It's another strange episode of Dancing With the Stars, as Jane Seymour is missing thanks to a case of suspected food poisoning that seems to have appeared right before show time.

They'd already prepared to reprise the group dance, so during the performance, her partner Tony Dovolani kind of runs around the stage doing their moves by himself.

Barry Manilow the comes out to perform, and I really feared seeing him up close in high-def. His face is so smooth, it looks like he made a deal with the devil.

Then some reveals: Mel and Maks are safe, as are Jane and Tony. Maks is runs over and hugs Tony in Jane's absence -- and Tony is shocked. Good reason since they were in the bottom two couples last week and came in last place last night.

Next, some performers come out and dance to preview the kind of choreography that will be seen on Bruno and Carrie Ann's new show.

Barry Manilow comes back out and sings "Mandy" with some dancers accompanying him.

More results: Helio and Julianne are safe, Cameron and Edyta are in the bottom two, Jennie and Derek are safe, Marie and Jonathan are safe, and Sabrina and Mark are in the bottom two.

Wow, my predictions of Jane and/or Marie were totally off.  The judges are flabbergasted that Sabrina (the most consistent, says Bruno) and Cameron (the most improved, he goes on) are the bottom two stars.

Leaving the competition are Sabrina and Mark. WHAT? I guess the Cheetah Girl voters didn't come through, but this is unreal. She's been remarkably awesome and is WAY better of a dancer than almost everyone remaining -- if not everyone. I really thought she was probably going to win it.

What do you think about this result? Are you as shocked as the audience, the judges and your blogger?

(Photo courtesy of ABC)

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (87)
        

Let's get right to it for tonight's Dancing With the Stars, shall we?

Sabrina Bryan and Mark Callas are up first, and they will be dancing the foxtrot. They perform to "I'm a Woman." The song is kind of down-home, and the dance is very classic and classy, so it's a weird mix, but their performance is on point. Len says the dance was too hard and too aggressive and powerful. (Hello, what about the song? It wasn't soft and flowy.) Bruno agrees. Carrie Ann says not to listen to them because it was great, and she was feisty when she needed to be feisty and smooth when she needed to be smooth. Scores: 9-8-8, for a 25/30.

Jennie Garth and Derek Hough prepare the mambo. Derek tries to get Jennie to work off her nerves because she keeps psyching herself out on the floor. They start out with this killer move, and they keep the energy going throughout the dance (except for one little bobble at the end). Bruno: "You've got steam heat tonight, Jennie. That's dirty dancing!" He says she really surprised him and the choreography was great. Carrie Ann says she unveiled herself and looked like she had a fun time, so everyone had a fun time watching. Len says it was an exceptional performance. Scores: 9-9-9, for a 27/30.

Jane Seymour and Tony Dovolani, who were in the bottom two couples last week, are doing the jive this week. They dance to 1983's "Modern Love," and I have to admit, it's a little weird seeing usually elegant Jane Seymour in a miniskirt more befitting a 19-year-old and dancing to this early '80s hit. It's all just a little dissonant for me. Carrie Ann says she enjoyed her vibrancy but that this dance wasn't a good fit for her. Len says she's "nifty for 50 ... or whatever." He agrees about the fit problem. Bruno says it wasn't her "most comfortable dance." Scores: 8-7-7, for a 22/30.

Cameron Mathison and Edyta Sliwinska will be dancing the samba. Their dance is way fun, very rhythmic and well done, though Cameron does kind of biff the last move since he isn't quite as close to Edyta as he should be for the grab. But other than that, it seemed pretty spot-on to me. Len says it was good in parts, but that they didn't capture the spirit of the samba. Bruno said it had some parts that were tribal and it was odd. Carrie Ann says it was primal and got into the real passion, and that she loved it. Scores: 9-8-8, for a 25/30.

Mel B and Maksim Chmerkovskiy practice the rumba. They dance to "A Woman's Worth" and close with Mel sitting on Bruno's lap, and Maks kissing Carrie Ann. Tsk, tsk, suck-ups! But the rest of their performance was lovely and sensual, so I predict good marks even without the bribes. Bruno says it was a cliffhanger and "riding the fine line between love and hate ... excellent." Carrie Ann says she was mesmerized and that this was the rumba she has been waiting to see all season. Len it was "perfected, inspected, dissected, and as far as I'm concerned, it won't be rejected." Oy. Scores: 10-10-10, for a 30/30.

Hey, did you know that Marie Osmond passed out last week on DWTS? Just making sure, because they are still replaying it. She and partner Jonathan Roberts prepare for the paso doble. They had fun, but I didn't love it. Carrie Ann didn't like the parts where Marie was on the floor, and also that she seemed to be playing it safe. Len says he liked the start "with that skirt business" but then it got a little like she was "a gypsy around the fire cooking your sausages." Um, OK. Bruno says she started like Catherine Zeta-Jones and ended like Cathering Zeta-Cranky. Anyway, they didn't adore it, either. Scores: 8-8-7, for a 23/30.

Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough practice the cha-cha. Their performance is fast and fun and pretty disco for a cha-cha. They audience goes bananas. Len says last week Helio tried to be something he's not and this week, he is back. "That: fantastic." Bruno says he is back in the race after saying a bunch of words that start with "re-." Carrie Ann says she is glad he is back, too, and that she was worried. Scores: 9-10-9, for a 28/30.

Last up is the group dance, a rock and roll dance. During the practice, it looks like there's a lot of pain and bruising going on. And dropping. During the performance, though, not so much. They dance to "Rockin' Robin," and it's a blast, if not totally finessed. (Jane Seymour, btw, looks awesome in this blonde wig.)

It's a tough call, but I'm predicting Marie and Jane in the bottom two. What do you think?

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 9:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

From guest blogger John-John Williams IV:

Need any last minute Halloween costume ideas? Cut your hair really short so that it appears to be buzzed, and add a pair of horns. Voila! You too can become Bianca! She’s beautiful, and evil.

In last week’s episode, Bianca once again gave Lisa a hard time. Sarah – sporting some horns of her own -- threw some salt at Lisa as well. (Lisa – stop letting these girls get to you. Their mind games are throwing you off your game.) 

“Never dull your shine for anyone else,” Tyra later advised Lisa during the judging. 

Last week’s challenge required the girls to poise while pair figure skating. 

I’m not going to go into great detail about this challenge. (I have included a YouTube video of the challenge.) To sum it up, Lisa kicked butt and won the challenge.

I swear this should have been the Halloween episode. Aside from the costume idea that Bianca inspired, the photo shoot required the models to poise as gargoyles atop a skyscraper. 

Lisa excelled once again.

“You brought it to this picture,” Nigel Barker told her during the judging. “Great body shape,” Twiggy said.

Ebony – with a newfound sense of confidence – had an unbelievable shoot.

“How in the hell does she do that?” Jay Manuel – the show’s photo shoot consultant -- asked.

“That was amazing. I can’t believe she was that good.”

The judges also liked Ebony’s photo.

“Fabulous,” Twiggy said. “I think this picture is absolutely stunning.”

Bianca, Jenah and Chantal also turned out great photos.

The bottom two wound up being a battle of the short and sassy. In one corner, Ambreal, the Howard University student from Dallas. The other corner featured Janet, the athletic-looking beauty from Bainbridge, Ga.

Janet – as you may remember -- is the contestant who gave Tyra a mock bikini wax in the season opener.

Ambreal – who was essentially unnerved by the challenge of the week – cried before the shoot even started. She never seemed to recover. It showed in her photos.

“It just feels like the devil is really after me right now,” Ambreal sniffled.

Janet showed little body control during the photo shoot. The judges ripped her to shreds.

“She just doesn’t look like a model to me,” Twiggy said.

Ouch, Twiggy!

Check out the YouTube video of the skating and the judging. And of course, check out tonight’s episode at 8 p.m. on The CW.

Keep catwalking!

Skating challenge:

Judging:

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: America's Next Top Model
        

Since Viva Laughlin has been canceled, CBS is revving up to premiere the 12th season of The Amazing Race on Nov. 4.

Check out the cast here. No locals, but there are dating goths, a grandpa-grandson team and married (both female) ministers.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: The Amazing Race
        

If you've become a fan of Erik from Survivor: China (who has done little on the show thus far but confess a crush on Jaime -- as well as the fact that he's a virgin), you might want to stop by the Lodge Bar in Power Plant Live on Nov. 3.

He's the bass player in the band FLOREZ, which is performing as part of the benefit concert ROCK B*CAUSE. It's raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Lyrics for Life. Also slated to perform are Honor by August, Scott Leger and Gareth Asher.

For more, check out the event's MySpace page. You can also hear a couple of FLOREZ's songs on the band's page.

(Photo courtesy of CBS)

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

On tonight's Dancing With the Stars, for the first 10 minutes, they relive last night's dramas big and small. Then Maks and Mel reprise their Spice Girls samba.

Then Ms. Jennifer Lopez comes out to sing one of her new songs -- and I think she might actually be singing part of it.

The hosts move right along to results -- Sabrina and Mark are safe, as are Mel and Maks (who were in the bottom two last week).

Hey, I don't know if you knew it, but Marie Osmond fainted on last night's show. (She is fine, and yes, it was scary to watch, but they are acting like it was a bigger deal than the wildfires.)

Next, a choreographer named Christian Perry and his rock n roll ballroom dancers perform to Fall Out Boy's "Dance Dance." It's kind of a mix of modern and retro -- a little swing and and little rock.

Next up is J.Lo again, performing "Let's Get Loud" while some of the pros dance in front of her.

More results: Cameron and Edyta are safe. Commercials. Montage about balancing DWTS and work. Jennie and Derek are safe, and Mark and Kym are in the bottom two under the red lights. Marie and Jonathan are safe ("Don't faint," says host Tom, always classy), Helio and Julianne are safe (with some technical difficulties), and Jane and Tony are in the bottom two couples.

Leaving? Mark and Kym, and thank goodness. He's clearly the weakest dancer left, and it always stinks to see a better dancer sent home first.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 10:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

After just two episodes, the drama-cum-musical performances Viva Laughlin is canceled. It's not a huge surprise, since it lost an insane amount of its lead-in audience from CSI.

News for reality fans coming out of this is that a new season of The Amazing Race will be replacing it in a couple of weeks. 

Viva Phil, instead! 

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: The Amazing Race
        

Tonight, it's all Latin, all the time as the Dancing With the Stars contestants take on the samba and the rumba.

Marie Osmond and Jonathan Roberts practice the samba, and she is upset that his hips move so much better than hers do. Their dance is very flirty and fun, but somehow seems a little stiff to me. (Random audience spotting: Heather Mills and Brady Bunch's Florence Henderson sitting by each other.) Len Goodman says he thinks this is the hardest dance for the amateur. In the middle of his comment, Marie Osmond drops to the floor -- and they cut to commercial. They come back and everything is fine; she just fainted and says that happens sometimes when she gets winded. Scores: 7-7-7, for a 21/30.

Jane Seymour and Tony Dovolani draw the rumba for this week. They dance to "Breathe Again." The whole thing is flowy and sensual, just like it's supposed to be, I think. Bruno says, "The lady has gone steamy and sexy and yet never trashy." Carrie Ann Inaba says her body and lines are amazing, but that her spotting on her turns is not great. Len Goodman says they had romance and were classy. Scores: 8-9-9, for a 26/30.

Mark Cuban and Kym Johnson prepare for the samba, and meanwhile, he blogs and answers thousands of emails getting votes. Then, just as they start talking about how the compromised between following the rules and making the dance cool, the video cuts out and suddenly Mark is standing on stage. They dance to the I Dream of Jeannie theme song, and he's dressed as a nerd. Carrie Ann says it was fun and full of basics, but it was lacking in some technique. Len agrees that it was entertaining, but that he needs to turn his feet out. Bruno says it was his most entertaining dance to date, but his technique is not there. The audience boos. Scores: 7-7-7, for a 21/30.

Sabrina Bryan and Mark Ballas work on finding Sabrina's vulnerable side while preparing for the rumba. Mark's mom, a Latin champion herself, shows up to help. Their dance is very intimate and sexy. Host Tom Bergeron says to them after, "I think I speak for all of America when I say: Get a room." Heh. Len says her strength is she has no weaknesses, but that there were a couple of over-the-top poses. Bruno says it was a womanly performance and she has great musicality. Carrie Ann says it's difficult to maintain perfection, but that tonight she brought something totally different. "I see the colors of your growth," she continues. Oh, OK, Paula. (The husband chimes in: "She has a growth?") Scores: 9-9-10, for a 28/30.

Jennie Garth and Derek Hough practice the samba, and Derek takes her to a hip-hop choreographer to help her learn to shake it. It seems to help, because on the floor, she manages to look pretty comfortable (if you don't look at her facial expressions too closely). Bruno says it was like "how to samba," and that they didn't shy away from any of the moves, but performance-wise, they kind of "ran out of puff." Carrie Ann says the stumbled a little bit and that she was trying so hard to give them something new, but that, "you have to mean it." Len says he thought it was far better than either of the others did, and that you can't act your way through the samba, and she did fine without that. Scores: 8-9-8, for a 25/30.

Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough practice their rumba on the beach to prepare for the show. They dance to OneRepublic's "Apologize," and it's their usual. Carrie Ann says she could tell how much Helio was trying, but that kind of killed their chemistry and personality. Len says it was mechanical and lacking warmth. Julianne looks peeeeeeved. Bruno says he looked in pain the whole time. Scores: 8-7-8, for a 23/30. I blame the Beadazzled turtleneck for killing their chemistry.

Mel B and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who were shocked to be in the bottom two last week, learn the samba and try to overcome her cold. In the meantime, they also have to fly to London so Mel B can film the Spice Girls video. They dance to "Spice Up Your Life," and it's weird because the dance is fast, but it's a slower version of the song, so it makes the dance seem slow. Len is confused and says they are "M&M ... fruity, sweet, delicious." Huh? He says they flew around the floor and it was fantastic. Bruno says she came back "like a fury," and that thiers was the best samba of the night. Carrie Ann says it was her favorite dance of theirs for the whole season. Scores: 10-9-10, for a 29/30. Wow, Mel B is more shocked than I am. I thought it was fun, but like I said, the tempo of the song did not serve them well. Shows what I know, though.

Cameron Mathison and Edyta Sliwinska try to come up with a story for their rumba. Susan Lucci stops by to give them some tips. More than half of Edyta's outfit seems to be made of string. Their dance is passionate and sexy, but let's see what the judges think. Bruno says no woman is safe because Cameron is on the prowl. He adds that his hard work is paying off. Carrie Ann says their chemistry was awesome, and then she questions whether there was a lift. Len tells Cameron to do up his shirt since the dance is over. He adds that Edyta needs to stop doing the one-legged spins because they're getting on his nerves. Somewhere in there, he says it was good. Scores: 8-9-9, for a 26/30.

Who do you think did the best on Latin night?

Here are some video highlights: 

Mel and Maks' high-scoring samba:

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The big twist on tonight's Survivor was a double kidnapping -- each tribe had to choose two people from the other group that would best benefit them.

The brain trust over at Zhan Hu didn't even consider that the other tribe would also get to steal two people. Peih Gee just went on and on about how the power was shifting to them. Not so fast!

Zhan Hu picked James and Aaron and Fei Long went with Frosti and Sherea.

Once they realized that they were losing people, too, Sherea said it hadn't even crossed their minds, and, "That was really dumb." Good thing they realized that, at least!

Frosti interviews the morning after he joined Fei Long how excited he was to wake up to smack talk about Jean-Robert. This was because he walked up and started telling everyone what to do, which never goes over well. Still, the poker player appears unable to read his competition.

At Zhan Hu, everyone but James lazed in the river while James worked and worked and worked around camp. Peih Gee comes up with the idea of throwing two immunity challenges so that if the tribes merged with 10 people total left, it would be five from each side.

When it was time for the challenge, it appeared that the contestants have been given their bathing suits, and thank God, because the underwear was getting dicier every episode. Jaime was so obviously not trying to win, so I guess they were going for the throwing challenges idea.

And the problem with throwing it? James and Aaron end up peeeeeeeved. James yelled and said he wasn't going to support the tribe anymore with work. The other problem with throwing the challenge? Not warning Erik, who is also peeved.

Peih Gee talked to James, who said he thought Aaron should stay. She said they had hoped to keep James and sway him to their side, but after the challenge, he doesn't trust them at all. 

At tribal, Jaime couldn't wipe the smile off her face, and Jeff easily managed to get her to tell him they threw the challenge. James talked about how he couldn't stick around if people weren't going to give it 100 percent. Aaron said he wanted to stay as long as possible. It looked like James was for sure going home, but instead the tribe kicked him to the curb and kept James.

So what happens next week? Is James going to try to win the immunity challenge single-handedly? Will he just stand there and watch?

It's an interesting idea to throw the challenges in terms of numbers, but since 1) you never know when the merge is actually going to happen and 2) the tribal alliances are pretty dang fluid. It would have made much more sense to try to make really strong alliances with the new people. Oh, well.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Survivor
        

Commenter Al Lam responded to my post on last week's Beauty and the Geek:

Don't feel too bad for Nicole. If she went to CalTech with its 1:20 girl to guy ratio, she had at least 10 guys following her around all the time. It is so funny to watch- like a mother duck with ducklings. Also, she cleaned up really, really well. 

I was mostly sad that Nicole was dealing with such a useless partner in Sam, although he seems moderately better now that the love of his life has left the house. She seems like she could probably hold her own in a conversation and isn't as socially awkward as some of the guys, but she hasn't been in an ideal situation on the show thus far.

Anyway, Al was also right when he mentioned that she cleaned up well. The makeover episode is always one of the best in terms of surprises. I could tell that John was one haircut away from being pretty adorable, but who would have thought that hipster glasses and some help with his hair would make Josh look so much better?

Most of the guys cleaned up quite well -- I was surprised how well Jesse worked his bleached hair, and Luke looked so much better with the tamed mane. I hate to agree with Jen, since she doesn't seem all that nice, but she was kind of right when she said William's makeover wasn't that great. He looked pretty much the same, just redheaded. But he seemed happy with it, and if it increased his confidence, well, that's what matters.

What did you think of the changes? 

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Beauty and the Geek
        

Last night's Dancing With the Stars ended with a shocker when Mel B joined Floyd Mayweather in the bottom two.

But before that, it was a busy, busy night. The backup singers sang some Gloria Estefan songs in Ms. Estefan's absence (she had to miss the show for personal reasons). Choreographer Wade Robson (most recently getting exposure on So You Think You Can Dance) performed one of his patented quirky routines, this one a take on a weird circus. And Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke danced while Wayne Newton performed (and, by the way, sounded pretty horrendous -- like a bad karaoke version of himself).

In the end, though, it's about one thing: who goes home. The judges were basically flabbergasted that Mel B was in the bottom two, and since she's been doing so well, it was a surprise. I guess the people who are selling out the Spice Girls reunion tour aren't picking up the phone to vote. But come on, Mark Cuban got more votes than her? That's just wrong.

Floyd and Karina looked like they expected the news that they were out, and hey, now he can concentrate on preparing for his huge boxing match. I still think he was pretty fun to watch.

Next week: Latin week!

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

In case you missed it, check out Abby Tucker's report from the Port Deposit, Md., home where Ty Pennington and crew are doing a total redo.

And WMAR has a live streaming feed from the build site, too. (But you have to use Internet Explorer.)

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 4:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Samantha Harris is back from maternity leave to rejoin her Dancing With the Stars co-host Tom Bergeron.

Tonight, the dancers take on the paso doble and Viennese waltz.

Mark Cuban and Kym Johnson are up first, taking on the waltz. They are dancing to ... "Mr. Bojangles"?? They seem to do a pretty decent job, although Mark's little solo at the end is kind of stilted. (Audience sighting: choreographer Wade Robson from So You Think You Can Dance.) Len Goodman says he has become a much more rounded performer and that was his best dance. Bruno Tonioli says he lost his rhythm a couple of times, but he is doing better. Carrie Ann Inaba says he listened to her and didn't sing along or make as many faces. Scores: 7-8-7, for a 22/30.

Sabrina Bryan and Mark Ballas are next, learning the paso doble through many bouts of giggles. Their song of the evening is "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)," the second totally bizarre option of the evening. During the interview, they spoke of wanting to slow it down and add nuance, but the paso doble doesn't seem to lend itself to that too much, since there is so much attack and power. Their performance is, as usual, great. Bruno says: "Power, attack, stealth!" (I promise I wrote my sentence before Bruno said that.) Carrie Ann calls it "perfection." Len says she sets her own standards and that tonight he couldn't find anything wrong with her dance. Scores: 10-10-10, for the first 30/30 of the season.

Jane Seymour and Tony Dovolani prepare for the Viennese waltz by painting with their feet. (You would have had to have seen it.) They dance to "Piano Man," and turn in a performance with a ton of lovely, interesting, and at times speedy turns. Carrie Ann says she is a little bummed because ... though it was gorgeous, she feels they did a lift. Len says he doesn't want to get wrapped up in this and that it was a great job. Bruno calls her the queen of the fairies and calls it exquisite. Scores: 8-9-9, for a 26/30.

Floyd Mayweather and Karina Smirnoff are next. Floyd is angry that he keeps getting lower scores than he thinks he should be getting. But he calms down when he sees banners from the kids at an elementary school that is benefited by a foundation he works with. They dance the paso doble to an actual paso song. His posture is still a little forward, but he does a huge jump toward the end of the dance. They do a spin at the end where he has Karina by only one leg, but it kind of seems like he was supposed to have her arm, too. Len says he comes out 100 percent every week, but becaues he does that, he loses some technique. However: "bloody good job." Bruno says he "went from a bulldozer to a bullfighter in one giant leap." Carrie Ann asks whether that last move was a lift. But that aside, she says his posture and footwork were much better. Scores: 7-8-8, for a 23/30.

Mel B and Maksim Chmerkovskiy practice the Viennese waltz and work on their focus with some yoga. They dance to Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway." It's lovely, and sweeping, and dare I say, focused. Bruno: "Melanie, sweet dreams are made of this. ... You continue to surprise me every week." Carrie Ann says she is like a truck driver when she talks, but she has womanly elegance on the dance floor. Len says he loved the choreography. He calls Mel a "revelation." Scores: 8-9-9, for a 26/30.

Cameron Mathison and Edyta Sliwinska also dance the paso doble. They dance to the Superman theme, I guess to play off the "Clark Kent" comment from the other day. He even has a giant sparkly C on his chest. The dance has that power and intensity, as the paso requires, and somehow it doesn't even feel that weird to the music. Carrie Ann raises the roof and thanks him for getting her out of a funk, though she does point out another lift. Len: "You and the paso doble go together like fish and chips." Bruno (flailing): "Superman is back in a blaze of glory. ... Well done." Scores: 9-9-9, for a 27/30.

Marie Osmond and Jonathan Roberts practice the Viennese waltz, and Marie frets that the spinning is going to make her throw up. Then she takes a ballet class to work on her arms. They dance to "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You," with Marie in a dramatic, feather-trimmed dress. They work the performance side of things as well as tons of spins. Bruno says she puts the "feel-good factor into every dance." He says it wasn't full of razzmatazz, but it was lovely. Bruno said it was a little like Sleeping Beauty still asleep. Carrie Ann says it was nice to see her not doing the obvious, and she also liked the head rolls. Scores: 9-9-8, for a 26/30.

Jennie Garth and Derek Hough take on the paso doble, which seems like another intense one after last week's tango. They dance to "Everybody Can Can" (I'm out of words on this subject). Despite the totally goofy song, they deliver a pretty good paso. Bruno says she changed so much and improved so much. He adds that the choreography was superb. Carrie Ann brings up the lift issue yet again. But she says it was fantastic and beautiful. Len says, "That was bloomin' fantastic." Jennie squeals. Scores: 8-10-9, for a 27/30.

Lots of high scores tonight. I have a feeling either Floyd or Mark is going to be out tomorrow.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 9:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

From guest blogger John-John Williams IV:

I was in my kitchen the other night making satay shrimp skewers with a coconut-peanut sauce – funny how watching this show makes me want to eat -- when I realized that the model makeovers were almost complete and not one model had shed a tear. Thought too soon! Bianca messed it up and let the floodgates loose when the stylist buzzed off her damaged hair.

Even though Bianca has been a terror, I still felt a little bad for her. Having so many girlfriends, I can understand the importance that women place on their hair. Hair is such a touchy subject for women. Can you remember the fallout that Keri Russell received after she chopped off her curly mane on the hit WB show Felicity? I’m sure she shed a few tears about that. And for the record, Russell hasn’t chopped off her hair since …

Anywho, Bianca was sitting in her stylist chair crying her eyes out because she was under the impression that true beauty was measured by the length of one’s hair. Couldn’t be further from the truth. After the stylist was finished buzzing Bianca’s hair, she looked fantastic. Actually, I think the new hairdo will give her an advantage in future rounds — if she makes it that far!!! She now has versatility. Her face, which is very strong and unique, can carry either a long style or a short sassy look. Watch out, competitors!

I knew Victoria – the 20-year-old Yale student – was in danger of being sent home this week when the camera kept cutting to shots of her alluding to her desire to stay on the show. [Note to producers: I’m old-school reality television. I know that foreshadowing trick. When the camera doesn’t show a contestant, chances are that person is safe from going home.]

Victoria’s makeover was a little lackluster. Stylists added a little blond to her reddish roots, but it really didn't do that much for me.

I wasn’t that impressed with Lisa’s new do. When she said that she looked like a poodle, I couldn’t agree more.

Ambreal on the other hand looked fierce to death with her even shorter cut. The hairstyle almost revealed the elite model underneath. I was very impressed.

Sarah’s hair was chopped short and it worked with her strong facial features.

Chantal was given those ultra-hip bangs that I’ve alluded to in the past, and she was also given a longer blond weave. It looked good.

Janet’s hair was darken and cut even shorter. You know what? The girl worked it.

Jenah also got a long, blond weave.

The stylists took out Ebony’s hair and replaced it with a long flowing weave. Hello mochahontas!

Saleisha went from a Ciara look-alike to a Rihanna look-alike with her shorter sassy look.
The stylists barely touched Heather’s black, bone-straight hair, which was fine with the Top Model crew.

“There’s a versatility to your hair,” Jay Manuel said. “Why change it?”

Tyra commented: “We love how your hair is.”

When it came down to the challenge – the models had to pose as a flower – Chantal crashed and burned. The southern belle was suppose to be baby’s breath. She looked more like morning breath. The photos weren’t good. She knew it. She basically ran off the set crying.

Lisa worked her bamboo assignment.

Her eyes were so haunting. Ambreal also did well with her rose assignment.
Saleisha’s tulip was wilted. Her eyes were weak. Overall, not a very strong performance, which probably put her in the bottom two.

Victoria’s assignment -- a cactus -- matched her prickly personality. Once again she barked back at Twiggy. [Not a smart move girl!]

When Tyra announced that Saleisha was safe; and that Victoria was going home the weirdest thing happened. Victoria started taking off her high heels. I fully expected her to channel Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female, and attack the judges. It was really weird.

Check out the judging and the elimination below.

Anywho, next week the girls will be doing a photo shoot involving pairs figure skating. There will also be a challenge that will test Ambreal’s fear of heights…

Keep catwalking!

John-John

Judging:

Elimination:

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: America's Next Top Model
        

According to Sawmill Marketing, Ty Pennington and crew are currently redoing the home of the Luther family in Port Deposit, Md. In addition, per a news release, they'll be renovating "the barn where Mrs. Luther teaches physically and developmentally challenged people how to ride a horse."

The family got the patented wakeup call from Ty this morning, and in about a week should have a practically new abode. I'll report more as I hear more ... 

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I don't think I even posted about last week's Survivor, but anyway, Leslie the Christian talk-radio host was kicked to the curb.

Poker player Jean-Robert is starting to participate after lazing around for the first few weeks. He isn't concerned that he will be out any time soon because pin-thin Courtney is the physical weak link on the Fei Long tribe. (BTW, she is tired of his yelling.)

At Zhan Hu, Dave and Sherea get into it. Shockingly, he's being a condescending jerk as usual. Frosti interviews that Dave helps out a lot at camp but is upsetting a lot of people: "Crazy Dave might have worn out his welcome."

The tribes get notice that they are going to tribal council for a challenge, and food is possibly involved. Everyone's starving, so they are thrilled. Because Survivor is all about cultural understanding, the challenge involves giant chopsticks, woks and fireworks. Subtle!

Fei Long wins the reward -- they'll be fed and taught to fish by a fisherman. The team chooses Dave as their kidnapee, and I hope the rest of the tribe realizes how annoying he is while he's gone and decide to kick him out.

Todd interviews that Dave is a "nutcase," but he's trying to be nice to him. Dave decides that Todd is nice and trustworthy and gives him the immunity idol clue. (He already has one that Leslie told him about.)

Zhan Hu is relaxed and calm in Dave's absence, but also pretty dang lazy. Finally, the tribe starts trying to get some work done, except Sherea who lounges. She says she's conserving her energy for the challenges, and why waste energy (... on things like gathering water?).

Fei Long gets its reward -- the fisherman and his family show up. It turns out that Jean-Robert speaks Mandarin! Who knew? Aaron and Denise get lessons on fishing and afterward, the tribe gets to eat a huge meal.

For the immunity challenge, two people from each tribe will dress in Chinese warrior outfits and throw a "meteor hammer" to try to break the porcelain vases behind the other pair. Each team gets three throws per round. As they did last week, the editors throw in this effect that is straight out of martial-arts movies, which again, so not subtle.

Fei Long wins immunity again, and who will be out this time? Dave or the person Dave fights with? Looks like it's a pretty even split based on the talk in camp, but you know how that is always supposed to misdirect us.

And Dave is out, taking his sanctimonious head-shaking with him. Bet the exit interview is gonna be fun. "I gave it my all, maybe I gave it too much. ... I thought I was humble. ... There are pieces of me that are worth a lot, perhaps even priceless. If they can't see that, well, I can't force them."

See ya, Dave. Next week, another twist!

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Survivor
        

I'll admit I missed Kid Nation, but now I'm curious whether it really stirred up the religious controversy the preview insinuated.

Anybody catch it? How was it?

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 6:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Are you ready to get your catwalk on?

We’re only a few hours away from tonight’s episode of Top Model.

Tonight features the makeovers – my favorite!!!

I can’t wait to see what the stylists do to Bianca’s cheap red weave. I wonder if they will add extensions to Janet’s short locks? What will they do to Ebony to give her a much needed dose of confidence?

Below, I’ve posted last week’s judging panel and elimination to give you a quick overview of the contestants. Enjoy!

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: America's Next Top Model
        

I really think that instead of having one girl geek and guy beauty compete with the guy geeks and girl beauties on Beauty and the Geek, they should have done a separate spinoff.

Poor Nicole, the lone girl geek, is getting the short end of the stick. Her partner, Sam, was spending all his time with Laura Linney lookalike Rebecca, and at the beginning of last night's episode, he invited Rebecca into his bed -- the top bunk, with Nicole attempting to sleep in the bottom bunk. She fled the room, embarrassed and angry.

Seriously, has anyone else noticed how most of the other teams have bonded and are trying to help each other out? Whereas Nicole and Sam seem to be operating in different universes.

Anyway, in the first challenge, the geeks had to give the beauties massages and get rated. It seemed like Will was going to win yet another challenge, but Jesse swooped in and took it by one point. He and his partner, Erin, were desperate to nominate Will and Rebecca because of the unkind things Will said about Erin when they nominated them last week.

In the second challenge, the beauties had to build a model rocket and launch it before anyone else did. Several people almost had it, but Sam pulled it out in the end.  (Nicole also won me over with her "Reading is Sexy" T-shirt, which I also happen to own. And it's true, y'all: Reading gives knowledge, knowledge is power, and power is sexy, therefore reading is sexy. And it doesn't just hold true for blogs, but for the newspaper, too. So go pick one up, mmmkay. But I digress!)

When it was time to decide who to eliminate, Jesse and Erin knew they were gunning for Rebecca and Will. Sam and Nicole weren't sure whom to pick. Sam wanted to pick someone easy so Rebecca would stay, and Nicole wanted to pick someone she thought could beat Will and Rebecca. But she didn't tell Sam that. Instead, she craftily suggested Jen and William, spinning them as a weak choice, when in fact she thought they were pretty strong. Usually, I'm against that kind of shenanigans in this game. But when you're stuck with Sam, well ... well-played.

Rebecca was totally upset and cried and cried and cried some more (and didn't really study). Then in the elimination room, she biffed both her questions, and Will missed one, too, so Jen and William did take them out.

I did feel a little bad for Rebecca because she suspected the Sam set her up, when in fact it was Nicole. But crazy, if either of them had shown any respect for Nicole, she probably wouldn't have resorted to cunning behavior.  

Next week: makeovers! 

(Photo of Nicole courtesy of The CW)

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Beauty and the Geek
        

The scores were a lot higher last night, which makes it even tougher to predict who might be going home on tonight's Dancing With the Stars.

Drew Lachey says this is his last time filling in for co-host Samantha Harris, who will be back next week. Hopefully she will talk less about herself than Drew has been.

For the reprisal, the judges choose Jennie Garth and Derek Hough, who rebounded from their fall last week. They dance their strong and passionate tango once more.

Then, the dramatic lights, and the announcement of two safe couples: Jane Seymour and Tony Dovolani as well as Jennie and Derek. Jennie looks much happier -- she cried a lot last week after the fall.

Seal comes out to perform his latest hit, "Kiss From a Rose," while a couple of professionals work the floor in front of him. Dancers, I mean. That didn't sound right. (Yes, I am being facetious about the "latest hit" thing -- typically when people sing on this show, they aren't singing 11-year-old songs.)  

The lights, the reveal: Marie Osmond and Jonathan Roberts are safe, as are Mel B and Maksim.

Hrm, I like the TV Guide ad campaign about "getting you through the week," but "168 hours until the next Dancing With the Stars contestant goes home" doesn't work when someone is going home in less than an hour. Whoops, bad timing.

Anne Heche is forced to sit in the audience and pimp the return of Men in Trees.

Drew plays up the sibling rivalry, pointing out that Derek Hough outscored his sister Julianne for the first time yesterday. She says there is no rivalry because she loves Jennie, and Derek and the rest of the cast laugh at the idea that there isn't a competitive vibe between them.

Next, last season dancer Billy Ray Cyrus comes out to perform with his daughter, Miley, aka Hannah Montana. Karina (Billy Ray's former partner) and Maks dance during the song. Aww.

Seal is back with a more recent song, a little something off his album that comes out next month. Dancers in black suits surround a white-suited Seal, and it looks like some dance video from 1983, and the swirly camera work and cheesy light stands really aren't helping.

Then, drawing things out some more, there is a segment on how they choose songs and how music director Harold Wheeler tries to make them sound like the originals. Among the tidbits, we find out that the couples practice to the CD all week and don't dance with the band until the rehearsal on Monday, then they have about 10 minutes to finesse things.

Then there is a segment about how the show is live. Yes, really.

Safe? Sabrina and Mark and Cameron and Edyta. Then a break. Then the last of the reveals. Helio and Julianne are safe, and Mark Cuban and Kym Johnson are safe. Mark can't believe it and thinks he misheard. Under the red lights: Wayne and Cheryl and Floyd and Karina.

Going home: Wayne Newton and Cheryl Burke. Thank god! He has been trying, but it's just been awkward to watch him. But props for trying. (HA! For the last dance, they play Daniel Powter's "Bad Day," the adios song from American Idol a coupla seasons ago.)

Next week: the paso doble and the Viennese Waltz.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

OK, seriously, does Drew Lachey have to remind us every single time that he is filling in for Samantha Harris? WE. GET. IT.

On tonight's Dancing With the Stars, the contestants will take on tango and jive. They have a lot of extra costuming going on, the most frightening of which is Wayne Newton's scary fake mustache.

Sabrina and Mark are up first with the jive to "Shake, Rattle and Roll." (I do so love when the music actually matches the dance -- I'm always afraid it's going to be people dancing the jive to ... "Sexy/Back" or whatever else.) They are speedy, having a ball and seem to be very on point as far as technique goes, at least as far as I can tell. Len says they gave it their all and that there were some good jive steps in there, but also a few other steps he didn't like. But he says it was still their best performance yet. Bruno says Sabrina is like a seismic event and she has so much power and everything is 110 percent. Carrie Ann says she was afraid at the beginning that she would overpower the dance, but she didn't. Scores: 9-9-9, for a 27/30.

Cameron and Edyta are second, with the tango. In an interview beforehand, Cameron says he is determined to blow the judges away and that "this dance is my dance." They tango to "The Beat Goes on." (What? This is what I'm talking about.) He's definitely performing more, but I can't tell whether the technique was any better than later. Carrie Ann says it was a little G-rated for her tastes, but his posture was great and she enjoyed it. Len says it lacked the character of the tango -- Bruno interrupts that he was a ladykiller. Can I just say that the song choice didn't help them on any of these fronts. Scores: 8-7-8, for a 23/30.

Mark and Kym (and Mark's new hip) take on the jive. Could be make more goofy faces? I hope not.  They are having fun, but several times, it seems like he's totally out of step. Bruno says he showed a lot of polish and more control, but he lost it in the middle. Carrie Ann says he's still a little awkward especially with his shoulders. Len says Kym's choreography was great and that Mark entertained, but lost his timing. I'm just excited that I saw the same thing the judges did. Scores: 6-7-7, for a 20/30. (Note to Mark: You are mugging into the wrong camera.)

Jennie and Derek hope to recover from last week's fall. At the very beginning, the sharpness they are going for looks a little stiff on Jennie, but she gets over it. Len says it was "sharp and tangy like a pickle," and he liked the mood. Carrie Ann gives her a standing O and a high-ten. She says it was passionate, elegant and very well done. Bruno calls it the comeback of the season and says that she danced "like the Furies." Scores: 9-8-9, for a 26/30.

Mel B and Maksim work on the jive. Mel B says in the interview beforehand that she is going to nail this jive, and I'd say that's what happens. Bruno calls her the "bouncing bombshell ... excitement on legs." He says she is doing these complicated dances with such control and he is impressed. Len says she came out guns blazing and that this was their best dance so far. Carrie Ann says she agrees with everything. Then Tom totally loses his place on the TelePromTer going into commercial -- ahh, live TV. Scores: 9-9-9, for a 27/30.

Wayne Newton, Cheryl and Wayne's fake mustache and ponytail do the tango. It's pretty stiff, and I think the use of the fan as a prop ended up being distracting. Carrie Ann says he created a character but a few awkward moments crept in, and that was a "bummer." Bruno says he put a lot of work into the character, but that definitely Cheryl was leading at times. Len says he is glad that he got rid of the hat with a giant feather right at the beginning. He says the mood was very good, but the dance "somehow disappeared." Scores: 6-6-6, for an 18/30.

Floyd and Karina are assigned the jive. Karina tells him he has to have super sharp leg movement, and he works and works on it. The dance starts with Floyd doing jump rope tricks and includes a ton of speedy footwork. Len says he can "dance the dance." He adds it was energetic but that he needs to practice more in the right shoes because pointed toes was all that was missing. Carrie Ann says he attacked the dance with energy and drive, but he needs to work on the details a little more. Bruno says there is so much he can do and if he polishes himself and controls his feet, "You can do anything you want, you really can, just please do it." Scores: 7-7-7, for a 21/30.

Jane Seymour returns to the show after the death of her mother last week, and she talks about how much dance meant to both of them and that she and Tony are dedicating this performance to her mother. They tango, and it is lovely. Bruno says, on behalf of himself and the other judges, they know it has been a hard week and they are thrilled to have her back. He says she gave a performance like a silent movie star. Len says it was haunting and great and "that could have been on PayPerView." Carrie Ann tears up as she talks about how Jane transformed her emotions into a lovely dance full of perfect moments. Scores: 9-9-9-, for a 27/30.

Helio and Julianne also draw the jive. They dance like crazy, and Julianne's dress almost comes off, and when they are done, Helio's knee is bleeding, and he's limping. Carrie Ann says he has great moments where he is open and others where he is a little crumpled. Bruno says he is a charmer on stage and that tonight he wasn't quite on it. Len says he has a sparkling personality, and he messed up a little in one corner, but he came out and turned it on, and well done. Scores: 8-8-8, 24/30.

Marie and Jon practice the tango, and Jon says it will be perfect for her, "the queen of drama." They perform all over the floor and close with an impressive move with Jonathan pulling Marie's leg up, and Marie basically doing a backbend. Dang! Len says she has great poise and great performance but that she needs to lift her ribcage ("too many babies!" she says). Carrie Ann says she works the line but never crosses over into camp and that she reminded her of Lucille Ball. Bruno says she's the "mistress of characters," but it was "absolutely right" and never slapstick. He ends calling her "the Meryl Streep of dance." Scores: 9-8-9, for a 26/30.

Everybody stepped it up tonight, with a three-way tie for first with 27/30. Nicely done. Who do you think is out?

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 9:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Celebreality, Dancing With the Stars
        

Guest blogger John-John Williams IV weighs in on this week's America's Next Top Model:

As predicted, the 18-year-old from Queens, N.Y. lashed out at more models and displayed even more of her insecurity. 

In addition to arguing with Saleisha, she also purposefully gave bad advice to poor Kimberly. We’ll get to her in a bit.

Plain and simple, Bianca is poison, immature, and filled with drama.

Wednesday night, Kimberly – the 20-year-old from Ocala, Fla. -- became the show’s second catwalk casualty and was sent home.

But before that, Miss J. Alexander – dressed as a psych ward nurse – showed the girls how to walk on a runway. After some quick tips – including a few much-needed pointers for Bianca – the girls were ready for a mini challenge.

The girls participated in their first fashion show modeling Colleen Quen’s designs. Quen’s a hot new designer, but I wasn’t really feeling her dresses last night.

Anywho, Quen chose Saleisha as the best model during the show. As a result Saliesha won a spot to model in Quen’s upcoming debut show in Paris.

Saleisha – the 21-year-old receptionist from Los Angeles -- was filled with confidence leading into the challenge.

“This runway is going to have fire on it when I come out!” she said.

The girl was not lying! She was fierce on that runway!

During the same show, Ebony – the 20-year-old nursing student from Chicago -- and Sarah – the 20-year-old “plus sized” model -- collided on the stage while passing each other.

Roy Campbell, this week’s guest judge who also acted as emcee at the fashion show, remarked that Ebony caused the collision on purpose.

“I didn’t like that at all,” he said.

This week’s main challenge was a rock climbing photo shoot with fashion photographer Matthew Jordan Smith.

The girls looked beautiful as they twisted and contorted their dangling bodies for the camera. Did I mention they were draped in gorgeous gowns?

Victoria – the 20-year-old Yale student – said she got her inspiration by imitating “a sea nymph on acid scaling the wall in the sunshine.” What the heck? Anywho, she took a great shot.

Jenah – the 18-year-old former rock climbing instructor -- used her experience to her advantage and arguably took the best photo of the night.

Heather – who has a form of autism called Asperger’s Syndrome – once again delivered the goods.

Bianca and Kimberly were in the bottom two this week.

The judges were basically speechless when it was time to critique Bianca’s photo. Trust me, it wasn’t the good type of speechless. Miss J Alexander remarked that Bianca looked mean. [We’ve already established that she is mean.] Judge Nigel Barker said that Bianca looked uncomfortable. Tyra Banks actually liked Bianca’s photo.

Poor Kimberly didn’t stand a chance. Judge Twiggy said that Kimberly looked like she hit the wall.

Line of the night came from Miss J Alexander: “I don’t feel that she has any nutritional fashion value.”

Next week – Top Model makeover week -- is my favorite in addition to the season finale. That means no more cheap red weave, Bianca! Hah!

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: America's Next Top Model
        

You know, frankly, I don't know what to say about last night's Kid Nation. The most interesting part was Taylor kind of melting down and yelling at people to "deal with it" every time an unpopular decision was made. And even though it was "interesting," it was not pleasant.

Then kids turned on her at town council and told her she hadn't been pulling her weight and that, in combination with her yelling at them, had frustrated them. She cried and apologized.

There was also a twister strong enough to knock over all the outhouses (and I bet the parents were thrilled to see that -- and that a bunch of the kids ran outside during it to assess the damage).

Oh, I nearly forgot the beginning of the episode, which featured all the kids running rampant all over the saloon, looking like it was a keg party out of control, except that there was no alcohol. But the kids were dropping "shots" into root beer and chugging it like car bombs, and the overall effect was pretty disconcerting.

Next week, it looks like the totally contrived pioneer journal stirs up religious differences. Surely that will be handled with subtlety and grace.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Maybe the folks at Top Chef were concerned that people would find out the winner before the end of the show. Who knows? Anyway, for tonight's finale, the cooking all happened a while ago, but the reveal of the winner will happen live in Chicago.

Final three Casey, Dale and Hung get their breakfast, and it comes with the instruction to take an Aspen ski lift to this mountaintop to get the info on their final challenge, which is at the Aspen Mountain Club.

Tom Colicchio tells them their final challenge is to cook "the best meal you've ever cooked in your life." But they will be cooking in the same kitchen and serving together instead of going one at a time as in past seasons.

Hung's three-course plan is Hamachi, a Vietnamese fusion dish with prawns and duck. Casey's is foie gras, giant prawns and pork belly. Dale's is foie gras, lobster and Colorado lamb. They draw knives for sous chef -- Hung gets Rocco DiSpirito (wait, WHAT?), Casey gets Michelle Bernstein and Dale gets Todd English. Yeah, so that's a twist. The sous chefs get to help out for three hours of prep for the first day, but not the second day.

Michelle's not sure about Casey's pork belly course, but she can't tell her that, so she tells the camera instead. She goes on, "I'm a little bit of a minimalist, so every time she adds, I want to subtract."

Todd is also worried that Dale's menu might be too complex, and then they all start to realize that the altitude is wreaking havoc on their menus -- getting a boil is nearly impossible.

Rocco also says he is not totally sure what Hung is doing with everything.

Then all the celebrity chefs start saying nice things about the contestants to the camera as time runs out.

The next day, the chefs are on their own, no celebs, no sous.

Hung creates his own area in the back with camp stoves, and he says when the judges told him his food had no soul, it was like "getting hit by a truck."

Tom visits everyone and then takes them out of the kitchen with one more hour left of prep and tells them they want a fourth course. Dale: "I wanted to punch him in the face." They get help from sous chefs Sara, CJ and Howie. Hung gets Sara, Dale gets CJ and Casey gets Howie.

For the unexpected fourth course, Hung has Sara work up a chocolate cake, Casey gets Howie started on a beef dish and Dale and CJ work on a scallop dish.

At the table are the sous chefs, the judges and Brian Malarkey. They all like all of the first course, except the roe on Casey's dish. For the second course, they adore Dale's extra course and are impressed that he came up with it at the last minute. They're a little worried about the lack of acid in Hung's dish. And for Casey, they best they can come up with is that she is really, really trying -- and she used that same roe again. Eep! On the third course, they love the duck by Hung, and they don't love Dale's gnocchi (a word I never knew until this show) or Casey's porkbelly. Final course, they love Dale's lamb and Casey's sirloin and potatoes and are unsure about Hung's chooclate cake, but only in terms of how it fits with the rest of the dishes -- they love the taste.

Then, judges' table. They say the chefs all rose to the challenge and did a great job. And yet, it's time for the nit-picking. Dale hears about his triumphs (especially the surprise course) and his problems and accepts the criticism. Casey, however, gets crazy defensive, and it's not pretty. Hung hears about how they wanted more acid in the first two dishes -- his third: "three-star Michelin." He's excited, but not as much about the indifferent response to his chocolate cake.

First course, they liked Hung's the best. Second course, they say nothing compared to Dale's scallops. For third, Hung's duck is the favorite. Fourth: "Dale's lamb was fabulous," Gail Simmons says. So, as Survivor host Jeff Probst would say, that's two votes for Dale, two votes for Hung.

Looks like we won't have the first woman winning Top Chef this season. (Though 58 percent of viewers who cared enough to pay to text a vote picked Casey.)

Back at the live show, they really do pull a Survivor and make the judges wear the same clothes -- the chefs are in their jackets, of course. And there is a fake set looking like the club in Aspen.

And the winner is: Hung. Well, hey, he's been telling us he was going to win it from the start. I have to say, I'm not shocked. After Casey's meltdown, it was clear that she was out. And Dale stepped it up at the end, but Hung has been consistently good the entire season. So, go him!

Next week: Reunion!

(Photo courtesy of Bravo)

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Top Chef
        

All right, now that the episode of Queer Eye I previewed has actually aired, I can talk about the end.

Eric and Tracy were meeting for the first time after talking online for six months, and they both seemed really nervous. The guys were going on and on about how there was no chemistry and it was awful and all this stuff, and I felt like they didn't know what to say in front of the cameras.

Maybe I'm just a bad judge of things, but surely they had discussed things like family and work and personal issues, but maybe neither of them was sure what the other would feel OK talking about with the cameras rolling.

I just thought the Fab Five were really judgey and mean, which is weird after they spent two days helping them out and being motivational and kind.

Maybe I've just forgotten how they usually act since I haven't watched in a while.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 8:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Tonight's Dancing With the Stars starts with the sad announcement that Jane Seymour's mother passed away the night before. They add that she will be returning next week (having gained enough votes) to pay tribute to her mother, who urged her to join the show in the first place. Very sad. My thoughts are with her and her family.

And, well, hope this isn't too awkward of a transition, but for the rest of the show, it goes a little like this: Queen Latifah performs, pros dance, couples are safe, Queen Latifah performs, dancers do talking head interviews.

My favorite moment, though, was actually the Jimmy Kimmel bit, but only becasuse Count from Sesame Street is revealed to be the one counting the votes. I have a soft spot for the Count.

Bottom two couples: Albert and Anna and Wayne and Cheryl.

Going home: Albert and Anna.

Wow. That fan base thing really does make a difference. My question is: Mark Cuban has fans?

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Celebreality, Dancing With the Stars
        

From guest blogger John-John Williams IV:

To get you geared up for tomorrow night's show, I decided to share a few of my favorite Top Model clips.

Cycle 4 gave me a lot memorable moments.

Who could forget Rebecca Epley fainting during judging? I know she had a headache after that fall.

What about when Tyra went crazy, and started screaming at Tiffany Richardson? That scene still makes me say: “Tyra! Did you have to scream at that girl like that?”

Check those out below.

What are your favorite Top Model moments?

It’s a little too early in the Cycle 9 to chose a YouTubeable moment. But I still wanted to know which model out of this year’s crop has the most potential to show up on YouTube like this? My money is on Bianca. She’s mean, jealous of the other girls and filled with drama. In other words, she’s poised for a YouTube moment.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 5:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: America's Next Top Model
        

My grandma read my Dancing With the Stars blog entries from last week and left me a voice mail at home. She suggested that possibly I was noticing the fake tans and the sparkles and the wardrobe issues because I recently entered the new world of high-def television.

She and my grandpa recently upgraded at their house, too, and she said they were taken aback by how much more over-the-top the dancers seemed to be looking, and it finally dawned on them that they might be seeing a little more detail that last season.

My first HD reality experience was an episode of Big Brother 8 a few weeks back, and at the time I just thought that host Julie Chen had accidentally bathed in sparkle powder. She probably usually looks like that, and I'd just never noticed before.

Have any other high-def users noticed similar issues?

Certainly, fast food commercials look even more vile that up-close.  

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 5:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy kicks off its final season tonight on Bravo, and I got an advance look.

In the first hour, a bunch of former made-overs came back for a Mr. Straight Guy Pageant, complete with host Susan Lucci, an appearance by Miss Universe, a grooming competition, a swimwear competition and more.

As per usual, there is a lot of talk about how lives have been changed -- and a boatload of product placement. Eventually, one of the guys wins the pageant, which seems to consist of a title and a crown, but not much else.

For the real makeover episode, the Fab Five bring together couple Eric and Tracy, who met online and have never met. He's from Colorado, and she's from NYC.

They pick him up at the airport and then drop him off at a hotel before they go check out Tracy's digs. (Since Eric's digs are thousands of miles away.) At the hotel, they give Eric the rundown of the city so they can find a cool place for their first meeting.

They both get outfits for the big date and spa treatments -- and there is a little twist that I won't ruin.

Thankfully, they update Tracy's apartment after totally trashing it (which continues the sponsor-name-dropping and the giving of the free stuff).

I won't tell you how the date goes because ... you know, no spoilers around here. But basically, the guys are back with more of the same. Nothing groundbreaking and lots of warm fuzzies.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Last week on Dancing With the Stars, it was men vs. women (sort of), but tonight, all 11 remaining stars will be performing. The dances are mambo or quick step.

Mel B and Maksim are doing the quick step to "Take On Me." They're in garish pink and coral, and, of course, lots of sparkles. Mel looks a little stiff to me, but it's probably the proper hold. Len: "I know what the B stands for: Ballroom." He says her posture was outstanding. Bruno compares her to Lena Horne and Ginger Rogers. Carrie Ann says her posture was beautiful and that they were great. Scores: 7-8-8, for a 23/30.

Mark Cuban and Kym are next, taking on the mambo, dancing to "Must be the Money," which makes me giggle just a tad. Mark mugs like crazy, and Kym is wearing one of the tiniest ballroom outfits ever. Carrie Ann says he certainly made her laugh, and that his face was dancing twice as much as the rest of him. Len says if there was a prize for hard work and dedication, he would be handed it (Mark nods and nods). Bruno: "It was like watching a bulldog chasing a squirrel." Scores: 6-6-6, for an 18/30.

Wayne and Cheryl prepare for their quickstep between shows all over the country (speaking of which, he will be at the Birchmere in a few days). They run all over the floor to "Viva Las Vegas," with Cheryl amusingly dressed like a showgirl, but with way more fabric on than usual. Bruno says he wasn't sure about the "air-kissing," but that it wasn't quite quick enough for a quick step. Carrie Ann says they brought Vegas to the dancefloor. Len says this was not an improvement over last week, but it was a more difficult dance to master. Scores: 5-5-5, for a 15/30.

Marie and Jonathan prepare for the mambo, including a scary death-drop move. They have a total blast, and Marie sells the heck out of it. And they both manage the drops and get a standing O. Len says it was absolutely great, but tells her to work to her strengths, her attitude and her performance. Bruno compares her to Rita Moreno in West Side Story (and says a lot of other things, but I didn't catch all of it). Carrie Ann calls her one hot cougar and said that her trust of her partner was great. Scores: 8-8-8, for a 24/30.

Albert and Anna prepare for the quickstep, which he is dedicating to his grandpa, who passed away this year. They dance to "99 Luftballoons" and are all over the place, but in a good way. Carrie Ann says he definitely made his grandpa proud. She says he needs to keep his joy and silliness even during the middle. Len says he thinks Albert is going to be the dark horse, but he says he skipped too much. Bruno says he needs to control his energy, but that his posture was excellent. Scores: 7-7-7, for a 21/30.

Helio says he's Brazilian, so he should know how to move his hips, but he says he doesn't. He and Julianne look like they never had a single problem when they get on the dancefloor. He's a dance-shark, with all that "I can't move my hips" nonsense. Bruno calls him an exhilarating hot rod. He says he never lost the beat during some very complex moves. Carrie Ann: "You're like the real deal." Len says he went into overdrive, and "that was so good," especially for week 2. Scores: 9-9-9, for a 27/30.

Jennie and Derek prepare for their quickstep, and she has trouble taking him seriously. They are going along pretty well (although she keeps looking like she's concentrating instead of smiling), and then during the final move, when she is being swept between his legs, he totally falls down. I can't tell if she accidentally hit him in an unfortunate place or it was a balance problem or what (even after several views, cough). Len says he loved how they got right into the dance but that she needs to work on her posture. Bruno says it was like "Leo and Kate in Titanic  ... it started out good, but ..." Carrie Ann said she was sad about the little mistakes because she has great potential and that she needs to just be in the moment instead of thinking so much. Scores: 7-7-7, for a 21/30. Derek explains it and says his foot got stuck on her dress and he slipped. Jennie looks like she is about to bawl, and her voice is completely gone.

Cameron and Edyta are also taking on the mambo. Edyta is wearing one of the weirdest outfits ever on this show (which, as you know, is sawying a lot). The fringe has tails! Carrie Ann says he hit some nice lines, but he needs to work on his musicality. Len says he got more rhythmic as the dance progressed. Bruno says he looked like Superman and sometimes he danced like Clark Kent. Overall: Relax and get on with it. Scores: 7-7-7, for a 21/30.

Floyd and Karina are next with the quickstep. Their routine definitely lives up to its name, though it seems to lack a little finesse. And I don't know that they needed the break at the end where Floyd ran around to get the crowd to clap. The crowd was already behind you! Bruno says he took on the quickstep and nearly won. He says the footwork was great, but he needs to work more on his posture. Carrie Ann says it was a great improvement and that he didn't miss a single step. Len said he thought he would like this dance, but that his hold looked like he was blocking a left hook. Scores: 7-7-7, for a 21/30.

Jane and Tony prepare for the mambo. Tony brings a snake in to help her learn how to move, but he's almost more freaked by the snake than she is. For as freaked as she was, they have a lot of fun on the floor. Len says it was an English mambo because it wasn't raunchy, it was too prim. Bruno says it was a mambo at a tea party. He says she needs to get her fangs out. Carrie Ann says the elegance worked on her behalf and worked in her favor. Scores: 7-7-7, 21/30.

Sabrina and Mark dance the quickstep, which they won't be able to work any hip-hop moves into. Her dress is longish and has this crazy feather trim, and I was in the midst of saying out loud that her shoe was going to get stuck in it when it did. But Sabrina didn't seem to miss a beat and to my eye brought the same precise footwork as last week without the modern moves that freaked out the judges. Carrie Ann says she was worried because she didn't think she was suited for the quickstep, but "I was wrong." Len says it's not all about speed, that it's about balance. Bruno says, "All bloody good. That was a blistering performance. You looked like a professional. You didn't put a foot wrong. Excellent." Scores: 26/30.

It was another fun one, but way long -- and the first full fall I've ever seen. Poor Jennie.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Celebreality, Dancing With the Stars