Ok all you Food Network lovers out there! The Next Food Network Star is back! Yes, I do realize I am a few episodes behind to just now start writing a blog about it, but I gotta say, I have not paid attention to this show….until now! Well actually I started with episode 2 but didn’t think to write about it until, I don’t know…number 4?  I will make up for it though, I promise! The good news is I caught it early enough to get hooked and share my thoughts.

If you don’t know much about the show let me break it down: Ten people are selected nationwide to show off their culinary skills and if they got what it takes (camera-wise) to be The Next Food Network Star! The winner gets their own six-episode show on The Food Network, an exclusive feature in Food Network Magazine, and a top spot at the New York City Wine & Food Festival!

Did you know that Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” was the Season 2 winner of this very same show?! I didn’t and I have been watching that show for quite some time now! This show does find winners I tell ‘ya!  So now for the recap on Episode Number Four….

The Two Challenges this week are all about American food!

Bobby’s Burger Challenge – Make the ultimate burger inspired by a region of America, using their spices and flair.  The winning burger will be featured on the menu at Bobby Flay’s new burger restaurant, Bobby’s Burger Palace, opening in Connecticut!

Prep Time: 20 Minutes                                                                                           Direct-To-Camera Presentation: 30 seconds

USS Intrepid Challenge – The finalists go on board the USS Intrepid where they are throwing a Homecoming Party for troops returning from the Middle East.  Each contestant receives an ingredient basket specific to a US state (kind of like Chopped or Iron Chef).  They have to cook up an “all american home-cooked dish” for the soldiers and their families.  The winner will be featured along with their dish in USA Weekend!

Prep Time: 1 1/2 Hours                                                                                                                             Presentation: Open Mic to guests and selection committee

The Loser This Week:

Teddy Folkman

Well, first thing’s first, Teddy is gone! And without bringing up too much dirt from past episodes (since we are soo over those now), he does have a habit of throwing people under the bus for his own follies and mistakes (poor Melissa and Debbie!) which as you can see I am still upset about.  That being said, he may be a great chef, but he just cannot pull it off in front of the camera, which is the reason he was axed from the show.  He turns into a “game show host” as Jamika put it.

So what did him in?

Burger Challenge: I personally think he did a better job at this presentation than he has before at other challenges, but the judges didn’t think so.  They still felt he couldn’t find the right presentation energy.  His Pennsylvania Burger was not a winner either.  Bobby thought there were too many things on the burger to enjoy it.

USS Intrepid: So it’s not just the camera that gets Teddy in a tizzy.  It seemed that his New York state basket was prepared well but he tanked on his presentation this time in front of a crowded room, which some say may be harder than an actual camera.

Winner’s Circle:

This week was all about rising stars! Move over Jeffrey, Debbie and Jamika! This week’s winners were Michael and Melissa. Here is how they won their challenges:

Michael Proietti

Best Burger Challenge Winner:  Michael – His “Mulberry Street Burger” looked awesome! A burger stuffed with fresh mozzarella cheese and crisp pancetta on both sides served on top of garlic bread! He wowed the judges with this one!  His presentation was good with “great energy” though he still had that nervousness about him.

In fact, I want to try everything Michael makes! He is so creative and inventive every single week, his personality is absolutely adorable and he is someone I would totally love to see with his own show on The Food Network.  He is still working at his camera skills, but he totally has the personality and flair to pull it off! The judges agree he has the right energy, I just hope he can do it in time to show the judges he’s got what it takes!

USS Intrepid Challenge Winner: Melissa’s Marinated Skirt Steak Tostada with black beans and honey mango salsa was a hit amongst the soldiers and the judges!  Melissa was assigned the state of New Mexico with a basket of hot chilis, which she never cooks with. So she actually tasted all of the raw peppers to see what she was working with! Yikes! She scored major points after the judges heard about that.

Melissa just looks like a natural on camera and has some tasty sounding recipes to add.  She did very well at the Burger Challenge, though it didn’t give her the win, she finally showed Teddy (and the others) she is more than just a “stay at home mom!”

Melissa was just nailing it this week! I have to say I am very happy she finally found her mojo.  She was a bit frazzled the first few challenges but she pulled it together this week and it brought her a win!

And the other contestants?

Jeffrey, who is usually on top with the judges, fizzled out quickly this week.  He failed to wow the judges at the Burger Challenge, bringing them the same “heat-sweet” combo he’s been doing every week, and he still was not able to connect his personal life with his dishes.  He also bombed miserably at the USS Intrepid with his presentation and his Lobster Blueberry Pot Pies.  Judge Susie Fogelman said she “would never eat it unless she had to!”

Jamika who has also been a favorite with the judges tanked this week too.  Her “Mardi Gras Madness Burger” drove the judges mad! The texture of the sausage under the burger didn’t sit well with Bobby Flay and neither did her presentation.  Due to undercooked potatoes, her loaded potato casserole with sausage, beer and cheese on the USS Intrepid turned out like glue! The soldiers hated it, and so did the judges, and she actually wound up on the bottom this week of both challenges!

Katie, who is really scraping by every week, brought another undercooked inedible dish to the Burger Challenge. She did manage to win the crowd over on the USS Intrepid with her “girl next door” personality and her edible and fully cooked Almond and Panko Crusted Catfish, Vidalia Onion Greens, Molasses and Orange Butternut Squash, it may be what saved her tookus this week. Although her dish was tasty the judges didn’t think she connected the health and taste aspect well enough in her presentation.

Debbie, wasn’t flying high with the judges this week.  Though her presentations were spot on, both of her dishes were too bland.  Her Cal Asian burger was not asian inspired enough, and even though she suffered an injury in the kitchen on the USS Intrepid her chicken with a red wine sauce and green beans with ginger almond crunch were not up to par to secure a win this week.

Keep watch for a recap each week on the rest of The Next Food Network Star season!

Meet the Finalists of The Next Food Network Star, Watch their video bios!

I knew this would happen. STUPID STUPID STUPID.Perez is so kicking himself in the ass right now.

Perez Hilton was dropped by 800,000 Twitter fans after they read his controversial remarks about Michael Jackson death. Nearly 1 million of the celebs 1.8 million fans found Perez’s sly remarks a little too intolerable and inappropriate and hit the road.

After TMZ reported that Michael Jackson went into cardiac arrest, Perez ruffled more than a couple of feathers when he suggested that the King of Pop was faking a heart attack to get out of his 50-date This Is It Tour, which was set to kick of in London in July.

After the pop icon past, Perez quickly removed the post from his website, but the damage had already been done. Soon thereafter, a campaign was spread across Twitter asking people to stop following Perez.

In addition, hundreds of thousands of Tweets including the hash tag “#unfolllowperez” have been popping up all of the popular social networking site since last week.

The whole awards show was a Tribute to Michael Jackson. However, there were a few personal tributes worked into the red carpet wardrobe. I am really surprised that more people didn’t do the same, but the ones that did looked awesome. 

Estelle with her one white glove. 

Soulja Boy with his ‘Thriller’ jacket.

Carmelo Anthony in an MJ tee. 

Cassie with her one black glove. 

And last but not least, Three 6 Mafia with the one glove. 

Michael Jackson’s fans will get an opportunity to pay their respects to pop’s icon when his body makes it’s journey back to his Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County.

(Via MTV.com)

According to CNN, Jackson’s body will be returned Thursday — via a 30-car motorcade — to the amusement park/zoo/mansion that was his home for nearly two decades.

The public viewing at Neverland will likely be an emotional event for Jackson’s many fans in the U.S. and across the globe, as the secluded 2,500-acre property was off-limits to all but Jackson’s intimates during the time he lived there from 1988 to 2005.

Ownership of the ranch, renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch, was transferred to a company called Colony Capital in 2008 in a deal that allowed Jackson to hold onto the property when Colony agreed to buy the $23.5 million mortgage, according to TMZ.

A spokesperson for Jackson also told CNN that private memorial services for the singer will be held on Sunday, though the question of where Jackson will be buried remains unresolved. On Monday, Jackson’s father, Joseph, refuted rumors that his son would be buried at Neverland and said that it was too early to talk about funeral plans because the family was still awaiting the results of a second autopsy.

Though Jackson spent much of his adult life living in the Los Angeles area, the mayor of his hometown of Gary, Indiana has asked the family to consider burying the singer there. “I believe that his body will lie in state in Gary, Indiana,” Clay said Tuesday. “Now, it may not happen, but I believe it will.” That memorial service is slated to take place on July 10 at the city’s U.S. Steel Works ballpark and Clay promised that it would be a memorial “fit for the prince of peace and a memorial that’s fit for Gary, Indiana’s favorite son, the greatest entertainer that ever lived.”

Jeff Goldblum goes on the Colbert Report to prove that he is indeed still alive despite rumors that he had died.

Check out the hilarity below:

Once again Lady Gaga has outdone everyone. Wether you like it or not you have to give the girl props for creativity! She is, to say the least, an amazing Artist. 

The Kardashian’s were out parting full force Friday night to celebrate Khloe’s 25th Birthday.

Who was at this reality star’s Las Vegas birthday party!!! Kourt, Kim, Reggie, Malika, Khadijah, Bobby, Rob, mom, Jonathan, Simon, Monica, Clyde, Chanti, LaLa and Brittny, just to name a few.

According to Khloe, family and friends ate at Spago and than headed over to Pure Night Club were the birthday girl hosted her bash.

A fan made Khloe her very own birthday pimp chalice and she drank out of only it that whole night. She says it’s “One of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten :)”

Check out Khloe Kardashian’s website for more details and exclusive photos.

Beth Ditto, the lead singer of The Gossip, is getting ready to release a line with Evans. In case you don’t know Evans is a UK plus-size brand with sizes between 14-32. ”It’s been a dream,” Ditto recently said of her new designing venture. Ditto has been making her clothes out of hand-me-downs, pieces of fabric or re-working vintage pieces for years. The line should be nothing but exciting and the prices are said to be very affordable. She is the real thing, she is no Lauren Conrad thats for sure. With Ditto’s own personal style in mind she is sure to spice up the plus size industry, to say the least… No more boring, oversized, ugly, typical fat girl clothes! Woo! 

Here is a sneak peek! I already love it! 

Diane Lane was spotted at a 5 pm pilates class yesterday in Westwood at Yogaworks.  Our spotter said she looked “beautiful and thin, great for her age, and stayed pretty under the radar in the class.”

Today our spotter was at Peet’s Coffee on San Vicente Blvd, and Chad Lowe, also known as the brother of Rob Lowe and the ex-husband of Hilary Swank, walked in to get an iced coffee, gave our spotter a big ol’ grin as she was typing on her computer, and then left.  She said he seemed very open and nice.

Kanye has a NEW stage, Literally. You know that saying, “A picture says 1000 words.” Well, this is one of them, need I really say more. If this stage doesn’t SCREAM Kanye, I don’t know what does. 

His European tour starts Thursday! Here is the MockUp of the Gaga-tastic stage.

And here is the real thing. Wow. Im pretty sure this stage is the only think bigger then his ego.