Dish-Houston

Thanks to a wonderful show hosted by the amazing Rebecca Spera that is shot here in Houston! The show is called Mirror Mirror and you can see it on ABC Sunday evenings after the 10 pm news or on ABC HD Channel called Live Well HD Network! This fun lifestyle show is on in 11 states and DISH has been blessed enough to host fashion segments! This segment is about hats! They are soooo huge this season! Ralph Lauren had hats on almost all of his models fall and spring 2010! Two of the hat designers we used are based in Houston so look for them because they are definitely up and comers! Gabriela Dror and Veronica Schiller!

Enjoy and keep watching!

By Kimberly Campbell, President, QUEST Business Strategies

Even with an artic blast bringing Texas temperatures to lows not seen in over fifteen years, the construction team and volunteers for an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition are forging ahead to complete a Bay Area Houston home by Thursday. The frosty conditions that went below twenty degrees caused some of the insulated roofing panels to temporarily freeze and hindered cement from drying, both slowing down the build progress. But the heart of the community remains at full drive, bringing volunteers by the droves to pitch in a helping hand.

The two-story house is taking form, measuring out at a whopping 6,500 square feet. The walls and roof were nearly complete by Monday afternoon, and dozens of windows have been installed. At the construction site, pallets of drywall were ferried indoors to form the various rooms, which include a physical therapy area, family theater, and commercial-grade kitchen.

Meanwhile, the Beach family is in Florida, enjoying a Disneyworld vacation. Stripped of cell phones, computers and all electronic devices, the family only gets construction updates from Ty Pennington, the show’s host. Larry and Melissa Beach were chosen to receive a new home when the show’s producers learned that this amazing family of fifteen was living in a trailer next to their house that was totally gutted last year by Hurricane Ike. Over the years, the Beach’s have fostered 85 children, adopting nine in addition to their four older biological kids.

Larry Beach works for Centerpoint Energy, the local natural gas company. The street where the Beach’s live maintains no gas lines. When an early call went out for donations of new gas appliances, the family realized that they were not selected for the show, as they had only electric capabilities. Unbeknownst to them, gas lines were installed for all area residents, laid by his coworkers under cover in Verizon telephone trucks to keep it all hush-hush. The crew stopped just short of the Beach property, finishing installation once the family was notified of their selection for the show.

With just over two days remaining until the big reveal, monetary donations are still in demand. Monies raised will pay off the family’s original mortgage and set up college scholarships for the children. Please make a donation using the secure Pay Pal system assessable at the homebuilder’s website at www.blushieldsextreme.com/donations. Additionally, all Bay Area Houston residents are encouraged to give the gift of life at area blood drives being held in conjunction with the build. For locations and times, visit http://blushieldsextreme.com/january-8-2010/.

HOUSTON - WE HAVE A DANCER!!! =)

Yes we all know Tom Delay has agreed to be on this season of Dancing with the Stars...but did you know he was training right here in Sugar Land at Cookie Joe's Dance Studio!!!??? It's a DISH-Houston exclusive scoop!

Out insiders told us last week but because of legal contractual obligations to the network we were not allowed to say anything until today! But HERE is the scoop from the inside!!!

Sugar Land's "Cookie Joe's Dancin' School" was recently selected by ABC as the official Dancing With the Stars rehearsal site for former House Majority Leader Tom Delay and Cheryl,  his twice champion dancing partner. The school has recently been featured on Entertainment Tonight and has been seen on national TV when they have shown Mr. Delay rehearsing.
The show premiers with a two hour special on Monday, September 21.   Cookie is donating the $$ she got for renting the school studio to ABC - to Star of Hope Homeless Mission.   Cookie Joe, National 2006 Dance Teacher of the Year, has also recently been featured in the "E" Special about Patrick Swayze. She grew up and danced with Buddy Swayze till he left for New York. 

For more information on Cookie Joe's Dancin' School CLICK HERE

For more information on the Star of Hope Homeless Mission CLICK HERE

For more information on Dancing with the Stars CLICK HERE
 

In a move startling even by the outlandish standards of reality television, aside from trying to cast Peter Bogdanovich on "I'm a Celebrity Get me out of Here", "Dancing With the Stars" announced this week that former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay -- a pugnacious politician under indictment for alleged money-laundering -- will be a contestant in the upcoming season.

The ninth season of the ABC show premieres Sept. 21. It's the highest-profile move by the former Republican power broker since he left Congress in 2006 after being indicted in Texas in 2005 in connection with alleged campaign finance violations, in a case that is still pending.

Green, one of the show's producers, said he wanted to include a politician to shake up the dynamics of the program, which pairs celebrities with professional dancers. He added that he considered DeLay's indictment before offering him the role, but decided it was not enough to keep him off the program. CAN YOU SMEEL THE DESIRE FOR A RATINGS GRAB???

"It's not a political decision, putting him on the show," he said. "It's just a bit of fun."

For his part, DeLay seems to have put politicking on the back burner (Which is probably where it should stay for him) for now and thrown himself into his new role as a reality-show contestant. His blog, TomDeLay.com, had been scrubbed of political content and been renamed "Dancing With DeLay."

"I think you'll be impressed by my moves," he wrote on his new Twitter account.

DeLay's wife, Christine, said the longtime politician, 62, is a big fan of the show and has been working out all summer to prepare for the rigorous contest. He has a repertoire that includes the two-step, polka, waltz, country swing and disco, she told Emily Miller, DeLay's former communications director, in an interview posted on Politics Daily.

The news of DeLay's selection triggered irate complaints from many fans and some amusement among the political cognoscenti. Shortly after host Tom Bergeron announced the new cast on "Good Morning America," angry viewers posted comments on ABC’s message board denouncing the decision to invite DeLay on the glittery dance program.

"Tom DeLay is an albatross that you've hung around your own necks," read one typical message. "I guess you guys couldn't help but to put a disgraceful political personality out there -- what's next a famous murderer? I hear Squeaky Fromme is available."

"I guess you couldn't get Bernie Madoff," wrote another viewer.

The response in Washington was more sardonic.

"Also: Denny Hastert to be on American Idol," ABC's chief White House correspondent, Jake Tapper, quipped on Twitter.

DeLay -- nicknamed "The Hammer" for the hardball tactics he used to keep members of Congress in line -- lost his powerful perch during a corruption scandal that ensnared former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a close DeLay associate. Facing separate money-laundering charges filed by Ronnie Earle, then the Democratic district attorney in Travis County, Texas, DeLay decided not to seek reelection.

Earle did not respond to an e-mail for comment. A spokesman for his successor, Travis County Dist. Atty. Rosemary Lehmberg, had no comment. Prosecutors have been waiting for an appellate court to take action on motions filed by DeLay's co-defendants.

"Frankly, this case seems to have stalled completely," producer Green said Monday. "I believe in innocent before proven guilty."

In addition, Green said he hopes that the participation of a onetime prominent Republican lawmaker on the show will help him land one of his dream contestants: former President Bill Clinton. "For the honor of the Democratic Party, he needs to step up," he said.

No matter DeLay's dancing ability, Green said that the mere presence of the combative conservative will spark passionate involvement by the show's fans.

"If anyone knows how to mobilize the vote, it's Tom DeLay," he said.

DeLay already has a history of trying to corral support for contestants on the show. Shortly after leaving office in 2006, he sent a letter to supporters urging them to vote for country music star Sara Evans when she was competing on the program. DeLay noted that she was up against "ultra liberal talk show host Jerry Springer," adding: "We need to send a message to Hollywood and the media that smut has no place on television by supporting good people like Sara Evans."

Evans ended up quitting the program after filing for divorce from her husband of 13 years.

This is not the first time "Dancing With the Stars" has selected a contestant with legal problems. Rapper Lil' Kim, who was on Season 8, spent 10 months in prison for lying about a shooting. Two years ago, the show cast actor Vincent Pastore of "The Sopranos," who had pleaded guilty to attempted assault against his former fiancée. Pastore dropped out before the season began because of the physical demands.

Well it will will be nothing if not ... interesting?