CBS Unveils Identities of "Pirate Master" Contestants

Ahoy, mateys!

CBS has officially unveiled the identities of the 16 men and women who will be competing on this summer's much anticipated reality series Pirate Master.

As shown from the list below, Los Angeles is (naturally) over-represented but there seem to be some interesting characters already emerging (my favorite has got to be the scientist/Chippendale dancer; where else are you going to find that combo?) including a smokejumper, a dive master, and a glassblower, but I can't help but wonder if we really needed more than one bartender on this ship. (Yo ho, ho, and all that.)

Christa DeAngelo (29)
Hometown: Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
Occupation: Ex-military

Ben Fagan (23)
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Occupation: Student/musician

Louie Frase (43)
Hometown: Fishing Creek, Maryland
Occupation: Marina owner

Kendra Guffey (38)
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Dive master

Jay Hatkow (37)
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Occupation: Automotive parts salesman

Azmyth Kaminski (26)
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Music producer

Cheryl Kosewicz (35)
Hometown: Sparks, Nevada
Occupation: Fundraiser

John Lakness (25)
Hometown: Carlisle, Massachusetts
Occupation: Scientist/Chippendale dancer

Joceyln "Joy" McElveen (21)
Hometown: West Columbia, South Carolina
Occupation: Receptionist

Elicia "Jupiter" Mendoza (30)
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Bartender

Joe Don "J.D." Norton (36)
Hometown: Ft. Wainwright, Alaska
Occupation: Smokejumper

Nessa Nemir (29)
Hometown: Berkeley, California
Occupation: Make-up artist

Christian Okoye (45)
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, California (originally Nigeria)
Occupation: Former Kansas City Chiefs player

Laurel Schmidt (21)
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Glass blower

Alexis Shubin (26)
Hometown: Laguna Beach, California
Occupation: Fashion publicist

Sean Twomey (27)
Hometown: Venice, California
Occupation: Bartender

Just going on gut instinct, I'm gonna say that Louie is a real character, if only for the reason that the guy owns a marina. But I really want to see just how well the scientist/Chippendale dancer (John), the makeup artist (Nessa) and the fashion publicity (Alexis) adapt to a rather cutthroat life aboard a pirate ship. How long before these players have to swab the deck?

As for me, I can't wait for May 31st to come around already. Let the games begin.

Katie Lee Packs Her Knives: Breaking News from Bravo's "Top Chef"

The android has left the building. Or the test kitchen, anyway. Top Chef 's robotic host Katie Lee Joel, the veritable "Uptown Girl" herself (pictured at left), will NOT be sticking around for a second course of Bravo's hit culinary competition. According to a well-placed insider, Joel will "not be returning" to the show. No reason for her departure was cited. Unfortunately, the perfect replacement for Joel, Top Chef judge and professional chef Tom Colicchio, will not be taking over as the reality series' host (damn!). Instead, the show's producers are currently scouring to find a replacement for Joel. Top Chef 's second season was announced by Bravo last month, but no return date has been set for the series' ten-episode sophomore season. Stay tuned as this story develops. UPDATE (6/27): Bravo has now confirmed the above story .

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BuzzFeed: Meet The TV Successor To "Serial"

HBO's stranger-than-fiction true crime documentary The Jinx — about real estate heir Robert Durst — brings the chills and thrills missing since Serial wrapped up its first season. Serial obsessives: HBO's latest documentary series is exactly what you've been waiting for. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst , like Sarah Koenig's beloved podcast, sifts through old documents, finds new leads from fresh interviews, and seeks to determine just what happened on a fateful day in which the most foul murder was committed. And, also like Serial before it, The Jinx may also hold no ultimate answer to innocence or guilt. But that seems almost beside the point; such investigations often remain murky and unclear, and guilt is not so easy a thing to be judged. Instead, this upcoming six-part tantalizing murder mystery, from director Andrew Jarecki ( Capturing the Friedmans ), is a gripping true crime story that unfolds with all of the speed of a page-turner; it

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BuzzFeed: "The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now"

The CBS legal drama, now in its sixth season, continually shakes up its narrative foundations and proves itself fearless in the process. Spoilers ahead, if you’re not up to date on the show. At BuzzFeed, you can read my latest feature, " The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now," in which I praise CBS' The Good Wife and, well, hail it as the best show currently on television. (Yes, you read that right.) There is no need to be delicate here: If you’re not watching The Good Wife, you are missing out on the best show on television. I won’t qualify that statement in the least — I’m not talking about the best show currently airing on broadcast television or outside of cable or on premium or however you want to sandbox this remarkable show. No, the legal drama is the best thing currently airing on any channel on television. That The Good Wife is this perfect in its sixth season is reason to truly celebrate. Few shows embrace complexity and risk-taking in t

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