Upfront Update: Bravo’s History Making Upfront Event

Above and beyond all else it made clear that Bravo is much more than a thriving basic cable network Itamp8217s a driving force in popular culture one that resonates as much with young people seeking escapist reality fare as with the upscale digitally driven demographics that it cultivates and celebratesBravo isnamp8217t the first network to stage simultaneous Upfront events in New York Chicago and Los Angeles but it is the first as far as I can recall to include live onair remotes from all three locations on its air as they were happening Those remotes ran during the actual telecast of the Top Chef AllStars finale and the program that followed A special edition of the networkamp8217s live talk show Watch What Happensamp160Live hosted as always by Bravo programming chief Andy Cohen as featuring Top Chef AllStars winner Richard Blais and runnerup Michael Isabella I believe this edition of Watch What Happens was the firstever live fulllength telecast of a television program from an Upfront eventEven without the simultaneous Chicago and Los Angeles parties Bravoamp8217s New York event alone would have been one of the seasonamp8217s best The venue amp8211 three cavernous rooms that comprise the 82 Mercer Space on downtown Manhattanamp8217s Mercer Street amp8211 was decorated in sleek style especially the dining room in which guests were served the very same dishes that Blais and Isabella were preparing for the AllStars judges on the finale Each course was complimented by one of the Top Chef Quickfire Wines For what itamp8217s worth which may not be much it was the consensus among the folks eating near me that Isabellaamp8217s food was better that Blaisamp8217 which included nasty sweetbreads Some of the guests werenamp8217t sure what sweetbreads are but after quick searches on their smart phones word spread around the table and they were politely pushed aside Nevertheless Blais was by all accounts a talented guy who deserved to winSeated among network executives advertisers and journalists in the room were dozens of Bravo celebrities or Bravolebrities as they are known They included several stars from The Real Housewives of New York City and New Jersey Tabatha Coffey of Tabathaamp8217s Salon Takeover Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos of Flipping Out and the upcoming Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis Rocco DiSpirito of the upcoming Roccoamp8217s Dinner Party Rosie Pope of the upcoming Pregnant in Heels Brooklyn chef Roble Ali of the upcoming Roble ampamp Co and Project Runway Season 4 contestant Chris March whoamp8217ll be back on the network in a docudrama series titled Mad FashionTop Chef host and judge Padma Lakshmi was holding court at the Los Angeles event with many other Bravo personalities including several cast members from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Orange County along with many Top Chef cheftestants Top Chef Just Desserts host and franchise judge Gail Simmons was stationed at the Chicago affair which was also filled with BravolebritiesOverall it has been an especially robust season for cable Upfront events as chronicled here by Tomorrow Will Be Televised producer and host Simon Applebaum Syfy amp8211 which always puts together one of the best events of the season incorporated a private performance of the controversial Broadway musical Spiderman Turn off the Dark into its gala at the Foxwoods Theater Syfy is one of the troubled showamp8217s media partners ABC Family had its bestever Upfront presentation at the hot New York restaurant Beauty ampamp Essex FX brought together the casts and producers of almost every one of its series for a night of bowling and highend bar food at New York Cityamp8217s Lucky Strike bowling alley As far as the press was concerned the mustmeet stars at that party were Margo Martindale of Justified the merciless Mags Bennett and Elijah Wood star of the upcoming bizarro comedy Wilfred which will without question be one of the most talked about new television series of the year There are more cable Upfront spectaculars to come including Oxygen on April 4 truTV on April 12 with entertainment by Maroon 5 and Discovery Networks on April 14Click the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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Upfront Update: Bravo’s History Making Upfront Event

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Ed Martin

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Upfront Update: Bravo’s History Making Upfront Event

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