After the fun and frivolity that was Dancing With the Stars this week, American Idol takes a little dip on the fun-o-meter. For some reason I can’t fathom, we’re celebrating the music of the 80’s. An era where, if the contestants were even alive then, they’d have been too young to remember any of it.

I was alive then…and I resent Idol for making me remember far too much of it! At least we got Gwen Stefani and her No Doubt bassist, Tony, as our mentors this week to take the edge off the pain.

Okay, so, while it might not have been my favorite week overall, I will say that some artists hit some great notes.

The first one being DeAndre. Yes. DeAndre. And no, all those notes he hit weren’t in falsetto. For a change. He chose a song by DeBarge, took Gwen’s mentoring notes to heart, and had the most enjoyable, sincerely comfortable times on stage he’s had all season. If the screams of the girls in the audience are any indication, even going first won’t be sending him home this week. But…you never know. Judges give him mad props.

Then Elise comes out and sings Foreigner and reminds me of all the reasons why I only liked her last week. Really not her moment. Which, conversely, will help DeAndre. And I’m sorry, go ahead and judge, but while Elise is a rough-throated rocker and I get she has skills…I just don’t care for her. Sorry. I’d download and listen to DeAndre croon and it would be enjoyable, whereas there’s nothing of Elise’s music that’s original or interesting enough for me to want to hear coming from my stereo speakers. Judges agree this week was a miss for her.

We find out that, in addition to singing solo this week,the Top 8 are also being paired up into the boy/girl duets. The first features Skylar and a newly bleached Colton (not doing it for me, the blonde look) singing Islands in the Stream. And…yeah. That was painful, y’all. They did okay on the harmony, but it felt like such an awkward fit to me. Skylar alone could have done something with it, but otherwise, not a good idea. (What was a good idea? Whoever decided to put Skylar in that dress instead of the dreadful pant/blouse/floaty stuff they’ve been putting her into the past few weeks. Super flattering - she looked great!) Judges? A whole heckuva lot more pleasant about it than I was. Maybe it sounded better in person?

Yeah, this is not a stellar week. Neither was Billy Joel week, if you recall. (and this one is starting off even worse than that one.) The great week? When they got to pick their own music, songs from artists who had inspired them. Aka something relevant to today’s music. Please, Idol, I beg of you….let them sing current stuff and toss the stupid theme crap ideas out the window.

So…next up is PhilSquared. Now, I’m becoming more and more a PhilPhan each week. I have to admit, his take on that Jonny Lang song last week stuck in my head for days. DAYS. I downloaded Jonny’s version, but found myself wanting the Phil2 version. Unfortunately, the tracks on iTunes are more studio sounding than and it’s so smoothed out it loses all it’s juice for me. So…poo. Okay, so this week he’s singing That’s All by Genesis. It’s a weird fit for him. You’d think he’d roll it right out. But it’s a fast lyric and it kind of jams him up in the beginning. As he gets into it, he finds his way and pulls it off. But….overall? By far not his best. Not even close. I liked the idea of him stopping the guitar to sing some of the melody, as suggested by Tony, but instead of being sexy and intimate, as it easily could have been, it kind of showcased, for me, why he is often uncomfortable for me to watch. He has his odd kind of grimacing quirks when he sings, screwing his face up and looking like he’s almost in pain at times. When he tried to just straight sing, he didn’t connect with the camera, or the audience, he just went inside himself somewhere and got through it, then went back to the guitar and the grimace. Now I know one of the reasons I connected more last week was that smile he had throughout. He was clearly comfortable with the Lang song…and not nearly at all so much with this one. (Even with his bro-in-law playing on stage with him, which was pretty cool!) But the awkward fit still showed. All in all…I like listening to him more and more. Looking at him while he sings? Not so much. Again the judges were all over it….sigh.

Ryan scares me by telling me Hollie & DeAndre are up next for their duet. Not the pairing. Because that’s almost too stinkin’ cute. But…they’re singing the Pointer Sisters. Yeah, you heard me. I don’t even know which one, but…does it matter? In the words of DeAndre, “Oh dear Lord have mercy.” So, they’re singing I’m So Excited. And…kind of like before…they actually sing it just fine. Cuteness personified, both of them, but it’s so very Up With People, you know? It’s nice to see Hollie do something upbeat and pop, and they bring the energy…but is this really helping them? Or us? I think not. Judges? Diggin’ it.

The judges agree with me that the one who has brought it so far tonight? DeAndre, baby!

Joshua is bringing us If You Don’t Know Me By Now by Simply Red, an artist I really, really like. I find myself crossing fingers that Johsua finds a way to make this week work for him. It hasn’t been a particularly memorable night, so it’s a good chance for him to have a much needed “moment.” We’ll see. The mentors try to get him to dial it back a little, which would be a happy shift. Oooh, he gets a whole passel o’ back up singers. He certainly opens a lot cleaner and smoother than he has, not working so hard to overreach right off with his big voice. By the end, he is still over-emoting-guy, in general, but for him, this was a huge improvement over last week. Way more in control. However….though I do appreciate his skill set…these still aren’t songs I could download and enjoy in the car. They’re just too James-Brown-breaks-down-on-stage-ish for me. But, crazy talented, for sure. (And he’s just 19? I keep forgetting that!) The judges love him, and I’m sure, in person, it’s crazy huge to witness and feel. But, from a marketable standpoint? I’m just not sure. Gospel, for sure, but pop/rock/radio station stuff? Hmmm…..

Jessica is up next singing Whitney’s How Will I Know. Nice to see her go uptempo, too. Will be interesting to see how she pulls that off. Her voice is so huge, it’s hard for her not to overpower more simple pop lyrics like this. She’s not really “bouncy” - she’s more diva voice. But…hold up, what? So…last week she sang Beyonce, who happens to have this alter “Sasha Fierce” ego thing, which…whatever. I think Beyonce is fierce all by her own bad self. But now we’re hearing that Jessica has this alter ego she calls BB Chez? Um….what? However, with the huge tweenybopper girls out there voting for the cute guys? Yeah, the last thing you need to do is alienate yourself from any percentage of your audience with this self-serving ego trip. Or what certainly comes off that way. You’re not a supah-stah, yet, who can claim icon quirks. (And? The moniker doesn’t even seem to make sense? Where does that come from?) Next thing, she’ll start referring to herself in the third person. I know she’s only 16, so….cut will her some slack….but still. Now….the performance. She sings the guts out of it, and, I get it, she can’t do ballads every week, so she needs to mix it up…but….I don’t know. Why am I not liking this week? I listened, I thought to myself, “Wow, once again, great pipes.” Then the song is over and both she and the song are promptly forgotten. Whatever, you know? What can I say? She doesn’t move me. Judges? Gushy gushness of gush.

Phil2 duets with Elise (which may be the best pairing of the night) singing Nicks/Petty’s Stop Dragging My Heart Around. Definitely a good match up, and a good song for them, more when they sing together than apart. Together, it’s really hitting on all points. Phil still looks like he’s having a hard time connecting outward tonight. Maybe he’s suffering from kidney stones again, or the onset of something. He’s not loose and enjoying himself near as much as we’ve seen him before. He’s more kind of bound up, so his grimacing is more apparent…and his lack of direct connection to Elise even more so. But they do a good job on the song and I know the audience and judges will go wild. (And they do.) Will this help Elise? Well…it certainly can’t hurt!

Hollie’s turn…and she’s singing What a Feeling from Flashdance. I wouldn’t have thought this would be good, but after seeing her do the Pointer Sister’s earlier, I’m more enthusiastic. Cute dress on her. And it’s nice that the song opens all ballad-like, then kicks into gear. Should show her voice off - and her youth — really well, for a change. Except…not so much. She’s a little rushed on the lyrics in the opening, then, when it kicks into gear, she sounds really off. And what’s with no back up singers or anything to lend a little depth? I was really wanting her to do well, since I thought she did last week but the judges slammed her. She has her moments, but I don’t think this is going to be her redemption song. Which is a shame. Judges….agree with me. The great thing about her, is she’s so young, but she’s eminently likable, and sweet. Will it save her this week? Mmmm, not so sure.

Last duet is Jessica and Joshua. (Again, DeAndre’s caution echoes through my mind….) One thing is for certain….it will be loud. Song is Aretha/George Michael’s I Knew You Were Waiting. And…I was digging Joshua’s suit. Again, when they sang together, it was really good. The solos were a little overwrought and they didn’t seem to connect to each other personally, but they sang the daylights out of it, no doubt. I enjoyed it a great deal when they sang together. They did the dueling gut-sing at the end, and the judges got on their feet. I can well imagine that in person, that’s got to be crazy to hear. At home? I’m just going to move on along to the next performance…

Colton goes with…Cyndi Lauper. Okay. I’m just wanting the night to be over and it’s just…not. He sings Time After Time and, honestly, maybe they’ve just worn me down, but, along with DeAndre, it was the only other relevant sounding song all night. That’s not to say I loved it, (he did this nasal thing on the “time after time” chorus and mumbled the words, which bugged) but he did a great Colton job of it overall. Top 2 solo for me tonight. Judges loved. (Also? Extra love for Colton for giving kudos to the band he got his arrangement from for that song. Always appreciate when the artist gives the proper due.)

Skylar closes the show singing Wind Beneath My Wings, which was a change from her first choice of 9-5 And? Great choice!. She’s not my fave, but I do appreciate her and that she’s settled quite comfortably into her niche. I think she’s got all the potential in the world to blossom and smooth out the rough edges, become something special. She took a very big step in that direction tonight. It was a nice close to, what was for me, a really uneven and not particularly enjoyable night. Thank you for that! (And, hang on to whoever dressed you this week! She looked great here, too.) Judges Standing O. And, for maturity? Yeah, she earned it.

Okay. It’s over. Please, show, give us something good next week. This is me. Begging you. Don’t let me down.

Who goes home tonight? Honestly, I really don’t have a clue. Going through the clips at the end (I can’t call them highlights, sorry) I was kind of appalled at the clip they chose for DeAndre because it made the song unidentifiable…but then they segued into Elise, then Phillip and…they didn’t sound so good in their clips, either. That trend continued… (Whoever the Clip Editing Dude is? Needs work.)

So…Bottom 3: Well, De Andre did really well, but it was early in the night. Is he in danger? What about Joshua? Mebbe, but his duet might have helped keep him in the voter’s minds. Elise? Likely. In the end, though…I think Hollie is the one in real danger and very well might be heading out.

What say you Blog Babes? Who will go home? Who should go? DISH!

Tags: Writing // 1 Comment »

Okay, okay….I have a confession. I rarely watch much, if any, of the Dancing With the Stars results show. I scroll forward, pausing briefly to hear additional behind the scenes comments made by the contestants. (I love hearing what they say to each other just before they go on stage, and while they’re dancing. A lot.) Occasionally, if they have a performer I really enjoy, I listen to them. I used to watch the performers just so I could see the dancers, but the whole troupe thing kind of killed that for me. I do enjoy the Macy’s Stars of Dance performance more often than not, so that will make me pause. But, otherwise, I zip on by until we get to who is in the bottom, then we’re down to who goes home. Announcement is made, last dance had, aaaaand I’m in and done in under 20 minutes.

Usually.

This season has been so different already. The dancers are great, the judges actually give meaningful critiques, Tom is his delightful self, there is no drama, no bad guys, no negativity. It’s just two hours of wish fulfilling joy and dancing goodness. I’m such a fan again.

So, it stands to reason that, in this season of miracles, on the show I’d about given up on, would also pull me into the results show…and keep me there. I watched the show, start to finish, and I enjoyed all of it. I have to say, the highlight for me was the outstanding and truly entertaining Macy’s Stars of Dance segment. Travis! Twitch! Oh, be still my Hurry Back So You Think You Can Dance heart! (And did you see Twitch on Touch this week? I didn’t know it was him until like, halfway through his performance part!)

Okay, so I did ff a little through Seal, but come on, he left Heidi. And Heidi is always supposed In. Not Out. But the musical acts were fun, enjoyed Rascal Flatts, loved the dance by Jonathan and Anna for their very ill friend, so poignant and touching. The contestants were funny and entertaining with each other. Even Len is begging the producers not to send anyone home. I know! Len? Yes, Len!

I don’t even want to know who is in the bottom three, much less send anyone home. I’d thought perhaps it would be Gavin, Gladys, and maybe Roshon because he’d landed there last week. I felt fairly certain that Gavin was in the most danger…but then he was just so incredibly endearing during his dance, would the voters really do that to him I wondered? In the end, I was right about Gladys and Gavin. But joining them? Jack! I really didn’t see that happening. Was it because they went first and folks forgot? Was it because other people get the same kind of uncomfortable pageant-y-ish feeling from him that I do? I dunno. I definitely didn’t think he was most in danger.

Then! While I’m trying to process that, Tom makes this announcement that this season, they’ve decided to change things up a little. Starting next week, once it’s determined who is in the Bottom 2…those pairs will get to dance again, and the judges pick, from those two, who goes home. Wha? We get a Dance Off??? I love this! I really approve and like this method on So You Think You Can Dance (and wish they’d employ it on Idol as well!) Let America narrow it down, then let the judges make the final cut. I’m totally fine with that.

So, they send Gladys to safety, and I’m thinking it’s Gavin’s swan song….only….NO! It’s Jack & Anna! Did you see him going home week 2? I didn’t. No, I wasn’t his biggest fan, but waah! that Anna is now joining Tony on the sidelines. Pout.

Tom is so right though…it’s going to be brutal every week. And the look on the judges faces when they heard they’re going to be the one’s making the final decision? Yeah, it was a little like they wanted to order up their Kevlar vests now. (I mean, they’ll need their own personal protection if they try and send William home. Not that they would, of course, because….he’s Wiliam. And we must watch him. It is our due. As fans who appreciate the beautiful art of dance. And mankind.)

So….what did you think? Surprised by who went home? Agree? Disagree? And what do you think about the new judging rule? I know I love that they get to dance again, if for no other reason than we get to watch them again. Now I’m even MORE excited for next week!!

Your turn to DISH!

Tags: Writing // 6 Comments »

I watched The Voice first, since we’re on the whole live show thing this week, and thought I’d recap both shows tonight, but it failed to really impress — good singers, but not much, if any, truly memorable performances, except that last guy, Jessie! Sweet vocal! DWTS had SO much more to dish about! So….maybe next week we’ll get to both. Or not.

But right now?

We’re LIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! This week on Dancing With the Stars it’s Sob Story Dance night! Okay, so, Tom says the dancers will celebrate the most “memorable year” in their lives…..but we’ve been here before. We know what’s coming! So grab your hankies, blog babes! We’re in for a bumpy-licious, sniffly ride!

So…my first impression as they all came down the stairs was….wow, lotsa flesh flashing up there. Mostly on the men. I was getting my hopes up, assuming the men were flashing the flesh in preparation for William Levy to be shirtless or something. Alas, he had on a white shirt that was buttoned up and everything. But….we can always hope that what buttons up…will button down later.

Up first is Jack Wagner & Anna...and I’m guessing his sob story isn’t going to be about the repeated public breakdowns of his former wife, Heather Locklear, but about his “mystery daughter” who came back into his life –and all the tabloids — not so long ago. And? Oh yeah, I’m SO right. Her name is Kerry and? Is she in the audience? At least we’re starting off on a happy story! (Don’t put those Kleenex away, though! Just sayin!) They’re dancing the samba, and, Jack is really ON tonight, and more in control than last week. But…could just be me, but there’s just something kind of, well…not smarmy, per se, but in that general direction, when he dances that puts me off a little, or at least doesn’t invite me in, anyway. I think he’s a nice guy and all, but the dancing always feels a little uncomfortable to watch. A little too pageant-y-ish. Or something. But, for him, it’s a good performance. Easily his best, so far. And yep, Kerry is there to cheer dad on! Awww. Judges? Were kinder than me, but we all agreed it was his best. Scores? 24

Maria & Derek are next. According to stories in the news, her ribs aren’t just sore, they’r actually fractured. Yowch! She definitely gets the good sport award. Times ten. Nary a pout or sob, she just soldiers on with her infamous laugh and in good spirits. Hard not to like that! She dances in tribute to her parents, immigrants from Greece who worked as janitors to support their family. The kids helped out as there was no money for sitters. And I think it’s cool she’s paying tribute to them! Another happy story! Yay! Madonna’s Material Girl was inspirational to Maria, so it’s to that song that they’re dancing the….rumba? Hunh? This should be interesting! (Also, potentially awk-ward with mom and pops in the audience? Just sayin…) And, from the song standpoint, it was an awkward shove-round-song-into-square-dance hole, but in every other way, it was absolutely gorgeous. From the lighting, to her dress, to the choreo…..sex-aaaay! I’m not usually a fan of the rumba on this show because it is so slow and supposed to be so hot, it’s almost always a challenge for the celeb to get it right. Tonight? Yeah, not a problem! Whew! Where’s my fan? I need it earlier than I thought I would! The Judges? Drooled. And, rightfully so. To pull that off to a non-song was crazy good. Score? 27 and well earned!

Btw…did they kiss in that dance? What do you think?

I know the scores seem crazy this season, but you know what? This season is crazy. Crazy GOOD! I love how “feel good” it is and how “dance great” it is. It’s getting to be in your Happy Place for a full couple of hours. Not a bad way to start the week!

Okay, next up? Yay, Gladys Knight! She’s dancing the fox trot this week, and please, music dude, give her decent tune this evening. She was so doomed by that last week. She’s also recalling a super happy time (see? this is the Season of Happy!) in her career when she had her first big headline night with the Pips on their first ever tour. (I love this stuff!) She was only thirteen! WOW. I had no idea she was so young when she began with them. That’s so crazy - playing the Apollo with Sam Cooke and James Brown so young like that? She said they became her mentors and she wants to celebrate that. They’re dancing to Sam Cooke’s Cupid. Love it! And….it might be a tad too simplistic again, like last week, but it suits the music much, much better and their flow is really pretty to watch. Very enjoyable! She beamed the entire time. (And you see all the other celebs/pros cheering for them afterward with truly heartfelt joy. Love that, too!) Judges? Were sincerely kind (and Len want’s to be a Pip! HA!) Score? 24 And I’m good with that! Gladys is beyond thrilled, which makes it even more fun.

Roshon & Chelsie are up next. Now Roshon doesn’t have too many years to choose from, being such a young kid, but he’s chosen a samba to a Michael Jackson song, who was his inspiration in wanting to be a performer. Seems like a solid fit to me. Chelsie brings in MJ’s choreographer, Travis Payne, which is pretty cool, too. Roshon is a good dancer, so I’m thinking this should be fun! And, okay, so he’s stinkin’ adorable costumed as a Jackson 5 era MJ and love the old J5 tunes, too. (Hey, that’s what I grew up to! Don’t judge!) Now, it was kind of awkward at times, trying to MJ-up the samba, but when they just samba dance, he’s really good. (He’s cute doing the MJ stuff, too, it was just an odd mix from time to time.) The energy, though, is fantastic, they’re having a blast, the audience is totally into it, (hard not to boogie to “I Want You Back” and he partners really, really well. He leads, which is hard to do in this kind of situation, especially at his age. All in all, another grin-worthy performance on the night. (3 dances in, no Kleenex! It’s a record!) Judges? Len was surprisingly positive given the “pop moves” and Bruno brought his own memories of MJ, then Carrie Ann was a buzz kill, but whatevs. Scores? 25

You can see that, a few weeks into the live shows now, how much closer the contestants are getting. First night or two, though they all got along well, you didn’t see as much overt support for each other. Now you see more the true bonding and friendship happening. That’s always one of my most favorite things about this, the life long bonds they all share from the show onward. I think this cast has the potential to be one of the closest, ever, given there is no controversy or challenging personalities on this season.

Gavin & Karina are next. And…I know he’s not all that great, but I love the guy. He’s just adorkable. (And my love grew when he stopped Martina after it was announced she was going home to tell her how honored he was to be on the same stage with her. Seriously? Good Guy, this guy.) Now, I found out after my recap last week that, apparently Gavin was in a horrible car accident last year, with some massive head trauma, which likely accounts for why he wears hats. Not sure, but I’ll give him that! Now…will that be his “most memorable” thing? Nope, he chooses Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind, because it was after seeing Billy in concert as a young man, with his folks, that he told them that’s what he wanted to do…and his parents supported his dream from Day 1.

I so wish more parents did that with their kids!! I know we worry about them, and want them to position themselves for success, so it’s hard when they choose things that don’t have an obvious path or success rate… but my family supported me when I wanted to become a writer, solidly, and it was a large part of why I was able to persevere and do it. It meant — and still means — the world to me! I can’t tell you how many other authors I know who don’t have that…and I just can’t imagine how that has to feel. Gavin’s dad actually went out and tried to help his son get gigs - how awesome is that?? Seriously, knowing your family supports your goals…I can’t go on enough about the power that wields, no matter your age. So, I won’t. But I could! So….okay, I finally needed Kleenex! But it was in such a Good Way!! (I love how the stories are all really positive!) I am rooting so hard for this guy right now. I know he doesn’t have the madd dance skillz, but that’s partly why I want to see him succeed…because it doesn’t come naturally, at all…and he totally knows that…and yet he’s out there giving it his absolute all. They’re doing the rumba, so yikes, right? But he has a partner who knows how to bring the sexy, so…. She choreographs this about as well as she can, to still give him something to do, so it’s not like she’s doing allll the dancing, but the nice thing about it, is her choreo allows him to be “the man” and guide her and look macho and strong and he actually shows some really nice lines in his extensions. I’m really pleasantly surprised and couldn’t be happier. If he had to do a dance for his family, this one had to make them proud. Judges? Were super kind and sincere, makin’ me happy (and sniffle!) Scores: 24 Wahoo! YAY!

Can I just say I hate that anyone has to go home this week? All my love for this show is SO back!

Now we get cutie patootie Katherine, my virtual BFF, and Mark, who I am liking for the first time evah on this show. They’re dancing the waltz, and we get the first sob story. She chooses the year her dad passed away. Pass the Kleenex! Sniffle! She chooses a Josh Grobin song and….yeah, it’s going to be gorgeous, you know it. (I look at her and she’s so adorable, you forget she has this crazy huge opera voice!) They’re lovely and the dance is gorgeous and so are they. Deep sigh. They show the celeb balcony and she’s got Peta wiping tears! Peta! The one who never claps or cheers for the others. (Who, I’ve always suspected has a bit of mean girl in her….just sayin!) So, good on ya, Katie!! Judges? Carrie Ann is crying and then Len goes and poops all over Mark’s choreo — which I hate for Katherine’s sake, but secretly don’t mind for Mark’s because…you know…it’s Mark. And because Len is right. Gasp. Bruno, bless him, brings back the happy. Scores:29 Two 10’s! It’s a measure how much I adore her that I’m okay with Mark getting the first 10’s of the season.

Sherri is up next with Val, which is a good balance to such a sniffly performance. Cuz you know Sheri’s gonna bring the happy! Except, she’s talking about her son, who was born very prematurely and how he persevered through almost insurmountable odds and….okay…pass the damn Kleenex again! He’s adorable and she’s sniffling…and how do they dance after watching the film clips anyway? I’d be a sobbing mess. They’re dancing the rumba (why, WHY, do they assign the Dance of Sex on this theme week? They did it last year, too. It’s kind of ooky when you’re dancing for your kid, or your dad, and you have to writhe all over the place. Just sayin! Love the dance and all, but any other week, please!) Not to mention, that, for Sherri, it’s hard for her not to make the “serious sex face” be almost a caricature as that’s what she does. But? She does a good job! And her son is beaming with joy. And how can you not love that? It won’t matter what her scores are. Judges? Len is beaming. Carrie is sniffling. Bruno adores. Scores? 24 And, on the night, that’s fair!

Now it’s Melissa & Maks. I had her pegged for The Big Sob of the night…it was just a toss up if I was going to sob with her or not. She’s….an interesting one, Melissa is. So…her story? She goes with breaking her back on a stage show in 2010 and coming back…which we heard coming into this season. So…moving along! They’re dancing the jive to Dog Days Are Over (a song I love, so I hope it’s done well!) The dance is fast, with Maks’ typical super challenging choreo, and though, occasionally, it looks like she’s racing to keep up, all in all, especially considering the difficulty, she did a good job! (If she could get out of her head more, she’d be even better.) Judges? Bruno loves, Carrie Ann loves, and Len? Also loves! Scores: 24 (I was afraid, after the gush, they’d give 9’s…and I think the 8’s are right.) Actually, so far, I’m okay with the scores tonight, even with the ebb and flow…the emotion carries the night.

Yay, it’s Kym & Jaleel! He picks the year that he played Urkel’s alter Rico Suave ego, and, as they’re doing the rumba, this is perfect! And fun! No tears this time! Back to happy time! Kym is like liquid sex and Jaleel is all about gettin’ some of that. Smooth, cool, sharp. Nice! Both joyful and hott. Loved it! Judges: Carrie Ann was all about that. Len’s happy pills have worn off. Bruno pulls it back together. Then Jaleel falls all apart talking to Brooke and you realize how amazing it was that he was so smooth and cool out there, for being far more emotional about this week than we knew. Aww. Hugs, J. Scores? 25 I would have gone a bit higher, comparative to other teams this week, but okay.

So, WIlliam went last, last week, which didn’t surprise me, since, after the producers saw the utter paroxysms of rapture the ladies had after seeing him the first week, it made sense to keep that crack candy till the end. But it did kind of surprise me that they kept him until the end, or next to last, anyway, this week. Because…come on, let’s not be that obvious about it all, shall we, show?

He’s up with Cheryl and they’re dancing the salsa (oh yesss, a Latin dance for the Cuban guy. I am SO on board with this! Who’s with me?) He talks about his first year in the US, and his life in Cuba. Which, is as horrible as you’d imagine it would be. So nice to see a celebration dance then, of how lucky he feels to have been able to get free of that life to come here. Wait! Fan? Check. Cold drink? Check. Okay….let her rip! And….yesss, thank you Cheryl for ripping that shirt open straight away! Nice! And yummm! Sorry folks…I won’t be able to type for the next few minutes. Back shortly….

Sigh. Yeah, that was…really nice. Really, really….nice. He definitely is in touch with his…musicality. I’d like to be in touch with that, too. The musicality, I mean. Of course. So, I don’t even pretend to care about the judges, but they liked! Even Len! Bruno drooled. (I love how William is so comfortable with Bruno - it’s cute!) Carrie Ann is in heat. Because…duh. Scores? 28

Last up is Donald & Peta! (Usually when we have this many couples, I start getting dance fatigue about 2/3 of the way through. This season I’m sad it’s already over for another week!) Donald dedicates his performance to his close friend who passed away from cancer, literally in his arms. Okay…Kleenex! But, again, it’s the rumba, which just doesn’t seem appropriate, and yet, tonight, everyone who has danced it, has done so well, I can’t really quibble. I thought it was lovely and sensual. And he leads really well. The song was a bit bombastically sung, but they really matched the energy of how it was performed. Judges? 26 Gave him well deserved props. So happy for that!

Another really great week. I agree with Len - this week? Awesome. I can’t even begin to guess who’ll be in the bottom tomorrow. But first….just a few more? Why yes….

Ahhh. Okay, okay! Back to Bottom 3 musings…. I really don’t know this week! Even the dancers who aren’t as naturally skilled did really well tonight. On a night like this, when everyone gives their all, dancing about something so personal, it seems kind of sucky to send anyone home. Can we just skip tomorrow, show? Please? Let’s move right on into next week, shall we? There isn’t a team who performed tonight who I wouldn’t be excited and happy to watch dance again. (And how cool is that? That never happens!) Plus, next week? Is Rock n Roll week! Whoo! More good times coming our way!

Who would you put in the Bottom 3? If you’re basing it on skill? Probably Gavin, though I thought he did really well and would love for him to have the chance to improve more now that he’s finding his footing. Not sure Roshon was actually in the bottom vote getters as they said they were only announcing the bottom 2 were actually the bottom 2 last week. But…fan base wise…could be him, too. After that? I’m stumped. Maybe Gladys? What’s your guess? There are five dancers tied in last place, and they’re only a few points off the lead, so not sure judges scores will tell the tale this week!

Here’s the rankings:
29: Katherine
28: William
27: Maria
26: Donald
25: Jaleel, Roshon
24: Jack, Gladys, Gavin, Sherri, Melissa

Now it’s your turn! DISH!

Tags: Writing // 4 Comments »

So, before we get to the Idol results, did you all love, love, love this week’s Big Bang Theory as much as I did? “100% of make your own sundae bars end in happiness.” Why, indeed they do! I only wish Spock’s guest stint included Leonard Nimoy in the flesh. Surprisingly, given the Spock storyline, which was funny (the doll poses cracked me up) it was Raj who stole the show. Both funny and poignantly sweet. (Plus? Cutest puppy ever! I hope she shows up in future episodes!)

Okay, okay, let’s get on with it…on American Idol last night, we got to watch 9 happy kids move into a rock star sized mansion….so they could turn right around and boot one of them out. Welcome to Hollywood! Now get out!

Nice.

Then we get to see tweets from Jonny Lang, Carrie Underwood, Mariah Carey, etc, all congratulating the Idol contestants who sang their songs last night. Only, in the case of DeAndre, they played a major mindfrak on him and out strolled Eric Benet, who casually took a seat next to DeAndre and blew his entire mind. So…that was fun.

But, finally, yes, we must get down to biz-ness!

We get the Jimmy Feedback on….. Elise, Phil2, and Hollie

Elise: Jimmy agreed with everyone else in the world. She nailed it. One of the cool things he does is point out that not everyone has their first hit by 19 or 20 or they’re washed up. He mentions Stevie Nicks and Annie Lennox, who didn’t hit big until their late 20’s. So….THANK YOU for mentioning that. I only wish Erika had had the benefit of that mention. Of course…none of this means she won’t be in the Bottom 3 anyway. If folks just voted for who they always did…nothin’s gonna change. We’ll see….

Phil2: Flawless. That was Jimmy’s feedback, and, he’s right. He says Stevie is rarely wrong when she predicts stardom….and, while I’m not always the biggest fan of his work, personally, I absolutely recognize his talent. So, I hope she’s right!

Hollie: She’s got the madd skillz, but still lacks the life experience/maturity. I concur, Jimmy. He feels it will come down to her and Jessica…and he thinks Jessica wins that matchup. For now…

Moment of truth? Well, well, well….so I had a bit of a suspicion here….that she might be in trouble. I wondered if any of the three: Elise, DeAndre, or HeeJun pulled themselves out of the bottom of the pack…that possibly Hollie and/or Joshua might be in trouble. And? Yep, I was right. Elise is in. Hollie, in the Bottom 3.

Nicki Minaj is up next, “performing.” I was never even close to a fan, but after what she did on the Grammy’s? (Or should I say to the Grammy’s)….yeah, she gets the Fast Forward Button, start to finish.

And, we’re back, and on with: Colton, Joshua & HeeJun. Uh oh. It’s either gonna be HeeJun or Joshua…

Colton: Jimmy felt like Colton came up a little short, and mentions the 4 stages of mentoring, rehearsal, green room, stage and feels he didn’t carry through from Point A through Point D. That he let the emotion takeover and didn’t finish delivering his song the way he needed to, to earn votes. Now, I obviously agree with Jimmy that it wasn’t a memorable performance, because I said so yesterday in my blog. But, is Colton in even the remotest danger of going home? Even though he also had the unenviable first-on-stage position? Not even. Still, it’s advice Colton will need moving forward as the field narrows.

Joshua: I also said I didn’t think Joshua delivered this song in the way that wrenched me. Listen to Harry Nillson, then listen to Joshua and you’ll feel me. Joshua also broke down in the end. But I do think he’s potentially in trouble, and said so, because he doesn’t have the devoted fan base Colton obviously has. Jimmy agrees that he’s got madd skillz but lost the power finish when he let emotion takeover. Now, I know a lot of folks like it when the singer kind of breaks down because “oh look, they’re so mooooved, they’re crying!” But, unless there is some direct connection of song or performance to the sobbing….it doesn’t work that way for me. And clearly it doesn’t for Jimmy, either.

HeeJun Now, you all know that despite the current sentiment against the dude, I love this kid. Probably because I see my kids and other kids who are special to me in him. I “get” him. So does JLo. Maybe it’s a mom thing. I dunno. But, speaking purely for HeeJun, and not as he compares to the rest, because clearly he doesn’t have Jessica’s pipes here, last night was a watershed moment, Standing O for him. Now that is what moves me. Will he or should he win this? No. Should he stay this week? Yes. So…I’m really interested to hear if Jimmy agrees. And, he does. He agrees that HeeJun stepped it way up. He also agrees that, comparatively, this season, he doesn’t live up to others. So…yeah. Sucks. But after putting his guts out there, I’d like to see HeeJun rewarded for that with positive reinforcement. One week. (Because, in the end, DeAndre and Joshua aren’t winning this either, so does it really matter what order they leave? Give the guy his props. Then send him home if you must.)

And…here we go: Colton, in a vote result that surprises no one, is safe. Ryan plays his little reindeer games with Joshua and for a moment, I thought I was two for two! But no….HeeJun is apparently beyond redemption. Sigh. Joshua is safe (this week) and HeeJun is in the Bottom 3.

Now it’s Scotty McCreery….and he’s a nice kid, but I’m fast forwarding anyway. I’ve still had plenty of him singing from last season. (The platinum record thing was cool, though! Good on ya, Scotty!)

Last up: Jessica, Skylar, and DeAndre. Yeah. Do the math. If HeeJun didn’t pull himself up from the Pits of Despair, damn sure DeAndre didn’t. At least not compared to Skylar or Jessica. So…unless we’re in for a whopping Jennifer Hudson Surprise Elim w/ Jessica, why are we even bothering taking them off the bench? Just send DeAndre across the stage and be done with it.

Skylar: Jimmy agrees with me, the judges, etc that Skylar is definitely a bundle of energy with some serious pipes….but he also agrees with me that while she sang the guts out of this song musically, that didn’t mean she connected to song, or delivered it to us, lyrically. He wants her to have the catchier melody to go with the lyrics, as that’s more her wheelhouse. On lyrics alone, without that, she’s not getting it done. I think she and Hollie have some of the same issues there, but Skylar has the benefit of being a little firestorm as well as being the only country act this season. And, historically, they do pretty damn well on Idol.

DeAndre: Now, I was happy to have DeAndre sing a song that’s meant to be sung entirely in falsetto, as, you know, go with your strength when you’re trying to save your life. And he did that and did it really well. Not as run-heavy and, as I said before,”frilly.” But, yeah, given who is up there with him right now? He’s Bottom 3 tonight. Jimmy sits in the middle. He agrees that DeAndre is going to need more depth to win, to really pull the audience together for him. I agree with that, and also share Jimmy’s doubts as to whether DeAndre can do that within the confines of this season, given who he’s up against. No matter what he does, he’s not topping Phil2, or Colton, so, ultimately, this season, it’s moot. He’ll go home, it’s just a matter of when. That said, I’ve very much enjoyed him. And, in a few years, when he’s a mature man, with that voice and those looks? Whoo boy, look out.

Jessica: Jessica has superstar talent, for sure, in voice, appearance, stage presence, you name it. And, at 16 - which I constantly forget about her - what she does is freaking amazing. My problem with her is that she doesn’t move me. She’s technically brilliant and I admire her talent a great deal when I listen to her, but I am in no way moved to vote for her, much less go download a song by her. I’d actually download Colton or Phil2 first, because they bring something new to my ear. I don’t know that she can change that for me. But I get why she’ll continue to be in the top, on madd skillz alone. Jimmy admires her and is 100% on board with her (I’m sure he sees a potential Mariah there, and he’s quite probably correct) — but he also makes the note that, on Idol, it’s more little girls voting for boys than for other girls. He urges young girls to vote for her. As for me, if Jessica can become some kind of role model the young girl voters can connect to because she’s close to their age, maybe that will do it. But I’m not betting on it. Not for the win. I’m thinking this is Phil2’s season to lose.

So….to the surprise of no one, Jessica is safe. And? So is….DeAndre?!? WOW! You got me, Idol!! This is the first one this season that totally got me. Skylar’s In the Bottom 3, what? Hunh. I just didn’t see any way that was possible. Crazy.

This gives us a Bottom 3 of Hollie, HeeJun, Skylar. Now, poor HeeJun, he can’t win for losing this. He goes home, and everyone nods and says “as it should be.” So…he loses. He stays over either of these two girls, and the world will come crashing down with shouts of unfair, unfair! And…he loses. Right now, it pretty much sucks to be him. All in all, though? Yeah, it should be him. We’ll see…..

Yep, the writing? Oh yeah, it’s on the wall. In Big Bold Letters. The girls ain’t gonna win the title again this year, either. The only girl now who hasn’t been in the bottom? Jessica. And she won’t take this over Phil. I’m not a young teen and even I’d pick Phil in the head-to-head, so…. Yeah. Sucks to be HeeJun AND sucks to be a girl. Final three will be Colton, Jessica, and Phil2. Final 2 is Phil2….and one of those two.

I just realized that we have Judges Save…. I’d forgotten about it because no way was it going to be used on anyone I thought would be Bottom 3 tonight. So…now, before Ryan sends someone to safety…do you think they’d use it for Skylar if it’s her? Hmmm…… Mebbe! Remember, they can only use it until the Top 6, so it’s this week, or the next two weeks. Would they for Hollie, then? I’m thinking probably not. And no way they’re saving HeeJun, not with the other girls being in jeopardy this week, who might need saving in the next two weeks.

And, Skylar is safe, so the question is moot. Ah well. As I said, exciting! For a moment, anyway.

As it should be….it’s HeeJun. Sob. But, yeah. He’s done his time. Even he knows it. One last time we get to hear him and he sounds really great…and I’m glad and sad. Awesome, awesome sing out. The other contestants give him a Standing O and they’re all misty. JLo is crying, too, so you know it’s over. Then….yep…..good-bye, sweetie! Awww. Sniffle.

I’ll miss him, even if I agree with the vote. Dangit.

Next week, the theme is? Songs from the ’80s. Sigh. Because that’s relevant. Not. Let’s hope they find a way to bring it!

Okay, now on to the winner of this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest!! Thanks to everyone for entering!! And this week’s winner of a book from my website bookshelf is: Fabulous Happening Blog Babe Katrin from Austria!! Woohoo! Check out the bookshelf and email me a few title choices (in case I’m out of your first choice) and I will send your book across the pond to ya!

So….what did you think about Idol? Like DWTS this week, I can’t imagine anyone was surprised. But who goes next week? Do you think Joshua, DeAndre and Elise keep themselves out of the Bottom 3? Is Hollie now a part of that group? I’m thinking Skylar will rebound just fine, but….it does make things interesting!! Let’s DISH!

Tags: Writing // 1 Comment »

Blogging as I watch….THIS! is American Idol! (Photos are up! - Thank you digitalspy.com!)

So, we kick off the Top 9 week with our Tommy Hilfiger sponsored fashion moment. I think it’s cool that someone of his caliber is associating his brand with the show, but the problem is, his brand is pretty specific. So when he’s mentoring the kids about finding their style…it’s more like “find your style….but in my clothes.” So…I’m not sure how that works, really.

Anyway, we whoosh past that part, fortunately, and Ryan tells us tonight the 9 remaining singers will perform one solo, and one trio song. So, mucho music coming our way. I will say I think this season’s finalists will do better in trios than last year’s disastrous group sings. These kids could probably each sing with anyone and make it work. Still, I’m curious to see who sings with whom. Also…maybe I missed it, but I thought the “theme” this week was to sing something by someone who had inspired each singer to begin down this particular path. But Ryan says nothing about any theme, so….whatever.

We also get introduced to this week’s mentor…none other than Stevie Nicks. I’ve always been a fan, so am curious to see how she’ll do with her task. We get to see Stevie and Jimmy (Iovine) in the studio back in the ‘81…in which Stevie looks awesome and Jimmy is hilariously dorky. Bonus points for running that tape. Fair’s fair, Jimmy. (I say this as I repeatedly punch my fist in the air, aka doin’ “The Iovine.”)

Colton is up first and right off the bat, Stevie tells him she knows who he is, has been watching for weeks, and pulls him in close to advise him to never let anyone tell him to cut his hair. And? She’s lookin’ pretty good, Ms. Nicks! He’s singing Everything by Life House, which is from his youth in church. He moves both Stevie and Jimmy, so hopefully, though it will be largely unknown, he’ll pull it off with an emotional performance. But, despite him doing a decent job with something softer, quieter, it takes quite some time before it picks up momentum, so…he’ll be perfectly safe this week, but I can’t say it was particularly memorable. By the end of the song, he’d brought a lot to it, but I wonder if, by the end of the night, this will stand out. The judges give it, and him, proper respect, and, that’s fair. I agree with Randy that Colton always chooses songs that he delivers convincingly, even when they’re not favorites of mine, and this was no different.

Skylar is up next, singing Miranda Lambert…so I’m guessing I was right on about the theme! Which Ryan confirms as he introduces her. In rehearsal, Stevie feels the song needs harmony…so she joins in. Memorable for Skylar, which is pretty cool. She gives good, key advice, and it’s nice to see how she’s really invested in her role. So, here we go…and I’m not sure what Skylar’s wearing, it’s oddly floaty. However, she’s singing the guts out of the song and commanding the stage, so it’s another Skylar performance. I’m not sure she truly grasps what’s involved in singing the words to the song in the way that delivers them believably. She’s putting her all into the song — the music — but that doesn’t equal telling the story. Just because you sing it harder doesn’t mean we believe you know what it is you’re singing about. So, performance-wise, she’s right on it. But whereas Colton got the “story” aspect, I don’t think she did. (Of course, at her age, how can she, really, given the topic of the song?) The crowd goes wild. The judges are kind, and once again, I’m bonding with Randy tonight (scary, I know) but he also mentions the storytelling aspect, so…go ME!

We get the first trio performance….with Colton, Elise & Phil2 singing a Fleetwood Mac. medley. They’re wearing “I’m a serious artist, so I’m dressing in the drabbest colors possible” gear, but they do a nice job on the opening with Colton on lead, then Elise takes over on Edge of 17, which….I guess I’m just not an Elise fan, because she sings it just fine. And I still don’t like her. Shrug. Phil2 tackles Don’t Stop in his screamy Phil way, which isn’t to say good, then they wind it down together and OMG, could Colton’s legs be any skinnier? How can legs even be that skinny? Dude, tight emo pants? Not your fashion friend. Judges? Steven gives his thoughts only, so I guess one judge each will tackle a trio and that’s it. Thank you, show, for that.

Next up, HeeJun takes on Donny Hathaway, which I think is exactly in his breathy wheelhouse. Even Jimmy was a convert. And it’s a good thing he’s found a way to get on board and balance the dry humor with a bit more obvious dedication tothe competition, or it might have been his last. Now, me? I think this competition means the world to him. We’ve seen how emotional he’s gotten. I think, culturally, he feels enormous pressure to succeed as well. So the humor is a bit of a screen and a crutch. I felt bad for him that it was taken so seriously, as I don’t believe that his humor meant he was any less dedicated to the show. So, it made me feel good to hear Jimmy admit as much, too. Anyway…. This will be a win win for him, regardless. And the Stevie hug? Awwww. So, I keep my HeeJun love. Sue me. From the opening moment, he had the crowd with him. Me? I finally got goosies. Yes, JLo, I did. His best performance by miles and miles. Thank goodness he found himself in time. Because this? Will save him. At least this week. (Sorry, Elise.) Judges? He gets a standing O from all three judges and it makes me cry. Yeah, it did. Steven gives it up to him, and I appreciate that. I also appreciate that Jennifer comments on both sides of him being valid. Here, here. Randy adds props.

Hollie takes on….Carrie Underwood? Has Carrie been around long enough to be her icon? But, should be a good match up, vocally. (Was that Dionne Warwick in the audience?) Stevie is intent on getting these kids get that it’s all about the words, the story, and how to convey it like a punch to the gut. (And she knows whereof she speaks.) I really like it that she’s blunt and direct, but so clearly wanting them to get it, and deliver. I don’t know what I expected from her, but she’s outperforming any expectations I had, anyway. She shares with Hollie that she lost her mom recently and that evoking emotion isn’t an issue for her. When Hollie makes Stevie well up as she sings, it grabs at her, too. Perhaps it takes something that visceral to really get it…but I’m glad she did. What I also love? Stevie gets right in their face, eye to eye, and tells them how good they are. How awesome would that be for any one of us? I know it would impact the hell out of me. So, it’s performance time, and Hollie comes out and for once she’s dressed well. Nice white dress. I like how they’ve shifted the country tone to more ballad with a bit of a gospel feel, which is far more true to Hollie. One of the few times I’ve enjoyed hearing this song, a lot less overwrought, which appealed. Also? Damn that girl has pipes. Judges….I thought they’d love it but Randy and I part ways here. He kind of jumps right in with criticism. Hunh. I’m surprised. I thought it was one of the better match ups for her. Jennifer is the one who jumps on my bandwagon. Then Steven agrees with Randy. Harrumph.

Now it’s DeAndre’s turn. Very curious what he’s going to do. He needs to really bring it tonight, somewhat like HeeJun did. He goes with Eric Benet. Hmm. Okay. I’ll withhold judgement until he sings. I think it’s a good fit, and Jimmy agrees with me that it’s his turn to shine, now or never. And wow, the opening? Right smack in his wheelhouse, with all that false, but this time, he does slow it down and puts way more into it, so it’s not so…..well, frilly. It was very Prince-sings-really-high, but he did pull it off and nailed that false. I thought it was awesome, but I have no idea how the judges will react. And? On. Their. Feet. THANK YOU. Both of my babies are doin’ good tonight. HA! Steven says he gives Prince a run for his money, which cracks me up as I’d already written that line.

See what happens when you let them sing songs that suit them? Show? More of this please.

Jessica takes on Beyonce. And, hey, if anyone can knock that out the park, it’s this girl. She slows down Sweet Dream/Beautiful Nightmare and it’s gorgeous in her voice, but it takes a while to really pull me in. Ultimately, she sings anything stunningly, but once it’s over and you’re suitably impressed with how crazy talented she is…you kind of move on and don’t remember it. I think that’s because as technically brilliant as she is, it doesn’t affect me personally. Of course she’s safe, but…she’s not one of the singers who I wait, excited to find out what she’s going to do next (say, a la Adam Lambert.)

We get another trio next, this time with DeAndre, HeeJun, and Joshua. Singing? Michael Jackson. NOW I’m excited. Holy crap, this could quite possibly be my Most Favorite Thing Ever! DeAndre kicks it off and…mmmm. oh this is sweet, they sound great together. But then….yeah…it kind of goes sideways into some parallel Michael universe. It’s an odd pairing of songs and rather than bring these three guys together, it’s a little awkward and funny, but not necessarily in a good way. I blame the arrangement, mostly. And, well, the choreo. Okay, and the hats. They brought it home by going to the audience - wise move, y’all — because that ended it on a fun note….and, more importantly, hopefully retained all the goodwill DeAndre and HeeJun just got done earning for themselves. Jennifer cracks me up with her “Thank goodness you’re not here for So You Think You Can Dance” because, for real, yo.

Phil2 is taking on Jonny Lang, which…yeah, that’s a great fit for him. Bulls-eye, great. Stevie gives him the ultimate compliment of saying he’d have been in Fleetwood Mac had they been pals back in the day. Whoa. She sings with him and thinks he’s hot, then he asks for an autograph and it’s just a jam session love fest. I hope it translates to the stage! (And? Freaking hilarious when she comforts Jimmy, who is put out that she’s all about Phil2 and Lindsay Buckingham — and wow, they do look a lot alike — and assuages his ego by stroking his arm and tellling him he had the Greek body of life when they were younger. HA! And double HA HA. I love her.) So, yeah, Phil2. He comes out and Philip Phillips it all over the stage and back and….it’s just another Phillip encore. What do you want me to say? If you love him, you’re in heaven right now. Me? I appreciate, a great deal, his talent, but…..Next! The one thing I liked about this song, besides the fact that it’s a great musical jam, was that he has this kind of twinkle in his eye. Makes up for a lot. I need to download Jonny’s version now.

You know, for all I’m up and down about various contestants, let me just say that the caliber of talent is really unparalleled. This is a group of seriously ridiculous kids. Also cool? Something for everyone.

Joshua is up next, singing Without You, by Mariah (who, of course, didn’t launch that song, the great Harry Nillson did.) This song is almost guaranteed to bring the emotional gut punch and because he has this crazy huge voice I was kind of expecting a lot. He does a serviceable job for the first three quarters of the song, but even with his crazy emoting at the end, I am not moved. Not stand up ovation moved. Sorry, judges. Then they’re so heavy with praise it makes me think I need to watch it again.

Because, that said, like Skylar, Phil2, Jessica, etc….they can all crazy ass sing. It all comes down to who moves you, what song moves you, and for me, that’s changing week to week. Maybe it’s because they’re all so talented that you start taking it a little for granted, I don’t know. Because, do you even remember Colton’s song at this point? Not really. Not because he’s not good, but because you’ve been sung to a pulp by now by powerhouse after powerhouse. Not even in a bad way, just in a cumulative way. So maybe I’m just a little big voice numb and need to spread the power out a little bit to appreciate it more.

Hollie, Jessica & Skylar take on Madonna in the final trio. Of course they can sing the songs just fine, but there’s not much energy going on. A little flat, if well sung, and no, it’s not numbness this time. It’s kind of a really freakishly talented Up With People sing Madonna. Skylar punches it up a little. Maybe it’s just the wacky choreo, like with the boys…but at least it ends on a more energetic note.

And with that….we end the night with Elise. Now, as I said earlier during her trio sing, she just kind of jerks me the wrong way. Not just her voice, which is great only…it’s just, I don’ t know she rubs me and it’s in the wrong way. I don’t even know why. But we wouldn’t be BFF’s. Just sayin. So, she won’t have to do much to live up to my expectations, because my expectations, they are low. She chooses…..Zepplin. Wha? Zepplin?? Well, at least she has my interest now! She’s going with Whole Lotta Love and you know what? Listening to her in rehearsal, I’m thinking that this might be the thing that shifts her voice to the happy place for me. Instead of trying to be so stylized and off alt with the tones, just sing some old smoky rock straight out, hard core. I hope she doesn’t try to “Elise” it up. We’ll see…. In rehearsal she and Stevie sing Stevie and it’s pretty good. Love how Stevie’s voice hasn’t changed at all. Okay, okay, so now….here we go! And….okay….wow! This is great. Truly great. Fantastic end to this night and total redemption for me. I believe her, and this song sounds great with her on lead. Who knew? I would stand up for this. Cuckoo night. Just….crazygonuts.

So….yeah. I haven’t a freaking clue who will be in the bottom. Coming in to tonight, I was certain it would be Elise, HeeJun and DeAndre. But yeah, that ain’t happenin’. They went and changed that all around, so who knows. Or….maybe it will still be them, as the remaining 6 after that have a pretty tight lock on their fan base. Maybe it’s easier to say who is certainly safe and that would be Colton and Phil2, probably Skylar, with the country vote. Jessica…probably also safe, though she could be that crazy Jennifer Hudson cut. So, who knows…could Joshua be in danger? Maybe even….Hollie? Or is her cuteness just too strong, in conjunction with the big voice?

I guess we’ll find out tomorrow night. Dang. That’s all I gotta say. And as Randy would say….they are certainly all in it to win it now, baby!

Who do you think goes? Not who you want to go, but who do you THINK will go? Don’t forget, last day to enter Free Stuff Friday - check out end of Monday’s blog for details. Winners announced here in Friday’s blog.

Now….DISH it like you mean it!! Whew!

Tags: Writing // 3 Comments »

So, last night on the first Dancing With the Stars elimination show, it was all very predictable, except, perhaps, who landed in the Bottom 3 with Martina and Gavin. I’m not sure who I expected to be there, but probably not Roshon. Now, they didn’t exactly say he was in the bottom 3 of vote getters, but they did confirm that Gavin & Martina were the Bottom 2.

There was a bunch of singing I fast forwarded through (I know, I like watching the dancers dance, but just not a big fan of the musical guests this week) while also hoping once again that the show would reconsider and please, please get rid of the dance troupe. I honestly don’t see what purpose they serve. I enjoy seeing our pros, from current and past seasons, but the troupe is incredibly redundant and…..who are they? Why do we care?

Then, as expected, Martina made her final turn on the dance floor with partner, Tony. (Who, once again? Screwed. Seriously, show, if you don’t give him a contender next season…..!!) I felt equally bad for them both.

Next week, we get the always emotionally and equally over-wrought “Personal Stories” dances. Now, given that we’re not dealing with overt issue oriented folks as we have in the past, who knows, maybe, for once, they’ll celebrate positive stuff. Hey…a girl can dream.

Tonight it’s American Idol, with the Top 9 singing songs honoring their Favorite Icon. The mentor? Stevie Nicks! I don’t know how excited I am about the theme, other than to say that I really hope the kids get access to the songs they really want to sing, and not a really truncated list of “pick your favorite icon….from these 5″ kind of deal. I’m definitely happy there is at least an opportunity for variety and it’s not a songbook from one outdated performer (no matter how iconic.) I’m more interested to see how Stevie Nicks is as a mentor. I’ve always liked her music but have rarely, if ever, seen her in interviews, etc, so this should be interesting!

Don’t forget to enter this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest! Check the end of Monday’s blog post for all the entry details! Winner announced in Friday’s blog!! Good luck!

Now? DISH! Is it inevitable that Gavin goes next? And then who after that? Will Elise once again fall to the bottom of the pack on Idol, or will she pull a Haley Reinhart and rise from the ashes of the perennial bottom feeders? Is this the week that HeeJun finally seals his fate? And then what? Who goes next when it gets down to the powerhouses?

Tags: Writing // 3 Comments »

We’re LIIIIIIIIIIIVE with Dancing With the Stars, Week 2!

And because I’m blogging liiiiiiive, no pics are available from tonight yet, so will add them later in the day Tuesday as they come available. (Updated! Pics added!) But wanted to post this fresh as I’m blogging as I watch.

So, right off the bat, Hello Brooke’s girls! And no, I’m not talkin’ ’bout her daughters. Holy cleavage, Batman! I dare you to look at her face. Double dare you, in fact. (Heh.) Put those things away, will you? Someone could get hurt!

Okay….look at Tom….only at Tom…..

On second thought, no….let’s look at William, shall we? We shall….

Ahhhhhh.

Tonight each team gets their second chance to earn your votes and survive this season’s first elimination. If they danced ballroom last week, they dance latin this week, and vice versa.

Okay, so first impressions as they come cascading down the stairs in a veritable hailstorm of sequiny glitter….

Maria & Derek: she seems really….layered. And the 70’s called. They want that belt back.
Jack & Anna: So, maybe it’s 70’s theme night and I just didn’t know. Because orange shirt/rust vest? Yeah. I can’t see if there’s bell bottoms involved, but we can hope for the best. Anna’s fringe placement creates quite the seismic illusion as she bounces down the stairs. Duck, Jack, she could put an eye out with those!
Donald & Peta: Donald is all understated in his best man at the wedding attire. Well, by ballroom standards. And Peta apparently wants us to forget her burlesque-bordering-on-full-out-strip-tease outfit of last week with her impression of Donna Reed. You know, if Donna Reed was Russian. And secretly wanted to be Marilyn Monroe.
Gavin & Karina: I….don’t even know what to say about Gavin’s head gear. Does he have to wear a hat? Is that the gimmick? Because, um…let’s just say, not doing him any favors. At all. Nice leather jacket, however.
Chelsie & Roshon looking very dapper and promlike. All she needs is a wrist corsage, and we’re all set.
Val & Sherri: Sherri is al kinds of sparkly, but in a way that completely matches her personality. (Thank you for putting her in black. Looks good.) Val is in his customary oh-no-my-shirt-might-split-apart-any-second attire. And I’m not complaining.
Maks is otherwise covered up, so apaprently there is only so much Chmerkovskiy skin we can handle at any one time on the ballroom floor, and Melissa Gilbert is all in spar–
::thunk::
Sorry. Can’t….type. Just got a glimpse of the Serious Man Candy entering the ballroom. Holy crap, William is wearing a full on gorgeous tux. I haven’t a single clue what Cheryl has on. She could be naked for all we care.

Where did I put my fan? Dammit, why wasn’t I prepared?? WHY??

Then other people come down the stairs, some in glitter, some, like Martina, in seriously miscalculated fashion choices, Kym looking like Santa’s very naughty stripper elf, and then–okay, lets face it–I honestly couldn’t care less. Fast forward dammit! William! Oh, William!

Aaaand, deep appreciative sigh…there we are. Let’s pause here and genuflect for a moment. Or ten. Shall we?

If only all my hot flashes had such delectable origins…

Okay, okay, dancing. Blogging. I know! Can’t a girl have some fun??

Who is up first?

Chelsie & Roshon get the quick step…and the minute they hit the floor, I am transported back to the utter divineness that was last week’s show. Apparently we are in for another treat-worthy night if this is any indication of what’s to come. Utterly delightful! Sure, he had a few dorky leg moments–he’s got some really long skinny ones!–but that’s a tough dance and some tough choreo. Chelsie did not slack on him with this. I thought the charm outweighed the occasional herky jerky moment and he gets bonus points because it looked like he was leading Chelsie and not the other way around. Props to Chelsie for reigning him in. Judges? They agree–Len gushes!–and give them a 26. And, you know? To pull that difficulty off at that level in week 2? I’ll give it to em.

Sherri & Val tackle the Jive…this should be good! And? It is! They get Proud Mary. HA! And their behind the scenes practice reel? OMG, tears rolling down my cheeks hilarity. And the dance? Is made of awesome! From her sparkly gold fringe to her full out Tina Turner impression, I was DYING the whole time. LOVED it! That’s entertainment, folks, even if it’s not the most techinically correct ballroom and they totally bagged one whole move. Who cares? I do not. Judges go wild–and honestly, you just have to after that. (Shoot! As they cross the room, they apparently do the slide-between-the-legs move they abdicated earlier but the camera was on Tom! Who I love, and dearly, but come on! I want to see that!) Score: 23 And some boos because the enthusiasm is killer, but that was right on.

Seriously with this season! SO entertaining and fun, fun, fun! THANK YOU, Show, for finally getting it right. No tears, no drama, just joyful noise, lotsa dancing, with a heapin’ pile of sparkles on top. I didn’t think I could love this show again. Instead, I’ve never loved it more.

Maks & Melissa are up next with the quick step, to Billy Idol (who she apparently once dated. Ha!) Maks rehearsal pants? Hammer time? And….here we go! It doesn’t have the wow-pizazz factor of the previous two dances, but she’s come a long way even since her first dance a week ago, so good self improvement and nice, spunky, challenging choreo from Maks! Judges: Agree with Carrie Ann that she’ll improve incredibly once she relaxes, and also with Len, that when her stamina gets better, that will help, too. Score: 20 Maybe a hair low in comparison, but at most, I’d have gone 21, even taking into consideration this season’s score inflation rate.

Speaking of score inflation...Jack & Anna are up next. They were the team where I differed with the judges opinion the most. Of course, they were first out and so a lot of the gush can be credited to that, and they were mega charming, but I thought Jack was really awkward and just masked it well with Anna’s very skillful choreo. So, I guess the proof will be this week, if he can pull off the much trickier, wigglier jive content. (Yes, wigglier!) They’re funny in rehearsal, so I have hopes! I want him to be good. And, you know what? He is waaaay better than I thought he’d be. He still has a bit of that geek-dork Dick Van Dyke component going on, but it’s kind of charming in it’s own way. Good on ya, Jack! He does go for it and that’s worth a lot, but you can already see the pros are sort of panicking a little and really pushing harder, faster tempo choreo than they typically would this early on. I hope they temper that a bit. I’d rather have more moderate and fun then panicked and frenzied. Judges? I pretty much concur across the board. Score:21 which is a more accurate assessment.

Aww, Tristan & Gladys are up next, so we’re going back to our Happy Place. I adored her last week and I can’t imagine that’s gonna change this week. They have the quick step, so I hope Tristan is good to her with his choreo. She’s hard on herself and she really wants to perform at a competitive caliber and I respect that so much! Here we go! They’re dancing to Stevie’s Sir Duke at some really weird half tempo speed. Now, I know they want to go easy so she looks good and strong, and I just said I wanted them to calm the crazy a little, but sometimes, half speed is harder because you stutter through the steps trying to stay slow and on the beat. Plus, this song? WAY not good for this dance, at any speed. Truly well and screwed on music selection. So…I don’t know that any of that did her any favors. It certainly knocked the buzz factor way down. But she did a good job. It just made her look old, with a dance-with-your-mom-at-the-wedding vibe, instead of funky and fun…and Gladys has a whole lot of funk in her. So….come on, Tristan!! Don’t let her–or us–down. Judges:agreed across the board, even with Len. Score:19 I’d have gone 5, given the other scores tonight. Len with a 5 was a bit harsh. They’re still booing him. But Tom? Smooches! And HA!

Mark & Katherine, who were just adorable and stunning and made Mark tolerable last week. So I hope she kills on Latin this week, too. I think she’s just about the cutest thing ever. But they have the jive and she’s one full body blush at the idea of gyrating her “naughty bits” like she needs to. Which? Also adorable. I know. You want to just put her in your pocket, don’t you? I hope she let’s go and gets into it and goes full on Welsh Wiggler so we don’t just see Mark over-dancing like a mad fiend (what are the chances he won’t? Zero.) I want her to at least make an impact to deflect that, but she’s just so damn cute, who cares, right? Crossing fingers….here they go! Oooh, they get one of my all time favorite songs that I got hooked on from last season of So You Think You Can Dance - Robert Randolph’s Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong With That.…and it’s F-A-S-T! Wow, I’m already so nervous for her!! And OHMYGOD look at them GO!!! And she’s going for it. Alllllll of it!! Holy moly that’s so damn fast. And you know what? She’s so freaking gorgeous, but with that girl-next-door cuteness all at the same time that she actually makes his over-the-top mugging look right. Like….who wouldn’t do the cartoon ah-ooooooohga!! looking at her, you know?? I adored all of it. Even Mark. Now I have to go lie down. I can’t believe I typed that. Judges? I totally agree with them. Score? 26 Totally earned. On fun alone.

Jaleel & Kym get the jive tonight. I just loved loved loved them last week. So classy. I can’t wait to see him get his Latin on. They’re adorable in training, so have good expectations on the floor. Unfortunately, they get a Bruno Mars song that is waaaaay too lightweight to really bring the buzz to the floor, especially after the last routine. There’s no meat to it to connect to. But they dance around the floor, fleet of feet and effortless rhythm, with Jaleel really putting all the charm into it he can to save it, doing a grand job of it. I just wish all that loveliness had been accentuated by the music than pulled off in spite of it. He’s still an elegant, handsome dude. Judges? Sadly, I agree with them, but not about the dance, it was really the fault of the music. Score: 22. And, yeah, I can deal with that.

Derek & Maria are next up with their quick step. Also fun behind the scenes peeks. They are the cuteness together. I like how her tomboy-ness, dork laughter totally cracks Derek up, even when–maybe especially when–he’s trying to be serious. You can see they’re truly enjoying the process. Here we go! And? Right back to the buzz! Fast, exciting, and good good goodness gracious! The masks were cute but a little distracting. On her, at least. But wow, was this her wheelhouse or what? A slight missed step on their last run kept it from perfection. Derek, good job! Judges? Liked it, a little helpful commentary, but I concur! Scores: 25 That’s in keeping with the night. I concur!

This season? Serious with the goodness! Usually with this many couples, I’m fast forwarding and wondering when it will ever end. Tonight? I can’t believe we’re already heading home with it. Only 4 more to go. Wah!

Next up? Martina & Tony with the jive. Now, Martina is the most rhythmically challenged dancer of the 12, and yes, she has a very boxy, athletic frame. But, my god, what are you clothing her in? That looks horrible! However, the opening with her and Len? Surprisingly charming and sweet. Really sadly, and I mean sadly, it went downhill from there as she kind of froze up and forgot a lot of it. I felt equally bad for them both. For Martina, because she’s a great champion who doesn’t want to make a fool of herself. And Jimmy Connors is in the audience tonight, too, and I know she’s embarrassed, even though she did her best. For Tony, I also felt sad. Once again, he’s given the challenge partner. Now, he’s so wonderful with them, I understand why, but he’s also unfairly docked by that, because he rarely has the chance to go far. I wish they’d bring Jonathan back, who I adore as well, and who was also good with this kind of partner, if for no other reason than to give Tony the hot, young, potentially awesome dancer babe next season. He’s earned that, Show. And then some. I think it’s an easy guess who goes first, but it’s not a happy feeling. And this is the Happy Feet Season, so poo. Judges, be KIND. Essentially they are, as much as they can be. Bruno was exceptionally sweet. So, thank goodness for that. Scores: 17 Which…okay. Fair. Kind even. But this is where Len should be careful giving someone like Gladys a 5. Because, comparatively, Martina should have had at least a 4. Or lower. Now, he was kind and went with 5, but that’s kind of a slap to Gladys. Ya feel me, Lenny? Watch yer paddles, mon!

Donald & Peta are up with the quickstep. I thought he was underscored, in comparison, last week. So, I have high hopes for this week. He’s a hard worker with a really charming smile. What’s not to like? Here we go! And wow, utter delight. Peta looks lovely toned down and Donna Reed’d up—loved her dress–and Donald is all dash and charm. They are both effortless on their feet and it’s just a simple joy to behold. He partner’s her beautifully and given her gorgeous leaps, she clearly completely trusts him. Ahhh. Absolutely lovely! (And his adorable kids cheering? TOO cute!!) Judges? Wow, Len admits he underscored him last week. Thank you, Uncle Lenny!! Great reviews - yay! Scores? 24 Mmm, given other scores tonight, I’d have given him a 25 at least, maybe even so far as a 26.

We have Gavin & Karina next with the jive. Now, I don’t have the highest of hopes that he’ll nail a Latin dance. Okay, I have no hope at all of that. However, I am absolutely certain he’s going to make it entertaining! I feel for Karina because this is her wheelhouse and he really doesn’t have the stuff for it. He’s trying! But he’s no Mario, Karina. So work with what he does have. Endearing charm and a great sense of humor. In spades. It’s your only hope. It’s definitely his only one. And? Here we go! Okay, I started laughing — in a good way! — right off the bat and just giggled myself silly through the whole thing. Oh, bless his heart!! He just goes for it. And goes…and goes….!!! Like the energizer DWTS bunny, that’s who he is. How can you not love that spirit? And you know what? Karina actually got a dance out of him, so giant kudos to her! I adored every part of his geeky, dancin’ self! Seriously, don’t send him home! And be nice judges. He’s dance challenged and yet he just did what Martina couldn’t do. He let loose and had himself a righteous blast. HA! And HA again! Judges: Oh, Lenny, muchas smoochas for that kind and loving review! That’s exactly how I felt. (Again, I’m typing crazy talk! Next up? Dogs and cats, living together….) Brooke reveals that they spent 13 hours more in rehearsal than the other teams and so now my love is complete. I so admire that. A lot. More than a lot. Scores: 21 Which was pretty high, actually. I was hopin’ for 20 at least, so thank you judges for rewarding the heart.

So…Brooke is still trying to talk and give out phone numbers but suddenly there is crazy cheering in the audience. And it ain’t for Gavin’s very kind scores, y’all. Oh no….. But, OH YESSSS!!! Where’s my fan??!!????

Because the producers aren’t stoopid, after his reception last week, they save the hotness for last. And oh….what a hotness it is. As before, Cheryl, honey? You just send William on out there on the floor, sweetie, and have him stand there and look dashing and damn sexy in that tux. You can just dance the quick step around him. Or…not. We don’t really care much what you do. Me? I couldn’t care less that he dances. However, when he does? OMG. Yowza, yowza, and? YOWZA. Squared. Times ten. The charm! The smile! The…dear god he’s gorgeous. Thank you, show, thank you, so much, for finishing up this night on a fanning-self-worthy note. Heavy fanning. I need a cold drink, too. Ice. Lots of ice. The really great thing is, this guy is not going anywhere because we women are a shallow, shallow breed when it comes to men who look like him and we’re totally unapologetic about it. But how much nicer when he gets to stay on the show based on merit as well. Win win. WINNING! Judges? Well, I don’t even care, really, but they were more than kind–except for Len, who used up all his kind for a month, at least, already — because he was more than awesome! Bruno got it right on with his comparison to The Artist. (And did you see his adorable son in the audience? What a little heartbreaker he is!! Those eyes!) Scores?25 Oh Len. But I’ll take it!

All in all, another great night! Maybe not completely the over-the-top giddiness of last week, but a delightfully fun and upbeat night of entertainment. And it ended on such a high note. I can’t ask for anything more than that. My favorite dances of the night? For dancing: Mark & Katherine, Donald & Pita, Cheryl & William. For pure fun? Sherri/Val and Gavin/Karina.

And now? I get to watch Castle. I know. It’s like an embarrassment of riches!

Don’t forget to enter this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest! See Monday’s post for the details. Then get back on over here and DISH! Who did you love? Who is going home? Does Martina have the fan base to save her? And if so…then who goes?

Tags: Writing // 8 Comments »

Morning After Commentary:

So…Sunday night is now so crammed with television shows I enjoy, even my double-DVR can’t handle all the taping. I am forced to actually watch shows as they air. With commercials. And no fast forward capability. Seriously, it’s taxing.

I only caught up on a few last night, but each one was a goodie!

First up, Phil and the Amazing Technicolor Bathmat. (Otherwise known as The Amazing Race.) It was an interesting leg as we go to Azerbaijan! Our Phil live tweeted last night, so I scrolled through and one of the things he commented on was how teams started the tradition of jumping on the finish line mat during the first season and how it continued…until last season, when no one did. The Amazing Bathmat is the check in point at the end of each leg of the race. The show never specified in the rules that teams had to jump on the mat, the only rule is they can’t get officially checked in until both members are standing on it. He happened to mention to the teams that it had always been a funny thing to him, why teams did that, but it no longer seems to be the thing. So….naturally, all the teams have started jumping on the mat. And, just as naturally, now that he’s mentioned it, I was watching for it every time a team checked in!

There wasn’t much team drama this leg, but there was a lot of laughs! I truly enjoy how some of the teams, Team Border Patrol and Team Kentucky in particular, kid around and have bonded with each other….and this was in high hilarity form this leg when they had to scrape crude oil off of grown men. Grown, mostly naked, very hairy men. Laugh out loud funny. I had to wipe tears. Also? Ewwwwwww!!!!

Next week, however, the drama returns, apparently when the claws come out. Sigh. And zzzzzzz. Seriously with that? So Team Big Bro Rachel and her guy, not a big fan, so was happy they got almost zero camera time this leg. Team Bambi/Rambo had a bit more face time, but only because they show a remarkable inability to see clues when they are right in front of their faces. Plus? “Cheese and crackers!” might have become part of my daily swearing substitution lexicon, if, you know…someone else had been the one to use it. I have a feeling the fast forward button will be a Must Use next week when Bambi goes up against BB Rachel.

Then TeamMaritalAngst, aka Other Rachel and her AggroArmy spouse were slightly more tolerable this leg, too. I appreciate that she totally doesn’t take his crap, but for some reason, as time progresses, I’m not bonding to her much, either. Mostly I’m just happy when they don’t bicker and therefore get less screen time.

Also Team FBI Posing As Teachers are still in it. Now…I have to laugh. They were sooo proud of themselves for deciding to tell the other teams they were school teachers instead of agents, so they wouldn’t be seen as a threat. They are still proud of this…regardless of the fact that their racing abilities, or lack thereof, have long since removed them from that radar anyway. Ha! I’m not sure they get that…. But, they are still in it, and I do like them otherwise, so keep racing Undercover Schoolmarms!

Which leaves the Team Jersey Shore as the last team. And, you know, just when they were beginning to annoy me less and crack me up more…they come in last and are sent packing. I would have much rather had them hang around than any one of the three dating/married couples. Maybe we’ll get luckier next week!

For now, I am rooting for Team Border Patrol and Team Kentucky to hang in there until the end, mostly because they’re the most entertaining to watch, and it would make for the Most Emotional Final Bathmat Landing Ever!

Okay….moving on over to Once Upon A Time. They go to Wonderland this week with the Mad Hatter. I love All Things Alice, so was really looking forward to this week. (Was I the only one, when first seeing the Mad Hatter in Storybrooke, having Adam Lambert Mad World flashbacks? Just me? Okay then.)

And though the storyline was a bit more convoluted and less directly understandable than it has been, the idea that someone in Storybrooke actually knows what’s really going on was enticing, to say the least. And that he managed to get Emma at least thinking about it…I mean, really thinking about it…made all the incongruous stuff that came before a lot more entertaining. What bummed me out most of all was that I know Roger Daltrey (yes, of Who fame) was the voice of the hookah smoking caterpillar in Wonderland, so I kept waiting for him to come back and actually play a role of some kind after our first glimpse of him. Only….not so much. So…I don’t get it. Why have the Big Guest Voiceover Appearance and not use it? Disappointment.

Next week we finally find out what happened between the Evil Queen and Snow White that caused her to launch this whole offensive in the first place. Bonus is we get Barbara Hershey as the EQs equally evil mother, and rumor has it, she’ll be back next season. (Which was renewed!! Wahoo!) So…while we’re waiting for that deliciousness, here’s a link to an interview with the exec producers of the show, talking about what we have to look forward to the rest of the season: Once Upon a Time

Wrapped up the night watching Good Wife and wow. Just…every week, it’s crazy good. Matthew Perry begins his several-episode arc on the show this week. And he’s not a nice guy! Come on, I want Chandler to be nice!! But he was really good. I enjoyed watching Alicia getting her mad on and letting fly. Also love the continuation of the Kalinda storyline and am happy to see her and Alicia taking steps toward being friends again. I always liked their dynamic. But best part ever was the last fifteen seconds when Alicia stalks down mo-in-law, Jackie and corners her at the hairdresser. Did you see that smug look on Jackie’s face as she stood? Did you want to smack it right back off of her like I did? Ooooh. I can only hope it’s the most delicious set down ever when Alicia confronts her. And then to realize we have to wait TWO WEEKS to get that satisfaction? Argh! Award season, be OVER already!!

So….what did you think? What Amazing Race team are you rooting for? Are you rooting for Kalinda and hoping,like me, a baseball bat figures in there somewhere? Again? Did Once Upon A Time make you want to go rent Alice in Wonderland in every incarnation? I did hunger for a little Mad Hatter Depp…

But, before we start dishing, it’s Free Stuff Friday time! To enter this week’s contest, drop me an email to donna@donnakauffman.com with “Is it my turn yet? “in the subject line. I’ll draw one name from the pile and announce it here in Friday’s blog. (Don’t forget to check back to see if you’re a winner!!) Winning Blog Babe receives a copy of any book from my website bookshelf! Good luck!

Then come back over here and DISH! Tune in tomorrow to catch up on my dance-by-dance MAC on DWTS!!

Tags: Writing // 3 Comments »

So….not the most entertaining American Idol results show, ever….though it was fun seeing Joe Perry grace the Idol stage. Mostly because he dissed Steven for doing the show in the first place. I fast forwarded through the other “talent.” (Who is Lana Del Ray and why is she being inflicted upon us? ) I was excited to see Haley Reinhart, until, you know, I actually did. Overkill on the Vamp-o-meter and that song had absolutely no hook to it. I clicked through it and never sounded like it went anywhere. Disappointed.

Moved right along to the Bottom 3 announcement. And? I scored 2 out of 3 on my picks. Elise, who I honestly thought would go home despite her performance, was the one who was safe. Erika and DeAndre ended up in bottom as predicted, along with HeeJun, who certainly earned his spot there, but I thought would still have the votes to keep him safe. End of the day….DeAndre was safe, and so was HeeJun. Erika was out. I wonder if she’d sung later in the evening, if maybe she’d have gotten the votes over Elise. Of those two, I’d have kept Erika and sent Elise packing. Elise has a specific vibe and great voice, but I don’t find her very entertaining to watch. Erika, on the other hand, really seemed to be coming into her own. Regardless, I don’t see Elise hanging around long. And it looks like HeeJun, and DeAndre will be fodder as well. I think, of that batch, DeAndre is the one with the hope to hang around the longest, mostly because he sings better than HeeJun and he’s cuter. Hey, the votes come where they come. I think after that batch is out, Joshua will be the one on the bubble next.

Once we’re down to Hollie, Jessica, Phillip, Skylar and Colton, things will get real interesting. If I had to predict Final Two right now, I’d say Phillip is a lock and then it’s up for grabs. Whoever has the most “moments” and figures out how to separate themselves from the pack. Probably not Hollie. But quite possibly Skylar, Colton or Jessica...

What say you, Blog Babes? Who do you think is in it for the long haul? Who are you rooting for? I don’t have a horse in the race this year, really. I’m just enjoying watching it all play out and entertaining myself trying to figure out how it will go…

I do know how one thing will go…I know how this week’s It’s My Party Giveaway worked out!! Thank you all for your enthusiastic entering! We were quite global this week!!! Woot! The two winners, who get their pick from my website bookshelf, are? Sue Galuska, and Anne Martel!! Just send me an email to donna@donnakauffman.com with a few title choices (in case I’m out of the on you pick)….or you can pick upcoming releases as well, and they will be sent to you as soon as the advance copies hit my hot little hands! Congratulations!!!

Tune in next week for more DWTS and Idol DISH and another contest!!

Anne Martel and Sue Galuska!!

Tags: Writing // 1 Comment »

Okay, so I know everyone seems to be excited about Billy Joel Week. And, I’m not a huuuge fan, but he’s got a great collection of songs and some I very much enjoy. And yet…is he even remotely relevant to these kids? To us–to me–in today’s music anyway? Not so much. (Is he even making music anymore? How long has it been? I mean, Steven Tyler, Bruce, a lot of folks from his–my–era are still relevant because they’re still making music. Billy? Again…really?) So, I was really disappointed with this theme and I’m not sure the kids will really bring the depth to this that Billy did. Guess we’re gonna find out!

Tommy Hilfiger is styling the kids this week. They do look better, so there is that.

Diddy is the guest mentor this week, sitting in with Jimmy Iovine, and given how many performers and artists he’s groomed in his career, I expected him to be really good. He does have some quality content to his guidance, but, overall, I wasn’t as wowed by him as I’ve been by the previous two mentors.

DeAndre - Only the Good Die Young. Yay, we start with a song I know and enjoy. He sings fine, keeps it light and fun, if not particularly inspired. (No falsetto for the first time ever….which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.) But he doesn’t have the depth to remotely interpret this song believably. That and his first up position tonight might put him in danger. Judges were kinder than I thought they would be.

Erika Van Pelt does New York State of Mind. Being slightly older than the other contestants, and having a more bluesy voice, she might do better with this than the others. Will it lift her from the bottom and bring her votes? We’ll see. The bigger thing was Tommy’s makeover for her. Wow! What a huge change!! For the way better. She looks like a completely different person. Her clothes are incredibly flattering as well. She sings it beautifully, even though it’s not as recognizable a song, so might lose a little with audience that way. But there wasn’t anything more she could have done. If this doesn’t get her out of the bottom, she’s done. Judges loved it.

Joshua Ledet sings She’s Got a Way in black tie. Sharp. He doesn’t know the song, so he’ll take it and move it into his wheelhouse, more gospel. (Why didn’t he do River of Dreams with full gospel choir? He could have killed that! I wonder if that’s the group song….) He starts seated, which….hmm. I don’t know that that helps him. Get up, Joshua. And…he does. Unfortunately, it’s still really kind of boring, even though he gives it “the treatment” and he does get the choir and get into it by the end. But it was largely unrecognizable, making these songs sound even more dated than I expected them, too…and I actually know them. I can’t imagine the youngsters out there are really connecting to this at all. Which means they’ll just vote on who they think is cute. Sigh. The judges get it just right. Mostly because they completely agree with me.

Skylar sings Shameless, but mostly I’m just wanting Tommy to fix her up. Like…a lot. Again with the starting off sitting. When she gets up….I’m not sure the swoops of fabric around her hips does her any favors, but she’s way more polished anyway. Hair/makeup nice improvement. Now…either I don’t know this song at all, or she’s countried it up to the point that I don’t (not in a bad way.) But….I just feel kind of lost and left out of it. It’s boring. I like the nights when I identify more- WAY more - with the music being sung, that I can follow along because I know it and feel it. And if I don’t know it, then get me involved. This? Is SO not that night. Billy Joel’s raw emotion is what sells his music and these kids aren’t Billy like that. It’s just…a big miss for me. They sing this stuff perfunctorily, so It’s like speed bump night. Just get over it. Crowd loves her, judges like her talent well enough, but more despite the song rather than because of it.

Me? I start to nod off…..

Elise Testone sings Vienna. Sigh. Bottom 3 for two weeks and she picks one of Billy’s songs that he’s probably even forgotten. It’s not going to matter what kind of transformation Tommy gives her (and she needs one even more than Erika), or how hugely she kills it on stage. I will go so far as to say automatic bottom 3, before she even sings, just on choice alone. ::shakes head….:: She doesn’t follow Tommy’s advice and looks like she always does (why not just go straight home now?) However! Of all the singers tonight, accompanied by piano and accordion, she gets the closest of anyone to imbuing the song with the same kind of emotion that Billy does. She gets a standing O from the judges, the crowd goes wild. So…it’s truly unfortunate that she’s going to go home this week. But she will.

Phil Squared is up, singing Movin’ Out. Yay, finally a song I know! What’s up the wads of paper stuck in his ears as he talks to Ryan up front? ?? Then it’s off to Tommy, who seriously wants him to stop dressing like he buys his clothes at the pawn shop he used to work in. I’m thinking it will be a task to get anything with color on this guy. And Diddy almost has a complete emotional break trying to get an upbeat performance out of Phillip. (Um, has he watched this guy? It’d be like asking Neil Young to boogie. Not happening.) Phil will feeeel this song when he’s on stage, for sure, but…. Ah, I’ll just wait. So…I’m glad he keeps the guitar this time. (Though it was an epic fail for Tommy as Phil does nothing to improve his look. Sorry, Tommy. I was so hopeful.) He does a really Phil job on the song, completely rearranges it (figures, the one song I could get involved with….) and, I get that, for him, it’s brilliant and everyone will lose their mind over it. And if you dig him you should. It was smart and brave and it worked. I just…for me…it wasn’t my thing. Of course, other than the major exception last week, he usually isn’t my thing. So, just ignore me. (Hey! I heard that!) He’ll get a landslide of votes this week, and I think he totally earned them. (Just because I don’t care for it, doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the artistry of it.) Comparatively, he and Elise have done the most with the challenge tonight. (And Steven tossing him his glittery scarf was hilarious. I’d vote just for that.)

Diddy gets better as the night goes on.

Hollie gets Honesty, which she will kill even if she just imbues it more with her power than his rawness…but I’m still goggling at how she suddenly has this, well..this rack. I mean, she’s tiny and the girls, they were up and present in that top. Agreed all around that last week’s dress was hideous, but this might have careened in the other direction. I do love the svelte white suit though, and the glam hair. Sharp! And sure, she belts it out, though her S’s are all kind of sh’d up. Not sure what that’s about. Still, she stays right in her wheelhouse. Exciting? Eh, not really. But she does everything she can with it. The end was oddly weird, but I doubt she’s in trouble. Now, put those boobs away before you poke an eye out! Judges were accurately critical.

Happy Hailey is back to sing tomorrow night!

HeeJun is up next singing My Life. Well, that could be interesting. Diddy doesn’t get his dry humor–at all–which makes it even more hilarious. And then Tommy doesn’t get it either. Like, to the point that, I think by the time they were done, Tommy wanted to disavow himself from whatever the hell HeeJun might wear. Amusing here at at home, but, for HeeJun’s sake, I….just don’t know what’s gonna happen. Okay, so I thought the fake open was fantastic and totally HeeJun. I loved that he went for the uptempo and just had fun, as well as chose a song to kind of bravado his way through last week’s critiques in a funny way. However–and it’s a big one–his voice wasn’t there for this kind of song, which ends up making it seem more like he’s mocking it, and the judges comments, than getting into it and making his rebel statement with a grin. Which was his intent. I’m afraid the judges will crush him…but the fans appreciated the effort. You can’t say he didn’t take a risk and go for it! He gets my vote just for not being boring. THANK YOU!

So, wow, it’s clear even before the first word that Steven is pissed. Which is hilarious since he’s the rebel rocker who should totally appreciate something like this. JLo and Randy temper it a little, and keep it real. Which will likely pump the votes. All in all…what the hell else was he supposed to do? Another ballad? Not after last week. I think this was perfect choice, just wish the voice had matched the effort.

Next up, Jessica Sanchez who gets Everybody Has a Dream (zzzzz) and is really the only one who doesn’t need Tommy, but who will most appreciate him. So, she’ll just do the same thing Hollie did. Even if she does the less is more Diddy thing, it’s not going to matter. No matter how believable she makes it, it’s still going to be ballad zzzzzz. I just want this week to be over, so we can at least listen to her powerhouse through something we want to otherwise hear. She gets a standing O, but….you know…been there, sang that. And she did, and she does, and she will. Hope she doesn’t get Pia’d at some point…but I think it’s possible.

We end the night with Colton, who also already knows his style, which….I won’t comment on, but skinny pants and white skunk streak and what else matters? So, Tommy could sit this one out, too. He takes on Piano Man and takes on the piano. I hope he nails it because this is about as close to a perfect match as possible. Nice way to close out the show. The key he opens in is kind of rough, but I know he goes there so he can build into the rest of the song. He does a great job with it. I’m not a weekly Colton fan, but like Phil last week, Colton got me this week. Would I download it? No. But he did a great job with it and it was a relief to end the show with a SONG I ACTUALLY KNOW. And singing it in a recognizable way. You get votes just for that.

So, these kids are talented to the point that no theme week will throw them. However, I would like to not just appreciate their talent, but be truly entertained by the songs they get to sing. So please, Nigel, for the love of all that’s Billboard, PLEASE go to a better place next week.

Moments tonight…Colton, Elise & Phil. Phil & Colton will stay. Elise will be in the bottom with Erika, again. They’re beyond rescuing, I believe, from the voters who have already latched on to the cutie patootie boys and powerhouse girls. Who will join them? Possibly DeAndre, but just as possibly Joshua. I doubt it will be Hollie, Skylar, or Jessica…or HeeJun. So….we’ll see! DeAndre might have a better lock on the tweens, which is where Joshua, when he performs early and doesn’t have that huge, memorable moment, will be vulnerable. So I lean toward him this week. Going home, though? I’m pretty sure it will be Elise.

Will I nail it three weeks running? I dunno. It will get trickier and trickier when Elise and Erika are gone. Will HeeJun and DeAndre go after that as you’d imagine? Or will it be Joshua? WIll Jessica or Hollie get Pia’d? I think we’ll see some very interesting ups and downs in the Bottom 3 in coming weeks!

What did you think? And did you enter this week’s contest? Check out Tuesday’s blog post for the details! Winners announced tomorrow! For all the latest dish, chat, and Harem Hunks, head up to the top of the page and join me on Facebook & Twitter! Then come back here and DISH!!

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