Rumble on the Runway: There's no room on Heidi's beach for a surfer who doesn't obey the rules, dude. Mitchell is finally sent auf, making Project Runway history as the first designer ever to go home after his team wins the challenge.
It's a fact: Pushing Daisies was canceled far too soon. The abrupt ending has caused me to leave the final episode on my DVR in fear that if I delete it, I'll have to once and for all deal with the idea that no new episodes will be created. Luckily for my sanity -- and the much-needed space on my DVR -- Pushing Daisies Season 2 is now out on DVD, so you and I can watch our favorite episodes over and over and over.
For the select few who haven't seen this witty and genius show, it tells the story of Ned (Lee Pace), a pie maker, and Chuck (Anna Friel), a former dead girl, who are lovers unable to touch, as Ned can end and restart life with a
simple touch. And, since Ned already touched Chuck once to bring her
back to life, if he touches her again, she'll perish. In addition to their unique relationship, Ned and Chuck -- along with Pie Hole waitress Olive (Kristin Chenoweth) and private eye Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) -- solve mysteries each episode. It's a trade they're quite talented at -- of course, it doesn't hurt that Ted can interview dead witnesses.
What makes Pushing Daisies such a stellar show is its quirkiness. From characters named Charles Charles to the synchronized swimming team, the Darling Mermaid Darlings, the attention to detail is key. Plus, the vibrant colors, set decorations and dialogue make the show a fairytale brought to the screen.
The Pushing Daisies Complete Second Season DVD not only features the season's full 13 episodes, but there are also four "Extra Helpings" featurettes. These lengthy bonus videos (I hate it when extras on DVDs are so short) cover everything from costumes, music (it's wall-to-wall in every episode), makeup, food and props, to character inspirations, dialogue and visual effects.
Yes, it's a sin that Pushing Daisies won't return for a third season, but I still strongly urge you to pick up the DVDs. It's smart, funny, family-friendly and an extremely worthwhile purchase.
Do you believe in ghosts and life after death? If you do, you're not alone. According to a Harris Poll, 58% of women believe in ghosts and a whopping 89% of women believe in survival of the soul after death. To learn more about these phenomena, iVillage chatted with the two female stars of Syfy's Ghost Hunters International, Brandy Green and Ashley Godwin. The two ladies dished on their craziest experience ever, how to talk to your kids about ghosts and why you may not have come across paranormal activity... yet.
You can catch Ghost Hunters International on Syfy on Wednesdays at 9 pm.
iVillage: Why do you think women, especially, are so interested in the paranormal and life after death?
Ashley Godwin: To be completely honest with you I wouldn't know. I mean, I have almost the same opinion as Brandy. I don't think that it has to do with being male or female whether you believe more... Mostly I guess it all depends on how you were raised, your family and how you were brought up...whether you believe in religion or not.
iVillage: What about female intuition? Does that make women more open to believing?
Ashley: Well, I guess it's a possibility.I guess it has been proven that in some ways women are more sensitive than men. Not spiritually or anything, but just in general, our brain works much differently than men's brains do, so I guess you could say that.
iVillage: I know that you don't want to generalize women, but have you noticed any differences in the way that men and women believe?
Brandy Green: You know, honestly, I don't. People get into the field for their own reasons and some of those reasons are very personal to those individuals and it's just tough to really pinpoint exactly what it is. But, from my studies, the number one reason is people's fear of dying.
iVillage: What do you say to people about that fear?
Brandy: I think that people are afraid of the unknown and I think that trying to determine what happens to a person after they die is important. It's important for closure. It's important to sort of ease those fears. It's important to know that there is, maybe, something out there afterwards. I think that's what we're striving to do, to understand it better.
iVillage: How do you see religion playing into people's beliefs?
Brandy: That's actually a really good question and for us--which makes us different from some of the other shows--we travel internationally and with that we see a lot of different religious viewpoints. It does play a vital role in understanding people. Some people may be more inclined to hear a noise and automatically think, "Oh, it's a ghost," whereas people from another area that may have another religious belief may be thinking, "It's absolutely normal and there's an explanation behind it." So it really depends on where we go, but I really do think religion has a big part in what we do.
iVillage: You mentioned that you're international right now, so how are you able to balance your personal life, work and family since you're traveling all over the globe?
Brandy: (Laughs) I don't have a personal life! No, I'm just kidding. But it is tough. You miss your family. You miss your friends of course. Life on the road is exhausting, it really is. You're moving from country to country every week--new case, new opportunities, new people, new language barriers. You really have to be in it because you love it and have a profound interest...that is your driving force behind it. Otherwise, you can burn out very quickly.
Ashley: Downtime is the best time to just rest up, call back home, talk to your parents, talk to your friends. Even in our downtime I go out with the rest of the team and we'll go see a movie or something or grab something to eat. We are out here for a long time and we become family. That's pretty much what they are to me--they're like my second family. It makes up for that lost time with your actual family back home.
iVillage: Is it hard to balance relationships and your work?
Ashley: Yeah, actually it is. It's pretty hard. But I think that if you're in a relationship strong enough to handle it and you care about each other enough, you can definitely work through it. There's always Skype. There's always Instant Messenger. You can still keep in contact everyday. It's not like we're constantly on the clock, so there's always enough downtime to keep that connection going. The couple of weeks that you're home you just do what you normally do. It keeps that fire going. Being away from that person for so long and then having that couple of weeks back with them and then leaving again, it's a little exciting.
iVillage: Is there any harm in believing in ghosts and the paranormal?
Brandy: In my personal opinion, I don't think so whatsoever. I think it's important to understand possibilities, and ghosts are a possibility...a very real possibility.
iVillage: Do you have any advice for parents when talking to their kids about ghosts?
Brandy: I think it's very important to have them understand that they can't be hurt. It's not like in the movies. Your head won't spin around. I think for them to have a base understanding of what it is can be very helpful. If they have any questions don't be afraid to talk about it.
Ashley: You just have to pretty much comfort them and tell them that nothing's going to crawl out from under their bed... I've been in many, many, many places and I haven't had anything like that happen to me yet, nor have I heard of anything like that happening to anyone, other than in the movies.
iVillage: How do you feel about other TV shows that dismiss what you're doing as nonfactual, like The Mentalist?
Brandy: We're always going to come across skeptics and no matter what kind of evidence we put forward, people are always going to try to find alternative explanations. We do our best... We're very good at dismissing things that we can prove are not paranormal. With that said, there's always going to be people that are going to shut us down and that's just part of the field. Whether you're on TV or you have your personal home-based team, it's always a reality.
Ashley: I'm definitely used to it. I think everyone should definitely keep an open mind of things. I'm 50/50, I'm literally straddling that line of you know, it's like I want to believe, but that's why I'm out here, is to prove to myself and others. There's so many people out there that are just like me; it's like they want to believe, but they're not sure if they do, so that's why they're still trying to balance out the whole line of science and spirituality.
iVillage: What's the craziest experience you have had with ghost hunting?
Ashley: Oh boy...there's so many crazy ones (Laughs). Well the most realistic thing that I couldn't explain that's happened to me before was hearing a disembodied voice--like a loud growl and a hiss, as if something was literally standing right in my face and it just growled and hissed at me. I've never heard anything like that before...that's something I couldn't explain.
iVillage: If people haven't had experiences with the paranormal are they just not looking hard enough or does not everyone get to experience it?
Ashley: If you go out looking for it, obviously you have a better chance of seeing something or experiencing something. So for someone who has never experienced anything, it's not that they're not looking hard enough for it, it's just that they haven't had that chance yet or it hasn't happened to them. We're out there actually looking for it so of course we're going to experience more than, you know, just your parents back home would.
Ever wonder what happens to the So You Think You Can Dance contestants once they're off the show? Well, iVillage chatted with season four's Katee Shean to find out what she's up to now. From a new dance DVD to a 3D movie, we've got all the scoop.
As of yesterday, fans of Katee and So You Think You Can Dance can break a sweat with the all-new So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit DVDs. The two-disc fitness routines also feature former contestants Stephen "Twitch" Boss, Dmitry Chaplin, Courtney Galiano, Lauren Gottlieb and Travis Wall. The dancers lead viewers in easy-to-follow routines with cardio and toning benefits, making exercise fun. Each DVD also includes never before seen interviews with the dancers.
"It's kind of fun because there's six of us total and we get to teach our own style in a workout," Katee said. "Then we're joined with the rest of the group. The DVDs are really fun and everyone does a great job with their styles."
In addition to her work on the fitness DVDs, Katee has been filming 2010's Step Up 3--yes, there will be a third one, in 3D no less, though no word yet if Channing Tatum will reprise his role--and appearing as the face of Capezio Dancewear. She also makes time for schoolwork, as she is currently enrolled at Chapman University. "I'm doing all my classes online. I do my reading on the airplanes and take quizzes in the hotel rooms," she laughs. Since she spends most of her time on the road, she always brings along her favorite TV shows. "I was addicted to Friends when that was on so those are always on my laptop. And I also like to watch The Bachelor and The Bachelorette."
Although she's always on the road, she makes time to watch this season's episodes online. "Everybody's asking me about favorites; Ade went to my college so there's definitely that camaraderie there." Ultimately, she's rooting for all of the dancers, as she says their mutual understanding of the show's pressures creates an "instant connection."
I'll definitely be supporting my favorite TV show and trying these Get Fit DVDs! What do you think? Will you be working out with Katee and the other dancers?
The show that started it all is coming back for its fifth season! The Real Housewives of Orange County, the original face of Bravo's Real Housewives brand, is currently filming its newest installment. With the introduction of a new housewife, Alexis Bellino, the season is already drama-filled.
Alexis, 32, is married to Jim Bellino, a self-made entrepreneur. They live in Newport Coast, California, one of the wealthiest and most exclusive parts of Orange Country, with their three children. The fiery blonde hails from Hannibal, Missouri and devotes herself to her roles as a wife and mother to her three-year-old son, James, and 20-month-old twins, Melania and Mackenna. In her spare time, she frequents the gym to keep herself feeling and looking amazing.
Favorite cast members Tamra Barney, Lynne Curtin, Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough and Gretchen Rossi will all be returning for the new season. How do you think newbie Alexis will fit in with the current housewives?
Starting on July 14, Bravo's newest reality series, Miami Social, will be giving us a look into the "work hard, play hard" lives of young professionals in South Beach, Florida. The show's cast is filled with attractive and successful corporate types who live extravagant, well-connected lifestyles and regularly enjoy the city's nightlife. Sounds like a recipe for success to me! Take a look at the cast:
Sorah Daiha: This realtor and property manager rarely takes part in the South Beach nightlife these days, opting to lounge at chic hotel pools and trendy restaurants instead. She is divorced from George, a fellow cast member and ladies man, though they remain close friends. This gets slightly complicated since they still live in the same building, along with Sorah's boyfriend, Gonzalo. Drama!
George French: George is a prominent figure around South Beach and cites "making money" as one of his primary hobbies. What a useful
hobby! He is a powerful mortgage banker and also owns his own
investment and consulting firm, but the "party animal" still finds
plenty of time to hit up the hottest clubs at night. He works to find a
balance between his partying ways and his relationship with his
girlfriend, Lina. Their own issues are complicated by his close friendship with his ex-wife and neighbor, Sorah.
Katrina Campins: Fans of The Apprentice may remember
Katrina from the show's first season. She runs in the same circles as
Hardy, often frequenting the elite clubs and restaurants where he hosts
weekly events. "I learned a lot from watching myself on television the
first time around," she told us of her stint on The Apprentice.
"It was humbling to say the least." Today, Katrina owns her own real
estate brokerage firm, The Campins Company, and mostly works with high
profile athletes and celebrities. While her career is on fire, her home
life is less glamorous, as she is dealing with a serious rough patch in
her marriage.
Michael Cohen: Michael is a freelance editor in the entertainment industry and covers stories about major celebrities for magazines like In Touch. He is also a commentator on several TV shows, including CNN's Showbiz Tonight. With his busy schedule, Michael is always frequenting the hottest spots in Miami for business and play, but he still finds time to look for love in his crazy and colorful city.
Maria Lankina : After moving to Miami in 2005, Maria wasted no time in acquainting herself with its most exclusive spots. She is an art director and freelance photographer who has traveled the world for her work, always maintaining her "rebellious and fiery" spirit. In spite of her busy lifestyle, she is primarily devoted to her 13-year-old daughter, Angelika.
Hardy Hill: President and CEO of Hill Hospitality Group and host
of the most exclusive parties Miami has to offer, Hardy promises that
the show is really worth watching. When we recently got the chance to
chat with him, he said that unlike other reality TV programs, this one
"truly shows the good, the bad and the ugly of our lives. It shows our
friendships, how we handle issues and how we handle success." Audiences
will follow Hardy's hectic life as he struggles to balance work, play
and his search for the right woman. "To be honest, there's no place I'd
rather be than in Miami," he says.
Ariel Stein: With his name on every VIP list at the hottest parties in town, Ariel is one of the most popular faces in the Miami party scene. He is a premiere fashion producer as well as the Vice President of 20/20 Vision Management, Inc., his family business. Many of his closest friends are top designers and celebrities, and his life is a constant swirl of glamour, work and South Beach sun.
What do you think? I'm tempted to add this show to my growing list of guilty reality TV pleasures. Miami Social premieres Tuesday, July 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
--Sarah Levy
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