Former Contestant On Food Network Star Slain

My wife and I are big fans of reality shows and one of our favorites is Food Network Star.  It offers contestants the chance to have a cooking show of their own on the Network.  It usually runs on the network during the summer.  This morning I was saddened to read about the murder of season 8 contestant Cristie Shoen Codd.  Codd, who was 5 months pregnant, has become a murder victim along with her husband, JT Codd.  A suspect is in custody, Robert Jason Owen, lived nearby and was a handyman for the couple. 
Although the couple lived in North Carolina, they both had jobs in the movie industry, Cristie did catering work on movie sets, while JT was a key grip.

Damaris Wins Next Great Food Network Star

Southern Cooking Chef Damaris Phillips beat "The Pie man" Rodney Henry to win this year's Next Great Food Network Star.  The reality show on the Food Network has as it's reward, a show for the contestant on the Food Network.  I normally do not blog about the show, but unlike most of the past winners, most of whose shows have been cancelled, this lady has a high degree of star power.    Guy Fieri, was one of the winners of the competition to have staying power (along with Jeff Mauro,the Sandwich Guy), but with the recent departure of Paula Deen, it looks like Damaris could be a breakthrough. She has a winning smile and an inviting personality.  She was a slow starter, who gradually improved as the season progressed.  She apparently has real cooking chops too.