Not unusual

I forgot to point out earlier that Alfonso Ribeiro ended up winning the worst reality show ever. He seems like a good guy, so let's pay a little tribute.

Celebrity Boo-ets 33 1/3

This is pretty much the worst reality show ever.

In a robbery that would make the cast and crew of Money Train jealous, Jai Rodriguez was eliminated from "Celebrity Duets" on Friday. I would have written about it earlier, but I was too busy engaging in high class pursuits like finishing "The Bell Jar" for like the 12th time (the book is so good, it makes me wanna stick my head in an oven!).

Anyway, although some jealous folks questioned the validity of having someone with Broadway experience like Jai on a show like this, he was clearly the best singer, and the American public deserved to see him and Carlton duel in the final round. Instead, we're getting Lucy Lawless and Hal Sparks in the finals (along with Carlton, thank heavens), which is just awkward. They have to know they're much worse.

Really, it's got to be one of two things:

1) People were tired of seeing someone obviously better than anybody else and wanted to vote for all the underdogs. The classic American ideal of punishing someone for being better than us at what they're trying to do.

2) Ol' fashioned gay bashing. Not a comforting thought, and given the considerable gay following Ms. Lawless and Mr. Sparks have, probably not actually the case, but suspicious enough.

Either scenario point to the assertion made in the opening of this post: this is pretty much the worst reality series ever.*

* although not actually nearly as bad as "Temptation Island," "The Will," "Unan1mous," "Who's Your Daddy," "The Littlest Groom," "Skating with Celebrities," "The Anna Nicole Show," "The Simple Life," "Tuesday Night Book Club," "House of Carters"** and many others

** just guessing on that last one, but come on.

Separated at birth?

Celebrity Boo-ets revisited

Alright - I was angry when Chris Jericho was the first person eliminated on "Celebrity
Duets," but as painful as this is to admit, he was really pretty bad. But to find out that Lea Thompson was the second one out - whom I praised on this very blog for not only her singing ability but also her surprising hotness - really throws the credibility of this Fox reality show about minor celebrities singing with state fair-quality singers into question. Can you believe in anything these days?

Caroline in the City wasn't the best singer on the show, but she easily was better than Cheech Marin and Carly "I'm not totally sure who you are" Patterson. Great, now she's gonna get fat and be on "Celebrity Fit Club" next season.

I know this happened on Friday, but it took me two days to fully deal with the shock of it all. It certainly wasn't that I forgot it was on and didn't remember to check the Fox Web site until today. Nope.

Celebrity Boo-ets

What a ringer, right? Not only has the youngest and culture-iest "Queer Eye" Jai Rodriguez made a career out of being better at everything than other people (although honestly, he really is the most redundant of the quintet - what does he do, anyway? Suggest music for the dude to play in the background of a meal? It's been since 2004 since I've seen an episode...which should put me right in line with the rest of America), he's also been a part of "Rent" on Broadway in the role of "Angel," which I've been told is not a noble vampire with a soul, but rather an HIV-positive drag queen. Sigh, so close.

Anyway, sure he's a lovable guy, but it's not that much fun to watch someone on a show like "Celebrity Duets" that's so much better than anyone else - of course, I disagreed with the same complaints people had about Stacy Keibler on last season's "Dancing with the Stars," and she ended up coming in third, so I'm not totally sure what my point is. Other than go Carlton. And Stacy Keibler is hot.

Speaking of attractive females, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how fetching Lea Thompson is looking these days, even when standing next to notorious superhunk Michael Bolton. Not bad for someone old enough to be Alex P. Keaton's mother. I'm starting to see what Howard the Duck saw in her. And also Malcolm Gets. The impressive singing talent of Lucy Lawless isn't that surprising, though, given her superior Cylon programming.

The one big time "jeer" (get it, like that column in TV Guide) I have to give Celebrity Duet is for judge David Foster - more like Jerk Foster, am I right? Simon Cowell at least is witty, or at least kind of, when he's dissing someone, and he's only shouting down the irritating Paula Abdul, not adorably incoherent music legend Little Richard.