It's gotten to where we've seen pretty much every episode of Ninja Warrior that's running on G4. And it's weeks and weeks until the next season of Survivor starts up. Fortunately, I've got a couple of new things to stare blankly at during the month of August. This weekend, Food Network is starting up the 2nd season of Feasting on Asphalt. Alton Brown and his crew of manly motorcycling men are going up the highways along the Mississippi River this year. There's no way they'll top the highlights from last year (Chris Cognac, caffeine-addled Winnebago cookery, and the motorcycle wreck) but I'm still well looking forward to it. More comments after the episodes start airing.
My other new reality show obsession is HGTV's Design Star. Sure, several of the wannabe designers are straight outta reality TV central casting: the design hobbyist and stay-at-home mom (she's the one Sarah has dubbed "Zombie Mom" cos of her big, scary, dead, soulless eyes), the incredibly flamboyant gay man (looks like he raided Seigfreid and Roy's closet for his wardrobe), the California dude (he's stoked to be there, man), the NY chick (who thinks hairstyling is the same thing as design). But then there's the "green" designer from Minneapolis, who has dubbed his style metro-hippie. And the slightly-less-flamboyant gay man, who arrived wearing a cowboy hat and carrying an espresso machine. And the photo stylist who looks like a cross between Anjelica Huston and Jennifer Tilly, is clearly there because she's not afraid to act like a biotech on national TV but forgot to actually design anything in episode one (it was very much a photo stylist effort -- change paint and accessorize). Oh, and the African-American guy from Charlotte who got started in design when he decided he needed a pimped-out bachelor pad.
There's definitely fun to be had. Did I mention that they're in Vegas? And that Vern Yip (from Trading Spaces) is one of the judges? UNfortunately, the first designer to get booted off was the quirky chick from PA with the two-tone fauxhawk. I was hoping they'd keep her and get rid of the truck-driving tool from FLA who also ended up at the bottom of the pack. All he did was waste time shopping, bitch about his partner in the challenge, and basically end up with nothing to show for his work but a car door hung on the wall and a bunch of throw pillows scattered around aimlessly. Alas, he's a much more abrasive personality, it seems, so that's probably why they kept him on the show.