The Biggest Loser 8, Episode 10: Brooding Rudy

Fear not, William Hammon fans, he will be back next week to resume his duties as your faithful Biggest Loser recapper. I was just called in from the bullpen!

Last week, the threat of double elimination had our Losers dropping weight in big, big numbers. Even an astonishing 17 lbs. weight loss couldn’t keep poor Shay from falling below the yellow line. Faring even worse was Daniel, whose inexplicable inability to lose big numbers (knowing all that he knows in his second season) fell below the newly minted and freshly dreaded red line. I guess we will never know what was going on with Daniel because he insists he was working out and dieting exactly as he should have been.

But, we did learn on Jay Leno that Daniel is up 230 lbs. lost (to which, Jay Leno quipped, “You lost ME!”), and Shay has also continued her losing ways. She said she has lost 150 lbs and counting! I am a bit surprised that Shay was eliminated instead of Amanda. Seventeen pounds down, and she still couldn’t stay over the yellow line (and everyone was hyper-motivated. The next week, everyone presumably would go back to normal, which means Shay would go back to her 7s or 8s. Amanda is Bob’s pet project. She’s due to pop big numbers sooner or later! Bad decision, I say.)

Allison greets our remaining Losers, Danny, Amanda, Rudy, Liz, Rebecca, and Allen in front of a limousine. She’s starts talking about transformations and inspiration. Expectant smiles creep on the contestants’ faces. This could only mean make-overs. Allison continues that each contestant will be making a speech to inspire folks with the stories of their journeys. And makeovers!

Right on cue, springing from the limousine is none other than Project Runway’s Tim Gunn looking as impeccable and immaculate as he always does. Also springing from the limousine (earning a huge reaction shot from just Rebecca filling our screen, which basically says no one else knew who the hell this was) is Tabatha Coffey from Tabatha’s Salon Makeover, looking as disingenuous and prickly as she always does. I wonder if anyone will call her a bitch on this show also.

The contestants are very excited. Amanda says they all “deserve this makeover.” Rudy thinks it timely, since he’s been looking a bit “burly” lately. Rebecca says she needs the help. Tim Gunn says he is taking them all to Mood to buy materials to make sweatsuits inspired by Old Hollywood. Just kidding. Tim says he is taking them shopping, and Tabatha will be in charge of hair.

Shopping with Liz, Tim asks what message she wants to deliver. Liz says she wants tell women that it’s okay to make time for themselves. Tim loves it. Rudy is proving difficult to shop with. He only likes jeans and t-shirts. Tim says jeans can be spruced up with a nice blazer. Rudy looks at Tim like he spoke in hieroglyphs. Rebecca says she feels overwhelmed actually buying clothes off the rack that fit her.

Meanwhile, at Warren Tricomi Salon, Tabatha is wielding sharp objects. Menacingly, she asks an already overwhelmed Rebecca how short can Tabatha cut. Rebecca says short is bad because she has a round face. Tabatha tells her she does not have a round face anymore (point: Tabatha). Amanda’s hair looks like it has been colored a shade or so darker and confesses she is ‘freaking out.’

Waiting for their turn, Danny is teasing Rudy about getting his ferocious beard cut. They share what their speeches will be about. Allen says he wants to talk about the moment that led him to the Biggest Loser. Rudy agrees. Danny says he wants to make his family proud of him.

Rudy tells Tabatha the beard stays. Tabatha rears her head back and a forked tongue flits out. Just kidding. Rudy tells us he is afraid he will “look heavy” with a clean-shaven face. Tabatha vanquishes all hope that the beard will survive with a wave of a hand (point: Tabatha).

It’s show time! Rebecca is standing behind a curtain waiting to take center stage when Tim comes to survey the makeover results. Rebecca is stunning with a gorgeous little bob haircut. Tim says she looks like “a movie star.” Rebecca confesses she is really nervous about the speech. Tim says he has one more surprise for her… and Rebecca’s sister, Nikki, comes running and shrieking. In response, Rebecca shrieks and cries. Nikki tells us she was just “in awe” of her transformed sibling.

Out comes Danny, and with his haircut and color-covered gray, he looks 10 years younger! Immediately, Tim says, “You’ve taken 10 or 15 years off!” I was first, Gunn. Upon seeing his surprise, Danny crumbles into tears. His wife, shakes her fists in victory for brief moment, then shifts into astonishment. Danny’s pre-teen daughter’s mouth is also agape. Can’t blame them!

Allen comes out in a cream-colored suit, and he looks so thin, it’s like he doesn’t even belong on the show anymore! Tears are already streaming down his wife’s face. That triggers his daughter, looks to be around 6 or 7, to cry as well.

Amanda emerges and spins in slow-mo dressed in a brilliant blue top and slacks with shoulder length curls. She’s truly beautiful. Tim tells her she is “sensational.” Amanda’s mother seems at a loss for words and hugs her daughter tight.

Out comes the jeaned and blazered Rudy, and Tim tells him he looks “15 years younger.” Frankly, he doesn’t really look like Rudy anymore! His wife, holding a toddler, is completely stunned. Rudy picks up his other young daughter and rains kisses on her face. She diligently wipes them off one at a time. Kisses from boys are gross, you know.

Liz comes out with a lovely print dresses and a gorgeous haircut with soft, blunt curls framing her face. She looks amazing! (game set match: Tabatha!) Her husband oozes, “you look gooood!” and suddenly, I am blushing. Liz’s daughter can only mouth an “omigod!” Not sure if it was her reaction to Liz or her dad.