Jean-Christophe Novelli runs Bravo's "Chef Academy."

Two reality-competitions wrap up this week, while another launches, and the first Christmas specials break the pre-Thanksgiving barrier. (At least they waited until after Halloween.) Here’s all that and more.

“Chef Academy,” 9 p.m. Monday on…

Here’s the transcript from my Oct. 29 live discussion about TV. Next week’s chat is already scheduled, so if you’re reading this and think of questions and comments, click here to post them now.

"Top Model" contender Sundai

“America’s Next Top Model” has announced its Cycle 13 cast, all 5 feet 7 inches or shorter. The shortest? Sundai, 18, a student from Bakersfield, Calif., who is 5 feet 3. Four of the 13 models top…

“Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill” will trade places on the CW’s Monday night schedule in the fall. In St. Louis, where KPLR delays CW programming an hour, that means “One Tree Hill” at 8 p.m. and “Gossip Girl” at an…

Allison,

The new season of “America’s Next Top Model” (the 12th!) just started, but casting is already underway for Season 13, where the twist will be that all the contestants must be short. Well, shorter — the height requirement is…

Early CW renewals were rumored all day Tuesday, but I finally have the official word from the CW. Included in the pickups: “Smallville,” which had been on the bubble only because of the need to seal a new contract with…

The Democratic presidential candidate has bought a half-hour on CBS, NBC and Fox at 7 tonight — but not ABC, which will air “Pushing Daisies.” ABC didn’t have a 30-minute slot available for the ad, and reports are that by…

Another cast for “America’s Next Top Model” is announced, and still nobody from St. Louis makes the cut. Lucky, La.? Sure. Ukraine? Da. St. Louis? Nope again. Here’s the release from the CW.

August 12, 2008 (Burbank, California) – The CW’s…

Here’s a release about next Saturday’s (July 19) casting call HERE for “America’s Next Top Model.”

CW 11 (KPLR) ST. LOUIS TO HOST THE ONLY ST. LOUIS CONTESTANT SEARCH FOR AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL CYCLE 12

Hundreds of aspiring models expected to…

Unbelievably, the plus-size girl won “America’s Next Top Model.” Even more unbelievably, winner Whitney is “plus size” at size 10! As Tyra Banks told “Miss J.” earlier in the episode, “She’s not big. Only in modeling is she big. On the…