I am so proud of 'Top Chef' - I think it's got great cred.

I love San Francisco so much. I call it the Emerald City and have been coming here since 1992. I have a few old friends that live here, and my aunt and uncle live in Oakland. I think it's a magical city - it's big, sexy and very 'cosmo' with a small-town feel.

I love the term "everything is copy," attributed to Nora Ephron, which was my guiding principle as I wrote.

I wanted to tell a dream-come-true story about going from a closeted gay kid who loved pop culture to an out adult man making pop culture. I went from being told when I was 21 that I should never go on TV because of my crossed eyes to winding up being a 'Housewives' whisperer and talk-show host.

I talk, watch TV, spout opinions, schmooze, negotiate, talk some more, play games, and have a little cocktail.

Ultimately, it's not my job to judge the 'Housewives' - we don't editorialize on the show; we really leave it to the audience. We have a certain wink, which is the Bravo wink. We may linger on a shot or we may let something play out longer, but we leave it to you.

I may be a man, but I fight like a girl.