Tackling a whole new genre of art, 'Sand Masters' (Wed., 10PM ET on Travel) takes us inside the world of a professional team of sand artists. In the series premiere, they are tasked with creating a massive sand sculpture to herald the opening night of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

To gain inspiration, they were treated to a private circus of their own, which was overwhelming for many of the sculptors.

Rusty Croft, who heads up this crew, said of the experience, "How lucky are we. This is the greatest job ever." It's hard to argue with him.

The final structure was massive and absolutely breathtaking. It's only a shame that sand art, like ice sculptures, is so temporary. At least now they'll have a video record of the whole experience, and we get to share it with them.

The Travel Channel introduced the next evolution with 'Man v. Food Nation' (Wed., 9PM ET on Travel). This time Adam Richman is on the sidelines providing support to others as they tackle some of the craziest food-based challenges across the nation.

First up was Jerry Sags, one half of pro-wrestling tag team The Nasty Boys.

Sags' challenge was The Davy Jones, or "ten wings covered in pure pepper extract," at the pirate-themed Rapscallions in Tampa, Florida. With a crowd cheering him on, Sags powered through as sweat poured down his face and he turned bright red.

Well, the deal is done. Sarah Palin's next line on her resume, the one after Vice Presidential candidate and Governor of the State of Alaska, will be television host. The former politico has teamed with reality TV producer Mark Burnett and they've sold a travel show. Discovery's TLC will air 'Sarah Palin's Alaska,' a show about the state and why it's such a great place to live and/or visit. Sarah Palin will be the tour guide and 'proud daughter' of the territory, showing off the mountains, lakes, streams and vistas of the 49th state.

As Joel pointed out the other day, this new show is a good move for Palin as well as Discovery. The numbers she'll need to pull for TLC are in the low millions, so that should be do-able considering her appeal to a large segment of the public. Especially that segment that likes her without taking an interest in her political opinions. This show will have no politics. It's going to be like a movie from the Alaska Convention and Visitor's Bureau. You know, "Come to Alaska, experience the wild life and feel the chill." (Hmm ... maybe I should trademark that?)

Perhaps it's unfair to prejudge, but I am really, really disappointed in the Food Network. The announcement that they are planning a new series that involves competitive eating called Eat the Clock sounds like a sell-out.

It sounds like Food Network is following in the footsteps of classy shows like Hurl and Fear Factor. I expect better from the network that espouses to be about the best in food and cooking, not how fast you can jam it down your throat.

The same company that's behind Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels, Pie Town Productions, has cooked up Eat the Clock. They're comparing it to The Amazing Race, but with eating contests thrown up -- I mean, in. There will be travel involved, which relates to Rachael's travel show. Maybe they'll have Rachael try her gullet at consuming mass quantities. (Oh wait, that's the Coneheads.)

Book? What book? That would seem to be the bone of contention, if you will. Ben Karlin, former headwriter for The Daily Show, has filed a lawsuit against TV chef Mario Batali and actress Gwyneth Paltrow claiming they did not pay him for work he did for a book on which they were collaborating. Karlin, who shared authorship of America (The Book) with Jon Stewart, says he was assigned to "conceptualize and oversee" a book to compliment a PBS series starring Mario and Gwyneth in which the stars take a cultural and gastronomic tour of Spain. The series, which may be called Spain...on the Road Again, will premiere this fall.

Welcome to TV Squad Lists (formerly 'The Five'), a feature where each blogger has a chance to list his or her own rundown of things in television that stand out from the rest, both good and bad.

Just to clear up any potential confusion, this post is not about traveling television sets, nor is it about fictional TV characters who happen to travel. This is a list dedicated to real travelers who have taken us on fantastic journeys in the form of their own television shows.

Yes, for everyone who has been waiting for a network devoted to nothing but skiiing (I'm one to talk; if I had The Tennis Channel I'd watch it 24/7), this is your lucky day. Or, to be more exact, some day in 2008 will be your lucky day.

That's when The Ski Channel launches. It's a new network devoted to, um, skiiing. I can't tell if it's going to be a regular network or something else, because it is described as a "network with distribution on video-on-demand and multimedia platforms." OK.

I was wondering how they'll fill the time with just skiiing, but they have that covered. From the article:

(S11E02) This show has to be considered an aerobic exercise. Sure, I'm sitting on the couch, but my heartrate is always up when I'm watching The Amazing Race.

This week the teams are off to Santiago, Chile (they ended last week in Ecuador). We don't get to learn much about the country or any Chilean traditions. I like that part of The Amazing Race, so hopefully that tradition will return.

Warning: Spoilers after the jump!

Well, thank goodness! I was watching TiVo'd episodes of Samantha Brown's Passport to Europe when I saw a short promotion for the return of GlobeTrekker with Ian Wright. The guy is a total nutcase and it makes for brilliant television! While Samantha Brown attempts to take a more aristocratic view of travel, Ian Wright gets down to the nitty gritty. He has one of those personalities that everyone likes so he can easily chum around with the locals, even though he doesn't speak their language. Plus, he's always willing to eat, drink, or try anything (i.e. run toward hot lava, get bucked off a bull). And he travels to locations that aren't on most tourists' radar, such as Cambodia, Vietnam, the Arctic Circle, and Mongolia. (Read a great interview with Ian here)

New episodes of GlobeTrekker begin on Monday, Sept. 4th at 8 pm.

Anthony Bourdain has a new book out, and Jessa Crispin (I've always loved that name) interviews him over at Bookslut (love that name too). The cook/world traveller talks about the banning of certain foods, why he's so angry at Woody Harrelson, and why he got canned by the Food Network and why he brought his show to the Travel Channel. Hint: even though it was a show about travelling around the world eating different food, Food Network wanted less, um, travelling.

Bourdain's new book, The Nasty Bits, is pretty damn great, by the way. It's a collection of his columns over the years. The man knows food, but he's a helluva writer too.

The Donald's latest venture is in the travel business. He launched GoTrump.com, a website that promises low airfare and lodging rates. I checked it out and it's just a Trump-ed up version of Travelocity. Literally. It's a joint venture between Trump and Travelocity. Trump told the New York Times that his site offers special deals on his hotels and will allow normal, middle-class folks to live like the rich and famous. So far, it just looks like your run-of-the-mill travel website and Trump's hotel deals are nowhere to be found. There are also pictures of Trump planes on the site, but don't expect to ride on The Donald's airlines because that tanked in 1992.

Gee. You think we're going to see some GoTrump plugs on this season of The Apprentice? Yeah, me too.