The Final Four

On the Food Network website you can vote for your favorite contestant from this season's Food Network Star. The top five in fan votes currently:

1) Jeff
2) Orchid
3) Vic
4) Whitney
5) Susie

So only one of the current final four contestants isn't in the top 5 of the fan vote, and wouldn't you know it, it's Mary Beth. I don't know how she's gotten this far, but I'm not sure if anything can stop the runaway train at this point.

Also, Orchid at #2? Did the judges whiff on that one?

If I had to put odds on who's going to win this thing:

Susie (3-2 odds) - even though I'll concede that Jeff has pulled into the lead the last couple of weeks, I still think Susie will end up as the winner. Even last week when it seemed to me that she was mediocre at best, all she got was praise from the judges. They want her to win. Ingrid Hoffman might want to polish up her resume.

Jeff (2-1) - He has the judges fawning over him at this point. And once you've charmed Susie Fogelson, well, you might as well start prepping for the first episode of your new show. I'm looking forward to Jeff making a guest appearance on Chopped and making sandwiches for all his courses.

Vic (10-1) - Ok, so Vic Vegas is now Vic Moea, as the judges decide for Vic who he's going to be. Mrs. claimed it was one worst moments in the history of the show. I think we're a little far along in the show to be changing your name (and yes, I realize Moea is his real last name). And I think it's a bit contrived that Vic keeps agreeing to be whatever the judges want. "You want me to be 'Mama's Boy'? Yeah, of course, didn't you see my tattoo with a heart around the word mother? Vegas? No, no, no, where'd you get that from? You want me to grow a mustache and speak with a French accent? Of course, anything for you Bob."

Mary Beth (50-1) - What to do with Mary Beth? How many times can a contestant be in the bottom each week and keep surviving? What more is there to say at this point? Just give her a show so I can never watch it.

Predictions for this week:

Vic goes home. It can't possibly be Mary Beth because I'm fully prepared to accept that she's going to win. (And yes, I'm only predicting this because I'm hoping it will be a reverse jinx and Mary Beth will finally be sent home).

Who charms Alton Brown as the preview for the episode asks? I'd have to guess the obvious answer of Susie. It can't be Mary Beth, Vic doesn't seem like he'd be looking to charm Alton, and Jeff's antics will probably just piss Alton off.

Since we know that Mary Beth gets paired with Penny, I'm pretty sure we'll see some fake hugs and kisses. And why not Penny calling herself sexy?

Chris will do something to dumbfound Alton Brown (in a way, I've missed Chris). And if I were the ice cream machine, I'd try to steer clear of Chris.

Susie, who was once a lock to win it but has stumbled a bit lately, will rebound big and once again lock up the season.

We're almost at the end, so I'll say for the final time that both Susie and Jeff will end up with shows on the network.

And of course, there will be crying. Vic's good for a cry if he's voted off and the judges will most certainly be crying no matter who's voted off. And I'm sure somewhere Alicia will be crying. And ruining cupcakes.