Lori Acken, Author at StayTuned Magazine

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will premiere on Sept. 5

August 31, 2011 Lori Acken

Frances Berwick, president of Bravo Media, released a statement today confirming the Sept. 5 launch for Season 2 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. “Given that these episodes were filmed months ago, the producers of the show taped a brief interview this week with several of the cast members to introduce the premiere,” said Berwick. “Re-editing of the episodes is still underway.” Berwick added, “Bravo has partnered with the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) to raise awareness about suicide prevention. The network will air various PSA’s during The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. We will also provide additional information […]

On “Downsized” tonight: divorce drama and Dean saves the day

August 30, 2011 Lori Acken

By Lori Acken Follow @ChannelGuide This week, we find out that the family’s insurance doesn’t touch the bills from Rex’s asthma attack, leaving the family with a brand-new, house-killing $24,000 debt. The ensuing stress, combined with the anniversary of her mom’s death, takes an emotional toll on the exhausted Laura — and ignites battles with Todd that the kids fear may lead to divorce. But it’s Dean to the rescue again, with proactive suggestions for the couple (you might want to take notes, too) on how to manage Rex’s medical bills responsibly, and dent — but not break completely — the […]

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills news: Bravo to air special that addresses Russell Armstrong’s death

August 30, 2011 Lori Acken

By Lori Acken Follow @ChannelGuide Oh, those Real Housewives of Beverly Hills “sources.” They’ve become the trusty purveyors of RHoBH news (and thus, juicy upcoming plotlines) without Bravo having to break its grieving silence — or its stride on recreating a season fairly gutted by RHoBHusband Russell Armstrong’s shocking suicide. According to the most reliable sources, the network has gathered Taylor Armstrong’s cast mates Lisa Vanderpump, Camille Grammer, Kim and Kyle Richards, and Adreienne Maloof to film a special that addresses the tragic death, the suffering of their friend (or frenemy) Taylor and other Armstrong family members, and the impact […]

“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” news: Pandora Vanderpump to marry this weekend

August 26, 2011 Lori Acken

RadarOnline.com is reporting that Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump’s 24-year-old daughter, Pandora, will marry this Saturday — offering a much-needed respite for the grief-stricken cast in the wake of Taylor Armstrong’s husband’s suicide. The report quoted a source who said that Pandora’s wedding to Jason Todd was already booked, but the details have been kept quiet in light of Russell Armstrong’s death earlier this month. The nuptials also offer Bravo producers a happier avenue to pursue as they reshoot and re-edit the show’s second season, postponed indefinitely from its original Sept. 5 premiere.

“Dance Moms”: LaQueefa and dead presidents

August 25, 2011 Lori Acken

Welcome to the wildly uncomfortable racial-profiling edition of Dance Moms, dance fans. We’ve already done sexually inappropriate and emotionally inappropriate to death, and we did death last week, so heaven knows it’s time for something new to melt our minds. But first the good news. Since the missing kids routine was such a showstopper, today the blackboard pyramid is not a pyramid at all! It’s Maddie at the top (I think she is superglued there), and in a surprise bit of joie de vivre, Paige, Brooke, Nia AND Chloe all made the second row! On the other hand, poor Vivi-Anne […]

“Downsized” Sneak Peek: Rex is in the hospital and Bailey’s in big trouble

August 23, 2011 Lori Acken

As the premiere episode made plain, even though there’s a dab of cash in the Bruce family bank account, it doesn’t mean that they’re free from financial and familial drama. After Rex’s “pyramid of Giza”-induced asthma attack results in a several-day hospital stay that the Bruce’s new insurance will likely not cover, Laura realizes that she was right and their finances aren’t stable enough to consider buying a home. She wants to cancel the bid she and Todd put on the fixer-upper Todd convinced her they could afford, but Todd believes he can make enough money to manage both. In […]

Win a chance to meet Oprah!

August 19, 2011 Lori Acken

By Lori Acken Oprah and OWN — Winfrey’s eponymous television network — are offering viewers the chance to enrich their lives and meet the TV legend in person, too. If you’re an Oprah fan, all you need to do for a chance to meet your heroine is sign up to watch and participate in Winfrey’s new, interactive talk show Oprah’s Lifeclass, in which she’ll use segments from her legendary talk show to teach her favorite life lessons. The first million students to sign on will also receive a copy of Oprah’s class journal. And the lucky ultimate prize winner will […]

Cooking Channel launches Frozen Treat Truck Tour 2011 in September

August 18, 2011 Lori Acken

To celebrate its first birthday, Cooking Channel will hit the road with a cross-country frozen treat tour featuring some of its popular hosts beginning Sept, 1 at Seattle’s Westlake Center. Among the network celebs who will be on hand throughout the tour to dish out snacks and meet their fans are: Chuck Hughes — Chuck’s Day Off Ben Sargent — Hook, Line & Dinner Kelsey Nixon — Kelsey’s Essentials Nadia G — Bitchin’ Kitchen Roger Mooking — Everyday Exotic You can “track the truck” to find out when it will be in your area —and who might be aboard — […]

“Dance Moms”: Where Have All The Children (and the wrinkles) Gone?

August 18, 2011 Lori Acken

Ok, now I can barely feel my leg for how hard this show is pulling it. (And yet, I watch. And. Yet. I. Watch.) For one, in the first five minutes of this episode, tastefully titled “Dying To Dance,” Abby Lee referred to her oddly-assembled little group of dancers as “the entire cast.” For two, she’s bumping 8-year-old Maddie into the age 9-11 solo competition category and no one says a thing. Except Christi. Who, if she was really that tweaked, would have tipped off the judges and put a fine, fast end to Chloe’s competition. Unless I’m not understanding this […]

Jeff Mauro wins “Food Network Star” title, “Sandwich King” series

August 16, 2011 Lori Acken

By Lori Acken Follow @ChannelGuide It was a charm-and-grace race to the finish for Chicago-based corporate chef and “Sandwich King” Jeff Mauro and sweetly spicy Colorado caterer Susie Jimenez — two of the most likable Food Network Star contestants in recent memory. But in the end, it was Mauro whom judges Bobby Flay, Giada DeLaurentis and network execs Susie Fogelson and Bob Tuschman felt would bring the most to the brand — and the best chance at the level of stardom achieved by Season 2 winner and network superstar Guy Fieri.