Ajay Rochester go buy a lottery ticket, as today is your lucky day. Today magistrate Pat O'Shane recorded no conviction, against the The Biggest Loser host, and placed her on a 12 month good behaviour bond at her sentencing hearing today after she had pleaded guilty to defrauding Centrelink.
Ajay cried with relief. She had said yesterday that a conviction would ruin her career.
She said outside the court "I am just so happy to put it behind me and move on with my life and be with my boy, and be happy and just get on with my future.".
The big question now is will Channel Ten start using her in the promos for the new season of The Biggest Loser which starts on Feb 1?
Full story of her sentencing hearing on news.com.au
One reason not to go to court is that all your private secrets come out. It was revealed in court today that Ajay Rochester, the host of The Biggest Loser, only earned $50,000 for the first season of the weight loss program. Rochester who today had her sentencing hearing for Centrelink fraud postponed until tomorrow.
The SMH states Pat O'Shane, the magistrate presiding over the hearing, wants more information on the chronolgical order of events of the Centrelink investigation. Particularly in the delay in the time of the offences in 2005, and the time it took to get to court.
Anyway the media circus will continue tomorrow for Ajay. So let us hope she has another court outfit to wear.
But while we are waiting here is a picture of The Biggest Loser host, Ajay Rochester, entering court this morning. Apparently there was a huge media scrum.
The SMH reveals she has paid back the $14,000 she owed Centrelink. Rochester in 2008 pleaded guilty to defrauding Centrelink.
I will update once the sentence has come through. For legal buffs controversial magistrate Pat O'Shane will preside over the sentence. Will this be advantageous for Ajay, considering Pat's run in with the law last year?
What will Channel Ten do with her? She has not been cited on The Biggest Loser promos for the 2009 season.
The good news is Reality Ravings is saying goodbye to Blogspot and hello to my very own self-hosted wordpress blog at http://www.realityravings.com/
But don't go there yet as the blog is currently under construction.
The relaunched blog should be up and running by Friday 16 January 2008. I have kept a similar layout however I will be looking forward to reader feedback.
The bad news is whilst this transition is occurring I will not be blogging as much, as I have to work on the other site.
Why did I move? Well with increasing traffic numbers it was time to get total control of my blog. The new blog will have recaps, reality TV reviews, gossip, and polls.
One of my first posts will be an interview with highly talented Project Runway winner Juli Grbac.
If you live in Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmainia or South Australia you still have the opportunity to see Lisa Mitchell who was one of the highlights from the 2006 season of Australian Idol. Full details on dates and location can be found on http://www.lisamitchell.com.au/.
She is currently touring and playing songs from her yet unnamed new album. Lisa has been living in London writing and recording songs.
If you have forgotten about her whimsical style here is her singing one of her own songs Incomplete Lullaby.
It is now confirmed that former editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine Sarah Wilson will be the host of Channel Ten new show Masterchef Australia. This is a bold, but exciting move by Channel Ten, see previous post here regarding her appointment.
The show is definitely generating interest as 7000 people have applied to be on the show.
But Sydney chefs will be in a tizz now it has been revealed that two Melbourne chefs, George Colombaris and Gary Mehigan will be the judge/mentors. Colombaris owns The Press Club, and Mehigan owns the Fenix and Maribyrnong Boathouse. Does this mean Melbourne chefs are better cooks or are they just more telegenic?
The food critic role is yet to be cast.
Masterchef is certainly ensuring that has been presenters and celebrity chefs are not getting a look in. This is a positive thing.
Is this the new host of Masterchef? Sarah Wilson was an editor of Cosmopolitan (the mag that advises on how to give perfect fellatio) who now describes herself as journalist, author, and trend consultant.
It is a bold but also exciting move by Channel Ten to choose her for the show they are hoping will get them out of the rating doldrums in the 7.00pm time slot.
Personally I am glad they picked her over the mediocre males they were touting, like Neil Perry (his personality is just a bit flat on TV), Ben Donohue (too blokey, and at times annoying), and Curtis Stone (read what I had to say about Ben). At least she is an unknown quantity.
Someone that would have been perfect in the role would have been Matt Moran the chef in the much underrated reality TV show The Chopping Block. He is probably still contracted to Channel 9. But he has a good mix of niceness and empathy, but mixed with being a bit ballsy when he has to be.
Another TV chef who may have been good, is Darren Simpson of The Best on Lifestyle Channel. He has a nice TV personality and demeanour as well as being a great chef. His biggest liability is that he is British.
Masterchef if the casting is right should be a great show for Channel Ten and I eagarly await further announcements regarding the judges.
But does anyone else think it is strange that at 6.30pm they will be showing the weight loss program The Biggest Loser, and then they follow it with a food show? All viewers good intentions of dieting will be out the window by 7.15pm.
Can this women save The Biggest Loser Host, Ajay Rochester, from spending time in jail? Leeza Gibbons who used to be on Entertainment Tonight is currently in Australia and may be a character witness at her sentencing hearing on 13 January 2009.
Ajay pleaded guilty to Centrelink Fraud last year.Also Australian singer Chantelle Delaney (I have never heard of her) has also written a character reference for Ajay. Ajay met these two women on the Olivia Newtown-John Great Wall Of China walk.
So she is relying on people she has known for 6 months for character references? They would barely know her? I think she may want to try and get people who have known her for a few years not some faux celebrities.
Channel Ten must be hoping this bunch of publicity will bring in new viewers for the new series of The Biggest Loser which starts on February 1. Full story in the Daily Telegraph.
Jessica Mauboy Is Now Single. Adelaide Now says that Jessica Mauboy three year relationship with her boyfriend Abdullah is now over. Time apart is the reason given. However she can console herself with the news that her single Burn is number ten on the charts. Source The West.
Simon Cowell Judgement Gets Clouded By Sex Now Mag quotes Simon Cowell's ex girlfriend Sinitta who says his judgement is clouded by sex. Personally I think this is way to much information.
Sinitta appears to keep her media profile high by gibbering about her famous ex all the time. He must not care as she is holidaying with him in Barbados. I wonder what she will divulge from there.
Kara DioGuardi The New Judge On American Idol Has Hit The Publicity Trail New judge Kara DioGuardi is now out spruiking the show that will be commencing next week. She thinks the male contestants may have the edge this season. Full interview here.
Top Chef Chicago Chef Spike Is Holding a Burger Presidential Inaugeration Party. Spike, who really should get his own show with his off sider from Top Chef Season Four Andrew. Who would ever forget Andrew saying about Spike "I am not gay but I would let him bang me." Anyway he is holding a more relaxed inauguration party at his Burger Joint in DC.
If you are lucky enough to be in Washington at that time the details are here.
Updates On What Top Chef Contestant's Are Now Up To. People mag has an article which outlines what some of the chefs are now up to, and where they are cooking.
Also Adventurous Tastes Blog reviews Top Chef Chicago runner up Richard Blais's new burger restaurant in Atlanta, and gives it the thumbs up. I am not sure about the Krispy Kreme milkshake.
America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 Winner Whitney Thompson Honoured. Whitney who was the first plus size model to win ANTM has named as one of MSN Lifestyles Most Influential Women In 2008.
Natalie Bassingthwaite To Perform At Mardi Gras Party. You know you have made it in Sydney when you are asked to perform at the Mardi Gras party. Congratulation to So You Think You Can Dance Australia host Natalie Bassingthwaite as she will get to shimmy and sing there. Full story in here.
Update On What Former Australian Idol Marty Simpson Has Been Doing I'm With The Band has an update on he who went much further then he should have, Marty Simpson, and what he has been doing post Idol, apart from smoking pot.
Tonight Arena TV started a repeat of Season 1 Project Runway, which I have never seen.
Can you believe that Tim Gunn was not paid for the first series?
It was interesting to watch how the show has evolved.
Some things I noted:
Heidi Klum, the host, seems to be friendlier to the contestants in season 1, she now is much more formal with them;
Heidi wore the same outfit twice, once when meeting the contestants at the apartments (something else she would not do now) and then when she was on the runway telling them what the challenge is;
Heidi's look is much more polished and dressed up, in this episode it was a Kiss t-shirt and jeans not some micro mini designer dress;
Michael Kors appears thinner;
Nina Garcia's hair appears to be the same style (ok that is something that has not evolved and the fact Michael Kors is still wearing the same clothes.);
Banana Republic accessory wall, which is now the Bluefly.com wall;
The had an hour to shop for material's in the grocery store, in challenges now they only have 30 minutes;
They did not mention immunity of the next round for the winner, maybe they will mention that next episode.
Heidi shook hands with the eliminated contestant and did not kiss them on both cheeks. Of course she said AufWidershen (sic).
Can anyone think of anything else I missed?
Austin's corn dress was innovative, but did it deserve to win? Husks were falling off the runway. Nina Garcia would be scathing about that in later seasons.
I thought Nora's blue outfit made out of an outdoor seat and placemats rocked and deserved first place.
Who Magazine has a great article in their latest addition about former reality TV stars, as they picked some more obscure contestants and shows.
Unfortunately it is not on their website. However I will quickly summarise it for you.
Ally Mansell - Australian Princess Australian Princess was a pre-cursor to Ladette to Ladies, where unrefined Australian girls were turned into sophisticated ladies.
Ally at 24 was crowned the Series 1 winner of Australian Princess in 2005. She had just returned from working at a ski season in Whistler and decided to apply for it. She said it was fun. "We were totally unsuited to the situations they put us in, so of course the show was taking the mickey. But if you don't approach it with that attitude, that's when you look like an absolute dope.
"Getting back to normal life was pretty hard. They paid us during the show. It was all go, go, go, then all of a sudden the money stopped coming in. Any guy who asked me about the show, I wondered why a guy was even watching it! I suppose it gave me more confidence, but I didn't really get more dates. I got really self-conscious, and sometimes still do when I go out. You get these nasty people that just make you want to feel bad, but my friends defend me.
Overall it was great getting to be part of a TV show, going to England and seeing how those people live. I got to go to the Logies, the ARIAs, and I got a presenting job on 2DayFM radio from it - even now I think how lucky I was to have had all that. I'm in the process of selling my prize. Where am I going to wear a tiara?"
Ally's career on radio did not work out she is currently working as a bartender to save money for travelling.
Cosima De Vito - Australian Idol.
Who magazine say that Cosima was tipped to win the first series of Australian Idol when she was forced to pull out due to developing throat nodules. I don't think Cosima would have won, she is a great singer but did not have the musicality that Guy Sebastian had on the show.
Anyway here is what she had to say about Idol:
"... I was nervous about performing live and being judged. It was a wonderful opportunity to get my face out there, so I threw myself in the deep end. Dicko said "Your eyebrows are too thick - it's all about image.""
"He was my mentor. If you think you're fantastic you're not going to go very far. I grew as an artist, a person made amazing friends and the greatest gift is the fans. They have stood by me."
"As fun as it was, it was very , very stressful. It was really, really, hard to leave the show. I went on with laryngitis and plugged away each week but it became such a hectic schedule and I lost my voice then the specialist said " You have nodules", so I told the producers and they were like, "We'll do the show tonight and you will get up and tell everyone because you owe them." I have no regrets. A lot of people were like "You're not really sick." If you hear my voice now, the difference is phenomenal. People hear the difference and say, "You were really sick."....
" My life since Idol has been an absolute whirlwind. My second album, This Is Now, came out in 2007. We released a dance version of the first track, "Keep It Natural", and it took off in the gay market. I also teach singing. One of the places I do it is Dance@NikkiWebster in Sydney. It's my way of giving back. It keeps me grounded. Below is Cosima on the Today show singing Keep It Natural. I had forgotten how good her voice was.
Warren Sonin and Gavin Atkins - The Block
How good was this reality TV show where they had to renovate a flat in Bondi, whilst maintaining their own day jobs as well.
Gav and Waz were the first prime-time real-life gay couple. Gavin says they were embraced by Australia. (However John Laws was not quite as open minded.).
After the show they built their own interior design business Designer Boys. Two years ago they relocated from Bondi to Byron Bay. They are in talks to develop their own TV show. They say they can now see when the executive producer sets up a scenario to get a reaction.
They say The Block was totally real. "We were given keys, the budget, and told to go for our lives. It was an extremely stressful process. The first night when we walked in we thought, "Oh my God - we've been duped! This is massive. We've got to do our full-time job, renovate this place, and be on TV."
Alex Ristevski - Big Brother Series 2.
Ristevski 37 is now the head of Foxtel's Comedy Channel and it new channel 111 HITS - he lasted eight weeks and came in seventh on BB2. He reveals he still hasn't watched the show.
He had this to say:
"I'm glad I did it. It's one of those amazing life experiences. It was a challenge, it wasn't to find fame. I'd worked in TV and radio production and it was such a phenomenon, so you can either work on it or go on it, and that was part of the appeal."
"Also being part of this sociological experiment, because I had done a degree in psychology. It is very uncomfortable and intrusive. You're exposing yourself physically and emotionally. I have no regrets but I could have done things a little differently. I get bored easily and like to have fun so played some mind games and was a bit cheeky. I tried to convince them I was working for BB. I got very cynical and could have enjoyed it a bit more.
"How do you measure success on this show? You can survive a long time but it doesn't mean you're better than anyone. It could mean you weren't as quiet or everyone felt sorry for you.
"[The winner] Peter Corbett has been through quite a bit and his story's a sad one. I'm glad the public chose him. Everyone's got a different motive for going on.
"I did the usual dodgy nightclub appearances for the money.
"I ended up marrying the girl, Kirsty, I met two weeks before going in, which was challenging for her. We've got a 2-year-old, Zac and another on the way.
"As a producer I don't question what they did. You're trying to create a story and characters people either love or hate. I laugh about it every day and am still a little embarrassed.
Evan Marriott - Joe Millionaire
Evan was a construction worker who pretended to be worth $50 million while courting 20 women.
"I wasn't looking for the love of my life, but I picked the best girl of the 20 they gave me. I haven't seen the girl since, except for the reunion show."
He now owns his own construction business and reckons that the show wrecked his dating life.
Jennifer Braff - Age of Love
In 2007 Braff was a cougar on the dating show where "kitten" were pitted against the "cougar" whilst vying for Mark Philipoussis's attention. She made it to the final two but lost to 25 year old Amanda Salinas.
"They said the guy was younger - late 30s, maybe 40. He was 30. They said he was looking to date. But when they showed us his video, he said he was looking for someone to get married to and start a family. It's not likely I'm going to get pregnant and have children."
"After taping the show, I met someone 13 years younger. And we're still together."
Well that was the good news, but it has had some mixed reviews from the critics. EW here gives a humorous review of the show without to many spoilers in it.
Apparently Superstars has been the highest ranking show NBC has that is not sport. It averaged 10.4 million viewers on its opening night. Whether it retains those ratings will remain to be seen.
TV Tonight reports that Channel Ten have dumped America's Next Top Model Cycle 8 from its Sunday and Monday night line up due to poor ratings. Apparently only 403,000 were watching it.
I had only realised last night that it was shown on both nights. I doubt now I will bother watching last night's episode.
The Channel Ten show has previously been screened on Fox 8. Could this have played a part in the low ratings, or the early timeslot, or maybe I am being deluded and it was the show.
Finally after all my whinging and complaning I have found out that Channel 9 has won the rights for the Nigel Lythgoe and Simon Fuller production Superstars Of Dance.
Channel 9 say it will be screened in early 2009, which is code for when the ratings period commences. My bet it will start the second or third week of February.
The Biggest Loser: Couples starts on Channel 10 on February 1. This year it is all about couples. The sisters look positively lithe compared to some of the other couples. Good luck to them all for turning their life around.
This season Farmer Wants A Wife Season 3. No news yet on when it will commence. This year for the first time there will be a female farmer.
I am still trying to find a You Tube for the upcoming Ladette to Lady Australian Series.
Superstars of Dance screened its first episode in the US last night. Above is a preview of the series (not the show). The production values look great. Something the truly awful Step Up And Dance should think about.
Apparently super hot couple Anya and Pasha from US So You Think You Can Dance will be on the show.
As will be talented popper Robert Muraine. Now if you don't know who this dancer is check out his audition that he did for SYTYCD last year. Amazing and original.
I am still trying to find out which TV station is going to screen it.
Winner of Australian Idol Wes Carr and his girlfriend Charlotte are hot and are apparently a "power couple".
However shoot director on Australia's Next Top Model Johnathan Pease is apparently not hot this year. Johnathan 35, who spent last year dating 20 year olds on a number of occasions, was given this critique by the gossip columnist.
ANOTHER serial dater and party perennial, sometime television host, occasional designer and model powerhouse. But Pease needs to look further than his contact book in order to establish himself as a key personality in '09.
I couldn't agree more.
However I thought she was a bit harsh about Season 1 Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian. She said: NOW that he's married and no longer a virgin, it's time Sebastian demonstrated a bit more depth to his character - or maybe even a hint of the darkness within - because the Mr Nice Guy image is getting to be boring.
So your not hot anymore on the social circuit because you are not a virgin???? That is just too bizarre.
David Cook American Idol Winner Apparently Has Proposed To Kimberly Caldwell. Now this could be a load of bollocks as there is not much coverage of it. If it is true that these to American Idol contestants are engaged it would make them a reality TV couple in the league of Rob and Amber (from Survivor and The Amazing Race fame).
Simon Cowell To Build a 10 million pound house in Barbados. Apparently he also wants mirrored panels in the house. I don't think I really needed to know that.
New Reality TV Series Starring '80's Teen Idols Like Christopher Atkins. TV Tonight has an article stating that on VH1 in the US has a new reality TV show starring former teen Idols called you guessed it Confessions of A Teenage Idol.
Christopher Atkins from that iconic but crap film Blue Lagoon is in it, and the series is directed by Chachi from Happy Days (Scott Baio.).
It is unknown whether this show will be coming to Australia. If it is does it is guaranteed every Gen X female will be watching it.
Project Runway Winner Christian Siriano Says Being On The Show Fastracked His Career By Five Years. The Arizona Daily Star has an interview with Christian Siriano, who says that by winning Project Runway opened so many doors that it fastracked his career by five years. He also discusses his new maternity wear line.
If You Want To Experience American Idol Go To Disney Orlando. If you sing a little karaoke you may want to consider this. There is now an American Idol attraction at Disney in Orlando, Florida.
Hopefuls will go through the audition process and perform in front of a live crowd, just like their favorite contestants on the TV show.
Wannabes will sing for a Disney's Hollywood Studios producer for the chance to be cast in a theme-park show.
The person with the most votes will compete in an end-of-day Grand Finale show at Walt Disney World, and the winner of the Grand Finale show will receive a guaranteed reservation for a future regional stadium audition.
I think I will just stick to It's A Small World After All ride.
Time For The American Idol Predictions For The Upcoming Season Examiner.com has an amusing article outlining their top 10 predictions for American Idol 2008. I particularly liked number 5 which is Randy Jackson will spend a lot of time pimping his new book, "Fat F--k," inspired by the popular novel "Skinny Bitch" (foreword by Oprah Winfrey)
Australia's Next Top Model Winner Alice Burdeau Has an 18 Page Spread in Elle UK. Alice Burdeau shows she is still getting major modelling assignments OS with this spread in Elle UK. Go to Australia's Next Top Model Blog to check out the pictures. They are sensational.
Former America's Next Top Model Contestant Bianca Golden Has Had Assault Charges Dropped. Last year Bianca Golden from ANTM Cycle 9 was is in a bitch slap with Nikki Blonsky from Hairspray at some Carribean Airport. They were both arrested at the time, but now the charges have been dropped. Full story on this unedifying incident here.
Jennifer Hudson To Perform At Barack Obama's Inauguration. Way to go girl. Full story here.
Kristy Lee-Cook Gets Dumped By Her Record Label And Is Blaming Carrie Underwood. Kristy Lee-Cook, she who crucified The Beatles song 8 Days a Week has again been dumped by Arista. She blames a former Idol winner Carrie Underwood for getting all the record label's attention. Full story on The Boot.
As part of Jack Chambers prize for winning Season 1 of So You Think You Can Dance Australia was to have US choreographer Mia Michaels choreograph a routine for him to perform at a dance showcase.
Here is an exerpt of it. To be honest I was a bit underwhelmed by the choreography, and thought it did not show of his abilities enough. But you can tell it is a Mia Michaels piece. Pity as I am a big fan of hers.
In an Australian Idol first singers will be able to audition online in 2009 via the Australian Idol website.
If interested go here and leave your email address and details on how to apply will sent to you in the New Year.
I think it is a great idea and may draw out even more talent for the seventh season of Idol. I think a lot of pub muso's who have spurned the show previously will be interested by the success Wes Carr is having and will audition.
Now if we can just get a bit of verve in the judges it should be a great season next year.
Good news, Reality Ravings has now been relaunched at www.realityravings.com
Also Australian singer 
Posts
