I've been calling this onefor months, and Bravo has finally proven me right. On Friday, March 23rd, 2012 Bravo representatives came to the Zenith
Media New York office to present the network’s 2012-2013 Upfront
programming tagged “Powered by Bravo”. Bravo presented new and returning shows in the Food, Fashion, Beauty,
Design and Pop Culture genres.
In that presentation was this blurb:
POP CULTURE
Returning series include: Most Eligible Dallas, The Real Housewives Franchise (New York City, Atlanta, Orange County, Miami, Beverly Hills and New Jersey), Watch What Happens Live, The Millionaire Matchmaker, Bethenny Ever After, Inside The Actors Studio, Shahs of Sunset, Don’t Be Tardy For The Wedding, The Kandi Factory and The Kathy Griffin Comedy specials
We now have official confirmation from Bravo that the show is returning... but the million dollar question now is, returning with who? It's a sure fire bet that Matt and Courtney will be coming back. I would be SHOCKED if Glenn and Neill returned. And that leaves wildcard players Drew and Tara.
What I know for sure, is that we will see some new faces. I can't wait to find out who those new faces belong to!!! Who do you want to see return?
To read the entire press release from Bravo about new and returning shows, click here.
A little birdie told me today that select cast members from Most Eligible Dallas have been asked to attend an "Upfront" for Bravo.
"What the heck does that mean?" you are asking. Yeah, I had to ask myself. An Upfront is when a network pitches shows to potential advertisers. They bring in cast from the shows to razzle dazzle and schmooze the buyers and get them to loosen up their pocketbooks.
So, one has to assume that while no formal announcements have been made, that a Season Two is practically in the bag or they wouldn't be pitching the show to advertisers as part of their Fall line-up. Just sayin'.
Now, exactly WHO is coming back and what NEW faces will be added? Well, that remains to be seen.
Rumors have been swirling for weeks about Most Eligible Dallas. Is Bravo TV going to renew the show or aren't they? Will all of the original cast be coming back or will we see some new faces?
What I do know for sure, is that upon wrapping Dallas, the crew hit the road and is currently filming in New York City. They are then scheduled to go to Chicago and are currently casting for West Palm's. That leaves the question, IF they are coming back to Dallas, then WHEN? And if too much time passes, does MED Dallas lose whatever audience they had? As Heidi Klum is fond of saying, "One day you are in... and the next day you are OUT." If more than a year goes by in-between seasons, does the Dallas cast remain relevant to a national audience?
For the record, I didn't even bother to reach out to Bravo or Pink Sneakers Productions about the possibility of a second season, because they wouldn't tell me anyway.
One of the rumors I am hearing (from multiple sources) is that they are only bringing back THREE of the original cast and that in a Season Two we will see some new faces. IF this turns out to be true, my best guess is that they will keep Matt and Courtney ("Le duh!" as Court would say) and Glenn and Neill will be out.
That leaves Drew and Tara, which presents quite the conundrum, because they are so different and each has their own audience. Drew is the token gay on the show (bringing in much needed diversity to this cast) but Tara is a hot blonde who saves cute puppies. Hmmm. This is a total toss up and could go either way.
Dallas Cast with Bravo TV's Andy Cohen
A source tells me that Pink Sneakers has been reaching out to new "Eligibles" about possibly joining an upcoming season. Although one of the "Eligibles" I spoke to said, "I have been contacted by the production company, but they haven't confirmed that it's MED they are looking to cast. They are being vague about what show they are casting for, saying it could be MED or it could be a new show."
MED star, Matt Nordgren, tells me, "Honestly, we have heard nothing. They are going through a testing phase and will know more mid-Jan. Until then everything you hear is rumors and nothing more. The follow up with new people is part of the wrap up from a 1st season show. It doesn't have anything to do with season 2 just yet."
Okay, that makes no sense to me. What do "new people" have to do with a "wrap up" from Season One?
More steamy hot tub action, please!
Courtney Kerr scoffed, "You're asking me about a rumor?! C'mon?!?! You know this city is full of those! Obviously, this cast is very dear to me, and because we all went through season one together, if and when there is a season 2, I would like to share this experience with those close friends again. But if there are any casting changes, I am unaware of it. This gossip is D.O.A. to me until we sign a contract for another season."
Right... you and Neill are such "dear" friends. I'm sure Court will be all broken up if Neill doesn't return.
Drew Ginsburg
I spoke to Drew Ginsburg by telephone and he is towing the party line with Matt and Courtney, saying he has not been engaged in any serious conversations about a Season Two but is hopeful that it happens.
I, for one, am keeping my fingers crossed for another season. Aren't you dying to know what happened with Matt & Courtney after that steamy hot tub make-out session! And did Tara find true love after dumping her two-timing boyfriend? And what about all of those cute puppies?! And what happened with Drew and Cody!? Is Drew's heart broken for good?!
Even though I already know... America needs to know!!
I'll keep you posted on any new developments as they roll in... If you have scoop, leave a comment below or email me if you'd prefer to remain anonymous.
Happy Halloween everyone! The bad news is that Halloween is on a Monday. The good news is that Dallas just started celebrating last Thursday, so there have been 5 long days and 5 crazy nights of parties and events. Still wondering what to dress up as tomorrow for that one last Halloween event? Here are a few ideas from a some of Dallas' famous faces:
Style Network Star, Melissa Poe (far right) from Big Rich Texas joined Brownie Troop 69 for an evening of Halloween fun at the Aloft Hotel (seen here with Denise Walraed and Don Jarred)
Drew Ginsberg from Most Eligible Dallastook to the streets dressed as fellow reality Bravo reality star, Lisa Vanderpump from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, complete with her pet Pomeranian Jiggy, for the Cedar Springs Halloween Parade.
America's Sassiest Lifestyle Guru, Steve Kemble, was looking to lasso up some man candy when he ran into Model/Actress LeeAnne Locken dressed as an Oriental Princess.
DJ Jennifer Miller and gal pal Bri Crum stepped out as DJ Samantha Ronson and Lindsay Lohan.
Fox 4's Fiona Gorostiza got to spend an evening working at Cutting Edge Haunted House for a segment. Can you figure out which one she is?! Check out here amazing makeup!
Gilt City Dallas and Bravo offered fans inside access to the "Most Eligible: Dallas" premiere with a debut screening at the Highland Park Village theater. For $30, Gilt City Dallas members got the chance to rub shoulders and watch the premiere episode of the show with the cast and afterwards mix and mingle at an after party at the Marquee Lounge.
Drew Ginsburg, Tara Harper, Courtney Kerr, Matt Nordgren and Neill Skylar
This evening was the culmination of the last 6 months of blogging for me. In the first episode, there's a clip where CourtneyKerr says, "I'm a slave to fashion" and it shows them at a fashion show. That was the August Alexander Spring 2011 fashion show and that was the first night I first stumbled onto this crazy cast of characters. It's been a wild ride ever since.
Courtney sent me a text on Monday morning, "I feel like it's my wedding day!" I understood how she felt... I kind of felt like a bridesmaid!
WFAA's Daybreak had asked me to cover this event for them, so not only did I get to attend the party, but this was my first time to actually be the reporter and interview people on camera. No pressure or anything! I will be on Daybreak this Friday to talk about this event and the show with Ron Corning, in case you are up and 6:30 or want to set your DVR!
Cynthia interviewing Courtney Kerr and Matt Nordgren for WFAA's Daybreak
Other Dallas stylistas who turned out for this par-tay were Cathy Vieth, Gregg Asher (he's the one who helped Tara feed Shaniqua off the Wedgewood china), Lisa Petty, Maxine Trowbridge from PinkMemo and an unexpected appearance from Pamela Martin Duarte of Big Rich Texas!
After a brief red carpet walk and a quick glass of champagne, everyone was gathered in the theater where episode one was shown live. There was lots of hooting and hollering when locals like Pamela Chao, Tori Gonzales and Gregg Asher came on-screen. It's always fun to play "I Spy" and see who you can spot in the background. That's why it's so fun to have these shows filmed here!
Here's what Drew Ginsburg thinks about my blogging about him. Just kidding! He loves me.
So, what you saw in episode one was a basic introduction to the cast and a hint of what you will see this season:
Glenn will be shirtless a lot
Lots of sexual tension between Matt and Courtney - will they or won't they hook up? We'll have to "watch what happens"
Tara will save lots of cute dogs
Drew will be battling Courtney for the funniest one-liners
Neill will be trying to find a balance between being a 23 year-old single Mom and a rock star wannabe
After the show, guests gathered next door at Tre Wilcox's (another Bravo star) Marquee Grill for cocktails and conversation. Courtney and I had a great time scrolling through the Tweets that were pouring in. One hater said, "I just joined Twitter so I could say that @TheCourtneyKerr is a bitch!". Courtney tweeted back, "Awesome! Welcome to Twitter!" By the end of the night, her twitter followers had more than doubled. Obviously, not everyone's a hater!
I finally got to meet the elusive Neill Skylar! If you want to see Neill perform with her band, Kitty LaLa, they will be at Boiler Room on August 26 and again on September 16. Check them out. Matt and I had a great heart-to-heart about girls you date vs. girls you marry. I can see why the ladies love Matt.. he's a charmer! And I got to meet the woman (Kat Reilly) who knows all of Drew Ginsburg's secrets. Kat was thiiiiiiiiiis close to joining the cast but decided against it, leaving the door open for Neill. Sadly, the ripped Glenn Pakulak was in Napa attending training camp for the Oakland Raiders, for whom he is a punter. The ladies were mightily disappointed...
It was an amazing night! So amazing, that it took me all day yesterday to recover. Hence the delay in publishing this post. Yeah. Tune in every Monday for Most Eligible Dallas on Bravo. It's gonna be a fun adventure!!
photo credit: Bruno (except for the 2 shots of Drew and I with my watermark on them)
Set your DVR's!! Bravo's new show Most Eligible Dallas will air Monday, August 15. Here's how you can Tweet, Follow, Fan, Like, interact or just follow along to learn more about the new "stars" of this new docu-drama:
Want to go behind-the-scenes and learn more about this cast of characters? Click here to read previous posts from the last 6 months, to see how I got up close and personal with this cast of lovelies and what I learned.
The count down is on for the launch of Bravo TV's newest franchise docu-drama, Most Eligible Dallas.
My DVR is set to "Record Series" and I have my all access VIP pass to the premiere Cast Party where I will be getting up close and personal with Tara Harper, Courtney Kerr, Drew Ginsburg, Glenn Pakulak, Matt Nordgren and maybe even the elusive Neill Skylar.
Can't wait till August 15th?! Me neither! So, here's a little sneak peek of what you can expect to see this season:
As I mentioned earlier today, our city's "most eligible" singles are all en route to Los Angeles to spend a week doing their best dog and pony show for the media to promote the debut of Bravo's newest franchise docu-drama, Most Eligible Dallas.
Cast member, Neill Skylar, shared this pic on Facebook of tomorrow's BBQ (of course) where Mr. Bravo himself, Andy Cohen, will introduce the group to select media. I guess my invite got misplaced... Oh well. I will just have to live vicariously though reports from the cast!
The one bit of bad news in this scenario is that cast member and NFL hunk, Glenn Pakulak, is having to miss out on all of the fun. But, then again, this is kind of good news. Why? Because the NFL lockout is over and Glenn has a job this season! He is in Napa training with his team, the Oakland Raiders.
Napa... really?! Life is really tough for some. Have fun, kids!
An interesting thing happened today. Just for grins, I clicked on the STATS tab on my blog's dashboard. I was shocked to see that my post published March 25, 2011 titled "Who is Glenn Pakulak?" is now my most viewed post with 8,324 page views.
Originally, this post was titled "Who is Glenn Pickwick?". You'll have to read the post to get in on the joke. Which will give this post even more hits...
For those of you who don't immediately recognize this cutie-patootie, Glenn Pakulak is a punter for the Oakland Raiders. He's been enjoying the distractions in Dallas while waiting to see if the NFL lockout will be lifted by filming Bravo's upcoming docu-drama, Most Eligible Dallas.
With rock-hard abs and a picture perfect smile, Glenn also does some fitness modeling on the side and is in the process of designing his own fashion line.
So, what are my other most viewed post? See for yourself!
Interesting, but not shocking, that 7 out of the top 10 posts are about reality TV. Here's what Glenn had to say about this accolade:
Of all of the shows that have been filming in and around Dallas lately, the most anticipated is Bravo's upcoming Most Eligible: Dallas. Airing August 15at 9:00 PM, Bravo says of the show's theme, "Some are looking for true love while others have perfected the art of the one-night stand, and somehow their love lives have all crossed paths at one time or another. Dallas serves as the sexy backdrop for this jaw-dropping docu-series that follows a group of young, hot singles is living it up like only Texas socialites can."
Bravo now says the show will feature three men and three women — I find this veryinteresting because they filmed five guys and three girls. So, what happened?! I can only assume that once they started filming some of the cast just weren't giving them "good TV" and were demoted to secondary cast members - meaning that you will see them flit in and out of various scenes, but they won't be main characters. Think Real Housewives of New Jersey and Kim G. 'Nuf said.
I'm still confused about Neill Skylar's role on the show. She's listed on Bravo's website as a "Cast" member, but she is not individually featured on the promo video and sources inside the cast tell me she's a "secondary" character... so we'll have to wait and see how big of a role she really ends up playing.
I have done several posts about the show and have gotten to know many on the cast personally over the last several months. You may have seen the promo pieces Bravo is airing, but let me share with you a little bit of insight about who these "eligible's" really are:
Tara
Tara Harper says her three best attributes are “blonde hair, blue eyes, big boobs.” Out of all of the cast members I have met, Tara's probably the person I find the most genuine and personable.
She's a SMU graduate and the President of Paws In The City, whose mission is to save as many dogs and cats as possible from being euthanized at the City of Dallas shelter. Anybody who is an animal lover is just good people in my book. You can follow Tara on Twitter or become a Fan of her Facebook Fan Page!
Glenn & Matt
The dreamy heart throb of this show is going to be NFL punter Glenn Pakulak of the Oakland Raiders. At first glance I though he was going to be a douchebag, but I am told that honor will be going to Matt. Turns out Glenn is a real sweetheart. Catch him while you can girls!! He's a Mid-Western boy from Michigan who drives a caddy that's been in his family forever. Sentimental. I like that. He just joined Twitter, so follow him there.
Matt Nordgren had over 21 NCAA scholarship offers before deciding to attend The University of Texas. Matt was the first person in NCAA University of Texas Football history to graduate with two degrees in 3 ½ years. He now works in the family business and has called himself the “total package”.
Courtney Kerr is an “aspiring comedienne” and “sunglass connoisseur,” according to her Twitter page. Maybe that's because she works at Sunglass Hut. Yep, that's what I said. She describes herself as “loud and obnoxious”. I describe her as stunningly beautiful with a great sense of style.
She partnered with "one of her best friends" Amber Venz to style her for the show, so if you love what she's wearing this season, check out Amber's work here.
Drew
You know how they say "Every girl needs a gay"? Drew Ginsburg is the kind of gay every girl needs. He hilarious with a super-sharp tongue, was nicknamed "Drewcifer" (as in the Devil) in college and likes to think of himself as “not your typical gay”. Whatever that means. He has a baby-faced innocence about him, but he is far from innocent! Whoo hoo!
He loves exotic sports cars. Not coincidentally his dad owns Boardwalk Auto Group. Drew likes to Tweet so follow him on Twitter for witty banter and "like" his new Facebook Fan Page.
Neill
After moving away at the young age of 18 to support herself as a musician and actress in Los Angeles and New York City, Neill Skylar has returned to her hometown. The aspiring singer is working hard to launch her music career and gain recognition for her new band. She lives with her 1-year old son and believes that one can still have fun and be a hot mama.
Neill is trying to find her place in Dallas with the help of long-time friend, Matt Nordgren. Though Neill and Matt both say they aren't looking for something serious, the two can't deny their chemistry.
This past Saturday evening Dallas' most stylish (and outlandish) gathered at the Hilton Anatole in support of the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA). The organizers of this year's event decided that it was time to shake things up, so the theme for this year's soiree was "Dramatically Different".
To see photos of all the fabulous outfits and great people-watching that took place,
Why change a format that's worked for 20 years? Well, for one thing, the "I" in DIFFA represents a plural word: Industries. It’s not just about clothes. In years past, the event primarily revolved around a fashion show of denim jackets elaborately redesigned by local and national designers. This year, guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner with live auction. Instead of ending there, the party transitioned into an over the top event with VIP Designer Salons, dessert stations, dancing, fashion presentation, stage productions and constant discoveries expressing and celebrating design.
(left) Shirin Askari, DIFFA Style Council Member Bri Crum, Alison Volk and DIFFA Style Council Member Leigh Bailey (top right) Tara Harper and Courtney Kerr (bottom right) Cheryl Wyly and Monica Greene
Another big change was the show's Creative Director who orchestrates the vision of the entire night. From 2001 to 2009, Rhonda Sargent Chambers executed this massive undertaking, along with Brian Brothers of Planet Productions. Brothers was still on the scene, but this year's new Co-Creative Director, Jan Strimple, took over and said of her plan for this year's event, "I have a lot of fun with what I call a 'take no prisoners attitude' towards designing the fashion components: kill them with glamour, seduce them with beauty, rock it out with the unexpected and leave 'em begging for more!"
(top left) Steve Kemble and Yvonne Crum (top right) (top left) Khanh Nguyen, DIFFA Style Council Member Lexi Hammonds, Ana Pettus and Nini Nguyen (bottom left) Scot and Gina Ginsburg (bottom right) Glenn Pakulak and Matt Nordgren
Here are a few video highlights of the after-party extravaganza:
Daylon Pereira from the upcoming Bravo TV show "Most Eligible: Dallas" strutted the runway and was cheered on by his cast who were there to support him and fellow cast mate, Drew Ginsburg, who was named to the 2011 DIFFA Style Council.
One of the many entertainment segments featured a Michael Jackson look-a-like dancer who's torso was body-painted in elaborate style.
DIFFA's mission is to raise money and grant those funds to organizations which fight HIV/AIDS by providing preventative education programs targeted to populations at risk of infection, treatment and direct care services for people living with/impacted by HIV/AIDS and that support public policy initiatives which add resources to private sector funds.
I swear I do not stalk the cast of Bravo TV's upcoming reality docu-drama, "Most Eligible: Dallas". I just seem to run into them. They are everywhere!
Last night at DIFFA I was standing by the stage, filming bits from the fashion show. I got bumped from behind, so I turned around to see who almost knocked me over and it was one of the camera guys filming the whole Most Eligible crew. They were there to support cast mate Drew Ginsberg who was being honored as a DIFFA Style Council Member for 2011.
Glenn Pakulak with cast mate, Matt Nordgren at DIFFA 2011
Since the whole cast was right there, I stuck up conversations with several cast mates and finally made my way around to Glenn. Ladies, let me just tell you... I don't know how Glenn is still single because he is H-O-T. Granted, he's a NFL Player, so he's totally buff, but he is also super handsome and charming. This picture doesn't even do him justice. And from what I hear, he is also a real sweetheart.
And I'm not just saying this because Glenn asked me on more than one occasion to "be nice to them on my blog".
I have one word for Glenn and it is "Meeeeeeeeeeow."
Drama alert! It was just days ago that Bravo announced a new "jaw-dropping" reality docu-series called "Most Eligible: Dallas" to their new Fall line-up and already I hear there is already a major cast change underway.
Usually, you would jump to conclusions that the drama must be among the women... but, oh no! It's the men on this show that are stirring the pot. Rumor has it that one male cast member is being demoted from primary cast member to secondary status, meaning he will make appearances as a "friend of the cast" but will not be credited as a cast member.
"Most Eligible: Dallas" male cast members:
(Top) Landon Ledford and Glenn Pakulak
(Bottom) Matt Nordgren, Drew Ginsburg and Daylon Periera
Was it bad behavior that got our boy demoted or did Bravo realize one of their picks just wasn't that interesting once they started filming? Surely it wasn't bad behavior, that that usually gets you more camera time! My source was hesitant to say, so I guess we will have to figure it out for ourselves once the episodes hit the air. Or until I get a few more cocktails in him/her for more details.
Today, Bravo announced its most ambitious programming slate in its history with 11 new series pickups and five returning shows for its 2011-12 schedule. Among them was "Most Eligible Dallas".
Bravo describes the show thusly:
They're young, they're hot, they're single – they're Dallas' Most Eligible. From beauty queens to pro-football players, this group of Texas socialites puts NY and LA nightlife to shame. It's true what they say, everything's bigger in Texas – including the drama especially when it comes to dating. Some are looking for true love while others have perfected the art of the one-night stand, and somehow their love lives have all crossed paths at one time or another. Dallas serves as the sexy backdrop for this jaw-dropping docu-series that follows a group of successful friends living it up like only Texas socialites can.
Landon Ledford, Nell Skylar (who I'm told is not a primary cast member), Glenn Pakulak, Courtney Kerr, Daylon Periera and Tara Harper. Drew Ginsburg and Matt Nordgren are in the cast but not pictured.
A "jaw-dropping docu-series". Huh. That's a tall order. And although they haven't announced the cast... well, I already gave you all that scoop ages ago!
They have been filming all over town. Bread Winners, fashion shows, charity galas, the Grapevine Bar... even if the show stinks it will be fun to recognize all of the places they deem as "hot spots" around town. Like I've said before, it's a train wreck in the making and I can't wait to watch.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that the new lineup will include many faces familiar to Bravo viewers including Jeff Lewis (Flipping Out), Brad Goreski (Rachel Zoe’s former assistant) and Chris March (Project Runway) as well as a New York version of Million Dollar Listing. The network has also ordered second seasons of Top Chef Just Desserts, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills; a third season of Bethenny Ever After and fourth seasons of The Real Housewives of Atlanta -- the net’s top-rated Housewives franchise which I find CRAZY -- and Tabatha’s Salon Takeover.
Last week, I attended a fashion show for Dallas designer, Courtney Russell. You couldn't help but notice the film crew that was following this one guy around.
They say 'curiosity killed the cat' but you know me, I laugh in the face of death! Ha ha! So, I went up to the production staff to find out more, but they were pretty tight lipped. What I got out of them was that they were with BRAVO, the guy's name was Glen Pickwick (at least I thought that's what the girl said) and they were filming a show called Most Eligible.
Hmmmmm.
So, I posed the question to you - the readers - and asked, "Who the heck is Glen Pickwick?" My in-box started filling up faster than Neimans at a half-off shoe sale with readers wanting to tell me what they knew about the cast and show.
Meet (some of) the cast of BRAVO TV's upcoming dating reality show
Most Eligible Dallas
Landon Ledford, Nell Skylar (who I'm told is not a primary cast member), Glenn Pakulak, Courtney Kerr, Daylon Periera and Tara Harper. Drew Ginsburg and Matt Nordgren are in the cast but not pictured.
First off, let me correct myself. The guy in question isn't named Glen Pickwick. He's actually Glenn Pakulak, who is currently signed with the Oakland Raiders. What he's doing in Dallas, I'm not sure. And is it me or does Courtney Kerr look just like Trista Sutter from The Bachelor.
I'm just sayin'...
So, what's the concept of the show? Think Friends but instead of hanging out at a coffee shop, they are prowling nightclubs and charity events. A friend of one of the cast members emailed me to say that, "They have been filming since the Superbowl and will film through mid-June." Word has it that the show will air sometime over the Summer.
