Bravo TV's Top Reality Show Personalities

The Bravo cable TV network first took to the airways in 1980. In recent years, it has been known for producing a large number of reality TV programs, such as various Real Housewife shows," Top Chef", "Flipping Out", and "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List". From these programs have emerged an intriguing group of TV personalities. Here's my list of Bravo's best of this group:

1) Jonathan Antin-Blow Out (2004-2006)-Antin was inspired to be a hair stylist after watching Warren Beatty's 1975 film, "Shampoo". You would think a TV series about the owner of a hair salon wouldn't be all that exciting,but with Antin, the opposite was true. Antin's verbal battles with his product designer, Scott Oshry, were highlights in themselves. Who else but the volatile Antin could design and sell a hair product named "Dirt" and have it be successful?. Plus, how many celebrities will have their counseling sessions filmed and shown on TV, as Antin did. He returned to Bravo in 2010 as a judge on "Shear Genius".

2) Simon van Kempen- The Real Housewives of New York City (2008-)-He's provided many fun segments during the show's run. One highlight had him dressed in a moose costume for Halloween, while wife Alex was Sarah Palin. Another was when he was the mystery doubles tennis partner for Housewife Jill Zarin in her grudge tennis match against fellow Housewife Ramona Singer. Additionally, while Alex verbally feuded with Zarin during the program's third season, Simon kept his cool. Although, one time he didn't was in a memorable 2009 episode where he and Alex were getting a cab ride. Simon gave a tongue lashing to the driver who took the wrong turn-off and "messed up the surprise" for Alex's birthday. The surprise was that Alex's birthday activities were taking place in their Brooklyn home.

3) Time Gunn-Project Runway (2004-)- "Project Runway" may air on Lifetime these days, but Gunn and the show were staples of Bravo programming for its first five seasons. Gunn's the mentor and moral support for the designers, the man who tells the Project Runway competitors to "Make It Work" and "Go, go, go". He also hosted the Bravo series "Time Gunn's Guide to Style" in 2007 and 2008. He's always dressed so nicely during his shows, just once it would be fun to see him wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and flip flops. Gunn will play an executive assistant at a cosmetic company in the upcoming "Smurfs" movie.

4) Bethenny Frankel- Real Housewives of New York City (2008-2010) Prior to "The Housewives", she was best known as "The Skinny Gourmet" author and runner up on Martha Stewart's "The Apprentice 2". Her verbal battles with Housewife Kelly Bensimon were featured frequently during the show's 2009 episodes. Feisty and funny , she did show her tender side during a Housewives season two episode featuring a talk with Zarin's mother Gloria. The touching conversation about aging was one of the highlights of the season. 2010 was quite a year for Frankel. She gave birth to her first child, Bryn, in the spring. Her Bravo series, "Bethenny's Getting Married?" which documented her preparations for her wedding to Jason Hoppy, debuted in June.Their lavish wedding was seen in one memorable episode. She ended 2010 as runner-up on ABC's "Skating with the Stars".

5) Patti Stanger-"The Millionaire Matchmaker" (2007-) She's the owner of "The Millionaire's Club" of L.A.who's not afraid to tell it like it is to her wealthy clients. If she feels the client needs a haircut, different clothes, or even a spray tan, she'll tell them. The best part on her show is when she confronts the clients who skipped her advice on purpose. Who would take a date in his junk hauling truck? One of her millionaires, College Hunks Hauling Junk co-owner Omar Soliman did just that, ignoring Stanger's pre date suggestion.vUnfortunately, Stanger recently broke up with her fiance, Andy Friedman. The newest season brought her to New York City, with a very short side trip to New Jersey to find dates for "Real Housewife of New Jersey" Caroline Manzo's two sons. She's since returned to L.A., and will be saying, "Meet my millionaires" to a new group of daters during the show's fifth season.

6) Padma Lakshmi Top Chef (2006-)-Lakshmi replaced Katie Lee Joel as host during the show's second season. It seems Lakshmi never gets rattled during the various quickfire or elimination challenges.She's always calm, cool, and collected. I guess co-starring in the Mariah Carey film bomb, "Glitter", will make you humble. She also sounds sympathetic to the ousted "cheftestants" when she tells them "Please pack your knives and go" . That sounds better than Jonathan Adler's "See you later decorator" line on "Top Design" in 2007. One interesting challenge involving Lakshmi took place during a November 2009 "Top Chef" episode, when the "cheftestants" prepared and then delivered breakfast in bed to her and Nigella Lawson. Lakshmi's currently hosting Bravo's "Top Chef All Stars". She gave birth to a baby daughter, Krishna, in 2010.

7) Jeana Keough-Real Housewives of O.C. (2007-2009)-She left the program during its fourth season to spend more time with her children and date "off camera". Her struggles with her husband,ex-Oakland A's pitcher Matt Keough, were unfortunately seen during several Housewife episodes as the marriage was ending. She was loyal during the show, as she stuck up for family friend Frankie in his rental dispute with Housewife Vicki Gunvalson. Kudos to her for appearing on Jackie Warner's fitness/weight loss show, "Thintervention" on Bravo.The November 1980 Playboy centerfold and co-star of ZZ-Top's iconic "Eliminator" music videos is looking good!

8) Countess LuAnn de Lesepps- The Real Housewives of New York City (2008-)-For the most part (except for siding with Jill), she was thankfully above the drama of season four's verbal feud between Bethenny Frankel and Jill Zarin. Her divorce from Frenchman Count Alexandre de Lesseps was finalized during the season, too. She rebounded in 2010 with a new boyfriend, wine distributor Jacques Azoulay;a book, "Class with the Countess" ; and a single on I tunes, "Money Can't Buy You Class".

9) James Lipton-Inside the Actor's Studio (1994-)- He hosts the longest running program on this list.He's the show's Executive Producer, and writes and chairs each episode. He's also the dean of The Actors Studio Drama School in New York City. The most viewed episode of the series was the two hour interview with Barbra Streisand in 2004.Jack Lemmon admitted to being a recovering alcoholic in his appearance. Spike Lee cried describing to Lipton the difficulties in in financing the movie "Malcolm X". Most recently, Lipton's "Actor's Studio" gig has led to appearances in commercials for such companies as Geico, LG Electronics, and DC Shoes.

10) Andy Cohen-Watch What Happens Live (2009-)-Cohen has described his show as a cross between Bravo's reunion shows and Hugh Hefner's old 1960's series, "Playboy After Dark". Cohen, Bravo's Senior Vice President of Production and Programming, seems to be having a great time hosting this series. He gets to speak about pop culture, gossip, and just plain schmooze with celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Kelly Ripa, Jerry Seinfeld, Anderson Cooper, and many others. The small "clubhouse" set adds to the show's looseness. As Cohen told TV Guide, "...It feels like home in that clubhouse-probably because it's modeled after the den in my apartment. It's like I'm doing "Wayne's World". Plus, where else but on this show would you find awards for the "Mazel" and "Jackhole" of the week?

Sources:

"Bravo Reality TV Shows", Reality-TV-Online.com.

"Housewives Photocap: Working Girls" by B-Side, B-SIde Blog, 4/15/09.

"Tim Gunn shoots for 'The Smurfs' " by Tatiana Siegel, Variety.com, 5/5/10.

"Jeana Keough leaves 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' " by Amy Kuperinsky, TV Squad.com, 11/20/09.

"The Countess Throws Her Daughter Victoria Sweet 16 Soiree To Remember" by Mary Beth Quirk, OK Magazine.com, 12/12/10.

"Turning the table on 'Actor's Studio's James Lipton", NPR.com, 11/6/06.

"Bravo's Watch What Happens :Live Premieres Tonight" by Justine Fields, The Frisky.com, 7/16/09.

"A Night Out With Andy Cohen" by Ingela Ratledge, TV Guide, 12/13-19/2010, Pg. 47