We start this time around with the finale of American Idol. It was set this past Wednesday night, as Lee Dewyze will battle Crystal Bowersox for the title of American Idol champion for Season 9. Casey James was eliminated after he went home to Cool, Texas and sang “Daughters” by John Mayer and “OK, It's Alright With Me” by Eric Hutchinson.

As an avid Idol watcher, this finale is setting up just like last year. Crystal Bowersox is Adam Lambert with dreadlocks. To me, she is the much more talented finalist. And Lee Dewyze is Kris Allen. He is the boring, middle of the road guitarist who is as “hot” as Casey James so all the girls will vote for him instead of recognizing real talent.

Mark my words, the voting public will be swayed by Lee’s good looks instead of Crystal’s real talent and Lee Dewyze will be this year’s champion. And then we can finally put this awful, miserable season to rest.

Over on the beach, Russell Hantz made the final three for the 2nd time in a row in the finale of “Survivor: Heroes v. Villains”. And for the 2nd time in 2 seasons, he got spanked. Sandra Diaz-Twine received six out of the nine jury votes, won her 2nd $1M prize, and became the first person to repeat as “Sole Survivor”. Russell repeated as the “Sprint Player of the Season” and won $100,000 for his effort.

There wasn’t as much yelling this season, but there were still some cries of “Russell was the best player and got screwed again!” I was one of those people last season, but this season I am going to say that he didn’t. He didn’t learn from last season. While you can say he was great with the finding and use of the Immunity Idols and stabbing people in the back, he still doesn’t understand that this is a social game. Russell will go down as the best player NEVER to win Survivor.

I am looking forward to see what happens in Survivor: Nicaragua for Seasons 21 and 22. This is going to be fun stuff.

The final three is also set on Dancing with the Stars. Chad Ochocinco was kicked out of the game and we have Erin Andrews, Nicole Scherzinger and Evan Lycacek competing for the disco ball trophy. My prediction is Nicole will win. She has been the most consistent.

As for the producers trying to get Betty White for next season, I say go for it! It would be an amazing “get”.

The sun is shining, the weather is over and it’s time to think of....NEXT FALL?!??! That’s right. It’s upfront week. Upfronts are where networks announce the schedules for next fall. Let’s see what the networks have in store for us in the game/reality show world:

--On CBS, “The Amazing Race” stays on Sundays at 8PM. The big move is that “Survivor” is moving to Wednesday nights at 8PM, to make room for a CBS comedy block from 8-9PM.

--On the CW, “America’s Next Top Model” returns.

--On ABC, “The Bachelor” and “Dancing With the Stars” are coming back.

--On Fox, we have a fall season of Hell’s Kitchen. The big news was that when American Idol comes back for season 10, the Tuesday show has been cut down to 90 minutes and the results show will be cut to 30 minutes. And “So You Think You Can Dance” will be back for Season 7.

--On NBC, “The Biggest Loser” is back. In the Spring of 2011, “Minute To Win It”, and “Celebrity Apprentice” return. Also picked up, “America’s Next Great Restaurant” with Bobby Flay and “The Marriage Ref”.

--And on “The Hub” (formerly Discovery Kids which will launch 10/10/10), we have “Family Game Night” According to buzzerblog.com, each hour-long episode will see teams of families of all ages compete in various Hasbro games for points and prizes. Some games first announced are Cranium, Bop-It, and Connect 4.The show looks to be airing in the network’s “Family Prime” block which will air from 7:00PM to 11:00PM. Family Game Night is produced by Hasbro Studios.

Block Party Quick Hits Time:

--The PS3 is the latest home for “The Price Is Right”

--Regis Philbin has been announced as the host of the Daytime Emmys. It will be broadcast on June 27th on CBS.

--$1M winner on “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” Kathy Cox is stepping down at State Schools Superintendent and running an educational non-profit.

--Bruno Tonioli drops the F-Bomb Live on Dancing with the Stars.

--“Minute To Win It” is casting for Season 2. Submit a paragraph about yourself, your name, address to mtwicasting@gmail.com. Or you can go to minutetowinit.net

--“WCG Ultimate Gamer 2” returns to Syfy in August.

--The Bret Michaels recovery tour continues. He returned to the public eye on Oprah, made the final 2 on “Celebrity Apprentice”, and will return to the road on May 26th. His new show “Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It” will have a sneak peek on VH1 May 31st.

--Wayne Brady posted on his Facebook page that Let’s Make A Deal has been renewed for Season 2. This is well deserved.

--Noel Edmonds signs a 2 yr deal to return as host of UK’s Deal or No Deal.

--Top Chef DC starts June 16th on Bravo. And Top Chef Masters Season 1 winner Rick Bayless cooks and tweets about his gig cooking for the President of the United States and Mexico at a state dinner.

--Dance Your Ass Off returns for Season 2 on Oxygen June 7th.

--The Chiller Network gets “Fear Factor”

--In the “You Have to be Kidding” department, $500,000 Big Brother winner Adam Jasinski’s lawyer suggested taxpayers pick up the tab for his drug rehab at Kennedy Health Care Center in New Jersey. Appearing taken aback, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Leo T. Sorokin assured Adam Jasinski, 32, now awaiting trial in Boston on drug-dealing charges, that this was one argument the fallen reality TV star wasn’t going to win.

“Given that he won $500,000 from ‘Big Brother’ and has not been found indigent. . ,” Sorokin told attorney Valerie Carter, his voice trailing off as his mouth hung open.