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The Happy Warriors
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Randy Jackson, "American
Idol" (Fox): If the occasional piece of usable feedback
slips out between the dawg-isms and the fist pumping, it's icing on
the cake. Jackson has to play yin to Cowell's yang, while also
propping up Abdul under the desk (probably). Just let him
roll.
Jonathan Adler, "Top Design" (Bravo):
What the world needs now, apparently, is luxe, sweet luxe. The worst
thing a contestant can do in Adler's presence is have a design that
appears "cheap." And while Adler tries to perfect a hardass persona
(Is it just me, or does Adler, in that shiny gray suit he likes to
wear, look like a totally evil Pee-wee Herman?), anyone
whose signature adios line is, "See you later, decorator" just can't
be that scary.
Jay Manuel, "America's Next Top
Model" (The CW): The person workin' it the best on
the show isn't one of the contestants, but Mr. Downtown himself: Jay
Manuel. It's his gig of a lifetime, you can just tell. And his hair
can hold his own next to Tyra's, and that's saying
something.
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Ever-So-Helpful
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Tim Gunn, "Project Runway" (Bravo): The man is a
genius, turning a pretty good concept into an Emmy-nominated,
must-watch, cultural TV event. His soothing, unruffled style, mixed
with his fearlessness about calling contestants on their problems
("Nick, I'm very, very concerned. Very concerned."), make him a
focus of the show whenever he's on camera. And so, we carry
on.
Twiggy, "America's Next
Top Model" (The CW): Still one of the most beautiful women
in the world, Twiggy is delightfully down-to-earth and brings a
grounded perspective to the fizzy world of modeling. She can see a
slight angle here, a practiced twinkle there, leaving the other
"Next Top Model" judges only to chime in and agree with her.
Sometimes she seems a bit weary of the drama of it all, but she
soldiers on, and is a lot more helpful than her crazed predecessor,
Janice
Dickinson. | |
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The Tough Nuts
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Michael Kors, "Project
Runway" (Bravo): He withholds approval like a mean dad --
though, when he gives it, of course, it means all that much
more.
Bruno Tonioli, "Dancing
With the Stars" (ABC): You haven't been sneered upon until
you've been sneered in an Italian accent. After a supposedly
romantic pas de deux: "There is more love between Donald Trump and Rosie
O'Donnell!"
Kelly Wearstler, "Top
Design" (Bravo): Does. Not. Like. Anything. Repeat as
necessary.
Sally Hershberger, "Shear
Genius" (Bravo): This new show reveals that the
successful Bravo competition formula may be getting a tad diluted
(What's next, "American's Next Top Chocolate-Chip Cookie
Recipe?" "Project Pedicure?" ). But Hershberger, a sought-after
hair stylist to the stars, is surprisingly suited to the medium,
giving genuinely useful critiques as well as withering criticism. I
say, give Hershberger her own double-jeopardy challenge: Create a
new, non-spiky hairdo for your most famous client, Meg Ryan. We're
waiting ...
New York's mother, "I Love
New York" (VH1): OK, so this show isn't exactly a creative
competition, but New York's mother, Sister Patterson, is a force to
be reckoned with. She mowed down bachelor after bachelor and tried
every trick in her steamroller to get her misguided daughter out of
the clutches of Chance. I still have my money on Sister. Let her
guest-judge one night on "Idol" -- pretty
please?
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Also: Features archive
In addition to her regular contributions for MSN TV,
Kati Johnston is a freelance writer specializing in entertainment, and is
a frequent contributor to MSN.com: kati.johnston@comcast.net |
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