast between www.givememyremote.com and www.duckyxdale.com

Subscribe via iTunes

Listen Online: Podcast #10

Interested in catching up on our past podcasts? Head on over to the podcast page where you can listen to all of our previous episodes.

Have a question for Ducky and GMMR? There are a couple ways to contact us:

Free Voice Mail (Comments/Questions):
This is Dan and Kathie’s favorite method of contact because it allows us to hear from you and we use these messages live on our podcast to answer your burning television questions. It’s FREE and you don’t have to do anything but click RECORD BY PHONE on the box below and it will walk you through how to contact us!

It’s super easy and free to leave us a message:

Step 1: Click on “Record by Phone”

Step 2: Dial the number shown and enter the four digit code when prompted

Step 3: Leave a message

Step 4: Listen to our next podcast to see if we answered your question

 

iTunes Comments:
This is a great way to spread the word about our podcast and it really helps new listeners determine if they want to subscribe to us or not based on YOUR COMMENTS. Subscribing to the joint podcast between duckyxdale.com and givememyremote.com is the best way to listen to us.Please comment on duckyxdale and givememyremote’s TV Podcast at iTunes.

Never in a million years would I have expected ex-Military chef JAG and “professional gay” Paul to be the powerhouse team in a military themed challenge. They were Bossom Buddies, The Odd Couple, Will and Jack, and Tom and Jerry all rolled into one and dominating the mess hall.

The Next Food Network Star is a great reality show with some wonderful personalities and some really great challenges. The guest judge can make or break and episode and tonight it was double duty with returning ruthless powerhouse Giada De Laurentis and crazy ass cholesterol-full and fat-so-NOT-free Paula Dean.

Paula Dean is quite the kook. What is her deal? What is her background and how is the food and drug administration allowing her to reach the masses with her heart attack inducing unapologetically super bad for your recipes? She’s the grandmother that embarrasses you by taking off her top at your school play. She’s the great aunt that wears leg warmers and jelly shoes while cooking jello and cat food together. She’s insane.

Anyhow, I didn’t have a whole lot to say other than I love this show. I’m sad that they are already down to 5 contestants after Michael got the boot tonight (and thank effin God because I couldn’t stand him). And finally, is there any doubt that they are pushing hard for one of the two girls remaining to win this? Each year its been about the guys so this year Rory and Amy really have some stepping up to do.