Reality TV Shows Blog

The Boy Who Became a Man ... Is Gone!

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:26:00 +0000

One couple must leave the ballroom tonight ... who will it be? We’ll find out - LIVE!!!!

Even though Mya & Dmitry got a perfect 30 last night, Len wants to see the futuristic Paso Doble from Joanna & Derek tonight. They’ve toned down the makeup a little (I wouldn’t want to be in that weird getup all night either). Len says that it’s “a glimpse of what the Paso Doble might look like in the future.”

"In no particular order" we will find out the first couple who will be dancing in the semifinals - and it’s Joanna & Derek. As a tease before the commercial, we see DanceCenter will be on tonight - I hope it’s funny. These DanceCenters are either pathetic or hysterical, no in between!

In the confessionals after the first round, Kelly was overcome by the judges’ remarks and was in tears, saying “I love you, Louis Van Amstel.” Louis got a bit emotional too! After more confessionals, where all the stars tell us how badly they want to make it to the semifinals, Michael Buble (Boo-blay) sings. He looks like Harry Connick Jr.! Nice song. Even nicer - Maks, Cheryl, Jonathon and Anna are dancing! Samantha interviews Joanna & Derek backstage and asks how they will manage three dances next week. Joanna says she’ll eat more food to keep up her energy for the extra hours of training. Derek says that it’s the “mark of a champion” that Joanna could falter in her first dance and come back to nail the second one. Tom quips that it’s amazing that someone can speak seriously with Derek’s hairdo. Then, we find out that Mya & Dmitry are safe as well.

DanceCenter is on! Kenny Mayne isn’t wearing his weird eyeshadow glitter, that’s a good thing. They talk about each of the stars, saying that “Polish girls are hot.” They also compare her laugh to a seal. They laugh about Donny’s age, saying he acts like a 3-year-old on sugar, and Jerry Rice says “I hope I have that much energy when I’m 82.” Stacey Keebler is backstage asking Donny about his relationship with Bruno. Cute. Aaron is next for skewering, and of course they bring up his crying.... “There’s no crying in ballroom!”

The Design A Dance is up! Sabrina Bryan and Mark Ballas are dancing the Paso Doble to “Eye of the Tiger.” Jeffrey somebody designed the costumes and they are the GHASTLIEST, ugliest, goofiest looking costumes ever! Even Louis’ finged pants weren’t as bad as this!! (And Jeffrey looks like a cross between Bill Gates and Jared the Subway guy). Love the dance, but it’s hard to watch with those tiger striped atrocities.

After another song by Michael Buble (which I TiVo’d through this time) we are treated to an interview with Samantha and the three couples who do not yet know their fate. She asks Donny if he doesn’t make it to next week, what will he have learned from the experience. “I have learned how much a body can ache.” Kelly offers that “It’s amazing what can happen if you push yourself.” Aaron has learned life lessons. (Okay?) Samantha then sends the couples out to face the announcement from Tom, who says “it’s kind of like walking a carpet-covered plank.” Donny & Kym will be around for the semifinals!

Susan Boyle is making her American TV debut tonight and she’s looking pretty good - amazing what a little makeup and fixed-up hair will do! She has an amazing voice! This one I listened to all the way, and it was wonderful to watch Tony & Chelsie dancing.

DanceCenter again - Kelly is known as “the daughter of the Prince of Darkness,” which makes her Satan’s daughter. She’s short and wears goofy bows in her hair and swears like a trucker. They bring up Dmitry now, and Len tells Kenny that Dmitry is the professional, leaving Kenny with a blank look. They say Mya has some anger issues, and we see clips of Mya smacking Dmitry around in practice. After a lame “way to predict who will win,” we will find out who is going home. Tom says “after the votes are counted, the couple who is NOT going to the semifinals is ... going to be announced after this commercial.” I see Louis mouth “f*ck.” He’s been hanging around Kelly a bit too long!

And it’s Aaron & Karina. Kelly can breathe now, she looks ecstatic. Aaron thanks the judges for their compliments and criticisms, saying he’s grown. Len wants to say something to Aaron, telling him that he’s an inspiration to young people everywhere. “If you were my son, I’d be so proud of you, but you should be proud of yourself.”

So yes, Aaron grew up, but it wasn’t enough to keep him around. I’m thinking Kelly may be next, and Mya and Joanna will be in the finals. Agree? We’ll see how it goes, next week - LIVE!

An Eclectic Evening in the Ballroom! Adam Ant Does the Paso Doble

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:51:00 +0000

L-I-V-E!!! From Hollywood! This is Dancing With the Stars!!!

Tonight our couples will have to dance two dances - a Ballroom and a Latin dance, and the Latin dance will be from a specific decade - 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and the future. (This oughta be interesting!)

The judges give us an idea of what they’re looking for in the Ballroom round as the finals loom ever closer. Donny is the Born Entertainer, and needs to watch his posture. Joanna is the Glamour Girl, and her Quickstep will be important. Kelly is the Wild Child and tends to do better in ballroom but Len says “Mediocrity isn’t enough. Grow or go.” Mya is the Dancing Diva, and Len wants her sharp and precise. Aaron is “the Boy who became a Man.” He will dance a Foxtrot and Carrie Ann doesn’t want him to become overexuberant - Bruno says to “stay in the zone, don’t become a wild child.”

Mya & Dmitry will dance their Quickstep first. They decide they want to please the audience and keep the “wow” factor. Mya is pushing herself hard so Dmitry decides to take her to a ranch and they ride horses “to get away from the studio in nature and fresh air.” (Except, the last time I rode a horse, my thighs were KILLING me. Don’t think that’s very conducive to dancing!) I love her pink/peach/rose gown, and the dance is super! They’re very in sync and their hold looks good. Will the judges like this one? Len begins saying “we got off to a sticky start in week one, and it went from bad to worse, and tonight, there is a disappointment for me...” (The audience groans loudly) “...I couldn’t find anything to criticize.” Bruno yells that “this Quickstep is like vintage champagne, light, full of flavor! After you taste it, nothing else will do.” Carrie Ann tells Mya that she made something so difficult flow out with ease and grace. (Three 10's coming?) Their scores: 9-10-10=29. After the 10 from Len, Dmitry brings out a little plastic ring for Mya with a “10" paddle on it.

Aaron & Karina will dance next. He wants to show the world what a “real team can do together.” Karina isn’t feeling well, she’s running a fever and says she’s not letting him dance with anyone else - “over my dead body.” They practice with masks - will they hold their breath during the live performance or take their chances with the germs? Not sure about his posture - his “bum” is sticking out during the spins. Sorry, don’t think this is what Aaron needs to please the judges. He looks clunky. Bruno begins by saying he can see how much work went into the dance, but he felt it was “a little bit tense.” Carrie Ann says that Karina’s foot came off the floor and she saw the work but the fluidity wasn’t there. Len says he has so many emotions and is proud of Aaron that he’s worked so hard and he can see the improvement. (He took his happy pill again tonight - he can’t say anything nice about the dancing, so he compliments Aaron’s work ethic). Their scores: 7-8-8=23.

Joanna & Derek are dancing the Quickstep. She says it’s not a tongue twister but a foot twister. They watch Mya’s dances to gauge the competition. Not sure Len is going to like the beginning - they’re “messing about.” Their hold isn’t as close as Mya & Dmitry’s. I like the fun of the dance, though. Uh oh, Joanna missed a step. She still gets a standing ovation from the audience. Carrie Ann says the routines are really long and there is a lot of content and she noticed that Joanna must have forgotten a little bit, but her frame was good. Len says there was “a lot of running about, lack of body contact - this is not the standard for the quarter finals.” Tom quips “I guess it was too much to hope that the good mood would last.” Bruno said it looked like they were running away from the scene of a crime. He says her upper body looked great but the bottom looked in another direction. Their scores are better than I thought they’d be: 8-7-8=23.

Kelly & Louis will dance a Foxtrot next. Louis is complaining that Kelly gets distracted easily and I can understand, when there are two teeny little ragmop dogs trotting around the studio. Other dancers are peeking in the studio, and Louis finally puts a sign on the door that says “Do not disturb or Louis will kill you!” He gets a suitcase and packs all her stuff up - her cell phone, extra shoes, computer, and locks it up. He makes her kick the dogs out too. I like this mint green color on her too - and she’s lost some weight! (Is she the next one to do Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem commercials?) The dance starts a little tentative but she really loosens up and the dance is pretty good. Len gets to start, and says he’s forgotten how much grace and elegance she brings to the dance floor. Bruno says “when you keep your focus, it works.” Carrie Ann tells Kelly she has a secret weapon, because when she has a breakthrough the audience goes wild, but she has to work on her extension. Backstage, talking about the locked box, Louis says “if she makes me wear the tassle pants, this is what she gets.” Their scores: 8-8-9=25.

Donny & Kym finish off the Ballroom round with a Viennese Waltz. He admits that the Quickstep burned him out, that he realized he wasn’t having any fun any more and he had to start all over again. There are a lot of spins but he says the hardest part is remembering the steps. His posture looks pretty good - it’s flowing and light and Donny’s got the attitude right. He gets a standing ovation for this one. Bruno begins ... “like watching a Lifetime movie, emotional, a bit of drama, oh, take me...” Len is being mauled. Carrie Ann found it mesmerizing. She says Donny didn’t over-perform it. Len liked the posture and the rotation, and was proud of Donny to attempt the Fleckle step, but says it was a little “artsy fartsy” for him. Donny says it’s great to go from “airy fairy to artsy fartsy.” Backstage Kym says Donny has everything it takes to get to the semi finals. Their scores: 9-8-9=26.

After the commercial, Tony, Mark, and some unnamed guy dance with three women I don’t recognize. Where are Cheryl, Edyta, Lacey or Anna T? They’re dancing a Latin medly and it’s pretty good, but I miss my girl pros.

The judges tell us what they want to see during the Latin round. Len says he wants to see an action hero when Donny dances the Paso Doble like Rambo - he wants to see “Donbo.” (Ooh that’s bad, Len!) Mya has to groove to her 70's Samba. Carrie Ann doesn’t want her to play it safe. Joanna will dance a futuristic Paso Doble, and Bruno says she can “excel at sexy, but will she be aggressive enough to deliver the Paso Doble?” For Kelly’s Jive, the judges want kicks and flicks. Bruno says “let go, Kelly! Enjoy it!” According to Len, Aaron needs “bounce, bum and bongos” for his Samba. Bruno hopes his speed and agility will make up for his technique.

Mya & Dmitry will dance their 70's Samba. Dmitry is wearing a cheesy mustache that looks hilarious. Mya wants to channel Donna Summer or Diana Ross but “all I’m channeling is Raggedy Ann.” Dmitry is having problems with the choreography and is having a dancer’s block, and Mya is getting worried. They begin the dance and it looks good but I can’t get over that cheesy mustache! I like her hot pink jumpsuit with the bell-bottom fringes. The audience loves it, will the judges? Carrie Ann now believes she wants to win the competition. Len says “you’re absolutely on fire - your hips were hypnotic.” He says she gave him two dances with no gimmicks. Bruno calls her unbelievable. He says she does a mean Samba with Diana Ross in the middle (and then sings a couple lines of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”) Tom says that Bruno managed to imitate Diana Ross and a strangled cat at the same time. Their scores are the best of the season - for any couple: 10-10-10=30. That gives them a total of 59.

Aaron & Karina get to perform a 90's Samba. Tom quips that they will dance a Samba like in 1990 - when Aaron was 3 years old. Aaron is showing Karina some moves from the 90's and one includes the rodeo move, which makes Karina crack up. “I can’t do that.” This dance looks really great, Aaron is having great fun and moving pretty good. Len said that it must have been hard after seeing a perfect 30 Samba, then coming out and having to perform one. “But you worked it, you sold it, and you really blew my socks off.” Bruno says “all that energy has actually done good.” Carrie Ann says that while she gave Aaron a hard time at the beginning, it’s nice to see him “hitting it” now. Their scores: 9-9-9=27. They have 50 for the night. Aaron tells Samantha that he’s been feeling punky and he almost threw up. (How special! That may have been fun for live TV, and may have gotten him a bigger sympathy vote.)

Joanna & Derek will dance a futuristic Paso Doble. Their costumes are a bit strange. They’ll be doing a lot of side by side steps and they have to be synchronized, and Joanna is having a tough time and wishing there were more hours in a day. They being with a lot of robotic moves, and after doing a little Paso Doble, go into more robot moves. Uh, oh, Len isn’t going to like this one! It’s not the best music to do a Paso to, but it looks pretty neat. I don’t think there’s enough content. Bruno gets to start, and says it’s “a masterful re-invention of a classic - Derek, you’re a genius.” Carrie Ann says it was outstanding execution of the theme of the future, and Joanna didn’t miss a step. Len said that “Bruno has taken my word that I’ve written down - genius.” He liked the theme of the dance and the content too (so much for my opinion). Their scores: 9-10-10=29. They have a total of 52 for the evening. Tom says that “now we know in the future we’re going to dance really good, but we’re going to look ridiculous.”

Kelly & Louis are up next and dancing a 60's Jive. She’s wearing a lime green wig! The first video Kelly did was 60's themed so she could add some moves to the choreography. The dance looks a little muted to begin, they dance to “Rag Doll” and they use a doll for a prop. They put all the standard 60's moves in, including the Batman. She ends the dance sitting on Bruno’s lap with her dolly. Len says Kelly has been a revelation to him, and she’s come in every week stronger and stronger. Bruno tells her “come back to Daddy.” She sits on his lap and he tells her he loved her dance. Tom quips that he makes Ozzie look like Hugh Beaumont (the dad on Leave It to Beaver). Carrie Ann said she was letting go, but her turns were “sticky” and the doll gave her the “heebie jeebies.” Their scores: 8-9-9=26. They have a 51 total score. Kelly laughs that this show is making her a lady.

Donny & Kym dance an 80's Paso Doble. Tom said he will “Adam Ant” the Paso Doble. Donny says he had a Mullett in the 80's and he wants one for this dance. It’s not a huge Mullet, looks more to me like Michael Jackson wore his hair for Thriller. It looks pretty good - interesting with the theme. Donny doesn’t really look that tough or powerful though. Tom asks if this can be the encore dance tomorrow night because “I just want to put him through that again.” Len says it was the most crazy, bizarre, scary Paso Doble he’s ever seen - but he liked it! Bruno said it was “more campy than a drag queen’s convention.” “It was like watching Donny, doing Marie, doing Donny, doing Marie.” Carrie Ann thought they did a great job of bringing the era back, but called it a little odd. She said the costume may have “cut some of your lines.” Their scores: 8-8-8=24, which is a 50 for the night.

Here is the leader board after the judge’s scores:

59 - Mya & Dmitry
52 - Joanna & Derek
51 - Kelly & Louis
50 - Aaron & Karina
50 - Donny & Kym

So who can win this thing? Did you vote for your favorite? We’ll see who goes home tomorrow night! LIVE!!!

The Football Star and the Iron Chef Host Are Gone

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:23:00 +0000

Which two couples go home tonight? We’ll find out tonight ... LIVE! From Hollywood!

Wow, Samantha looks really good tonight. The mad hairdresser must have gotten the boot. (Wait, she got to Carrie Ann last night). The gold goddess-type dress looks fantastic!

Team Tango gets the encore dance tonight - and I’m noticing a lot of screwups. Kelly is messing up, Kym’s foot gets stuck on the floor while Donny is trying to spin her. Ah, s’ok, no scores tonight!

After some clips from last night, Tom says that one thing is for sure, Bruno is not allowed on the furniture any more! Heehee! Lacey feels better and is with Mark tonight.

The first safe couple is announced: Kelly & Louis. The first couple of the bottom three (one couple goes home for sure, the other two will compete in a dance-off for the judges) is Mark & Lacey.

Colbie Callait sings and Alec and Edyta dance - another married couple that looks really great together. Colbie has a great voice too!

Both Kelly & Louis and Mark & Lacey are backstage with Samantha. She asks Louis if he’s going to ramp it up during rehearsals this week, and Louis says “yeah, I’m gonna make her cry.” Kelly insists that she’s not crying any more, “I look like a big crybaby.” Tom then quips that “there’s so much flu we’re like a spray tan petri dish.”

Another safe couple: Donny & Kym. The next couple in the bottom three: Michael & Anna, who pretty much look like they expected it.

The singing debut of Mark Ballas and Derek Hough - they’re the Ballas Hough Band. Sounds a little rockish/electric. They’re lip synching! And of course, they’re dancing as they sing - okay, guys, this is allegedly a family show - they’ve got girls humping them (it’s nice to be king and choreographer!) This won’t be something I’ll be buying or listening to on a regular basis. (I can just imagine Derek’s Mormon parents not liking it either!)

There’s a clip of the stars in the smack-talking warehouse, and I guess they are all getting ready for a cage fight or something. The first rule about ballroom dancing: “You do not talk about the trophy.” The second rule: “You do not talk about the trophy.” Third rule: “You have to trust your partner.” Fourth rule: “No risk, no reward.” Rule five: “Leave it all on the dance floor.” Rule six: “Winning isn’t everything - it’s the only thing.” May the best man or woman win!

We’ll find out which of the three remaining couples are in the bottom three. Mya & Dmitry are safe, as are Joanna & Derek. Aaron & Karina are in the bottom three, and Aaron’s got that “I’m gonna kill you” look again.

After the commercial, Rod Stewart is on the dance floor to sing. He’s singing Motown! Four Tops - one of my favorites, “It’s the Same Old Song.” Rod Stewart is kinda up there, isn’t he? Gotta look that up....64! He still looks pretty good, the voice ain’t what it used to be but still not bad.

Some confessional interviews about the dance-off - Karina says they’re keeping their fingers crossed “that we don’t have to do it.” Well, Karina, now that you’re in the bottom three - I bet you’ve changed your tune! If they don’t dance, that means they’re eliminated straight out. Tom will tell us who the lowest-scoring couple is and send them home (till the end of the show for their “last dance.”) Aww, I feel bad, Michael & Anna are going home. I really like Michael and his great attitude. He couldn’t really dance, and it was time for him to leave, but he’s such a good guy! (Anna I won’t miss - don’t think she’s a great teacher or choreographer). Samantha is backstage with Aaron & Karina and Mark & Lacey, and both say they’re ready and will dance their best. (As opposed to saying “nah, who cares, we’re gonna suck.”)

First up for the dance-off are Mark & Lacey. They prepared two weeks ago so Mark is hoping he has this dance down, and he has Lacey back. Uh-oh, Mark is standing on the desk to begin! Lacey looks to be doing most of the dancing, though, I hope this goes through! Len begins by saying “Mark, you’re back to your best.” He said it was top-notch. Bruno (in his inimitable fashion) says “you can turn more tricks than Heidi Fleiss.” He did say, though, that “what little Cha Cha Cha you did was good.” Carrie Ann is glad that Mark is back tonight.

Aaron & Karina Jive for their lives next. They were in second place last night after the judges’ scores but I guess his scowls have turned the fans off. Their Jive is very energetic. Bruno says he cannot believe that Aaron is in this situation after last night’s excellent Jive - “and this was as good.” (Uh oh, Mark is going?) Carrie Ann disagrees - “I thought this was better.” Len calls Aaron the comeback kid, saying he was right on the money. Sounds like Mark is outta there! After the commercial, Lacey looks like she knows. Len says it was the best dance-off and Bruno gives both couples great reviews. Len says they’ve come to a unanimous decision and the couple they would like to save is ..... (pregnant pause) .... Aaron & Karina. During his exit interview Mark says “It’s harder than it looks.” (Have I heard that before?)

Aw, ain’t that cute, the eliminated couples join hands and skip in a circle. The remaining couples join them and if they break out in the Hokey Pokey I’m never watching this show again!

Five couples are left. Who looks like they can get that (don’t mention it!) Mirrorball Trophy? We’ll see next week!

A HOT Tango Beats the Paso Doble - But Two Couples Go Home Tomorrow!

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:31:00 +0000

LIVE! FROM HOLLYWOOD! THIS IS DANCING WITH THE STARS!

Tonight the stars have two dances - a regular and Team Dance. We have Team Paso Doble and Team Tango. I like this combination - usually the Paso went up against a Jitterbug or Foxtrot and it’s far too dramatic and usually wins - at least the Tango is more comparable.

The flu bug has hit again! Lacey is sick this week and Mark will dance with Anna Trebunskaya. I’m surprised none of the stars have gotten sick with the bug going around.

We begin the show with our pros - Jonathan, Chelsie, Tony, Edyta, Alec and I have no idea who is dancing with Tony! They dance a Paso Doble first and switch to Tango. It’s incredible, of course. At the end, the women end up in a quasi-backbend over the men’s knees - and I’m wondering how they don’t crack every vertebrae! (Either that or it’s a quick chiropractic adjustment!)

The stars designed their pros’ costumes tonight. And while I like Kelly Osbourne a lot, she is NOT a designer! From what I see of Louis’ pants, they’re an aqua/turquoise and fringed!!! Gah!

Len says that the pressure is going to go up tonight - they are expecting great dancing. Kelly looks like she’s going to throw up.

Michael & Anna will dance the Foxtrot to begin the evening. Anna asks if he had any kind of touchdown dance, and he does a lunge as he “spikes” the football. Anna tells him he has to be debonaire “I can be debonaire” and like Fred Astaire “No one has ever mistaken me for Fred Astaire.” (Especially considering Astaire was 5'9"). Michael really looks good for this dance. He’s smiling, looks rather light on his feet, and Anna’s dress looks really gorgeous! Len begins by saying “the first couple of weeks I would have been happy to see the back of you.” He then goes on to say that last week’s Waltz was fantastic, and this week’s Foxtrot was too. Bruno says Michael’s musicality has improved - but his bum still sticks out. “Remember the nickle.” Carrie Ann doesn’t know how Michael does it - calls the dance gracious and fluid and compliments his design of Anna’s costume. Michael tells Samantha he was inspired by Barney (the big purple dinosaur) because the last time he had this much fun he was watching Barney with his kids. Their scores: 8-8-7=23, the best of the season so far.

Tom quips that “If Barney looked like Anna, I’d be watching without my kids.”

Before the commercial, we see Lacey sick and Mark rehearsing with Tony and then Anna. He’s a little freaked out that he’s had three different partners this week.

Donny & Kym are going to dance the QuickStep. Donny is having problems with his posture and Kym brings out the posture bar. Donny wants it built into his costume (not a bad idea!) Donny looks pretty snazzy in long tails for the dance. It looks like he missteps a little bit here and there - is it me or him? And it’s not like this is easy choreography either. Bruno tells Donny that “as a performer you’re solid as a rock - nobody could cover up all the mistakes as well as you do.” Carrie Ann thought it was pretty good, liked the light footwork but said it was not his best. Len offers that they came out “full boar” right from the beginning and did a proper Quickstep - but “when you play it safe, there are no mistakes.” Their scores are pretty good: 8-8-8=24.

Tom tells us that the captains of the two Dance Teams are the highest scoring stars from last week: Joanna and Aaron. Team Tango is Joanna & Derek, Donny & Kym and Kelly & Louis. Team Paso Doble is Aaron & Karina, Mya & Dmitry, Mark & Anna (Lacey’s replacement) and Michael & Anna.

Mark & Anna are up next. He thinks that he and Lacey are finally contenders after the Jitterbug last week. Mark sees Lacey feeling non-energetic and tells her to go home, and she cries that she’s sorry. Mark is in New York taping Iron Chef America and practicing after a 12-hour day. As Mark tries to practice with a handheld video recorder, Tony walks in and says “I’m not as pretty as Lacey, but I’m here to help.” When Mark flies back to Los Angeles, Anna walks in (because Mark can’t dance with Tony, but that would have been pretty funny seeing Tony in a girl’s costume!) Mark has two days to have Anna teach him a new Samba. I really like this music! The dance looks pretty good too! Carrie Ann offers him compassion for having a rough time - but says that it was a “mess.” Len says Mark has had a tough week and the Samba is a tough dance, and can’t agree with Carrie Ann to that extent. It’s not Mark’s best dance, but he coped very well. Bruno says that “it was a bit like watching Kung Fu Panda does the Samba on the Planet of the Apes.” Jeeze! I didn’t think it was that bad! I feel bad for Mark - and Anna looks pretty bummed too. The scores suck: 6-7-6=19.

Mya & Dmitry will next dance a Foxtrot. She’s looking forward to doing an elegant dance and wants to impress Len. She’s thinking too much and Dmitry wants Mya to just dance. He brings in Chloris Leachman (I’m still trying to figure this one out!) who tells Mya that she has to connect with Dmitry, and give him bedroom eyes rather than “like this” and crosses her eyes. Mya looks very classic with her hair down and the mauve gown is really pretty on her. Len begins by saying “I liked the parts that were in hold.” He says that there were too many gimmicks - but “you probably pleased these other two, so two out of three ain’t bad.” (Meatloaf is waiting in the wings....) Bruno tells her that this Foxtrot “perfectly captured the glamorous aura of Hollywood.” He loved her timing and says she danced like an angel. Carrie Ann says “Len is officially smoking crack!” She loved the dance, calling it fluid and graceful. Their scores: 9-7-9=25. One of these weeks, they may actually get the judges on the same page and get good scores straight through!

Aaron & Karina are going to dance a Jive. He hated being in the bottom two for two weeks and loved being safe last week. Karina looks like she’s really choreographing some tough moves and Aaron is having trouble with his footwork so Karina takes him to an athletic training facility where NFL players train and had him hopping all over. Karina is a vision of pink fringe and they’re both hopping all over, looking pretty good - I notice that Karina puts in little “rests” where Aaron isn’t moving constantly. Bruno yells that Aaron kicks fast “to the galaxy and beyond.” Carrie Ann said it was so good, and his kicks were controlled - “but there was one little weird thingy in the middle” and Tom says “we call that Len.” Len is next and says “that had enough energy to light up Hollywood.” He said it was wild but clean, and fast but it had control - “I was tempted to dust off me 10 paddle.” Karina tells Len “don’t hesitate!” Their scores: 9-10-10=29. Aaron & Karina go nuts.

Kelly & Louis come up next to Salsa. She’s ticked that Bruno called her “beige” last week. She says it’s hard because dancing is something she can’t bullshit her way out of. She’s getting upset because she says that Louis has changed his approach and she can’t get used to it. As they stand ready to dance on the floor, Tom says that “obviously Kelly paid Louis back for the hard training this week by designing those pants.” Boy is he right! Louis looks like a total jerk in the pants! HAH! He tears them off in the middle of the dance. Then, Louis tears off Kelly’s black skirt and she finishes the dance in a short fringed skirt. Kelly still looks pretty reserved - I have a feeling the judges are going to skewer her. But I loved the spins at the end! Carrie Ann calls Kelly over for a hug, and says she was unafraid and loved the dance (and the pants design). Len stands up and says Kelly wasn’t afraid gave a full performance - even though it’s okay that Louis is pushing her because all aspects of her dancing need to come up. Bruno, not to be outdone by stuffy Len, jumps up on the desk shaking his hips and his butt. Louis runs to grab his discarded pants and Bruno wraps them around his neck. He says that “once you get the character, flirty and a little dirty, you let it all out.” She still had a little stumble. Kelly tells them “thanks for calling me beige” and Bruno says “it kicked you in the ass, didn’t it!” Their scores: 8-8-8=24.

Joanna & Derek are going to finish up the couples’ dancing with a Rumba. Derek says it’s slow and sensual and he’s going to show Joanna “how it is to dance with a Latin lover.” He wants her to leave the engagement ring outside because “it’s only me and you in the studio” but Joanna is having problems because Derek is a goofball. Joanna can’t see the romance in their relationship but he can - and they do a cheesy clip with Joanna funning along the beach and Derek feeding her strawberries. Joanna tells him “you’re much stronger than Maks” and as the couple embraces for a kiss, we’re back into reality with Derek kissing himself in the studio mirror. Really funny! Almost as if Derek knows he’s a little stuck on himself and can exploit it for fun. To tell the truth, it looks a little over the top to me at the start. They aren’t moving around the floor too much and her spins are very fast and jerky. She bobbles a little bit in a lean - we’ll see what the judges say. Len says the recipe for a good Rumba for him is the basics and good technique, for Bruno a little bit of the wow factor, and Carrie Ann wants no lifts but emotion and chemistry - “and I believe that ticked all of our boxes.” Bruno calls Joanna a love goddess - “so sexy I could taste it.” Carrie Ann says Joanna dances at the edge, like she could go terribly wrong at any moment - but not tonight. Sorry, I didn’t like it. Their scores: 9-9-9=27. (So they could care less what I think!)

Tom asks before the commercial if the couples can put aside their differences to dance the Team dances. It looks like the pros are having more tension with the choreography and each other than the stars are. Team Tango is introduced walking through a smoky archway, followed by Team Paso Doble. (I feel sorry for the people in the audience by that smoke!) We see the rehearsals where they decide the order of the couples, and then all the problems with the pros trying to choreograph. Amid all the bickering Michael says that “we gotta have one heartbeat.” They rehearse on Tuesday and again on Saturday and by Saturday Anna is there with Mark because Lacey is sick. Aaron & Karina get the first solo and Aaron looks like he forgot a chunk of it. Michael & Anna come up next and Michael looks like he’s dancing with a stick up his ass. Mark & Anna are next and it’s here that I miss Lacey - she’s pretty exciting with her choreography on the Paso Doble. Mya & Dmitry finish up and we go back to the group. It’s pretty decent, powerful - but I liked the Team Paso from the season that Mel B and Maks were partners, that one kicked better ass than this one. Bruno says it was strong and powerful but they lost a little bit of sync. Carrie Ann loved the intensity but said it was a bit basic for this stage in the competition - but said Mark redeemed himself from the last dance. Len congratulates Michael for pulling the rehearsal together and says the routine got stronger as it went on. Their scores: 8-8-8=24.

Team Tango rehearses next and begins Tuesday after the show. Donny asks if it’s better to have less couples and Louis tells him yes, “less egos.” The pros choreograph the routine first and then teach it to the stars which seems to work pretty well. Kelly & Louis will go first, then Donny & Kym and Derek & Joanna will be the anchor team. Since Donny is the only male celebrity, they are going to have all the women “fight” over him and of course, Donny doesn’t mind a bit. During Sunday’s rehearsal, Donny is having problems but the guys are helping him even though he says he feels as if he’s getting the flu. The “fighting over Donny” bit is pretty cool. Kelly improves her Tango immensely over the first attempt! Donny looks mega intense and Joanna & Derek do some wicked spins. I really love this choreography! Carrie Ann rushes down to high five the girls and spank all the guys (you harlot, you!) She then yells “why did you put in a lift? It was perfect without it!!!” Len thinks it’s easier to dance Tango because they are in hold most of the time than the Paso and this was the more superior dance. Bruno yells it was “superb” and tells Joanna she is a “love goddess” and “Donny Darko is magnetic.” He tells Kelly that she found her mojo. The scores are great: 9-9-10=28.

So after the individual dances and the Team scores, here are the standings:

27 + 28 = 55 - Joanna & Derek
29 + 24 = 53 - Aaron & Karina
24 + 28 = 52 - Donny & Kym
24 + 28 = 52 - Kelly & Louis
25 + 24 = 49 - Mya & Dmitry
23 + 24 = 47 - Michael & Anna D.
19 + 24 = 43 - Mark & Anna T.

I really hope that the fans save Mark - I really like him. But then, I like all the couples (with Michael and Aaron my least favorites, so they can go home). It’s gonna be a bummer, whoever goes home (two couples tomorrow night!) Make sure you vote, people!

The First Dance Off of the Season Doesn't Save the Snowboarder

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:11:00 +0000

Last night saw the first Dance Marathon of the show - and tonight we get a double elimination and the first Dance-Off of the season! Who will go home? We’ll find out soon - LIVE!

Taylor Swift begins the show with a song off her new album. She’s a cute kid with a nice voice.

In the confessionals, both Melissa and Kelly thought they would have gotten better reviews and scores. We again get to see how Louie dropped Chelsie on her can twice. Mark said he had a blast “in spite of my mess-ups” and after Lacey told him “don’t say that” he changed it to “improvisations.”

We find out the new rules for the Dance Off tonight. The couple with the lowest combined judges’ scores and votes will go home; then, the next two couples with the lowest scores will compete in the Dance Off and the judges will have the final say on who stays and who goes.

Tom and Samantha announce the first couple safe is Joanna & Derek, and then the announce Mark & Lacey (who look really surprised).

We see a clip about the double elimination night and the stars’ fear of getting sent home. Karina says “I’ll be the one to cry if we have to go home.” Aaron yells “don’t send her home” and fake cries. Kelly doesn’t want to go home on her birthday. After the clip, Donny & Kim are told they are safe. Aaron & Karina are announced safe as well, and Karina squeals and jumps (and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Karina that happy!)

Tieplo Libre (and that's just phonetically the way Samantha pronounced it) a band from Havana, perform next. I don’t know if the dancers are with the band or not, but they’re good. I wish I understood Cuban or Spanish or whatever language that is, it’s hard to listen to stuff when I have no idea what they’re saying. Sorry, I’m lazy and didn’t pause the TV at the right time to see if the dancers were our pros or not.

This week the stars get to design the pros’ costumes. Donny scares us a bit by grabbing some leopard print. Michael says he wants to hear every Russian curse work come out of Anna’s mouth (as she stands by the door yelling to Michael in Russian). Joanna asks the designer how many rhinestones can fit on a Speedo, saying that Derek is going to feel like she does every week - half-naked. Mark wants to dress Lacey in something she would wear on a beach in Brazil. The designer tries to help Louie and suggests chiffon - and Louie asks “what’s chiffon?” (Like a snowboarder would have a clue anyway!) Donny comes out of the design room dressed in white, with a white spangly headband and a white boa, to “measure something” on Kym, who is cracking up (me too)!

We will find out the couples in the bottom three - but first, Mya & Dmitry are safe. Now if Kelly gets in, I think we’ve about got it right. And yes! Kelly & Louis are safe! The couples remaining will have to sweat it out during the commercial, and Taylor Swift’s next song. I like this song a lot, and especially because Maks and Edyta, Tony and Cheryl, Jonathan and Anna are dancing to it. I’ve seen Anna dance on the ballroom competitions they show on PBS with other guys, and while she’s damn good, she just looks much better with her hubby.

The stars strive to see the “10" paddles, and for help in getting them, we get some advice from some folks who have seen them - Nadia Comaneci (Russian Olympic gymnast) and Greg Louganis (U.S. Olympic diver) who got the first set of perfect scores in their respective sports, and Bill Walton, who was on a college basketball team that went 60-0 over two seasons. They talk about the importance of practice and visualization, and turning the negatives into positives.

Enough filler - Tom will tell us which couple is going home now. Poor Melissa looks like she’s going to cry - I like her, but she really can’t dance well. And she’s the one going home. She looks like Candice Bergen with the way her hair is styled tonight. Mark says he’s proud of Melissa and she will always have the Charleston, where she got a 10. They don’t get a last dance, I guess they’ll have to share the floor with the other eliminated couple at the end.

After the break, Louie & Chelsie and Michael & Anna will dance the dances they have chosen to dance, to the music they picked. Michael & Anna will go first. We see that they went to the studio to rehearse their Samba at 6:30 a.m. Hope it pays off! Oops, Michael misses grabbing Anna’s hand right off the bat. Michael’s shaking those hips! He looks like he’s having great fun. Len tells Michael that he’s really come alive, but he wasn’t thrilled about the walking-over-Anna-on-the-floor part. Bruno tells Michael that he started out with the Brazilian party and then “let it all hang out at the end.” Carrie Ann says that his personality was there even though the technique part wasn’t.

Louie & Chelsie will Dance Off next. They showed up for practice at 7:15 a.m. They’ve chosen the Jive, even though he liked the Argentine Tango better. Sorry, he just looks bad. I like Louie’s personality, but he’s just ... pathetic. Bruno begins by saying that the Jive is energetic, precise, sharp - “and you did all of that” (huh?). He says that Chelsie put in a lot of content. Carrie Ann goes totally opposite, saying she’s disappointed there wasn’t more content. Len said it was sharp, fast and clean and he doesn’t agree with Carrie Ann (even though he doesn’t know “what happened up there” when Louie lost his steps). After the commercial, the judges will reveal their decision on who goes home.

Bruno says it’s difficult to choose, but the couple that had the edge was Louie & Chelsie. Len like both couples’ routines, even though both disappointed him, and he’s going with Michael & Anna. Oooh, Carrie Ann gets to be the bad guy here! She says that she wants to take into account the work of the whole season, but has to judge solely on the Dance Off, and that means Michael & Anna.

Louie says it’s harder than it looks - getting out in front of millions of people doing what he’d never done before. As we see the faces of the couples that are staying, again Aaron has the ... face. He really looks like he’s ready to bite someone! I think Karina is rubbing off on him - except that she looks happy!

So I switch the channel over to the Red Wings game and see Vancouver score at about 69 seconds into the game. Good grief, one of those nights, huh?

Well, we’ll see how it goes next week - we’ll have another double elimination! Can Michael manage to stay through another Dance Off? Will Aaron join him, or will Kelly go next? We’ll see, next week - LIVE!

The Couples Try a "Marathon Mambo" - for Four Minutes

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:52:00 +0000

LIVE!!! From Hollywood! This is Dancing With the Stars!

We find out that there will be a dance marathon tonight - did they get extra air time or what? For the individual routines, they will dance either the Jitterbug (with legal lifts) or the Waltz. The marathon involves all the couples dancing the Mambo at once, and getting “tapped out” one by one until one couple is left.

Mya & Dmitry begin the evening dancing the Jitterbug. After last week’s intense Argentine Tango, Mya is happy to let loose and hopefully get the “connection” that she was allegedly lacking. She loves the fun of the dance, but all the tricks are making her body and especially her right hip hurt. She gets a massage after practice (tough life, huh?) Mya is going to “float like a Jitterbug and sting like a bee.” They begin the dance with Mya dusting the judges’ table and Dmitry sweeping the floor - the “messing about” that Len despises. Will he let it go? Len begins by saying “the last refuge of the untalented is props,” and he didn’t like that they “wasted 20 bars polishing my desk.” Bruno called it spot on stylistically, and loved it. Carrie Ann disagrees with Bruno, saying that the Jitterbug lets one go wild and crazy but this was “soft and muted.” Their scores are all over the place: 8-7-9=24.

Melissa & Mark dance the Waltz next. Melissa is having problems with the positions and posture, so Mark brings in his mother, Shirley, who is a champion ballroom dancer. Shirley is just as tough, if not more, than Mark, and Mark comments that “it’s nice to see someone else kicking Melissa’s ass.” Shirley tells Melissa to watch her posture and “keep those puppies up.” Their dance is pretty, but Melissa just doesn’t have it, she looks clunky rather than smooth. You can see the missteps here and there. Bruno starts off and blasts Melissa saying it wasn’t good, that she looked as if she was trying to remember what she was told ... among other things. Carrie Ann tells her that “at least you kept your puppies up” but it looked as if the floor was sticky, and it was rigid. Len says that they had great musicality, Melissa looked very elegant, and even though there were problems with the technique, he thinks Bruno and Carrie Ann were a “bit harsh.” Tom quips that “that was the pot calling the kettles black.” Their scores: 7-7-6=20.

Mark & Lacey are up next with a Jitterbug. In the “confessional” last week after their Paso Doble, Mark says that “dancing with you (Lacey) makes me so horny.” He puts his fingers by his head to show bull horns, while Lacey cracks up. After seeing Mark in nothing but Iron Chef America, this is a different side of him that I really like! Lacey is going to make Mark do all the tricks in this week’s dance and keeps reminding him to smile. She takes Mark to a Jitterbug Club to help him get the energy, and he’s told there that it’s an attitude, not just a dance. Good grief! Lacey carries Mark across the floor a bit! Len may not go for this either, a bit “too much messing about” and could use more Jitterbug. It is very energetic, though! Tom says “best of the night so far” and Carrie Ann whoops it up. She loved it. Len says “sometimes less is more” and the audience groans - but then Len says “but not in the Jitterbug - more is more.” He calls it great (of course, I’m wrong again). Bruno said it was truly spectacular, but notes as Carrie Ann did that Mark stumbled a bit at the end. (I didn’t see it, gotta go back through that one). Their scores: 9-9-8=26.

Aaron & Karina will dance the Waltz. Aaron hated being in the bottom two, two weeks in a row. Karina tells him that they can only control their performances. Aaron comes into practice wearing a suit and bringing Karina red roses (I’ve read some scuttlebut on the internet that they’ve been kanoodling after practice ... I wonder? What, Maks is too old for her?) Aaron looks pissed to start the dance - if that’s his romantic face, I feel bad for his girlfriend! Their dance is cute, seems to have the choreography necessary - but what will the judges say? Len tells Aaron he danced with maturity, his frame and posture were good and there was a connection between the two of them. He says it’s Aaron’s best dance. Bruno says “the boy has become a gentleman.” Carrie Ann says it was beautiful but he did lose his footing a bit. She loves the dignified Aaron Carter on the dance floor. Their scores: 8-9-8=25.

Michael & Anna D. are up next. He knows that the fans got him this far, and thanks the fans on his radio show. But he’s having trouble with the Waltz and he wants to do well, talking to himself about “that’s what champions do.” He worked hard this week, he looks pretty elegant! Good posture, extension ... (sounds like I know what I’m talking about, huh? I’m learning ballroom speak!) Bruno said that it looked like he was enjoying himself, but Michael’s posture wasn’t good enough. Carrie Ann asks Anna if her feet came off the ground, but that the Waltz was very charming. Len says that “it’s amazing that three people can watch a dance, and two of them get it totally wrong.” He liked the charm, saying it was the best footwork of any Waltz tonight. He went on and on about all the good things about it. (Len must have gotten laid two weeks in a row, he’s in a good mood again!) Their scores: 6-8-6=20.

We see clips before the commercial of some of the stars practicing for the group/marathon Mambo, and Michael has blow-up Weebils (wobble but they don’t fall down) with the other stars’ faces taped to them. He kicks Mya’s as he gets next to it, and Mya says “if Michael thinks he’s gonna accidentally bump into me during the Mambo then he’d better accidentally wear a cup.” Kick ass, girl!

Kelly & Louis dance the Jitterbug. We see that last week she hurt her ankle, and backstage her dad Ozzy asks if she can keep going - and Kelly says “my foot would have to be cut off for me to drop out of the competition.” During practice, Louis is getting frustrated because the first thought Kelly has when he corrects her is that she’s going to “look like an idiot.” He wants her to believe in herself and not be afraid, so he takes her to a trapeze school and tells her “one step at a time, just think of it as a chorus line” as she starts climbing. She yells back “Chorus line! What bloody chorus line have you been in where you’ve got to walk up a ladder?” She’s petrified but does it, and hopes it helps her in her “bouncing” during the Jitterbug. She looks like she’s having fun, but her faces remind me a little of Lucille Ball’s pout. Carrie Ann tells Kelly that she’s brought some fun back into her dancing, but she stumbled a bit after the flip, and needs to “stay in your happy place.” Len thought it was a little flat-footed and lacked freedom. “It was like a blueberry muffin with no blueberries.” Bruno called it cute and nice, but tells her to ignite the performance. “It’s not Kelly any more, it’s the performer.” He told her to get over her fear and called it “beige.” Their scores: 7-6-7=20. I really like Kelly, I hope she stays a little longer!

A clip comes up about the double eliminations. The stars hate the idea and find out that the two lowest couples will do a dance-off and get to decide what dance they will do - meaning this week there are three dances to learn, just in case they need the dance-off. The judges’ scores will be the only ones that count in the dance-off.

Louie & Chelsie get to do a Jitterbug. He wants to keep the great comments from last week going and work really hard, but he’s not comfortable with the tricks and flips. Chelsie makes him review his snowboarding and tries to get him to get the same feeling during dancing as he does snowboarding. I like Louie, but he just doesn’t hav ethe feet for dancing. He jumps up on the judges’ table and rips off his geek glasses and sleeves, and does a cool back flip off the desk, but he’s still standing and walking in spots. Len begins by saying “parts of that were fantastic” (uh oh, what’s he gonna say next?) He calls parts of it “grundy.” (Gonna have to look that one up!) Bruno says he comes out “all wacko” which suits the dance, but that he loses the precision. Carrie Ann loved the dance and the energy, but he dropped Chelsie a couple of times. Backstage Samantha asks if he’s surprised if he’s stayed out of the bottom two even with low judge scores, and he thanks the fans for their support. Their scores: 7-7-7=21.

Next up are Joanna & Derek. Derek “survived the flu.” Tom quips that “a lot of women fall for Maksim” and rubs it in about Joanna’s stumble with Maks last week as he replaced Derek. They will dance the romantic Waltz. She thought the Waltz would be easier, but realizes that it’s slow and controlled and every little mistake will show. Derek says that he’s hard on Joanna because she is good, but he has to remember that she’s not a professional. (Duh). She’s got her posture right, making me realize that it’s gotta be hard to dance bending backwards the whole time. Derek is a good teacher, she looks pretty good! They do a really pretty spin at the end that looks impressive to me! Tom calls it “our get a room dance of the season.” Bruno says it looked like “a butterfly gently gliding over a meadow.” Tom tells Carrie Ann that “the poetry bar has been set” and Carrie Ann doesn’t bite - she says her lines were beautiful but Joanna had hesitation in some parts. Len says her footwork wasn’t too brilliant, but he liked that they went straight into the dance with “no messing about” and it was the best Waltz he’s seen tonight. After a quick commercial we see the scores: 8-9-9=26. Joanna & Derek are happy!

Donny & Kym finish the individual couple dances with a Jitterbug. Donny wants to forget about last week and begin with a fresh slate. Kym tells him to say “woo woo” (like a train whistle) and “look at my butt.” This cracks Donny up. He is having trouble with all the tricks and flips. They take time to volunteer with mentally-challenged people teaching them to dance. He does the “woo woo” part with Kym’s butt pretty good during the dance! Carrie Ann gets to begin and she tells Donny that he knows how to work a room, but noticed the stumble. Len says whatever dance Donny gets, he comes out and performs it. Bruno concurs that Donny can work a room, but says it looked at times like a steam engine trying to keep up with a bullet train. Their scores: 8-8-8=24.

We see that the Mambo will be like the classic ballroom competition. They will be tapped out as the judges see fit. They will have a maximum of four minutes to dance ... and Joanna is huffing and puffing after a minute and a half in practice, saying she will need the ambulance after the Mambo. The last couple standing - er, dancing - will get 10 points, the second-to-last 9, and so on. Michael & Anna are the first couple out. Watching Louie, I don’t know how they weren’t first, but they are the second couple out. Melissa & Mark are gone next, getting 4 points. Kelly & Louis get five points and Mark & Lacey leave next with 6 points. Donny & Kym are ousted next (and one of them left a pink thing on the floor). Aaron & Karina go next, leaving Mya & Dmitry and Joanna & Derek on the floor. Mya & Dmitry are the 9-point winners, and Joanna & Derek are the winners, getting 10 points and the praise from the judges. Carrie Ann said that Joanna had the spirit that “I’m gonna win this” and it put her over the top.

So, with the judges’ scores from the individual dances and the “Marathon Mambo,” the leader board looks like this:

36 (26 + 10) - Joanna & Derek
35 (26 + 7) - Mark & Lacey
33 (25 + 8) - Aaron & Karina
33 (24 + 9) - Mya & Dmitry
31 (24 + 7) - Donny & Kym
26 (20 + 6) - Kelly & Louis
25 (21 + 4) - Louie & Chelsie
25 (20 + 5) - Melissa & Mark
23 (20 + 3) - Michael & Anna

(I will admit I deleted my TiVo recording before I realized that I may have messed up the Mambo scores. I thought that the first couple out got 2 points, but that didn’t gel with the last couple in getting 10 points. So I just did it this way and we’ll see how it works out.....)

So will Michael’s Dallas fans keep him in the competition or is it time for him to go? The leader board keeps shifting, with Joanna, Mark, Mya and Donny all taking turns - who do you think has the best shot at the beautiful (?) Mirrorball Trophy? Make sure you vote!

Natalie Goes Home in Tears

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:07:00 +0000

LIVE!!!!! This is Dancing With the Stars!

We’re reminded that Len was in a great mood last night (and he sure was! Mr. Cranky Pants was off for the evening, I guess). Samantha has regular hair tonight, much better than that electric-shocked style last night.

In the recap and backstage confessionals, we see Melissa protesting that “I was too sexy” and Mark laughing (he’s delirious from his fever, obviously). Aaron says that the two kisses from Carrie Ann were better than three 10's (and he’s full of it!) Mya is happy they finally pleased Len. We’re reminded of Joanna’s stumble, saying it was a “bad dream.” Kelly hurt her ankle dancing her Paso Doble, but Ozzie tried to reassure her “that’s showbiz.” Mark & Lacey realize they’re one point behind Mya, and Mark comments that “we’re on her trail - we can sniff her.” Lacey tells him “you can sniff her, I’ll just ... watch.” (Hmmmm?) It still cracks me up seeing Bruno’s critique of Donny & Kym’s Argentine Tango, with Bruno telling Donny “finally you’ve turned to the dark side” and Donny retorting that “you took me there!”

We find out that Kelly went to the hospital after the show, and it’s just a sprain and she’ll be fine to dance again (assuming she isn’t sent home tonight).

We’ll start off with our Encore Dance, and of course, it’s going to be the group Hustle. What? Len wants to see the highest-scoring dance so far, Donny & Kym’s Argentine Tango! I’m just going to have to quit guessing. I think I get a handle on Len and he goes off in another direction.

The pros are going to do a tribute to Michael Jackson tonight. The couples have danced to 17 MJ songs through the years of the show and want to honor him for his musical contributions.

Nora Jones is up. Two guys and a girl dance, but they’re not our pros - hey! Some guy walks in front of the cameras - whoops, foibles of live TV! I like Nora Jones’ voice!

Last night’s top three scoring couples get to hear their fate first. Mark & Lacey are safe, as are Donny & Kym. Mya & Dmitry are also safe. We’ve got three relieved couples now!

We see a clip of how the stars feel about Mondays - they like to check out the dance floor, talk to each other and catch up on the news of the week. Everyone’s nervous but they give each other good luck wishes.

Joanna & Derek are told they are in jeopardy. Kelly & Louis are safe, but Aaron & Karina are told they are in jeopardy also. Aaron’s face looks like cold steel with the news - I really wouldn’t want to cheeze him off!

We next see our lowest-scoring couples of the evening. Michael & Anna D. are told they are safe, and Natalie & Alec are in jeopardy. Samantha is backstage with Kelly & Louis. Kelly says her foot is fine, but she still can’t wear shoes. She was more upset about possibly having to leave the competition rather than the pain. Samantha asks Louis if he’s worried about Kelly not being able to dance with her foot hurting - and Louis says he’s hoping she doesn’t try to use it as an excuse not to rehearse hard! Kelly realizes that he won’t let her get away with anything. Michael & Anna D. also get to talk to Samantha, who congratulates Michael for being around yet another week. He says he’ll work hard, and with the fans doing their part and voting, they’ll be all right.

Nora Jones sings again, and we see Jonathan and Anna T. dance. No worries about trying to conjure up romance or passion there - they make a really nice couple. Plus, we find out the song that Jones sang was Jonathan & Anna’s wedding song. Awwww!

Melissa & Mark and Louie & Chelsie are left to hear their fates. Louie & Chelsie are safe, but Melissa & Mark are in jeopardy. We’ll have to wait to find out who goes home (of course) because now we get to see the pros do the Michael Jackson tribute. They all comment on how MJ influenced dance styles. Mark Ballas shows us a picture of his MJ outfit as a kid, complete with rhinestone socks. LaToya Jackson introduces the pros (very stiffly, I might add - she has to learn to read cue cards more smoothly). Great! I love watching the pros dance and especially loved seeing them do the Thriller choreography.

The four couples in jeopardy - Joanna & Derek, Aaron & Karina, Natalie & Alec and Melissa & Mark are onstage to learn if they stay to dance another day. Melissa & Mark are told they are safe. Also safe are Joanna & Derek. Aaron & Karina and Natalie & Alec are the bottom two. Bruno is surprised that Aaron is there, and Carrie Ann is disappointed to see Natalie in the bottom two. Len says neither couple belongs - the audience may love underdogs, but this isn’t justice. Natalie & Alec are told they are the ones going home. Natalie seems really upset. The audience groans and stands to give Natalie & Alec an ovation - and the stars that are left look close to tears too!

So how long can Michael’s fans keep him in? Will Aaron find his butt out of there soon? We’ll see next week!

The Fighter Isn't a Dancer and Goes Home

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:43:00 +0000

Wow! I like Samantha’s dress a lot! Fire engine red and satiny! And Louis isn’t wearing his makeup tonight, thank goodness.

In the confessional, (as Anna fixes her top so her boob isn’t falling out) Michael says that “only in America can you dance romantically with a beautiful woman, and have your wife sitting in the front row, and when you get done she’s clapping.” Derek & Joanna have problems adding up their scores, and Joanna quips that “it takes two blondes a while to add up the score.” (Heehee!)

Melissa & Mark’s Charleston gets the encore dance this week, making Len a liar - he said he was going to vote for Joanna & Derek’s Lambada. I guess he got overruled by Bruno and Carrie Ann!

Uh oh .... Tom says “we’ve got a surprise in store for you tonight” regarding eliminations. Now what???

Shakira sings, very nice. (I watched the 2-hour finale of Hell’s Kitchen, so I’m breezing through the nonessential stuff tonight).

Donny says it’s hard to follow a shirtless Derek and Kym tells him he needs to “go topless next week.” Not too sure about that one. Really.

The first two couples safe are announced: Mya & Dmitry and Melissa & Mark. The first couple in the dreaded Bottom Two is Aaron & Karina. The audience gasps in surprise, and Tom again asks “are we in for a shock tonight?” Is Aaron actually going home?

After the commercial, I see Edyta in the background - and the guys on the stage. Great, we get to see the pros dance! Louis, Dmitry, and Alec are dancing with Edyta, Cheryl and Karina. They’re dancing the Argentine Tango and the Paso Doble - and I feel bad for the stars, watching the pros kick ass and knowing they can’t possibly get close. What a fantastic performance! Actually, we can skip the celebrities and just let the pros dance for the rest of the season, fine by me!

Tom asks Len what he wants to see next week, and he says “if we see anything close to what we’ve just seen, it will be great.” Dream on, Len!

Backstage, talking to Melissa, Mya and Aaron, Samantha makes the crack that “It’s always impossible to figure out what the judges want.” No truer words spoken, there!

Three couples are now announced safe: Kelly & Louis, Natalie & Alec and Joanna & Derek. All of the women are now safe - which guy is going home?

Another commercial and we find out that Mark & Lacey and Michael & Anna D. are safe.

A filler clip talks about how DWTS “takes over your life.” The kids get on the show too, coming to rehearsals and getting interviewed. Michael’s son Elijah says he was worried about his dad doing the show “because he’s going to make a complete idiot of himself.” Chuck’s kids say it’s hilarious seeing their dad dance. The kids all petition us to “vote for my mommy/daddy!” Chuck’s son and daughter say “my dad can beat up your dad.”

Samantha is backstage with Michael, Joanna and Kelly and Michael is very happy, he thought he was going home. Hopefully Anna can choreograph a decent dance next week. Joanna thanks the fans for voting for them. Kelly is looking forward to working with the group for the Group Hustle next week.

Another clip, about the waiting to find out whether they will stay and dance again. Mya says it’s like Mardi Gras and the Olympics at the same time, very hectic. The stars show their frustration at the learning and the little time to learn. Louie says Chelsie gets frustrated with him when he has no idea what she’s talking about. Michael says when he can’t learn it fast enough, that means “more time in the studio and less time in the bed.” Aaron tells Karina that he doesn’t get it sometimes, she has to remember that. Mark has to let off steam (and he shoots dart guns at Lacey). Chuck never gets nervous before fights, but waiting to hear his name makes him very nervous.

Donny & Kym are told they’re safe. I’m noticing that Anna T. hasn’t smiled all night! She’s really looking ticked off. Aaron & Karina, Chuck & Anna T. and Louie & Chelsie are left to sweat it out. The next couple safe is ... Louie & Chelsie, leaving Chuck & Anna T. in the Bottom Two. Len is asked who should stay (why they bother, I don’t know, I think he’s only said once in the umpteen seasons of watching who should actually stay). “Chuck is a gentle giant who brings us entertainment, but next week there are two dances to learn and I think the one who can cope with that better is Aaron.” (Okay, prove me wrong again Len!) I hit the pause button to type that, and Aaron has a look on his face that may make me wake up with nightmares tonight! So who’s going home? Chuck & Anna T. (Not so much of a surprise, Tom!) She still looks pissed. Samantha calls Chuck a “fish out of water” and asks him what he’ll take out of this besides a bunch of razzing from his fighting buddies. Chuck emphasizes how hard it is to do. Anna T. says Chuck is her “gentle giant, you are my bear, you are my hippo - but I enjoyed working with you.”

So Chuck & Anna T. dance their “last dance” and we have next week’s Group Hustle and either the Paso Doble or Argentine Tango to look forward to!

Two Step, Charleston, Bolero and Lambada - New Dances, But Can They Do It?

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:38:00 +0000

LIVE! FROM HOLLYWOOD! This ... is Dancing With the Stars!

Tonight we get the Two Step, Charleston, Bolero and Lambada, never seen before in the Ballroom!

Chuck & Anna T. will dance the Two Step. Chuck used to work in a country bar so Anna is hopeful that he saw enough to help him learn. She tells him that “you used to laugh at those people dancing. Who’s laughing now?” Chuck likes the fact that he can do some lifts, saying that he can use his size and strength for “something more than getting in the way.” Chuck looks a lot looser than he’s been, but that ain’t saying much, trust me! Good choreography by Anna, and Chuck was having fun. Len told Chuck that the lifts fit the dance well and that he brings entertainment to the show. “But - eventually it will come down to the fact that this is a show about dancing.” Bruno told Chuck “you not so much danced, but raided the Two Step - carnage and mayhem. But somehow it still managed to look like a Two Step.” Carrie Ann said Chuck suited the Two Step more than his other dances. Their scores: 6-5-6=17.

Melissa & Mark are up next, dancing the Charleston. Melissa really wants to get a score in the 20's. It’s a fun dance, and Melissa needs to learn how to let go. Mark took her to a 1920's club and they practiced there, and she channeled her inner flapper. The dance begins in black and white, with little grainy lines running through like an old film. Melissa does great, love the choreography and she’s really hamming it up. Bruno yells that Melissa brought the 1920's Hollywood flapper back to life. Carrie Ann called it fantastic, saying they should take that one “on the road.” Len said the Charleston is all about the three E’s - energy, excitement, and entertainment. “And you hit all three.” Their scores are great: 9-9-10=28. Melissa & Mark are ecstatic.

Natalie & Alec will dance the Bolero. It’s a slow, sexy dance, and Alec wants to make the choreography difficult to really stand out. They’re both getting frustrated and while Natalie wants to work hard, she’s thinking “what did I get myself into?” She starts the dance with a fur coat, and takes it off to reveal an Edyta outfit. I guess it’s not bad for her, considering she spends most of her times in a bathing suit! Looking at it, though, it looks to me like a Foxtrot or Rumba - I don’t get why a Bolero is a Bolero. Carrie Ann says it was beautiful, but saw a struggle in the movements. Len thought it had beautiful lyrical movements. He liked Alec’s choreography but wanted more romance. Bruno is happy that Natalie found her basic instinct, but says her arms are like she’s swimming. (Shot of Gilles Marini in the audience! He’s still hot!) Their scores: 8-8-8=24. Natalie & Alec give Samantha the “very happy” with the scores lip service, but they don’t look thrilled. I thought the scores were fine for what it was!

Aaron & Karina are going to perform the Lambada. Last week Michael Ervin gave Aaron hugs and a good pep talk after Aaron’s dance, which I thought was really great of Michael. Karina explains that the Lambada is sexy and flirtatious, and Aaron gets cute wiggling and gets yelled at by Karina: “sticking your ass out, you’re not learning anything.” Aaron knows a bit of gymnastics, and she takes him to UCLA to train with the coach there. He’s going to start the dance with a major tumble/flip, and he’s crossing himself backstage before he goes on. He nails it, flipping over Karina. The dance may be sexy, but Aaron doesn’t look like he’s having a ton of fun. He seems to be concentrating too much. Len called it a bit of a walk on the wild side, but he needed more rhythm and raunchiness “instead of messing about all that time with the back flip.” It’s one dance that Len wants to see raunchy. Bruno tells Aaron that being an actor, he has to see the dance as a script. “This dance is Gilles Marini, you’re not doing that. You have to transform.” (Gilles looks very flattered to be mentioned!) Bruno tries to explain that Aaron has to dance as if it’s foreplay - “easy, then build it up.” Tom laughs that “now we go from foreplay lessons to Carrie Ann.” She tells him that he has to chill out - “you’re trying too hard.” Their scores aren’t all that hot: 6-6-6=18. Aaron’s going down and getting worse!

Mark & Lacey are up next, with a Two Step. They brainstorm at rehearsal about how to prove that they have chemistry, and decide that they need to lighten up and have fun. Mark still is stressing about the steps, but his kids pop in at rehearsal one day and Lacey sees Mark lighten up, and tries to emphasize that. Their dance looks good (except for the spot where Mark looked like he lost his steps) and I really like this choreography. Bruno begins by telling Mark that he should have a “roll in the hay more often.” He did call Mark out on the messed up parts. Carrie Ann liked it very much, and said the chemistry was there. Len liked the choreography, and said he appreciated the fact that Mark wasn’t just standing there, but actually helping Lacey with her moves. The scores are okay: 8-7-7=22.

Kelly & Louis are up next, and their backstage shot is ... strange! Louis is wearing makeup - eyeliner and blush! I’m ascared! In rehearsal, Kelly confesses that she auditioned for a role in Chicago on Broadway and got it, but they put her in a different part because she couldn’t dance. Kelly can’t understand why dancers makes “all those noises” and Louis tells her it helps get into the character of the dance. They’re dancing the Charleston and it’s great fun! Kelly looks like she’s having a blast! Tom tells her that “the producers from Chicago are on the phone.” Louis plants a kiss on Kelly’s cheek and leaves a lipstick mark! Carrie Ann says that it’s like watching a little birdie learn to fly - your face lights up.” Len said Kelly came out with confidence and performed the dance. Bruno loves Liza Minelli (of course) and Joel Gray, and said it was a wonderful tribute to them - “you should be happy.” Their scores are back up there: 8-7-8=23. Louis still looks very scary with that makeup on!

Joanna & Mark are dancing the Lambada. Derek says the Lambada is a dance with a lot of grinding and a lot of thrusting - “and you know what? I have the best job in America.” Joanna wants a 10, so she’s telling Derek to choreograph a difficult routine. Derek starts the dance by taking off his shirt, and Joanna is feeling all over Len. This is where Derek’s ego shows - I like him, but sometimes he grates on me like he’s showing himself off more than his partner. They do a really great spin move that looks great - but then Derek loses his footing at the very end when grabbing Joanna. Len starts by saying “I know what I want for tomorrow night’s encore.” He compliments Derek’s choreography. Bruno says “don’t try this at home without the proper precautions!” He said it was so full of sexual energy “I have enough now for the next six months.” Carrie Ann hoped that the children were in bed - and Tom pipes up “I bet some of the adults are now” and everyone cracks up. Carrie Ann says the Lambada is “fueled by the crotch area, and that was fueled by the crotch area.” Samantha tells Derek backstage that she’s never seen him dance shirtless and he says since Maks and Tony aren’t here anymore, he has to represent. Good scores: 9-8-9=26.

Donny and Kym are up next, dancing the Charleston. Tom says that Donny isn’t welcome in Utah but he can go to Massachusetts (they have same-sex marriage, ha ha). Kym tells Donny not to get so frustrated and stop being such a perfectionist. Donny has to “get out of his head.” I think he did, it’s a great dance! Very peppy and fun. Donny kisses his wife and son, and Marie was there but got nothing - and you could see her say “nothing for me?” (You get enough camera time, Marie. Deal with it!) Bruno says it shows a showman in his element but he’s got to watch his kicks. Carrie Ann said they moved in sync as a team, but saw the little stumble that Donny made. Len said that “you look good, you dance good, and watching you does you good.” They get their scores: 8-8-8=24. An improvement over last week, they’re happy.

Michael & Anna D. will dance a Bolero. Michael is bummed about being in the bottom two last week. Tony pops in to practice, invited by Anna since Tony was a Latin champion. He tells Michael he has to look at Anna like she’s his only love. “You were the most passionate player in the NFL, you need to show that on the dance floor.” Michael listened, because he’s got his eyes glued on Anna. Watching her grind on him, though, makes me wonder how he can keep his ants in his pants ... if ya know what I mean! Although Michael did a lot of stepping and no dancing, though. Carrie Ann saw the romance side, but said there was too much posing and wasn’t enough dancing. Len agrees that it was “somewhat economic” but he promises Michael that he’ll score him higher than a 4 tonight. Bruno says he’s like the economy - every week he’s supposed to be getting better, but he doesn’t. Anna didn’t choreograph enough and Michael is suffering for it. Their scores: 5-6-5=16.

Louie & Chelsie will Two Step. Chelsie has never done this dance before so she’s nervous too. She takes Louie to Ty Murray’s farm to turn him into a cowboy. Ty says he “looks like mini me but with more hair.” They bale hay, throw lassos, and ride horses. Don’t know that it helped, because Louie just looks like he’s wlaking rather than dancing. Chelsie is spinning all over and Louie’s just kinda hanging on. Like the lifts, though. Len looks disgusted. He says it was a series of walks, then Chelsie did something, then more walking. He wants Louie to “knock my socks off” next week. Bruno said for a Two Step it was dazed and confused. Carrie Ann didn’t feel any of the music coming through Louie, and Chelsie compensated - but they’re here to watch Louie. Lousy scores: 5-5-6=16. Surprised Len gave them a 5!

Mya & Dmitry finish off the night with the Lambada. They got great scores last week except from Len, and they’re confused. Last week’s dance was slow and soft, but this week they have to crank up the heat. Mya says Dmitry has to simplify his routines, but Dmitry says that would be boring. He’s willing to compromise, though. They’re hoping their compromise will please all three judges. Watching this dance, I’ve decided that Mya is going to win - she’s really good! Bruno begins by yelling that it was an exotic roller coaster that you “want to ride over and over and over...” Carrie Ann says “Mya’s on fire!” She was raunchy and classy at the same time. Len never finds her routines boring. He tries to explain that her standards are high, and in the Lambada he thought he’d get a bit more. No pleasing that man!!! Backstage, Mya thinks they went wrong somewhere - but their scores aren’t all that bad: 10-8-10=28. Len needs to let go a little, I think!

So here’s the leader board after the judges’ scores:

28 - Melissa & Mark
28 - Mya & Dmitry
26 - Joanna & Mark
24 - Natalie & Alec
24 - Donny and Kym
23 - Kelly & Louis
22 - Mark & Lacey
18 - Aaron & Karina
17 - Chuck & Anna T.
16 - Michael & Anna D.
16 - Louie & Chelsie

Can anyone beat Mya or does she have it locked up already? Make sure you vote, folks! Keep your favorites in the hunt for the Mirror Ball trophy!

The Feet Make Tom Leave - and Debi Gets Eliminated Anyway

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:18:00 +0000

LIVE! FROM HOLLYWOOD! The Results Show!

And I’m not even starting to watch this till almost 10 PM because I had to watch the stupid Tigers lose the stupid baseball game in the stupid 12th inning. Congrats to the Minnesota Twins, we handed them the season by blowing a 7-game lead with two weeks left in the season. Buttheads.

At the beginning, Tom (Bergeron) asks if there will be one, or two eliminations because of Tom DeLay’s injured foot/feet. Hmmmmm?

In the recap of last night, Donny says that he really kissed Bruno - “It’s okay, I’ve had my shots.” Aaron cried in the confessional - I thought he was kidding, but I guess not!

Talk about a mercy dance! Len tells us the judges want to see Chuck & Anna T’s Samba again - “it wasn’t high up on the judges’ leader board, but it was a surprise.” Yeah, the surprise was getting the Encore dance!

Queen Latifa sings, I’ve always liked her but I can honestly say I’ve never heard her sing. Now I can say “meh” cuz I wasn’t impressed. I still like her acting though. The best part is my two favorite dancers, Cheryl & Maks, danced to her song!

The three lowest-scoring men are brought out: Tom & Cheryl, Chuck & Anna T., and Michael & Anna D. Tom & Cheryl are told they’re safe. Michael & Anna D. are in jeopardy, and Chuck & Anna T. are safe. “But will Tom be able to continue?” Something tells me no, because they’ve already mentioned it a few times.....

Samantha asks Aaron about his crying - he says he was upset for messing up. Katrina actually looks sympathetic! Sam asks Michael about how hurt he was at his low scores, and he says “you don’t think big football players can get hurt, but it hurt in the heart.” Awwwwww.

The stars are asked about what impressions they have about each other. Louie says you’d think Tom would be a straightlaced politician - and Mark adds that “he likes sequins and shaking his booty.” Joanna is amazed at what a big teddy bear Chuck is. They all admit how afraid they were - and still are - about going out on the floor to dance.

Tom Bergeron is interviewing Tom Delay & Cheryl. Delay admits that he can’t possibly dance any more because of his feet. He doesn’t want to “go out there and make a fool of himself and do that to Cheryl.” The audience sounds bummed and Delay says that makes him feel good. Tom B. tells Delay that if his feet cooperate, he is invited back to dance the Texas Two-Step (which he would have danced next week) in the finale. Tom B. also announces that there will be a regular elimination tonight as well. (And weeks 4 and 5, I think, are to be double eliminations. We’re gonna get this field of dancers pared down pretty quick!)

The highest scoring women are brought out: Maya & Dmitry are safe, as are Natalie & Alec. Joanna & Derek are told they are in jeopardy.

Donny & Kym are next told they are safe (“but not necessarily from Bruno.”) Louie & Chelsie are safe. Aaron & Karina are told they are in jeopardy (which is really mean, considering you know he’s a fan favorite and he was so upset and crying!) Mark & Lacey are safe.

Samantha is backstage with Melissa and Kelly. She asks Kelly about the kiss at the end of their dance, and she says that she stuck out her tongue at Louis during rehearsal and he dared her to kiss him - then she dared him to kiss her, and she decided to be the first to kiss him. Okay. Don’t dare Kelly Osbourne to do anything!

We find out that Sabrina Bryan has been chosen to come back and dance in the Design-A-Dance. I usually don’t get into all that extra stuff but it’s nice to see Sabrina come back since she had such a surprising exit in week 5 on her season. She will dance the Paso Doble to “Eye of the Tiger.” We fans now have a chance to pick the male professional dancer to dance with her (which will probably be Mark, since she danced with him back then). There is also a contest for the costume design for both of the dancers.

The Macy’s Stars of Dance features Jabbawocky. There are two “surprise” dancers that are dancing, and we’re supposed to guess which ones they are under the masks. I like these guys! They dance to Gene Kelly singing “Singin’ in the Rain” and morph into something techno. How on earth do they dance with those masks on? It must get awfully hot in there! Lacey & Mark take off their masks at the end of the dance.

Queen Latifah sings again. Looks like fun, but I’m tired and I TiVo’d through it.

We see a clip with Steve Wozniak and some guy named Matt insisting that they can mathematically pick the winner of DWTS - but Woz can’t figure in luck, so he’s developed a better method - letting a toddler pick. She ends up picking Melissa’s picture off of a board.

Debi & Maks are told they are in jeopardy. Kelly & Louis are safe, and Melissa & Mark are also safe. That leaves us with Michael & Anna D., Debi & Maks, Aaron & Karina and Joanna & Derek. Who’s going home?

After a commercial, we find out Joanna & Derek are safe. The next couple safe is Aaron & Karina (with Samantha saying “you cried for nothing.” Little miss sympathetic!) Len is asked which of the two remaining couples he’d like to see dance again - and he answers very PC, saying they both had hard dances last night, and they both have great potential. Debi & Maks are told they are going home. So my two favorite professionals are gone in the same night! Bummer!

Next week the couples choose from the Texas Two Step, Bolero, Charleston or Lambada. This will be interesting - I’m not even sure what two of the dances are!!! See ya'll next week!

Rumba & Samba - Romantic and Sexy Night - Sorta

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:51:00 +0000

LIVE! FROM HOLLYWOOD! It’s Dancing With the Stars!

Tonight’s dances are the Samba and the Rumba. It’s a sexy Latin night!

Samantha announces that Tom Delay’s stress fracture is now a full-blown fracture. It’s still touch-and-go whether he can perform tonight. What will that do for eliminations? Will they have to judge his rehearsals? We’ll see a bit later!

Mark & Lacey are up first to dance a Rumba. Lacey says that Mark is like a 3-year-old, bouncing off of walls. She has to keep reminding Mark to slow down. I’m really not sure about Lacey’s outfit - it looks like she used the hide from Sunffleupagus to make the dress! Len starts off by saying that a Rumba is hard on the celebrity man - Mark was a bit hard and aggressive and it lacked chemistry. Bruno said it was an “anticlimax” and lacked fluidity. Carrie Ann says his movement is good, but he needs to find his sexuality - because “it was uncomfortable to watch.” Their scores: 6-6-6=18.

Joanna & Derek will dance the Samba. She wants to be back on top and not in the middle of the pack. Joanna says she doesn’t have the fan base that other stars do so she’s gonna “shaky shaky.” Derek is teaching her the Samba Roll to impress Len. Derek threw in a few good moves for himself, I notice. Bruno says “the good times are back.” He liked the dance, but said Joanna is still a little shaky. Carrie Ann calls her fearless and says it was super sexy. Len comments that “it had quality stamped all over it.” He loved the rhythym. Their scores: 7-8-8=23.

Mya & Dmitry are up to dance the Rumba - this oughta be good! Dmitry tries to impress on Mya that they need to make it romantic. Mya tells him there’s no inspiration in the room for romance, so she decorates the studio with rose petals and candles to “set the mood.” Uh oh! Mya picked her feet up off the floor - Carrie Ann will yell! We see the judges’ table in the background and Bruno is fanning himself...it is a good dance! Carrie Ann says “I had chills the entire time.” She thinks she saw a lift, but “I was so mezmerized I didn’t notice it.” Len is excited - “Be still my beating heart!” He liked the chemistry and romance but there was “so much going on....” Bruno starts in and Len says “You need a checkup from the neck up, son.” He comments that sometimes you need simplicity to show the beautiful thing off. Bruno gets off his chair, saying “You were the embodiment of the seductress. You put all of America into the mood for love.” Good scores coming? Wow!!! 10-7-10=27. Dmitry is speechless.

Melissa & Mark are next, dancing the Samba. Melissa says that she knows the dance is all about parties, but she’s a mother of two and “hasn’t been out in a awhile.” Mark is pushing Melissa harder, telling her he can teach the steps but he can’t give her the heart to dance. It looks good - but she really doesn’t look like she flows with it. Len starts by saying that parts of it looked really excellent, but she needs to get a little more rhythm going. Bruno tells Melissa there is improvement from last week - “I knew you could switch it on.” Carrie Ann sees improvement every week - but she doesn’t believe Melissa when she dances. Their scores: 6-6-7=19.

Louie & Chelsie are dancing the Rumba. He knows what this dance is, although Chelsie isn’t surprised. He’s hoping they dance “about five of these.” Louie has slicked his hair back and looks quite th Latin lover! He’s got the attitude down, that’s for sure! Looks good! Bruno begins calling him “Randy Louie.” He yells “that’s chemistry!” Carrie Ann calls them “cute” and says their chemistry is great. Len says “I so much wanted to be nice” but there was no finesse, and tells Chelsie there was too much syncopation. He was disappointed. Tom tells them “I think that means he likes it.” Backstage, Louie says that it’s easy to be romantic with a partner like Chelsie. The scores are all over the place: 8-5-7=20.

Debi & Maks will dance a Salsa. After being in the bottom two last week, Debi is more motivated. Maks brings Mel B in to tell Debi that she was in the bottom two, but Maks took her to the finals. After that, Debi isn’t talking and she’s working hard. Debi has mulitcolored feathers for a skirt! She still looks a little stiff, don’t think the judges will like this one. Carrie Ann called it “a hair safe.” Len said what Debi did, she did well. He said it was like cooking - “you had all the ingredients but it lacked the flavor.” Bruno says Debi has a fiery personality but it looked like she disconnected it, in spite of the “presence of the hunk.” Their scores stink: 6-5-6=17.

Donny & Kym will dance a Rumba. Donny keeps giggling when Kym instructs him how to look romantic. Donny wants to show the other side of himself that can be more passionate. He says he’s a “singer, dancer, entertainer - but a Latin lover? No.” He’s got the moves down, looks pretty good dancing ... but his face is weird. Len tells Donny to straighten his legs and that will help - but even though he expected less, Donny did a great job. Bruno said it looked pretty, but a bit “airy fairy at times.” Donny runs over and kisses Bruno, who’s telling Donny to “turn to the dark side.” Donny swoops Bruno down as if to really kiss him, and Bruno says “I know you’ve got it - now do it again” and Donny swoops him again. Tom & Kym look lost by themselves. Donny grabs the microphone and says “I don’t think they’re gonna let me back in Utah any more.” Carrie Ann tries to remember what she was thinking and has to read her notes. She says Donny was a little off in his musicality but saw a genuine vulnerability that she liked. Their scores: 7-7-7=21. Samantha tells Donny “only a 7 from Bruno, you should have given him a little tongue.” (Gotta admit, that’s pretty good for Samantha!)

Tom is sitting in the audience with Lance Bass and Paula Abdul. Paula yells at Len, saying he’s a bad man right now and she doesn’t know whether to call him “Len-Sim or Sim-Len.” Paula tells Carrie Ann that maybe they should start making out ... boy, would that jump the ratings!!!!

Michael & Anna are next. He’s getting frustrated with Anna’s teaching style. Anna comes up with a chart to keep him focused - although it’s funny to watch him practice with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Their Samba starts out great - Michael looks like he’s having fun and his steps are okay. The dance seems “safe” though - no real hard choreography. Bruno tells him “we’re going in reverse gear - your dance is like a tank.” He’s really getting rough! Carrie Ann says it’s not the rhythm, but he’s dancing too small. Len says the dance is light and fluffy, and difficult to do, but it was disappointing. The scores really suck: 5-4-5=14.

Natalie & Alec are dancing the Rumba. Natalie’s face gets red when Alec gets close and she’s finding it hard to be romantic. Edyta comes into the rehearsal (she’s married to Alec) to try and show Natalie that eye contact is one of the most important parts of the Rumba. Edyta says “I give you permission to go all out with my husband.” She’s doing good with the eye contact, and keeps her feet on the floor so Carrie Ann doesn’t have hissy fits. It looks good, but not romantic to me. Carrie Ann is happy, saying “I knew you had it in you!” Len said Natalie had good leg action and it was very expressive - an excellent performance. Bruno liked it too - “I knew you could fly but you’ve gone stratospheric tonight!” He called Natalie a sexy beast. Their scores are good: 9-8-9=26.

Chuck & Anna T. Will dance a Samba. Anna tells Chuck that they can’t be scary and serious, but have to be smiling - Chuck deadpans that he’ll work on it. Anna tells him that getting in touch with his feminine side is hard - but he goes out with his daughter and gets a pedicure (with black nail polish) so Anna has hope. Chuck is wearing these goofy ruffles on his sleeves which thankfully he tears off at the beginning. He looks like he’s having fun, but he’s so stiff - hoo boy, the judges will have a field day with this one! Len, though, gives Anna props - he says “part of this show is entertainment - and you thoroughly entertained me.” Bruno says he can see the huge amount of work that went into the dance - but it was “like a Samba from Zombie town.” Carrie Ann says that Samba may not be Chuck’s best dance, but she enjoyed it. How PC of all of them (as they giggled). Their scores: 6-5-6=17.

Aaron & Karina are going to dance a Rumba. She’s trying to impress upon him that it needs to be romantic but he can’t overdo it and make it look silly. He does some spins and bobbles a little bit when stopping - we’ll see how that affects his scores. Bruno says it had plenty of focus and determination, but it lacked a bit of fluidity. Carrie Ann says that Aaron’s lines are good, but he was over exaggerating everything. Len says it lacked musicality, and his arms were just flinging out. Their scores are all over: 8-6-7=21.

Tom & Cheryl come up and we get to find out if he’s going to dance. His right foot is killing him - and his left foot has begun hurting but he doesn’t want to stop, even though the producers and his doctors have told him to stop dancing, but he doesn’t want to. Tom (Bergeron) asks Tom what he’s going to do, and he says “what’s a little pain when you can party?” He’s going to Samba - and probably break something in the process! Looking at the dance, it must kill Tom to wear his pants so low on his body (they’re usually up to his armpits!) It’s not bad, he gets through it, albeit badly. Carrie Ann says that he is easy on the eyes when he dances, but it wasn’t as exciting as it could have been. Len tells Tom that if he had a stress fracture in both feet, he wouldn’t be judging, let alone dancing. Bruno calls him a “super trooper” but says that the performance suffered. Their scores: 6-4-5=15, which are not low for the night!

Kelly and Louis are up next - Kelly was very upset last week about her screwups and hated that she saw people feeling sorry for her. Her confidence is deflated, but her willingness to try is there. When Louis can keep her in the moment, she is “a diamond.” They will dance a Samba. She’s wearing a red/brown/gray wig and looks quite different! She seems a little serious - and wow, she’s lost some weight! It looks good - and she gets a kiss out of Louis at the end and he looks surprised. Len gets to start and tells her that her problem is confidence - he’s convinced that she is a good dancer, she just has to convince herself. Bruno offers that compared to last week, she’s back. She needs to get rid of doubt. Carrie Ann tells Kelly that when she does it right, she’s ridiculous - but she has to stay focused and not doubt herself. Their scores are okay: 7-6-7=20.

So after the judges’ scores, here are the standings:

Mya & Dmitry - 27
Natalie & Alec - 26
Joanna & Derek - 23
Donny & Kym - 21
Aaron & Karina - 21
Louie & Chelsie - 20
Kelly & Louis - 20
Melissa & Mark - 19
Mark & Lacey - 18
Debi & Maks - 17
Chuck & Anna T. - 17
Tom & Cheryl - 15
Michael & Anna D.- 14

So will Michael go home? Or will the fans feel sorry for Tom and his feet and send him packing? We’ll see tomorrow night - make sure you vote!!!

Bye, Bye Kathy ... We Hardly Knew Ye!

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:14:00 +0000

The results show begins! After a recap of last week, we find out Mya & Dmitry get the encore dance with their Jive and those goofy glasses of Dmitry’s. Then, the first couple “safe to dance again” are Donny & Kym. Then, Mya & Dmitry and Aaron & Karina are announced as safe...the three top scores from last night. Tom mentions that “your votes are more important than ever” and that there “may be a surprise tonight.” Uh oh! Is there another elimination from left field, a la Sabrina Bryan or Lil’ Kim?

Joss Stone comes up to sing. She’s a little cutie! Not a bad singer, either. I’m not young enough to know who she is.... nor do I know who the dancers are.

The show a clip about the training center. It has six big studios and one of them is the actual size of the show’s floor, complete with judge’s table and stairs. All the stars can go upstairs into the rafters and peek in on other couples rehearsing. Derek doesn’t sneak a peek, he barges in on people and scares the crap out of them. Mark says he likes the studios because they’re quiet...and that’s “because Bruno isn’t there.”

The three couples that scores 21 last night - Mark & Lacey, Natalie & Alec, and Debi & Maks - are going to learn their fate. Mark & Lacey and Natalie & Alec are safe, but Debi & Maks are “still in jeopardy.” Wondering if that means they are in the bottom 2 or 3, or if the producers just want to make them sweat a bit more!

Somebody-Gomez comes up to sing after the commercial. Sounds like a little pop idol or something. Derek & Karina dance and they look great, making the song a bit bearable.

After a backstage interview with Donny & Kym and Natalie & Alec, Tom remarked that “Kym and Samantha’s hair looks like Chia Pets tonight.” (I’m still trying to figure out if I like Samantha’s hair. It’s cute except the top looks flat.) We find out about Joanna & Derek (safe) and Michael & Anna (safe also).

Chuck & Anna are told they are safe - and Mickey Rourke is in the audience cheering. Melissa & Mark will be back as well as Kelly & Louis. Louie & Chelsie are told they are “in jeopardy.”

We see what the pros have to do to train their celebrities and fix their bad habits. Alec is having trouble getting Natalie to breathe. After Michael complains that “this is hard” Anna tells him that if “dancing were easy they’d call it football.” (Heehee!)

The Macy’s Stars of Dance feature the USC Trojans marching band (not all of them, I’ll tell you that! Looks like just the drums and horn sections. There are dancers with “DWTS” on their sweaters (it took a sec for that to click - was trying to figure out what school that was). The dancers did a lot of break dancing - it was okay, I much prefer the ballroom stuff myself. (Yes, I’m an old broad).

Joss Stone again, and Cheryl, Dmitry, Louis and Anna dance - great job by all!

Samantha talks to Kelly, Michael and Joanna backstage. Michael says “we can go as far as prayer and the voters will take us.” Kelly and Joanna thank the voters for keeping them around.

Tom & Cheryl and Kathy & Tony were the lowest vote-getters of the night. Tom & Cheryl are safe (and Cheryl looks majorly surprised) but Kathy & Tony “are still in jeopardy.”

Debi & Maks, Kathy & Tony and Louie & Chelsie are left to squirm - we find out who’s in the bottom two and who’s safe. It’s Louie & Chelsie staying. Carrie Ann is asked about the two couples left, and she says she’s surprised about Debi being in the bottom two. However, as expected, Kathy & Tony are the ones leaving. Too bad for Tony!!! I really like him and his choreography.

Jive, Quickstep, and Tango - the Ballroom is Alive!

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:27:00 +0000

LIVE! From Hollywood! It’s Dancing With the Stars!

As we get a glimpse of the judges’ table, we see no Len. I had heard he was having health issues, but Tom explains later that he was “otherwise engaged” in Britain and would be back next week and for the rest of the season. So who’s the new guy? Baz Luhrmann, the director of - among other things - Moulin Rouge. I hated that movie (it just lost me) so we’ll see how this guy does. His mother was a ballroom dance judge, so he may have a little idea of what he’s looking for. Baz says that the “work is done now, I want to see joy in the performances.”

Joanna & Derek get to begin the evening and will dance a Jive. It looks like Derek has really given her hard choreography (but he’s one of the best) and it looked good. Carrie Ann tells her that she had great energy but her feet were a little spastic. Bruno complimented Joanna saying “you don’t hold back” but that she lost precision on her kicks. Baz said the dance was exciting but she has to connect more with Derek. Their scores: 6-7-7=20.

Natalie & Alec are up next. They’ll be dancing the Quickstep. Alec has to keep reminding Natalie to breathe. I love the choreography but Natalie looks a bit stiff. Bruno tells her to relax a bit more. Baz offers that during the first half of the dancing she was “thinking” but the last half she looked more in tune with the music. Carrie Ann says she moves well, but she needs to think of Alec as an extension of herself. Okay scores: 7-7-7=21.

Chuck & Anna will dance a Tango, and this one should be right up Chuck’s alley. After Len wanted Chuck to “get in touch with his feminine side” Anna told him not this week - the Tango needed all of his fighting attitude. He’s got the face down pat for the dance, but I notice his posture drooping. (I’m getting pretty good at this elitist dancing stuff, huh?) At the end, Anna rips off his shirt (ooh, dramatic!) Baz tells them “if Uncle Lenny were here he might rip you to pieces” but he likes how Chuck is embracing his fears. Carrie Ann says she was a little frightened - but they were looking for impact, and that had impact! Bruno called it “savage and primeval” and that he saw the hard work Chuck put into his practice this week. Scores much better this week: 6-7-6=19.

Melissa & Mark are dancing the Jive. Mark tells us Melissa wants to learn the tricks but she’s not very coordinated. Melissa looks really joyous during the dance, but she’s not very bouncy. Carrie Ann hoots and tells Melissa “last week you were beige, this week you’re bright red!” Bruno tells her that she fell to pieces “down there” and she needs to check her feet. Baz tells her it’s a big improvement from last week but to watch her stepwork. Their scores: 7-6-6=19.

Michael & Anna come up next with a Quickstep. Anna admits that she may have let Michael down with her choreography last week. Michael says he’s doing this show to challenge himself. Bruno compliments them, saying “we wanted content, you gave us content.” Baz called him a natural performer, saying he confronted the challenge. Carrie Ann said “compared to last week, this is a touchdown!” Much better scores: 7-7-6=20.

Debi & Maks will Tango. Of course, Maks is being tough and Debi says they have a love/hate relationship. She gets upset that he’s yelling at her so much, and Maks feels bad and apologizes. The Tango looked great, full of passion, so the relationship works! Baz called it fantastic, and Carrie Ann loved the form and posture. Bruno told Debi “that’s the way to channel the feisty ball breaker!” Their scores: 7-7-7=21.

Louie & Chelsie are dancing the Jive. He’s got some energy, and she’s using it. Carrie Ann tells Louie he has joy when he dances, but sometimes it looked like he lost touch with the music. Bruno says “you can actually do it” but he didn’t do enough. Baz called it joyous but “maybe the jacket worked against you.” Okay scores: 6-7-6=19.

Aaron & Karina will be dancing the Quickstep. Aaron says “Karina is the mean one.” (Maybe that is why she and Maks broke up - they can’t both be mean ones!) The music gets ready to start and we see the Muppet, Animal, playing drums in the balcony and they dance to the Muppet Show theme. It really is a cute dance! At the end, the little purple Muppet with the hooked nose (I can’t remember his name for the life of me) blares a trumpet in Bruno’s ear at the desk. Bruno calls the dance spectacular and says Aaron is a “mini Fred Astaire.” Baz called it a great show, and Carrie Ann told them it was sharp with great holds. The best scores of the season: 9-9-9=27.

Kelly & Louis are up next, and they’re dancing the Tango. Kelly is getting herself all worked up with only 4 days to practice after having 4 weeks at the beginning. I notice her smiling in the beginning of the dance but she catches it and gets her Tango face back on. It seemed she lost it at one turn - I really liked the choreography, though. Baz tells her that her story was greater than the dance - “you had mistakes but you didn’t give up.” Carrie Ann told Kelly she was the opposite of everyone else, she’s building a base of technique. Bruno called her “Eva Peron” when she got it right, and that she can be amazing without the mistakes. Their scores: 6-7-6=19. Kelly was happy, saying “I wouldn’t have given me that.”

Kathy & Tony will dance a Quickstep. In rehearsal, Tony says being in the bottom last week made him so nervous, he was “sweating up.” Kathy says she needs to get over herself and not be so tentative. Song too slow for QS! Love her dress! Not great. Carrie Ann told them that as a full presentation, it was better than the Salsa, but that Kathy is so reserved, still carefully placed. Need to stand out. Bruno says you’re elegant but you have to be engaging. You can’t dance Quickstep 2 miles apart. Baz tells her she’s beautiful and elegant but the Quickstep is an exciting dance. They get 6-6-6=18 for their score.

Mark & Lacey are up to dance the Quickstep. Mark says “you have to do the steps quick but there’s no way to learn the steps quick.” Mark slips on the floor right at the beginning of his dance but recovers pretty easily. Bruno says he’s a great performer but he needs to get his dancing under control. Baz tells him it was an incredible comeback after the first slip. He didn’t fall apart. Carrie Ann says he’s clean when he dances, but the slip will take points off - but he did recover well. He needs to breathe too! 7-7-7=21.

Mya & Dmitry’s turn! He asks her if she’s mad at him for getting them a 5 from Len, and she “kicks” him in the nads and says “heck yeah, I’m mad!” (It was all in good fun). Mya is having problems with the Jive because she’s done tap and “it keeps getting in the way.” Dmitry is going to do a technically perfect Jive this week. Don’t know what the song is, but at the beginning, Mya mouths “will you go to bed with me?” Funny! Great Jive, looks good! Baz says “that is the real deal!” He likes how they made it their own and “claimed the dance.” Carrie Ann tells Dmitry that Len would not have liked the beginning - “but Len’s not here!” Bruno said it looked like Josephine Baker and Clark Kent, he loved it. They matched the night’s killer score: 9-9-9=27.

Tom & Cheryl will dance the Tango. She’s trying to teach Tom to snap his neck and he’s having problems. Plus, he’s getting a pre-stress fracture in his toes. Watching the dance, I realize Cheryl is a good teacher but even she isn’t going to be able to help this one for very long. He loses his balance at the end and almost drops Cheryl and looks mortified. Carrie Ann says they’re an oddly well-matched couple. She really liked the Tango till the end, and tells Tom “you gotta squeeze them together.” Bruno said “you nearly pulled it out of the bag.” Baz says if “Uncle Lenny” was here he would have liked the hold. Backstage, Tom says he’s gotten emails from Congress, and they all think he’s crazy. Their scores: 6-6-6=18.

Donny & Kym round off the evening with a Jive. He’s having trouble with the faster footwork. Kym’s got some cool looking knee-high boots on! He really looks pretty darn good, actually! Bruno says “mission accomplished.” Called it well-executed, and a very good Jive. Baz says the dance was accurate, but he likes that Donny is full of life. Carrie Ann called it an amazing performance. She wants to do “girl talk” for a moment and tells Kym she loves the outfit. The judges give them 8-9-8=25. Donny’s eyes pop out at the 9.

So here’s how it all adds up after the judges’ scores:

Aaron & Karina 27
Mya & Dmitry 27
Donny & Kym 25
Natalie & Alec 21
Mark & Lacey 21
Debi & Maks 21
Joanna & Derek 20
Michael & Anna 20
Chuck & Anna 19
Melissa & Mark 19
Louie & Chelsie 19
Kelly & Louis 19
Kathy & Tony 18
Tom & Cheryl 18

So is this the week Tom goes home? Or will Kathy be the one to leave? Did you vote? Tune in for the results tomorrow!

Okay, Playing Catch-Up: a Guy and a Gal Go Home

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:25:00 +0000

The results show begins! Len announces the encore dance will be performed by Kelly & Louis doing their Viennese Waltz. For some reason, Kelly looks more nervous tonight than she did last night. She tells Louis at the end of the dance that she didn’t pick her foot off the floor (although tonight it wouldn't have taken points off anyway).

First two couples that are safe: Louie & Chelsea and Aaron & Karina.

John Kingston sings - TiVo’d through that one (although I caught the end out of curiosity and it wasn’t bad).

A little film was shown - “The Losers Club.” Penn, Kenny Mayne, and Jeff Ross explain that it’s an elite club of celebrities that were voted off the show first. The only way to get in the club: “suck.” They tell us “Tonight when you’re waiting for your name to be called, hold your head up high, because no matter what, we’re holding a spot for you.”

Next couple safe: Mark & Lacey, then Chuck & Anna. Donny & Kym are announced safe next. After the commercial, Samantha interviews Chuck and Louie. Chuck obviously got his beauty sleep because he doesn’t look hung over (saw a clip on Entertainment Tonight last night of Chuck downing shots at a bar after the show on Monday). Tom then tells us that Tom & Cheryl are the next safe couple, and we find out who’s going home ........ Ashley & Edyta. Well, we just lost half of the male viewing audience with Edyta leaving!

The world premiere of Miley Cyrus’ video is on!!! Ooh, so exciting! TiVo’d through it.

Now, we find out which two women will stay for another week: Natalie & Alec (Alec doesn’t look thrilled at all!) and Mya and Dimtry.

We see Adam Corolla come in and give the men a pep talk before the first show. “The last time a man won the mirrorball trophy, Len was in the Army, Carrie Ann was in diapers, and Bruno was still in the closet.” He then goes on to trash talk at each one of the guys. Pretty funny, actually. (“Donny Osmond - you’re 51. Can we start calling you Don now?”)

Macy’s Stars of Dance offers us the cast of the Lion King. I think I now want to see the stage play - those animals are really cool! Love how the giraffes look. Although, the little baby lion looks like it has an - er, appendage between its legs. I figured it was a tail, but after slowing down the tape I saw its tail behind it. So the Lion King is anatomically correct!

Melissa & Mark and Joanna & Derek are told they are safe. Then Debi & Maks are announced as safe. I think it’s mean letting Kelly & Louis suffer through this so long - they got the encore dance, doggone it!

The pros dance a tribute to Patrick Swayze. Dmitry & Chelsea begin (and sorry, I don’t know the name of the song), and Anna & Jonathan dance beautifully to Unchained Melody. (I don’t recall ever seeing them dance together before! They’re married so I would have expected it sooner.) Tony & Cheryl dance to (I’ve Had) the Time of My Life. Anna D. & Louis join in and finish out the song with the previous couples, and the ending is really neat, recreating a scene from the movie Dirty Dancing. It was a very nice tribute, I’m sure Patrick was loving it!

I do notice that the younger dancers - Chelsea and Lacey especially - dance barefoot a lot. These young whippersnappers, bucking the system and not wearing spiky high heels! For shame!

Len is asked how the first week has gone, and says he looks at the celebrities as flower buds. “Some flower early and some late, but we eventually get blossoms from everyone.” Aw, how cute. The shots of Macy Gray are something - sorry, that woman just looks like she’s from another planet!

Tom finally tells Kelly & Louis they are safe, and if they don’t send Macy home ... I just don’t know. Yeah, she’s going. Jonathan tells her it was nice to see her blossom into a ballroom dancer (I think he’s gotten into Macy’s Prozac!)

So there you have it! What happens next? Tune in next week!

The Amazing Race 15 Starts Tonight Septemeber 27, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (G.C.) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:47:00 +0000

One of the biggest reality television shows of all-time, The Amazing Race, starts season 15 tonight. We don't normally do a lot of posting on it here. Sometimes we do recaps The Amazing Race Info Blog.

The Ladies Get a Turn! (And Macy Busts Her Cherry)

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:31:00 +0000

LIVE! FROM HOLLYWOOD! IT’S DANCING WITH THE STARS!

I was wondering what song the girls were going to dance to ... “She’s a Lady” by Tom Jones. I really like this band, but their singing leaves a bit to be desired - and the guy singing this blew it. But the girls looked great!!!!

Over to Tom and - Samantha? WTF did Samantha do to her hair? She looks like a bad rendition of a pinup girl. I’m wondering if she’s wigged up or if she really cut all her hair off!! (If it’s a wig, it’s a darn good job). That emerald green dress doesn’t do her any good at all either with that shiny thingy draped across the chest....

Debi Mazar is up first, dancing with Maksim Chmerkovsky. Maks interviews that dancing is not a democracy, “just listen to what I say.” Their first dance is the Salsa. Debi talks a lot and is driving Maks crazy. We’ll see how this goes throughout the season! I’m not impressed with Debi - although I’m not watching her much with Maks out there! Her shoulders are droopy but she is moving. Len said that Debi’s hips were lacking because her feet were flat. They had good energy and she has potential, but there’s work to do. Bruno is on a roll already: “Debi, on the good side, you can work those bazooms like nobody else!” (Maks covers Debi's ears). He goes on to tell Debi that she needs to keep her weight on the balls of her feet and he hopes she stays because “you’ve got a lot to show.” Bruno, you perv! Carrie Ann thinks the girls have it tougher. She tells Debi that she lacks a connection from her character to her moves, that she was thinking too much. Their scores: 6-5-5=16.

Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Ballas are up next. Although Melissa still has the baby face I’m surprised how much older she looks (I haven’t seen her for awhile!) They will be dancing the Viennese Waltz. She’s having trouble with her posture and claims it’s because she has huge deltoid muscles. She looks really good and elegant - although we can see some clumsiness out there too. I’d say pretty good overall for the first time! Bruno asks if Melissa is nervous. “It was prim, proper and adequate but lacked a bit of magic.” Her shoulders rose up and spoiled the line of the dance. Carrie Ann said Melissa created a few moments but her connection to the beat of the music was lacking. Carrie Ann says that she has a definite elegance though. Len called the start of the dance “all sweet and sickly,” saying he couldn’t stand it. (I don’t picture Len any kind of romantic anyway). He did think her hold was good and her movement was great, but her footwork was off in her turns. Their scores: 6-6-6=18, not all that bad.

Mya, the R&B star, will dance with Dmitri Chaplin. She may have a little edge because she can dance a bit so she’ll be more flexible to start. She is humbled by how hard it is - “I feel like a car accident waiting to happen.” She looks really good and I love Dmitri’s choreography. She does have the fluidity for the Viennese Waltz. Carrie Ann yells “way to set the bar tonight!” She loves Mya’s lines and turns, musicality and performance. Len says he’s in a bit of a predicament because it’s the American smooth version of the dance and “you can release holds - but the three bars in hold you did, I didn’t like. The further you go from the roots of the dance the lower you go - it was a theatrical hodgepodge.” Bruno is having fits and yelling that it was “artistry in motion! The girl did magnificent!” Len points his pencil saying that Mya is a fantastic dancer but Dmitri let her down by not doing a Viennese Waltz. Hoo boy, these scores will be interesting! Tom asks Len if he’s been to three bars tonight. Mya was very diplomatic backstage saying that she appreciates the professionals’ opinions. The scores: 8-5-8=21 and Len gets smacked from both Carrie Ann and Bruno.

Kathy Ireland and Tony Dovolani will be up next. Kathy says that since she’s a model, people think she’s coordinated - but that she was in a an aerobics class and was asked to leave and not come back! Tony laughs at Kathy’s attempt at a shimmy. Not looking good here! At least her hips are moving a bit and her shoulders are good. Her bottom half looks good but the top half looks disjointed. Len goes first, saying she has the potential but that was “far too careful” and lacked energy. Bruno said she can sell almost anything but she didn’t sell the Salsa - there was no sex, which is inherent in Salsa. Carrie Ann said Kathy has great posture and that will work well for her, but she has to work on loosening up. Bruno pipes up that “we like a loose woman.” Carrie Ann seemed to want to make a snide comment about Bruno’s sexuality and that comment but it didn’t come off well. The scores: 6-5-5=16. Tony said it’s fine for the first week, nowhere to go but up!

Natalie Conklin, Olympic swimmer, will dance with Alec Mazo, the Season 1 champ. At practice, she’s concentrating so hard on dancing her face looks like she could kill someone, and Alec has to keep reminding her to relax her face. She says in the pool sometimes she bites her lips and they bleed. Alec shows her a smile and tells Natalie that is her new “concentration face.” They dance the Salsa and Natalie looks pretty loose (Bruno should like this). Toward the end, her face gets tight but she catches it and smiles again. She’s got hips, that will help! Bruno says that Natalie is the million dollar mermaid and could one day “make it here.” He noticed that she “freezes in the middle” and has a hard time catching up. Carrie Ann says athletes do well because they know how to use their muscles and she did very well. She adds that Natalie needs to improve her musicality. Len says he’s bewildered again (“I think it’s time for me bath.”) “The Salsa is sexy and steamy and we have all these beautiful women - and if they can’t come out and knock my socks off -“ Carrie Ann pipes up “you’re getting old!” Poor Len is just getting hammered tonight! Their scores: 7-6-6=19.

Macy Gray is up next with Jonathan Roberts. She talks funny! Her voice sounds like a little kid’s and my daughter offers that she's like someone taking too much Prozac. Jonathan tells Macy they will be dancing the Viennese Waltz and Macy says “the what?” Macy is told to walk like a lady and Jonathan then mouths “help me.” She is gonna be one tough student to do anything with!!!!! They have a week in studio before Macy has to leave on her European tour. Poor Jonathan, he gets stuck with some real “winners” for partners! I’m not sure Macy could look ladylike if she got a sex change! (She’s not built very ladylike! She’s bigger than Jonathan!) Carrie Ann called their dance fascinating - “your technique, I can’t even go there. But there’s a natural genuineness to you.” Len agrees that there is a vulnerability and charm and “if I was at home, I’d be voting for you.” (Yes, Len has been to bars tonight). Bruno says Macy is endearing and it was like “watching a child take its first new steps into the world. Who am I? What am I doing here?” Wow, they were pretty diplomatic with Macy!!! Backstage, Macy was glad to get the first dance out of the way, and said “I busted my cherry.” Everyone was cracking up and Carrie Ann could barely squeak out her score. 6-4-5=15.

Joanna Krupa is dancing with Derek Hough. Oh, jeeze - Derek says (get ready for it) “I’m rough. I’m tough. I’m Derek Hough.” Joanna is happy to see Derek, saying that Derek will help her to determine how many massages to get per week - and Derek says “I give all the massages myself.” Sometimes we forget that he’s a young guy! They will dance the Salsa and Joanna is working really hard, much to Derek’s delight. Ooh! Joanna is wearing the fringy pants! She can move her hips, but her moves are a little choppy. Derek seems to have choreographed the sex into this one though. It’s pretty energetic and she looks like she’s having fun. Len gets to start and he’s very happy. “At last we’ve seen a hot, smoking Salsa.” Bruno says it was sexy and saucy and what a Salsa should be. He compliments Derek’s choreography as making the most of his partner. Carrie Ann calls it hot and Derek carries Joanna backstage. Joanna says her (bright yellow) outfit gave Len some sunshine, and Derek offers that Len had a bath at the last commercial break. Great scores: 8-8-8=24.

Kelly Osbourne and Louis Van Amstel round out the individual round with a Viennese Waltz. Kelly wanted to do the show because no one thinks she can be a lady. Louis shows up to meet Kelly and Ozzie answers the door, mumbles at Louis and yells for Sharon. Kelly says that the best way to describe herself as a dancer is “crap.” Louis says he will turn the tomboy into a princess. She starts out really well, at least with posture and head position. He feet seem to get mixed up here and there but c’mon, it’s the first night! They’re not holding a whole lot and Len will have a fit and – uh oh, Louis lifts her so here comes Carrie Ann and the lift police! Sharon Osbourne is crying and Kelly runs over to kiss her parents. Bruno cannot believe his eyes - “the rock princess transformed into a vision of grace in a Waltz of impeccable style.” Carrie Ann says it was beautiful, that the technique Louis taught her was great - but she saw the lift! Len will be very brief: “It was the best Viennese Waltz of the night.” (So much for my thoughts about Len’s opinion!) Kelly gets backstage and sniffles too, saying it was the most fun she’s had in her life. Their scores: 7-8-8=23.

The Relay Dances are coming next. Natalie, Kathy, Joanna and Debi will be doing the Foxtrot first. Natalie and Dmitri are first up and while Natalie is looking sultry, that can end up looking evil (she’ll be good in the Tango or Paso Doble!) Kathy and Tony are next and Kathy looks very elegant. Joanna & Derek come up next and look pretty good. Debi & Maks finish up this Relay and Maks lifts her at the end (will Carrie Ann have fits again?) Carrie Ann begins by snarking about the lift, but telling Maks it was a good place to put it because she can’t take off any points for it. She calls Joanna sexy and elegant, Kathy’s footwork was a little small for her height, Natalie was excellent, and Debi was “muscling” it. Len tells Natalie she had great extension, Kathy has to try and move a little more, Joanna with a good mix in hold and not, and complimented Maks on his bravery of using holds. Bruno tells Natalie she has great fluidity, Kathy is very elegant, Joanna is still smoky, and Debi is a great performer but “control your energy.” The judges rank the couples: Kathy & Tony in 4th, Debi & Maks in 3rd, Natalie & Alec get 2nd, and Joanna & Derek get first place and 10 points.

The Cha Cha Relay is next, with Kelly, Macy, Mya, and Melissa. Mya looks like she’s a natural for this one. Melissa looks like her hips are gonna leave her. Macy & Jonathan are first, and Macy’s shoulders just kill it. (Not only their position but their size. Cover those babies up!!) Melissa and Mark come next and Melissa’s doing much better. Mya and Dmitry look pretty hot, she’s got the hip action! Kelly is moving pretty darn good - something I certainly didn’t expect! (Whoops, a little miss there at the end!) Len begins by telling Macy that her busy schedule has caught up with her, and Melissa had a much higher level of performance. He compliments Dmitry for his content and Mya’s great hips, and tells Kelly that she’s produced two first-class dances. Bruno tells Macy she had better timing with the Cha Cha and Melissa - “it’s good having fun, isn’t it?” He loved Mya’s footwork and then tells Kelly he still can’t believe what he’s seeing. Carrie Ann tells Macy she needs to work harder on capturing the essence. She says Melissa came out of her shell, and Mya was fantastic, and tells Kelly she had fantastic footwork. The couples’ ranks: 4th are Macy & Jonathan, Melissa & Mark get second, Kelly & Louis get 2nd and Mya & Dmitry get first.

So, after all the scoring, here are the women’s standings:

Joanna & Derek 24 + 10 = 34
Kelly & Louis - 23 + 8 = 31
Mya & Dmitry 21 + 10 = 31
Natalie & Alec 19 + 8 = 27
Melissa & Mark 18 + 6 = 24
Debi & Maks - 16 + 6 = 22
Kathy & Tony 16 + 4 = 20
Macy & Jonathan 15 + 4 = 19

So has everyone voted? Who do you see as the early favorites? Who’s going home? We’ll see on Wednesday night!

Dancing With the Stars is Back!!!!

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:30:00 +0000

The set looks great, Tom and Samantha look great, the band sounds good, and our three wonderful judges are there and......

LIVE! FROM HOLLYWOOD! IT'S DANCING WITH THE STARS!

The sixteen couples come down the stairs, looking happy & excited. Another season has begun!

Tonight, the men will do all the dancing with their professional female partners. They will have to dance two dances, a ballroom and a Latin. The professional men open the show, dancing to "The Boys are Back in Town: and I LOVE IT! They're so hot and I really missed seeing the great dancing.

First up will be Aaron Carter & Karina Smirnoff, dancing the Cha Cha. Being young, Aaron is this year's Cody, goofing off instead of learning. He says "It's tough to concentrate with such a hottie as a teacher!" Their dance is pretty good for a first night - Aaron is fluid and can move, and forget the little bobble at the end. Len calls it a great start, "even though it was a little stiff." Bruno said that while he was "all over the place" it was sharp and edgy. Carrie Ann laughed that "little Aaron Carter is all grown up!" She added that it was great even though his feet got "a little funky." Their scores are pretty darn good for a first night: 7-8-7=22.

Next up are UFC Fighter Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya. They will dance the Fox Trot and I'd like to see Anna get this hulk to look smooth. Chuck wants to prove that fighters are not neanderthals and scary - but then he starts dancing and yes, that's scary. His facial expression makes him look like he's in major pain, very stiff. Anna will have her work cut out for her with this one! Bruno says the audience liked the "gentle neanderthal and Russian Princess" but it was very rough with poor footwork. Carrie Ann said it was not graceful but yet "smooth and charming." Len told Chuck not to get his hopes up, but it was much better than he thought it would be. Len advised Chuck to get in touch with his feminine side (that I gotta see!!) Backstage with Samantha, Sam suggested that maybe the judges were scared of Chuck, and Anna piped up that "they should be, he can really hurt people." Their scores: 6-5-5=16.

Iron Chef host Mark Dascascos and Lacey Schwimmer will dance next. Mark says "I was ecstatic that I could dance with Lacey." Lacey says that Mark is super flexible and should do well in the Cha Cha. Mark says he can apply his martial arts discipline to his dancing. Cute, they dance to "Kung Fu Fighting." He actually is pretty fluid and looks good! Lacey has choreographed some martial arts moves into the dance, and Len won't be pleased, I bet. Lacey the rabble rouser starts already! Carrie Ann loves the Asian theme and sees a lot of potential but sees the arms going strange. (She makes some weird sound effect to go with her description, and I can't even begin to spell it!) Len "isn't a great fan of gimmicks and doesn't want to see Kung Fu in every dance." He says Mark had good hip action, though. Bruno says the tricks made him lose timing, but the talent is there "so be careful." Backstage Mark says he's used to protecting himself with martial arts, and Lacey "wants me to show my man boobs" which cracks everybody up. (Mark, "man boobs" are only on those guys that are chubby....you have a very nice chest!) Good scores: 7-7-7=21.

George Hamilton is in the audience to watch his son Ashley dance with Edyta Slawinska. Edyta danced with George back when George was on the show. Edyta says that he looks like great ballroom material but it didn't take long to figure out otherwise. Ashley explains that he had brain surgery and his left side is not as cooperative as his right. He's not bad, but he's pretty stiff (I guess that's the theme for the night) and he's dropping his shoulders a bit. (I sound like I know what I'm talking about! Am I turning into a Dancing elitist?) Len says the basic steps and his footwork was correct, but with a roughness about it. Bruno says he has good looks, charm, but total lack of showmanship. He calls the dance "dead." (My my, Bruno's really not pulling any punches this season!) Carrie Ann says that they look great together, but Ashley needs to define himself - "knock 'em dead" during his Salsa later. Edyta says that Ashley was in a wheelchair for a year and a half and is now dancing the Foxtrot, so she's very proud. Lousy scores: 5-6-4=15. Tom quips that "based on the look on Alana's face (Ashley's mom) Bruno will be in a wheelchair before long."

Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson will dance a Fox Trot. Donny has been dared by his sister Marie to come in higher than her third-place finish. He wants to prove that Marie isn't the only dancer in the family. They dance to "All That Jazz" and Donny actually looks pretty good! He looks like he's having fun, and his footwork isn't bad. After the dance he runs over and kisses a blonde in the audience, which I assume is his wife. Bruno says he can "play an audience like a fiddle," but his shoulders dropped and his holds were not great. Carrie Ann says he'll be a fan favorite but he has to watch his holds. Len said too theatrical and "too much razzmatazz - you need more ballroom." Tom reminds everyone that there should be "no Kung Fu and not much razzmatazz." Scores: 7-6-7=20.

Snowboarder Louie Vito will dance with Chelsie Hightower. He's never danced and never even watched the show - so he has no idea what he's getting into. He's dancing the Fox Trot and really looks geeky in his long baggy shorts. Chelsie is being a tough teacher and hopefully it will work! Louie looks like he's really trying with his posture - he has a really great smile, too! Carrie Ann called it a "little surprise" (Louie is a short guy, like 5'7") and says that it looks like he's never danced before - but that he really respected the dance and gave an honest effort. She liked the "joy" but said he has to wear his heels all the time to get used to them. Len tells Louie that "your hair may be all right for messing about in the snow but it's not what you expect for ballroom dancing." (He is a bit shaggy). But, apart from the little bobble on the "feather step" his technique was good, the hold and posture was good also. Bruno said it was like "watching a little dancing Hobbitt." (Is he getting snippy or what?) He thought it lacked fluidity, but Louie has the potential to be really, really good. Their scores: 6-7-6=19.

Michael Ervin, the former Dallas Cowboy, will be dancing with Anna Demidova, our new pro. He's dancing this year because of Jerry Rice - saying that he's been in competition with Rice forever (they were both wide receivers in the NFL). He pins a picture of Jerry Rice (from Jerry's Freestyle dance in the Afro wig) in the practice room for inspiration. Michael says Rice got a 21 on his Cha Cha, and all he has to do is get a 22. He talks to himself in the mirror a lot - saying "Michael, what were you thinking?" When Anna tells him that "Jerry did it" it's good motivation. He looks like he's having fun, but he's not doing a lot of Cha Cha steps. (Oooh! Gilles is in the audience!) Len said it wasn't a great first dance. Anna needs to put more content in, and Michael has to be slicker. Bruno said Michael has a great presence, but the Cha Cha was poor - no footwork, no content. Tom asks Bruno if any cash changed hands between him and Jerry Rice. Carrie Ann tells Michael he beats Jerry Rice's charisma but tells Anna there was a lack of content, that she has to push Michael a little harder. Does he beat Jerry Rice's 21? 5-4-4=13 - no way!!!! (I really didn't think it was THAT bad!)

Tom DeLay, former House Majority Leader and butthead (and I'm conservative but he really was an idiot), will dance with Cheryl Burke. Poor Cheryl, I really love her and she'll be outta there quick.....she's trying to teach Tom the Cha Cha, and he's looking like a total dork. He's a conservative, and Cheryl is telling him to shake his hips left - but quips that "going to the left for me is totally impossible." Cheryl actually does a really good job with him - she is a great teacher and choreographer, even if her partner is an old fat politician! He looks like he's lost weight from the initial meeting and actually looks like he's having fun. Bruno yells that Tom is Acrazier than Sarah Palin" and tells him that the little Cha Cha he did wasn't bad, but he isn't sure about the rest. Carrie Ann calls it surreal, saying that Tom has a natural grace and he's "rocking it for the older crowd." Len says that "parts were magic, and parts were tragic." He says the Cha Cha parts were very good - but "all that other stuff wasn't up my alley." DeLay shakes his booty again and everyone laughs (I got a little queasy). Their scores: 6-5-5=16. Maybe he won't be the first to go after all!

A new thing now - the Relay Dance. They are splitting up the couples into groups of four, and the judges will rank them, giving them 10 for first, 8 for second, 6 for third, and last place gets 4 points. Chuck, Donny, Ashley and Louie will dance the Salsa Relay. Ashley and Edyta are first and Ashley has no shake whatsoever. Chuck looks pretty good compared to the first dance. Donny kicks butt, looking good! Louie comes out doing flips but I'm not sure about the Salsa moves. Ask me, I think Donny's got this one, then Louie, then Chuck, then Ashley. Carrie Ann says Donny "smoked them." As I paused the TiVo to type this, I see Chuck glaring at Donny like he's going to eat him or something! She tells Chuck he knows how to "work a woman." Len offers that Ashley's dance was "a dance only a father could love," saying that they key to the Salsa is rhythm, and that's what Donny had. Bruno said Donny was shaking like something - his accent got in the way of understanding. Looks like I'm right, Donny won this round. The judges say that 4th place is Ashley, Chuck is in 3rd, Louie in third, and Donny gets first. (I wish I was this good at lottery numbers!)

The rest of the guys - Aaron, Mark, Tom and Michael - will be dancing the Viennese Waltz Relay. Aaron complains about getting dizzy. Mark says that the Viennese Waltz is so stiff, it should suit Tom DeLay better. (Hee hee! I really like this guy. Very affable). Aaron looks good going first, but his face is pretty dumb. Mark messes up at the beginning - actually through the whole thing. Missteps, not food. Tom looks pretty good but he's just not fluid. Michael does okay, I guess. Hmmm. Aaron first, then maybe Michael, and it's a tossup between Tom and Mark, but just because Mark messed up. Len says that Tom's Waltz was a little bit "skippy" and that Mark attempted a "fleckle - which I commend you for." (I checked it out and found out it's Fleckerl, and it's when the partners come out to the middle of the floor and spin in place. There we go, kiddies, our lesson for the day!) Bruno loved Aaron's rotation and the way he worked the floor. He said Mark's lines were great but Tom was skippy. Michael was "better." Carrie Ann said that Michael and Anna were much better, and Aaron had very nice lines. She told Mark he has potential but needs to breathe. She told Tom he was elegant. The judges rank them: 4th place are Tom and Cheryl, 3rd are Michael and Anna, 2nd Mark and Lacey, giving Aaron and Karina first place.

So, an interesting evening to begin the season. One would have expected Ashley Hamilton to dance much better, but he's not all that - and Donny Osmond sure surprised me. I don't think Michael Ervin will beat Jerry Rice, and I'm not sure that Tom DeLay will be the first to go either.

What do you think? Did you vote? The girls go on Tuesday, we'll see what they can do!

The rankings after the judges' scores:

Aaron & Karina - 22=10=32
Donny & Kym - 20+10=30
Mark & Lacey - 21+8=29
Louie & Chelsie - 19+8=27
Chuck & Anna T. - 16+6=22
Tom & Cheryl - 16+4=20
Ashley & Edyta - 15+4=19
Michael & Anna D. - 13+6=19

Big Brother 11 Season Finale Coming Soon

noreply@blogger.com (G.C.) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:12:00 +0000

Just a reminder that Season 11 of Big Brother on CBS is coming to a close. We have a related site, The Big Brother Blog, where our writers have been doing recaps and providing commentary on Big Brother episodes since season 8.

Big Brother has been a huge ratings success this summer, one of the few shows to gain viewers after many years on air. CBS has already renewed the show and announced that Big Brother 12 is coming summer 2010.

You can also check out the last few days of Big Brother 11 with Big Brother Live Feeds.

If you use the banner below, you can get a 3 Day Free Trial. Keep in mind the show ends in just a few days. You might be interested in watching the final days 24/7 and uncensored.

Ellen Degeneres Will Be a Better American Idol Judge than Paula Abdul

noreply@blogger.com (G.C.) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:09:00 +0000

In case you haven't heard, Ellen Degeneres will be the new judge on American Idol this season. She is effectively replacing Paula Abdul. Gossip sites said Paula Abdul was seeking more than $10 million per season. Rumor was that AI execs offered a 3 year contract somewhere in the low 8 figures. Paula was making a couple million a season and was offered a couple million increase. Ryan Seacrest was a signed for a lot more, and Simon was making more in one episode than Paula made all season. She says it's not about the money. Maybe it's not. Either way, Paula is gone. Will Paula be the next Brian Dunkleman? Not exactly. She may not find another seasonal job that will pay 8 figures over the next few seasons, but at least she cashed in before she left.

With Ellen on board, however, I think American Idol fans will miss Paula only slightly more than Brian Dunkleman. Why? Ellen Degeneres will be that much better. While Paula had incredible success as a dancer, choreographer, and lip-syncher, she didn't bring much to the table as a judge of talent. Her critiques had minimal substance, and she brought little as a fan or an industry insider. Fans watched Paula for the trainwreck factor. Was she going to be loopy tonight? Or would it be the boring uncritical Paula?

This is why hiring Ellen Degeneres makes so much sense. She's not a singer. She's not a music industry veteran. OK. When was the last time Paula Abdul was considered a singer or used any of her experience in her role as a judge? Ellen will be the "fan" judge, which is essentially what Paula had become. Paula was everyone's fan and rarely a critic. Yet, even as a fan, she rarely said or did anything exciting.

Ellen brings a new personality and has great comedic timing. I think she can bring a lot to American Idol as the "fan" judge. She will never be accused of using tranquilizers on air. What she lacks in a critical musical ear and technical singing knowledge she will more than make up for in performance. Who needs another boring singer or musician anyway?

Anger Management, Shots of Tequila, and a Bison's Penis

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:04:00 +0000

"It's time to open the doors to Hell."

Yeah, but whose Hell? Usually it's Chef Gordon Ramsay who dishes it out, but it looks like this season the producers not only got people who cook but have some major anger management issues. I don't really see any of the contestants decent enough to warrant a job as the Head Chef at Araxi in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada ("Where your dishes will be featured during the 2010 Winter Olympics!") Don't send anything back to the kitchen, people, or the Head Chef will come out and pummel you!

Jean-Philippe (the Belgian with the French name) tells the newbies that he wants to give them some pointers before they enter Hell's Kitchen. The giant TVs in the lobby show Bonnie from Season 1 telling them to "turn on the stove." Colleen from last season says "Taste your food!" Aaron from Season 3 offers "There's no crying in Hell's Kitchen." Some of our aspiring chefs roll their eyes and say how their tips are "elementary" and should be second nature - we'll see.....

Chef Ramsay then asks them "Are you ready?" and the wall lifts. We see him standing there looking imposing and yelling at them to go make their signature dishes in 45 minutes. He also says that for the first time the dishes will go head to head as a team challenge between the Red Team (women) and Blue Team (men).

Suzanne, a sous chef, is up first against Dave, an executive chef. Suzanne dares to make a fontina risotto - pretty ballsy, considering risotto is one of those dishes that never comes out right enough for Ramsay. He remarks it looks undercooked. She says it's not. He tastes it, asks Dave to taste it (he says it's "chalky"). Ramsay spits it out. Dave's dish is up next and it's ostrich with brussel sprouts. (Ostrich is his signature dish? Where the hell does he work?) Ramsay likes the meat but says the brussel sprouts are undercooked. "Piss off, both of you" and neither team gets a point.

Tek (a presently unemployed line cook) made a chipotle honey grilled shrimp, which Ramsay says is "nice." Louie is a diner owner/cook and makes sausage gravy over biscuits, which Ramsay has seemingly never tasted before. He acts really put out having to taste the dish, and all of us who have been to diners before know that if you can't make a good sausage gravy, you might as well close up shop. Ramsay labels it "gunk" and gives the girls a point.

Joseph the sous chef is an ex-Marine and says he's gonna win it. Whatever. He makes a roasted veal chop with vegetables, and the brussel sprouts are hard. Ramsay tells him to try one, and Joseph wants a fork, saying "I'm not an animal." Ramsay tells him not to get defensive and we can see Joseph has taken his Marine training a bit too much to heart - he oughta be interesting when Ramsay gets in his face. Tennille makes a lamb chop with a balsamic glaze, which is "nice" and the girls get a point. 2-0.

Amanda has to scurry to get two shots of tequila to go with her dish, which is "Marguerita French Toast." She wants Ramsay to do a shot with her but he doesn't oblige, so she drinks hers alone. Ramsay is too busy looking dumbfounded that Amanda has given him "a piece of bread with egg on it" and asks her what she did for the other 42 minutes since it only takes 3 minutes to make. Tony is a culinary store owner who's never gone to culinary school and "cooks from his heart." He made mussels with chorizo and Ramsay awards Tony and the men a point. 2-1 Red Team.

Melinda (a private chef) offers a poached lobster dish that is "rich and succulent and luscious and velvety." Except Ramsay wants to know where the lobster tail is and is told that "During the cooking process I had some challenges." She's got the quintessential deer-in-the-headlights look and we come to learn that she's really, really good at it. Jim (sous chef) made an ahi tuna with soy vinagrette, and Ramsay proclaims it "delicious." The Blue Team gets the point and we're all tied up.

We're breezed through Kevin and Ariel, and Lovely and Andy, who get no points for their dishes. Sabrina can win it for the ladies with her chipotle pork tenderloin! Ramsay spits it out, complaining that it's too hot. Van from Dallas made a foie gras with minted caramel (which, for you non-elitist foodies, is a pâté made from fatted goose liver, yum yum!). Ramsay calls it "intriguing" and gives the men a point. Out of all sixteen dishes, there were only five points given. Ramsay's gonna be tough this season!

The losing women have to clean the kitchen (and Louie proclaims that "women are best at cleaning." Aren't you the modern man?). The guys get to go to lunch with take-out from Gordon's West Hollywood restaurant. We are introduced to the sous chefs for the teams - Scott is back for the Blue Team, and Heather, the winner of Season 2, will be on the Red Team. (I thought the winners are head chefs at Ramsay restaurants? Hmmm...gonna have to check that out!) The girls get cleaning and are offered bologna sandwiches as they work. Once finished, they stumble up the stairs to the dorms, only to find binders with tomorrow's recipes that need to be memorized. In the meantime, the guys are drinking and partying in the hot tub until the wee hours (I guess they've never seen the show. You don't do anything you don't have to do until the wee hours!)

Prepping for service the next day, the women seem to have it together, having studied the recipes. The guys are hung over and slow. Ramsay comes in for a pep talk and we’re thinking the women are gonna kick butt - BUT! Lovely cooked the chocolate fondants after preparing them ("the directions said to bake for ten minutes.") Except they were supposed to be baked as they were ordered. As Lovely stutters and Ramsay spews f-bombs, Suzanne says "I’ll fix it" and gets to prepping more fondants. Really, though, has anyone ever gotten through the first dinner service all the way to dessert?

So the doors to Hell’s Kitchen are opened, and all the beautiful people begin streaming in. They’ve revamped the restaurant and added new items to the menu. As Ramsay yells out the orders, the women reply with the required "Yes Chef!" The men, however, look lost and say nothing after Ramsay rattles off the orders. Ooh, it’s gonna be a long evening for the hung over guys!

Tek is doing appetizers and her first offering is raw scallops. Jim is berated for only serving 4 scallops instead of 6 as offered on the menu. Lovely says her pasta is a minute away, but Ramsay tells her it’s already overcooked. Yep, just the normal chaos in the kitchen!

Robert from last season arrives at the restaurant with his wife. He had to quit the show because of health (heart) problems. It hasn’t been that long, and he’s still big as a house, so I wonder what he’s done to alleviate those problems. Ramsay mentions that he’d like to give Robert a second chance in the kitchen.

The Blue Team gets some appetizers out while the women keep floundering. They can’t seem to get their scallops done right or their pasta cooked correctly. Louie gets blasted for putting lamb in the oven. Huh, you ask? Well, according to Jim, it’s a "man’s primal instinct" to sear meat first, which Louie didn’t do, nor did Louie season the meat at all. Melinda again offers undercooked spaghetti and tosses it in the garbage (as opposed to putting it back in the pan and covering it to cook a little more) and Ramsay gives her hell. I think she does a better deer in the headlights than an actual deer in the headlights! As Chef Ramsay berates her, he checks the garbage can and begins pulling out mounds and mounds of spaghetti that Melinda has tossed - ten appetizers' worth in all. (That’s a bunch of spaghetti, folks!) Melinda’s eyes got bigger and bigger until I thought her head was gonna explode.

The guys have gotten out eight appetizers and can begin cooking some entrees. Louie, who is on meat, starts tossing some spinach in a pan and gets yelled at. (Imagine being one of maybe 2-3 cooks in a diner ... he’s just not used to doing one thing at a time. Relax, Louie, all you need to do is tend to your lamb.) "Leave the spinach alone!" "Yes Chef!" But Louie still pushes the spinach around. Joseph asks to be switched from garnish to lamb and Ramsay is insulted that Joseph would dare to tell him how to run his kitchen.

In the meantime, Lovely is feeling nauseated and goes to the back room and sits. She drinks four bottles of water because her body is "craving hydration." No one knows where she is (and surprisingly, Ramsay doesn’t notice she’s gone) and after 20 minutes she returns. She missed seeing Amanda get clobbered by Ramsay for putting the salmon in the freezer instead of the refrigerator - and I’m nominating this for best line of the season so far: "The salmon looks like a bison’s penis!" (I do not want to know how Ramsay knows that).

We see a plate of lamb chops piled up near the meat station. Uh-oh! More explosions! They kept falling apart so Louie just put them to the side. That’s lots of ruined lamb (I can only imagine how much food they waste on this show.) Ramsay goes ballistic, telling Louie to get out of the kitchen, go upstairs and pack his bags and "F off!" and shuts the kitchens down.

Well, no Louie makes room for Robert now. So Ramsay goes into the dining room, telling Robert he’s a "bloody talented cook" and asking if he wants to come back for a second chance. Robert is happy and his wife is too (sure, Robert, take off and leave me again!) So Robert ambles over to the Blue Team as Ramsay gives the teams hell for an atrocious service. He grudgingly gives the Blue Team the win for serving "some" entrees and tells the women to pick two people to nominate for elimination. We see some dissent around the table (where everyone is smoking. Not only is that not PC anymore, but it seems that it’s almost a requirement for this show that the contestants smoke. Surprising that it’s shown on TV so cavalierly. And don’t get all over me - I’m a smoker!) Tennille wants Lovely gone. Tek says Melinda is ditzy. (It’s the eyes, I tell you!) Amanda is nominated. Who will be leaving? Ramsay asks Tennille who is nominated and why. She says Melinda, who "doesn’t have her head in the game." She then nominates Amanda, who says Lovely should be nominated instead. Melinda is told to go, and our little deer walks down the hallway.

Chef Ramsay tells Robert he is going to the Red Team. "Last year you were a hero - this year you’re a zero." The girls are pretty happy, though, as Robert gives them tips on the menus and convection ovens. He’s going to be their "savior." Okay .... I don’t think so. When you suck, one person can’t fix all of you! As the second episode starts (which is just show #2 as opposed to hour #2 of a 2-hour show) Robert is in the intro shots of the cooks.

After reaming on the group for sucking big time at dinner service, Chef Ramsay tells them their challenge will involve shrimp. Lots of shrimp. They will behead, shell, and remove the (bleep) sac from as many shrimp as possible "according to Chef Ramsay’s standards" in ten minutes and the team with the most perfect shrimp will win. Lovely sits out because the girls have an extra member, and she encourages them from the sidelines, annoying most of the guys and even a few of her teammates.

Ramsay starts checking shrimp. Sabrina has seven good ones, Amanda has nine, and Tek has seven. Ariel managed six good ones. Tennille (who says she’s not used to working with seafood) has one acceptable shrimp out of 8 (she seemed to have missed all the sacs). Suzanne comes roaring back with 10, and Robert is last with only 4 good shrimp, giving the Red team a total of 44.

Andy begins for the Blue Team with seven. Van (the fish cook) has nine, Tony nine, Joseph the militant Marine has five. Dave comes up with four and Kevin has nine perfect shrimp, and the guys are now 2 away from winning with Jim’s shrimp left. His first one is great. Four shrimp left, of course he’ll pull this off! They can’t possibly make this suspenseful - yeah, right. The next three of Jim’s shrimp are tossed and it’s down to the last one (of course) and the guys manage to win again. The Red Team gets stuck cleaning more shrimp and segmenting and de-seeding lemons for tomorrow’s dinner service, while the guys take off to Newport Beach for lobster and dessert on a yacht.

The women complain about the work. Robert wants to take a break but Tennille tells everyone to keep working, they have a lot of lemons. Kinda ballsy, considering she was low on the shrimp totem pole with one.

At the lobster lunch, Joseph tells Gordon Ramsay and the guys that "I didn’t come here for lunches. I’m keeping my eye on the prize." He doesn’t care that he’s having lunch with a man he (you would think) wants to emulate and is one of the greatest chefs on the planet, let alone the guy that can give you one hell of a job and a start on a great career. I’m starting to feel sorry for Joseph - he’s pretty dour and can’t have fun.

Jean-Philippe shows up on a very large yacht and the guys comment about the "sock in his pants." While JP was wearing non-baggy pants, it made me wonder what the fellas were doing looking at his crotch. (Tony, maybe. But not the rest of the guys. And certainly not Marine Joseph!) Enjoying the ride, the guys discuss having lunch with Gordon Ramsay and Joseph pooh-poohs it like Ramsay wasn’t even worth his time. This guy’s gonna do something really dumb, I just know it. Feeling less sorry for him....

The next morning during prep, Robert gives the Red Team tips on what they need at their stations and the girls are appreciative. Tony is cutting grapefruit and Kevin bullies his way in to show Tony how it’s done. It makes no difference because Ramsay still yells at Tony for not cutting the grapefruit over a bowl to save the juice. Tony gets miffed that Kevin doesn’t have the decency to speak up and say that Kevin showed Tony how to do it the way Ramsay didn’t like.

To perk up things tonight, they will be serving scampi table-side. Van and Tennille will be in the restaurant doing the honors. Van is excited because he has "charisma!" and Tennille is not thrilled at all. They will have to coordinate with their teammates in the kitchen to make sure they’ll be serving their scampi with the other appetizers for the tables. Tennille (who is black with dreadlocks) tells a table she’s impersonating Whoopi Goldberg (which gets a laugh and yes, she actually kinda looks like Whoopi). Ramsay shouts the order to the Blue Team and Tony hears scallops, so he cooks them up in a whiz and brings them to the pass - except that he didn’t talk to anyone else in the Blue kitchen and doesn’t have the pasta or the garnish to go with it. Ramsay lets him have it and tells him to talk to his team before he cooks. In the Red kitchen, Lovely is cooking on another station’s burner because she has no gas on hers. She obviously didn’t pay attention to the "helpful hints" at the very beginning - specifically, Bonnie saying "turn on the stove." Lovely sputters that "Tek told me it was on." (And if Tek told you to jump off a bridge....?)

It looks like the guys will get some appetizers out so Van gets ready to start cooking some table-side scampi. Tony finds out from Ramsay that the scallops are undercooked and cold in the middle and runs out to the dining to tell Van that he f’ed up (and did NOT whisper it in Van’s ear either). Kevin then takes over the fish station from Tony.

Despite his previous experience, Robert screws up the risotto and starts his pan on fire. Tennille says he’s no savior at all, but just like everyone else. Jean-Philippe tries to talk to Van and give him some constructive criticism and Van is blowing JP off, really making JP angry. Ramsay asks JP what the deal is, and JP tells him that Van is going to the wrong table. Ramsay yells for Van from the kitchen and Van tells his customers "I’ll be right back. I’m going to go get yelled at now." JP explains that there is a language barrier because Van is from Texas.

Tennille is having her issues table-side and serves undercooked shrimp - to a pregnant woman. Boy, we had to listen to that one a few times before the show was over! Van gets cocky and ends up dumping shrimp all over the dining room. He has to go get another pan and runs to the kitchen to do so, angering Jean-Philippe who tries to tell Van not to run in the dining room. Van blows him off once more, so JP puts his hand on Van’s chest and says "listen to me!" Van starts shoving JP back and Ramsay tells them both to head to the back. In a storage closet, Ramsay demands explanations, then basically ignores both of them, telling them each to "do your job." As they get ready to leave, Jean-Philippe opens the door and tells Van "ladies first."

Tennille announces she’s backed up six tables and we see everyone falling apart from there. The Blue Team manages to get some entrees out but not before Andy almost sends up raw chicken (with Joseph remarking that Andy has a meat thermometer he’s not using in his sleeve), Sabrina sends up undercooked chicken, Kevin helps Tony cook halibut, and Lovely offers raw sea bass the first time, then blackens it the second time. Ramsay yells at Joseph, Van, Kevin and Tony who are all at the fish station trying to get the fish entrees out. In the Red kitchen, Ramsay gets some burned chicken and blows up. That’s it! He’s had it! He tells the teams "no more cooking." They will get out all that clean shrimp and serve nothing but shrimp cocktails because they don't have to cook shrimp cocktails and can’t screw them up. Once those are out, they are told to shut off the ovens.

Chef Ramsay is disgusted and tells both teams to "piss off" and nominate two people. Tony admits to his team that he screwed up and should be up for elimination, then says in an interview that Andy should have "manned up" like he did. Jim tells Van he should be up for elimination for almost punching Jean-Philippe, and Van goes off, screaming about punching Jim’s lights out. Deep breaths, Van. Okay, inhale ..... hold, three, two, one .... exhale. Now isn’t that better? He stomps off. Tennille doesn’t feel comfortable nominating anyone since she wasn’t in the kitchen. Everyone harps on her for serving the undercooked shrimp to a pregnant lady. Tennille and Lovely end up as the two to be eliminated. Joseph is asked who is the first up for elimination and why. Joseph replies "They know who they are, they can speak for themselves." Ramsay isn’t talking to them, he’s asking Joseph. "Hey smartass, the first nominee and why." Joseph says okay, "it’s Tony and Andy." Ramsay has this look that says "is he really this dumb or this arrogant?" He tells Joseph he’s "stupid" and again insists on the first name and why. Joseph says "Why? Tony. Why? He knows why. We sat down as a group. We’re men!" Ramsay (with the look on his face) stops him and asks if Joseph wants a medal. "I’m speaking plain English. The first nominee and why. Is that clear?" Joseph then decides to take a stand, saying "I ain’t no bitch, Chef!" Ramsay’s got the biggest look of WTF? on his face I’ve ever seen. The Red Team starts piping up that Joseph should show some respect. Robert says that Ramsay is trying to get the best out of him. Joseph tells them to shut their effing mouth. Ramsay tells Joseph that "I ask the questions, you give the answers." At this point, Joseph mumbles profanities as he strips off his jacket, throws it on a table, gets into Ramsay’s face and tells him "Let’s go outside and settle this." Here I notice that Tony and Andy didn’t say a word. Joseph is doing his best to make Ramsay forget all about them! (And now I can't feel sorry for an uncontrolled idiot!)

So ends the show! We don’t know who goes home, if either Ramsay or Joseph live through the evening, or if someone gets arrested. To tell the truth, I wouldn’t be surprised if Joseph doesn’t get tossed (Ramsay would keep him around just to make him as miserable as possible). Oh well, we shall wait till next week to find out how the fireworks go!

Big Brother 11 Cast Updates, Live Feeds, and More

noreply@blogger.com (G.C.) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:39:00 +0000

Things have been slow around here lately, but reality television is about to explode once again. Big Brother 11 is coming this Thursday night, July 9th, 2009. There is great anticpation for this season as usual, with promises of a theme and even more twists.

The Big Brother 11 cast has been announced. However, there are rumors of at least 1 additional cast member. The word is the extra house guest will be a member of a previous season. That's the twist. Or is it? Some are spreading the rumor that as many as 4 previous house guests will return to the Big Brother House for season 11.

The HGs will also be split into cliques. Can you guess what the cliques are? The members include a real estate broker slash MMA fighter, a bikini model, Star Wars nerd, and a neuroscientist. Of course there are others. Tune in Thursday to see.

As always Real Pass also offers subscriptions that allow you to watch all the action live and uncensored. I have been watching the Live Feeds since season 8 and think they are a great value. There is even a Big Brother 11 Live Feeds early bird special going on for a limited time. They are offering 25% off- or all 3 months for just $29.99. You can sample a free trial.

Things are changing here at Reality Shows Blog. We've had some writers leave for better gigs. We wish them the best. We also have other writers that only cover certain shows. We know that Big Brother is a big deal in the reality tv world, so we look forward to checking in with Big Brother 11 updates. If I can't personally do much posting on the topic, I will be linking to other BB sites as well as asking for guest posters and cross posts to keep things going this season.

The Champions of Season 8 are .... SHAWN & MARK!

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:04:00 +0000

It’s 8 PM and LIVE!!! From Hollywood! It’s Dancing With the Stars!

Oh. Wait a minute. It’s not live, it’s a repeat from last night! Okay, that leaves me time to check out American Idol and the Wings/Blackhawks hockey game....

It’s 9 PM and now we’re LIVE!!!

We’re informed that the couples will be performing their favorite dances from the season for their final dance of the season and the judges’ scores only. Len says all the judges agree that this has been the best season yet and the three best dancers remain.

We get highlights from the first three weeks - Belinda Carlisle & Jonathan come out and dance, and so do Denise Richardson & Maks, and Holly Madison & Dmitri. They all pretty much still stink.

We see clips from Steve Wozniak & Katrina, and it reminds us that he’s probably the worst ever on this show - unless someone has any other nominees? I know Master P was pretty bad, but Woz gave him a major run for his money! Woz has been in the audience every week since he was kicked off (right where he belongs!) They "dare" him to do the Worm again - he can’t and the attempt is scary!

David Alan Grier and Kym dance their Viennese Waltz. After his acrimony when he left the show, I’m kinda surprised that he came back to dance. Steve-O dances with Lacey next - and we’re reminded of Steve-O’s shortcomings again. His smile is really infectious, though! Steve-O says if he had danced the dance like that the first time, the trophy just "might have been mine." David says that after having time to reflect, he made a lot of friends inlcuding the three judges "who keep texting me." Tom then deadpans that this show can make you delusional.

Now we get to find out which of the new pros - Anna or Mayo - gets to dance on next season’s show. Anna gets the job and thankfully, Len won’t be showing his bum in the supermarket!!! Tom introduces her dance with Maksim, saying "with her partner whom she tamed" and Maks has to waggle his finger at that. (Wonder what Karina thinks about that?) She managed to lose an earring during their dance, lucky neither of them stepped on it! Mayo is kind of an afterthought for Tom, who dismisses him without a lot of fanfare.

Lawrence Taylor & Edyta dance, and they introduce LT as the man "who almost forgot to say goodbye, he was racing off to the golf course." He looks like he’s having a whole lot of fun this time (probably because he knows this completes his commitment to the show). Tom asks Edyta what it’s like to have a partner that even she can’t make happy ... and Lawrence says "it’s called your husband." Samantha and Tom quickly move on to the "journey through Season 8."

Time to welcome back our "country singin’ couple," Chuck Wicks & Julianne. They’re dancing the Samba, and he’s very careful not to grab her boobs this time. Samantha tells Chuck he’s changed colors like a crayon (? She’s such a dork sometimes) and Chuck says he has a new respect for satin, silk, glitter and thongs.

And Bruno says, "If you can’t take the heat, get out of the ballroom."

Jeffrey Ross comes out to roast the three finalists. "Bergeron is an old French word, it means 'Seacrest'." And the three judges are "Smoking, Croaking and Flaming." He says "No stars made it to the Finals - what’s going on? This show isn’t called "Dancing With the Vaguely Familiar." Ross picks on almost everyone: Ty Murray did the "Brokeback Mambo." Woz is like a chunky chipmunk who ate Alvin and Theodore. Belinda Carlisle is dressed like a hooker from Battlestar Galactica. Every time the director yelled "action" Holly Madison started taking her clothes off. Lil’ Kim did the show for community service. The three stars left are "Underage, Unwed and Unpronounceable." Gilles didn’t have the largest role in Sex & the City but he "did have the biggest part." If Shawn wins, they’ll send her to Disneyland but she’s too short to ride Space Mountain. Jeff asks Melissa if she’ll marry him - and says wouldn’t it be something if she came in second on this show, too? (Gets a BIG groan).

Lil’ Kim and Derek dance their Jive, which starts off fun, but it looks like Kim forgot a chunk of it. Ty Murray & Chelsie recreate their Lindy Hop - and I see that Ty wasn’t really all that good, but man, he was a nice guy and loads of fun. He says that the youngest pro on the show "got a cowboy to the semi-finals."

We get a clip of the three stars trash-talking for the trophy, pretty funny when Gilles said "Melissa, here’s a rose. I’m taking the trophy."

The finalist couples are re-introduced and Shawn & Mark will dance first. We’re shown clips of her practices and judges’ comments. Shawn says she’s always been a competitor but now she’s learned to be a partner. Mark compliments her, saying she’s an "amazing person, and you’ve come so far." They dance the Cha Cha to the Michael Jackson song "PYT - Pretty Young Thing" and Shawn looks much more relaxed and fun about it. Len says the longer she goes, the stronger she gets. Len’s problem with Shawn has always been her lack of performance, but tonight she came out and nailed it. Bruno says Shawn is going from cute to saucy and sexy (and when you think about it, that’s kinda creepy). Carrie Ann says that "we all underestimated you" and Shawn deserves to be where she is. Their scores: 10-10-10=30. (Really, I think if any of the couples don’t get a 30 tonight, they will have screwed up pretty bad).

Melissa & Tony are up next. Tony says he got the ideal partner and had the best season he’s ever had. They’re dancing the Samba (their perfect 30 of the season). At the end of the dance at the judges’ table, this time Tony grabs Bruno and gives him a kiss on the head. Everyone is cracking up! Bruno says that Melissa’s Samba is "even more appetizing on the second helping." Carrie Ann says that Melissa is the like the muse of dancing and she’s brought out the best in Tony this season. Len says she has a great presence on the floor with style and elegance she mixes that with rhythm and performance. Backstage with Samantha, they talk about the fact that they’ve all become great friends and tonight it’s all about enjoying everyone’s dances and thanking the fans. Their scores: 10-10-10=30.

Gilles & Cheryl will dance and their clips show them getting misty about about their friendship, and that Gilles doesn’t want to stop dancing. They’ll dance the Argentine Tango again. It's as great as the first time, I see trip 10's again! Carrie Ann goes first, saying that Gilles is a very special performer with an artistry to his dances. Len says that Gilles has brought him the most pleasure to watch, and that Gilles took him back 50 years to a little smoky basement watching two couples dance. Bruno says it was not an Argentine Tango but an Argentine Triumph, where he plays each step like a performance. Gilles says Cheryl has done so much for him and his family, and he loves Cheryl, and Cheryl says he will always be a winner in her heart, no matter what happens. Of course, their scores: 10-10-10=30.

Lady Ga-Ga performs again while they tabulate the final numbers. I didn’t listen, sorry, just not interested. I want to get to the results already!!!!! (Besides, she’s scary to look at. Or is it a he? I’m just not sure to tell the truth).

The couple in third place is announced first: Melissa & Tony. Now I’m wondering if Shawn managed to pull this out?! Melissa is very good about her exit, saying her life has been great for the last 11 weeks and she’s had a blast.

Tom says that in 8 Seasons, this is the closest vote ever - less than 1% difference in votes. Who are the Champions? Does Cheryl pull through again or does the young’un get the Mirrorball? The winners are .... SHAWN & MARK!!!!!!! Mark is crying? Tom hands Shawn the trophy and tells her to put it with "all those medals." The youngest competitor is now the Champion! They are hoisted up onto Derek's and Chuck's shoulders to enjoy the confetti and the adoration. Gilles is very complimentary to Shawn in congratulating her. A surprise to many, but that's what happens when you involve a fickle public in choosing the winners!

Until next season, have a great summer!

It's All on the Line Now! Who's Got What It Takes to Win The Mirrorball?

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:20:00 +0000

LIVE! From Hollywood! The FINALS of Dancing With the Stars!!!!!

Don’t know about anyone else, but I’m really looking forward to the Freestyle dances. Each star still in the competition has improved a whole lot with their dancing, and their pros are great choreographers, so this should be a great night! On with the show!

The first dance number for our couples will be a "group" Paso Doble - they will dance together at the beginning and end, but they will each dance as a couple and be judged on that. We see Len with Bruno and Carrie Ann in a three-way - phone call - and I’m wondering if it was Bruno’s idea to be sunning by a pool in his Speedo (probably. The guy does have a great body, but unfortunately, it’s wasted on other guys). Carrie Ann was eating a mound of salad while discussing which star she would be assigned to for assistance in the Paso Doble. Bruno goes to help Shawn and tells her that she needs to do something she hasn’t done before. Carrie Ann tries to impress upon Melissa the need for intensity, and tells Melissa to "push me out of the way." Melissa tries and bounces off Carrie Ann. (Is it me, or is Melissa looking really skinny lately?) Melissa eventually gets the idea and Carrie Ann tells her "that’s it!" Len goes to show Gilles how to "wow the crowd" with big arm movements. He tells Gilles & Cheryl that "you made me do something in the dance studio I haven’t done in a while ... perspire."

I was really disappointed by the music - it was a stupid, stupid choice for the Paso Doble. These were three great dancing couples, it would have been much more dramatic if they’d picked more intense music, rather than "So What" by Pink. However, the dances were absolutely wonderful in spite of the music. Melissa looked very - well, pissed, which went well for her dance. Len mentioned that modern music isn’t the best for the Paso Doble but they all "coped" very well. He told Shawn her rendition was very exciting. Although Melissa had a slight mistake in the middle, she was much more convincing this time. He told Gilles it was not hectic at all (as opposed to Gilles’ last Paso Doble) and very intense. Bruno offered that each couples’ dance was splendid; Shawn had great technique, Melissa’s confidence has grown, and Gilles was strong. Carrie Ann was likewise complimentary, saying that all three are turning into incredible dancers. She told Shawn that every move was "perfection" although because of her age, she was having problems with the emotion of the dance. Carrie Ann said Melissa nailed it, and for Gilles, "I expect perfection and there it was!" Their scores: Shawn & Mark 9-9-10=28; Melissa & Tony 10-9-10=29; and Gilles & Cheryl 10-10-10=30.

On to the Freestyle dances! We see Shawn & Mark’s rehearsals, with Shawn saying they won’t be using gymnastics because they want to show what she’s learned so far. Apolo Ohno comes in to give pointers and encouragement, but he tells Shawn that "no Olympian who has made the Finals has not won." (No pressure, there). They’re wearing some interesting costumes - hooded baggy outfits, glitter gloves and masks. (Which I find out is Jabberwocky-style. I think I’m getting old, not sure where that came from). They ended up ripping them off after a few intro steps (although Shawn looked like she had a little trouble getting her stuff off, like maybe her mask got stuck in her hair) and their dance was a combination of lifts, steps, hip-hop and fun. I really liked it - and Shawn looked really comfortable doing it. They did a lot of side-by-side dancing and they looked great. Bruno leaped out of his chair saying "you are going for creative gold!" He said she sold the performance and their synchronicity was awesome. Carrie Ann said that’s what she wanted to see, very creative and she loved the precision. Len said he loved the Jive elements at the beginning, loved the precision, loved the speed - "I loved it." I guess they did - perfect scores of 10-10-10=30. (Bruno yelled "11!" as he held up his "10" paddle).

Melissa & Tony are next. Tony said the only other time he’d been in the Finals was in Season 2, and Len told him he wasn’t impressed (because it was a snooze fest), so Tony is going to pull out all the stops this time. They’re practicing a lot of lifts and flips, and poor Tony got popped in the eye by Melissa’s arm and it was pretty red and puffy (but the make-up department did great if there were any residual colors on Tony’s eye.) Their routine was very energetic, lots and lots of lifts, and all were performed perfectly. I’m thinking, though, watching them, that Len wasn’t going to like the hip-hop stuff - nothing wrong with a little, but Tony should have mixed in a few other dance steps ... Carrie Ann said she loved Melissa’s new attitude, but that she was a bit disjointed from the dancing to the lifting. Len said they showed their versatility but the hip-hop "is not my cup of tea." He said that Melissa is so elegant, but they went for the cheerleader instead of the ballerina. Bruno agreed with Carrie Ann, that it was disjointed, and said it was "not as perfect as I’d like to see for a final dance." Their scores: 9-9-9=27 (and after those comments, I expected 8's!!)

Gilles & Cheryl will finish off the Freestyle round, and after her dances with Drew Lachey and Emmitt Smith, I’m really looking forward to this one! Gilles is much sexier than either of those guys, and the things she can do with him .... ! (Okay, deep breath. There. All better.) Gilles’ shoulder is bothering him again and he has a doctor come in to fix it up - we find out that he and his daughter will be having surgery at the same time and will share a room (Gilles for his shoulder, and the daughter, I forget, if he even said what it was). Cheryl says that Gilles has the potential to be better than Drew and Emmitt were. They dance to "Flashdance" and immediately my hunny says "that’s a song that highlights the girl, they shouldn’t be dancing to that!" I’m thinking more about the words, "I can have it all and I’m dancing for my life" and think they apply to Gilles in the competition (am I getting too overboard here?) Anyway, the dance was nice, although I will admit that I think Cheryl sold Gilles short compared to what she did with Drew and Emmitt (that Freestyle with Drew to "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" is my all-time favorite ever). Len loved it, saying it was high energy, slick, and he loved the slow start. Bruno called it a great performance, but said he wanted more dancing from Gilles. Carrie Ann agreed with Bruno and mentioned that it was a weird choice of music, that "Flashdance" was about a female dancer (and my hunny then said "AHA!" He likes to get validated too!) Their scores: 9-10-9=28.

I did some poking around and found a backstage interview with Gilles, who was asked how he liked his perfect scores on semi-final night: "I would never have gotten those scores with any other dancers. Cheryl put in so much work with me. I’d have three 3’s without her. It’s all Cheryl Burke – and I’m not kidding. She molded me into a dancer in front of a live audience. I really want to thank America for giving us the chance."

So we have one more dance tonight for the judges’ scores, and our winner will be announced. All our stars from this season will be back to dance, we’ll find out who the new pro will be next year (betcha it’s Anna). I’ve been trying to see what the deal is with the dances tonight (do the couples pick it, do the judges pick it, is it a new one or a repeat of their best or favorite?) But no luck. It’s a 3-hour finale, though, beginning at 8 PM (and I really REALLY like this show - but three hours? I think they could do it in 1½ or 2 and it would be fine. I TiVo American Idol, but I’d really like to watch it tonight and not stay up all night doing it!)

So did everyone vote? I thought about signing up for a few more screen names to vote more, but I’m sticking with my one name as I have done since Season 2 when I started watching, and just voted my 5 votes. Here are the standings after the judges’ scores:

58 - Shawn & Mark
58 - Gilles & Cheryl
56 - Melissa & Tony

Who will win that wonderful Mirror Ball trophy? Tune in tonight to find out!!!

The Cowboy Rides Off Into the Sunset

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:59:00 +0000

Okay, folks, I babysat the grandbabies again tonight, and didn’t get home till 9:55 p.m. The hockey game starts at 10 PM so I’m blasting through the TiVo version so I won’t miss too much of the Red Wings stomping the Ducks - so this will be the succinct version!

The show begins with Raphael Saadiq singing. I’ve never heard of him, although he’s a Grammy winner. He looks like a nerd. Zipped through that one quick.

Going through the highlights from last night, Ty says "We might be on the bottom this week, but in week 1, we were 13th. Now we’re all the way up to 4th."

Shawn & Mark’s Argentine Tango is the encore dance tonight. Looks just as good, if not better, than last night.

Former champions Helio Castroneves, Brooke Burke & Drew Lachey comment on the final four. Helio says this may be the best season - "since mine." He also noted that Gilles reminds him of himself! Brooke & Drew are more serious in their comments, but Helio is having fun with his.

Tom tries to make it sound like there will be a surprise elimination tonight - which makes me think that Ty is going home. The more he tries to build it up, the less a "surprise" it is.

The two pros-to-be, Mayo and Anna, will be dancing tonight with pro partners. They have choreographed a Latin and ballroom dance. Mayo is dancing with Kym Johnson, the Cha Cha and the Tango. I liked the Tango very much! Not sure about the Edyta costume on Kym...see- through "dress" with a bikini underneath. Len said people ask what he likes about ballroom dancing, and if asked again, he will tell them to "watch Mayo and Kym’s Tango." Bruno said Mayo provided a great frame for the gorgeous Kym - and mentioned that for once Kym got to dance with someone with longer legs than she has. Carrie Ann was impressed with the choreography but wanted more of Mayo’s personality. Mayo likes working with Kym because she’s a fantastic dancer but "doesn’t have a big head."

Anna & Maks are dancing the Samba and Quickstep. When Anna meets Maks, he tells her that he’s a lot more difficult than celebrities. Maks says that she has to choreograph the dances for him, and he’s very picky. As they rehearse, she decides the way to deal with someone tough is to be tougher. The Quickstep is one of my favorite dances, and they looked great! Bruno starts complimenting and Maks thanks Bruno, who says "not you, it’s for her, honey." Carrie Ann said any celebrity would be lucky to have Anna. Len says that Anna is only 21 years old but dances with maturity. She brought the best out in Maurice last week and now the best of Maks. Anna tells Samantha that working with Maks was fun, especially when he "showed up on time." Early morning rehearsals are not for Maks!

Gilles and Ty get interviewed by Samantha backstage. Gilles says it’s great to get a perfect score, but he’s standing across from a man who gets a zillion votes, so he’s still nervous. Samantha asks Ty if he goes through to next week, does he have one more week in him? Ty quips that he didn’t think he had ten weeks in him!

The Macy’s Stars of Dance Design-A-Dance contest comes up. The public was able to vote on costumes, dancers, the dance and the music. The costume designer, Rebecca Farmer, is sitting in the audience (the person didn’t last year, it’s nice that she was able to be there). The pros chosen by the fans to dance are Derek, Mark, Lacey and Julianne and they’re dancing the Quickstep, and it was perky and funny, and I loved it!

The pro contest Latin round is next, and Mayo & Kym will Cha Cha. Mayo is in a Saturday Night Fever outfit, which looks goofy, but he’s much more animated. They do some "messing about" moves I’m not sure Len will appreciate. Carrie Ann says Mayo is a wonderful dancer, but you have bring out all the different characters. Len said the Tango was far superior to this Cha Cha. Bruno agrees that he’s stronger in ballroom than Latin, and goes on to say that when taking risks, you have to be careful, and he would have done a proper Cha Cha. (Wow! For once I’m right about the judges!)

Anna & Maks are dancing the Samba. It looks a little "frantic" at times - can I be right about the judges’ thoughts a second time? Len says that the competition is about the four-week process and Anna has been great all the way through - "And if you’re not the one that comes back next season I’ll show me bum in the supermarket." Bruno said Anna has proven versatility, having four different partners in four weeks. Carrie Ann wants to see more of Anna and wants her to come back. (Oh well, I guess being right once this season should be okay for my ego!)

Now, on to the votes for the stars (about time!) As Tom talks about each of the couples, each couple except for Shawn & Mark gets a hand after Tom stops talking. Interesting! The first two couples are announced as safe: Gilles & Cheryl and Shawn & Mark.

After sweating out the commercial, "not necessarily in the bottom two" Melissa & Tony and Ty & Chelsie will find out who stays. Len says the others have climbed hills but Ty has climbed mountains. He mentions that Melissa had four days’ notice to come on the show, and even with her injury has improved greatly. Bruno says that Melissa has been great from the beginning and is a potential champion. Tom doesn’t let the music go very long when he tells Ty & Chelsie that they are leaving. Ty says he has a whole new respect for dancing, and Chelsie teaching him to dance is "Like teaching a blind guy to paint." All he tried to do was remember the steps, and Tom tells him it’s not all about the steps, but the total package, and Ty is the total package as an entertainer.

So next week is the finals - Monday to dance, and it’s freestyle night, so that should be some great fun - and Tuesday to award the Mirrorball Trophy. Will Shawn pull it out or is it a contest between Gilles and Melissa? Stay tuned!

Semi Final Pressure - Who Will Make It To The Finals?

azmouse@hotmail.com (azmouse) — Tue, 12 May 2009 02:42:00 +0000

The Olympian, the Sexy Hunk, the Girl Next Door, and the Battling Cowboy hit the floor for the Semi-Finals tonight! After 13 weeks of sacrifice, they’ve come too far to leave now! And it’s all LIVE! From Hollywood!

The Pros begin the evening with a dance. Louis VanAmstel, Karina Smirnoff, Dmitri Chaplin, and looks like Genya - but the two blonde females, I have no idea. It’s a great performance, choreographed by Louis.

The stars will be dancing both a ballroom and Latin dance tonight.

First up will be Melissa & Tony. They review their dances - talk about the Foxtrot, and learning her frame. Melissa said walking backwards was tough, and Tony commented that "Yes, difficult things are not difficult for you. Just the easy stuff. Like walking." Tony says that the Samba was the first time he felt Melissa knew what Latin dances were about. Funny, they don’t mention Melissa’s boob popping out a bit on the bottom of her top...saw it on the TiVo this time and it only peeked out at the bottom, no big deal. Tom laughs during the interview that their smiling teeth are very bright, cracking Tony up.

Gilles & Cheryl are next to be highlighted. They liked their Foxtrot also. Gilles loved the costume, "I felt pretty cool inside it. But to tell the truth, inside it I died three times and fainted twice." They talk about his "rise and fall" and how Len said he didn’t have it. Gilles said "He just had to pick on the Frenchy." Gilles loved the Paso Doble. Cheryl said making him begin the dance without a shirt made the dance memorable. Cheryl confessed doing some steps too fast, but Gilles said everyone was concentrating on their facial expressions and their passion of the dance. He said the hard part was to "kill Cheryl" at the end of the dance and she was reacting to his move and bounced her head on the floor. Tom interviews them saying that Cheryl has a tendency to be cranky as a teacher, but Gilles said that while it’s an unorthodox way of teaching, he doesn’t learn any other way. Gilles tells Cheryl not to change a thing, and Tom says "stay cranky." Gilles comes to her defense and says she’s not cranky, "She’s the boss."

Shawn & Mark are next, saying their breakthrough ballroom dance was the Quick Step. Shawn feels her personality really came out. They broke the rules with that dance by breaking their hold, but they won’t do it again so they can get into the finals. Shawn loved the Paso Doble, saying the character was the hardest thing to get into. Mark said trying to keep her from laughing was tough. She slapped him during one set of moves, and Mark said he had a hand print on his neck. Tonight they will be doing the "moody" Argentine Tango, so having done the Paso Doble character last week, Shawn is looking forward to being mean again - "But just here."

Ty & Chelsie talk about their ballroom dances, and Ty said they wouldn’t have been able to improve like they have without the Week 2 Quickstep. They came up from a 14 the first week to a 20, enough to stay in the competition. He had great posture and showed everyone how good it was. Chelsie said the Lindy Hop was their breakthrough dance. Ty said it’s the one dance he went out with confidence. He was able to do the lifts that a lot of other competitors couldn’t do, and Ty said that he got stronger because "I had to lift you over my head 3000 times in practice." Tom asked which dance he was most excited about, and Ty said both of them - and Tom tells him "That’s not what you said in rehearsal."

Leading off in the ballroom round is the woman who went from "Searing pain to perfection." Melissa & Tony are doing the Cha Cha and the Quickstep - and she’s got to work on her feet to make Len happy, so Tony is going to push her harder than ever. They did a neat Death Spiral at the end, and the whole dance was perky and fun. Len the "ballroom podiatrist" (according to Tom) starts the judging, saying it had great musicality, he loved it and her feet were much improved. Bruno said it was very, very good, but not as exhilarating and it could have been, and for the semi-finals, he needs more. Carrie Ann agreed with Bruno, saying she’s doing beautiful movements, but "it doesn’t give you joy to do it." She said there was space in the hold, and it was "pretty but not fun." Their scores: 9-10-9=28. After those comments, I’m surprised at the 9's. They’re ecstatic getting a 10 from Len.

Gilles & Cheryl are doing the Waltz and the Salsa this week. He’s practicing shaking his hips for the Samba, and Gilles said "Kim is gone, and someone has to shake their booty now, and I think it’s got to be me." Cheryl brought Jonathan in to help with the sophistication of the Waltz. Gilles liked that he was being taught the man’s role by a man. Jonathan tells him "To make the finals, all you need to do is remember to keep your frame, rotate your sides, rise and fall, keep your head up, stretch your neck, look at Cheryl, stretch your body, fill out the music - you’ll be fine." (Yeah, that's it. No problem!) Doesn’t seem like a lot of Waltzing in this one, more posturing and twirling. Don’t think Len’s gonna like this one! Cheryl seems pretty happy, though. Bruno leaps out of his chair, yelling "That is how you start the race for the final!" Soft of touch, irresistibly romantic. Carrie Ann says that people watch ballroom dancing because it takes them to a land of fantasy and "that was breathtaking." She compliments Cheryl on her choreography. Len gave them a "Sitting down standing ovation." (Okay, so I was wrong. That’s why they make the big bucks.) Gilles says backstage that Cheryl is taking him to places he’s never been before. He wants to show respect to everyone that puts a TV on. 10-10-10=30, a perfect score for the couple, and Gilles is happy to get the perfect 30 "for Cheryl."

We find out Kym and Maks will be dancing tomorrow night with Anna and Mayo - wonder if Maks will be a good boy, or give Anna some grief?

Shawn & Mark are going to stick to the rules this week. They’ll be doing the Jive and the Argentine Tango and the lifts are scaring Shawn, and they’re having major problems with them. Shawn looks really old doing this dance! They’re simulating a fight of passionate people (Mark probably screwed around on her and she wants to kill him, typical male.) It takes them awhile to do a lift, but they pull it off. Mark is doing more "flicking" than Shawn, but the dance looks pretty good, and he steals a kiss at the end. Carrie Ann says she worried about Shawn being the youngest competitor and delivering the emotional content, but "I’m silly because you delivered!" Len said she dances with a maturity he didn’t expect, and intensity. "It was honestly your best performance." Bruno comes out of his little world and says "What we have here is Catherine Zeta Shown." Shawn cracks up (I think he was saying "Shawn." That accent just kills me!) He compares her to the murderous Chicago routine: "He had it coming."

Clips are shown "Where our semi-finalists came from." Melissa has a Texas mentality, when things get tough you keep going. All Ty wanted to do was be a cowboy, he never played with toys. Shawn started walking before she was nine months old. Gilles’ father worked day and night in a bakery, and Gilles brought that work ethic to the dance floor.

After the commercial Shawn & Mark get their scores: 10-10-10=30. Shawn is jumping around, and Tom suggests that Samantha doesn’t want to jump around in her dress. (Yeah, there will be more popping boobs if she does).

Ty & Chelsie will finish off the ballroom round. Ty asks Chelsie "What do you think got us through - the fans or my spot-on Rumba?" (Cute, Ty). He takes Chelsie to ride a mechanical bull, telling her to stiffen up a bit because "You dancers are so fluid." Ty says that the Salsa is supposed to be a party but "It’s more like a pain in the ass with all the steps you gotta remember." Chelsie wants their Viennese Waltz to be the greatest ever. Ty says "My fans went out on a limb and kept me in over a better dancer" so he wants to justify their votes. The dance looks good, he’s got that great posture, but you can see some goofs and he messes up and gets really wobbly during a leg-lift move at the end of the dance. Len doesn’t think anyone has worked harder or struggled more. "There were a couple of little issues during that dance but overall I thought it was wonderful." Bruno said "We like you and I understand why America loves you." Bruno says his arms were like "chasing flies" and Len starts protesting. Carrie Ann loves how Ty gets the whole room generating support for him. "Tonight you struggled, and wobbled a bit on the turns." Len breaks in saying "he wobbled twice!" and argues with Carrie Ann who says they have to take off points for that, setting off a debate amongst the judges. Tom tells them "Down, kids." Their scores are predictable: 8-9-8=25.

Tom quips that the post-show dining will be "Three tables of one" for the judges.

We’re shown a clip of "Meeting the people who helped our stars get where they are today." Melissa’s family is in the audience every week. Her Mom says Melissa got frustrated easily when she didn’t get something on the first try. They show Melissa working with the Dallas Cheerleaders and then going through her engagement and breakup on national TV on "The Bachelor." (I missed the comment from Len in a past show when he said "The Bachelor’s loss is Dancing with the Stars’ gain." That was nice!)

Melissa & Tony come up to dance the Cha Cha. Her costume just sucks, it’s a sparkly bra and skirt with silver round spangles hanging off of it like Christmas decorations. The dance is pretty damn good, though, if you ask me! Bruno is up first with his critique, saying he likes his Cha Cha "Full thrust and full on." He says at times Melissa was sensational but at times she didn’t sustain the energy. Carrie Ann thanks Melissa for taking the correction from the last dance, saying she was much more emotional this time. But she agrees with Bruno, saying the size of her steps were "discombobulated." Len like it, but not as much as he was hoping to. "It’s not to the standard of your Samba." But, Melissa is a really good dancer. Backstage, Melissa thanks the fans for getting them this far. Their scores: 9-9-9=27. Can’t complain much about that! Total 55 out of 60.

Let’s see how Gilles grew up next. He is from Cannes in the south of France, the center of town "Where it was pretty tough." He explains that in France, men can be "romantic and emotional without shame." Gilles worked hard with his father, and he’s living the American dream. In Gilles & Cheryl's Salsa he seemed a little stiff to me (but again, I’ll probably be in outer space somewhere.) Cheryl’s dress is pretty interesting! Carrie Ann gives Gilles the yell, jumping out of her seat. "That’s Gilles Marini at his best." Len is almost speechless, saying "I wish I had an 11 paddle." Bruno had the best line of the season, though: "Lil’ Kim is alive and well and she’s living in your pants!" He agrees with Carrie Ann that he deserves to be in the Finals. Backstage, Gilles says that he wants to dance one more time with Cheryl and he hopes the fans keep him around. Their scores are perfect: 10-10-10=30, for an absolutely perfect total of 60 for the evening. (And again, proves that I have no clue what I’m talking about).

We’re shown where "Our gymnast learned to go for the gold." Shawn took the swings off the swingset and was flipping on the top as a child. Before the Olympics, her gym in Iowa flooded and the town worked to clean it up so she could keep practicing. Those dots on Shawn & Mark’s costumes are a little eye-boggling, and with her ponytails she looks like a kid again. She seems to get a little out of sync, but the end of their Jive is cute, they dance to the judges’ table and pull up spangly "10" paddles. Len says that the band is a great part of the show, with great music. He liked the feeling of the dance, it was fun, but there was "Too much messing about dancing." Bruno likes it "when you go wild." He thinks it looked like a Lindy Hop at times, but Shawn "sold it 110%." Carrie Ann loves how Shawn has come along in the performance of the dances, but maybe she lost a little steam. Shawn is asked to tell the fans why she should stick around, and she says they worked hard. Their scores: 9-8-9=26, getting a 56 for the evening. Len gets booed heartily for his score.

Ty & Chelsie are finishing the evening, but we see where Ty’s roots are. He was a pretty cute little kid in his cowboy hat and chaps! He told his dad at 3 years old that Dad didn’t need to hang on to Ty's belt while he was riding on calves. Ty said that dancing wasn’t his thing, but he was going to give it all he had. Jewel said that "What you see on Monday nights is the man I married - very macho, but also very sweet." Now they will dance the Samba - and his hips still don’t move well. He looks like he’s having a great time, though! He stops and jiggles his ass during a moment, and gets big cheers from the audience. Bruno says Ty has resilience and determination and "Threw everything but the kitchen sink in there." Carrie Ann votes Ty most valuable player of Season 8. Len says "In the ballroom dances you’re like Arthur Murray, but in the Latin dances you’re like Murray in a hurry." Len does compliment Chelsie, saying she’s done a fantastic job. Samantha asks Ty to tell his fans something, and he says he doesn’t want to let them down. Their scores: 8-7-8=23, and a total of 48 out of 60.

After the judges’ scores, here are the rankings:
60 -Gilles & Cheryl
56 - Shawn & Mark
55 - Melissa & Tony
48 - Ty & Chelsie

Of course, I don’t see anyone but Ty (nice as he is) going home tomorrow, but hey, some weird stuff has happened on this show! Did everyone vote? We’ll see who gets a shot at the Mirrorball Trophy tomorrow night!