The Biggest Loser- SEASON 8 FINALE- "I AM LITTLE DANNY!"

Have I mentioned that I enjoy a reality based program entitled "The Biggest Loser"?

I do. Very much.

As my hero and secret agent girlfriend Jillian Michaels says, "It's not just a reality show. It's a movement." BL changes lives, for good or for bad, and the nation has been affected. I would like to think that the show shines a light on America's dirty "little" secret. We are a nation of ease and convenience. Food is bountiful. And so are our waistlines. But BL takes these normal folks, trains them like super human killing machines, and with the right ratio of food to exercise, the pounds seem to melt away and a new species is born, ready to speak motivationally to our country and the world.

Sometimes there is failure. Erik from season 3 was seen on the "Where are they now?" special almost at his regular weight. Season 2 winner Matt has gained a considerable amount back, but was still able to compete in the Kona Ironman. Surely, had he not been on the show he never would have thought to attempt this.

Pros and cons. Last night's finale of BL was filled with 'em.

Pro: Amanda beat out Country Liz for America's vote and made it into the final three to compete against Rudy and Danny. Liz didn't seem all that surprised. Maybe she had been watching the show and saw that she came off a little harsh. Or maybe she knew that her only fan was the girl writing this blog.

Con: Creepy 3-D cutouts of the contestants walking next to their thinner selves was really disturbing. Isn't it enough to burst through the life sized poster of yourself? Now you have to interact with them too. I liked that Liz sized herself up and Rudy patted himself on the tush.

Pro: Amanda looked really great in her hot pink number last night. She said it was the first time she had worn a dress since she was a kid. I didn't want to raise my hand and and be the one to say she wore a dress during the marathon. I don't think she would have heard me.

Con: Country Liz is 49 and has 9 grandchildren. WHAT? Remind me to never move to Tennessee. She did look like a sexy real estate agent, though.

Pro: The first eliminated players looked amazing. Antoine, Alexandra, Sean, and Julio paraded themselves like they knew what was up. I liked Julio's new addition of the mustache, and we learned that Sean had named his baby Jillian.

Con: We also learned that the baby's birth had been in a tub of Brita filtered water and catered by Subway.

Pro: Bob and Jillian looked AWESOME last night. Jillian looked like a sexy assassin. Bob looked like a sexy professor. It was a win for everyone.

Pro: Julio won the first round of weigh-ins, weighing in at 180 down from his starting weight of 407.

Then it was time for Coach Mo in his purple sweater, Dina, Abby (aooga! HOT!), and Trazy.

Pro: Abby looked so svelte and young in her sassy red dress.

Con: Trazy has to have starved herself. Her crazy eyes were more pronounced in her newly skeletal face. And her bangs were BAD. Sorry Trazy. FAIL. Unfortunately, she took the lead from Julio, losing an impressive 118 pounds. What kind of magic powers does this chick possess?

Then the last of the eliminated players came out: Shay, Dan, Rebecca, and Allen.

Pro: Dr. H tells Shay and Dan that they got rid of their diabetes and they did it without gastric bypass surgery. Scary fact: 1 in 10 young people who get gastric bypass die. *shiver*

Con: Rebecca's hair. WHAT DID YOU DO? "I'd like the Sandy Duncan, please."

Pro: Rebecca beat out Trazy for the lead AND beat out Country Liz to win the $100,000. Please take the winnings and go change your hair back.

Rebecca's startling transformation wasn't the only big surprise of the evening. Subway told Shay if she came back to the season 9 finale to weigh in, they would pay her $1,000 per pound she lost. WOW. Talk about some incentive to keep it up. Antoine asked Alexandra to marry him: A whirlwind courtship only eclipsed by the amount of weight they have lost.

Then it was the moment we had all been waiting for: THE FINAL WEIGH IN.

Rudy and Danny got their chance to walk out next to their cyber selves, and we marvel at how handsome they both have become. I mean, seriously, did you ever think those handsome men were hiding under the beer bellies and logger beards?

Danny chooses to weigh in last. Amanda goes first, losing an astonishing 87 pounds. She has gone from 250 pounds to 163 pounds. Rudy goes next, losing 234 pounds (!). A WHOLE PERSON! He now weighs 208.

And then it was home town favorite and the pride of Oklahoma, Danny. He has to lose more than Rudy did. Can he pull it off? YES! Danny goes from 430 pounds to 198, losing a whopping 239 pounds- over half of his body weight!

It was an amazing season with so many surprises. And if you can't wait for the next one, it starts in January. I'll be there!