2010 in Review

This is the time of year when all the media outlets put out their year-end reviews and highlights of the past year. This is mine.

New Music

"Crazy Love" - Michael Buble' - More of the same from the crooner from Canada and I like it. With his smooth voice he pays tribute to some classics and performs some new songs, too. This is a good record to play when you just want to relax a bit, but you also might find yourself tapping your feet along to some of the songs.

"Flamingo" - Brandon Flowers - This is the first solo record from the lead singer of The Killers and he does not disappoint. This truly plays like an album, each song tells a story, and the entire collection is an homage to his home town of Las Vegas, Nevada. His clever lyrics and the beautiful arrangements of the songs make this a joy to listen to from start to finish.

"Greatest Hits...So Far!!!" - Pink (or do you say P!nk?) - Okay, this is a bit of a cheat because it is a greatest hits package so it includes songs from previous albums, but it's a fun retrospective, an it includes 2 fantastic new songs, including the infectious "Raise Your Glass."

"100 Miles From Memphis" - Sheryl Crow - I've been a fan of hers for a long time, I enjoy her voice and her songwriting. For this record she takes a step back and delivers a softer sounding record. It's another good record to just chill to. The song "Summer Day" is truly a sweet summer song.

Concerts

B-52's at Ravinia - July 2010 - My friend/coworker Sonny had never been to Ravinia. In early April, when the schedule was posted, we picked a show to see, that show was The B-52's. Sonny wanted the complete Ravinia experience - picnic basket filled with wine and cheese and crackers and snacks. So that's exactly what we did. We had a blast. Truth be told we couldn't see the stage from our vantage point, but we could hear the show and after a couple glasses of wine, and then a couple cocktails, we were up dancing and shaking our cosmic things. As an added bonus, I flirted with a guy during the train ride home.

Pink - Funhouse Tour, Austrailia - Okay, I wasn't at this show but I bought her concert DVD and LOVED it. That girl can put on a show!! Start to finish, she gives 110 percent! You can tell that she's someone who loves to put on a good show.

Margaret Cho - Margaret came to Chicago back in October to perform at the beautiful Chicago Theatre. My dear friend Steve took me as his guest. It was an evening filled with laughs. Margaret was brilliant that night. She was fresh off of her elimination from Dancing With the Stars, so I was curious to see what she would say about it. She held back a bit more than I expected but did share some funny moments about her castmates.

Brandon Flowers - Flamingo tour - November 2010 - He toured in the summer and I waited too long to get tickets. I was disappointed. But as luck would have it, he announced another show in Chicago. I bought tickets in mid-September. At that time I'd just started dating Anthony. When I bought the tickets, I envisioned taking him to the show. And I did. He was not familiar with his music except for the song or two I'd shared with him, but he enjoyed the show as much as I did. It was a special evening.

Events

There is no shortage of street festivals in Chicago, especially during the summer months. The first and the best is Andersonville's Midsommarfest, a big crazy party that is thinly veiled as a Swedish celebration. I don't care what you call it, it's a great time. This year's was a blast. Sadly my camera didn't think so, since after a number of adult beverages I hurled it to the ground. It survived, but it hasn't been the same ever since.

Pride fest/Gay pride weekend was another fun time in Chicago. Dan and Luis play host to a big backyard cookout after the parade. It was a fun afternoon of just relaxing with good friends after watching a parade that went on for a bit too long. The festival that preceeded it was also a great time, filled with fun bands, vendors and of course food and drink.

The other event held in boystown is called Market Days. It's in mid-August, so you get to see a lot of barely-dressed people (for better or for worse), doing stupid things. What's not to love about that?

This year we added a new festival to our list. We attended an Oktoberfest which didn't start off being really fun since the weather was windy and raining, but we fought our way through the crowd, made our way inside the big tent and had a blast dancing to the band 16 Candles. They never disappoint.

Mission Accomplished - A Star is Born! Back on July 18, I posted THIS PIECE OF NEWS, announcing that The G0-Go's had received their Star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. This is a project I've been involved with for 8 years. We're still waiting to learn about the placement ceremony and any events planned around it. I'll be there!

I traveled to Los Angeles in July. It was supposed to be for one of the final Go-Go's shows, but due to Jane Wiedlin's serious injury after a fall, the shows were postponed. They will take place next year, most likely tied to the Star placement ceremony. However, I went through with my trip and had a great time wandering around Los Angeles. I did some touristy things, and I saw a few friends, and made a couple new ones.

My second trip of the year was to Miami to attend the wedding of a family friend. The gorgeous Bride was Giselle, the daughter of my former manager. I've known Giselle since before she was born. I'm close with her Mom, Alina. I consider them my Cuban family. My date for the weekend was my sweet friend Denise. We spent a long weekend soaking up the sun and the sights of South Beach. The wedding was breath-taking, the bride was gorgeous, and it was so nice seeing my Cuban family. Denise and I also made friends with the wanna-be cast of Jersey Shore during a drink-fest at the Clevelander Hotel. Thankfully the only fatality that weekend was the washcloth that got thrown out of the bathroom window. Poor washcloth.

Anthony - Perhaps you've seen his name once or twice during this post. Perhaps you've seen his name a couple times in other posts in my blog. ;) He came into my life back in August. It has been a joy having someone with whom I connect on so many levels become a part of my life. Getting to know him has been a blessing. Sadly, he's moving in a couple weeks and at that point our relationship will end. This isn't to say that he won't always be in my life. I will always consider him a friend. I've learned a lot from him, and I would like to believe that I've made an impact on his life and he has learned from me.

iPad - I've had this thing for 5 days and I love it. It was definitely an impusle purchase but one that I don't regret. I'm still learning about how to use it. Anthony is well-versed in all things gadget, so in the next week or so, we're going to sit down and he's going to show me all the cool things it can do.

That's my list. Here's hoping your year was filled with many highlights. The way things stand right now, 2011 is going to be off to an interesting start. Here's hoping that overall, it's a great year, for everyone!

Dancing With the Stars - Season 11 "Stars" Announced

Dancing With the Stars returns to television on September 20. This will be their 11th season, and they're really stretching the term "Stars." Here's the list. (Thanks, USA Today!) The comments that follow are mine.


Singer Michael Bolton, 57 - zzzzz hope his dancing is more exciting than his catalog of music.

Actress/singer Brandy, 31 - I hope her dancing is better than her driving skills.

Actress/comedian Margaret Cho, 41 - OK, I like Margaret Cho. She should be fun to watch.

Actor/retired L.A. Laker Rick Fox, 41 - Sports person. Sorry...don't know him.

Actress Jennifer Grey, 50 - Baby is 50? How old is her nose?

Actor/singer David Hasselhoff, 58 - His professional partner can motivate him with a bottle of Jack Daniels and a cheeseburger.

Actress Florence Henderson, 76 - Mrs. Brady! Aww...she's the senior in this season's cast. Hope she sticks around for a while.

Actor Kyle Massey, 19 - No clue.

Bristol Palin, daughter of Sarah Palin, 19 - Seriously? HELLO...in what realm is she a STAR???

Reality TV's Audrina Patridge, 25 - No clue.

Reality TV's Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, 27 - Wow...he's 27. I would have thought he was in his early 20's. I hope he and Bristol hit it off. If you know what I mean. ;-)

Retired NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, 38 - quarterback...that's football. Still no clue who he is though.

Not a very exciting cast. I'll watch though. I always do. Will you?

Sniffle

I know, not the most exciting topic to come back with but that's what I've been doing on and off for the past four days.

A week ago, my throat was scratchy. I didn't feel sick, just annoyed by a scratchy throat. I didn't let it slow me down though. One night I had coffee with my friend Jim who was visiting from Wyoming (or Montana or some wilderness state...some place where chickens come knocking on his front door but that's a different story). The next night was dinner and theatre with Dan, Luis, Polo, Denise and Tina, then the next night was dinner with my pal Debbie who works for the same company and was in Chicago doing some training and education at our buildings. Each night was a delightful time. Well Thursday was laundry night and by the time it came time to do laundry, I just wanted to crawl into bed. I didn't though, I toughed it out and got my chores done, then I came home and went right to bed. I called off work on Friday. I just felt icky. My head was congested and I was tired. It never felt like I had a cold, though. It seemed more like allergies.

Case in point, Saturday morning I got up and felt great. I went shopping and had lunch with a new friend. Afterwards we hung out for a while. I did decline the opportunity to go out that night with him, deciding to err on the side of caution and just rest. Well at about 9, the flood gates broke and I was sneezing and sniffling and coughing. Sunday, most of the water works stopped but I was still stuffy.

Today at work I felt OK...not great but well enough to go to work and be productive. I'm still not convinced it's a cold, because of the on and off pattern. For my friend's sake I hope it's not a cold. That's all I'm saying. :)

I just took a couple Benadryl tablets. I'm sure I'll be asleep shortly.

Really exciting post, huh? Well at least it's not another "Dancing With the Stars" post. OH WAIT....

Dancing With the Stars

Season 10 has been good...not great.

Pam Anderson continues to amaze me. She's really taking this very seriously and it quite the dancer. She assumes the character and gives it her all. Her quickstep to Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" was cute.

Nicey Nash is bubbly and charming. She's always talking about being a big girl and working her "jiggly parts." Funny, in a recent issue of People Magazine, they said she's a size 8. Sad that a size 8 is considered fat. She's curvy but is very attractive. She's not the best dancer and won't see the final 3 but I enjoy her very much and will continue to vote for her.

Jake Pavelka was voted off this week. He was the most recent "Bachelor" from the ABC series that preceeded this round of DWTS. He was super-cute and fun to watch.

Kate Gosslin was miserable to watch and was voted off last week. I didn't like her at all and was amazed at how long she lasted. I felt bad for her professional partner. He was polite and said nice things about her each week.

The three to watch are Erin Andrews (ESPN reporter), Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Doll) and Aaron Lysacek (Olympic scater). I'm not a big fan of Aaron and I think he and Nicole have an advantage so if that ends up being the final 3, I'm going to root for Erin.

Are you watching this season? What are your thoughts?

Dancing With the Stars

This week saw some improvements and some missteps. Those who improved were Shannen, Jake, Niecy, Pam and Erin. Nicole was fantastic again, and Kate was awful. Buzz was fun to watch but didn't fare so well this week. Chad was a disappointment.

Pam came out and did a fox trot and was captivating to watch. She was charming and fun and hit the steps with precision.

Niecy also did a fox trot and did very well. She was elegant and smooth.

Shannen did a jive that challenged her but she showed growth.

Kate did a jive and showed fear. I kid you not, the look on her face was terror. She was not happy to be there and hopefully everybody realized it and won't vote for her.

Tomorrow is the first elimination. Hopefully it will be Kate.

Dancing With the Stars - Season 10

Tonight was the premiere of season 10 of Dancing With the Stars. I see Belinda Carlisle has already been voted off. With that said, I won't be recapping. I'll watch but I won't take notes. Maybe I'll toss out a comment or two each week.

New set this year, the backstage lounge has been replaced by the celeb-aquarium just up a few steps from the stage.

I enjoyed Niecy Nash, I think she'll be fun. Pam Anderson is a hot mess and totally a blast to see dance, and she's not bad!! Evan Lysacek thinks he's great but I'm here to tell you, he's not all that. And that Kate Gosslin was awful and a bitch on top of it.

No results show this week, they'll all dance again next Monday and then someone will go home on Tuesday.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving, and it seemed like the right time to sit down and share my thoughts about today as well as a bit about all that's been going on since I last posted.


Thanksgiving one year ago was much different. My mind was in a different place. Things change, life goes on and you learn from experiences. I learned just how much of a support system I have in my friends and family.


Obviously my core group of friends mean the world to me and I'm thankful that they're always around. Never have I had such a group where I could just let myself go and be myself. They love me and my quirks.


Another friend who has always been there but only in the past year really gained more of a presence is my friend Steve, whom I often refer to as "my dear friend Steve." In the past year, we began getting together more often. Whether it was a planned day of shopping or just running into one another on the street and spending time together, it's been a great pleasure getting to know him better. I'm thankful to have him as a friend.

Last weekend, he and his partner had a bad experience at their home. It left them shaken but thankfully not seriously hurt. I, being the friend who wants to help and protect all of his friends, felt completely helpless and angry over the whole incident, even though there's not a thing I can do except wish them well and hope for justice. I'm thankful that they are both alright.

My mom has been on the road to recovery for about 4 weeks now. She's getting around with the help of a walker. Home health professionals have been visiting her. The one issue that she's had to deal with is a bedsore which developed in the hospital. It was healing when she was discharged but since she sits a lot (it's not like she can be on her feet for a long time), it opened back up. The home health nurse has been treating it. Mom's got a donut cushion which keeps pressure off of her tailbone, and again, it's healing. I'm thankful for that.

I'm also thankful that my mom, my sister and I had a nice day, we finished having dinner together a couple hours ago and everything turned out great. My sister and I cooked and my mom ate just about everything on her plate. It's nice to see her eat such a big meal.

I'm off from work tomorrow, and I've got plans to run to Target for the 5 am madness. I'm hoping to get some deals, including the GPS unit that is on sale for $97 bucks.

So back to Dancing With the Stars, I was pleased with the way the season ended. The semi-finals came down to Joanna, Kelly, Mya and Donny. Surprisingly Joanna was eliminated, I thought for sure it would have been Kelly. Joanna was a better dancer, but Kelly has a big fan base. It was hard to see Joanna go, I found myself really liking her. But I liked all of them. I was not surprised to see Kelly finish 3rd, however, similar to last season, the best dancer did not win the trophy. Mya proved she could dance all of the dances with grace and artistry, but Donny won due to his overwhelming popularity. He has a better on-camera presence and the fans are drawn to it. He wasn't a bad dancer at all, just not the best. But he sure was a gracious winner and that alone makes it OK in my book.

I think I'm back to blogging now, I'm going to try to post a few times a week. This is a busy season, but it's also one of my favorite seasons. The fun and excitement of it all offers much to discuss. And speaking of thankful, I'm so thankful to have this forum to air my thoughts, and I'm thankful for all of you who have read my blog, left comments and been supportive of me.

I hope you and yours had a very Happy Thanksgiving, and here's to a magical holiday season!!

xoxo

DWTS - Season 9, week whatever

Again, no official recap this week. Just don't have time to do them right now. Tonight, I watched, with my mom, at the hospital. Yesterday she was moved to a rehab unit (which is 5 doors down from the room to which she was originally admitted. She began major therapy today, lots of walking, sitting, practicing body mechanics. She said she's proud of herself for managing all she did today. She knows there's work ahead of her, but she knows too that she's not getting out of there as fast as she had thought. She's comfortable with the idea of being there for another week. Granted, she wishes she could be left alone, she's tired of them checking her vitals every 2 - 3 hours and she wants to be in her own bed, but she's less anxious about it. She wants to get as much out of rehab as possible.

Anyway, I thought Mya did great tonight, Louie wasn't bad, and Joanna did a good job. Apparently Donny didn't have a great week, nor did Kelly Osbourne. The Mambo (or was it a Rumba) side-by-side competition was fun to watch. I think it's time for Michael Irvin to go home, but if it's not him, it will probably be Louie or Aaron.

Dancing With The Stars

No recap this week. I'm sorry. I watched but didn't feel up to the task of doing a proper recap. Maybe next week.

DWTS - S9W4 Results

Surprisingly, Michael and Anna were saved. The bottom two ended up being Chuck and Anna and Aaron and Karina. In the end, Chuck's adventures in Dancing ended, he and Anna were eliminated. He was a good sport and very gracious upon learning the news.

Next week, the Argentine Tango and the Paso Doble, along with the group dance, The Hustle!

Dancing With the Stars - Season 9, Week 4

Tonight, we are introduced to FOUR new dances, the Texas Two-Step, the Bolero, the Charleston, and The Lambada, also known as “The Forbidden Dance!”

I don’t know why, but I still get excited when I hear the intro music and the dance partners make their way down the steps. Seeing them in their costumes for the first time is really fun.

Chuck and Anna – The Two-Step – Oh boy, looks like he’s going to throw her around, based on the rehearsals. He doesn’t have much flourish..he’s just sort of walking her around whoiel she does the fancy stuff. He did a few steps, but he just showed off how he can lift her and swing her around. Len liked the lift and was entertained BUT said that the quality of his dancing isn’t there. Bruno said it looks somewhat like a two-step. Carrie Ann said the same thing. 17/30

Melissa Joan and Mark – Charleston – Cheezy opening looks like a 20’s film. Cute basic moves, and then a lift. Nice. She seems a bit flat-footed in spots. Maybe it’s the lack of heels. But, it was really cute and sweet. Bruno LOVED it. Carrie Ann LOVED it, said it’s a breakthrough! Len saw Energy, Excitement and Entertainment. 28/30 (Bruno gave them a 10!) YAY!

Natalie and Alec – Bolero – She’s pretty to watch because her limbs are so long, they make for really fluid movements. It looked nice. Carrie Ann said she sensed a struggle. Len thought it was beautiful and lyrical but wanted to see more romance. Bruno thought it was sometime beautiful and dangerous but lost something when the arms started swinging. HUH? 24/30

Aaron and Karina – Lambada – Wow, those are some fancy dance boots he’s wearing for rehearsal. The funny thing is, they rehearse in Los Angeles. Why is he wearing suede and fluffy boots? Okay, they’re gone for his dance. I think he’s got chest glitter. WOW opening. Lots of hips from them both but I’m not seeing anything “forbidden.” Len didn’t see rhythm or raunchiness and for this dance he wants to see the raunch. Bruno didn’t see the character of the dance. Carrie Ann told him to chill out, because he’s trying too hard. 18/30 Karina’s top is about to fall off! But it didn’t…barely!

Mark and Lacey – Two Step – Okay I’m feeling it. It’s cute. He’s moving as much as she is. Butt wiggles, some stunts, clever footwork. I liked it! Bruno saw confidence and said it was fun but said he lost footing in a portion. Carrie Ann said it was an exciting routine. Len loved the choreography and saw that he’s a good partner for Lacey. 22/30

Kelly and Louie – Charleston – Ho how cute! She’s doing very well with this. Timing is a bit of an issue but but overall she’s got it and did beautifully! FUN number! Oh there’s mum Sharon, she looks so cute! Carrie Ann said that she lived up to her look. Len was impressed and called it a “proper dance,” though he wanted a bit more swivel in her steps. Bruno said it was “a very good performance and she should be happy.” 23/30

Joanna and Derek – The Lambada – They spent time with Dogs to help with their routine. Hmm…OK. Derek is now shirtless. This is feeling a bit more forbidden. Okay, a lot more forbidden. Lots of body parts shaking and grinding and it’s got clever footwork and stunts. The move they stopped on looked like total penetration. Hope they were safe. Len called this as tomorrow’s encore. Bruno called it “bursting with sexual energy. “ Carrie Ann said she hoped the children were in bed because the dance is “fueled by the crotch area.” 26/30

Donny and Kym – Charleston - Theatrical, and fun, good footwork, they seem well-timed. Lots of dance steps. Bruno liked the theatrics, said that the kicks need to be sharper. Carrie Ann noticed a stumble, but called it good. Len was pleased. 24/30

Michael and Anna – Bolero – Kind of feels like he’s walking thru it, not a lot of footwork from him. More poses than anything. Eh. Carrie Ann saw romance but said it lacked dancing. Len said this was his most difficult dance and he earned higher scores than he’s ever given. Bruno said it lacked steps. 16/30

Louie and Chelsie – Two Step. Chelsie brought in Ty from last season to up the Country feel. He looks good in jeans! Too bad he’s just sort of shuffling thru the dance. Oh except now it looks like he’s just walking . He’s got the arm movements down and managed to pick her up and swing her. Len called it a “series of walks.” Bruno called it “dazed and confused.” Carrie Ann said that Chelsie seemed to be doing her best to distract while Louie just shuffled. 16/30

Mya and Dimitri – Lambada – Hips from the start, good spins, and leg work. SEXY! More thrusting. Not too dirty but very sensual. Well played! Bruno called it “an erotic and exotic roller coaster” Carrie Ann said “Mya’s on Fire!” and said it was sophisticated. Len was expecting more. Jeez, no pleasing him as far as she’s concerned! 28/30

Leading the pack is Mya and Dimitri, and tied at the bottom are Louie and Chelsie and Michael and Anna. My guess is that tonight was Michael’s final dance. While I didn’t think Louie was any better, He and Chelsie are more fun to watch. Chuck may also have danced his final dance but I think people are entertained by him.

We also learned that next week is the group dance, and it’s a Hustle. Yay?

Stay tuned…

Dancing With The Stars - Season 9, Week 3

Welcome to Latin night. Tonight, the contestants will dance either the Samba or the Rumba.

It’s been announced that Tom Delay’s pre-stress fracture is now a stress fracture and it’s unsure whether he’ll dance tonight. He made his way down the steps with Cheryl, they’re of course going to tease us as to whether he’ll dance this week. Now on with the dancing!

Mark Decasos and Lacey S. – Rumba – They have good chemistry together. He’s got some sexy moves, very full with the arms, very fluid. Sort of looks like a Latin ballet. Len felt it lacked chemistry but then said it was nice. Bruno agrees with Len that it lacked fluidity. Carrie Ann said that it was kind of uncomfortable to watch. I liked it but I’m not a pro. 18/30

Joanna Krupa and Derek H. – Samba – Ooh, they’re going to attempt the shadow roll. Let’s see how they do… Okay, Derek came in swinging on a rope. Looks good, nice legwork. She look a bit stiff at times. Finished with the shadow roll, seemed kind of blah. Bruno said it was good but she seemed unsteady in spots. Carrie Ann liked it. Len called it quality. 23/30

Mya and Dmitry C. – Rumba – Looks sexy, they look connected. She can really move. They’re fun to watch. Oh look Paula Abdul is in the audience. Carrie Ann was moved to tears. There may have been a lift but she said she was so caught up she didn’t see it. Len said it was complicated. Bruno said it embodied the dance and was fabulous. 10’s from Carrie Ann and Bruno, 7 from Len. 27/30

Melissa Joan Hart and Mark B. – Samba – Lots of fringe to show lots of movement, but she looks stiff. She’s great at times but not all there. Len said parts were excellent but didn’t see rhythm in hips and upper body. Bruno sees improvement and was pleased. Carrie Ann still senses fear in her. 19/30

Louie Vito and Chelsie H. – Rumba – Sexy and connected, but not a lot of footwork on his part. More just moving and letting her pose. Bruno said it was a bit jerky in movement. Carrie Ann said the connection was great, and his frame was good. Len said it was wild and lacked finesse, he was disappointed. 20/30

Debo Mazar and Maks C. – Samba – Mel B was brought in to inspire Debi. NICE! A little slow at parts but she had some moves. Carrie Ann called it safe. Len said things were done well but it wasn’t hot. Bruno pointed out a couple flaws… 17/30

Donny Osmond and Kym J. – Rumba – expressive arms, swivel hips and they both look connected. It was romantic. Len said he did a great job. Bruno said it looked a little “hairy fairy?” and then Donny jumped him on the judged platform. It was awkward. Ooh, Carrie Ann just said so too! She called him off in the musicality. 21/30 Samantha said that Donny should have given Bruno tongue.

Awkward Paula moment. She suggested that she and Carrie Ann make out.

Michael Irving and Anna D. – Samba – I sense difficulty, rehearsal is not going well. Lacks chemistry!! He doesn’t seem like he’s really trying. But, he’s got a great smile. Bruno said he’s going in reverse and didn’t have rhythm and lacked steps. Carrie Ann thinks the problem is that he’s dancing small. Len said it was disappointing. 14/30

Natalie Coughlin and Alec M. – Rumba – Edyta was brought in to show how to do the dance with Alec, who is her husband. She’s got gorgeous long legs and great moves but I don’t see the connection between them. Carrie Ann is thrilled, called it gorgeous. Len said it was excellent. Bruno loved it. 26/30

Well…that’s disappointing. MY DVR stopped recording the show. Maybe I stopped it as I was replaying it. That’s all I’ve got.

Okay…favorite was Mya. I hope Delay goes home. I think Debi needs another chance. I think she’ll get another chance because Michael Irvin will go home, if Delay doesn’t.

Stay tuned…

DWTS - S9W2 - Results

The couples were brought up on stage in groups of their score and told if they were safe or in jeopardy. All of the high scoring couples were announced as safe. Debi and Maks were told they were in jeopardy, then Louie and Chelsie. The bottom group was brought to the stage and Tom and Cheryl were told they were safe. DAMN!! Kathy and Tony were the second couple in the bottom two.

When all was said and done, Kathy and Tony were sent home.

Another week of watching Tom Delay dance. Hopefully it'll be a fast dance and it will knock him on his ass.

Dancing With The Stars - Season 9, Week 2

All 14 couples will dance tonight. Filling in for Len Goodman tonight is guest judge Baz Luhrmann. It was noted that his early film “Strictly Ballroom” was the movie that "Dancing With the Stars" is based upon. Who knew?

Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough – Jive – Some of the moves are very herky-jerky (is that a word?) and it look awkward because she’s so tall but she’s got good lines. It was good, I think. Carrie Ann said “spastic and out of control feet.” Bruno said it wasn’t “clean.” Baz wants to see more of a connection between them. 20/30

Natalie Coughlin and Alec Mazo – Quickstep – Yay, this is nice. She’s smiling and dling nice kicks and the footwork is there. I think it looks good. Bruno said Natalie needs to relax a bit more and she’ll be amazing. Baz said the second half of the performance was great, her smile lights up the room. Carrie Ann thinks she has potential but wants to see her connect a bit more with Alec. 21/30

Chuck Lidell and Ana Trebunskaya – Tango – Now with Ultimate Fighting moves. Yay? He’s very powerful and intense, looks like he’s angry. Footwork is flat but he’s trying and it’s actually sort of charming. Baz was impressed (think he was scared to say otherwise), Carrie Ann saw impact but didn’t say much else. Bruno saw the work, and the steps; he saw imperfections but said there’s potential. 19/30

Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Ballas – Jive – She’s having fun but looks like she’s still holding back a bit. Okay, getting better. Timing a bit off. Ooh, cute hubby!!! Carrie Ann is happy! Bruno saw some imperfections with footwork. Baz said the steps were “a bit defeating.” 19/30

Michael Irvin and Anna Demadova – Quickstep – He looks a little clumsy but all smiles. He’s kind of got the kicks down. It was fun. Bruno said the content was there and he’s improved over last week. Baz saw charm and thought it was “gorgeous and fantastic.” Carrie Ann was pleased. 20/30

Debi Mazar and Maks Chmerkovskiy – Tango – Okay, Maks is proving that he’s an ass as a teacher. Ooh, very sexy dance. I think her timing is off in spots. Baz thought they did fantastic. Carrie Ann was pleased. Bruno referenced timing in his comments. 21/30

Louie Vito – Chelsie Hightower – Jive – Louie’s got cankles and always looks stoned. Oh this is cute! At times it looked like she was doing more of the work but he kept up with the steps nicely. He’s cute! Carrie Ann thought he looked lost a few times. Bruno saw what I saw. Baz saw joy, but said he dropped out a couple times and that the jacket threw him off. 19/30

Aaron Carter – Karina Smirnoff – Quickstep – Okay…apparently it’s a Muppet performance. They’re dancing to The Muppet Show theme. He looks good. Posture is nice, great steps, good energy. It was cute! Bruno called it “Spectacular,” and said he was a mini-Fred Astaire. Baz was impressed and called it a great show. Carrie Ann called it a pleasure, good contact in hold. 27/30

Kelly Osbourne and Louis Van Amstel – Tango – Intense, quick footwork, I think her timing is off but her movements are great. Baz saw mistakes but said she’s great and should not give up. Carrie Ann gave her pointers to keep up the momentum, Bruno was positive but saw mistakes too. At least they were polite. They had to be or Sharon would have punched them. 19/30 (she’s pleased!)

Kathy Ireland and Tony Dovolani – Quickstep – It’s pleasant, but lacks wow. I didn’t see many of the quickstep footwork I’m used to seeing. Carrie Ann said Kathy is too reserved. Bruno said she’s not engaging, lacks couple connection. Baz said it wasn’t exciting. 18/30

Mark Decascos and Lacey Schwimmer – Quickstep – Looks like he lost his footing, and may be like he’s a little jiggly but it was pretty good. I think she’s wearing a back brace or something. Bruno saw footwork errors but appreciates his dancing. Baz is complementary. Carrie Ann encouraged him to breathe. 21/30

Mya and Dmitry Chaplin – Jive – Wow she’s pretty. Wow she can move! She’s working her little flapper dress and those legs. Nice! Baz said “fantastic.” Carrie Ann said “great,” and “good connection.” Bruno loved it. 27/30

Tom Delay and Cheryl Burke – Tango – Respectful, reserved. When he shakes his head, his chins follow, that’s kind of fun. The kicks are pretty funny, too. Uh-oh, a tumble at the end. Nearly broke a hip. The Golden Girls sitting along the sidelines are still clapping. Carrie Ann told him that he needs to “Squeeze them together at the end!” Tom said “historically that’s never been his problem.” LOL Bruno was polite, as was Baz. 18/30. Audience is booing. Score too high? I think so.

Donnie Osmond and Kym Johnson – Jive – Really good. Footwork is just right, kicks are good, moves are not too flashy, it’s fun! YAY! All three judges are pleased. 25/30

Tied at the top with 27are Aaron and Karina along with Mya and Dimitri, tied at the bottom with 18 are Tom and Cheryl along with Kathy and Tony.

Hopefully Tom won’t have enough Republican cronies who will jam the phone lines and vote so that he’ll get sent home this week, but Kathy could be boring enough to be just who gets sent home. I think she deserves another week, then it can be her turn to go. We’ll see…stay tuned!

DWTS S9 - Results

Tonight was the first results show, a double elimination.

The spotlight dance that the judges wanted to see again was Kelly and Louis' Viennese Waltz. It was gorgeous the second time around.

After all of the hoopla, including a tribute to Patrick Swayze, and a really cool dance production from The Lion King, the results were revealed. Tonight we said goodbye to Ashley Hamilton and Macy Gray. The professionals will be back throughout the season to dance in performances. Sadly, Jonathan once again left earlier than he should have because he's such a sweet and engaging professional. Unfortunately this year he was stuck with a partner who had the grace of a bag of sweaty gym clothes.

Next week it's a more traditional show, with all of the dancers competing on the same night.

Dancing With The Stars - Season 9 Week 1, part 2

The Ladies dance tonight.

Show opens with the women pro dancers performing a number to “She’s a Lady.” It was cute, though some of those moves weren’t so lady-like.

The contestants did their descent from the bit staircases and some were so graceful (Melissa Joan Hart) and some were clunky (Macy Gray)!

Similar to last night, the women will do a dance on their own with their partner, and then participate in a relay dance with three other contestants. The points earned from the second dance will be added to the scores after my comments.

Debi Mazar/Maks Chmerkovskiy – Salsa - She’s got nice legs and can kick high. The stunts are there, but the hips are frozen. Okay good…no handstand. Len said hips were missing, but sees potential. Bruno said she worked her busom but she lost timing. Carrie Ann didn’t see a connection between the dance and her expressions. Maks looks hot. 16/30 + 6 = 22 for the night.

Melissa Joan Hart/Mark Ballas – Viennese Waltz - Off to a nice start. Full arm extensions and nice steps. Looked a little lost at one point. Nice finish. Bruno said it was prim, proper and adequate. Carrie Ann saw good moments, but said there was a lack of connection. Len liked the holds but saw poor footwork. 18/30 + 6 = 24 for the night.

Mya /Dmitri Chaplin – Viennese Waltz – She’s very elegant and moves beautifully. I’m sensing a little bit of Mel B here. Of course what I say and the judges will say may be completely different. Carrie Ann is thrilled. Len said it was NOT a Viennese Waltz, he called it fluff. Bruno is fighting him and has riled up the room. Such controversy. 21/30 (Len gave her a 5!) + 10 = 31 for the night.

Kathy Ireland/Tony Dovolani – Salsa – She’s kind of square in the hips so her hop action isn’t there. She’s doing some OK footwork but the whole things looks awkward. Len sees potential but said it lacked energy and was careful. No sizzle. Bruno said she couldn’t sell the salsa, it lacked sex. Carrie Ann said she needs to work on loosening up. Belinda’s salsa was better! There, I said it! HA! 16/30 + 4 = 20 for the night.

Natalie Coughlin/Alec Mazo – Salsa – We have hips! An athletic number with some clever arms and some shimmies. However, it feels a bit slow. Nice though. Bruno saw stops and starts but liked it. Carrie Ann called her a diamond in the rough. Len said the dance was not sexy enough, it was plain. 19/30 + 8 = 27 for the night.

Macy Gray/Jonathan Roberts – Viennese Waltz – Oh dear…she looks lost and stoned. HA HA Poor Jonathan looks like he’s dragging a sack of potatoes around the dance floor. Now she looks like she needs a nap. Carrie Ann called it “fascinating, Beautiful in a bizarre way.” Len said it was charming. Bruno called her child-like. Macy was censored when she said that the first dance “busted her cherry.” 15/30 + 4 = 19 for the night.

Joanna Krupa/Derek Hough – Salsa – Hips and swivels. Sexy. Cute arm tricks. Nice footwork. It was great! Len is happy, called it hot and smoking. Bruno said it was sexy and seductive. Carrie Ann said it was hot and is excited to see more. She’s cute…nice personality. 24/30 + 10 = 34 for the night.

Kelly Osbourne/Louis Van Amstel – Viennese Waltz – She looks so pretty. The footwork is a bit messy but not terrible. Arms nees to be fuller when extended. She looked good though! Oh, there’s LaToya Jackson! She ran to hug her parents. Sweet! Bruno called her a vision of grace and elegance. Carrie Ann said that her parents should be proud. She spotted a lift. Len said it was the best Viennese Waltz he saw all night. I agree. 23/30 + 8 = 31 for the night.

Relay time:

Group 1 is doing a Fox Trot – Kathy, Natalie, Debbie, and Joanna. Natalie Has nice elegant moves. Classic elegance. Kathy looks more relaxed in this dance than in the latin round. Joanna looks precise and the footwork is nice. Debbie looked much more relaxed and really performed nicely! 4th is Kathy, 3rd is Debbie, 2nd is Natalie, 1st is Joanna.

Group 2 is doing a cha-cha-cha – Melissa, Macy, Mya and Kelly. Macy…not sure what to say. Poor Jonathan. It’s a bit better than her waltz. Melissa’s footwork loosk precise but a bit off beat. Mya is having fun and ls sexy with good legwork and arms. Kelly is awesome! Hips and legs and arms. Nice!! 4th is Macy, 3rd is Melissa, 2nd is Kelly, 1st is Mya.

Night two is finished. I think Macy’s going home, if not her, it may be Kathy Ireland. Stay tuned!

Dancing With the Stars - Season 9 Premiere - part 1

It's BACK! Tonight, the Men will dance!

Corny opening number “The Boys Are Back in Town” the male pro dancers (who will dance with their partners tomorrow night) did a routine. Maks looks great, Jonathan looks adorable as always.

The proper intro/descent from the big staircases took place, all of the couples made their entrance. Just judging how some of them came down the stairs, it’s going to be an interesting season. Chuck Lidell, Tom Delay and Macy Gray are going to be train wrecks. Kathy Ireland looks clunky but pretty.

Tonight the men will dance twice, the first dance with their partner, the second dance as a relay with three other couples. Each will do a ballroom dance and a Latin dance. The relay dance will not be individually scored by each judge, but they will be ranked, with an added score (1st = 10, 2nd = 8, 3rd = 6, 4th = 4); that score will be added to their individual score. Total score for the night is listed next to my critique for the first dance, notes on the second (relay) dance at the end.

Aaron Carter/Karina Smirnoff – Cha-Cha-Cha – Posture isn’t great, kind of wormy movements, footwork is sort of flat. Len sees potential and called him stiff. Bruno sees potential but says too much energy. Carrie Ann said “excellent” but feet were funky. 22/30 + 10 = 32 for the night.

Chuck Lidell/Anna Trebunskaya – Fox Trot – Stiff, probably nerves, but not horrible…oh wait, yeah, he is. When he’s holding her and letting her lead, he’s OK. When they’re apart, it’s messy. Bruno called it rough. Carrie Ann said “not graceful but smooth and charming.” Len said “better than I thought it would be, would like to see him work on grace.” 16/30 + 6 = 22 for the night.

Mark Decascos/Lacey Schwimmer – Cha-Cha-Cha – Of course a Kung Fu theme. Nice hip moves, good arms. Sexy. Maybe a tad stiff. Carrie Ann is concerned about the arms. Len called them out on the Kung Fu and said he doesn’t want to see it in other dances, said feet were “dodgy.” Bruno said timing was off and saw need for improvement in footwork. 21/30 + 8 = 29 for the night.

Ashley Hamilton/Edyta Silwinska – Fox Trot – not very exciting. He’s tall, probably makes him look even more stiff. Len saw correct footwork, but said it was rough. Bruno said lack of showmanship and rough. Carrie Ann said that he failed to “define himself.” 15/30 + 4 = 19 for the night.

Donny Osmond/Kym Johnson – Fox Trot – I’ll start by saying that he doesn’t have a single line in his forehead! Okay, the showman is showing his stuff. This one will be scored high. He’s good. Bruno faulted posture. Carrie Ann agreed. Len called it too theatrical. 20/30 + 10 = 30 for the night.

Louie Vito/Chelsie Hightower – Fox Trot – Okay, he’s a total stoner. He’ll be fun to watch. He’s kind of cute. He looks like a little boy trying to emulate big boy moves. Kind of stiff but not horrible. Oh he just stumbled a bit. Safe and nice. Carrie Ann enjoyed it, critiqued the feet a bit. Len said technique was good and enjoyed it. Bruno said it lacked fluidity, sees potential. 19/30 + 8 = 27 for the night.

Michael Irvin/Anna Demadova – Cha-Cha-Cha – Really trying to work the hips, but he’s not. Wow is he stiff. He doesn’t seem to have much sense of rhythm. Okay, loosening up a bit towards the end. Bleh. Len wasn’t fond of it, said it needed more content. Bruno said it was poor (footwork, timing, content). Carrie Ann agrees with Len, said there was lack of content and blamed the pro. 13/30 + 6 = 19 for the night.

Tom Delay/Cheryl Burke – Cha-Cha-Cha – He nauseates me with his comments as he’s rehearsing. Something about looking like a sissy. Eww..watching him shake his diapered butt is gross. Cheryl choreographed a safe dance for him. He’s got the steps but no flourish. Eww…more butt shaking. Bruno called him crazier than Sarah Palin. Said the dancing wasn’t too bad. Carrie Ann called it surreal and said he has a natural grace. Len said part magic, part tragic. 16/30 + 4 = 20 for the night.

Salsa Relay – Chuck, Ashley, Donny and Louie. - Ashley’s arms are like rubber bands, but his body is stiff. Chuck is a bit intense but better than his ballroom dance. Donny has the moves. Louie came out doing flips and has the body movements. 4th is Ashley, 3rd is Chuck, 2nd is Louie, 1st is Donny. Points added above.

Viennese Waltz Relay – Aaron, Mark, Michael and Tom. - Aaron has very big moves but looks good. Mark is looking very precise and refined. Tom looks like a dirty old crook. Michael looks lost but has a huge smile. 4th is Tom, 3rd is Michael, 2nd is Mark, 1st is Aaron. Points added above.

Dancing With the Stars - Season 9 Starts Monday 9/21!

While this season's episode of DWTS isn't as exciting to me as the previous season (see my seemingly endless posts about Belinda Carlisle's inclusion in season 8, even after she was voted off), I'm still excited that the show is returning for another season with the largest cast ever.

Above is the score sheet that I assembled for work. A handful of coworkers and I make our guesses on who will land where in the elimination process. Since we're often wrong, we allow ourselves to guess again after the half-way point (hence the "Rank 2" box). No wagers are placed, we do this for fun and it makes for some lively discussions at lunch after elimination day.

The way I understand this season's first week, the men will dance first on Monday night, the women will dance on Tuesday night. Both nights will have 2 hour time blocks. Another hour of DWTS will air on Wednesday, unknown to me at this time is whether it will be an elimination show or just a recap.

As I have done in the past, I will recap. You've been warned. :)

Stay tuned...

Dancing With the Stars - Season 9

Contestants have been announced for Season 9 of Dancing With the Stars. The biggest cast yet has been announced. There are some very interesting contestants, I will comment on them in the next couple of days. It looks as though it will be a very fun season.

DWTS - The Finale

File Under: Television Obsessions

The results are in.

3rd Place - Melissa Rycroft
2nd Place - Gilles Marini
1st Place - Shawn Johnson

A total shock, but I'm not terribly unhappy. I was over Melissa and pleased that she wound up in 3rd place.

Gilles was the better dancer, he should have won, he really should have but it came down to viewer votes and she had more. Good for her.

Leading up to it, all of the previous contestants came back to do their dances. Belinda did her Salsa and looked great. Very relaxed, definitely pleased that she wasn't doing it for a score. And no handstand this time.

During the Celebrity roast, Jeffrey Ross said that she looked like a galactic hooker. LOL

So, another season has ended. Back in the fall with another group of celebrities who may or may not be able to dance.

Stay tuned...