G’day Yakksters! We come to another week of our Reality Roundup where we take a quick look at what’s to come this week in Reality TV. What should you watch? What might you want to avoid? Any competition/game twists coming this week? Welcome to your overview on Reality TV … As always, if there’s a show you want covered, let us know in the comments below and we’ll accommodate!

The Sing-Off, Monday at 8pm EST on NBC

Tonight, we meet the next 8 groups left to compete. The groups will be split into 2 brackets of 4, just as last week. Unfortunately, we will lose 2 groups tonight. Who do you think they will be? The teams will perform their choice of song, hoping to wow the judges. We’ll be watching the show on our site, so make sure you join us!

Dancing With The Stars, Monday at 8pm EST on ABC

The competition continues a week after the elimination of basketball star, Ron Artest. Looks like he’s out two jobs this fall. This week, the contestants will perform either the Jive or the Quickstep. Another elimination will occur on Tuesday during the Results Show featuring performances by Demi Lovato and The Script.

The Biggest Loser, Tuesday at 8pm EST on NBC

The weight loss madness continues this Tuesday as the contestants are presented with their first temptation of the season … donuts … and limited time in the gym. How will they cope? Another contestant is eliminated from the competition.

Survivor: South Pacific, Wednesday at 8pm EST on CBS

This week on Survivor, Brandon continues to spiral down with his confrontation from last Tribal Council. Ozzy also struggles with a competition and senses possible distrust within his own tribe. Below, catch an exclusive preview at the next big Survivor challenge sure to rattle the houseguests!

The Amazing Race, Sunday at 8pm EST on CBS

Next week not only finds Bill and Cathi having to race against the clock after being saved during the non-elimination leg, but this week also brings about an Amazing Race first – a DOUBLE elimination leg. Which two teams will be sent packing? Who will win the leg and how will the Express Pass come into play?

Honorable Mention:

The X-Factor

The auditions continue in New York and New Jersey, as the contestants have one last chance to impress the judges.

America’s Next Top Model

Fresh from their makeovers, the all-star competition continues. Who will make it to the top this week and who will be sent home?

We’re just hours away from some of the most anticipated premieres of the Fall season and the inclusion of The Sing-Off to the primetime schedule this early into the season has many fans excited. Not only has the show added more talent to the stage, but the show has brought artist Sara Bareilles as the latest judge to join Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman on the panel. Last week, the Yak had the opportunity to participate in a conference call with Bareilles and Folds and we picked up their thoughts on the upcoming season, as well as with each other and fellow judge Stockman. Read on below for all the details and don’t forget to watch the premiere of The Sing-Off TONIGHT on NBC at 8/7c! We even got wind of who Ben credits the musical era of Reality TV to!

Meet the A Capella Groups here!
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On What Turned Them On To The Show’s Premise
Joining the show was an easy decision for Sara. With an a capella background and having performed on the season 2 finale, Sara admits that “It was a no-brainer for me. It’s a special show with lots of heart.” The decision wasn’t so easy for Ben. He initially told his management no because he didn’t know much about the show. What convinced him was that the show was a capella in nature and that was unique and could be very musical.

On Their Thoughts on Pentatonix
Both Sara and Ben are excited to see what they and the other groups bring to the competition. This is especially unique in that 3 are from Dallas area and 2 connected with the group members via internet.

On Connecting With The Judges
“As much as you can when working with a couple of a**holes {laughs}. I can’t say enough good things about Ben and Shawn. They made it really comfortable to join up with them in the panel. There was natural chemistry that started from Day 1.” Sara has known Ben for a while now and has no qualms on talking to either of them regarding what they’re seeing. She believes that conflict between judges takes away from what the show should be about. “It’s been nice to have solidarity behind the panel and focus on the music.”

On The Show’s Success
Ben attributes the show’s success to the amount of talent. “The singers are really talented and dedicated.” Ben thinks it makes people feel good about people working well together. “You can watch TV and see people not getting together well. The show doesn’t have to be artfully put together. As soon as they walk on stage and sing together, it’s not just a lot of work, it’s really a lot of art and craft. It counters to what we’re told about our culture now – that everything is dumbed down, all reality shows, etc. I like to see some a** kicking myself, but to see the harmony this show provides for a couple hours is cool.”

On Comparing The Different Kinds of Diverse Groups This Season

Ben claims that there is more of a range this year. He says you must take personal preference aside and hone in on what the groups are attempting to do and how effective it is. “I don’t like all records, but a record is a record. You try not to make it personal, but make it about how they’re working together and how effective it might be for their audience.” On the other hand, Sara has nothing to compare it to. She knows it helps to keep in back of her mind that this is a competition for who can make a great record and connect with a mass audience. She looks forward to the complexity of what they’re capable of.

Thoughts on the Fannin Family

The Fannin’s are this season’s all-family group, so they are unique in that sense alone. Even more, the youngest contestant on the show is one of the lead singers from this group. “She sings good, shows a lot of potential and heart,” Sara claims. The judges go on to agree that there is something really sweet and innocent about seeing a family sing together and doesn’t come across as hokey.

On Groups Biggest Challenge When Searching For a Piece to Perform

Ben thinks this is different for every group. “The story behind it is interesting. For example, you have an all female group – no bass. They have to find ways to make it work, they’re off the beaten path. Sometimes you keep them [groups]. They may not have done their best show, but we may see something that will develop and surprise us. It’s in how they surmount their weaknesses.”

On What Makes This Season Different

“This is the ‘Season of Innovation.’ As it evolves, everyone will see the innovation to be second nature. Everyone will look for heart; it marks this season. We have a lot of stand out groups this season.”

Sara: On Joining As a Judge

“Last finale, I was such a nerd – giddy and excited to be on the show. I had to put on my facades and be totally cool about it. On a lot of levels, I’m still geeking out and love that it highlights genre of music. I have the best seat in the house. I’m getting to impart my experience and wisdom on them and I’m learning a lot as well.”

On Preparing For The Show

“Before the show, we have our sit-down and listen to the songs that the groups will sing. We don’t listen to their version; we listen to the original. We know who will be singing what. We all probably take mental notes about what we expect and that provides a framework. If the group comes and surprises you, you had what you expected and what they did, and it gives a range of what to do [in terms of elimination] and what the group has changed from the week before.

On Giving People Second Chances

This season there are groups made up of superstars from previous seasons. “We actually encourage it,” Ben states. “It’s about groups working together. The show has become a hub of talent. One fellow on the Dartmouth Aires never contemplated being a musician.” Well, look at him now…

On What An A Capella Singer Is About

As the one with experience, Sara had a lot to say about this question. “There is nothing to hide behind. I wouldn’t answer that I’m always looking at the purity of the music. Connection with the audience can transcend minor technical issues. It’s about being moved by an expression of art. It’s all voices and sometimes your jaw is on the floor with the amazing talents of these people on stage. I can’t imagine how they’re making the sounds they do make. I look for depth, diversity and range on stage. Looking for technical skill and the ease.” Ben echoed Sara’s sentiments.

Ben’s Thoughts on Similar Reality and Primetime Shows
Ben has never seen Glee and has only seen 5 minutes of American Idol, just to see what Simon Cowell was all about. “Simon will be remembered as how music industry is integrated into the pop culture. He’s got a whole chapter. This world he created is not really what we do. We live in the form – he partially invented. We’re really very different because the show itself is about harmony.” He does plan on watching Glee sometime.

On A Ben Folds/Sara Bareilles Collaboration
Without hesitation, Ben stats, “Let’s do it.” Ben is actually producing an EP in November for Sara. The plans have been in place to go to Nashville and collaborate on a song. The plans were in place before Sara even joined The Sing-Off.

On How Being In a Group Prepared Sara
“This show gives me nostalgia for a time in my life that I’m proud about. I’m one of the more emotional ones. I get sucked into the story, into their [the group's] journey and it’s part of the fact that I’ve been in their shoes. I do feel very connected. I felt like I wanted to jump on stage and be a part of the all-girl group.” As for Ben, “one of the main reasons I got into this show was high school music programs. Sometimes they are one of the first cut [with budget revisions]. I did an a capella record with a University group and money went to music education charities. One of the great things about the show is despite the cut of music in school, you’re seeing an increased number of kids getting together on their own dime with no class credit at universities. It’s becoming a social event. They’re having to learn harmony and voice leading and they have various levels of education.”

On The Changed Dynamics with 16 Groups
Adding more groups to the mix makes it hard for everyone. Ben admits it is “more than a challenge even from our point of view. Competition is heavier because there is more talent. You have to hone your ear in more. Finding creative ways to take 16 groups and have them all sing together in one opening number is pretty amazing stuff. It’s nothing but better, it’s just more difficult.”

There you have it. Remember, the premiere is tonight, so you don’t want to miss it! The talent promises to be unbelievable! Thanks to Sara and Ben for their time!

It’s official. The Fall TV season is upon us, and our second reality roundup has hit the presses. Ok, well at least has been published for your enjoyment. As promised, we’ll be taking a look at what reality TV has to offer this week, including a number of premieres and exciting moments. As always, if there is a show that we don’t end up covering in our reality round-up that you’d like to see in the future, leave a shout out below or in our forums! Without further adieu, grab the nearest microphone, fix that dessert you’ve been making, cancel the plane tickets to a South Pacific island, and join us as we samba through this week’s reality TV offerings.

The Sing-Off, Premieres Monday at 8pm EST on NBC

This Fall, we get a taste of raw music and I’m talking music without the support of the band. Why? Well, the talented artists fill the production with their voices and their voices alone. A capella takes center stage each week at renowned groups from around the country try to impress judges Sara Bareilles, Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman (of Boyz II Men). Hosted by Nick Lachey, this staple around the holidays has moved to the big stage this year and rightfully so. So sit back, enjoy the voices and this is one reality “stunt” you can try at home…you just might not be as good. Catch a sneak peek at a collaborative performance from the upcoming season and join our forums as we discuss the season! Each week, we’ll be chatting with the eliminated group, so you’ll want to be sure to watch with us, ask questions and get some answers!

Dancing With The Stars, Premieres Monday at 8pm EST on ABC

With an all-new cast revealed, ABC hopes to wow America with another installment of DWTS. Polarizing personalities are sure to arise as the pressure builds on the ballroom floor. With the judges remaining the same (one of the few reality shows who have stuck to the original, I might add), the show has to rely on their contestants to bring out the drama and the fun all at once. Check out the dancing pairs here and let us know who you’ll be rooting for the most. We discuss each and every show in our forums, so if you want somewhere to root for, bash, cheer on and just enjoy the season, we’ve got you covered! Who will be eliminated first? The Results show will air on Tuesday at 9pm EST.

The Biggest Loser, Premieres Tuesday at 8pm EST on NBC

A whole new crop of everyday Americans look for a life transformation on this inspiring show from NBC. Meet the cast of the Biggest Loser right HERE and you’ll notice that the crew come from every walk of life and struggle with weight in their own special way. As the trainers of old and Anna Kournikova work hard to help each American reach their goal of weight loss, America will cheer on with each and every one. The highs and lows won’t be any different from seasons past, so except some to reach their breaking point while some look to special moments in their life for motivation. Each week, we’ll be chatting with the eliminated contestant, so you’ll want to be sure to watch with us, ask questions and get some answers!

Survivor: South Pacific, Wednesday at 8pm EST on CBS

On this week’s Survivor, one of the castaways reels from his near elimination experience and tries to build himself back up at camp. Will he be successful or will he let his “redemption” get the best of him? And did we really think Russel Hantz’s nephew would keep his secret that long? Well, if you did, joke’s on you. He just might be sharing his deep secret with someone this week. Who? Well, you’ll have to watch to find that out. This week, we won’t be seeing our first Redemption Island challenge, but I’m sure we’ll get a look to see how life is spent in even more seclusion. Don’t miss it and don’t forget to chat with us during the show!

The X-Factor, Wednesday & Thursday 2-night premiere at 8pm EST on Fox

For anyone who thought Simon Cowell wouldn’t leave American Idol for something bigger and better, well…you were wrong. Not only does this show boast to be a bigger platform to launch a singing competition, the prize to place in the winner’s back pocket is much larger than American reality TV has seen. Did you forget about the $5,000,000 grand prize recording contract? Well, I’ll remind you. Simon is joined by producer L.A. Reid, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger (who left post at The Sing-Off) and miss Paula Abdul. Whether you’re 12 or 62, you just might have the X Factor and America will be waiting to see. Check out an exclusive 8 minute preview of the show tomorrow. Beware…two amazing performances might take your breath away, so watch carefully.Don’t forget to join us Wednesday night for the show!

The Amazing Race, Premieres Sunday at 8pm EST on CBS

The Amazing Race is underway once again and the excitement is sure to not die down any time soon! The new teams are ready to embark at an adventure unlike any other on TV. The Emmy award winning reality show is back with new challenges, new destinations and an all-new cast, featuring Survivor alums Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morsaca. From extreme snowboarders to twins to Las Vegas showgirls, viewers will either learn to love or love to hate the contestants as they travel around the world performing challenges people only dream of! The teams will travel to first time destinations of Belgium, Denmark, Malawi and Indonesia and be presented with the race’s first ever double elimination! The Hazard will also be unleashed, a penalty that one team will incur at the starting line. So who will make it to the finish line? Be sure to join us as we travel around the world with the crew in HD again this season!

Honorable Mentions:

Hell’s Kitchen

wraps up its latest season as the Final 4 battle it out for the grand prize of a culinary position as Chef de Cuisine at BLT in New York City. The finale airs Monday at 8pm EST on Fox.

Top Chef: Just Desserts

continues its season after last week’s wonky double elimination. This week, the pastry chefs take on new challenges as liquid nitrogen proves to be a blunder for one of the chefs during the quickfire challenge. Will it set off her game for the elimination challenge?

Welcome to our inaugural edition of Yak’s Reality Roundup. The usual installments of this weekly feature at YY will usually appear on Mondays, however, we thought it would be a good idea to premiere one of our new features today as summer reality TV comes to an end and fall reality TV begins its domination. Each week, we’ll take a look at what’s in store for us on some of our favorite reality shows. We’re not limited to which shows we include, so if you have a request, please let us know below in our comment section or in our forums! Don’t be shy … we listen to you! Without further adieu, time to round up the Yak’s reality picks of the week!

Big Brother 13

After a long and grueling summer, starting with someone leaving the game before the show’s network premiere, Big Brother 13 comes to an end and will crown it’s winner tonight on the season finale on CBS. The finale tonight airs immediately after the season premiere of Survivor: South Pacific at 9:30/8:30c. The finale three contestants, Rachel, Porsche, and Adam, battle it out in a 3-part competition for the final Head of Household, earning the right to pick who they will sit with when they face the jury. The finale will also revisit the jury house one last time as Kalia makes her way there. We’ll be getting a peek at the jury deliberations as they discuss who they believe should win Big Brother 13′s $500,000 cash prize. Don’t miss tonight’s cast reunion show, as well, where secrets are bound to be exposed and personalities will clash. Who do you want to see walk away with the grand prize? A Big Brother vet or a newbie? Fear that you’ll already miss Big Brother? No worries … rest assured the show will be back in the summer of ’12 with an all-new season! And don’t miss our EXCLUSIVE interviews with the runner-up and winner of Big Brother 13 later this week!

America’s Got Talent

Tonight, NBC boasts a night full of surprises and special guests as the peacock puts an end to it’s staple (and successful) summer alternative program, as the network calls it. The live two-hour season finale boasts some of the biggest names in music and entertainment taking the stage with the show’s finalists. NBC has just announced that performers Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, LeAnn Rimes, Cobra Starship with Sabi and OneRepublic will join previously announced performers Tony Bennett with Queen Latifah, Season 5 finalist Jackie Evancho, Def Leppard and Cirque du Soleil. Wonder, LaBelle, Rimes and Cobra Starship with Sabi are slated to perform duets with POPLYFE, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., Silhouettes, and Team iLuminate respectively. One of the four finalists will be crowned the winner. Who would you like to see take home the crown? Watch tonight’s finale with fans right here in our forum! AGT’s final airs TONIGHT at 8/7c on NBC!

Survivor: South Pacific

Last season, Survivor added a new game-changing twist…Redemption Island. This season, Survivor brings Redemption Island back, promising new twists along the way. Not only is Survivor bringing back Redemption Island, but they’re taking a page out of their book from last season and bringing back two former contestants to help “guide” the new castaways. Ozzy the ultimate physical competitor and Coach the “Dragonslayer” make their way back to life on a stranded. The theme of the season appears to be changes as the immunity idol will also pick up a change or two in how it’s claimed by a player this season. Are you looking forward to the return of Ozzy and/or Coach? Which new castaway are you rooting for pre-show? As always, join us in our forums as we discuss each episode together when it airs! Survivor, hosted by Emmy winner Jeff Probst, premieres TONIGHT at 8/7c on CBS!

Watch an exclusive preview of the first minute of tonight’s premiere below!

America’s Next Top Model

Top Model returns this season with 14 of your fan favorites from season’s past. This new all-star competition season will not only feature familiar competitive faces, but you can expect the likes of the Kardashians, Nicki Minaj, Kathy Griffin and more celebrity guests judging the competition. In addition to exposure to prolific fashion-industry gurus and successful entrepreneurs, the finalists will compete in complicated catwalks, ambitious fashion photo shoots and work to carefully craft their public personas, all under 24-hour-a-day surveillance of the cameras that chronicle every move. Which former contestants are you excited to see back competing for the title. Watch with fans HERE in our forums as we discuss the season’s happenings. Plus, look our for our season’s first interview with Season 5′s Lisa Damato, as she prepares to return to the catwalk this fall! ANTM premieres tonight at 9/8c on the CW!

Top Chef: Just Desserts

While this Bravo hit isn’t premiering or ending tonight, the competition continues on with yet another grueling week at impressing the judges with quality and incomparable desserts. The chefs have the test of their lives as they work together to replicate the world of wonka. As the original cast of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory grace the small screen as guests of the latest installment of the Emmy winning reality competition, the chefs are forced to stretch their imaginations to the limit. Who will succeed and who will fail miserably? Which chef will be asked to pack up their knives? Find out TONIGHT at 10/9c on Bravo.

We’ve seen the show Cops. Many have seen Taxi Cab Confessions. What happens when the two meet? You get Cuff’d.

A new series coming to MTV takes you beyond the arrest and into the car, where the detainees let it all out, and we mean ALL OUT. You will get an inside look at what police have to deal with on a day to day basis, and like a train wreck, you won’t be able to look away. YakkityYaks was honored enough to get a sneak peek at this upcoming reality show! Take a look below, and let us know what you think? Will you watch? How about that head banging girl?

Cuff’d premiers August 29th at 11pm. Click the MTV logo below to watch the video!

American Idol has crowned its country crooner. The Voice has given it’s soulful champion a record deal. Could we really have a summer without some sort of singing competition taking center stage? If Simon Cowell has anything to say (and he does), the answer is no. So, we will get just that … exposure for Cowell’s new The X Factor. Fox is giving Cowell the chance to launch his latest project with a worldwide sneak preview before the MLB All-Star game on July 12 at 8pm EST/7pm CST.

The X Factor doesn’t officially premiere until September 21, 2011.

It’s quite a busy day here at the Yak, but we’ll keep delivering the news! For this reality round-up, we have news from two of the biggest reality competitions today. We have confirmation that Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler will be returning to the judge’s table on American Idol next year. Randy’s contract is not quite up and Steven signed a multi-year deal, so neither of these are real surprises. The question is still up in the air for the woman from the block. No word from Jennifer Lopez or the Lopez camp regarding a return to the Idol main stage. As we reported earlier, she may want to pursue furthering her movie career, as well as her reality show in development with hubby Marc Antony.

Jennifer Lopez Not Returning to Idol?

In other news, Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, and Adam Levine will be returning to The Voice next season to help coach and mentor a new set of contestants on the hit NBC show. Last night, The Voice crowned Javier Colon as its inaugural winner during a show full of show-stopping performances with some pretty big name stars. The likes of Miranda Lambert, Ryan Tedder, Pat Monahan and Stevie Nicks helped with the night’s festivities as Javier was victorious.

The Voice Goes Live

Both American Idol and The Voice will be holding auditions this summer and return to the small screen midseason.

Parvati Shallow, winner of Survivor Micronesia and runner-up of Heroes vs. Villains, is following in the footsteps of Big Brother 11′s Jeff Schroeder. She’ll be the next CBS reality star traveling “Around The World For Free,” which starts July 5. The series will continue to air on CBS.com, as it did last summer. Parvati sat down and had a chat with EW and mentioned that “this is my dream come true from the day I was born. I’m moving in a new direction and I’m pretty much closing the book on Survivor, but I’m taking those lessons that I learned from that experience with me as I move forward and take on this new challenge.” She went on to explain how her season will be more tough and rough than Jeff’s. It will be “much more focused on adventure, culture, meeting people in more remote places. I know Jeff kind of trekked around big cities, and I want to be in the jungle, in more uncomfortable places where people aren’t given all the comforts that we have in America. I want to experience life.”

Parvati didn’t stop there. She went on to say how she’s not a fan of Big Brother, which can’t sit well with many fans as we gear up for Big Brother 13 to start! “I never watched Jeff on Big Brother. Big Brother to me, I find it to be a little less than exciting,” she said.

Excited to see Parvati travel around the world? Will you be watching in spite of her BB dig?

AP – PHILADELPHIA – “Jackass” cast member Ryan Dunn died early Monday of injuries sustained in a fiery car crash, and speed may have been a factor, police said.

Dunn and a passenger in his 2007 Porsche died after the car left the roadway and burst into flames, West Goshen Township police said. The crash occurred near the Philadelphia suburb of West Chester.

The 34-year-old Dunn appeared on MTV shows “Jackass” and “Viva La Bam” and the three “Jackass” big-screen adaptations. He also was the star of his own MTV show, “Homewrecker,” and hosted “Proving Ground” on the G4 cable network.

According to a biography posted on his website, Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at age 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Bam Margera on his first day of high school.

Dunn, Margera, Christopher Raab (known as Raab Himself) and Brandon DiCamillo, under the moniker CKY for “Camp Kill Yourself,” started making videos that featured them skateboarding and performing stunts.

Dunn was working as a welder and at a gas station when Johnny Knoxville, a friend of Margera’s through the skateboarding circuit, asked the crew to allow their videos to be part of the series “Jackass,” which became a hit on MTV and ran from 2000 to 2002.

A phone message left for Dunn’s manager wasn’t immediately returned.

The passenger who died in the crash had not yet been identified, police said.

Apparently, The X Factor can’t seem to make up it’s mind whether Cheryl Cole will be a part of the show or not.

As we reported last week, Cole was replaced by Nicole Sherzinger on the judging panel touting no real apparent reason… well, they said that it was because those auditioning couldn’t understand her accent, however many speculated that she did not get along with fellow judge Paula Abdul. Now, Simon Cowell has supposedly asked her back to the show. Sources close to Simon claim that Cowell said “We have offered Cheryl a second chance and she might still come back to US X Factor. Fox have been re-examining the situation and have had a change of heart. After the debacle with the UK judging panel we have started negotiating with Cheryl’s camp and the ball is now in her court.”

Cheryl has not commented as to whether she will take Simon up on his offer and return to the show, but FOX is planning on airing the footage with her as judge regardless. I guess we wait and see!

What do you think? Are you going to watch The X Factor? Let us know below!

Who says reviving old reality shows was a thing of the past? NBC doesn’t agree! EW has confirmed that NBC is bringing back one of their action filled alternative programs, Fear Factor. NBC’s head of alternative programming Paul Telegdy says “No one has come close to doing what they’ve done on that show. You go back and they’ve stood the test of time. It always had this incredible spectacle to it.” Telegdy has met with Endemol USA, producer of the once favored reality show, and they have plans to go bigger and better for a reboot of the not so old gem (?). “The stunt and camera technologies have evolved since then, we’re going to be able to make it even bigger,” Telegdy said. “We’re going to make it more visually arresting.” Telegdy continued to explain in reference to the show’s inception in 2001, “In the brave new world of reality TV it was deemed symptomatic of a problem — ‘we want our West Wing, why are you doing this?’ Now the ecology has changed, the top shows are reality TV. For consumers, it will be a fond reunion.”

There is no word yet as to when Fear Factor will hit airwaves, but midseason 2012 or summer are pretty safe bets.

What do you think? Will you be fondly reunited with Fear Factor? Who would you like to see host this show, or would you want Joe Rogan back in the driver’s seat?

Reports are swirling that there has been a huge shakeup at Fox’s X-Factor and the show hasn’t even hit the airwaves yet! There has been no word from Simon Cowell’s camp or anyone in association with X Factor, but it appears that British sensation Cheryl Cole will be replaced by Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls effective immediately. No word yet on why Cole will be replaced. Once we find out more information, we’re sure to pass it on to your loyal Yakksters!

Scherzinger was originally slated to co-host the show with British star/American newbie Steve Jones, but it’s looking like she may join Cowell, Paula Abdul and LA Reid over on the judge’s table. What do you think about this shakeup? Let us know below and join our forums to chat about it! And don’t forget to join us for tonight’s American Idol finale, too!

The beginning was interesting how the show started out by two guys rolling out a Red Carpet for THE DONALD as he walked down the NY street. However, having the most successful charity earnings ever in history (over $3mil), I think I can agree, he earned it. The “running out of carpet, your fired” comment was funny!

THE FINAL TWO:
For you Facebookers, I have to say “LIKE”! I think this was an amazing duo to battle it out in the end. Not for the drama, but well deserved brain work. Great finals!

THE TASK……continued from last week.
Recap: John chose the ‘80s and Marlee chose the ‘70s era. John was given Def Leppard for his 80’s show and Marlee had the Harlem Globetrotters. Both had to come up with a theme for 7UP and use their era on a can and also use their given star celebrities to decide the winner.

JOHN RICH:
John pulled in 80’s icon Dee Snider from Twisted Sister for their 7UP commercial, which is just frightening, however, who does not remember the guy? Good move, John! Also John’s team came up with a very catchy 80’s themed 7UP can with a zebra striped look.

MARLEE MATLIN:
Marlee was able to bring in 70’s 7UP icon, Jeffrey Holder. Who would not recognize that voice? Total score, Marlee!

THE DRAMA:
Of course there is always drama in the finale shows…otherwise it would not be worth watching, right?
Marlee’s icon Jeffrey Holder’s attorney, was having issues with signing the contract. Thanks to Meatloaf, he pulled it off and signed him up!
John Rich was having struggles getting in touch with Def Leppard. He waited, waited, waited…FINALLY the band showed up for rehearsal. OMG sorry…but as a past lover of the band, they looked SAD! OLD….wow….old and like they could not afford to have their hair done. Heck, they are guys, maybe they didn’t even notice! At least Marlee’s Jeffrey showed up in style!

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CAST:
Mr. Trump brought out the entire cast for this season, and of course Nene could not shut up. But, is that what we love about her? Richard Hatch is back in jail? Gary Busey was just lost. He is VERY entertaining, but dude, stop circling the airport and bring it in for a landing! Watching the cast was quite entertaining and also endearing.

THE SURPRISE!
John Rich got an initial donation for St. Judes Children Hospital of $25,000 from the Melting Pot Restaurant. He also got a donation for a whopping $250,000 donation from an unannounced business for St. Judes.

THE SHOW!!!
Marlee’s team pulled off a fun commercial and also a fun design of the 7UP can design to exemplify the 70’s and also showcasing the Globe Trotter show in honor of her charity the Starkey Hearing Foundation!
John had a problem with his 80’s era band Def Leppard since the initial show ended before the band was supposed to start. John took over and entertained the group himself until the band showed up. Did he pull it off?
BOTH commercials and can designs were enjoyed by the 7UP exec’s and the crowd. So much so, you will see BOTH 7UP can styles on the shelves in your local grocery store! Get one of both and save them!!!!
Mr. Trump and his “peeps” were a bit miffed about John’s team not greeting any one of importance at the front door for the performance.
Def Leppard came out and rocked the crowd!

SO……THE THOUGHTS?
After Mr. Trumps interview with the exec’s at 7UP, it was decided this was a very close event. I have to agree. Personally, I did not know who would win.

THE RESULT:
John Rich….YOU ARE HIRED!!!!!!

Congratulations to both for the most profitable and exciting season!!!!

Brittani is so stoked that Molly and her are in the top two, and she is so happy to be here, showing her mother what she can do. Molly also feels very happy to be here, happy to make her mom proud, knowing that becoming a better person is the best thing that can come out of this experience. Brittani thinks Molly is confident about taking good pictures but nervous because Brittani thinks of herself as more high fashion. Tyra mail is three words from the Moroccan language that they may or may not be using in their cover girl commercial. The next morning when they go to their first event for the day, they get one on one interviews with Ivan from IMG models. He though Molly had the magic in her photos, and that he was interested in seeing Brittani on the runway. The very next scene the girls met Mister Jay for their cover girl commercials, they were going to be shot on a white background from three different camera angles with a teleprompter showing them their script in the center. The product is cover girl lip profection, and Mister Jay really wanted them to make their personality shine. Molly thought she was better suited because Brittani seemed to be having some anxiety issues, but Mister Jay just wanted them to be themselves and move in their own space. He thought Molly was over thinking it. and that she was so concerned with being herself and being a model, so fixed on meeting the two she lost some of her charm. Brittani wants to pull ahead but she sounded like she was reading off a laundry list and it made Jay a little nervous, but she brought enough confidence for a genuine commercial, and she ended really well. She was quirky and comfortable and did a really good commercial.

Then they immediately went to take their beauty in vogue cover shots, the photographer thought Molly had a beautiful smile, perfect face, and a wonderful shoot, but the photographer thought Brittani was the model of the past. The next day they went for their italian vogue spread shoot, they were looking for strong energy, and Brittani was the one they enjoyed working with the most. They liked how she took charge and she was very professional, whilst Molly was cranky and annoyed with the entire thing. Brittani was hoping that her bad mood would affect her the rest of the competition giving her an edge. When the girls get home, Molly is surprised that her parents are there waiting for her, she was adopted and she mentions again how grateful she is. It makes Brittani sad because she knows her mom can’t be here because of her health issues, and she says that its so disheartening when she’s always looking for someone and no one is ever there. Later on she gets to video chat with her mom about everything and her mom tells her she would be there if she could.

That night they got a Tyra mail that said tomorrow’s runway will be modeling mania, which means its time for the final runway. They Mister Jay the next day at a palace where they will be wearing Vivian Westwood in a salon style fashion show for 1600 people. They will be wearing her newest line, Anglomania with their friends Kasia, Alenandria, Hannah, and of course last cycle’s winner Ana. Alex is rooting for Molly, Hannah is rooting for Brittani and Kasia is split between the two, Brittani expects better from herself because her runway has been consistantly better than Molly. Tyra talks to Molly and her family telling them how Molly has told her how much she appreciates them and that she is so proud. Tyra then talks to Brittani and she says its okay because she didn’t expect her mom to be there, and Tyra tells her that the industry needs strength like hers and to work it out there. Ana goes first and she’s a big hit, Molly and two others pose and then Molly walked down the middle of the room, and looks great. Kasia goes, then Hannah, and then Brittani who gets a so good comment from one of the judges. Back stage is a mad house with everyone running around, pushed back and forth, getting ready for their next walk, Molly goes a second lap, she looks great and has beautiful rhythm like a whole nother person. Brittani’s second run gives her a rush of confidence that makes her feel like she looks golden. Alexandria takes the final lap before both Molly and Brittani walk the floor, posing together, it was hard because the other didn’t know what the one would do and it made Brittani giggle. They were walking out when Brittani tripped, couldn’t catch herself, and hurt her ankle real bad. Molly helped her up but she was limping back stage, she also cut her wrist on the way down and Mister Jay asked her to make it through the last goodbye where the models walk in a circle and clap. She keeps going but is disappointed in herself, then Ivan and Mister Jay come back to tell the girls they are going to get a new look for panel which has never been done before on Top Model. He tells them they are officially models now and that they should go with the flow.

Up next was panel where both Molly and Brittani had extremely short pixie cuts, Brittani’s was slightly shorter than Molly’s, hers had what looked like a little more bangs. Brittani went up first, they liked her urban walk, and that she was about to come back from her fall. They liked that she worked with Molly but Tyra hated that she giggled during the performance, it was very unprofessional. For her commercial, Jay liked that she let nothing bother her, he thought she was pretty much perfect. The judges thought Brittani’s ad was stunning, brilliant, and made them want the lipstick. The only thing Andre didn’t like was that her left hand was very heavy. In deliberation the judges looked through practically all the photos the girls did before, and judged on them. They loved Brittani’s long neck, and thought she was always a surprise, and then they focused back on this weeks work. They were proud that even though she fell, she came out smiling and clapping, and you could not see the pain she was in. They thought Brittani had a uniqueness that was beautiful, they went back to an earlier double girl picture, they thought that Brittani was wearing the hat compared to it wearing her. She gets into the character, she has an emotional soul, and they liked that she seemed more romantic. Then it was Molly’s turn, they loved her walk and she seemed to have a signature shake to her, but at one point she looked kinda cheep and it was obvious she was thinking about the walk and her nervous took over. Sometimes she had too much bounce and she needs to work on smoothing her transitions when she pauses. Molly’s commercial was gorgeous however she looked like a mean girl and that isn’t cover girl. Its not inviting, but Jay did say however that she read the entire script from memory and for him, was completely charming. For Molly’s ad, she seemed committed to it, the light was stunning, and she looked soft and gentle. She helped deliver the image, she was wonderfully framed, almost like a tigress but not intimidating, more of an enchanted danger. In deliberation, they thought she had a great profile and totally had the top model it factor. They believed she was on top of the camera, and completely living in the moment. I believe it was Andre who loved her body movements and shapes, that she had a natural portfolio and was not the average blond at all. They agreed that Molly sells clothes, but in one her pictures her hat was wearing her, she wasn’t wearing the hat. Andre loves how the light sits on her face and thinks that she would be booked for her young new now look, and Jay just had to point out that she nailed three best photos in a row.

The girls come back, hold hands, and await Tyra’s final announcement. And America’s new top model is… Brittani! Girl from the trailer part is now an IMG model, a cover girl, and is going to be in Italian Vogue; Tyra tells her to take that and run with it. Tyra tells Molly that rejection hurts but it doesn’t make us stop, and that she can still be a very successful model.

So, what do you think? Do you think the right girl won? Let us know below, and come on in to the FORUM where we are discussing all your favorite Reality Shows!

I am just going to cut right to the chase here. The worst thing you can say to Donald Trump is that you do not belong in the boardroom….Lil’ John, YOU’RE FIRED!

Celebrity Apprentice winners; Joan Rivers, Bret Michaels and Piers Morgan were the interviewers for this pre-show before the finale. After Lil’ John basically gave up, but then tried to backtrack, the interviewers have decided that he was out and also that Meatloaf was too emotional to be in the final two.

THE FINAL TASK: John Rich goes head to head with actress Marlee Matlin.

THE TASK: Each finalist was given a task for the soda 7UP. John Rich chose the 80′s theme, which would include Def Leppard and Marlee chose the 70′s theme which included the Harlem Globe Trotters.

THE HELPERS: John Rich brought back Lil John, Mark McGrath and Star Jones. Marlee brought back Meatloaf, LaToya Jackson and Richard Hatch.

THE PROGRESS: Both teams seem to have their excitements and their disappointments. As editing this show, I have learned that we really do not know what goes on behind the camera. So far, it appears there is no obvious winner.

I have to throw in that John Rich got Dee Snider to put on the old makeup that freaked even those who grew up with Twisted Sister in the 80′s. Dee…still looking scary dude!

Stay tuned for the finale show and let’s discuss who should win and WHY!