In half an hour the third episode of "Top Chef: Just Desserts," featuring St. Croix native Orlando Santos, will be on. Once again I'm going to post a running blog, a commntary on the show as it happens, updatng every 10 to 15 minutes.

Its worth asking why I'm doing this. I wish I had a better anwer, but mostly because it's fun. I've never done anything like this. I have no idea if anyone is reading. But I do think that as the show progresses and Orlando hangs in there, fighting for what has to be the sweetest title in reality TV, Crucians are going to start tuning in. This could turn into something kind of fun for the island, and I want to be part of it.

Anyway, it's almost air time.

 10 p.m.

Gum. Visitng judge Hugh Atcheson has brought a LOT of gum. Personally, I've never been a gum fan, and I hope they don't have to cook a dessert with gum.

OK, they don't. They have to make a dessert that fits in a tiny little cup, and will inspire a new chewing gum. Orlando's nonplussed by the size of the container – apparently he doesn't do small. And the winner of this quickfire chalenge wins $25,000, which is nothing to sneeze at.

One of the chefs has noticed Chris, Orlando's chief rival so far, has been always working with Matthew. "Total bro-mance."

Lot of product placement on the gum, which is annoying my daughter

Times up. The desserts are all tiny. Cute even. My daughters are "squeeing." That's a lot like squealing, but quieter.

The judge didn't even mention Orlando's dessert. That can't be good. Not Chris's either. Maybe they're just trying to spread the attention around, those two featured very prominently in the first two episodes. Still ...

The judge liked Craig's, of all people! Craig actually won. He's still beyond bizarre. But he won wth little tiny lemon pancake with strawberry. Weird.

That's not good news for St. Croix.

10:14

Team challenge again. Craig is a team captain and picked Orlando, who's PISSED.

Oh God! Cross pollination! The challenge involves another Bravo TV show – Real Housewives of someplace or other. One of the housewives owns a Beverly Hills restaurant and they have to create a dessert table. Oh God! The husband of the housewife came in with their little miserable dog, Jiggy. The dog's hair looks exactly like the husband's.

Wow. I have to admit, Craig is doing a GREAT job as team captain. He's leading, he's thoughtful, managing time well.

Orlando is building a centerpiece out of sugar, which is his strength. He can make stuff out of sugar and chocolate that looks like it belongs in a jewelry store.

10:25

The other team is struggling, and it looks like Chris is taking over leadership, with the approval of the woman who's supposed to be captain.

Meanwhile, Orlando's showpiece is amazing. It's really amazing. Its a big pink wow.

In come the clients. One of them must be the "real housewife," but I wouldn't know.

And now we get to sit and watch a bunch of rich women eat fancy desserts. Suddenly I'm really annoyed with the fact that I'm watching this. The other team kissed ass by making a dessert for the dog. Good move, but I want to give them all a swift kick in the butt.

At the same time,  have to admit there's not a thing up there I wouldn't eat – including the dog treat.

The rich woman really liked Orlando's showpiece. But Orlando didn't make a dessert, and that was apparently noticed.

10:45

Judging - I can't tell what they're talking about exactly, but it's interesting that they keep taking about Craig's table and Chris's table. Chris isn't the captain, but he's the leader.

And the winner is – Chris's team. It's Amanda's team, but there you go.

So for the third week in a row, Chris has triumphed, and Orlando is on the block again.

The team effort wasn't sophisticated enough, elegant enough, according to the judges. Oh please, the other team had the dog's face in one of the desserts. Johnny made a good point – they had too much time at the end and kept adding stuff, until they went past tasteful. The judge just came down HARD on Craig, and interestingly, the teammates are defending him. But he has immunity from the quickfire challenge, so it's really wasted effort.

Craig is taking it very seriously. He was captain, and someone from his team is going home and he feels pesonally responsible. Wow. He has grown in my estimation. He's still weird, but he's not a bad guy.

10:57

Moment of truth. Rebecca and Matthew are safe. Craig is safe, but was told if he didn't have immunity he'd be going home.

Three left and Orlando is one of them.

Nelson is the loser. He's the one going home. He blames Craig. Craig and Orlando get into it, and Orlando has the last word of the eipsode.

"What we're here for is to win, and we're going to do whatever it takes to do that. So keep you'r sad stories to youselves."

Cold, but true. At the end of the day, each one of these chefs wants to win, and that means everyone else has to lose. That's just reality on reality TV.

But I don't think Orlando has endeared himself to the audience or his fellow chefs.