You have to hand it to the E! Channel for all the effort they put into such an elaborate and lengthy plan. I'm not going to jump on the ban wagon of people that whine and complain about Kim Kardashian. She obviously had her role in all of this, but pressure from Hollywood can without question be as intense as a vice grip. I'm sure the money looked pretty appetizing as well. I'll cut to the chase. I should have filed this post under 'My Conspiracy Theories', but it wouldn't be purely my own so I'm just an observer and reporter with an opinion. It was probably easy for most people to come up with the idea that the big hour and a half long television special that led to the E! Channel wedding event of the century, that also perfectly coincided with whatever other drama was going on in one of the several Kardashian reality shows, was something that E! Channel executives not only dreamed of, but then actually made it happen. Anyone that thinks that Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries were truly in love and the reality television lifestyle ruined their relationship, might want to leave this blog and view our broad range of personalized wedding favors or browse through some of the custom Valentine's Day giveaways that Motivators has to offer.

   I'm not suggesting that the E! Channel approached Humphries mafia-style and put the ring in his hands and threatened that he better go get the job done, but there are a few very obvious things that happened in order for this chain of events to transpire and anyone who was truly paying attention probably should have seen the culmination of this relationship coming from a mile away. Let's go through what we know and what we can make educated guesses about. One of Kim's sisters has a baby and although sometimes rocky, a solid long term
relationship with the baby's father. Her other sister found true love with a professional athlete and they live fairly happily ever after when there aren't other Kardashians trying to impose drama on her life. Kim has been trying to find love with many notable celebrities, including athletes like Reggie Bush, Miles Austin and now, a fling with New Jersey Nets forward, Kris Humphries. The new couple is probably having lots of fun together, but since it's casual dating the two go about their busy lives but think that they miss each other when they are apart. Kim is likely to be in love with the idea of finding love, while Humphries is likely not in love at all, but likes the publicity that he's getting while at the same time enjoying the fact that he has very famous eye candy to hang out with. But those crafty E! Channel execs won't just sit idly by while two people try to get a better feel for each other as they progress in their relationship at their own pace. 

   Instead, like snakes they slither their ideas into the heads of those close to Kim, perhaps Kris Humphries, Kris Jenner or even Kim herself. What an opportunity it would be to record and air episodes of the happy couple planning their wedding and then having the ceremony on television. After all, the E! Channel has followed your lives for so long, it's only natural that we would document this event for you. You wouldn't need to hire camera men, we would make sure that there is no unwanted paparazzi present, and of course we would help (if not completely) fund the entire gaudy, overly extravagant wedding event. Nothing but the best flowers, decorators, set designers, dresses and tuxes for the wedding of our prize Kardashian. Not to mention a cut of the advertising bounty to be had by eager marketers, who like the E! Channel executives, are aware that Kim's wedding will be a ratings bonanza! Not to mention the material they will have already built in to their plans for the next installment of a Kardashian-based reality show.

   Even though that was written in true conspiracy theory fashion, is anyone going to dispute that what was described above isn't at the very least feasible? Anyone who thinks that's impossible doesn't understand the cut throat nature and pressures of Hollywood. I don't pretend to have first hand knowledge of Hollywood show business, and for all I know maybe it didn't happen anything like that, but some force of nature compelled these two people to decide that the commitment of marriage was the right choice after not having known each other for all that long. Who am I to judge true love, right? To be honest, I don't really care that much about what Kim and Kris do with their lives, but I have to say it did slightly get under my skin after I had to hear the words "This is how a Fairy Tale Ends" dramatically uttered by the narrator of the promo for the show's finale. Then you can imagine how it made me feel after seeing it for the fourth time in twenty minutes. This brings us to the cross roads at which we decide, is E! Channel a selfish, money hungry show business monster that willed this marriage to fruition? Or are Kim and Kris dumb for getting caught up in celebrity hype and making an ill-advised decision? Either way, something is up. I know that the infatuation stages in the beginning of a relationship can be a different story than what it is months or years later, but one of the two of them, if not both of them had to have noticed some of the things that wound up driving each other crazy enough to divorce in only 72 short days. Unless of course you weren't around each other enough to know that much about the person that you are about to commit the rest of your life to. It is what it is or was, and only a select few know what really happened. Until of course it gets revealed in some major E! True Hollywood Story special some ten years down the line. In the mean time, everyone can believe what they want to believe and let's be honest, it really would be none of our business if it weren't for the fact that they made it our business. But who made it our business? The Kardashians or the E! Channel? Should we even care? I'm sure both the E! Channel and the Kardashians are doing just fine either way, but if this were
a case that needed to be solved, Kim provided us with some decent evidence to use in what turned out to be her closing statements in the season finale of Kim & Kourtney Take New York when she said about her and Kris, "We don't have the same friends, we don't have the same interests and we just don't have much to talk about. It's not the fairy tale I wanted it to be."

    At one point it might have seemed to Chad Ochocinco that the world was in the palm of his hands. A superstar professional football wide receiver with an attitude and personality that many would argue overshadowed his actual on-field contributions. Chad was a very productive member of his team, but a primary example of his flamboyant persona is Chad's 'OCNN' media outlet, a 'news network' run by Chad Ochocinco. This publicity stunt was developed near two years ago when Chad's twitter account became one of the most popular follows in all of twitter, let alone professional athletes. For those unfamiliar with Chad Ochocinco, here is a brief history. Although this is his tenth season in the NFL, it was only his third as Chad Ochocinco. Three years ago, Chad decided to legally change his last name from Johnson to Ochocinco to reflect the two numbers he has always worn on his jersey; 85. Granted, the number eighty-five is not properly translated to the Spanish language as ocho-cinco exactly, but when you say each number individually you have the origins of Chad's name change. He would joke about his Mexican heritage and once he began regularly using the term 'ochocinco' as a way of describing himself, he saw it fitting that he legally change his name to really spice his act up a notch. It wasn't sufficient enough to simply make lists of his weekly opponents that would attempt to cover him on the field, then cross them out claiming that they didn't have what it takes to cover Chad. So Chad then upped the ante and began sending his opponents care packages filled with bottles of TUMS and Pepto Bismol because their stomachs would clearly become upset trying to game plan for the one and only Chad Johnson/Ochocinco. He was also a showman on the field itself, much to the chagrin of his coaching staff, the NFL and countless fans, especially those that opposed his former team; the Cincinnati Bengals. After scoring a touchdown he would perform an elaborate, pre-meditated celebration, often using props which is a big no-no when celebrating touchdowns in the NFL. 

    You could see how his antics would become tiresome and even frustrating if you are a football purest or opposing fan. Chad had become a sideshow and was well known for being the preeminent self-promoter in the NFL. So with a fresh new last name, Ochocinco took to twitter to expand on his celebrity empire. Despite some of the off-putting behaviors described above, Chad Ochocinco has always had a solid group of fans and they were not necessarily fans of his team. Take me for example, most of the time I am not the biggest fan of arrogant show boaters that insult or offend their opponents, but I didn't see Ochocinco as this type of person. He was always a hard worker on and off the field, he never got into any drugs or alcohol or made the kind of poor life decisions that resulted in a ticket to jail like some of his contemporaries. The only poor decisions he made could be compared to the type of decisions a child would make in the process of trying to have some fun. Despite referring to a grown man's behavior as childish, I don't mean that in an insulting way. I mean it in terms of how we develop opinions of someone based on their actions and how comparatively, his offenses are nothing more than silly and in the eyes of many, actually comical and entertaining.

    Which leads us to the OCNN. While still a member of the Bengals, Chad became frustrated over the fact that his Bengals were perpetually underachievers and hardly had the chance to compete in the playoffs, let alone compete for a Super Bowl championship. Thus, he used the power of social media and wielded his celebrity status to create a playful news network that would cover major events from his point of view, including the Super Bowl. He was even able to recruit some fellow superstar players to be his on-location reporters and in true Ochocinco fashion, he went all out and even supplied his news team with promotional embroidered caps and custom polo shirts. If you didn't know any better, they looked like an actual news network. 

    Equipped with their promotional apparel, microphones and camera men, the crew attended Super Bowl Media Day along with thousands of other members of the media and playfully interviewed and reported on the players and coaches from each of the participating teams. While this was mostly another tactic to gain more publicity for himself, this is the kind of thing that Chad would do that was not only fun to watch, but it didn't offend or hurt anyone. Except for maybe one person, Chad Ochocinco himself. I'd even go out on a limb and assume that he may have come up with this idea because he was so sick and tired of not being able to participate in Super Bowl festivities. Instead of simply attending the events to endorse a product or charity, or even simply just being there to enjoy the atmosphere like countless other NFL athletes do every year, Chad was determined to be a part of it.

    Fast forward to January 31, 2012 when the NFL held Media Day for Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. This time Chad Ochocinco would be a part of Media Day again, but this time he was not donning his 'OCNN' imprinted gear. In the most recent off-season, the Cincinnati Bengals traded the disgruntled wide receiver to the New England Patriots. The Patriots, led by soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, have been known for their high-scoring passing offense despite the lack of any real big name, so-called 'superstar' wide receivers. Many Patriot and Ochocinco fans alike became excited over the potential offensive fireworks that would ensue now that the always reliable Tom Brady was the one throwing the ball to the talented and always productive Chad Ochocinco. But with this change of teams, Ochocinco knew instantly that the curtains had to close on his sideshow in order to remain a member of this notoriously strict, all-business team. Which was a welcomed change for Chad because he would have traded his act for the opportunity to play for a winning, Super Bowl contending team in a heartbeat. This made fans even more excited because the potential for greatness seemed even greater without the possibility of any antics or distractions getting in the way. Sadly for Chad, despite his hard work, best behavior and zero trash talking he just didn't mix very well with the rest of the Patriot's offensive game plans. He still remains part of the team, but his production this year was by far his lowest of his career, rendering him near obsolete. It was almost hard to watch his fall from grace, especially since he seemed to be doing everything right. The Super Bowl media day was not at all what he might have imagined it to be when he longed to be on a team that made it that far. Instead of him sitting at one of the fourteen VIP podiums reserved for the highest profile players and coaches, he was forced to stand on his own at the 13-yard line, away from the gigantic crowds of reporters that were more interested in the other players and coaches. Normally, one would have expected Chad to be the center of attention like he had always tended to be, especially on such a grand stage such as this. Then again, if you are the center of attention after going through a full season with only 15 catches and one touchdown, it's likely that the attention you are getting is mostly negative. 

    So Chad Ochocinco once again did everything right. Some reporters noted that he seemed miserable and out of his element because his new team and underwhelming performance this year didn't allow him to act like the fun-loving Chad we have always known. I don't necessarily agree with the miserable part, I just think Chad has grown, learned and matured as a part of this Patriot team. He must be disappointed that his season wasn't as statistically loaded as some of his past seasons, but I don't believe that it was disappointment or misery that muted him, I would rather lean towards a new all-business Chad who would rather let his game play do the talking. That being said, if Chad had hauled in 75 passes and caught 13 touchdowns this season, he might be singing a different tune. It has been an interesting run for Chad Ochocinco, and he has at least one more game left in him to help write the end of this chapter. Based on this past season, many would predict that Ochocinco will be a non-factor in the Super Bowl just as he was in the Patriots previous 18 games. However, I am personally not as quick to write him off just yet. It is by far the biggest game of his career, he has been waiting and dreaming about playing in the Super Bowl for his entire life which according to him, was since age four when he first started playing football. Maybe the emotion of the big game will get the adrenaline pumping more and he can become more of a factor, or maybe the ineffectiveness of the Patriots' injured and hobbled All-Pro tight end, pass catcher extraordinaire and receiving touchdown leader Rob Gronkowski could open up the opportunity for Chad Ochocinco to become a Super Bowl hero. Only time will tell, kickoff is at 6pm this Sunday on NBC.

   I enjoy all aspects of television. I like thinking about what went into the writing and how a plot comes together while incorporating dramatic moments that coincide with commercial breaks. I also love soundtracks. I know enough about music in general, but you probably wouldn't quite classify me as a big music guy. However to me, the music is as important to a scene or story as almost any other element. I like the way television and film try to make people feel a certain way, and often succeed. Before going on too much of a tangent, my point has been made about how much I enjoy and appreciate the craft of television production. I like it so much, that it sometimes bothers me to be unable to check out a new show or follow through with a series that I've seen a few episodes of and liked because there's just not enough time to invest in it. That's the thing though, I think the time might be there if I really wanted to work it in. So if I'm really honest with myself, this might actually be a little more psychological.

   I almost feel like a fraud calling myself a television enthusiast when I have never seen an episode of 24, Sons of Anarchy or The Wire. I mention those three examples specifically because I actually have the first season of those three shows sitting on my DVD shelf just waiting to be watched, lent to me by friends that thought I would love them. Not only would I love them, but it might even quench my thirst for a show I had once loved and lost. Pun intended. Yet despite having three quality shows to choose from at my disposal, I find myself flipping through channels and getting stuck on Super Nanny or Hoarders: Buried Alive. Or take last night for example, when I couldn't get to sleep I decided to watch the pilot episode of Terra Nova on my phone while I was in bed. 'What in the world are you doing?', I thought to myself. Not only was it getting late, but I knew I already made plans for this weekend to start watching The Wire and catch up on the new J.J. Abrams series, Alcatraz. So I basically committed to following another two shows already assuming they're as good as I have heard they are and could be. Yet here I am, wanting to get sucked in to a show that as far as I was aware, involved an island, dinosaurs and time travel, but that's all I knew. All of the sudden I am apparently very ambitious about watching all of the shows I've wanted to start watching for a while, all at the same time, despite the fact that I have had years to start doing it.

   I guess the truth is now that I've committed myself to finally watching at least one of the shows I've been putting off forever, I am excited to get involved in a new serious show again and maybe that excitement has caused me to get a bit overzealous. Maybe I should wait on the Terra Nova and see how the network thinks its doing after it's first season. Even though I sort of knew I shouldn't, I would of course be attracted to Terra Nova for obvious reasons. As an avid, some might say obsessive LOST fan, I kept wanting to find the show that would satisfy my craving for more LOST and it seemed for a while that the networks were trying to pump out shows that were meant to do just that. I couldn't resist NBC's The Event, especially since it's pilot episode was so well timed with the ending of LOST. Unfortunately, I couldn't devote my attention to it enough to see it through to it's cancellation. It's not like all television was boring or couldn't live up to LOST, I just watched more comedy while all the networks tried to do something to pull in all of those LOST fans that felt a void in their television watching lives. When I think about it now though, maybe I wasn't in the mood for another serious drama at that time even though I sure was trying to convince myself that I was. Apparently I wasn't very persuasive since I knew I had three quality dramas right there in front of me, yet I never watched an episode of any of them. 

I think I am fully ready now. There won't be another LOST and I don't think I want there to be. I loved it, it was great while it lasted but I almost feel as though I am going to want to reject anything that attempts to recreate or replicate LOST's magic. To be honest, that's actually the reason why I was initially a bit apprehensive about Alcatraz seeing as all I really know about it is that some weird, creepy, potentially supernatural stuff happens in a scary, legendary prison with a nod to Jorge Garcia as an obvious lure for thirsty LOST fans as he will be again working with LOST creator J.J. Abrams. I'll go into it with an open mind, especially since I also recently found out that it features a soundtrack composed by the extremely talented Michael Giacchino, whom is also responsible for the LOST soundtrack. OK so I guess I am sort of taking the bait on Alcatraz, but at least I know that if I don't love it I am ready to dive head first into shows that are critically acclaimed and have already been tested and proven over time. After all, there must be a good reason why I've seen a few of these 'Jack Bauer 2012' promotional bumper stickers around.  

   So if you've been following along, part one talks mainly about Jeff Lewis' new series because I am very intrigued by the fact that in addition to his typical antics on Flipping Out, he will now be acting as personal therapist to his interior design clients as well. Part two talks mainly about three shows that Bravo is calling new. In fairness, they are 'never before seen shows' but in spite of that, I still feel like I have seen them before because of their similar content or concept. Here in part three, I intend to come full circle with my initial assessment of Bravo's 2012 television lineup and talk about the shows that seem to be the most interesting to me. Two of them are truly brand new, nothing like it has aired on television before and each of them seem exciting or at least interesting enough to tune in for. Then there is a third show that I believe will be very good, but oddly enough, Bravo has it listed as a returning series even though it seems newer in concept than some of the previously mentioned shows that are being billed as new series' but seem like they've been done before.

   To be fair, this show does sort of fall under the House Hunters / House Hunters International thing. Or even similar to how Selling Los Angeles and Selling New York compare to one another. Essentially they are the same show filmed in a different location. It just so happens that location has almost everything to do with those shows, so while it does make sense that they are promoted as new or different from each other, the concept is exactly the same. 

   Tabitha Takes Over is one of Bravo's 'new' shows, and I go out of the way to call this new even though Bravo calls it 'returning' because in my opinion, it varies from her original Bravo series, Tabatha's Salon Takeover more than Love Broker varies from Millionaire Matchmaker even though Tabatha and a 'takeover' are common to both shows. Maybe I am just biased since I think Tabatha's Salon Takeover is interesting and enjoyable and I assume that this new installment will be more of the same. That being said, taking over and rejuvenating a restaurant or night club is quite different than taking over a new salon each week. In fact, this new concept reaches out to a broader audience because not every male is going to find it interesting to watch a salon get made over, but seeing the transformation of a restaurant's staff and space might tickle their fancy a bit more. I actually think that Tabatha and her advice to struggling business owners and their eventual turn in the right direction is appealing enough to watch regardless of the establishment. Therefore watching her try her hand (and likely succeed) at turning around businesses or stores that are outside of her hair salon expertise will be just as attractive as her original series. 

   Unlike anything we have seen from Bravo before, Ryan Seacrest's Shahs of Sunset should be intriguing and hopefully somewhat informative on the topic of how Persian-Americans balance their traditions and culture with the busy, demanding and sometimes chaotic lifestyles that are typical for working American families in Los Angeles. At the heart of it, this 'docu-series' will probably pan out as a typical reality show does, but it should be interesting and much more educational to the average American reality television show viewer because a majority
of them probably have very little awareness of how difficult it can be to maintain one's cultural traditions in a society that operates much differently than the one they grew up in.

   Finally, Around The World in 80 Plates is Bravo's new reality competition series and anyone that knows me knows that I love food-related shows, especially if they are based on competition. I also enjoy the work and personality of both hosts, Curtis Stone and Iron Chef Cat Cora. When first seeing the title of this series, it seemed to me that this show was going to involve the hosts eating and describing traditional, ethnic cuisine from various countries around the world. From seeing lots of shows similar to what I just described, I assumed there would be an interesting story to go along with each meal in each country and although I would give it a chance, it probably would have appeared in my prior post where I talked about all of Bravo's 'new' shows that look like shows that have already been done in some way. However, I was pleased to find out that this was not the case for Around The World in 80 Plates. Instead, from what I gather this show is more of an Amazing Race type series that involves cooking or eating along the journey. With that being the case, I expect to see plenty of promotional products being distributed in one form or another, so you imprinted giveaway enthusiasts will definitely want to be on the lookout for that. Bravo calls it one of the network's 'most ambitious productions to date' as it will 'follow 12 chefs as they compete in a culinary race across 10 countries in 44 days.' Sounds awesome to me! So unlike many of the other Bravo shows I've commented on, I will be setting my DVR for this one and look forward to seeing how this show puts a new twist on the cooking competition reality show.

   As I was writing what turned out to be part one of my thoughts on Bravo's 2012 TV lineup, I realized that although I had a substantial amount to say about Jeff Lewis and his new series, Interior Therapy, there isn't much to talk about when it comes to some of the other new series' that Bravo has green lit for the upcoming year. Perhaps it's because at least two of the 'new' shows seem like shows I have either seen or heard of already. Granted, I don't expect that Interior Therapy is going to be exponentially different than Jeff Lewis' prior series, but at least there is a major difference in the concept of the show.

   Whereas shows like Love Broker and Million Dollar Listing: New York, both set to premiere in March, seem too similar in concept to already existing series'. Love Broker is described by Bravo as a 'series that follows New York's most passionate matchmaker, Lori Zaslow, as she hits the streets of Manhattan searching tirelessly for soul mates for her clients.' Since at first I didn't realize that Lori Zaslow was in fact a different person than Patti Stanger (host of Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker) I was about to go on a tear about how Love Broker and Millionaire Matchmaker were the exact same show with a different name, which really shows you how much I watched any of Patti Stanger's shows. 

   But even now that I am aware of the fact that there is a different host, I'm still not convinced that this show is all that much different than Millionaire Matchmaker anyway. I'm willing to bet that not everyone whom is featured on Love Broker is a millionaire and I suppose Millionaire Matchmaker was not limited to New York City residents as it seems Love Broker is, but if those are the only two differences, is there really that much of a difference? I know my view on this may be skewed because I am a male and should be chugging a bottle of Dr. Pepper Ten as I say this, but I can't even picture this being interesting to women. Is it really entertaining or satisfying to watch complete strangers get matched up with other complete strangers, especially without knowing if they even last longer than the filming of the show? To each, their own I suppose, but I certainly won't be tuning in to Love Broker to find out what the subtle differences are between it and Millionaire Matchmaker.

   Which leads me to the next 'new series' on Bravo's 2012 lineup; Million Dollar Listing: New York. Initially my biggest problem with this series is that it is being promoted as 'new'. Yes, technically it is new even though from the title alone we can probably expect the same type of show as the original Bravo series, Million Dollar Listing, only this time the series is based out of New York instead of Los Angeles. 

   I'll call myself out for being a bit picky here in my interpretation of 'new' because in reality, spinoff shows that feature an alternate location do make it different enough to warrant a new title. After all, HGTV's House Hunters International is only different than the original House Hunters because of the locations that the aspiring homeowners are looking in, yet I still enjoy both shows. Therefore, people that enjoy the original Million Dollar Listing are probably looking forward to this new installment of it, especially if they live in New York or are New York enthusiasts. I don't even have a problem with the fact that watching million- or billionaires look at real estate is very un-relatable to the typical viewer because hey, it's fun to dream big right? However after doing a little research to help prove my theory that these shows are too similar to one another or even Selling New York / Selling Los Angeles, I found that there is actually an additional twist that separates the concepts of these shows from one another. Unfortunately, that is where they started to lose me. Despite the fact that at first this seems like nothing more than another version of the original, apparently this new version of Million Dollar Listing will focus on the personal lives of the real estate agents as much as it focuses on the sales of the featured high-end properties. Joey Arak of curbed.com described the concept as being comparable to what a 'Real Housewives of Real Estate' show would be like. Joy. So I guess this is another new Bravo series that I probably won't be setting my DVR to record, but hopefully I helped to raise awareness for a show that is catered to those of you that enjoy both real estate and unnecessary, potentially secretly scripted drama.

   Finally, the last new Bravo series that feels like it's been done before is Kathy, sort of. Kathy premieres some time in spring of 2012 and is a one-hour talk show hosted by Kathy Griffin that will air once per week. To my knowledge, Kathy Griffin has never had her own talk show and there's probably a good reason for that. My intention here is not to hate on Kathy Griffin, but I'm not the biggest fan of hers and yet I still feel saturated with her. I know she has a fan base and two Emmy awards for her prior Bravo Series, Kathy Griffin: My life on the D-List, and I also know that there are much worse, more annoying celebrities out there. 

   I'll even admit that before I go on talking about how unexcited I am for her new show, I should probably give her Emmy award winning show a chance. But alas, as renowned as her previous show was, I just don't think it warrants her very own talk show. Griffin's success as a reality show star will not necessarily translate to being a successful talk show host. Not to mention, don't we have enough talk shows to choose from? Bravo itself has Watch What Happens Live! which is a rant for another day, but late night television in general has a plethora of talk shows to already choose from, some of which are being hosted by people that perhaps don't necessarily deserve that role either. The most amusing part of Kathy Griffin's talk show so far is the fact that Bravo describes it as 'unlike any other talk shows' because this one 'will be the destination to get Griffin's thoughts on everything pop culture as she rants on the week's biggest headlines and tabloid gossip.' So how it is unlike every other talk show? If I understand this correctly, the only difference is that every other talk show isn't hosted by Kathy Griffin, right? Because every other talk show I have ever seen also features a host that rants about pop culture and the other biggest headlines of the week. I guess if you want Kathy's perspective on things, you're looking forward to this new show. As for me, I'll be tuning into Bravo this season for the shows that I'll talk about in part three of my feelings on Bravo's 2012 television lineup.

   In the mean time, my advice for Bravo would be to focus on developing some more original content. You have to give Bravo credit where it is due for coming up with some of the most unique, entertaining and innovative shows to date, and I understand the strategy in producing programming that piggy-backs on the success of their former shows because they know that it worked in the past. Sometimes that strategy does in fact work, and I will talk about a show in part three that is a perfect example of that. I just feel that in most cases, I would rather see
more of Bravo's innovative show ideas that got them to where they are today, rather than a similar show with a different name.

   The Bravo network has certainly become a leading cable network over the past several years, boasting some of the most popular shows on recent television including the likes of Top Chef, America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, The Real Housewives series' and I would be remiss to leave out the show that many would argue was the catalyst in boosting the network's popularity and rise to what it is today; Inside the Actors Studio with James Lipton. I can't say that I've watched all of those shows, and to me some of the programming on this network is just unwatchable but that's for another post, and hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion and whether you like it or hate it, Bravo is a major player in the cable television circuit and they're claiming that 2012 is going to be their biggest and best year yet. 

That remains to be seen, but since everyone is entitled to their opinions, here is part one of my initial reactions to Bravo's 2012 lineup of shows that includes the classics, some new series' and even some old show concepts with a new twist.

NEW SERIES (Old Show Concept With A Twist)

Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis (premieres Wednesday, March 14 at 9pm)

   Anyone familiar with Jeff Lewis has probably seen or heard of his original show, Flipping Out. Flipping Out is a clever play on Jeff's profession and his personality. He is a quirky, obsessive and demanding interior designer / project manager, often for celebrities or high end clientele. His personality at times seems like it would be hard to tolerate, let alone work for, but he does get the job done and as they say, "you can't argue with success". However, arguing is a fairly regular element of the show because he tends to melt down or 'flip out' during the process of 'flipping' or renovating a home or living space. 

   The people that work for him know how to deal with his attitude, his wants, needs and sometimes ridiculous demands, which is what makes the show somewhat entertaining. He is certainly an amplified version of most bosses and even borders on comparisons to rock stars that require a bowl of m&m's with all the brown ones removed in their dressing rooms. That being said, there are moments where the audience gets to see that deep down inside, Jeff Lewis seems like a good guy at heart and is if nothing else, loyal to those that help him maintain his success. All of that describes his original Bravo show, not his new upcoming series. I just felt that a proper back story and brief description of the reality star that is Jeff Lewis was necessary before talking about what we may see in the new show, Interior Therapy.

   According to Bravo's description, Interior Therapy follows Jeff Lewis as he 'takes over someone's home to redesign not only their space, but their lives. Jeff will observe the homeowners and diagnose their problems with the goal of improving them inside and out.' To this I say: RRrright. So in other words, it is more or less the same show as Flipping Out except this time, the man that seems to need the therapy himself is now for some reason qualified to observe and judge other people so that he can advise them on how they can improve their quality of life. Maybe he is a good mediator of problems amongst friends, colleagues or employees, but I am curious as to how he is going to find the time to counsel and advise people while still at the same time fully immersing himself in a home redesign project. Not to mention, it will definitely cut into the time he usually sets aside for sending his assistant out for food. In an early episode of Flipping Out he sent his assistant to pick up some lunch with these specific instructions for his beverage: "Ideally, 70% lemonade, 20% punch, 10% Sprite. If they don't have fruit punch, do like 85% lemonade and 15% Sprite. If they don't have lemonade, do 85% punch and 15% Sprite... or 7UP." With requests such as these, Jeff Lewis would be wise to provide all of his staff with custom note jotters to help keep track of the detailed and often ridiculous direction that he dictates to them. As far as I am concerned, this show will probably end up ranking slightly higher than most other reality shows (which isn't saying much) simply because the shock value of Jeff's behavior and his obsessive, perfectionist demands can be mildly entertaining as it is, but with the additional task of now also playing therapist to his clients can only add additional stress, which will likely result in more melt downs or 'flip outs'. But if you're not into watching employees get tormented by a borderline crazy person, you might just want to check out the show to see what Daniel Tosh will look and sound like in twenty years. I know it sounds weird but trust me, anytime I've seen Jeff Lewis on television, it feels like I am looking into the future. 

  If you are interested in home, room or yard remodeling projects, or if you enjoy the intricasies and processes of purchasing, staging or selling property, HGTV is and has always been the best source of television programming for this type of content. Now that the obvious has been stated, I wanted to dive a little deeper into one of their shows that I recently caught a few episodes of and took an immediate liking to. The show is not only entertaining, but unique in its concept, which is no easy feat for a show on such a niche focused network. Property Brothers is a show in which a twin brother tandem named Jonathan and Drew Scott bring their respective talents in real estate sales and contracting to people that are looking to buy a new home.

   As I eluded to, HGTV has a plethora of shows that feature do-it-yourself and contracted renovations, and there are certainly several shows that document the journeys of people whom are looking for a different place to move into. Shows like House Hunters and Property Virgins are the most popular programs on the network that follow buyers to a few prospective listings, one of which they'll eventually decide to buy based on a number of factors including the location, budget, their wish list and how move-in ready the place is. It is interesting to see the price tags on all the different types of homes based on the style of the architecture, the market in that particular location and how updated the space and appliances are. As interesting as each of these types of show concepts may be, Property Brothers is a show that includes both home renovations and the property purchasing process, but it ties the two together in a unique way that has never been done before.

   The new home seekers are typically a couple that is looking to move out of their current place for a number of different reasons. Some need more space, some need less space, while some just want a place that is closer to their job. Regardless of their reason for moving, the common thread that all of these buyers tend to share is the fact that their wish list coupled with their desired location winds up being priced substantially higher than their max budget. But instead of the Scott brothers trying to verbally convince the buyers that they will be hard pressed to find a home within their budget in the location they want with the features they want, Drew (the real estate agent) finds listings that include all of their wants and needs regardless of their max budget. The brothers walk them through this home, showing them all of the features that they are looking for. Most of the time the couple wants something move-in ready and updated, so they are thrilled to see that the house they are viewing has everything they want and seems to be in great shape.

   Granite counter tops, a finished basement, a huge backyard, great location and all within their budget! Or is it? As you have probably guessed by now, not only is it over their budget, but by a significant margin, sometimes even doubling the maximum amount of money that the couple has to spend. The buyers assume that the real estate agent is taking them to a home that is within their spending limits, so when they see that the first house has everything they want, it is like a dream come true. But the bliss and excitement that the buyer is experiencing soon turns to crushing disappointment when they find out that what seemed too good to be true, actually was. This part of the show is borderline cruel when you have to watch a couple have their hopes of their dream home get shot down, especially in the deceiving fashion that it is done. Some couples even become angry, but this is in fact the most effective way for the brothers to begin their ultimate pitch.

   The idea is to show the buyer a realistic expectation for their future home within the budget they have available to them. This method, albeit seemingly a bit mean, definitely gets the point across. The brothers then bring the buyers to two more homes that are not only within their budget, but in most cases under budget. The problem is, the buyers are not enthusiastic about what they are being shown. The home within their price range is often run down, dirty, old, outdated and in some cases has very obvious issues that need to be addressed before they can even safely move into the house. As they move through these affordable options, Jonathan (the contractor) describes to them some of the renovations that can be done in order to turn the old run down house into their dream home. The problem is, most of the buyers have little faith and not enough imagination or trust to be convinced that these less expensive options can be transformed into the house that they ultimately desire. That's where state of the art computer generated imagery comes in to play. After seeing both options in the buyer's price range, the brothers sit down with the couple and show them how the existing space will look once they renovate it. Jonathan describes the work he will do and how much it would cost them, while Drew explains that the asking price of the house is low enough (and often negotiable) to leave the buyer with enough money to purchase the home, make the renovations and still wind up spending less than their original max budget. The computer generated images of what the home will look like when it is done not only baffles the buyer, but also goes a long way in convincing them that they can have their cake and eat it too.

   The rest of the show goes pretty much as you might expect. I have noticed that in almost every episode I've seen, there tends to be a snag in the original plan once Jonathan starts ripping up the walls and floors. The original homeowner either concealed problems without actually fixing them or they may come to find out that there is a structural, electrical or plumbing issue that costs the buyer more money than was planned for the renovation, which in most cases leads to a change to less expensive materials so that they don't have to compromise on the design transformation that they agreed upon when purchasing the house. I don't think I have ever seen a home renovation show in which the recipient wasn't happy with the outcome, kind of like how people are always happy to get something for free even if it's a cheap promotional giveaway, but despite the fact that there are never any unsatisfied people, you have to hand it to these guys for doing what they do so well and combining their skills to create beautiful custom dream homes for people within their budget as long as they're willing to put up with and sometimes even lend a hand with the renovation process.

     No, another network didn't pick up the old episodes of LOST and decide to start airing re-runs every Sunday night. So then how, you may ask, can you jog your memory of the joy you used to experience when watching LOST? Simply tune in to ABC's Once Upon A Time, written by some of the most influential LOST writers/producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, and there is no doubt the avid LOST fans will find at least one reference in every episode.

     I would even recommend going back to the beginning and catching up on the episodes you missed because there have already been some great shout outs to the show we once held so dearly. However, LOST references are not nearly the only reason to start watching this show, especially if you are a fan of classic Disney fairy tales. While I could go into detail about the premise of the show, I will leave that for you to discover. Just know that many of the characters are people that everybody is already familiar with or at least heard of. Though the entire series is live action, Snow White, Prince Charming, Cinderella, Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket and Rumpelstilskin are just a few of the names you'll recognize and there will no doubt be more classic Disney characters waiting to make their eventual appearance in the storyline in the upcoming weeks. To be honest, even if Disney fairy tales aren't quite your cup of tea, this plot has more of an edge and a mystery to it than any of the originals. In fact, in some cases it either strays from the original story or takes creative liberties with some of the characters' back stories in order to make for a very interesting ongoing story that continues to build toward a major conflict. Did I mention that there are two 'universes' in which characters not only exist, but apparently attempt to cross-over or somehow effect the outcome of events in the alternate universe? I'm not quite sure how that is going to pan out either, but now that I have the attention of the LOST fans again, please enjoy this list that I have put together chronicling the references to LOST that have been seen in Once Upon A Time ranging from the obvious to the very subtle.

- One of the initial scenes involved a town clock that was stuck and it just happened to be 8:15.

- The initial catalyst of the plot involves a wicked witch or evil queen who vows to drain the happiness from everyone in fairytale land, in other words casting evil over the entire region, which materialized in the form of black smoke. Not the obvious column of power and destruction that ran ramped all over the island, but similar enough to bring a nostalgic smile to my face.

- In the 'real world' universe, the wicked witch / evil queen lives in a house numbered 108.

- One of the opening scenes when returning from a commercial break began with a dramatic extreme close-up of a closed eye opening suddenly.

- An Apollo chocolate candy bar appeared as someone's snack.

- MacCutcheon brand whiskey appeared as two of the main characters attempted to wind down with a drink.

- Speaking of MacCutcheon, did I mention that Alan Dale, the actor that played Charles Widmore in LOST, also plays the role of Prince Charming's father?

- There is a wheel in the window of what looks like an antique shop that bares a very striking resemblance to the large, frozen underground wheel that helped the Losties travel through time. 

- Emma Swan is the name of the main character (whose backside is pictured above). Is it a coincidence that the Swan DHARMA station was so crucial to the plotlines of the early seasons of LOST?

- And speaking of Emma Swan, apparently she is a Geronimo Jackson fan (a fictional band created for the LOST story) as you can barely make out their logo in the form of a sticker on the rear window of Emma's car.

     Aside from these visible references, it is hard to ignore the same eerie feel that the soundtrack evokes even if it is a different composer, and of course the episode always ends with somewhat of a cliffhanger in typical LOST fashion. In the last episode I even noticed that a character said "I hope you find what you're looking for" when speaking to another character. My excitement for this line wasn't met with the same enthusiasm from others as some of the previously mentioned references, but us true obsessive LOST fans know that those words were chosen carefully and they would again bring back that warm, comfortable feeling that I got the last time I was captivated by a mysterious, thought-provoking television series.

     That is not to say that Once Upon A Time ranks on my list of favorite television shows quite yet, but the nods to what is arguably my favorite show of all time certainly boosts the level of enjoyment that this show brings me. Aside from the story itself, part of the excitement is waiting anxiously to see if an Oceanic Airlines promotional luggage tag shows up on someone's bag or if one of the characters passionately declares that no one can tell him what he can't do! So if you're a LOST fan, I highly recommend Once Upon A Time, even if only for the memories.

    If not, you really need to familiarize yourself with San Francisco Giants closer, Brian Wilson. Before you make a snap judgment on the content of this post, just know that what you are about to read basically has nothing to do with Major League Baseball or sports in general. That might seem odd being that the focus of the post is a professional baseball player, but as talented of an athlete as he may be, I don't think I'm going that far out on a limb by saying that his legacy is likely to be known for his acting and entertainment value that he provides, rather than his accomplishments on a baseball diamond.

    Initially, the first thing to jump out at you is the epic beard. Some might see the beard as comical in and of itself, though according to Brian Wilson it is magical, tantalizing, mesmerizing, fear worthy and to quote him exactly, "There's garden gnomes in there cutting down trees, and apparently there's an Irish gig lady dancing. I haven't met her yet, but she's in this quadrant." (As he points to the lower right side of his beard) But the beard is not even close to what makes Brian Wilson so captivating, it just adds to the allure and gives him a more unique look. It also provides him with material so that he can unleash comedic genius at a moment's notice.

    Okay so comedic genius may be taking it a little far, especially given the fact that I am a big stand-up comedy fan. That being said, you cannot teach the presence he has and the delivery of his words. He is without a doubt a natural entertainer who also happens to be gifted with a canon for an arm, which we should all be thankful for because it has given him an outlet to share his other talents with the world. Perhaps the fact that he is a professional athlete first, is one of the main reasons why he is so appealing as an entertainer. Because we expect our pro athletes to be straight forward, matter of fact and focused on the game, it's refreshing to see someone with some more personality and humor. The first athlete other than Brian Wilson that comes to mind is Shaquille O'Neal. His size aside, he broke the mold when it came to his behavior and comments during interviews, which eventually led him to countless endorsement deals and even some lead roles in full-length, Hollywood films. Shaq was decent at best in the movie Blue Chips, where his role wasn't far from real life as he played an undiscovered basketball phenom that gets recruited to a major college basketball program, but we're all still trying to forget about Kazaam, not to mention his unsuccessful attempt at being a legitimate rapper. However despite all of that, don't write off Brian Wilson as an actor/entertainer yet. Shaq was just a great personality with a great sense of humor, but ultimately he was himself, whereas Brian Wilson almost seems like he is playing a character already. Although not necessarily true with all comedic actors, I think it's safe to assume that despite my suspicion that Wilson is playing a character every time he speaks, it is merely an amped up version of who he really is when he's not in front of a camera. This is why I have faith in his potential future in show business. I'd even go as far as to say that he writes some of his own lines in a few of the commercials he appears in. However, even if some of his funniest lines from the MLB 2k11 commercials or the NBA 2k12 commercials are written for him, not many people can pull it off as successfully as he has. I could go into greater detail about why I think he is hilarious, but see for yourself by simply searching him on YouTube, sitting back and enjoying the ride. From commercials to the post-game interviews and sports talk show appearances, it is pretty much all gold. I linked to one of the versions of NBA 2K12 commercial featuring him, but it wouldn't be right if I didn't post this extended version of it, only this time featuring all Brian Wilson. Baseball fan or not, I expect that by the time you are done viewing some of his comedy highlights, you will be declaring that you have a fever and the only prescription is more Brian Wilson.

      I promise that eventually I will write about a commercial that I think is great! They certainly exist and they deserve to be spoken about just as much, if not more than the ones that make me tilt my head in confusion. When I say confusion I mean, the idea or concept behind the commercial or ad campaign is generally understood, but there seems to be a significant flaw in the design or focus of the overall promotion. For example, last week I wrote about how the marketing campaign for Dr. Pepper's new 'flavor' falls flat. Yet despite my dissatisfaction, I still attempted to justify their potential reasons for launching such a campaign.

      In the commercials I am talking about today, Lexus has decided to put effort into branding their 'Holiday Sale' jingle as a part of their annual holiday television commercials. (They're even pushing this jingle branding effort on radio commercials as well!) We of course are big supporters of branding, and an effective and memorable jingle certainly goes a long way towards successful branding and recognition. The problem with these Lexus commercials is the fact that in my opinion, the jingle is just not memorable enough to do them any good. It has no lyrics and ultimately just sounds like any other instrumental background of a holiday song. Even if you are able to recognize the tune as something that you have heard before, I'd  be willing to bet that an overwhelming majority of people would think of it as simply a holiday melody and nothing more. In fact, it's eerily similar to a few different well-known holiday tunes.

      Perhaps Lexus' understanding of the fact that their jingle has no obvious or distinguishable links to their product is the very reason why they are trying to bring awareness and brand recognition to their jingle. Unfortunately, the believability of the plots in these commercials seem a little too farfetched for me. All of the commercials in this series of advertisements pan out similarly to the one shown above. The focus of the storyline is that the person gifting the Lexus basically has a responsibility to reveal the gift in an extraordinary and unexpected way. So, once most or all of the gift giving has already been done, the gift giver somehow nonchalantly and creatively comes up with a way of playing this jingle so that upon hearing it, the recipient of the gift will recognize it and realize that in addition to what they have already gotten, they are now being given a Lexus as well!

      Am I the only one that sees multiple things wrong with this advertising campaign? First of all, how big of a Lexus fan or television commercial enthusiast do you have to be in order to recognize such a generic sounding jingle that only plays for about one month of the entire year? Most people don't even watch commercials anymore, let alone pay close attention to them. Can you imagine how something like that would pan out if it was attempted in real life? A woman opens up a small nicely wrapped gift to find an adorable ballerina music box inside. She takes it out, admires it and begins winding it so that she can hear the charming sound of music that emits from it as the ballerina slowly spins on the top. It plays the Lexus holiday jingle just as the man giving it had planned, but unfortunately his excitement dwindles with every second that goes by in which his lady doesn't realize that the song playing is merely a hint about her real gift. Since she didn't double over in excitement and run to the driveway like the commercial suggested she would, what do you do next? Does the guy just ask her to go out and get the paper or take out the trash so that there is still that real element of surprise?

      I like to think of the Guitar Hero commercial playing out in real life wherein the mother just rocks out on the entire song without realizing what it was, goes on to post a high score and then just drops the guitar and walks away saying, "What's up now, jerks!? You thought Mom couldn't hang with the rest of you lazy bums did you?" Meanwhile the father just sits there disappointingly shaking his head thinking, 'This didn't go at all like I had planned'.

      All that being said, if any real life scenarios had played out as described above, it would certainly not be a problem because the recipient of the Lexus is still going to be thrilled to be getting a car as a gift. Which is another thing that sort of rubs me the wrong way about these commercials. I am all about being romantic, dramatic and theatrical and I love giving gifts, but is it really necessary to go this far out of your way when you are already buying them a car!? I am totally on board with making the act of giving a more special and memorable event and the additional element of surprise can certainly make the experience even better. It's just that the idea of using the jingle as a part of the process seems so impractical for so many reasons and as far as an effective commercial is concerned, it almost takes away from the product itself. Why not focus on telling the buyer why a Lexus is the smart choice when purchasing a new vehicle? If someone is going to spend that much money on a gift, I'm sure they'll figure out an effective way to present it to the recipient. Which begs the question, is it smart to direct your marketing efforts at such a specific demographic? How many people are really buying cars as gifts for people? Especially a Lexus! I understand that just because that's too rich for my blood, doesn't mean that people don't do it. I also understand that because of the holiday season, most ad campaigns for just about anything are going to revolve around gift giving. So it's not that suggesting a brand new Lexus as a gift is what bothers me the most, it's the fact that in their effort to give their song more brand recognition, they have made it seem as if the gift of a new Lexus isn't quite complete or as impactful to the recipient unless you first wow them with the jingle that no one will ever recognize.

  Have I thought too deeply about this? Yes, yes I have.