A New Improved Project Runway Is Back With Season 12

It seems like quite recently Project Runway Season 11 came to an end, because it was fairly recent, as in Michelle Franklin won Season 11 on April 25, beating the designer I wanted to win, that being the Native American from Taos, Patricia Michaels.

On Friday, July 19, I was surprised to see my DVR had recorded a new episode of Project Runway the night before. Huh? I wondered. Hadn't Project Runway just had a finale?

Well, time flies.

Project Runway Season 12 started up July 18. Now, 2 weeks in, so far, this is being an entertaining edition of Project Runway, with an amusing cast of characters, I mean, designers.

Project Runway is among my many guilty TV pleasures. I find it amusing watching the designers make something to wear, whilst working under stressful conditions, or with stressful material. Like the first episode of Season 12 where clothing had to be made from parachute material.

This new iteration of Project Runway has made several changes. I'll see if I can remember them.

One big change is rather than giving the designer's a set amount of money to spend on a challenge, they've been given a debit type account with $4,000 to spend how they want, through out the season.

Tim Gunn now sits with the judges, but not voting on the results.

The designs now come down the runway without the judges being told whose design they are looking at.

The judges now get close up to the top three and bottom three for a detailed examination, where before they only saw the designs from their judging seats. This close up exam has made for some amusing observations.

Another change is Project Runway has borrowed "The Save" from American Idol. Tim Gunn can save one designer, once during the season, from being told by Heidi Klum that they are out.

And speaking of Heidi Klum. Heidi seems to be somehow rejuvenated, more animated, more amusing, more feisty and even more good-looking, if that is possible.

Every time Heidi Klum uses the word "boobies" it causes me an  inner giggle.

There is a very goofy designer this season, first name Timothy.  A total fruitcake who is all about being green with fashion. He does not buy fabric at MOOD. He rummages through the MOOD trash. On the most recent episode the judges, particularly Heidi, were appalled at Timothy's weird design that did not allow for the use of a bra, which caused Zac Posen to comment something along the line that the design would be too prone to nipple slippage, with Heidi mentioning something about "boobies".

I don't think Timothy will be winning Project Runway Season 12.

2013 Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations

The 2013 Emmy Awards Nominations were announced within the past day or two, near as I can tell.

The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS on Sunday, September 22, 8ET/5PT.

I know Neil Patrick Harris help make the Nominations announcements, and I think he will be hosting the live awards show.

I don't remember which of the ubiquitous awards show it was that I watched Neil Patrick Harris host before, but I do remember he did a really good job.

I have seen very few of the nominated shows or the actors and actresses who act in them. Very few. Going down the list of nominated actors and actresses I've watched Vera Farmiga in "Bates Motel", Christine Baranski, in "The Good Wife," Jason Bateman in "Arrested Development", Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik in "The Big Bang Theory", Michael Douglas, Matt Damon and Scott Bakula in "Behind the Candelabra" and Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, James Cromwell and Zachary Quinto in "American Horror Story: Asylum".

That is it for the actors and actresses I've seen acting in the nominated shows.

As for the nominated shows that I've watched "The Big Bang Theory", "The Amazing Race", "Dancing With the Stars", "Project Runway", "Top Chef", some of "The Voice", "American Horror Story: Asylum" and "Behind the Candelabra".

Clearly, I watch too much Reality TV and not enough Quality TV.

Below is the list of 2013 Emmy Award Nominations...

Outstanding Drama Series
» "Breaking Bad"
» "Downton Abbey"
» "Game of Thrones"
» "Homeland"
» "House of Cards"
» "Mad Men"

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
» Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
» Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
» Damian Lewis, "Homeland"
» Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
» Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
» Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
» Vera Farmiga, "Bates Motel"
» Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"
» Claire Danes, "Homeland"
» Robin Wright, "House of Cards"
» Elizabeth Moss, "Peggy Olson"
» Connie Britton, "Nashville"
» Kerry Washington, "Scandal"

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
» Bobby Cannavale, "Boardwalk Empire"
» Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
» Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"
» Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
» Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
» Ann Gunn, "Breaking Bad"
» Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
» Emilia Clark, "Game of Thrones"
» Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
» Morena Baccarin, "Homeland"

Outstanding Comedy Series
» "The Big Bang Theory"
» "Girls"
» "Louie"
» "Modern Family"
» "30 Rock"
» "Veep"

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
» Jason Bateman, "Arrested Development"
» Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
» Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
» Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
» Louis C.K., "Louie"
» Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
» Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
» Lena Dunham, "Girls"
» Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
» Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
» Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
» Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
» Adam Driver, "Girls"
» Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
» Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family"
» Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
» Bill Hader, "Saturday Night Live"
» Tony Hale, "Veep"

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
» Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"
» Jane Lynch, "Glee"
» Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
» Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
» Merritt Wever, "Nurse Jackie"
» Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"

Outstanding Reality Show Competition
» "The Amazing Race"
» "Dancing With the Stars"
» "Project Runway"
» "So You Think You Can Dance"
» "Top Chef"
» "The Voice"

Outstanding TV Miniseries or Movie
» "American Horror Story: Asylum"
» "Behind the Candelabra"
» "The Bible"
» "Phil Spector"
» "Political Animals"
» "Top of the Lake"

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
» Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"
» Matt Damon, "Behind the Candelabra"
» Toby Jones, "The Girl"
» Benedict Cumberbatch, "Parade's End"
» Al Pacino, "Phil Spector"

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
» Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
» Laura Linney, "The Big C"
» Helen Mirren, "Phil Spector"
» Sigourney Weaver, "Political Animals"
» Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake"

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
» James Cromwell, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
» Zachary Quinto, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
» Scott Bakula, "Behind the Candelabra"
» John Benjamin Hickey, "The Big C"
» Peter Mullan, "Top of the Lake"

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
» Sarah Paulson, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
» Imelda Staunton, "The Girl"
» Ellen Burstyn, "Political Animals"
» Charlotte Rampling, "Restless"
» Alfre Woodard, "Steel Magnolias"

Naked & Afraid On The Discovery Channel Had Me Afraid But Not Naked

Watching Nik Wallenda successfully tightrope across a side canyon of the Grand Canyon, Sunday night on the Discovery Channel, I was not too afraid that he'd fall off the wire. What with the constantly praying to Jesus and God it would have just way too ironic had this stunt gone tragically awry.

The end of Skywire Live segued directly into Naked & Afraid.

Nik Wallenda had the common sense to keep his clothes on whilst walking the Skywire.

Keeping their clothes on was not the case on Naked & Afraid. I knew the premise of this show was that two people, a male and a female, who did not know each other, would be dropped off in a wilderness location, naked, with only one survival item.

But, I figured there would be a lot of pixelation to protect viewers from viewing any nakedness. I figured wrong. The fronts of both were blurred, with the female top front blurred, while the male's front top was left unblurred. But, the backside view of both was left totally unblurred, totally naked.

That is til the female fashioned a primitive covering out of vegetation.

I think this show might be a bigger viewer draw if it cast mactors, like Survivor is prone to do. Mactor is a term that means model/actor.

The wilderness location is a Costa Rican jungle. The episode opened showing one of the show's producers getting med-evacuated after getting bit by one of the most poisonous snakes in the world. Apparently the Costa Rican jungle has a lot of these snakes.

It did  not take long for the male to almost step on one.

Barefooted.

I don't see how these people can possibly last the duration, I think it is 21 days. Foraging for food, shivering in rain, avoiding getting snakebit, angry monkeys.

I was sort of exhausted from watching the Nik Wallenda tightroping across the canyon extravaganza, so I hit the pause button before the end of the first episode of Naked & Afraid. I'll finish watching the episode later today. And then I'll decide if I want to record the series.

Tonight on the Discovery Channel Nik Wallenda Walks a Tightrope Across Little Colorado River Gorge Near Grand Canyon

Tonight, Sunday, June 23, 2013, on the Discovery Channel, Nik Wallenda of the Flying Wallenda Family fame is going to walk a tightrope, live, across what is being promoted as the Grand Canyon.

However, what Nik Wallenda will actually be attempting to cross is a tightrope 1,500 feet, give or take a foot or two, above  the Little Colorado River Gorge in a canyon that connects to the Grand Canyon.

The Discovery Channel is broadcasting the Wallenda skywalk, almost live, with a 10 second delay. Wallenda will be wired with two cameras, one looking down and one looking straight ahead.

Wind gusts of around 30 mph are predicted. Wallenda has successfully walked wires in strong wind. However, if a thunderstorm shows up within a 15-mile radius, that will stop the walk.

Skywire Live takes place in the Navajo Nation. During the 2 hour broadcast highlights of the Navajo Nation will be shown, places such as Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly and Window Rock, which is the capital city of the Navajo Nation.

Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for May 20 - May 26

The Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for Nielsen Rating's Top 20 for for May 20 - May 26. The first number is the ranking, the second number is the season average, then the show name and network. The last number represents the number of viewers in millions. An asterisk * indicates a tie.

Rank	Show name	Network	Viewers in millions	Season-to-date average (in millions)
1.	Dancing With the Stars Results	ABC	15.2	13.8
2.	Dancing With the Stars	ABC	15.0	14.9
3.	Criminal Minds	CBS	11.0	12.3
4.	The Voice (Mon.)	NBC	10.8	14.3
5.	The Voice (Tue.)	NBC	10.2	13.5
6.	Modern Family	ABC	10.0	12.4
7.	Big Bang Theory	CBS	9.1	18.5
8.	Hawaii Five-0	CBS	9.0	10.5
9.	Tornado Coverage (Tue., 8:00)	NBC	8.2	--
10.	Mike & Molly	CBS	7.9	10.3
*	NCIS: Los Angeles	CBS	7.9	--
12.	NCIS	CBS	7.8	--
13.	The Middle	ABC	7.7	8.4
*	Two and a Half Men	CBS	7.7	13.7
15.	Big Bang Theory	CBS	7.5	--
16.	NCIS	CBS	7.2	--
17.	NASCAR: Coca-Cola 600	Fox	7.1	7.1
18.	Person of Interest	CBS	6.9	15.9
19.	Law & Order: SVU	NBC	6.7	7.4
20.	Motive	ABC	6.5	--

Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Show for May 13 - May 19

The Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for Nielsen Rating's Top 20 for for May 13 - May 19. The first number is the ranking, the second number is the season average, then the show name and network. The last number represents the number of viewers in millions. An asterisk * indicates a tie.

Rank	Show name	Network	Viewers in millions	Season-to-date average (in millions)
1.	NCIS	CBS	18.8	21.3
2.	Big Bang Theory	CBS	15.5	18.7
3.	American Idol (Thu.)	Fox	14.3	14.6
4.	NCIS: Los Angeles	CBS	13.5	17.3
5.	Dancing with the Stars	ABC	13.3	14.8
6.	American Idol (Wed.)	Fox	12.1	15.0
7.	Dancing With the Stars Results	ABC	11.9	13.6
8.	Big Bang Theory	CBS	11.8	--
9.	The Voice (Mon.)	NBC	11.3	14.4
10.	Castle	ABC	11.2	12.3
11.	Criminal Minds	CBS	10.6	12.2
12.	The Voice (Tue.)	NBC	10.5	13.5
13.	60 Minutes	CBS	10.2	12.4
14.	Modern Family	ABC	10.0	12.4
15.	Billboard Music Awards	ABC	9.5	--
*	CSI	CBS	9.5	11.6
17.	Scandal	ABC	9.1	8.5
18.	Elementary	CBS	9.0	12.7
*	Grey's Anatomy	ABC	9.0	11.1
20.	2 Broke Girls	CBS	8.9	10.6