American Inventor
Two hour premiere Thursday, March 16, 8:00 pm on ABC Official website: American Inventor American Inventor, an exciting series from Simon Cowell and the producers of American Idol about the biggest search ever for America's best new invention, will premiere with a two-hour special, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, from 8:00-10:00 p.m., ET, and then move to 9:00 p.m., ET on Thursdays thereafter. American Inventor, the embodiment of the ultimate American dream, will uncover the hot-*test*-('") new product and make one struggling inventor's dream come true. With one million dollars at stake, American Inventor will celebrate the best in homespun American ingenuity. The series opens with coverage of open casting calls in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Viewers will see inventors all of all ages present their most prized inventions, featuring everything from the wacky to the heart warming. National casting calls were held in seven major cities across the country. In addition to the cities already mentioned, producers visited Denver, Chicago, Washington DC and Atlanta, all of which will be featured in upcoming episodes. Thousands of inventors, tinkerers and entrepreneurs of all ages applied. American Inventor is the biggest search for the next great invention with wide consumer appeal… Envision the Cabbage Patch Kids®, George Foreman Grill®, Post-It® or Rubik's Cube®. A panel of expert judges will narrow down the initial entries to a group of finalists, who will each be given $50,000 to develop their product, refine it and take it to the next level. This is a show that's going to make the American dream come true for one person -- taking his/her idea, vision and creativity and helping to turn it into a mass produced product that will be in every American home -- but in the end it will be up to America to call in and vote on which invention is worthy of the one million dollar prize. American Inventor's panel of expert judges include Doug Hall, an inventor, bestselling author and radio host, and also the founder and CEO of Eureka! Ranch, an inventing, training and research firm; Ed Evangelista, an executive creative director at the New York headquarters of JWT; Mary Lou Quinlan, founder and CEO of Just Ask a Woman, one of the premiere women's marketing companies in the U.S.; and Peter Jones, one of the UK's brigh-*test*-('") young entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Hosted by Matt Gallant, American Inventor is produced by Simon Cowell's Syco Television LLC and FremantleMedia North America, Inc. The executive producers are Simon Cowell, Liz Bronstein, Siobhan Greene, Nigel Hall, Cecile Frot-Coutaz and Peter Jones. Co-executive producer is Daniel Soiseth.

3/16 show One of the inventions on the show is a bike with a seat and pedals on the front so someone can sit there (similar to sitting on the handlebars) and help pedal. I'm surprised the judges didn't turn it down for safety reasons. I think there's too much chance that the person in the front could be pitched off the bike if the other person stops suddenly or loses control of the bike. It made me very nervous watching them -*test*-('") it out in the studio. I couldn't imagine having children all over the US riding those bikes in the streets. Another dude was trying to sell the judges on "Space Beetle Utopia" as he called it. It was basically an "ant farm" for roaches. Uh....no. I don't think anyone wants to raise roaches for recreation. The judges agreed and all said no. A guy made a bowl to dispose of olive pits, peanut shells, etc. and the judges actually put him through to the next round. I don't get it. Why would you need a special bowl for that?? Couldn't you just use a regular bowl or an ashtray? The best invention I've seen so far is a guy (he's a correctional officer) made a portable exercise system (weights and some other stuff). That's something everybody could use. We all need more exercise and having something you can take with you and use anywhere makes it more likely you will do it. I'm glad he made it through.

3/23 show 1st invention: flatulance deodorizer It's a carbon insert you put in your drawers. One of the judges said no because he thinks the sound of a fart is more embarassing than the smell. :lol: He's out. 2nd invention: receiver's training pole I have no idea what the invention does. It has something to do with football but I don't know how this thing works. The judges put him through. :? 3rd invention: naughty knot lingerie Basically, it was a strip of cloth (like a belt) that can be tied around the body to cover the breasts. The lady demonstrated it by having another lady wear it and then undo the knot and reveal herself topless to the judges. :oops: The lady judge was offended by it and stormed out to get a coat for the topless model. She ordered them out before the other judges even got to vote. :lol: 4th invention: bullet ball A table game, it looks like air hockey played on a circular table using your hands instead of a paddle. The inventor has himself deluded that it will become an Olympic event. :roll: The judges had to say no, the game wasn't that impressive. 5th invention: occupancy clip The invention is a metal clip a lady can carry with her so that if she ends up in a bathroom stall with a broken lock, she can use this thing to hold the door shut and let people know someone's in there. One of the male judges asked how many times in 100 a restroom door lock will not work. The lady estimated 15-20, which I thought was a high estimate. However, the lady judge said she'd put it at 35-40. I don't know...she must go to the bathroom in really crappy places to have it happen so often to her. She made it through. :? 6th invention: Naya doll The first multi-cultural, speaking doll that can speak in different languages. She made it through, despite one judge saying no. 7th invention: an invisible something-or-other A kid invented it and presented it. He mumbled so I couldn't make out what he was saying. I couldn't figure out what he was supposed to be showing (I guess because it was invisible). The judges had to tell him no. 8th invention: my therapy buddy Oh, geez. It's a doll for adults. It says "everything is going to be alright". Paula Abdul could use one of those but the general population? No. The judges said no, too. 9th invention: a liner to be used in wigs or helmets to absorb perspiration The judges thought it had limited use or other things could be used just as easily, you don't need the invention to do it. The female judge hammered the male judges to give the lady a chance. One of them changed their mind so the lady went through. I think that was a mistake but, oh well. She'll be eliminated in the next round.

3/30 show 1st invention: The Perfect Pet Petter The dude invented a robotic hand attached to a box that will pet your dog and talk to it when you're away. The judges turned him down. 2nd invention: Exercise Belt The next guy basically had retractable strings attached to a belt around his waist to exercise wherever you go. The judges sent him through. They liked his invention. 3rd invention: The Schpoopy The guy had a pooper scooper on a pole that you put under your dog when it takes a dump to collect it's poopy. Then you close the lid with a lever and throw away the disposable liner. The judges laughed at it but had concerns because what if the dog's poop was runny and it was a digusting idea to catch the poop straight from your dog. They said no. 4th invention: Disposable Bedding The lady pitching it was long-winded and got short with the judges when they asked her to move it along and show them her invention. She said sleeping on it would be like sleeping on a diaper and one judge asked why would you want to sleep on a diaper? The lady is a real biatch. One of the male judges seems annoyed by her. He threw her paper bedding on the floor and she had a hissy fit about that. They put her through?!? :shock: 5th invention: One-handed Flosser This guy's a quadraplegic. He broke his neck at 15 and found he had trouble flossing so he invented a gadget to help him floss with one hand. Personally I don't see how it's any different from the floss picks currently available, except it's bigger and I would think harder to maneuver. They put him through. 6th invention: Temptress Bras Girls are showing their invention, bra's created for women with breast implants. Why would you need a special bra if you had implants??? Makes no sense to me. Some of the confused judges said yes but enough said no that the girls were sent packing. 7th invention: Toe Jam This guy had a jelly dispenser in the shape of a foot. The jelly comes out the toes. The lady judge had the same opinion as me...Ewww!!! Toe Jam guy was sent home. 8th invention: The Bed Plate This guy had a paper plate with a hole in it so you can put your plastic drink cup in it. It works fine without food on it but how could you keep your food on the plate without having it go through the hole in the plate? One of the judges said making the plates would cost a fortune for the technology involved so he said no. Another judge disagreed. The guy made it through. 9th invention: The Rescue Disk It's a big frisbee on a rope that you can toss to rescue victims. It has a hole in the middle of the frisbee for someone to put their arm through to hold onto the disk. One of the judges asked and the guy hasn't -*test*-('")ed the disk. It doesn't look very strong and one of the judges said it didn't look very bouyant. They told him no. 10th invention: Tabletop Word Game You have to make say a 6-letter word starting with K and the winner is the one to get the correct word first. I'm not entirely sure how it works but the judges like it because it's educational. One of the judges said he didn't think it would sell and another judge agreed with him on that point but decided to give the guy a chance anyway. He was put through to the next round.

4/6 show 1st invention: Dial-a-Cup A coffeemaker that has 6 different filters so you can make several types of coffee by turning a dial. I thought it was a great idea and the judges loved it. He's through with flying colors!!!!! Best invention I've seen on the show yet. :wink: 2nd invention: Toilet Bowl Deodorizer One judge liked it from a technological viewpoint but the other judges didn't see a need for it. Neither did I. Like one judge said, toilet odor isn't that bad a problem and all you have to do on the rare occasions when it is an issue is light a match. All judges but the one turned it down. 3rd invention: Holiday Centerpieces The lady showing it wore a costume of her invention. She was very nervous and kept stopping and starting her whole pitch again from the beginning. We never really heard about her centerpieces because she couldn't get the words out. The judges turned her down. 4th invention: Hollywood Remote Leash It's a leash to put on your tv remote control so you don't lose track of it. Can be customized with different fabric styles. The judges weren't impressed by it and neither was I. The guy showing it thought he had the grea-*test*-('") product ever and was surprised the judges didn't go for it. He got all no's and was sent home. 5th invention: Car Armour Demonstrated by a redneck couple with a hard-luck story. I wasn't paying full attention to their story at first but it was something like she fell off a cliff or something, he wasn't able to get to her on time, she yelled for him to call for help, he threw her his jacket and it ended up he had his car keys in his jacket. Obviously not the brigh-*test*-('") couple there ever was. I didn't think car armour was a novel idea. Isn't it around already? They didn't make it through. 6th invention: The Character Building Buddy It's a bag with a teddy bear in it that you stuff with different pillows (like a heart) representing different character traits. Children are supposed to learn from it the components of being a good person. She made it through! 7th invention: parental nagging tape A tape with instructions for your children (like get up) that repeats for two minutes. It reminds me of the record we got to teach our mynah birds to talk. It didn't work and the judges didn't think this invention would work. They said no. 8th invention: Quick Cool Coffee & Tea It's a lazy-susan type device for holding coffee cups/beverage containers. The guy showing it was a yapper and wouldn't let the judges get questions in. They turned him down. 9th invention: The Coffee Ring It's a portable beverage maker, basically a cup with the filter and stuff built into the lid. The guy gave up a kidney to raise money to work on his invention. The judges said no and urged him not to waste any more time and money on his invention. 10th invention: Rotating Car Seat It's a child's car seat set inside a bowl-type enclosure so that whichever direction an impact comes from, the child is not tossed around in their car seat. Two of the judges weren't sure about the safety engineering on the invention but decided it could be worked on. He made it through.

One thing I don't like on shows like this is when we don't get to see the auditions of everybody that goes through. Then we see them in the next round and aren't familiar with them because we haven't hardly seen them. There were a few parts in this show where all we saw was the judges telling somebody they made it through but we didn't see much of the invention they made.

I just wish someome would tell Matt Gallant the word is pronounced inventor not invenner.... :shock: I like the Dial-a-cup and the occupancy clip. I can't believe how some of those people were so sure they had the next great invention, especially the parental nagging tape (anyone can make one!) The Perfect Pet Petter :shock: Toe Jam (now that was just plain nasty!) and the naughty knot lingerie. Gimme a break! That's an invention???

I didn't catch the first hour of the show last night. My tv guide said it didn't start until 9 but when I turned it there about 10 minutes to 9, there was another episode of it just ending. :mad: I guess they narrowed down the field of inventors. In the hour I watched, the con-*test*-('")ants got to say why they should get the money for their invention. Sob stories abounded and I was totally turned off by it. I want someone to sell the product, not their wretched stories. Just because someone has had a tough life doesn't mean their invention will be profitable. I still think the woman with the wig strips for people who have lost their hair and the woman who invented the gadget to keep bathroom doors closed shouldn't be there. Personally I don't see a need for their products. However, each was given $50,000 to develop their inventions. :roll: I don't remember if the handicapped guy with the flosser got through. I don't know how he reached this stage of the con-*test*-('"). There are already floss picks out. They've been around for years. Have the judges never heard of them? You can floss with one hand using them so his invention is nothing new. I'm rooting for the guy that made the rotating car seat. I think it's the most useful invention on the show.