Mel B | Pure Dancing with the Stars

DWTS Season 11, Week 6 – Odds & Ends Media Part 1

So much to report today! Good thing Heidi has collaborated with me on this one again!! 🙂

First up, more news on next week’s shows. According to Playbill, the 200th show, along with Rod Stewart and Taylor Swift, will include a broadway performance from the cast of “Mary Poppins”.

The 200th episode of “Dancing with the Stars: The Results Show,” which airs Nov. 2 at 8 PM ET on ABC, will feature the cast of Mary Poppins. Led by Caroline Sheen as Mary and Nicolas Dromard as Bert, the company will perform “Step in Time.” The performance will mark the second time “Dancing with the Stars” has hosted a Disney on Broadway musical. Last year, the cast of The Lion King performed “Circle of Life.”

Also, for you Damian Whitewood and Peta Murgatroyd fans like myself, stay tuned. She’s confirmed to me at facebook that the two will be dancing in the Results show again this week. They’ve been tweeting about it too. *dies* I love these two!! 🙂

There is also more news on Maks’ and Brandy’s special Halloween appearance on The Ellen Show today from The Examiner. Apparently, he’s going to be escorting Brandy as Prince Charming. Brandy will be dressed as Minnie Mouse. Be sure to tune in today on ABC. It’s an Ellen show you won’t want to miss.

Speaking of Maks and Brandy, more pics have been released of their “OK” shoot and the full interview has been released. Here is one of the pictures and a snippet from the article. Be sure to see and read more at the link. 9 photos in total.

What’s the most important thing being on Dancing With the Stars has taught you?Brandy: Staying in the moment. Dance is all about trusting the moment and letting the dance flow through you, instead of over analyzing.

It’s a lot of exercise. How are you feeling?Brandy: Great, very energized. I’m starting to develop some calf muscles and we all want those Britney Spears legs, so if I keep dancing and keep doing my lunges, I’ll have some killer legs. And my midsection is looking a little muscular. Not a six-pack yet but watch out, Janet Jackson!

What surprised you about doing DWTS?Brandy: The level of fear that comes with the show is unexpected. You are so
nervous on Mondays. There’s judgment, constructive criticism and being compared to other people. I’m really proud that I’m able to get out there every Monday.
Maks: I think she retains choreography quick, but she still gets nervous on Mondays and it can jeopardize our performance. But I feel like now, week by week, she gets more and more comfortable.

Are you enjoying the costumes?Brandy: Oh, when I wear the costumes I feel like a completely different
person. With the hair and the makeup — I feel like a real-life Barbie doll. My favorite so far was the one for the samba. It was really tight at the top and flowy at the bottom. I felt really sexy in it and I don’t feel sexy a lot in my real life!

In other fun interviews out there, Lacey talks to TooFab. Here is a take from that interview.

On her chances of winning with partner Kyle Massey …“You never have any idea with this show. Obviously, we ‘d love to be at the end, but at the same time we’re happy we’ve made it this far!”

On Audrina’s elimination …“She’s so lovable and so sweet and was doing amazing on the show. I was definitely shocked to see her go. At this point in the game though, we’re shocked no matter what. We’re like a family, we never want to see anybody go. She’ll be really missed.”

On why Bristol Palin’s lasted so long, despite low scores …“She’s more of the underdog and she knows she’s the underdog. She’s working her butt off, she’s sweet and such a great girl, she’s having a blast.”

On dancing with Kyle …“He’s like a little brother. He’s super fun at all of our rehearsals. And I totally understand how my mom felt raising me and my brother.”

On what we haven’t seen on the show …“Kyle has a basketball he named Jacko Wilson. It can’t leave his sight during rehearsals. He’ll go talk to it for 5 minutes. We play basketball, kickball with Jacko. It’s really fun.”

On their toughest competition …“At this point, it’s hard to say. We’re all really consistent at this point, but there are ones that will definitely make it to the finale, like Jennifer [Grey].”

And YOU GO William Shatner on Jimmy Kimmel!! Check out who he thinks is “America’s Greatest Dancer” and even compares him to Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in one. I have to say he’s pinned it about Derek. What do you think? He loves Dancing With The Stars. See why here.

More coming up Guys. So, stay tuned!! 😉

DWTS, Season 11, Week 6 – Recovering from the Aftershock and Media

As most of you know, next week, Dancing with the Stars will celebrate its 200th episode. Associated Content is reporting that each celebrity will perform a dance they have not learned yet as well as a team dance. To celebrate the 200th episode, past DWTS contestants will return. Among those confirmed to return to the ballroom are Helio Castroneves, Kelly Osbourne, Emmitt Smith, Drew Lachey, Mel B. and Gilles Marini. There will also be two group dances, led by “DWTS” winners , team captains Kristi Yamaguchi (season 6) and Apolo Ohno (season 4). Musical guests include Taylor Swift and Rod Stewart.

Right now, this is all very confusing to me and messy. I hope that isn’t the case next week. We are all confused enough by what happened this past week with the elimination of Audrina and Tony which I still haven’t recovered from. lol (Heidi: It didn’t confuse me. 😉 )

Speaking of….Erin Andrews dished to Movie Line on her thoughts on the devastating elimination. Here are some snippets from that interview. Be sure to see the link for more.

In fact, it’s probably good to have a bad week. Then people remember to vote for you. Otherwise you end up like Audrina did yesterday!I’m… stunned. Are you stunned?

Traumatized!Ha! I was shocked. I was actually flying back from LA, and I hadn’t gotten to see the show. When I landed, I read Maks’s Twitter, and it said, “America got it wrong.” And I was like, “What?!” They were the last people I thought would be eliminated. I was with Tony [Dovolani, Audrina’s partner] at dinner the night before. Let me tell you, there are some nights you think you’re going home. But that was not the vibe any of us felt about those two.

Ouch, you got to talk to them the night before? Were they at all pessimistic? I mean, they tied for second place this week.Second place. It was unbelievable. I don’t think either one of them had the sense they’d be leaving at all. I think everyone kind of thought, “Ehh, maybe this person will go, that person. Maybe it’s time for that person to go.” But not those two!

On Maks, Brandy, and Bristol, she said this…..

Yeah, you got to witness the Brandy-Maks dynamic firsthand. What did you think?I liked it! You know, I thought their dance was great. I thought he kind of stole the show with the leather pants — no offense to Brandy. I mean, he comes out in those pants and it’s like, what else are you supposed to focus on? But I loved meeting her. She was great. You can tell she really, really, really wants to win this thing. She kept saying it over and over. She kept saying, “I really want to win this. I really want to win this.” She said she was glad I was came and she appreciated the support. So I enjoyed meeting her.

I know you said Bristol did better this week, but how optimistic are you for her future on the show?I don’t know. It’s just going to get harder. Obviously the night of the dance marathon that night, I was there. But they’re going to have to start doing two dances. It’s going to get worse. The competition will get more difficult. I mean, if she can stay in it, and I know she wants to, I’m all for it. Good for her. But it’s just going to start getting harder. I don’t remember what her criticism was that night, but I thought she did have the technique. Her technique looked great. She’s just got to let herself go, emotions-wise. I don’t know what dances she has coming up, but it’s not going to be any easier. And the judges aren’t going to get any easier as well.

Mark Ballas has blogged a little about the next week’s dances and Bristol at USA Today. Here’s what he wrote;

Time to kick it into overdrive!

The results show just wrapped and I only have about 20 minutes before the remaining cast hops into a minibus and heads to rehearsal for three hours tonight. We have two dances next week: a partner dance like we always have, and a group dance. For the group dance, we’re separating into two teams of three couples, each headed up by either (former season champs) Apolo (Ohno) or Kristi (Yamaguchi) my partner when we won Season 6. I really hope I’m with Kristi, as we’re close friends and work very well together.

It might sound redundant by now, but I’m really proud of Bristol. After getting the poor scores and doing our worst last week, getting the encore performance this week was incredible! I knew heading into Monday’s show that Bris would do well, and she killed it. I wish (judge) Len (Goodman) hadn’t docked us the point for separating, but it doesn’t matter because Bristol is coming alive on the floor!

Have you noticed how she’s really owned the judges’ critiques of more emotional performing, playing a character and enjoying the dance? The more comfortable she feels, the better I think we’ll do. Isn’t it fun watching Bristol get better every week? I know I love it, and I get a front-row seat. Each week, this competition will get more heated. The dancers are a close bunch, and we become like a big family with the celebs. But on show days and with someone going home on results shows, backstage gets really tense. I mean awkward tense. Everyone is working hard, and no one wants to lose.

We hope to have more blogs coming up. So, stayed tuned.

Thanks to Heidi and Pure Derek Hough for this interview of Derek at Popwatch. He may like the “Theme Nights” but, I think it’s safe to say from the reaction here, fans of the show are over them. More at the link.

Does anyone on the show take the “in jeopardy” thing seriously at this point? Were you and Jen shaken at all to be “under the red light”?You forget while it’s happening that it may not be a real bottom two. That red light is like the warming light at a diner. You hope that something good comes out of it, but you never really know.

How important do you think is the order in which couples dance on Mondays? Any idea how the order is determined? Are you relieved whenever you find out you’re dancing near the end of the show?
Every couple is different. I’m not sure how they choose who goes first and last, but I’d prefer if we always went in the middle somewhere.

So many theme nights this fall! Are you tired of shaping dances around themes, or do you think themes are necessary to keep things interesting after so many seasons?
The themes present new challenges. I like that aspect of it — we get to think even more creatively about choreographing and props.

Heidi’s Note: Found an article about Audrina’s elimination and the guest judges next week at Access Hollywood:

Next week’s “Dancing” episode will mark the show’s 200th episode and more than 50 former celebrity contenders will be back for the monumental event.

Helio Castroneves, Kelly Osbourne, Emmitt Smith, Drew Lachey, Mel B and Gilles Marini will all return to serve as guest judges, while Apolo Anton Ohno and Kristi Yamaguchi will also be back to serve as head team captains for a group dance round with the show’s current contenders.

On Tuesday, Kristi, who returned to the ballroom, said she’s ready to take down her fellow skater after seeing him land a couple of his “Dancing” numbers in the Viewer-Voted All Time Top 10. (Click HERE to see which dances made the list)

“He had two dances in the top 10 and that just stoked my fire because I want to turn the heat on now,” she said. “I want my team to beat his.”

In TV Alerts out there: Be sure to watch The Ellen Show on Friday. Maks and Brandy are making a guest appearance on Ellen’s special “Halloween” show. Should be good.

Lastly, just a reminder that today is the last day you can vote in the “Design a Dance” competition for your favorite dancers. So be sure to get your votes in if you want to see your favorites dance.

Ok, that is for now All!! More later if you are good. 😉

DWTS11 Preliminary Power Rankings, Part II

So last week, I formulated who wouldn’t last past the midpoint of the competition in part I of my season 11 preliminary power ranking. Today, I’ll reveal my top half – and who I think is going to walk away with that mirrorball trophy. Enjoy & dicuss!

6.) Florence Henderson & Corky Ballas – I think these two could be interchangeable with Michael & Chelsie, depending on how memorable Florence can be. No doubt Florence will likely be the better dancer – she’s had legit experience, plus the footage I’ve seen of her practicing so far looks reeeeaaally good. She seems like a very focused, hard worker. She’s also got the boon of being the oldest cast member, which seems to bring its own voting fanbase with it. The one problem I think Flo might have is the comparisons she’s likely gonna get to Cloris, since that’s been Corky’s only other partner – and she and Cloris are NOTHING alike, besides their older age. While part of Cloris’ appeal was her outrageous behavior, it’s something we’re not going to see out of Flo…like I’ve mentioned before, Flo is very demure and classy, and not the type to throw out off-color comments and innuendo. As for Corky and his fanbase…that’s a little harder to predict. He’s only been on the show once before, and it seemed like it was his partner’s outrageous behavior that kept them around so long. I’m not sure if Mark’s (or Derek’s, for that matter) fans are gonna throw any votes his direction, or if he has enough of a fanbase of his own to really make a difference. Regardless, I’m actually kind of excited for these two – it will be nice to see what a dynamite choreographer like Corky can really do with a partner that’s willing to work.

5.) Kurt Warner & Anna Trebunskaya – Now Kurt could be the worst dancer in the competition this season, and I still don’t think he’d get sent home any sooner than week 6 or 7, just due to being a former NFL player (the worst any of them have done is 7^th place). On top of that, he’s the first quarterback we’ve ever had on the show, and the QB’s are typically the most well-known players on each team. But I think Kurt could actually be pretty good, if his work ethic during dance practice is anything like his work ethic on the football field. And really – Kurt just seems like a genuinely good guy. Comes from humble roots, evangelical Christian, family man, does a lot of charity work…I’m not sure there’s a more likeable guy in the competition. He also seems to have a goofy side (see The Great Previous Dance Experience Debate, Part II), which always seems to balance nicely with a serious work ethic. I think Anna has also beefed up her fanbase after having such a breakout season with Evan – people have warmed to her considerably, and she seems to have gotten a good deal more comfortable with her own choreography. But while these two will likely be Mr. & Mrs. Congeniality this season, I don’t think Kurt necessarily has the dance chops (or the explosive personality) to make it to the semifinals.

4.) David Hasselhoff & Kym Johnson – I’m saying this right now – I don’t think the Hoff is going to be a fantastic dancer. Decent, maybe; but not great. However, I do think he will be this season’s funny man, and that will take him farther than his dance skills will. From the bit of media that I’ve seen so far with him in it, I’m having flashbacks of Donny in season 9 – the Hoff is definitely hamming it up. Very chatty, cracking a lot of jokes, but seems enthusiastic…I do think he’ll make an honest effort, but I’m just not sure he’s got a ton of natural skill to pair it with. But that’s ok, because if there’s one thing Kym is really good at, it’s taking an okay partner and giving them choreography that really lets them shine – I think that’s exactly what she did with Donny & Warren, and I’m sure that’s what she’ll do with David. Plus Kym is quite possibly the most likeable female pro in the competition – mellow, sweet, and drop dead gorgeous. I think they’ll look good together, and will likely be one of the couples out there that is truly enjoying themselves – it probably won’t trump some of the better-dancing couples, but I could see it taking them to the semifinal.

3.) Jennifer Grey & Derek Hough – Looks like Heidi and I are in agreement on this one – Team Jenougher will probably make it to the finale, but just don’t quite have the juice to go all the way. Like Heidi, I agree that Jennifer’s age and recent health issues will likely hinder this pair a bit; however, I do think she will be a sentimental fave with the voters, and they will come out to vote for her in big ways…even if she isn’t the greatest. She does have a big advantage in having Derek; choreographically, I think he’s the strongest male pro and the one most likely to bring out the best in his partners. He’s also got an uber-strong fanbase, and they’re smart about how they vote. The only thing I can’t really predict is if there’s going to be any backlash from his win last season – I can’t decide if those that are still pissed about Nicole winning are going to refuse to vote for Derek now, even if they really do like what he’s doing with Jen. Ditto for the same people that are clinging to the (flimsy) notion that Jennifer is a “professional dancer” and that DWTS is strictly for stars with “no dance experience” (keep dreaming) – are they gonna refuse to vote too, just on principle? By the same token, are they gonna refuse to vote for Brandy, Florence, & the Hoff too? I would like to think that in a season like this, with a fairly level playing field, that people wouldn’t try to concoct conspiracy theories like that – but there’s always some renegades. That whole mess aside, I do think these two will be one of the stronger couples this season…but I’m not sure they’re going to have enough momentum to win.

2.) Brandy & Maksim Chmerkovskiy – I’m sure there will be shock, awe, and outrage over this one, but when it comes down to it I just don’t think Brandy is going to be the stereotypical “pop-star ringer” that everyone is saying she is. As we proved with the previous dance experience post, Brandy’s career has not been nearly as dance-heavy as, say, Nicole, Sabrina, or even Mel B’s. And unlike Nicole & Sabrina, who were still in the high point of their careers when they did the show, Brandy’s been out of the spotlight for a little while now…aside from an album she released last year that flopped, and the reality show she has with her family on VH1 (which I’m not sure paints her in the best light), she hasn’t really been up to anything “big” in over 10 years. I’m not sure how much of her original fanbase is still invested enough to come out and vote for her, which will likely cause her to rely heavily on pulling people in with great dancing. And from what I’ve seen from the media so far – Brandy seems like a focused, hard worker, but doesn’t seem to be a natural when it comes to ballroom. However, I do think she has an advantage in having Maks, who does have a large fanbase, and is a good choreographer – when he isn’t pissing off the judges or throwing fits (then again, like Heidi, I blame a lot of his less savory behavior last season on Erin, who seemed to bring out the worst in him, for whatever reason). However, it is encouraging to see Maks & Brandy practicing and no tantrums being thrown by either party – the energy between them seems much more synergistic than it was between him and some of his other partners. I daresay this will likely result in some really good, memorable routines. However, when it comes down to it, I think they’re no match for…

1.) Rick Fox & Cheryl Burke – Ok, pick your jaw up off the floor, and let me explain why I think these two could be the couple to beat this season. First off, athletes generally do well (duh) – and pretty male athletes tend to do REALLY well (think Jason Taylor, Apolo Ohno, Helio Castroneves). And when a pretty athlete teams up with a pretty female pro – watch out. I have already said multiple times that I think these two are going to be this season’s most handsome couple. Plus Cheryl is statistically the strongest female pro on the show – two wins, one 2^nd place finish, one 3^rd place finish, and 2 trips to the semi finals in her 9 seasons on the show – and she’s also one of the toughest, which Rick has said works well for him. I also have a sneaking suspicion that Rick is not completely inept in the rhythm department – ex-wifey Vanessa Williams was a fantastic dancer, and I can’t imagine that a little bit of know-how didn’t rub off on him during their 5-year marriage. Rick also has the boon of being a star not only from his basketball career, but also his acting career – he’s appeared on quite a few TV shows. Both he and Cheryl seem to have pretty good-sized fanbases on their own, too, which gives them a bit of an edge over couples where the celeb isn’t as popular as the pro, and vice-versa. Seems like this couple has a pretty good hand to play…but they do seem to be keeping their poker face up. Not a whole lot of media leakage on these two, which makes me think that they’re really trying to play up the whole surprise factor when Rick turns out to be pretty damn good. Cheryl seemed to do the same thing with Gilles, and look how he panned out. But I daresay it will be interesting to see what these two have up their sleeves 😉

So there you have it – I’ve laid out my predictions for this season’s couples, without any of them having actually set foot on the floor. Definitely hoping for some surprises this season, since this is the most level the playing field has been in quite some time. But what do you guys think? Am I onto something? Am I full of crap? SPEAK UP! 😀

DWTS Season 11 Casting Rumors – The Typecasting of Season 11, Part II

So apparently I might be onto something with my typecasting theories, because it seems like a lot of you are also trying to deduce from the absolutely CRAZY amount of rumors flying around who might be fulfilling each type…and honestly, at this point, I have no clue what to believe 😛 But that’s the fun of DWTS, right?

If the majority of what’s being reported is true (doubtful), then it looks to me like they might actually skip some types this season (haven’t heard any major reports about soap stars or hosts); but if they’re leaking only a few actual celeb participants and the rest are red herrings, then we might get few suprises thrown in and have a more “well-rounded” cast. But enough general speculation – on with the rest of the types!

The Teen Idol

Previous examples: Joey McIntyre, Aaron Carter, Donny Osmond, Lance Bass, Mel B., Joey Fatone, Drew Lachey, Joey Lawrence, Ian Ziering, Cody Linley, Sabrina Bryan, Mario Lopez

Advantages: If sales of Tiger Beat are any indicator, the teenyboppers will come out in full force to support their favorite heartthrobs/idols. Being young & good-lookin’ sure doesn’t hurt! Many also have the added advantage of having a decent dance background, especially if they were part of a musical act.

Disadvantages: Youth can also have its disadvantages – as in immaturity. What some might call “youthful exuberance”, others might call “immaturity” or “attention deficit disorder” – poor Cody Linley had a hard time sitting still! Emotional immaturity (a la Aaron Carter’s post-rumba meltdown in the confessional) can be especially off-putting.

Possible candidates this season: Looks like Brandy is our best guess.

The Host

Previous examples: Jerry Springer, Brooke Burke, Leeza Gibbons, Mario Lopez, Kenny Mayne, Lisa Rinna, Tucker Carlson, Mark Dacascos, Rocco DiSpirito, Erin Andrews

Advantages: Being that they’ve been at the helm of their own shows, these guys usually have the media savvy & charisma to appeal to the masses, as well as the previous exposure & recognizability. Most (not all!) are also decently attractive, which never seems to hurt (unless, of course, you’re a model – see previous post for explanation).

Disadvantages: Many hosts are only used to hosting – as in just sitting down & talking (or dodging the occasional punch, if you’re Springer), so the lack of movement experience problem seems to come into play.

Possible candidates this season: Chris Jericho also hosts some show on NBC, so I guess he could do double-duty and fulfill the role of both the athlete and the host.

The Actor

Previous examples: John O’Hurley, Melissa Joan Hart, Steve Guttenburg, John Ratzenberger, Debi Mazar, Denise Richards, Ted McGinley, Shannon Elizabeth, Jennie Garth, Vivica Fox, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Shannen Doherty

Advantages: Being that their bread & butter is acting, most can usually nail the emotions of the dances. Bonus points if they’ve done any Broadway (like Winokur) because they have likely had dance experience.

Disadvantages: For lack of a better term, many of them seem to be “has-beens” – actors that haven’t been particularly active in the mainstream in the past several years – or were never that big to begin with (can anyone else think of anything John O’Hurley has been in BESIDES Seinfeld?), making it harder for them to garner votes from a public who may not remember them.

Possible Candidates this season: This one has blown up big within the last few days – we’ve got David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Grey, & Florence Henderson (who could also be considered a “legend”) now on our radar. There’s been a campaign for Bern Nadette Stanis, as well as one for Leslie Jordan that he himself is heading up. Also a minor campaign for Melissa Peterman.

The Reality Star

Previous examples: Kim Kardashian, Kelly Osbourne, Melissa Rycroft, Steve-O, Holly Madison, Trista Sutter, Shanna Moakler, Kate Gosselin, Jake Pavelka

Advantages: Many have achieved pop culture icon status on their respective reality outlets, making them fairly recognizable.

Disadvantages: They may be memorable for the wrong reasons – people tended to remember things like Kim Kardashian’s sex tape more than her reality show, and people seemed more focused on Holly Madison’s split from Hef than her antics on The Girls Next Door. Many can also come across as attention-hungry & talentless – reality TV is often looked down upon as a way to get famous without having any talent whatsoever.

Possible candidates this season: Oy vey – this is the subtype that has had, by far, the greatest amount of casting rumors…everyone from The Situation to Teresa Giudice to both Ali Fedotowsky & fiancée Roberto Martinez, to Audrina Patridge, but it’s hard to tell who’s got a legit chance and who’s bluffing. Personally, I’m still holding out for Sig Hansen 😉

The Singer

Previous examples: Mya, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mario, Belinda Carlisle, Master P, Chuck Wicks, Sara Evans, Willa Ford, Monique Coleman, Toni Braxton, Macy Gray, Nicole Scherzinger

Advantages: As with the teen idols, many have had dance experience concurrent with their music careers.

Disadvantages: Most seem to be committed solely to one genre of music (often R&B or country), making it hard to appeal to a wide fanbase.

Possible candidates this season: Most obvious choice? Michael Bolton. But in the same token, you could also have Brandy and/or David Hasselhoff fulfilling this role if they’re trying to kill 2 birds with one stone. The Xzibit rumor is still lingering slightly, and Pete Wentz fans are still holding out hope.

The Wild Card

Previous examples: Heather Mills, Tom DeLay, Mark Cuban, Steve Wozniak, Priscilla Presley, Buzz Aldrin

Advantages: The sheer novelty of having someone with such an off-the-beaten-path claim to fame (famous divorcee/widow, entrepreneur, disgraced politician, etc.) may be enough to have the public voting them – just to see what happens. Being the “underdog” is a powerful thing!

Disadvantages: Due to their often dubious fame, people just may not have any clue who they are – I personally had to Google Mark Cuban’s name.

Possible candidates this season: Can it get much wild card-ier than Bristol Palin?! Good grief…still trying to wrap my brain around how they’re going to try and spin her claim to fame…

Did you miss part I of my typecasting of season 11? Check it out here. Feeling nostalgic? Check out parts I & II of my typecasting of season 10, and see how everything stacked up 😉

Dancing with the Stars – Who Wore it Better, Part V

…and the fun continues! Alright fashion critics, have at it 😉

On a side note, we have to give a very special thanks to our friend Marcela, who frequents this site all the way from Brazil! Marcela was kind enough to share with us many dittoes that she had found, and even sent us side-by-side pictures of them. Marcela, here’s a big “Obrigado!” from all of us here at Pure DWTS…you rock! 😀

Battle of the black & white floral-print ballgown: Brooke’s quickstep with Derek in season 7 vs. Cheryl in the pro dance to Michael Buble in season 9

Courtney: Hmmmm. I’m not hugely fond of this dress, so I think it’s making it hard for me to figure out who it looks better on. I think it probably suits Brooke’s body a bit better (surprise, surprise…that woman could make a burlap sack look good!), but I’m not a fan of the severely pulled-back side bun hair they gave her. I think it doesn’t suit Cheryl’s body quite as well, but I think her loose, carefree hair & hoop earrings better suit the breezy feel of the dress. I dunno…I’m defaulting to Heidi.

Heidi: Does liking Brooke’s partner better count?? 🙂 Seriously though, look at both of the men – I think you’ll note that the men’s outfits match the hairstyles on the ladies. They made Brooke much more formal, to complement Derek’s dinner jacket and bow tie and slick hair, whereas Cheryl’s hair is more loose and flowy which compliments Jonathan’s lack of jacket and undone bow tie. BOTH couples are very finished, for what they are trying to portray.

The winner: Have to call it a draw for two complete ensembles – men included. 😉

Battle of the gold-fringe Latin dress: Chelsie’s salsa with Ty in season 8 vs. Nicole’s jive with Derek in the season 10 finale

Heidi: Derek and Nicole’s Jive was just fan-flippin-tastic – and that includes seriously rocking that dress. Chelsie might be too sweet to be that fierce. And that ain’t no jive talkin’. 😉

Courtney: Now as fierce as both these ladies look in this sparkler, I’ve gotten give it to Nicole – she just slightly out-fierces Chelsie with that fabulous hair flip. That jive was seriously awesome – and Tina herself sure knows how to rock a gold fringe dress!

The winner: Nicole, by a Tina Turner ‘tude

Battle of the hot pink, cut-out ballgown with matching gloves: Kym’s foxtrot with David in season 8 vs. Melissa’s preseason photo shoot with Mark in season 9

Courtney: This gown is just adorable – reminds me so much of Marilyn Monroe’s dress in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes…which is why I think it looks so cute on both of these lovely blonde ladies 😉 Love Melissa’s 40’s-esque finger waves, but I also love Kym’s tighter curls. In the end, though, I just have to give this one to Kym – while I don’t particularly remember David well that season (except for his rather embarrassing exit speech), I do remember Kym just working it in this foxtrot, and this dress just sparkling away as she moved. Therefore, I must give this one to our favorite Aussie blonde 😀

Heidi: They both do look awesome. But when you mention Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, it made me think of Marlee Matalin’s dance with Derek, Mark, Fabian Sanchez and Genya Mazo and I ran to check the video. Nah. Not the same dress as Marlee. 😉 ANYway, I have to give it to Kym too – that body is hard to beat and I just like her personality better anyway.

The winner: Kym, for being the Aussie answer to Marilyn herself!

Battle of the itty-bitty, coral one-sleeve Latin dress: Edyta’s cha-cha with Jason in season 6 vs. Julianne’s pro dance with Derek to Jennifer Hudson in season 7

Heidi: That Julianne had the guts to wear a dress AFTER Edyta wore it – well, I have to hand it to her. Girl is brave. Of course she works it just as well as Edyta, so why not? I like it better with Julianne’s coloring, I think.

Courtney: This has got to be one of the TINIEST costumes I’ve ever seen on the show – and that’s saying something, considering that Edyta is, to quote Lawrence Taylor “allergic to clothes”, hehe. Not that I blame Edyta at all – as I’ve said before, if I had a body that fabulous, you’d have to put me in a nudist colony, because I would be naked ALL THE TIME. However, this dress looks too much to me like many of the others Edyta has worn, while the look is a little more surprising on Julianne – the coral looks surprisingly flattering on her. So kudos to Julianne for out-Edytaing Edyta!

The winner: Julianne for bravery. 😉

Battle of the yellow & orange overdye Latin dress: Julianne’s salsa with Cody in season 7 vs. Lisa’s quickstep with Mayo in the new pro contest in season 8

Courtney: I found it very, very strange that they opted to put Lisa in a Latin dress to do a quickstep – I guess they were trying to fit the whole “Walking on Sunshine” theme with the colors of the dress. But it just looks so mismatched up to Mayo – he’s so covered & dark and she’s so…bare. And I hate that shaggy haircut of hers – I feel like it totally obscures her face. Now Julianne, on the other hand, is just an absolute delight in this dress – can you believe this was only about a week after her appendectomy?!

Heidi: Girlfriend did one hell of a jive with Derek a week after her appendectomy, so yes, I can believe it. 😉 This one is kind of a toss up for me – Lisa cut off the tail of the dress and the colors look better with her tan, but her hair and her overinflated lips get me every time. Love Julianne, but she added a huge flower up near the shoulder that I can’t get behind, plus it took me a minute or two to figure out that the tail of the dress was wrapped around her right leg. Don’t know what she’s got around her left ankle. Anyway, I guess I find the flower and the tail less egregious than the hair and the lips. 😉

The winner: Julianne, for normal lips.

Battle of the fringed, zebra-print Latin dress: Mel B’s jive with Maks in season 5 vs. Lacey’s preseason photo shoot in season 7

Heidi: I kind of find this dress awful. And Lacey didn’t follow the “take one thing off” rule before she left the house. 😉 That said, I like it better on her because of the gloves and the red hair. Add in that I am SO NOT a Mel fan and well….Lacey wins. 😉

Courtney: Another dress I just don’t particularly care for – looks like something off the sale rack at Wet Seal. However, I do think it fits both ladies’ feisty personalities well. I guess I’ll go with Lacey – the streaks of red in her hair offer a nice pop of color to offset the black & white in the dress.

The winner: Lacey…just barely. This dress sucks.

Battle of the red, cut-out, ruffly Latin dress: Shannon’s mambo with Derek in season 6 vs. Kym’s preseason photo shoot in season 7

Courtney: Wow, this batch is really a mixed bag for me – I’m either loving or hating these dresses. This, unfortunately falls into the latter category – BLECH. Am I the only one that thought that Shannon looked terribly awkward in almost every costume they put her in? Aggghhh, and that hair – looks like they were trying to style it like her ex-husband’s (look him up – Joe Reitman. Eek!) Kym does a decent job of making a crappy dress look acceptable, so I’ll go with her.

Heidi: I think Shannon WAS awkward in a lot of the dresses. This one is funny because she had lots of padding in the bra AND in the butt, and she wasn’t afraid to tell EVERYONE. It made all the media that week very entertaining, especially when Derek is pulling down the back of her dress to show reporters and she then proceeds to rip his shirt open. And to think they tried to tell people they were just friends. Um, right. 😉 I also have to give it up to Derek for once again attempting a camouflage (with all those ruffles) a lack of hip action. Despite me enjoying this dress on Shannon for all the backstage reasons, it’s pretty clear that Kym just wears it better. The confidence will get you every time. I bet Kym didn’t need the padding either. 😉

The winner: Duh, Kym! Even though this dress sucks too. 😉

Pssst! First time here? Then you should definitely check out parts I, II, III, & IV of our “Who Wore it Better?” series! 😀

Why Do DWTS?

Season after season, celeb after celeb, it’s always interesting to see what kind of mixed bag each cast turns out to be. Athletes, actors, comedians, models…it’s the variety of stars the show pulls in that makes things really interesting!

But, as amazing an opportunity as the show might be for the celebs, with certain individuals, we have to kinda wonder what exactly their motivations were to do the show…are they really there for the opportunity, or is it something else entirely?

So it got me thinking…what might be some other reasons certain stars do the show, besides “just for fun”? Read on…

Reason #1: They’re broke.

I’m sure they’d never say it publicly, but over time it’s become a bit obvious that certain celebs probably do the show to offset some cashflow problems they’ve encountered as of late. I can’t fault them – the $200K base pay for doing the show is nothing to sneeze at, and the possibility of getting another $100K on top of that if they win is just icing on the cake – especially if you’re like season 9’s Aaron Carter, who owed over a million bucks in backed taxes. No wonder the kid was crying after a mediocre rumba – he couldn’t afford to get sent home! Or maybe you’re season 10’s Kate Gosselin, who claimed that she was “just trying to support her family” by doing the show (although I don’t think she was motivated entirely by the money – there was some definitely attention whoring going on there). It’s also likely the primary reason that Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member Terese Giudice is trying so hard to get on the show – she & her husband filed for bankruptcy last year after racking up over $11 million worth of debt. Granted, the pay from doing the show probably is probably a small fraction of what these stars are used to pulling in, but it’s still more than enough for we common folk to live quite comfortably off of for a year or two…beggars can’t be choosers 😉

Reason #2: They’re doing reputation damage control.

Another less-than-savory motivation for doing the show, it’s a good idea nonetheless – what better way to distract from a recent brush with the law or sex tape scandal than to show America how charming and talented you can be on DWTS? Take Lil Kim – she was fresh out of a year-long stint in prison for perjury. And she became one of the most popular contestants on season 8! She even took it a step further and managed to speak freely about her incarceration and even poke fun at it. Season 4’s Heather Mills was likely trying to undo some the damage done during her long, messy divorce from Paul McCartney, which seemed to give her a rather nasty reputation as a vindictive gold digger. Or there was Mel B., who had just had a baby out of wedlock with Eddie Murphy. And of course, Kim Kardashian was still trying to live down her famous sex tape with Ray-J. Did the show help erase these indiscretions? Eh, some better than others. But if nothing else, it gave America something else to remember them by.

Reason #3: They’re trying to breathe life into a dead career/jump start a new career.

You know those celebs whose names you have to google at first because you have absolutely no clue who they are? They likely fall into this category: they’ve either been inactive for so long that you can’t remember them (or maybe they weren’t that famous in the first place), or they’re so new on the scene that you’ve never heard of them. Be honest: how many of you actually remembered who John O’Hurley was, without having to google him? Aside from his role as J. Peterman on Seinfeld, he really hadn’t done anything else prior to DWTS – but after the show? His career blew up. Suddenly he was being offered hosting positions, roles in musicals, voice acting opportunities – all because he did some dancing show that ended up being a hit. Ted McGinley, another actor with a waning career, tried to do the same on season 7 – albeit unsuccessfully. On the other hand, those with new careers might be inclined to do the show just to get some exposure…take Gilles Marini. Most people didn’t know his name, but they sure knew his face-er, body: he was just the “hot naked guy” in the Sex in the City movie. After a wildly successful run on DWTS, though, he was suddenly popping up everywhere – Brothers & Sisters, Nip/Tuck, Ugly Betty, Criminal Minds, you name it! Proof that if you play your cards right while on the show, the payoff will be far greater than just the money you make for doing it 😉

Reason #4: They’re generating publicity for their next big project.

Ok, so maybe they’re still famous, but they’ve been in the background for a bit and are getting ready for a “comeback” of sorts – maybe a new album, movie, TV show, etc. Getting their name out there by doing DWTS is almost a sort of “primer” – it gets their names on the lips of the American public again, so that when their latest labor of love drops, it’s just that much more well-received. Ever wonder why Macy Gray was on season 9? Well, judging from her completely apathetic attitude, I think we can all agree it wasn’t because she really wanted to learn to dance (hehe). However, she did have a new album due to come out not long after season 9 wrapped. Coincidence? Doubt it – sounds like some smart legwork by a savvy publicist. Louie Vito was only months away from competing in the winter Olympics (his first appearance there) when he did DWTS…probably didn’t hurt getting his name out there early, to help separate him from the hoards of other famous snowboarders. Even Nicole probably did DWTS to generate some hype for the upcoming PCD album (and new lineup). Again, it’s a savvy move – with DWTS’ ratings reigning supreme, the contestants become household names, which helps generate interest when they do other projects after the show.

Reason #5: They’ve got a score to settle.

Sometimes, it’s just all about sticking it to a former rival/family member/group member/etc…a sort of “bet I can make it farther than you can!” challenge. Almost all of the NFL stars that have done the show have had a sort of friendly rivalry with other former players that had done the show previously…the most well-known of these probably being the Jerry Rice vs. Michael Irvin challenge, which culminated in a face-off during the season 9 finale. Warren Sapp also sparred with ESPN commentator (and early season 2 castoff) Kenny Mayne on Sports Center. Joey Fatone also issued a challenge to fellow NSYNC group member Lance Bass to do better than he did – considering his reputation as the “worst dancer in NSYNC”, I think Lance finishing 3^rd (to Joey’s 2^nd) was pretty admirable! And then there’s the family rivalries – Marie Osmond vs. Donny Osmond, George Hamilton vs. Ashley Hamilton, and Lisa Rinna vs. Harry Hamlin. Nothing like a little sibling/father-son/husband-wife competition to strengthen familial bonds 😉 Aside from the friendly challenge of sticking it to a family member, there’s also the added security of getting advice from someone close who’s done the show before.

So what do you guys think? Know of any other motivations some of the celebs might have to do the show, besides “just for fun”?

Dancing with the Stars – The ALL Ringer Season

Think about it – it would be cool. 🙂 So, I got the idea from Derek Hough, who made what I think was an offhand comment in his last blog of this past season –

Next time, I’d love to see some celebrities come on the show who have dance experience — with no apologies. When people say that’s unfair, I say it should be welcome. Then it gives the dancers a chance to do some great things.

So that made me think that wouldn’t it be an interesting season if you had ONLY celebrities with past dance experience of some type – NO trained ballroom people, but people like Nicole, Erin, Evan, Sabrina, Lance, Kristi, Mya, Mel B, Melissa and so on. That would eliminate (to a degree) the bitching and moaning that goes on every season and people would have to learn to understand that past experience doesn’t mean that all the dancers will have the same degree of *talent*. Nicole, Sabrina and Mel B were all in pop groups that dance as part of the routine – were they all equal in talent? Nope.

What would happen if you put Evan, Kristi, Nicole, Erin, Sabrina, Mel B, Lance, Melissa, and Mya all in one season? Well, Kristi would still win because she’s the ringer of all ringers – huge fanbase AND talent. So, get rid of her – the point is to try to level the playing field. 🙂

So, sans Kristi, just think of the great dancing we would see! It wouldn’t be so easy to predict who was staying and who was going each week. Like Derek said, each of the pros would (hopefully) rise to new heights of creative choreography – and if they didn’t it would be glaringly obvious. Even Conrad, the head dude, said before the season got started that Derek would be under tremendous pressure. The pressure would be on ALL the pros to deliver great dances for talented people week in and week out. And no outside choreographers allowed. Also, get rid of the stupid lift rule – if your people have some experience, they can handle a lift or two. NO, I’m not talking about something like So You Think You Can Dance – still celebs, but those with the relatively limited (when compared to SYTYCD) training like those I’ve listed.

The end result, I think, would be to make the competition as much about the pros as it is about the celebs – if it isn’t already anyway. Now, instead of being mostly about fanbase and less about talent, it would be about fanbase, choreography, performance – the talent should be a given. Who can bring it the most? The only question is – would the ratings allow it? Some people actually LIKE train wrecks. 🙂

DWTS Freestyles Season Four & Five

Check out the entire Dancing with the Stars Freestyle Videos Series as we cover the freestyle videos from every Season of DWTS!!

More tweaking happened come Season Four, including trying to create the DWTS version of “Barbie and Ken” 😉 A good portion of the formula from the previous season was carried over intact, the only real change is the time slot in an effort to avoid direct competition with FOX’s then juggernaut American Idol.

Season 4: Laila Ali & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Song: Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) by The Jacksons
Placement: 3rd Place

Season 4: Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson
Song: Last Dance by Donna Summer
Placement: 2nd Place

Season 4: Apolo Anton Ohno & Julianne Hough
Song: Bust a Move by Young MC
Placement: 1st Place

Season Five brought about the most noticeable (unless you’re a dancing fiend like me and keep tabs of the comings and goings of the professional dancers) change to date: Samantha Harris went on maternity leave while Season Two’s Champ Drew Lachey stepped in.

This season also brought about TV Guide’s Most Shocking TV Moment of 2007: Sabrina Bryan being voted out mid way through the season.

Season 5: Marie Osmond & Jonathan Roberts
Song: Start Me Up by Rolling Stones
Placement: 3rd Place
Sorry there is no video available for this dance.

Season 5: Melanie Brown & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Song: The Way I Are by Timbaland feat Keri Hilson and D.O.E.
Placement: 2nd Place

Season 5: Hélio Castroneves & Julianne Hough
Song: Land of 1000 Dances by Wilson Pickett
Placement: 1st Place
Start at 1:43

DWTS 10 Week 7 Predictions

Seeing as there was a little confusion as to how I make these comparisons/predictions here’s a quick recap of the process.

I take a look at scores of previous celebs in accordance to the professional they danced with and then narrowed that down to specific dances that a pro has done with past celebs. (Example: If Chelsie and Jake were dancing the Argentine Tango tomorrow, the scores I would use are all previous celebs that have danced the Argentine Tango with Chelsie in past seasons).

Now if there are not enough scores to make any kind of reasonable assumption then I look back to various celebs that have danced that particular dance that is closest to this season’s celeb (in regards to primary profession) and add those scores to the prediction (Example: with Jake Pavelka I would use past reality stars as a basis).

With many thanks to Princess Heidi for an idea of what’s going to happen on Monday, here are my predictions for Monday’s show and Tuesday’s elimination.

Erin Andrews/Maksim Chmerkovskiy – Quickstep
Season 8: (w/ Denise Richards, Week 2): 21/30
Season 5: (w/ Melanie Brown, Week 2): 23/30
Season 4: (w/ Laila Ali, Week 7): 29/30
Prediction: 25/30

Niecy Nash/Louis van Amstel – Quickstep
Season 9: (w/ Kelly Osbourne, Week 9): 27/30
Season 3: (w/ Monique Coleman, Week 7): 27/30
Season 2: (w/ Lisa Rinna, Week 6): 27/30
Prediction: 21/30

Chad Ochocinco/Cheryl Burke – Viennese Waltz
Season 8: (w/ Gilles Marini, Week 7): 27/30
Season 7: (w/ Maurice Greene, Week 6): 21/30
Season 6: (w/ Cristian de la Fuente, Week 7): 25/30
Prediction: 20/30

Nicole Scherzinger/Derek Hough – Slow Waltz
Season 9: (w/ Joanna Krupa, Week 6): 26/30
Season 8: (w/ Lil Kim, Week 9): 25/30
– Since there is so little data, I also looked at past celebs that have been in band groups (NSync, 98 Degrees, etc)
Season 4: (Joey Fatone/Kym Johnson, Week 8): 26/30
Prediction: 27/30

Pamela Anderson/Damian Whitewood – Slow Waltz
– Since Damian is a new pro I looked to various celebs that have danced the Waltz and are known primarily as a television actor (normally I would have done past Playboy models, but there weren’t any available)
Season 9: (Melissa Joan Hart/Mark Ballas, Week 6): 20/30
Season 4: (Ian Ziering/Cheryl Burke, Week 4): 24/30
Season 3: (Joey Lawrence/Edyta Sliwinska, Week 4): 27/30
Season 3: (Mario Lopez/Karina Smirnoff, Week 8): 28/30
Season 2: (Lisa Rinna/Louis van Amstel, Week 1): 19/30
Prediction: 23/30

Evan Lysacek/Anna Trebunskaya – Argentine Tango
– Since Anna has not danced the Argentine Tango with a celeb before I had to use data from previous celebs that are Olympians that have danced the Argentine Tango
Season 9: (Louie Vito/Chelsie Hightower, Week 5): 22/30
Season 8: (Shawn Johnson/Mark Ballas, Week 10): 30/30
Prediction: 27/30

For the team dances I’ve decided to provide for you the scores the celebs have received for the Cha Cha they have done, and if they have not done the Cha Cha yet (looking at Evan and Nicole) I’ve provided the scores for the other Latin dances instead.

Team Madonna (Cha Cha)
Evan/Anna
– Samba – Week 6 – 21/30
– Rumba – Week 5 – 27/30
– Jive – Week 2 – 24/30
Erin/Maks – Week 1 – 21/30
Niecy/Louis – Week 1 – 18/30

Team Gaga (Cha Cha)
Nicole/Derek
– Samba – Week 6 – 26/30
– Rumba – Week 4 – 25/30
– Jive – Week 2 – 28/30
Pam/Damien – Week 1 – 21/30
Chad/Cheryl – Week 1 – 18/30

In regards to the team dances, I believe that Team Gaga will have the edge in regards to scores… this would undoubtedly help Chad since to me Chad and Niecy would be in the bottom two this week with Niecy going home (though I wouldn’t be surprised if Chad is swapped with Pamela).

Those are my predictions… what are yours?

DWTS 10 Week 6 Predictions

Another week has come and gone and with upcoming Monday’s show, comes new dances… in this case the fiesty Samba and the sultry Argentine Tango…

(Un)Fortunately, the Argentine Tango was introduced only two seasons ago as thus there is limited data available for analysis. But I will do with what I can…

Many thanks to Heidi for breaking down who is dancing what in tomorrow’s show…

Pamela Anderson/Damian Whitewood – Argentine Tango
– Season 8 (Holly Madison/Dmitry Chaplin, Week 4): 16/30
Prediction: 23/30

Niecy Nash/Louis van Amstel – Argentine Tango
– Season 9 (w/ Kelly Osbourn, Week 10): 26/30
Prediction: 20/30

Chad Ochocinco/Cheryl Burke – Argentine Tango
– Season 8 (w/ Gilles Marini, Week 4): 30/30
– Season 8 (Lawrence Taylor/Edyta Sliwinska, Week 4): 19/30
Prediction: 21/30

The Samba on the other hand has been around since Season 1 of Dancing with the Stars, as thus there is much more data available for analysis:

Erin Andrews/Maksim Chmerkovskiy – Samba
– Season 2 (w/ Tia Carrere, Week 5): 22/30
– Season 4 (w/ Laila Ali, Week 7): 30/30
– Season 5 (w/ Melanie Brown, Week 5): 29/30
– Season 8 (w/ Denise Richards, Week 3): 16/30
– Season 9 (w/ Debi Mazar, Week 3): 17/30
Prediction: 22/30

Evan Lysacek/Anna Trebunskaya – Samba
– Season 2 (w/ Jerry Rice, Week 5): 23/30
– Season 9 (w/ Chuck Liddell, Week 3): 17/30
– Season 9 (w/ Mark Dacascos, Week 7): 19/30
and of course in comparison with that other figure skater…
– Season 6 (Kristi Yamaguchi/Mark Ballas, Week 8): 26/30
Prediction: 26/30

Jake Pavelka/Chelsie Hightower – Samba
– Season 8 (w/ Ty Murray, Week 10): 23/30
Since there is so little information in regards we look to other reality stars for additional data
– Season 8 (Holly Madison/Dmitry Chaplin, Week 3): 17/30
– Season 8 (Melissa Rycroft/Tony Dovolani, Week 9): 30/30
Prediction: 23/30

Nicole Scherzinger/Derek Hough – Samba
– Season 5 (w/ Jennie Garth, Week 5): 25/30
– Season 6 (w/ Shannon Elizabeth, Week 5): 23/30
– Season 7 (w/ Brooke Burke, Week 4): 26/30
– Season 7 (w/ Brooke Burke, Week 10): 28/30
– Season 8 (w/ Lil’ Kim, Week 3): 25/30
– Season 9 (w/ Joanna Krupa, Week 3): 23/30
Prediction: 27/30

As for who I think will leave the competition on Tuesday? According to several calculations, I believe that bottom two would be Niecy and Pam with Niecy going home… though I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if Jake is swapped with Pamela.

Those are my predictions, what are yours? 🙂

DWTS Season 11, Week 6 – Odds & Ends Media Part 1

DWTS, Season 11, Week 6 – Recovering from the Aftershock and Media

DWTS11 Preliminary Power Rankings, Part II

DWTS Season 11 Casting Rumors – The Typecasting of Season 11, Part II

Dancing with the Stars – Who Wore it Better, Part V

Why Do DWTS?

Dancing with the Stars – The ALL Ringer Season

DWTS Freestyles Season Four & Five

DWTS 10 Week 7 Predictions

DWTS 10 Week 6 Predictions

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