The second episode of the second season of Shear Genius aired on Bravo last night, and we got to know the three out contestants better ... or as I like to call them, "the good, the bad, and the hairy".

The first challenge of the night was called "Short Cuts", and I was crushed when it turned out not to be a Robert Altman tribute. I was so looking forward to the look on the clients' faces when they ended up with Shelley Duvall's unique take on Olive Oyl or Ronee Blakley's hair helmet from Nashville. And what confident woman wouldn't benefit from a Cher weave circa Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean?

Alas, it wasn't an Altman tribute, just short haircuts.

After the challenge starts, the guest judge shows up, and OMG, you're not going to believe who it is! The guest judge turns out to be ... Tabatha! ... whom I've never seen before! Apparently, she was a contestant last season, and won the "fan favorite" award, which makes me wonder exactly how many fans of this show have a "Stern Mommy/Dominatrix" fetish. Out stylist Charlie wins the challenge with his Mia Farrow circa Rosemary's Baby cut, while out stylist Paolo ends up in the bottom two.

The stylists wake up the next morning to find a bowl of oranges in the kitchen, and try to figure out what that clue means. The general consensus is that it means they'll be styling hair for the prisoners in the Orange County jail. The actual challenge turns out to be far more terrifying.

They enter the studio, and discover that they'll be designing hair for the cast of The Real Leather Saddlebags Housewives of Orange County. I almost fall out of my chair when stylist/judge Rene Fris announces that they will be doing makeovers for the "housewives and their dollars". I think "well, it makes sense, actually", then I realize he actually said "daughters", not "dollars".

In introducing the ladies, the show makes a huge logistical error by having the "housewives" hold up oranges next to their bodies, which is like asking an albino to hold up a snowball. You can't tell where one ends and the other begins.

Find out how our three out stylists performed, and who went home, after the break.

The second season of Bravo's reality competition Shear Genius started last night, and I should start with a confession: I'm a Shear Genius virgin. I didn't seen any of the first season, because frankly, I've never been that interested in hairstyling (although they do sort of vaguely remember me every time I walk into Supercuts). But I figured that if I could recap an entire season of Step it Up & Dance while personally owning two left feet, then I could give this a shot.

The first thing I noticed while watching was how much it follows the Step It Up formula. The stylists are given a "shortcut" challenge to start, then an elimination challenge at the end, with someone getting immunity for the next week's show, and someone "getting cut" (this show LOVES "cut" puns). Because it follows the Step It Up formula so rigidly, the only thing I could think of was "I wonder which contestant is going to turn out to be this show's Miguel?"

As I watched, a horrifying realization occurred ... most of them are Miguel.

After we meet the twelve contestants (three of whom are openly gay men), host Jaclyn Smith (who of course is best known for her iconic role in Charlie's Angels, but will always hold a special place in my heart for starring in the 1984 TV movie The Night They Saved Christmas, in which Santa's North Pole village is attacked by an oil company that wants the crude under his workshop), introduces the permanent guest judge, "master colorist" Kim Vo.

The shortcut challenge involves cutting hair while blindfolded, which could have caused serious injury (not to mention serious lawsuits), and the one thing that kept running through my mind through the segment was "I wonder how much the people getting these blind haircuts got paid?"

After that challenge, we get to the main event, which is about crafting a modern hairstyle based on a classic cartoon character. The choices are Betty Boop, Wilma Flintstone, Marge Simpson, Lucy Van Pelt, Judy Jetson, and best of all, Jem!. Unfortunately, the truly outrageous 80's star was snapped up by two of the female stylists, so we'll never know what the gay guys could have done with it.

It's during the two challenges that we get the "Miguel" moments, mostly from a contestant named Oshun (which is pronounced "ocean"):

"What makes me unique is Oshun got the potion for the motion when I touch your hair, and I do the flair, cause I'm Oshun ... and I'm deep."

"I'm going to let my imagination just run wild, and I'm going to let my hand just move through the hair like Oshun ... cause I'm deep"

"The best always finish last ... but then I'm going to be first"

Okay, what the hell does that last one even mean?

After the break, meet our three gay stylists, and find out who was "cut"...

It's been a while since we last heard about Top Design or Shear Genius, two of Bravo's quartet of reality competition shows that focus on talent and skill. Today, Bravo announced that both series will be returning for a second season.

Shear Genius turned out to be a pretty entertaining show, mining drama out of talent and personality clashes with the same skill as Bravo's Project Runway and Top Chef. On the other hand, Top Design faced poor reviews and prompted a sigh of relief when it finally ended.

If the first season of Top Design turned you off, the show's second season may still be worth sampling. The second season will be produced by Magical Elves, the company behind Project Runway. (The first season was produced by a different company.) It's not clear if host Todd Oldham or lead judge Jonathan Adler will be returning or not. There are no major changes announced so far for Shear Genius, which will see Jaclyn Smith will return as host.

Is a makeover enough to get you to check out the second season of Top Design? Would you like to see Oldham get another chance as host? What changes would you like to see on the show? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments!

Well, here we are at the finale. We've come so far together. The show turned out to be not half bad after all. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. Although, it's a shame they wasted their two most talented stylists two episodes ago. I still maintain Tabatha and Tyson shouldn't have been sent home before Ben and Boogie. Instead, we're left with a final three of Anthony, Daisy, and Ben.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like all three of the finalists. Anthony, our sole remaining gay man, is quite talented. He definitely deserves to be there. Daisy, the sole remaining lesbian, is also very talented. She's won more challenges than anyone. You can't argue that she doesn't belong to be there as well. Ben, on the other hand, I can argue against. He's never won a single challenge, but he's somehow managed to always be "not the worst." He skated through most of the show based on that alone. He really doesn't deserve to be there. He's a nice guy and all, but come on.

But enough of my kvetching... On with the show. The three finalists enter the Nexxus Salon where they are met by the ever-annoying Rene. He recaps the entire season and again I ask, why is Ben here?

Daisy tells us she's visualized herself winning from the very beginning and that why she's done so well. So it has nothing to do with talent? Maybe Ben's been doing some visualizing too, and that would explain his presence.

We'll have our recap post of the Shear Genius finale tomorrow, but we wanted to take a quick moment to congratulate the competition's winner, who proved that level-headedness, experience, and diplomatic savvy will get you a long way in reality television...

So congratulations...

Tonight Bravo airs the finale of its coif competition Shear Genius, a show that seemed dodgy in concept (how exciting can a few dozen haircuts be, after all?) but actually delivered, thanks in part to its diverse and interesting cast of hairdressing hopefuls. We were delighted to snag a few minutes with Anthony, the final three's lone gay male (Daisy represents the lesbian ladies, of course), and pick his brain on the industry, his competitors, and the continued enigma that is Dr. Boogie.

AfterElton.com: You're a definite audience favorite because of your good nature and obvious skills. And yet Tabatha -- also fabulous, of course -- won the viewer prize. Do you think it pays to be a little bitchy in reality television?
Anthony: I do think it pays to have an edge and Tabatha for sure has that. Tabatha was exciting to watch just to see what she was going to do next. I think people love that. She is the kind of person that stands out in your mind. A lot of people loved her because of her honesty and no-nonsense approach. I, on the other hand, was always the guy who stayed neutral and tried to get along with everyone. You have to be true to yourself and your craft.

AE: I'm sure your admirers were thrilled to learn from the reunion show that you're available, although they weren't given any indication exactly to whom you were available. Bravo had told us months ago that you are openly gay -- why were you not comfortable answering the question at the reunion?
A: I am gay and very proud of being gay. I have lived my life openly as a gay man for most of my life. But, whether I am gay or not should have no bearing on my talent or skills. My personal life is just that - PERSONAL.

AE: Making it to the final three is amazing. Who did you have picked out from the beginning as making it? Who (besides yourself) did you want to win?
A: I picked out Tyson and Tabatha to be in the finals along with me. So you can imagine how shocked I was when they were eliminated from the competition. That was a blow to all of us. I also thought Danna had a good chance of being there as well.

AE: You made a comment about knowing better than to get on Tabatha's bad side, which was a shrewd move. Were there any other unlikely "alliances" amongst the cast? How cutthroat did it get at the loft? Were cutting shears ever wielded as weapons?
A: You would be surprised - there were some alliances. Dr. Boogie and Daisy got close. He really respected her and thought she had a lot of talent. And he did put his money on her from about half way into the competition. I am friends with Tabatha and I want to remain friends with her. She is a wonderful person, but if she does not like you, you will know about it. LOL. No cutting shears were wielded as weapons. Why would you need weapons when you have Tabatha and her mouth? That is weapon enough!

AE: How about hookups? Yes, I'm trashy like that.
A: Oh, you're bad. There were no hook ups between the cast members.

AE: Tell me the first word that comes to mind when I say: Sally Hirschberger
A: Talented
AE: Jaclyn Smith
A: Classy
AE: Michael Carl
A: Fun
AE: Dr. Boogie
A: DRAMA

AE: Speaking of (and finally), we asked Rene Fris to explain Dr. Boogie to America, and he had a theory about reincarnation that didn't really shed much light on the situation. Can you help?
A: Dr. Boogie is quite a character and like no one I have ever met before. I think he had a crush on Rene but did not want to admit it. LOL. I think in another life Boogie and Rene were lovers. That's my theory and I am sticking to it.

Thanks again to Anthony for his time -- and we'll be rooting for him during tonight's Final Cut!

It's a busy night of television with two debuts and two finales. One could almost forget that Ugly Betty is on hiatus. Almost.

Hidden Palms (The CW) 8:00 PM EST
Kevin Williamson's newest television series debuts tonight -- check out our preview from last week for an idea of what to expect. This one looks like it has the potential to be a reliable source for light summer entertainment, so I'm glad my local CW affiliate just became available in HD. We'll be recapping this one on the blog, so check back tomorrow and each week after to discuss the new episodes!

The Next Best Thing (ABC) 8:00 PM EST
If you're not in the mood for a scripted drama, ABC's newest reality series is looking for celebrity impersonators. The previews show judge (and alleged comedian) Jeffrey Ross harassing a drag performer performing as Cher, but hopefully there will be other female impersonators who aren't treated as a punchline.

The Real World Denver: S*#! They Should've Known (MTV) 9:00 PM EST
The past season is reviewed, with previously unseen footage and a look back at the past season. Get a season's worth of binge drinking and drama in an hour (of course featuring gay housemate Davis, who had his fair share of both).

Shear Genius (Bravo) 10:00 PM EST
The season finale is here with gay stylist Anthony and lesbian competitor Daisy still in the running. If you're recording to this one, make sure to set this to go a couple minutes over since the repeat is scheduled to start at 11:01. And check back later here on the blog for a Two-Bite Interview with Anthony!

You don't need me to tell you that this weekend is really about getting together with friends and family, taking time to reflect on our nation's heroes, and officially welcoming the arrival of the warm-weather months (usually by scraping off the barbecue and knocking back a few cold ones). But in the event that you find yourself locked in a small dark room with nothing but a television equipped with basic cable (and DVR! What is this, a torture chamber?!), here are a few gay pics to make the chalkmarks fly by.

Friday

The Big Gay Sketch Show (Logo) 7:00PM and 7:30PM EDT
If you haven't seen the BGSS yet, there's no better time to catch up than when you're getting ready for dinner or a night on the town or Bible study class or what-have you. And the first of these back-to-backs features the very funny Rachel Ray in New York sketch and one of my faves. the evil airline desk agent.

The Tonight Show with That Guy (NBC) 11:35PM EDT
It's no secret, I can't stand Jay Leno and his decades-stale brand of "you young crazy whippernappers with your rock and roll and matchin' shoes!" humor. Case in point: the continued appearances of Ross the Intern, who in my opinion is treated like a punching bag more often than not in these segments. Might be worth tuning in to see how insulting the self-professed macho men will be tonight.

Saturday

Shear Genius Marathon (Bravo) 10:00AM EDT
In the leadup to next week's season finale, Bravo is airing every episode of the surprisingly entertaining Shampoo Opera back-to-back. Not a bad way to kill some hours, if only to revisit the glorious crazy of Dr. Boogie. Oh -- and I would have recommended Rene Fris' appearance this morning on Today, but there's no way I would recommend anyone getting up at 5AM on a Saturday for anything, period.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (IFC) 8:00PM EDT
Sexploitation master Russ Meyer's only studio picture (penned by Roger Ebert, of all people, and proudly bearing no relation whatsoever to the original), Beyond is probably one of the 10 most amazingly crazy movies ever made (and yes, it even beats Baby Geniuses). Gays, lesbians, transgendered superheroes, and one of the most legitimately awesome original soundtracks ever recorded (long live the Carrie Nations!) make this an absolute must-see, full stop. As the amazing Z-Man puts it (long before Austin Powers borrowed the line), "this is my happening and it freaks me out!"

Sunday

Polyester (IFC) 9:45PM EDT
John Waters' classic (which stars Divine, of course, as well as gay former matinee idol Tab Hunter) screens tonight -- wow, is IFC getting their camp on this weekend, or what? You can recreate the infamous "scratch-and-sniff" promotion that accompanied the film in theatres by setting up your own smelly items at home. Although, for your sake, I would hope that you don't have some of the scents handy...

Monday

Oh, come on -- go outside and get some sun. You've been looking a bit pasty anyway.

It's the final four, y'all. And what an unexpected final four. Well, Anthony and Daisy I can see, but Dr. Boogie and Ben? I'm still scratching my head over those two. I can't believe they sent Tabatha, their best stylist, home last week. I blame Tyson the Troll.

Anyway, we get right to the action this week. After we see Anthony and Daisy's winning wedding style on the Allure Magazine cover, Jaclyn introduces us to our guest judge, Kiyah White. She is a celebrity stylist for mostly African-American women such as Mya, Tyra Banks, and Gabrielle Union.

Short Cut Challenge: Kiyah brings out the models, all gorgeous black women, and explains that the challenge will be to straighten, cut, and style their hair in one and a half hours. Anthony gets first choice, then Daisy, Ben, and Boogie.

Anthony's model just colored her hair the day before, so he can't use a chemical relaxer. He'll have to iron it. Daisy decides not to color her client's hair. It's fairly straight already, so Daisy definitely has an advantage there. Ben is putting so much gunk in his girl's hair he's having to try and take some of it out. To no avail. It still looks heavy and greasy. Yuck. Boogie is the only one actually relaxing his client's hair.

The Results: Kiyah likes that Anthony consulted with his client before beginning, and understands why he made the choices he did based on that consultation. It turns out pretty well. Daisy also consulted with her client, but Kiyah wishes she had put some highlights in the top part. Ben screwed up. Nuff said. Boogie did a great job with the relaxer, but his style sucks. It makes his young model look middle aged. Anthony wins the Short Cut Challenge.