The cast of next season’s “Celebrity Apprentice” has been leaking all week and we think it’s finally done and actually close to being official. Various news outlets are reporting the following contestants as fact:

NeNe Leakes (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”); Star Jones (formerly “The View”); former “Survivor” Richard Hatch; musicians Meatloaf, Dionne Warrick, Mark McGrath, John Rich, David Cassidy and LaToya Jackson; rapper Lil John; super model Niki Taylor; Playboy model Hope Dworaczyk; actors Lisa Rinna (“Days of Our Lives”), Marlee Matlin (“Children of a Lesser God”) and Gary Busey; and baseball player Jose Canseco.

That’s quite a cast. There are a lot of musicians and several people already pretty used to reality television.

Keep in mind, this cast isn’t 100 percent confirmed, but I think we can believe it.

The reigning “American Idol” champion Lee DeWyze’s first album “Live it Up” is set to drop Nov. 16, but the first single from the album is creating a buzz already. Listen to the new song below and let us know what you think. It kind of surprised me (not in a good way). It just doesn’t sound like the same artist I heard last season on “Idol.” Kind of odd. Maybe it’ll grow on me. Songs have a way of doing that.

There have been two kinds of “Project Runway” fans this season. There have been the ones that hate Michael C. and there have been the ones that hate Gretchen (and before you comment, everyone hated Ivy so she doesn’t count).

So there should be a lot of angry people right now. Michael C. and Gretchen have made it to the two-part finale and one or both of them will be among the three to actually compete for the title of Season 8 winner. From almost everything I’ve read and everyone I’ve talked to, it’s been “I just don’t want Michael to win” or “I hate Gretchen.” It’s never been “I hope Mondo wins!” or “I love Andy’s designs!” It’s been a very odd and interesting season for those reasons.

I really didn’t care about the outcome from Thursday’s episode. As long as Mondo got his shot I would be happy. And he did.

The only thing that threw me off was how much the judges loved Michael’s plain, draped black dress that was too literally inspired by the Statue of Liberty. Usually if someone makes something that safe they’re slammed for it. I’m not saying it should have sent him home (even though I kind of thought it should have) but the fact that Michael Kors called it a showstopper is mind blowing … I just have not understood the judging this season when it comes to Michael C.

But once again they loved his look (even guest judge Christian Siriano) and he was the first one to make it to the finale.

Rewind to the beginning of the episode. The designers are met on a rooftop by Tim Gunn and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who tells them about their final challenge. They are to make a look inspired by New York City. So basically, they can do anything they want and they have $500 to do it with.

Michael, as I’ve already said, decides to be inspired by the Statue of Liberty. Which is funny because as soon as I heard about the challenge I made fun of the fact that someone would be lazy and go for the Statue of Liberty. And as I said, he basically won the challenge. He’s in.

Mondo was Mondo. He was inspired by the Brooklyn Bridge. At first Mondo was struggling. He slept a lot of the night away, putting him behind on the challenge. Then he failed to work in any of his Mondo-like colors into the look. It was actually looking a little grim for my favorite designer. But he came through and even ended up looking like a risk-taker by proving he doesn’t use color as a crutch. He’s in.

Andy continued his prostitute/dominatrix/warrior woman theme and bored me. And it was supposedly inspired by Central Park. He’s good with frabrics and clearly understands a woman’s body, but he’s so redundant. He’s in.

Gretchen is not Gretchen. And by that, I mean she didn’t put knee-high boots on her model for the first time all season. Actually, what she did do was pretty terrible and the judges knew. She knew too. She’s just really warn down and ready for it all to be over. And it looked nothing like her Lower East Side inspiration.  She’s in.

Speaking of Gretchen, did you notice what she said to the other contestants after she made it through? “I’m just really relieved that they gave me the second chances that each of you got.” That translates into “you all sucked long before I did and you’re all still here, so it’s a damn good thing that they let me mess up once too.” I sometimes think she seriously doesn’t even know she’s a bitch.

April stays true to herself by making a black nightgown inspired by Brooklyn Bridge. Everything she’s made this season has resembled something a goth Dorothy Zbornak would sleep in. Heidi makes her cry and she’s out.

So next week is part one of the finale. The four designers will return with their collections and they’ll have to compete for the three spots. They’ll probably have to show a couple pieces and make a surprise look or something. And at this point I have no idea who will be out. I haven’t understood the judges this season at all, so I’m not even going to try.

Let’s just all cross our fingers that when they spring a surprise challenge on them Poison Ivy doesn’t return to be an assistant or something.

Tonight’s “Project Runway” will include the final challenge before the two-part finale. Though we’ve learned to NEVER trust reality TV preview editing, it really appears Wretchen might be a victim of her own undoing, even saying “I’m just sick of the challenges.” If this is true, it could lead to Michael C. (everyone’s least favorite) making it to the finale. But so many people hate Wretchen that I don’t think that many will care about that. That is if it happens.

Oh, and would you like a guest judge spoiler? It’s Season 4 winner Christian Siriano.

Why oh why did Seth have to flip out and leave last week? This week’s “Top Chef: Just Desserts” would’ve been the perfect time for an extreme meltdown. Seriously, imagine him having to complete the elimination challenge, which was making edible fashion. Oh well. I have that entire episode playing out in my imagination right now. And it’s hilarious.

Anyway. Back to the actual, Seth-less episode. For the Quick Fire Challenge, the cheftestants had to make a souffle. Snore. Yigit wins.

Then Goddess Gail unveils that the elimination challenge is making edible fashion inspired by a pair of shoes. And it’s worth $20,000. Each chef chooses a pair of shoes to inspire them. Oh, and they all have to make two couture petit fours as accessories. Those, unlike the actual dresses, will actually be eaten.

Just when I think Team Diva (Zac, Yigit and Heather H.) might be the focus of this episode, Morgan reveals that he’s pretty much bats**t crazy. He’s clearly horny and has a thing for women’s shoes. He gets really creepy with it, even claiming later that he’s going to spend the evening alone with his dressform. Yikes.

Morgan does actually do a great job. His dress is a little basic, but well-done. But it’s his petit four accessories that are really en pointe. He made an amazing ruby ring and an earring (shown below).Also doing well were Yigit and Zac. Yigit’s Bjork-inspired dress looked like actual fashion. And Zac’s warrior piece was pretty flawless. And then there were his accessories, which included a hilarious nipple pasty.

Doing not-so-good were Danielle and Heather C. Remember Heather C. was the contestant brought back after Seth’s meltdown. For some reason, both of them used vegetables to make their clothes. Like head judge 1957 said it’s Top Chef: Just Desserts, not Top Chef: Just Vegetables. Hey, it wasn’t clever, but it made the point.

So the top three were Morgan, Yigit and Zac. Morgan wins. And even though he’s incredibly creepy and scary, his win seemed well-deserved. He’ll probably spend the $20,000 on women’s shoes (or a dungeon for the student nurses I imagine he kidnaps and tortures). The bottom three were Danielle, Heather C. and Eric. Heather C. goes home again. It really must suck to be eliminated from the same reality show twice.

So there wasn’t any crying or fighting this episode. Heather H. continued to be bitchy and Morgan completely went off his rocker, but it was one of the more mild episodes. It looks like the crazy might return next week. Sweet.

Oh, and I’ve learned that Heather C.’s weird forehead injury actually happened on the “Top Chef” set. Apparently a camera fell and hit her on the head.