Is it just us, or does it seem like lately there’s been an abundance of our friends and neighbors on television? From a singer and a chef, to an author and a dog, here’s who you may have seen recently on the small screen.
Yes, chef
It’s safe to say Siren chef Laura Fonner is the champion of Flavortown. Back in 2019, Fonner was the winner of her episode of Guy Fieri’s Food Network show, “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Her win earned her a place in the tournament of champions, “Summer Grillin’ Games,” where Fonner duked it out with the best of the best. Fonner’s final task was to create the “ultimate grilled feast” using frozen peaches, Worcestershire sauce, and corn. Her simple take on Mexican street corn and surf and turf won over the celebrity judges and she went home with the $25,000 prize.
Pop star
It took less than two minutes for Crozet native Kenedi Anderson to solidify herself as the stand-out star of “American Idol” season 20. Her acoustic rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Applause” wowed judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie so much that they awarded her one of three coveted platinum tickets, sending her straight to the second round of Hollywood Week. Her later performances of “Talking to the Moon” and “Human” made her a clear favorite to win. But, after recording her Top 24 performance, Anderson announced she was leaving the competition due to personal reasons. We doubt this is the last we’ll see of the local star—recently, Anderson’s Instagram showed her busy in a recording booth. Could new music be on the way?
Love games
Charlottesville native Salley Carson made a memorable entrance and a swift exit on the 26th season of “The Bachelor.” Described as “a real-life Meredith Grey looking for her McDreamy,” the surgery robot operator was engaged shortly before she joined the competition, but she didn’t let that stop her from charming eligible bachelor Clayton Echard. Sparks flew after their initial meeting, and Echard offered Carson the first rose of the season. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be for the two lovebirds. Not emotionally ready for a new relationship, Carson turned down the rose and left the competition before night one.
Answer…
University of Virginia student Megan Sullivan’s dreams came true when she made it onto the “Jeopardy! National College Championship.” The classics major knew her trivia chops were up to snuff, so she decided to work on buzzer skills—an overlooked but important aspect of “Jeopardy!” gameplay. Sullivan’s quick reflexes paid off—she made it all the way to the semifinals.
The underdog
Envy is the local Jack Russell terrier who was the smallest competitor on season two of the A&E show “America’s Top Dog.” The pooch competed with her owner Patricia Howell, tackling obstacle courses and going head-to-head with other dogs. Though Envy had the confidence to keep up with the big dogs, she didn’t make it to round two. She sure is a good girl though.
Coming soon
Jocelyn Nicole Johnson released her debut collection of short stories, My Monticello, to national acclaim. Colson Whitehead called it “a badass debut,” it was a Kirkus Prize finalist, named one of Time magazine’s 10 best fiction books of 2021, and a Netflix adaptation of the title novella is in the works. “My Monticello” takes place in the midst of a societal collapse caused by ecological disaster. White supremacists are taking over Charlottesville, and First Street resident Da’Naisha Love and her neighbors and family find safety by driving a Jaunt bus to Monticello. No word yet on a release date, but with Johnson serving as executive producer we’re pretty sure the small-screen adaptation will satisfy fans of the book.