The episode starts with a group contemporary routine to "The Dance" by Charlotte Martin and choreographed by Mia Michaels. I usually like her routines, but this one seems flat. It reminds me of a trippy Raggedy Ann and Andy with a lot of screaming and an occasional pounding of large wooden poles onto the ground. The routine ends so abruptly that it takes audience members a while to realize they need to clap.

Host Cat Deeley comes out and immediately starts revealing which couples are safe. Chelsea T. and Thayne soon find out that their quickstep the night before isn't enough. They are the first couple in the bottom three. Judge Mary Murphy tells them that they got a really tough dance. She also tells them that the judges will take the contestants' past performances into account when making their elimination decisions.

Comfort and Chris are the second couple to learn they are in danger. Judge Adam Shankman says he's not surprised. He says their routine needed more "abandon" and "acting." 

Kourtni L and Matt are the last couple in the bottom three. This decision surprises me, because I feel they danced really well the night before.

A group called Qwest does a spectacular hip-hop routine with a ton of break-dancing. It's really good. Then I realize that Dominic, a contestant from last year, is a member of the group. I like them even more!

It's finally time for the solos. Chelsea T. does her solo to "A Song For You" by Donny Hathaway. She's very strong and all-smiles. Thayne does his to "Always" by Bon Jovi. He makes the most of each section of the stage. Each leap, turn, run and jump eats up another inch of the spotlight. He does a good job. Comfort does her solo to "Just Fine" by Mary J. Blige. She's so quick and powerful; she's a force.

Chris does his solo to "After Tonight" by Justin Nozuka. It's time for him to go. The routine is just blah. There's nothing really noteworthy. Kourtni L. does her solo to "First Door (Live)" by Ani DiFranco. She's such a performer, and she does a good job connecting with the crowd. Several times, she dances to the end of the stage and essentially flirts with the audience. It's good showmanship. Matt does his solo to "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. He's much more energetic than Chris, which might help him out.

American Idol winner Jordin Sparks is next with a live performance of her new single "One Step at a Time." (Yawn!) I wish she would take a couple steps off the stage. I'm eager to see which contestants will be sent home.

Judge Nigel Lythgoe addresses the women first. He tells them that each has been in the bottom three for the past couple of weeks. (Way to state the obvious!) "You have to realize America is telling you something here," he says. "You've got to find it. Those people standing in front of me have to bring it, or next week you'll be going home."

He immediately tells Chelsea that it is the end of the road. "I feel so privileged," she says. "It was an amazing experience. There is a lot for me to learn still, and there is a lot for me to do still. So, this isn't the end of the road for me."

The guys are next. Nigel says Matt's solo was brilliant. He's safe. He tells Chris that it's time to go. Nigel adds that Thayne and Comfort will be paired up next week.

Chris cries."This has been a dream come true," he says. "To work with you guys, this is crazy ... . Thanks so much for everything."

I can't say I'm really disappointed with either decision. I look forward to the chemistry (or lack thereof) between Comfort and Thayne next week. 

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

The contestants on this season of So You Think You Can Dance have proven that they are extremely strong and versatile. This episode is no exception. 

Twitch and Kherington do a hip-hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D'Umo to "Can't Touch Me Now" by Busta Rhymes. They are dressed as fugitives and really get into character. They also master the difficult moves and are in unison for most of the routine. Twitch, a hip-hop dancer, does expectedly well. Kherington does a wonderful job keeping pace.

Nigel says they are brilliant dancers with a spirit and energy that go beyond dancers. "You danced it brilliantly," Nigel says. Mary says they are on the top 10 most-wanted list for So You Think You Can Dance. She also gives her legendary shriek of approval. Adam says the performance was "awesome." He says they do a good job knowing when to hit it and when to hold back. "All in all, awesome," Adam says.

Courtney G. and Gev are next with a rumba routine to "Wishing On A Star" by Rose Royce, choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin. Courtney's dress is hot. That's really all I can say about the performance.

Nigel says he's very, very happy with the routine. Mary loves it as well. "It was so tight and crisp," Mary says. She also praises the posture. Adam says he really, really loves it. Adam suggests that they think more about their hands and reach. (I really don't see what all the fuss is about. It is just an OK routine to me.)

Comfort and Chris -- a hip-hop dancer and a contemporary dancer -- do a jazz routine to "Beautiful People" by Marilyn Manson and choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. There is something tribal yet futuristic about their performance.

Nigel says he is disappointed with the power behind the routine. He says Chris is a little soft. "It should have been stronger and animalistic," Nigel says. Mary agrees: "I became slightly disinterested." Adam says the two should be more expressive. "I thought you guys did really good," Adam says.

Contemporary dancers Jessica and Will do a disco routine to "Heaven Must Have Sent You" by Bonnie and choreographed by Doriana Sanchez. They do a good job. Once again, he appears to be the stronger of the two.

Nigel, noting their mistakes, says they danced it very well. Mary says Will owned the routine. Adam calls them out for a mistake at the end of the routine. "I thought the routine was really fantastic," he says. He tells Jessica that she is so "special" and "great." He tells Will he is "so scary" and "so good."

Contemporary dancers Kourtni L. and Matt dance in their specialty genre and do a contemporary routine to "Wrestlers (Sticky, Dirty Pop Mix)" by Hot Chip and choreographed by Sonya Tayeh. These dancers do a fantastic job in this funky routine. They are very fun and entertaining.

The judges agree that Matt needs to loosen up. They also say that overall the pair danced really well.

Contemporary dancers Chelsea T. and Thayne dance the quickstep to "You Can't Hurry Love" by Phil Collins and choreographed by Heather Smith. The quickstep has proven to be a tough assignment in past seasons, and this is no exception. Even a cute side-by-side dance during the breakdown portion of the dance can't save the performance.

Nigel tells them to get ready to dance for their lives. (Ouch!) Mary tells Thayne that he is barely on the "hot tamale" train. She says Chelsea has been completely kicked off the train.  

Chelsie H. and Mark -- a Latin dancer and a contemporary dancer -- do a hip-hop routine to "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis and choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D'Umo.

Nigel says they are excellent. He says Chelsie H. dances with enough passion. Mary loves it. Adam screams in support of the dancing. "You guys put life into it," he says. "You guys are the couple  to beat."

Katee and Joshua -- a contemporary dancer and a hip-hop dancer -- are next with the samba choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin to "Baila, Baila" by Angela Via. The pair is very spicy on the floor. They really get into the groove and dance down into the floor. The crowd goes wild.

The judges gush over the pair. Nigel praises the routine. He says she doesn't overaccentuate the moves. He says Joshua has a natural samba movement, and then asks Joshua if he got his "buns" from his father, who is sitting in the audience. Joshua's father shows off his backside to the screaming audience. Mary loves the performance. She says they are on the "hot tamale train" (a very good thing). Adam says "that was competing." He says Katee is "smoking."

I think Chelsea T and Thayne, Courtney G. and Gev, and Comfort and Chris should be in the bottom three this week. We'll see what happens during the results show tonight.

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

After a long recap of last week's episode, during which Jen was sent packing, I was eager to see which two of the contestants distinguished themselves and made their way into the finale. The three remaining contestants: Corey, Petrozza and Christina, were rejoicing that Jen was eliminated. But they soon discovered that they needed to focus on their coming challenges.

Chef Gordon Ramsay thrust the three in to game mode when he challenged their pallets by having them re-create his signature venison dish from memory. He also brought their loved ones to the kitchen for a mini-reunion.

After the contestants ate with their loved ones, Ramsay sprang the challenge on them. Corey and Petrozza spent most of their time catching up with their loved ones. Christina studied the food. It paid off, and she won the challenge. As a result, Ramsay rewarded Christina with a tour of Los Angeles and then lunch with her mother and father. Corey and Petrozza were forced to clean dishes and break ice.

The dinner challenge was designed to let the contestants show off their leadership skills. Each got an opportunity to run the "hot plate," meaning one chef controls all of the sous chefs. Ramsay prepped the contestants by giving them a simulated run.

Petrozza was forceful and confident in his practice. Ramsay liked the way Petrozza yelled. Ramsay said Christina came across as a cheerleader. Corey did the worst out of the three. She came across as meek.

During the dinner service, Ramsay asked his two assistants -- Scott and Gloria -- to sabotage the three finalists.

Petrozza failed the first challenge in the "hot plate," when he failed to notice that the risotto lacked peas.
While Petrozza was in the "hot plate," Christina screwed up and burned the salmon. She continued to struggle. Her next salmon was raw. Then, she cooked overcooked scallops.

Corey was next in the "hot plate." She didn't notice that a server missed an entree. Sous chef Scott sent up the wrong sauce with the beef Wellington. Corey discovered the mistake after she had already poured the sauce on the meat (bad, bad, bad).

Christina struggled at first. She redeemed herself when she discovered that the mashed potatoes were missing mint. (She was the only contestant to pass Ramsay's quality-assurance test.)

After dinner ended, Ramsay dished out his assessments of the performances. He said he didn't feel comfortable leaving Corey alone on the "hot plate." He said she did a great job on the meat station. He said Christina was disastrous on her service station, but she excelled in the "hot plate. Ramsay added that Petrozza came across as slightly careless. "It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad," Ramsay told him.

The three finalists were charged with nominating one another for elimination. Corey nominated Christina.
"More often than not, when she gets yelled at, she is like a deer in headlights," Corey said.

Christina, who nominated Corey, questioned Corey's leadership qualities. Petrozza nominated Christina because of her failure during the kitchen service.

Ramsay announced that Petrozza was the first contestant to advance to the finale. The women were given the opportunity to make a case to advance to the finale. Christina said she is confident and perseverant. Corey said she is strong and hard-working, and she is never going to quit.

Ramsay said it was a tough call, but he chose Christina. He told Corey that she is very talented, and that she should hold her head up.

In next week's finale, both contestants will get a chance to redesign a portion of Hell's Kitchen as their own restaurant. They will also be charged with designing a menu. The pair will also be shipped off to New York City for some unknown reason, before returning back to Hell's Kitchen for their final challenge. Did I mention that six former contestants: Jen, Matt, Bobby, Corey, Ben and Louross, will return for the final challenge? It's sure to be an exciting finish to a pretty good season of Hell's Kitchen.

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The contestants headed to the breathtaking Andes in Argentina. The scenery was beautiful, but treachery was alive and well. The Mole was at work.

In the challenge "Midas Rush," contestants were split into two teams: the selfish against the selfless. Somehow, Paul, Alex, Mark and Craig were chosen for the selfless team (totally disagree with Alex and Mark). Victoria, Kristen, Clay and Nicole were chosen for the selfish team (totally disagree with everyone except Nicole.)

Both teams were tasked with carrying as many gold bars as possible to the top of a mountain in a certain amount of time. The first team to the top had the opportunity for an exemption. But a team earned more money for the overall prize with the more gold bars it transported. (So, basically, contestants were faced with personal greed versus overall team wealth.) 

True to form, the selfless team took more bricks so that they could earn more money for the entire group. The selfish team took fewer bricks to make it to the top faster. At the halfway point, host Jon Kelley informed the groups that they needed to add a scale to their load. The selfish team picked the smaller, lighter scale. The selfless team struggled with the larger weight.

Craig, the calorically-challenged contestant on the selfless team, struggled going up the mountain. He eventually made it. But the selfish team won (surprise, surprise). Host Jon Kelley informed the selfish team that it had earned an exemption for the win. One catch: The team had to unanimously choose one person to take the exemption. If the team failed to do so, not only would the team forfeit the exemption, but it would cost all of the contestants the money earned during the challenge.

Clay used the "no bickering" clause to his advantage and strong-armed his way to the exemption. It was very strange. Kristen clearly did the most work on the team; she should have gotten it. Maybe she gave up the exemption because, possibly, being the Mole, she knew that she would be safe. Maybe Clay took the exemption because he is the Mole and he wanted to get rid of a teammate. 

Craig took a turn for the worst as the contestants walked down the mountain after the challenge. He complained of light-headedness and was soon taken away by an ambulance. The contestants all expressed concern for their ailing peer. They later learned that Craig was suffering from hypothermia. As a result, he was ordered to get sleep.

While Craig recovered, the game continued. Jon gathered the contestant's journals for a guessing game. He asked the group questions about quotes found in each journal. Each time a contestant correctly identified the author of the quote, the pot of money would increase. Contestants were not allowed to give hints to one another during the game. Nicole coughed and batted her eyes excessively during one of the questions to alert Kristen, which took money away from the group (very Moleish behavior).

Later in the evening Jon took the group -- minus a recovering Craig -- to an isolated location where he asked for a copy of a journal. Alex gave him his. Jon informed the group that he was going to burn the rest of the journals, which incensed Mark. Mark, who had been taking very detailed notes, immediately left the group after the journal burning. He called it "sadistic." (Can you say crazy?)

When the group returned, it was time for the quiz. There was one catch this week: It was timed. The timed element proved to be a factor for Victoria, who was tied for last place with an undisclosed contestant, but finished her quiz five seconds later. She was eliminated. She took it in stride, saying she thought she was going to go this episode. (I felt bad for her. She seemed like a genuinely nice person. The competitors seemed to like her.)

Next week's previews show everyone's favorite competitors -- Nicole and Paul -- involved in some type of conflict. Surprise, surprise ...

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: The Mole
        

The episode starts with a group hip-hop routine choreographed by Shane Sparks. The dancers do a series of super-fast pops, locks and breaks to "Elevator" by Timbaland featuring Flo Rida. The routine is energetic and fun. Comfort really stands out when she's in the front of the group breaking it down. (This will mean something by the end of the episode.) The routine ends with the group collapsed on the stage; Gev remains in a headstand.

Results time! Several couples receive good news. But as for the bottom three: We learn Chelsea T. and Thayne are in it. The judges were not fans of their performance the night before. Judge Mia Michaels says she is not surprised. "America got it right," she says. (Ouch!)

Will and Jessica appear to think they are going to the bottom three. Are they thinking about their hip-hop routine the night before? The judges showered Will with praise, but they were divided over Jessica. The tension builds. They're safe! Both couples are ecstatic. Host Kat Deeley playfully orders them off the stage.

Time for a commercial and my dinner: a bachelor's steak, aka, a bowl of cereal.

Three couples are on stage after the break. Susie and Marquis are first. The judges hated them the night before. They are in the bottom three. Mary says they had a tough time the night before. "Bring it on!" she shouts to them.

It's down to Comfort and Chris or Courtney G. and Gev. The judges liked Comfort but criticized Chris the night before. Courtney G. and Gev are safe.

Next up is a flamenco dance by two-time contestant Timo Nunez. When his performance ends, all I can think is: "Is that it?" I'm not as impressed as the screaming crowd.

Finally, the solo performances: Chelsea T. dances to "Time is Now" by Moloko. She explodes with each jump, leap and sashay. Thayne dances to "Belief" by Gavin DeGraw. He is also very strong. He does several huge leaps and even a back handspring. Susie dances to "The Anthem" by Pitbull featuring Lil' Jon. Her routine and the song are very Miami, meaning very hot!

Maruquis is next with "Stop and Stare" by OneRepublic. My jaw drops as he performs a series of crowd-pleasing tricks and moves. At the end of the performance, he acknowledges his uncle in the audience. (How nice!) Comfort dances to the old-school hip-hop classic "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa. She really is impressive with her ability to manipulate her body as she pops and locks. Chris dances to "Again" by John Legend. I think he has the weakest solo.

Then, rapper Flo Rida performs "In The Air," which doesn't do anything for me. His backup dancers remind me of an old MC Hammer music video. (That's not good at all.)

After another commerical break, Nigel offers a drawn-out analogy about losing and basketball. (It almost puts me to sleep.)

He then says Susie's out, and that Comfort's dancing in the Shane Sparks routine saved her. Susie's greatest hits roll along, and she thanks the judges for the chance. Now it's time for the men. Nigel compliments Thayne's personality. Nigel says that Marquis did a lot of tricks during his solo and not a lot of dance. Nigel says Chris danced with a lot of passion. Marquis is eliminated. The crowd boos. Marquis tears up. "Thank you. It's just been an awesome road," he says. "I can't wait to keep going down it."

Do you agree with elimination?

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 12:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

Archie, Cookie and the rest of the American Idol Top 10 are touring the nation starting July 1.
They'll be in Baltimore at 1st Mariner Arena on Aug. 12. The next day, they'll be in Philly. On Aug, 14, they sing in D.C. For the complete schedule, click here.

Who are you most excited to see? I'm going to see if I can arrange an interview with my favorite contestant Jason Castro. Heck, maybe I'll buy him a drink ... (Wait a second! Is he even 21?)

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (19)
Categories: American Idol
        

Like clockwork, this week on So You Think You Can Dance, the contestants share what they like and dislike most about one another. (Goody! Sounds like I can learn some dirt!)

Chelsea T. says Thayne is always smiling. Thayne says she is positive. (Yawn! Let's get down to the dancing!) The duo dances a jazz routine choreographed by Mandy Moore. The routine, set to "Untouched" by The Veronicas, is about a king and his forbidden love, Moore says in an interview. It's very dramatic. They wear turn-of-the-century, jazzed-up royal garb. She is good -- yet again. He is a little overshadowed.

Judge Mia Michaels didn't like the execution. "You weren't regal enough," she says to Thayne. Judge Mary Murphy says she didn't believe the chemistry between the two. She says Chelsea looked uncomfortable in high heels. Judge Nigel Lythgoe agrees: "It wasn't real. I didn't believe it." (Ouch! These are the insults I'm expecting to hear. Too bad the jabs are coming from the judges.)

Chelsie H. and Mark are next. They dance the Argentine tango, choreographed by Alex Da Silva, to "Mr. Confession" by Gotan Project. She looks stunning in a sultry red dress. He does a good job supporting her and guiding her. They are smooth. They are also very, very good with a series of quick kicks.

Overall, the judges like them. Actually, Mia says she loves them. Mary says she loved everything about the routine. Nigel says he wants to see more passion in Chelsie's eyes. He says Mark did a terrific job.

Jessica and Will do a hip-hop routine choreographed by Cecily Bradley and Alisa Thompson. They dance to "Whatever You Like" by Nicole Scherzinger. She wears a white sports coat; he wears a red one. They both wear matching fedoras. Will kills the routine. Jessica tries to step up but can't quiet reach his level. The crowd cheers loudly throughout.

Mia says Jessica was a little "cheerleaderlike." She says Will is a genius. Mary says Jessica needs to step up. Mary calls Will a force to be reckoned with. Nigel says Jessica did a good job and predicts Will will make it to the final four.   

Matt and Kourtni L. do a foxtrot choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. They dance to "A Foggy Day (In London Town)"  by Michael Buble. She wears a pretty mint-green dress, and he wears a vest, tie and khakis. They do a descent job. Their stunning lifts are the highlight.

Mary wasn't a huge fan of their performance. "I left sitting here slightly disappointed," she says. Mia calls it "great, old, Hollywood magic." She says Matt is fantastic. Mia wants Kourtni L. to "own her size and length." Overall, Nigel likes the performance.

Gev and Courtney G. do a contemporary routine choreographed by Mandy Moore to "Lost" by Anouk. The beginning of the dance requires them to do a good amount of rolling on the ground. Then, they get up, and the magic starts. The crowd cheers with each powerful lift, and breathtaking spin. 

Mia says she wants to see a little more "organic purity" from Courtney G. She says she is very proud of Gev. Mary says she loves it. "That was hot," she squeals. Nigel says the two are beautifully balanced. He adds that he doesn't believe the emotion of the two.  

Katee and Joshua do a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. They dance to "All for the Best" from Godspell. They do a great job with all the intricate steps, and the crowd cheers wildly.

Nigel gets out of his seat and cheers. "That's what I have been waiting for all night," Nigel gushes. "This is entertainment." Mary agrees. "The two of you ought to come with a warranty," she screams. "Satisfaction guaranteed." Mia also loved the routine: "It was amazing." She calls Joshua a "force."

Susie and Marquis do a salsa choreographed by Alex Da Silva. They dance to "Aguanile" by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe. The routine was high energy but lacked passion.

Mia is not pleased. She says Marquis' body reminds her of Jell-O. She adds that she expects more from Susie. Mary says that it wasn't working for her and that she expects more from Susie. She says she saw more chemistry during high school. Nigel says he is not sure if Marquis is a strong partner. He says he wanted to see more fire. "There were many things wrong with it," Nigel says.  

Kherington and Twitch are next with a Viennesse waltz choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. They dance to "A New Day Has Come" by Celine Dion. Genereux dedicates the performance to his daughter, who has severe disabilities. The pair does an emotional dance that is gentle and graceful.

Mia says she loved the whole essence of the performance, but add that Kherington smiled too much during it. Nigel counters her, saying the dance was meant to be uplifting. Mary fights back tears. "You are insane," Mary says to Twitch. (That's a good thing.) Nigel explains the origin of the dance. He says Kherington flowed. "You felt the music together," he says. "Nobody could ask more of the both of you."

Comfort and Chris are the last couple of the evening with a krump routine choreographed by Lil' C. The pair dances to "Come and Get Me" by Timbaland featuring 50 Cent and Tony Yayo.

Mia says she is a huge fan of Comfort. "I love you," she says. Mia says Chris worked really hard. "You pulled it off," she says. Mary says Comfort could have hit the routine a little harder. She says Matt's performance is respectable. She adds that Comfort blew him away. Nigel says that Chris' performance was really week, and that he's disappointed in Comfort.

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

Let's face it: This far into the competition, there aren't going to be stark differences in abilities between the contestants on Hell’s Kitchen. This isn't American Idol. Chef Gordon Ramsay usually bases his decisions on performance.

The final four had to cook lunch for 80 people. Each contestant was charged with cooking a dish of their choice. To the surprise of the contestants, they learned that they were cooking for hungry, pregnant women.

Corey struggled more than any other competitor. She was still cooking while the other contestants were serving the guests. Corey finished fourth, Jen finished third and Christina barely beat out Petrozza for the win.

Christina was rewarded with a shopping spree in Beverly Hills. The remaining contestants were charged with cleaning up the dining room after lunch. In addition, they had to prepare for the night's dinner service.

Corey and Jen were hatin' on Christina. They were talking so much smack about her. It was such a case of jealousy. When Christina returned, Jen and Corey ignored her. Petrozza took the high road and reached out.

Before the restaurant opened for dinner service, Ramsay reminded them that the winner gets $250,000 and the position of executive chef at one of his Los Angeles restaurants. The reminder seemed to work. Dinner started off great. Corey and Jen were doing a great job with appetizers. But we all know how quickly things can turn on Hell's Kitchen.

Ramsay criticized Jen for cooking "mushy" risotto. She finally got her act together.

Jen's little blunder was nothing compared to Christina's; she burned Ramsay with a hot pot -- twice. Needless to say, Ramsay flipped his lid. "Now I think you are doing this on purpose," hesaid.

The rest of the competitors steered clear of the carnage. That was until Corey decided to serve undercooked shrimp. "If I wanted sushi, this would be perfect," one patron said. After a quick chewing out by Ramsay, she got her act together.

Ramsay moved on to Petrozza, whom he complimented. In my opinion, Petrozza had the best overall meal service.

Even though the dinner service was a success, Ramsay still had to cut someone. "Tonight was your best service," Ramsay said as he high-fived everyone. He charged the group with nominating two people for elimination. The group decided that each contestant should be allowed to nominate two peers for elimination. No contestant could write down a cook more than once. Petrozza, Christina and Corey suspected that Jen cheated and wrote down Christina's name twice. Somehow the "group" -- Christina, Corey, and Petrozza -- decided to put up Jen and Corey for elimination. (Corey's nomination was strictly strategic.)

Ramsay gave each woman an opportunity to state her case to stay. Corey said she was a valuable asset to the team; Jen said she is passionate.

Ramsay decided that this was the end of the road for Jen.

"It hurts," she said after being voted off, and admitting that she needed to work on her attitude. "I just have to stay positive and stay strong and do what I do best, and that is to cook."

Jen's attitude played a role in her exit, Ramsay said. "I never knew what Jen I was going to get at dinner service. And that's why it was her turn to go."

Do you agree with Jen's departure? I think Corey should have gone. She screwed up during the lunch challenge. Then, she served undercooked shrimp. Her screw-ups were greater, plain and simple.

(I'm so excited! I caught an advertisement for the Hell's Kitchen spin-off, Kitchen Nightmares. It will air Thursday this fall. I’ll be watching.)

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 8:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The producers and editors with The Mole surely know the meaning of building tension and throwing in a few good twists and turns.  

This week's episode was no exception. First, we started where we left off last week -- drama city. The contestants were all abuzz, discussing Nicole's death threat to Paul after the elimination. Nicole essentially said she was caught up in the competition. Paul didn't accept her explanation. (Paul later said in a confessional that he was going to milk it as much as he could so that he could throw the other contestants off their game.) 

Then, the group was split into two: the can't-trust group and the trust blindly group. Contestants from each were paired and had to ride a luge track. The front contestant was blindfolded, while the second contestant had to memorize fruits on signs while zooming down the course. The sighted contestant told the blindfolded contestant the correct order of the fruits. The blindfolded contestant then had to correctly pick out the fruit as it appeared on the course. Most teams did a good job. There were a few exceptions, highlighted by Nicole.

The contestants were suspicious of the controversial player for incorrectly telling Alex the order of the fruits. It cost the group $6,000. That wasn't the end of the money woes. Two teams, Victoria and Craig and Bobby and Clay, were disqualified for discussing the sequence of the fruits past the finish line, which was against the rules. (The mission was worth $70,000. The group earned $26,000.)

Following the challenge, distrust among the contestants was at a high. It was time to blow off some steam. The contestants were taken to a spa to get massages. Midway through, they were informed that they needed to complete a mission.

Host Jon Kelley had taken the contestants' clothes while they were receiving their massages, leaving them with only shoes and underwear. Kelley informed them that their challenge was to persuade people in Santiago, Chile, to give them dress clothes so that they could gain entry to a restaurant.

Craig, who is calorically challenged, lamented that no one in Santiago was his size, which drew laughs from the group.

Clay and Mark opted out of the challenge. As a result, they weren't allowed to eat dinner at the restaurant. (Suspicious.)

During the mission, Craig, Bobby and Nicole struggled to get clothes. So did Ali, Kristen and Victoria, who, together, looked like a Victoria's Secret ad. The trio was gawked at by construction workers and a busload of Catholic schoolboys. Alex, who speaks fluent Spanish, was able to persuade several people to give up some clothes. Paul met a New Yorker who gave him pants.

At the last minute, Bobby, Craig, and Nicole struck gold and stumbled upon the dry cleaners that was holding the entire group's clothes. The trio quickly got dressed, grabbed everyone's clothes and showed up to dinner as the heroes of the day. (Was it luck, or was it the Mole using his/her advantage?)

(ONE QUICK NOTE!) Was I the only one who noticed that Nicole said there was a note addressed to Alex at the dry cleaners? It was in passing, but it struck me as extremely odd. Why would there be an envelope addressed to Alex?

The group enjoyed dinner. As the meal started to wrap up, Paul started to heat up. First, he got into a tiff with Mark. Then he got into an argument with Bobby, then Craig and, finally, Nicole.

Next, it was time for the quiz; but there was a last-minute twist. Kelley announced that he was offering $20,000 for a contestant to drop out of the competition. No one took the bait. He then raised it to $30,000, which was enough for Ali, the 24-year-old model from St. Louis. 

"I miss home, and I miss my family," Ali said. "I think they are going to be happy with this."

The competition wasn't over. Kelley informed the group that since Ali did not score the worst on the quiz, the lowest-scoring contestant would be sent home. It was Bobby. Victoria and Craig were very upset, since both had formed bonds with him.

"I'm just happy to see two people gone," Paul said. "It makes me that much closer to that money." (He's a true villain! Or maybe he's one heck of a Mole?)

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: The Mole
        

Taylor Hicks is joining the Tony-nominated production "Grease." (Did anyone see the awards show last night? Whoopi Goldberg did a great job hosting. Anywho ...)

Hicks, winner of Season 5 of American Idol, will join the cast as "Teen Angel." I saw him Friday on Regis and Kelly, and he talked about his future plans, which include releasing a new album this fall. (Check him out here.)

Aside from the Liberace-inspired grey suit, Hicks did a decent job. I'm glad to see that he appears to be bouncing back. (He was dropped by his record label earlier this year.) I can't think of another American Idol winner who has been as overshadowed by his/her competition as Hicks. (Take your pick from Katharine McPhee, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler and Ace Young.)

Anywho, the cast of "Grease" is turning into a reality all-star team. (The crooner will join leads that were chosen by viewers of NBC 's Grease: You're the One That I Want in 2007.)

Hicks is the latest Idol contestant to take his talents to stage. The growing group includes: 2002 finalist Tamyra Gray ("Rent"and "Bombay Dreams"), 2003 exiled contestant Frenchie Davis ("Rent"), 2005 winner Fantasia Barrino ("The Color Purple"), 2005 finalist Diana DeGarmo ("Hairspray"), 2005 finalist Constantine Maroulis ("The Wedding Singer"), and 2007 finalist LaKisha Jones ("The Color Purple").

I wonder if there are any non-singing parts available for Sanjaya Malakar, and Jason Castro...

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: American Idol
        

Marylander Caity Lynn Fisher and partner Will Snyder won CMT's Can You Duet competition on Friday night. Congrats! (Part of the deal is a recording contract. It seems like reality-TV country crooners seem to find a bit of success in the "real world" -- I just heard Josh Gracin of American Idol on the radio. I'm rooting for these two.)

Posted by Carla Correa at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Maryland reality contestants
        

The show starts a bit funky. Something is awry. There are crew members on stage cleaning up. A random camera shot shows the judges talking amongst themselves. Then there are flashes of very odd looking people with thick eyeliner making their way to the crowd. Another shot of the judges shows that one is missing: A gagged, struggling Nigel Lythgoe is being carried on stage.

The 20 contestants then break into a series of quick moves to "Cobrastyle" by Robyn. With each jerk, flashes of the fluorescent green and electric blue hair of the female contestants flies through the air. It reminds me of the cartoon Jem from my youth.

The group separates, leaving the men to complete some intricate choreography by Wade and Amanda Robson. And punk-dressed dancers do assorted tricks. Meanwhile, Nigel is being carted across the stage while sitting in a rolling chair. It's chaotic. It's fast. It's crazy cool!

Finally, the dancers leave, and host Kat Deeley ungags Nigel. (This is where things get a little corny. Stick to judging and producing Nigel!) Deeley starts revealing the bottom three almost immediately.

Matt and Kourtni, who danced a jazz routine, are in the bottom three. She looks shaken up. Rayven and Jamie, who danced a hip-hop routine, join them. Nigel said that they're in the bottom three because they were in the beginning and that people could have been offended by Rayven pulling down Matt's pants during their routine. Finally, Jessica and Will, who were lauded for their tango, are on the chopping block.

Deeley announces that a genre of dance will be demonstrated each elimination night. This week, popping is the choice. The two dancers do an incredible job.

After the commercial break, it's time for the bottom three couples to dance for their lives. Kourtni L. is first. She dances to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by The Side Project. She does an aerial and a series of leaps. Matt dances to "Baby’s Romance" by Chris Garineau. His routine is very crisp and clean; his toes are pointed. But it seems a bit boring. Rayven dances to "As I Am" by Alicia Keyes. She dances on demi-point, on the balls of her feet.

Jamie picks "Mas Que Nada" by Sergio Mendes featuring the Black Eyed Peas. He's very energetic, but I feel as if I’m watching a Latin ballroom competition. Jessica dances to "Misery Business" by Paramour. It appears more like a cheerleading routine than a dance. It's not impressive. Will dances to "More Than Anyone" by Gavin DeGraw. He starts with a huge leap, then does a series of powerful, exaggerated twists and turns that corresponds with each inflection of DeGraw's voice. It's magical.

The judges go backstage to make their decision. Meanwhile, The Pussycat Dolls perform "When I Grow Up" from their soon-to-be-released album Doll Domination (Seriously! I’m not making up this album title). These women sure can move -- in high-heeled boots no less! After the high-energy performance, it's time to learn the fate of our bottom three couples.

Nigel says the judges think that Kourtni brought a magical quality to her routine, and they want her to continue in the competition. He says the judges are confused why Rayven danced on demi-point. "We found that a little strange and not strong enough," he says. Nigel also says Jessica’s performance was not strong enough. But Rayven is eliminated. Despite her loss, she has a wonderful attitude.

"I'm only springing forward from here," she says.

Nigel gushes over Will and tells him he is safe. "You've got everything to be in the finale," he says. Nigel tells Matt he needs personality and tells Jamie he needs to work on technique. Nigel says Matt’s technique wins out; Jamie is going home.

"I'm just so happy that I got to make it this far," Jamie says as he chokes up. "Everyone is this competition, they are just beautiful people. They are all such wonderful dancers. And I was a part of it."

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

Did anyone get a chance to watch NBC's Celebrity Circus last night hosted by Dancing With the Stars alumnus Joey Fatone?

I only caught glimpses of the show while watching So You Think You Can Dance and devising a way to join the Witness Protection Program after posting those comments about Jason Castro. (LOL!)

From the little I saw, I wasn’t all that impressed. The show appeared to be a bit cheesy. And once again, I must take exception with the use of the word "celebrity."

The competitors include: model Rachel Hunter; Antonio Sabato Jr. from General Hospital; Christopher Knight, “Peter” from The Brady Bunch; Janet Evans, the Olympic swimming champion; Blu Cantrell, an R&B singer; Jason "Wee Man" Acuna, a Jackass cast member; and Stacey Dash, an actress best known from the '90s hit movie Clueless.

Who knew Sabato Jr. was still considered a star?

I caught a glimpse of Hunter -- remember she used to be a judge on the short-lived Are You Hot?: The Search for America's Sexiest People -- doing a routine where she spun from a hoop hoisted in the air. (Yawn!)

I also caught the end of Cantrell’s hoop routine. The judges hated it and scored her last among the seven competitors. Dash led the group.

Like Dancing With the Stars, I don’t think I’ll be making a habit of watching this show. I tire of these "celebrity" shows. They’re always a little trite (plus, I’ve never really been star-struck!). I would much rather watch everyday people show us legitimate talents. 
 

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

The minute I heard the So You Think You Can Dance theme music blaring from my television set, I knew I was in for a treat. I had been eagerly awaiting last night’s episode all week. I wanted to see which dancers formed couples and danced to random genres of music. I wasn’t disappointed.

After host Cat Deeley introduced the judges, Dan Karaty, a hip-hop and pop choreographer; Mary Murphy, a ballroom expert; and Nigel Lythgoe, the show's executive producer, a brief video montage showed the Top 20 dancers' progression to the night.

Rayven and Jamie -- a ballerina and West Coast swing dancer -- did a hip-hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha to Estelle’s "American Boy." The duo imitated graffiti taggers for their routine. He had on a white sports coat with a black-and-white argyle sweater. She wore a black sports coat accented by a red, black and white argyle scarf. There was plenty of popping, locking and miming. And wait! Rayven pulled down his pants to reveal blue underwear. (They had good chemistry.)

Nigel said it was not bad for the first routine. Mary said Rayven is a beautiful strong dancing machine. She also liked Jaime. Dan did not like the routine. "There was no funk at all," Dan said. "It kind of all hit on the same level. Not bad. Not great."

Susie and Marquis -- a salsa dancer and contemporary dancer -- did a smooth waltz routine choreographed by Hunter Johnson to “Dark Waltz” by Hayley Westenra. Susie wore a soft powder-blue ballroom dress. Marquis wore a slim, fitted dark suit. He lifted her with ease. She turned effortlessly. It was pretty.

Nigel said it was very difficult choreography. "Well done," Nigel said. "It was a tough routine. I hope people realize how good you two were in it." He said Marquis’ technique was marvelous. He said Susie’s lines were "absolutely beautiful." Mary agreed. "You guys pulled it off,” she said. "You did a great job." Dan said he felt like he was watching an "almost perfect ending to a love story."

Kourtni L. and Matt -- both contemporary dancers -- did a jazz routine choreographed by Mandy Moore to "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell. The tall pair -- she's 5 foot 9; He's 6 foot 3 -- looked cool in their black leather jackets. The duo was one of the few to use a prop. In the beginning of the routine, Matt revealed this oversized clear jewel, which he flashed to the crowd. Like a gold digger at the NBA All-Star Game, the jewel entranced her as she darted from side to side as he tossed the sparkling object from one hand to another. It was pretty neat. At the end of the routine, Matt hid the jewel in his pocket. A second later he revealed a handful of smaller stones that he threw into the audience. It had a magical effect.

Nigel said the routine was "fun." He said he needed more expression from Matt.
"You are very up and down dancer," he told Matt. "It's like someone shoved a broomstick up where the sun don’t shine." (Ouch!) Nigel told Kourtni that she is unique. He then compared her to Uma Thurman and Princess Di. Mary said the "two dancing giants" did a great job. "You make it look so easy," she said. Dan said they didn't attack it. "You played it safe," he said.

Chelsea T. and Thayne -- both contemporary dancers -- did the cha cha choreographed by Tony Meredith to "Oye Como Va" by Celia Cruz. I wasn’t crazy about Chelsea’s lavender feathered dress (but this isn’t Project Runway). I was a fan of the heat and passion the two generated to the smoky vocals of the Cruz classic. The pair did a simultaneous booty shake that brought the house down. The crowd cheered wildly when they finished their routine.

Nigel said he loved Chelsea's attitude. "You were both fantastic," Nigel gushed. "It was a very sexy routine." Mary said the two were on "The Hot Tamale Train." "You were really on fire up there girl," Mary said. "And Thayne, you were really partnering her so well." Dan said Chelsea took control from her first step. "You guys owned the stage," he said. "Unbelievable guys. Well done."

Chelsie H. and Mark -- a ballroom dancer and contemporary dancer -- did a contemporary routine by Mia Michaels to "Beautiful" by Me'Shell Ndegeocello. Mark, a native of Hawaii, said he's a little "left of center." Maybe it was appropriate that he danced Michaels' routine, which she compared to a Tim Burton wedding. But Michaels expressed some disappoint in Mark: "I thought Mark would be better than he is," she said during practice. "He ain’t getting’ it."

I felt like I was watching a great theatrical performance. The stage was lfilled with blue light. I was really impressed with a sequence that involved the couple rolling, twisting and interlocking on the floor.

Nigel said Chelsie shouldn’t be able to dance as well as she does because she is a ballroom dancer. He also remarked that this is going to be a really good season. (Agreed.) "I thought you both danced it brilliantly," Nigel said. Mary commented about Mark’s uniqueness. She compared Chelsie to an innocent angel. "If I had a hat, I would take it off to you," Mary added. (High praise.) Dan said the couple did an amazing job.

Kherington and Twitch -- a jazz contemporary dancer and a hip-hop dancer -- did a Broadway routine by Tyce DiOrio to "Too Darn Hot" from Kiss Me, Kate.
Twitch, who was the last man cut out of the Top 20 last year, has something to prove. Like a scene from Chicago, the couple stomped their feet, kicked their legs in the air and commanded the stage. The judges noticed.

Nigel said the routine was hot. "You are dancing fabulously," Nigel said to Kherington. "You both did it brilliantly," he said. Mary said the sprinkler system was going to come on because the pair was so hot. Dan said Kherington was hitting on all cylinders. He also said Twitch did a good job.

Comfort and Chris -- a hip-hop dancer and a contemporary dancer -- did the jive choreographed by Tony Meredith to "Boom Boom Boom" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters. The two exploded on the stage, dancing to blasts of white light that caught Comfort’s beaded dress just right. She literally sparkled with each intricate, quick step. Chris was right there along with Comfort showing a lot of energy. There were moments when the routine appeared to slow a bit and I thought I was watching Dancing With the Stars, but, overall, it was a pretty good effort.

Nigel was struck by Comfort’s versatility. "You set that stage on fire," he said. "I thought you did a really good job," Nigel told Chris. “I thought your personality came out.” Mary liked what she saw.
"This girl has what it takes for sure," Mary said. "That fringe was flyin'!" Dan thought that Chris did a wonderful job. "You both performed well separately," Dan said. “You have to develop chemistry together."

Katee and Joshua -- a contemporary dancer and hip hop dancer -- did a hip-hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha to "No Air" by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. The routine was about a couple spending their last night together before his deployment to war. Katee was so expressive, and Joshua was smooth. The dancing matched the music wonderfully. The routine was so funky. There were a series of pops, locks and twists that left me breathless. They did this shirt exchange that was extremely cool to wrap up the routine.

"That was really, really good," Nigel said, adding that it was his favorite choreographed routine.
Mary said Joshua made it look effortless. "I wasn’t expecting this," she said. "It was tremendous."
Dan said they killed dancing in unison. (That’s a good thing.) He said Katee held her own.

Jessica and Will -- both contemporary dancers -- did a tango routine choreographed by Hunter Johnson to "Tango" from Cirque Du Soleil. They looked striking. She was in a long, flowing red dress. He was in a dark suit with a red scarf.

"They're a hell of a couple,” Nigel said. Nigel said Will was majestic. He said Jessica had a few wobbles. He added that she was absolutely wonderful. Mary shrieked while saying that they were strong, passionate and on fire. "You are the couple to beat," Mary said. Dan said they played the part very well.

Courtney G. and Gev -- a contemporary dancer and b-boy dancer -- did a disco routine choreographed by Doriana Sanchez to "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind and Fire. During the routine, Courtney wore a canary yellow dress; he channeled Saturday Night Fever in his white vest, slacks and canary yellow shirt. It was fast, but I wasn’t crazy about it.

Nigel said he didn’t love it. "It looked more like disco duck," he said. Nigel said he liked Courtney’s personality. He also liked when Gev threw her into the air and she came spiraling down. Mary praised Courtney and said Gev also did a good job. Dan said he enjoyed the routine. "I think you could have been cleaner. I think it could have been tighter. But it was pretty good,” he said.

Tonight, we’ll learn the bottom three teams. Each contestant in the bottom three will do a brief routine in their genre of choice. The judges will then determine which contestants stay in the competition. In addition, the Pussycat Dolls will take the stage for a number. The contestants will also perform to a Wade Robson routine. It should be entertaining.

Who is your favorite couple/dancer so far?

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

Because of a computer glitch, my entry that I planned to post last night disappeared. So, I'll try to re-create my comments!

Well, an earlier Top Chef viewers' poll got it right: There would be a female top chef before a female president. Chicago's Stephanie Izard, 31, won Top Chef last night in a, well, rather boring episode. But, for a good 20 minutes or so of the episode, I thought Lisa (ick) had it in the bag. (Poor Richard, but I'll get to him later.)

After reading these comments from sometimes judge Anthony Bourdain and hearing the heavily edited judges' remarks about the food, it seemed like Stephanie's crunchy leeks and pedestrian ricotta cheesecake (Gail really hated it) would do her in.

The three contestants were able to pick famous chefs as their sous chefs for their final challenge. Stephanie picked Eric Ripert, Richard chose Dan Barber and Lisa, by default, wound up with April Bloomfield. Lisa was super pumped to be working with April, talking about "girl power" and getting along, etc. Where was the Lisa we know best? Where was the screaming about rice? Not in this finale. Lisa is happy.

Richard and Stephanie both seemed a bit nervous about their dishes. One thing Richard wasn't fretting over: his banana scallop and bacon ice cream -- made with liquid nitrogen! When Richard first pulled out one of his gadgets in an early episode, all I could think of was Marcel's foams. But unlike the played-out foam, Richard's interesting way of preparing and presenting food really grew on me this season. Even Chef Ripert was impressed.

Second day of cooking: The chefs learn that the sous chefs won't be back. The stars, will, however, be tasting the contestants' dishes that day.

Meal time. First course: Richard serves a possibly too complex scallop (not the banana one); Stephanie offers a beautiful red snapper (a really refined dish); Lisa (who is still happy) offers spicy grilled prawns.

Second course: Richard offers a fresh but "muddled" "Which Came First" -- a combo of Guinea hen and foie gras; Stephanie serves quail and lobster ravioli with a quail egg; and Lisa makes a praised coconut soup with a dumpling. She redeems herself after making that smoky laksa during Restaurant Wars. Gail says she could eat a giant bowl of it.

Third course: Richard produces an underseasoned, uncrispy pork belly. At this point, I know Richard is out -- the execution just isn't there. I'm sad for him. He is talented; Stephanie has lamb medallions which include olives and braised pistachios. Judge Ted says it makes him taste the nuts in a way he never has before. Tom says it's "full of surprises." It seems like this is the judges' favorite dish of the night; Lisa serves a tough beef with a sauce that might be a bit too sweet.

Finally, the dreaded dessert course. Richard's aforementioned ice cream dish rocks. Then again, we HAVE seen the banana scallop before from him; Lisa's Thai rice pudding is enjoyed, too. (I guess this time, the right rice was purchased!); Finally, that ricotta cheesecake. It's OK. The banana cream on top of it is a miss.

Judges' table pretty much repeats my comments above. The meal, generally, was a success with some missteps. I was hoping for a big misfire, because, hey, that makes good television. But I have to admit, I'm happy about the good food. Before a break, Bravo implies that Richard is about to reveal something stunning. After the commercials, we learn that he just tells the judges that he choked and that it wasn't his top performance. I'm not sure if it was a good thing for him to admit his weaknesses at judges' table, but he knew he wasn't going to win. He looks sad, and that makes me a bit sad, too. Then ... after what seems like a long decision-making process (in which lots of praise flowed Lisa's way. Darn editing!), Stephanie gets the title.

What do you think? Did she deserve it? Did Lisa outcook her that night, but did her missteps that night and in the past (and unpopularity with fans) make her lose the crown? What about Richard?

Posted by Carla Correa at 1:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Top Chef
        

It appears that American Idol runner-up David Archuleta has been signed to a record label.

The 17-year-old crooner from Utah has joined 19 Recordings/Jive Records, the label managed by Idol creator Simon Fuller.

No word on how the company will market the popular contestant, although I'm not sure it will really matter in the current music climate. (Talent has little to do with hit records. Just ask current teen sensations Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus ...)

For all you David Cook fans, don't worry. The Idol winner already has himself a contract with 19 Recordings/RCA Records. It came with the title.

What contestants from this year's crop are worthy of a contract? Syesha Mercado? Brooke White? Or, gulp, Jason Castro?

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 2:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: American Idol
        

Lisa from Top Chef had some words for all of us bloggers. See if she beats out Stephanie and Richard for the title at 10 tonight on Bravo, or come back here to read about it.

Posted by Carla Correa at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Top Chef
        

Liz, the retiree from Whitefish, Mont., became The Mole’s latest casualty. But Paul and Nicole’s disdain for each other stole the show.

Even before the first mission was announced, the show’s producers gave us a little preview of the conflict during a brief confessional by Nicole.

“I don’t want to fight Paul, but I am taller than he is,” Nicole said to the camera. “I could take him if I wanted to.”

(It was the perfect foreshadowing for the end of the show. But I’ll get to that later.)

The first mission was a race to the top of a mountain.

Mark and Kristen were broken apart from the group and given the incentive of getting immunity if they beat the other team to the top riding a two-person bicycle.

The remainder of the group was charged with going up against a soccer team composed of children. If the team of contestants scored a goal, it would be allowed to jump on a gondola, which was supposed to take the group to the top of the mountain. (Too bad the young soccer players were all World Cuppers in training...) 

Meanwhile, Mark and Kristen were struggling with the bicycle. The chain kept breaking. (Was this the Mole’s handiwork?)

At the soccer game, Bobby ran out of breath again. (Suspicious, because he said he played competitive sports all throughout high school … )

After a lengthy scoreless effort, Ali, the model, made a penalty kick. As a result, the group was allowed to get on the gondola. The problem was getting to the gondola. None of the team members knew where to go.

Liz struggled with the trek to the gondola. She took her shoes off because she said her feet were swollen.

Meanwhile, host Jon Kelly tempted Kristen and Mark with a taxicab ride to the summit. He offered the duo the ride if they took $5,000 from the group’s potential pot of money, which was $35,000. They didn’t take the money.

Eventually, the soccer-playing contestants made it to the gondola, and then to the top of the summit. It was all for nothing. Kristen and Mark beat them there.

The soccer players were pretty mad. Paul kept on attacking Bobby during the lunch after the challenge. Victoria was upset with Paul for picking on Bobby, her self-described friend.

The next day, the group had to go on a scavenger hunt and look for hidden ceramic pigs. The second part of the challenge was to launch the pigs into an arena using a slingshot. The team would only get points if a pair of teammates -- Liz and Paul -- could catch the pigs using a blanket. (Get it?)

During the scavenger hunt, Bobby -- once again – was having physical problems. This time his legs were bothering him. Kristen wound up carting around Bobby in a wheelbarrow.

A slew of contestants started to suspect Bobby of being the Mole. (Nicole, Kristen and Alex, to name a few.)

While many eyes were on Bobby, other people were displaying questionable behavior.
Paul broke open a pig that he thought had “something” inside. Why on earth would he do this? Maybe it was Mole-like. It was smart. The pig held an exemption. He was extremely excited. Liz was dejected. (Maybe she knew how much she needed the protection.)

When the pigs were brought back for the next part of the challenge, Alex did a horrible job sling-shotting pigs to Liz and Paul. His aim was all wrong. He eventually got better. (Quick note: This show is edited masterfully. Sometimes viewers are led to think that a contestant is exhibiting Mole behavior when he, in fact, is just doing a horrible job.)

The group increased the pot of money by $28,000 after the sling-shotters successfully got 28 pigs into the arena. (The group now has $63,000 out of a possible half-million dollars.) It was no thanks to Bobby’s group; his team didn’t get even one pig. Even the host seemed pretty shocked.

“What the hell happened?” he said. “That was brutal.”

Later that evening, the contestants lounged around, relaxed and shot the breeze.
Bobby decided to sneak a peek into Alex’s journal while a laughing Craig observed. (Each contestant is given a journal that they use to jot down observations to prepare them for the recurring Mole quizzes.)

After reading the journal, Bobby told Craig that Alex is an idiot.

“Some people aren’t in game mode,” Bobby said during a confessional. “I would never leave my journal around. It’s with me every second of the day. … Why would you leave that around for wandering eyes to see?”

Meanwhile, Alex was confessing that he intentionally left his journal for Bobby to read. (Talk about intrigue and treachery!)

After a relatively uneventful dinner, the contestants were informed that the quiz would follow. (You know the drill: 10 questions about the Mole. The lowest scoring contestant is eliminated.)

Liz, our retiree, was eliminated. (See you later, Liz.)

The true fireworks started after Liz departed.

Each episode, the contestants get a chance to reflect on the game. Paul used the opportunity to sink his teeth into Bobby and Nicole.

“I probably would have loved to see some other people on these chairs go home,” Paul said, referring to Nicole and Bobby.

“You can be competitive in this game, and you can still be classy,” Bobby countered. “Some people are competitive and not very classy.”

Nicole went right for the jugular.

“I’m going to kill you while you sleep,” she told Paul.

“Threatening my life over a game. OK, you can’t handle this already,” Paul said.

“I can do it and not leave any forensic evidence,” Nicole, the OB/GYN, continued.

“All you are is talk, and I’m tired of it,” Paul shot back.

“OK, wake up dead,” Nicole said. “I will beat you in this game.”

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: The Mole
        

The five remaining contestants -- Corey, Christina, Petrozza, Jen and Bobby -- had to teach the group of beginning cooks how to make lobster spaghetti.

Christina’s “student” did the best in a taste-test with Ramsay. Corey’s student wasn’t far behind.

Petrozza was too busy drooling over his student to do much teaching. (His student’s food was bland, according to Ramsay.)

The students of Bobby and Jen did not produce a good product. (It was a hint to the fate of the two contestants.)

After Ramsay announced that Christina won the challenge, the rest of the competitors gathered and agreed that she was the weakest of all the competitors. (It appeared to be a serious case of jealousy.)

Christina went into the dinner service with confidence and excelled.

Bobby was struggling on meats. He wasn’t cutting it correctly, nor was he able to cook it to Ramsay's standards.

Jen struggled with her fish. First it was undercooked. Then it was overcooked and rubbery. Adding insult to injury, Petrozza prematurely served one of Jen’s dishes raw, which sent Ramsay into a rage.

Jen, who has an extremely hard time keeping her mouth shut, started to argue with Ramsay. (Not a good idea.) At that point Ramsay essentially asked her whether she wanted to remain on the show. Jen wisely said she did.

Corey and Christina stayed out of Ramsay’s wrath by doing a decent job on appetizers and desserts.

Somehow Petrozza avoided nomination even though he repeatedly messed up on the vegetable station. His timing was off.

Ramsay said Christina had the best dinner service and charged her with picking two competitors for elimination. Christina picked Jen and Bobby.

I was almost certain that Jen was heading home last night. She was too. In fact, Jen packed her bags anticipating that she would be given the boot.

Ramsay surprised everybody and selected Bobby to go.

I guess Bobby didn’t live up to his claim of being the “Black Gordon Ramsay” after all.

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I'm off for my maternity leave, scheduled to be back in January. It's strange to be leaving this blog in others' hands since it's been my, uh, baby since January 2006. But I know it is in good hands.

Have fun, and be nice to your guest bloggers, and keep an eye out for me in the comment area!

The tribe has not spoken, I will not pack my knives and go, this is not my last dance, I have not been evicted ... I will be back!

But for the moment, auf Wiedersehen. 

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 5:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Augh, really?

Lisa is in the final three on Top Chef? I wish I could say it's not true, but Antonia was undone by undercooked beans (ick) in the first challenge in Puerto Rico, and Lisa skated through once again.

All I can say is: Go Stephanie! Go Richard!

And from the previews, it looks like Richard decides to tell the judges exactly what he thinks about Lisa during next week's finale.

I sure hope that isn't a misleading preview.

What do you think about this final three? 

(Confidential to the commenter who spoiled Top Chef for me after I posted about my power outage: That wasn't very nice! *sniffle* On the other hand, at least I was prepared for the outcome.)

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Top Chef
        

Talk about high drama and raw emotion! So You Think You Can Dance had my attention from the first Pique turn to the last arabesque. More than 200 dancers were invited to Las Vegas to dance their hearts out for just 20 spots. Needless to say, the competition was extremely tough.

The judges -- Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Mia Michaels, Debbie Allen, Napoleon D’Umo and Tabitha D’Umo -- were particularly unforgiving. The choreographed routines were also pretty challenging.

Unlike American Idol, there were probably dozens and dozens of breathtaking competitors. But with 10 slots reserved for men and 10 for women, plenty of great talent got cut.

First, the contestants learned a hip-hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha.
One breakdancing popper, Robert, struggled so much with their choreography that he essentially gave up. Nigel -- who was wearing a cast on his right hand for some mysterious reason -- called him up onto the stage and asked him to do a solo.

Debbie Allen, who was wearing dark sunglasses, asked Robert why he was so afraid.

“You have an amazing technique, you have amazing control over your body, you’re amazing. So what are you afraid of?” Debbie asked.

He responded that he was no able to follow the choreography. Nigel then asked Robert to dance for the group. He brought down the house.

Even with all the encouragement Robert received from his fellow competitors, he did not stay. (What a waste! What was he expecting?)

The hip-hop routines tripped up 74 competitors of the 203 that auditioned on the first day. (The judges weren’t playing around. )

The second day, the competitors had to master a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio. The judges whittled the competition down to 94 contestants.

Then it was time for the fox trot with choreographer Jean-Marc Généreux. Yet again, the judges cut some more.

Clips of eliminated contestants, sobbing, pouting and lamenting were sprinkled throughout the competition. It was effective for building a sense of the desire of the dancers.

Just when you thought that the dancers were going to get a much needed break, the remaining contestants were split into groups of five and were charged with developing a routine to randomly chosen music.

In the cookie-cutter reality television tradition, several groups experienced strife during practice. A few miraculously wound up putting their differences aside and turning in a good routine. Others crashed and burned.

Next, the contestants had to learn a Mia Michaels contemporary routine. (That routine was no joke!) Twenty-two dancers were sent home as a result of Mia Michaels’ routine. Only forty-seven dancers remained.

This show’s producers know how to build some tension. All of the contestants had to walk down a hall lined with monitors that flashed clips of their first and last auditions. (Talk about a stroll down memory lane.)

When judges were informing competitors of their fate, it was revealed that one top 20 finalist, William Wingfield, is a protege of Debbie Allen. As a result of his relationship with Debbie, Nigel informed him that Debbie can no longer be a judge in the competition as long as he is a contestant.

Debbie, who had taken off those sunglasses by now, said that she was more than willing to step aside so that the William had the opportunity to advance in the contest.

The following is a list of the Top 20. There were quite a few contestants who received little to no camera time during the preliminary audition weeks and during the Las Vegas auditions. That doesn't necessarily mean that these competitors have no shot at winning. Last year's winner Sabra came out of nowhere to snatch the title.

The Top 20 includes:

Gev Menician, a breakdancer, who beat out a very talented contemporary dancer to claim the final male spot.

Kourtni Lind, a contemporary dancer who is the daughter of a choreographer. During her preliminary audition, Nigel said she looks like actress Uma Thurman.

Joshua Allen, a hip-hop dancer who was extremely overcome with emotion when he found out he made it into the Top 20. He's got some serious moves.

Rayven Armijo, a ballerina, didn't get much screen time. I'm not sure how a ballerina is going to adapt to the other dance forms. I can't wait for her to do a hip-hop routine. It will be so Save The Last Dance.

Matt Dormame, a contemporary dancer did not get much screen time. Can't really say anything about him.

Courtney Galliano, a contemporary dancer who the judges have been gushing over since her preliminary audition. She should do pretty well.

William Wingfield, a contemporary dancer who disqualified Debbie Allen from judging. I hope he's worth it. Debbie always brings so much needed sass to the judging table.

Katee Shean, a contemporary dancer who barely made it into the Top 20. She turned off the judges when she announced that she probably wouldn't audition again if she didn't make it into the Top 20. She beat out her best friend for the final female slot.

Twitch, a hip-hop dancer, returned this year after being the last man left out of the Top 20 last year.

Kherington Payne, a contemporary dancer who plays soccer, barely got into the Top 20. She kept slipping through each round, Nigel said.

Jamie Bayard, a West Coast swing dancer who was barely on screen long enough to see him do a couple of steps.

Chelsea Triel, a contemporary dancer. I can't say anything about her dancing. (Thanks again, producers!)

Chris Jaross, a contemporary dancer. (See Chelsea Triel.)

Jessica King, a contemporary dancer , got emotional during the small-group choreography. She clashed with a group member. She made it; he didn't.

Mark Kanemura, yet another contemporary dancer. (See Chris Jaross.)

Susie Garcia, a Latin dancer, is a teacher from Miami. She generates a lot of heat on the dance floor. Nigel compared her to Shakira. I'm not sure how far her hip shaking will get her in this competition.

Marquis Cunningham, a contemporary dancer. (See Mark Kanemura.)

Chelsie Hightower, a Latin dancer. The judges absolutely love her. They've been fans since her preliminary auditions. How far can two Latin dancing female contestants make it in this competition?

Thayne Jasperrson, a contemporary dancer . (See Marquis Cunningham.)

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 3:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

Milwaukee was the final audition stop for the show. We got a glimpse of a couple contenders going into tonight’s Las Vegas auditions, which will yield the Top 20 finalists.

While the contestants in Milwaukee were decent, the additional auditions from previous cities that were sprinkled throughout the episode were flat out excellent!

Popper Michael Kim was mesmerizing during his audition in Washington. He moved like he was being operated by a remote control. It was really, really impressive.

When I saw the little back-story for roommates Katee Shean and Natalie Reid, I have to admit that I thought they were both going to stink. Boy, was I wrong! These girls were on fire during the Los Angeles auditions!

Katie was extremely expressive during her powerful contemporary routine. Natalie used a little more popping and locking in her contemporary routine. Both were sent straight to Las Vegas. I wouldn't be surprised if one or both of them advances to the Top 20.

Salsa partners Janette Manrara and Romulo Villaverde brought the house down with their audition. Nigel compared Romulo to David Beckham with his ability to balance his partner with his foot. But in the end the judges left Romulo at home and put Janette through to Vegas after choreography. (She's got the goods. And the judges looooved her.)

Back in Milwaukee, judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy were joined by hip-hop choreographers Napoleon D’Umo and Tabitha D’Umo.

Bianca Revels, the first female tap dancer we’ve seen all season, got a ticket straight to Vegas. The judges gushed over her routine.

Evan Kasprzak channeled Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire for his routine and wowed the judges. He threw in a series of high-flying leaps and jaw-dropping turns just for good measure. The judges also sent him straight through to Vegas.

After Bianca and Evan, there were a series of horrible auditions. (Don't get me started on the guy with the Zorro mask!) Then came Kourtni Lind. This daughter of a choreographer showed that she’s got what it takes. Her very powerful contemporary piece was bursting with raw emotion. She pounded on the floor with the conviction of a scorned lover. It was great!

“It choreographed every part of your body. It choreographed every emotion in your body,” Nigel said.

“Talk about dramatic,” Mary said.

The judge’s put Kourtni straight to Vegas.

Ashley Henry was a different story. There was so much booty shaking, I thought that she dislocated her hips.

“I must be crazy,” Mary said as she hesitantly agreed to advance Ashley to choreography.

“You’re not crazy, you feel the vibe, Mary,” Ashley said. (Ashley was eliminated in choreography. She vowed to get dance lessons and to return next year. I’m holding my breath.)

I got a bad vibe when Rebecca Hart took the stage. Not because of her dancing; it was pretty much flawless. I had pause when I learned that she auditioned for the show a few weeks before Milwaukee in Los Angeles. I didn’t know that contestants could try out several different times during one season. Oh well. The judges put her straight through to Vegas.

Eleven contestants were invited to Vegas after the first day of auditions.

Day two felt a little less strong. (I was probably blinded by the great auditions that the producers sneaked into the first hour of the show. What ever it was, I liked the contestants on the first day better.)

Maybe it was his extra long shorts, or the way the he effortlessly threw himself through the air, but Cooper Zamorano appeared like a Lilliputian possessed with rhythm. Don’t get me wrong, he was great. He just appeared to be very small. That might be a problem when its time to partner with women in later rounds.

I totally remembered Yesonia Gomez from last year’s competition. One of the few voluptuous dancers that the judges put through to Vegas, Yesonia was back with some new moves. Unfortunately her knee gave out and she had to stop her audition. The judges invited a sobbing Yesonia back to compete next year. (I felt so bad for her. She lost 50 pounds, and she appeared to have really put some serious preparation into this year’s competition. I hope she comes back even better next time.)

Yesonia’s friend Phillip Courter b-boyed his way straight to Vegas with a routine that ended with him crying. He told the judges that he and Yesonia didn’t have a lot of money.

“We just have our friends and our dancing,” he said. (It was a lot less cheesy than it sounds.)

The judges ripped apart Raymond Love for not dancing with enough emotion during his audition. He improved his emotion during the choreography, but the judges decided to pass on him anyway.

The auditions ended with Lizz Plott, who tapped a cappella and wowed the judges. They put her through to Vegas.

On the second day, another 11 contestants were given a ticket to Las Vegas.

The episode ended with a dragged-out Travis Wall (former contestant and current choreographer) doing an acrobatic routine set to "It’s Raining Men." (It was pretty funny. He was very convincing as a drag queen.)

I simply cannot wait for tonight's two-hour show starting at 8 p.m. on FOX. All the serious dancers will take the stage and show us their best stuff. It usually is a real treat. Judging from some of the dancers we've seen this season, we won't be disappointed.

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

I was so ready for last night's So You Think You Can Dance, one of the last shows before I go on leave, and thennnn ... power outage.

So, anyone else care to report on the last set of city auditions? Anything exciting happen? Anymore repeat bad auditioners?

I better have power again by tonight for the Vegas round is all I am saying. 

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance
        

There once was a boy named Matt, whose kitchen performance fell flat. He was far from neat, and miserable on meat. So I kicked him out and that’s that.

Chef Gordon Ramsay shouldn’t think about publishing a book of poems. But the rhyme got the point across about contestant Matt. It was definitely time to get rid of the hopeful with the reoccurring cry-baby scowl. Ramsay sent the unstable chef packing last night.

Matt crashed and burned worst than any other contestant in Hell’s Kitchen history. He literally had a breakdown on the show. At one point, I thought he was channeling Jack Nicholson from The Shining.

He was so bad cooking meat during the dinner service that Ramsay did something that I believe is a Hell's Kitchen first. Ramsay led Matt by the hand out of the kitchen and ordered him to go back to the apartment.

Ramsay was so mad that he then kicked out the remainder of the contestants.

He charged the contestants with deciding who should be eliminated.

Later that evening, the contestants put up Matt and Christina for elimination. (And we know how that turned out.)

If Matt was not so outrageously horrible during the entire episode, it could very well have been Christina or Corey sent packing.

During the dinner service Christina screwed up on meats. Corey burned her hand and mouthed off to Ramsay a little bit in a flash of frustration and bewilderment.

Even Jen, who earlier in the episode won the individual cooking challenge with a very impressive stuffed ribeye dish, put herself in the doghouse with a couple of mental lapses during the dinner service. (As a result of Jen winning the challenge, she was rewarded with a trip to Las Vegas to meet with last season’s winner Rock. Jen surprisingly chose her enemy Corey to go along with her. Keep your enemies closer …)

But alas, Matt was the worst of the worst, and it was time for him to go. The contestants agreed.

“Matt deserves to get kicked off the universe,” Bobby said. (I’m still laughing about that comment!)

“I am relieved Matt’s gone,” said Petrozza. “You know what? I’ll be relieved when Matt is in a different state. Make sure you lock that door behind that guy.” 

Posted by John-John Williams IV at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Guest blogger John-John Williams IV reports:

Ominous music accompanied a series of breathtaking shots of the Chileian landscape. The Mole was in full swing. That means tons of strategy, lying, and adventure.

(I have to admit, The Mole is probably one of my favorite reality game shows. I was so excited to learn that ABC had decided to revive the series. Granted there was no more Anderson Cooper. But, new host Jon Kelley seems to be a decent sub—so far.)

We quickly meet our 12 contestants. They include: Ali, 24, a model from St. Louis; Alex, 31, a musician from Haverford, Pa.; Bobby, 25, a restaurant manager from Manayunk, Pa.; Clay, 32, an attorney from Philadelphia; Craig, 30, a graphic designer from San Diego; Kristen, 25, a neuroscientist from Santa Monica; Liz, 60, a retiree from Whitefish, Mont.; Marcie, 31, a stay-at-home mother from Corona, Calif.; Mark, 42, a high school history teacher and soccer coach from Mukwonago, Wisc.; Nicole Williams, 32, an OB/GYN from Chicago; Paul, 29, a utility worker from Yonkers, N.Y.; and Victoria, 26, a retail manager from Bishop, Texas.

Anywho, the contestants were thrust immediately into danger with their first challenge. Each had to leap from a raft to grab a bag of money while plummeting down a waterfall. (Told you there is some serious adventure.)

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: The Mole
        

Guest blogger John-John Williams IV reports:

After Rosann and Louross made much needed exists, Hell’s Kitchen is now down to six contenders.

The hopefuls include:

Bobby has a big mouth. He’s always using some type of military metaphor for his leadership ability. With that said, he is a leader. And he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes.

Christina has a tendency to be frazzled during high-pressure situations. She’s also formed a pseudo-alliance with Corey, which is kind of surprising because the two were at each other’s throats in the beginning of the season.

Corey is the Alexis Carrington of Hell’s Kitchen. She’s pure evil. Take her behavior during Rosann’s elimination a couple weeks ago. She totally threw Rosann under the bus when Ramsay asked her opinion of her struggling teammate. “I never want to work with her ever again in a kitchen service,” Corey said. (Dang! Corey did not hold back.)

Petrozza is a bit of a wild card. He shows flashes of brilliance. But he can drop the ball on occasion. (He tried to serve unwashed lettuce last episode. Yuck!) He is one of the few competitors left who agonizes over eliminating other competitors. (Good luck with that…)

Where do I begin with Jen? She’s talented, extremely self-assured and bossy as all get out. The other contestants hate her. And she doesn’t seem to care.

Matt has the worst luck of any Hell’s Kitchen competitor I can remember. In the season opener he made Gordon Ramsay sick after consuming his “exotic tar-tar.” He was switched over to the women’s team after the men lost all respect for him. Just when I thought that things were finally starting to look up for him, a disastrous dinner service will never allow me to look at puttonesca the same way again. (He chopped the tip of his finger off, and it appeared that it got mixed up with the food. Last episode, Ramsay chewed him out because his dish was salty because he sweated into it. (Beyond disgusting!)

Who is your money on? I kind of like Bobby and Corey. Both have done a pretty good job so far. I’m not thrilled with either of them personally, but they seem to have the goods to go all the way.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Guest blogger John-John Williams IV reports:

The show that features treachery at its finest is back.

But will it be as good without former host Anderson Cooper? We’ll find out tonight at 10 when the new season of The Mole kicks off.

For those of you unfamiliar with the show, it works like this: A group of contestants completes a series of challenges similar to those on The Amazing Race. The one catch is that one of the contestants has been hired by the show’s producers to sabotage the rest of the competitors. A the end of each episode, the competitors vote on a series of questions linked to the identity of the Mole. The contestant with the lowest score on the quiz is eliminated. (Got all that?)

Check out the contestants here.

I’ll fill you in later on what happens.

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 7:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

It's well documented that So You Think You Can Dance is one of my favorite reality shows, and I'm glad that it made its return week before last.

However, I wasn't totally blown away by the first three episodes, which focused on the auditions. I couldn't believe how many repeat bad auditioners there were. Did we really need to see "Sex" again? Why let him back for a third try? He's been sighted on Idol and Make Me a Supermodel, so clearly he's just trying to get on TV. If only producers would stop cooperating! And Gold Inferno again? Come on!

It was really interesting to see the portrayal of the D.C. auditions. I went to the first day of them and talked to a few people in line (see the video at the link above) at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. But that was apparently just the part where they were culling contestants down to the best and the worst, because nearly all the footage shown last week was from the Warner Theatre in D.C. instead. Also surprising? That only nine people made it through from Washington, compared to the 30s and 40s from other cities.

However, I did get a tiny glimpse of one of the people I talked to in D.C. in February on Thursday as he leapt in the air with a ticket to Vegas. Maybe he will get more than two seconds of camera time during the Vegas round.

What do you think of SYTYCD so far this season?

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: So You Think You Can Dance