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Friday, October 31, 2008
Ox Notes: October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween!
Survivor: Gabon host Jeff Probst blogged for EW about last night's episode: "Matty, Matty, Matty. He's like a Billy Joel song. Wearing his heart on his sleeve." EW also has a recap of the episode.
A fourteenth season of The Amazing Race starts filming this weekend. Dancing with the Stars pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Louis van Amstel say that their comments in a recent TV Guide article were taken out of context. Maks told People and Louis blogged that neither of them criticized Cheryl Burke's or Lacey Schwimmer's weight.
ESPN's Chris Berman will interview presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain during halftime of the Steelers vs. Redskins game on Monday Night Football.
MSN has a photo gallery of TV's Worst Actors. CSI: Miami's David Caruso made the list. I can't imagine why:
Dancing with the Stars pro Lacey Schwimmer has been diagnosed with endometriosis, the same condition that sent fellow pro Julianne Hough into surgery earlier this week. Schwimmer is managing the condition with medication and will be able to finish the season with partner Lance Bass.
People has an article about "What You Didn't See" behind the scenes at Tuesday night's DwtS Results show. And here's a video of ousted contestant Cloris Leachman's appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Dina Lohan is hinting that she may have already signed on for the next season of Dancing with the Stars. If that's the case, shouldn't they change the name of the show to Dancing with the Parents of the Stars?
On Tuesday, November 4, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will co-anchor live Election Night coverage on Comedy Central.
Gossip Girl's Kelly Rutherford told Us Magazine that she'd consider a guest spot on the proposed Melrose Place remake "if they offered me a lot of money." Zap2It has slideshows of other stars they'd like to see reappear on the updates of Melrose Place and 90210.
Cracked has a list of 9 Foreign Rip-Offs Cooler Than the Hollywood Originals which includes gems like Indian Superman and Chinese Popeye. Sadly, the list left out Turkish Star Wars. Watch as Luke (or Han, or whomever he's supposed to be) trains for interstellar combat:
Entertainment Tonight filmed an interview with Cloris Leachman following her ouster from Dancing with the Stars. The 82-year-old actress also talked with OK! Magazine about her future plans, which include a movie and, possibly, a Broadway musical.
E! reports that fans shouldn't be surprised if Cloris follows through on her promise to return to the DwtS set next week: contestants get paid to sit in the audience after they've gotten the boot.
Cody and his temporary replacement partner, Edyta Sliwinska, started working together even before it was announced that Julianne would leave the show to have surgery, according to TV Guide. Edyta filled in for Julianne during the Group Hip-Hop rehearsals.
The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan posted the transcript of her super-long interview with Mad Men creator Matt Weiner.
People has an interview with ousted Amazing Racers, Ty & Aja.
Variety's Brian Lowry writes about the ways networks are trying to put a positive spin on their declining ratings.
I'm going to have to subscribe to VH1 Classic so that I can watch That Metal Show, which the network describes as a cross between The View and Headbanger's Ball.
Lackluster performances led up to a predictable outcome: Cloris has left the building.
As in past seasons of Dancing with the Stars, the Group Dance was awarded the encore. Too bad this year's Hip-Hop number was the worst Group Dance yet.
Following the performance, Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer were told that they were safe, as was Cody Linley. Cody said that Julianne Hough's appendectomy went well, but he'll dance with Edyta Sliwinska next week, in order to give Julianne time to recover.
Then it was time for the Ballroom Kids competition. Siblings Craig & Samantha defeated Simon & Lucy in a clean sweep.
Next, the Pussycat Dolls performed with Missy Elliot.
Then, Warren Sapp & Kym Johnson were told that they were also safe.
After the announcement, Michael Flatley danced on a burning stage. The actual performance wasn't quite as exciting as the description would have you believe, but Flatley did a nice job.
Following that, some random dudes, including a sports psychologist and a Marine, talked about the mental discipline required to compete on Dancing with the Stars.
Finally, Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas were put under the red lights alongside Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani. Tom Bergeron announced that Cloris & Corky had been eliminated.
As Cloris lingered on stage saying farewell to Susan & Tony, Samantha Harris called from the dance floor, "We want to have time to talk to you before you go, so come down here." Then why the hell did you wait until the last minute of the show to announce who was going home?
Samantha feebly attempted to ask questions as Cloris walked past her to the judges table. Tom said, "The producers are in my ear[piece] going, 'If you want to get her over....' No, I don't actually. I wanna let her do what she wants to do."
When Cloris finally stood next to Tom & Samantha, she cajoled all of them into sitting on the floor. As Samantha continued to ask the standard questions about the experience, Cloris feigned indignation: "I can't go home. Are you serious? This is a joke," before adding, "I can't get up now."
Cloris, Dancing with the Stars is better for your unrivaled ability to frustrate and torment Samantha Harris. If for nothing else, you will be missed for that.
After last night's Dancing with the Stars 7 Performance Show, the cast chatted with Entertainment Tonight and OK! Magazine. Judge Bruno Tonioli told TV Guide: "I think Cloris should go home."
Speaking of Ms. Leachman, Lance Bass wrote in his Us Magazine diary that she slept through the first half of their Group Hip-Hop rehearsal.
According to an article in The Belleville News-Democrat, next week's DwtS Results Show will air on Wednesday night so that ABC can cover the Presidential Election on Tuesday.
DwtS pro Derek Hough told OK! that he's "freaked out" by a demon costume his girlfriend, Shannon Elizabeth, has to wear for a movie she's currently filming.
EW has tips on how you can makeover your office to look like Don Draper's on Mad Men.
The producers of Project Runway have filed a lawsuit against Bravo claiming the network tried to tank the most recent season by not promoting the show and moving it to an earlier timeslot.
After only a handful of episodes, CBS is pulling The Ex List and filling its timeslot with NCIS reruns. A second season of Moonlight doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all, now, does it, CBS?
Tonight's Dancing with the Stars 7 Performance Show featured a group hip-hop dance that was worse than I could've imagined.
Head judge Len Goodman had the night off, so Lord of the Dance's Michael Flatley filled in.
Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke -- Viennese Waltz To make his performance extra smooth, Maurice shaved his mustache. Michael Flatley said, "All in all, it was a beautiful dance." Carrie Ann Inaba told the couple to work on their chemistry. Bruno Tonioli said that "the moves were all there, but they were not linked correctly."
Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer -- Jive Too bad Len wasn't around to enjoy their traditional take on the Jive. Bruno cheered, "The Lance is back on target!" Michael said, "Welcome to the fight." Carrie Ann yelled, "Woo!" before pointing at the ceiling and saying, "I don't know where Len is right now..." Tom Bergeron interjected, "He's not dead!"
Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani -- Mambo Susan looked unsure of the moves. Carrie Ann told Susan, "I'm proud of you. That's what I want." Bruno said, "The timing was off." Michael said, "I thought it was intoxicating."
Brooke Burke & Derek Hough -- Rumba Brooke revealed that she injured a tendon in her foot. Michael said, "I hope I have a card [paddle] here big enough for your score." Carrie Ann told Brooke, "I feel that the injury did hold you back." Bruno agreed: "Tonight, you were under par."
Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas -- Cha Cha Cha The performance was pretty boring, until Corky grabbed Cloris' leg and flung her around. Bruno told Cloris, "You've gotta be the only person in the world able to sell such nonsense as a Cha Cha Cha. And people buy it!" Michael said, "My father told me I better not say a bad word about you tonight." Carrie Ann got serious: "We lost Toni Braxton for this, and that kinda makes me sad."
Cody Linley & Julianne Hough -- Samba The expression on Cody's face was so serious, you'd have thought he was dancing a Paso Doble. Carrie Ann said, "That was the most intense Samba I've ever seen." Bruno asked, "Where was the exuberance?" Michael told Cody, "I think the best is yet to come from you."
As they waited for their scores, Julianne said that she has endometriosis and will have abdominal surgery tomorrow. Julianne hopes to be back next week, but until she feels better, Edyta Sliwinska will fill in for her and dance with Cody.
Warren Sapp & Kym Johnson -- Rumba Kym described the story of their routine as a woman telling her man, "You're quite pathetic, but I think I still love you." Michael called it "smokin'." Carrie Ann looked at Warren and said it was "pretty sexy." When Tom told Carrie Ann, "Stop flirting with him," Warren shoved Tom in the back of the head, doubling Tom over with laughter. Bruno said, "You made some mistakes tonight."
Group Routine: Old School Hip-Hop Choreographed by Shotyme Everything from the costumes to the dancing was embarrassing. Cloris was so bad that they stuck her up on the risers, far away from the other dancers.
This really should be Cloris & Corky's week to go home. She can't keep up with the others, and it's only going to get harder as the show continues. Cody's getting all of my votes, so that we can see him dance with Edyta next week.
Lance Bass wrote at his MySpace page that he and Lacey Schwimmer will dance a Jive on tonight's Dancing with the Stars 7 Performance Show. Oddsmakers put Lance & Lacey's odds to win this season's mirrorball trophy at 5/1.
In other DwtS news, Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke interviewed each other for Entertainment Tonight. In an article about Cloris Leachman, Corky Ballas told USA Today: "There are days we haven't danced because of her blood pressure."
Next season's Dancing with the Stars cast could include Rev. Al Sharpton, reports TV Guide.
Reality Blurred has an interview with booted Survivor: Gabon contestant Kelly Czarnecki.
The same website also has the scoop on Fashion House, the new show that Bravo hopes will fill the void left when Project Runway moved to Lifetime.
The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan posted a wonderful analysis of last night's Mad Men season finale, which I thought was terrific. The episode was so dense that it made Ryan (and me) wonder why the creators saved so much for the last episode of the season, instead of dolling out answers to a few questions in some of the earlier, content-poor episodes.
Dancing with the Stars 7 cast and crew members are "downright concerned" that Cloris Leachman is still on the show, according to a story in The Chicago Sun-Times. A source inside DwtS told the paper that Susan Lucci and Samantha Harris are particularly bothered by Leachman's antics, though Harris told ET, "I adore Cloris Leachman."
DwtS fans in the Orlando area can watch former DwtS pros Jonathan Roberts, Elena Grinenko and Jesse DeSoto perform at the Dancing for a Cure benefit on Saturday, October 25.
Survivor: Gabon host Jeff Probst wrote in a blog post for EW why he thinks Ace seems so untrustworthy: "It's that damn accent."
FOX has shelved its disappointing game show Hole in the Wall with sixteen completed episodes still unaired.
Reality Blurred has the details on Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 for the Wii, which doesn't contain any of The Biggest Loser trainer's trademark swearing.
Fans of Flight of the Conchords will want to visit the website of Dr. Ronald Chevalier. Trust me.
In case you missed Supernatural last night, here's Jensen Ackles' lip-synched rendition of "Eye of the Tiger." You'll enjoy the performance even if you've never seen the show before. Note the sound of the crew members chuckling off-camera.
Apparently, Cheryl Burke's public declarations that she's happy with the way she looks weren't good enough for some of her fellow Dancing with the Stars pros. Louis van Amstel and Maksim Chmerkovskiy said in the latest issue of TV Guide that both Cheryl and Lacey Schwimmer need to lose some weight. Classy, guys.
Julianne Hough blogged that she's feeling fine after a trip to the hospital for stomach troubles.
TV Guide and People both filed reports from backstage at Tuesday night's DwtS Results Show. Kim Kardashian blogged about the episode for MSN.
Starting in March, Alec Baldwin will be the permanent co-host of TCM's weekly film showcase, The Essentials. Here's a link to a list of the movies that will be featured on The Essentials for the rest of the year.
Also coming up on TCM is its special 48 Hours of Horror, featuring non-stop horror movies on October 30 and 31.
Speaking of scary stuff, two new DVD sets of Sesame Street episodes from the late 1960s and early '70s contain warnings that the episodes are appropriate for adults only, lest children be exposed to Oscar's grouchy attitude or Cookie Monster's addiction, not to mention Cookie smoking a pipe (before he eats it). Naturally, I look forward to watching the DVDs with my 5-year-old niece, thereby enhancing my reputation as "Cool Aunt Kathy." You can watch a clip of the offending shows here.
The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan wants all of us to start watching The CW's Privileged and Supernatural. I haven't seen Privileged yet, but I love Supernatural. It's the most consistently good show on TV.
As a bonus, tonight's episode of Supernatural will be followed by a 90-second clip of Jensen Ackles lip-synching Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." I sure hope it can top his rendition of The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" (Jensen sings at the 1:10 mark in the song).
Also absent from the post-show interviews was DwtS pro Julianne Hough, who went to the hospital for treatment for stomach pains.
In the interviews linked above, Cody Linley revealed that he'll dance the Samba next week, and Cloris Leachman said that she will Cha Cha. And, of course, the whole cast will perform a Hip-Hop routine.
EW's Annie Barrett posted a second video clip of her interview with Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who spoke about his unofficial duties on the DwtS set, wrangling Cloris Leachman when she would wander off her mark. The interview was filmed on Friday, when Maks was still confident of the fans' support for Toni Braxton and Susan Lucci.
Smallville's John Glover will return to primetime in a role on Brothers & Sisters.
The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is not impressed with the scheduling moves NBC has made this season.
Variety has an article about what producers do after they leave the TV business.
Production just wrapped on Project Runway 6, and things don't sound good for the show's first season on Lifetime. The producers set up a fake Mood fabric store for the designers to shop in, and they didn't use Michael Kors and Nina Garcia in every episode. Not a good idea.
With a Toni and a Tony in the bottom two, only one would earn a spot on next week's Dancing with the Stars.
The DwtS 7 Results Show started with a segment featuring Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba discussing the previous night's performances. It gave the judges a chance to elaborate on the reasons behind their scores and suggest ideas on what the couples can do to improve.
Just before the judges awarded their encore to Cody Linley & Julianne Hough for their Jitterbug, Tom Bergeron revealed that Michael Flatley will fill in for Len next week.
Then, Michael Flatley lookalike Brian Setzer took the stage with his orchestra to perform "Rock This Town," accompanied by DwtS pros Louis van Amstel and Karina Smirnoff.
After Warren Sapp & Kym Johnson and Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas learned that they were safe for another week, the Ballroom Kids competition resumed. Alisa & Anthony's Jive lost to Maria & Mitchell's Paso Doble.
The much-hyped Macy's Stars of Dance performance followed, as a company of 26 dancers performed an elaborate number called "Dancing Through the Decades." It showcased dance styles from the 1930s, the 1960s, the 1980s, and -- somehow -- the future.
Finally, Toni Braxton & Alec Mazo and Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani learned that they were in the Bottom Two. Again, Alec failed to reach the same level of success that he did in Season 1; he and Toni were eliminated. Well, at least this season, Alec made it past the first elimination.
The duo's farewell song was Supertramp's "Take the Long Way Home."
After getting criticized by the judges for stealing the spotlight from Lance Bass in their West Coast Swing, new Dancing with the Stars pro Lacey Schwimmer made things worse by telling Access Hollywood that the judges don't know what they're talking about. She was equally huffy in this ET interview video.
Kym Johnson admitted to TV Guide that most of the DwtS pros found choreographing outside of the usual styles for this week's show very stressful.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy stopped by the Entertainment Weekly offices before last night's show to offer his thoughts on the four new dance styles.
Though it wasn't shown in their rehearsal footage, Brooke Burke was taken to the hospital before yesterday's Performance Show to have her foot X-rayed. Obviously, Brooke felt well enough to earn the highest scores from the judges, but OK! has the details of her injury.
The Brian Setzer Orchestra will perform the song "Rock This Town" on tonight'sResults Show, accompanied by the DwtS pros.
This is likely the last season for Len Goodman on one of the shows he judges, Strictly Come Dancing in the United Kingdom and Dancing with the Stars in the United States. According to the News of the World, Goodman's leading toward DwtS, where he earns nearly three times the salary that he does on SCD.
Choreographer Shane Sparks spoke with TV Guide about preparations for the third season of America's Best Dance Crew on MTV.
The dance styles might've been new to Dancing with the Stars, but things stayed the same on the leaderboard.
While the idea of introducing four new dance styles to the show was an interesting one, the execution fell flat (for the most part) because the styles weren't demonstrated in advance. I don't know the technical rules for a Hustle or West Coast Swing, so I'm not sure if what I saw was good.
All I know is that the Jitterbug is cool, and I wish that all of the couples would've gotten the chance to perform it.
Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer -- West Coast Swing Lacey is a world champion in West Coast Swing, but this wasn't a world champion-caliber routine. To make things worse, Lance fell during the performance. Len Goodman told Lacey to "show off your partner a little bit more." Bruno Tonioli reminded her, "It's not Dance Around the Stars." Carrie Ann Inaba agreed with the other judges.
Toni Braxton & Alec Mazo -- West Coast Swing This performance felt slow, and the tired Michael Jackson moves didn't help. Bruno told Toni, "When you want to, you can actually deliver." Carrie Ann said Toni was "overdancing it." Len said, "Your potential is huge, and we're just not seeing it."
Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani -- Hustle This performance also felt slow, perhaps because Susan has two broken bones in her foot. Carrie Ann said, "I didn't see an ounce of pain out there." Len told Tony, "You're treating Susan like a china doll. Get out there and wow me." Bruno called the dance an "uptown girl hustle." Judges' Scores: Carrie Ann...7, Len...7, Bruno...8 = 22/30
Warren Sapp & Kym Johnson -- Hustle Kym was the first choreographer to really take advantage of the fact that they could do lifts this week. Len cheered, "It was great!" Bruno said, "That's a guy who really knows how to funk," and offered a bunch of sexual metaphors that probably had the censors wishing they'd pressed the button. Carrie Ann said, "You tapped into the nostalgia. Disco's such a nostalgic dance." Judges' Scores: Carrie Ann...8, Len...8, Bruno...9 = 25/30
Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas -- Salsa Not terrible, not great, but kudos to Cloris for dancing in high heels at age 82. Bruno said, "The old girl can still turn a trick." Carrie Ann told Cloris, "I love you." Len said, "You were hotter than a chili pepper."
Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke -- Salsa This was Maurice's best performance yet. Carrie Ann hugged Maurice. Len said, "You came out full bore and gave it your all." Bruno told Maurice, "You were like a master of theater tonight."
Brooke Burke & Derek Hough -- Jitterbug Derek had to look up Jitterbug instructions on the Internet, but he and his reliable celeb partner, Brooke, delivered again. Len said, "You are consistently tops." Bruno called the performance "vigorous" and "upbeat." Carrie Ann asked, "Can I nitpick?" Brooke replied, "Yes, please," but Carrie Ann said, "I can't! That was amazing!"
Cody Linley & Julianne Hough -- Jitterbug Their fun performance proved that everyone should've danced the Jitterbug tonight. Bruno said, "The frantic energy was incredible." Carrie Ann told Cody, "That was the perfect dance for you." Len said, "I liked it very much."
Judges' Leaderboard: 29 -- Brooke & Derek 28 -- Cody & Julianne 27 -- Maurice & Cheryl 25 -- Warren & Kym 22 -- Toni & Alec, Susan & Tony 21 -- Lance & Lacey, Cloris & Corky
As always, I've gotta give some of my votes to the leaders, Brooke & Derek. But Cody was a real surprise tonight. He got the right dance style, and he took advantage of it.
Cloris & Corky will undoubtedly be back in the Bottom Two this week, but who will join them? My hunch is that Lance & Lacey will skate by, and that Toni & Alec will join Cloris & Corky. But, for her own sake, I hope Susan goes soon, so that she can heal her injured foot.
Recently ousted Survivor: Gabon contestant GC told People and Reality Blurred that he didn't exactly quit, he just made it clear that he was sick of playing. After going without food and sleep for more than ten days, I probably would've done the same.
The New York Times has a lengthy article about Survivor, which wins its timeslot every season even though it loses viewers.
Survivor host Jeff Probst is working on a new show for CBS called Live Like You're Dying, which will feature terminally ill people living out their dreams. Probst promises that the show won't be depressing, but I think I'll pass on it just in case.
The Battlestar Galactica Season 4.0 DVD is scheduled for release on January 6, leaving me just enough time to get caught up on the show before the final season begins on January 16 on Sci Fi.
ABC canceled Opportunity Knocks and is replacing it with an hour-long Dancing with the Stars recap show. If you don't vote for the couples, you might as well skip Monday night's DwtS Performance Show and save yourself 30 minutes by watching the Tuesday recap show.
Including two reairs of the episode, more than 7 million people watched the Project Runway 5 finale on Wednesday night. Winner Leanne Marshall told People that her boyfriend, Nate, composed the music for her runway show.
If you just can get enough Project Runway, check out Leanne's interviews with Bravo, TV Guide and EW, Korto Momolu's interviews with TV Guide and EW, and Kenley Collins's interviews with TV Guide and EW.
Project Runway 5 crowned its winner last night. EW's recap of the episode was written by someone who attended the Bryant Park runway show. At Bravo's website, Michael Kors has career advice for the winning designer, and Tim Gunn explains how he became the last minute guest judge.
Producers wanted David Charvet to compete against his fiancee, Brooke Burke, in this season of Dancing with the Stars, but the former Baywatch star had to turn down the offer because of a scheduling conflict.
Julianne Hough blogged that she feared she and Cody Linley might be the couple sent home on Tuesday night'sResults Show. People has a report about What You Didn't See backstage at the show, which had Kim Kardashian screaming at her TV.
This week's DwtS Results Show lost in its timeslot to The Mentalist, pulling in only 14.4 million viewers. Perhaps this sports psychologist can turn things around next week..
Dancing with the Stars isn't the only show seeing its audience decline. Variety reports that all of the networks are hurting, in part because the presidential election is driving viewers to cable news outlets.
The CW hopes that bringing on a bunch of guest stars will help its shows during November Sweeps.
Spike is developing a silly-sounding show that imagines who would win if legendary warriors fought against one another, such as Genghis Khan's Army vs. Vikings. My money's on Chuck Norris every time.
The United States Supreme Court is content to let original Survivor winner Richard Hatch stay in jail for another year.
The blog Televisionary has Five Suggestions to Improve Fringe. After reading the list, I feel better about my decision to stop watching after two episodes. It doesn't sound like any of the problems that I had with the show (who is Astrid, and why is she even there?) have been worked out yet.
After last night'sDancing with the Stars 7 Results show, cast members spilled the beans about the next week's new dance styles. In Access Hollywood's interview video, Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer reveal that they'll dance West Coast Swing, while Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas and Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke will Salsa.
Cody Linley told OK! that he and Julianne Hough will dance the Jitterbug.
During his video interview with Entertainment Tonight, Rocco DiSpirito promised to buy Karina Smirnoff "lots of shoes" as a reward for her patience while teaching him how to dance. TV Guide and E! also have interviews with the eliminated contestant.
An article at Reality Blurred notes how fitting it is that the Project Runway 5 finale is up against a huge televised event like the last Presidential Debate, given how Bravo went out of its way to tank this season. The network isn't even doing a cast reunion show.
Proving the adage that everything old is new again, the Cartoon Network is developing a Hot Wheels cartoon. My brother had better hope that our mom doesn't read this post, lest it remind her of the day 20 years ago when he buried a bunch of the miniature toy cars in the back yard. Just think of what our replica Fall Guy truck would be worth today!
For the second week in a row, Rocco DiSpirito earned the fewest votes. Only this week, there were consequences.
Tonight's Dancing with the Stars 7 Results Show began with Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer reprising their Tango as the Judges' Encore.
The remainder of the show was punctuated with mock political ads featuring the contestants. For example, footage of Cody Linley acting immature included the tag line, "Cody Linley is a baby," followed by Brooke Burke stating, "I'm Brooke Burke, and I approved this message."
The ads were amusing enough, but they were still filler for a show that doesn't warrant 62 minutes of airtime.
Then it was time for a dance performance by Los Vivancos, seven muscly dudes who looked like a Chippendales Flamenco review. Shirts were shed, and the women in the studio audience squealed with delight.
Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani and Lance & Lacey were the first couples to learn that they were safe. Since everyone expected it anyway, Tom Bergeron told Rocco DiSpirito & Karina Smirnoff that they were in the Bottom Two.
Then the Ballroom Kids competition made its season debut. In the first round of competition for couples 13-years-old and younger, Jessica & Mitchell's Cha Cha lost to Hannah & Kirill's Samba.
After the dance-off, Singer Ne-Yo performed his song "Closer," accompanied by his own dancers.
Finally, the fates of the remaining couples were revealed, leaving Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas in the Bottom Two with Rocco & Karina.
To no one's surprise, Rocco & Karina were eliminated. Rocco thanked everyone for their support, and asked Bruno to show him how to properly move his hips. Bruno left the judges table, and he and Rocco gyrated in tandem on the dance floor.
After learning about the new dance styles debuting on Dancing with the Stars next week, Susan Lucci told OK! that she wants the Hustle. Cloris Leachman told TV Guide that she hopes she'll get to show off her Jitterbug skills. Cloris said they called it "The Roosevelt Hop" when she danced it 67 years ago.
The CW's decision to farm out their Sunday night programming to a third party appears to be failing. Production has stopped on new scripted series Valentine and Easy Money, which had an audience of less than 1 million viewers this week.
The leaderboard didn't change much on this week's Dancing with the Stars 7 Performance Show. But big changes are in store for the couples next week.
During tonight's show, Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris announced that, next week, the couples would perform four styles of dances never before seen on the show: Jitterbug, West Coast Swing, Salsa and Hustle.
Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke -- Samba Their disco-influenced Samba was a bit too gimmicky. Len Goodman told the duo, "Work on refining the dance." Bruno Tonioli agreed: "It's a little bit too loose." Carrie Ann Inaba told Maurice, "I kind of feel like you're stuck at the same place."
Cody Linley & Julianne Hough -- Tango They avoided gimmicks and gave a solid performance. Bruno said, "Cody, it looks like you're starting to find your mojo." Carrie Ann said, "I love that you were going for a proper Tango." Len said, "Your best dance so far."
Toni Braxton & Alec Mazo -- Samba Pretty good, despite a couple of missteps. Carrie Ann told Toni, "Work on your shoulders." Len said, "I like the fact that you put in those shadow samba rolls." Bruno enthused, "Sugar and spice, my darling. I can't wait to have some more."
Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas -- Tango They took the performance seriously, and it paid off. Len said, "If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it. It was absolutely fabulous, and I loved it." Bruno called Cloris, "The Grand Duchess in Lust." Carrie Ann told Cloris, "I underestimated you."
Rocco DiSpirito & Karina Smirnoff -- Samba Rocco's puffy, removable sleeves were flashier than any of his moves. Bruno yelled at Rocco, "My accountant does a better Samba!" Carrie Ann said, "The dancing is still lacking." Len said, "You came out and had fun."
Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani -- Tango I didn't like this somber performance as much as the judges. Carrie Ann told Susan, "That is what I want to see you bring to every dance." Len said, "That was your best dance so far." Bruno called Susan a "tough broad."
Brooke Burke & Derek Hough -- Samba This was the best performance of the night, even though it wasn't quite as good as the routine most commonly associated with the song Derek & Brooke danced to: "Hip Hip, Chin Chin" (video and explanation at the end of this recap). Len said the dance was "slightly too erotic." Bruno gushed, "This was raunchy with a capital (growls) RRRRR..." Carrie Ann told Brooke she is "a perfect candidate to, maybe, go all the way."
Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer -- Tango Bruno said the routine was "quirky with a Gothic twist, and yet always a perfect Tango." Carrie Ann said, "Tonight was amazing." Len told Lance, "You are -- this is my big line -- Sir Dance-a-Lot."
Warren Sapp & Kym Johnson -- Samba The evening ended with a competent but uninspired Samba. Carrie Ann said, "I felt like it was lacking a hair of content." Len told Warren, "There was too much of you gyrating, and Kym, sort of, dancing around." Bruno added: "You have all the ability to blow us away. You didn't do it tonight."
Judges' Leaderboard (combined scores from this week and last, 60 possible points): 54 -- Brooke & Derek 48 -- Lance & Lacey 47 -- Warren & Kym 45 -- Susan & Tony 44 -- Toni & Alec, Maurice & Cheryl, Cody & Julianne 38 -- Rocco & Karina, Cloris & Corky
Once again, most of my votes go to Brooke & Derek, though I'll throw a couple Lance & Lacey's way, for finally turning this into a competition.
After getting a second chance last week, Rocco didn't show any improvement, unlike fellow low-scorer, Cloris, who's more flexible than any of us could've imagined. He got the chance that many other couples wish they had, and he didn't capitalize on it. Happy trails, Chef.
DwtS pro Kym Johnson and judge Carrie Ann Inaba spoke with People about Cheryl's decision to publicly discuss the criticism she's taken for gaining five pounds over the summer.
Carrie Ann may soon find herself nominated for an Emmy. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences plans to add a category for best reality TV show judge.
In other Dancing with the Stars news, pro wrestler Ric "The Nature Boy" Flair told TMZ that he's ready to fill in for injured competitor Misty May-Treanor. I think you'll have to wait for Season 8, Nature Boy. Woo!
Cloris Leachman will be the Grand Marshal of the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade.
It took prompting from comedy legend Carl Reiner to convince DwtS host Tom Bergeron to start writing his memoirs.
YouTube is now streaming full episodes of the original Star Trek, Dexter and Beverly Hills, 90210, none of which are as amusing as Yacht Rock, Episode 1, which explains the story behind the song "What a Fool Believes."
After her appearance on Good Morning America yesterday, Dancing with the Stars pro Cheryl Burke addressed her weight with two other media outlets. She's featured in the latest edition of People Magazine, which hit stores today. And Jann Carl interviewed the dancer for Entertainment Tonight.
ET also has video from the set of the season premiere episode of Samantha Who?, which features a cameo by DwtS pro Mark Ballas. The new season debuts on Monday, October 13.
An MSNBC article answers all of your important questions about Survivor, like, "What kind of personal hygiene items do the contestants have access to?"
Regarding last night's episode of Survivor: Gabon, are you as amazed as I am that three contestants as useless as Ken, Crystal and GC have the amount of power they have? I can't blame them for wanting to survive until the two tribes merge, but they may be the only Fang members who do if they keep voting out their strongest members.
ABC renewedI Survived a Japanese Game Show for a second season. I really liked this summer show, with its Amazing Race-like culture shock elements. Here's hoping that, with a few tweaks, the show becomes a legitimate hit.
ABC also picked up a remake of the 1983 sci-fi miniseries V. Amazon sells the complete miniseries on DVD in case, like me, you missed it when it originally aired.
Sci Fi announced the details of five original movies in the works for the network, including one about a living gargoyle and another based on the Jersey Devil legend.
People has an interview with recently auf'd Project Runway 5 designer Jerell. The magazine also posted a photo of the Alexander McQueen dress that the judges said resembled the wedding dress Kenley designed for this week's challenge. Kenley's fooling herself if she can't see the similarities.
Bravo finally launched an online store featuring items created by Project Runway designers Chloe Dao, Kara Janx, Malan Breton, and Laura Bennett. But you have to watch a video interview with each designer to see which items they have for sale, and bad lighting makes it hard to tell the color of certain items.
As the video plays, you can click on an item as it is modeled to see pricing info and add it to your shopping cart. The technology is cool, but it's an inconvenient way to shop for clothes. Show me the items first, and then let me watch the video to see how the clothes look when worn by a model.
Dancing with the Stars pro Cheryl Burke appeared on Good Morning America today to address comments people are making about her figure this season. She admitted that she gained five pounds over the summer -- the first extended time off she's had in years -- but says she still wears a size 4.
You can bid on the size "approximately 0" dress that Julianne Hough wore to the 2008 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at charity auction site Clothes Off Our Backs. Other DwtS-related items up for bid include an iPod autographed by Karina Smirnoff, a wine bottle signed by Shannon Elizabeth & Derek Hough, a dress worn by Monique Coleman on The Tyra Banks Show, and shoes that Marie Osmond wore on an episode of DwtS.
Julianne Hough posted two new entries at her Fancast blog, one about dancing with her brother on this week's Results Show and another about her music.
Finally, EW has a photo gallery of 21 American Shows Based on British Gems, which includes current hits like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, but also classics like Three's Company and Too Close for Comfort. Who knew?
I'm back from a refreshing trip to the Pacific Northwest just in time to catch up on a crazy week of Dancing with the Stars 7 news. Rocco DiSpirito tried to stay upbeat after finding out on last night's Results Show that he would've been a goner if not for Misty May-Treanor's season-ending injury.
He told Us Magazine: "Every week I wanted to know where I stood, and now I know exactly where I stand!" He also joked with OK! that he's "a charity case" for partner Karina Smirnoff, who looked frustrated by the evening's proceedings when Access Hollywood and ET interviewed her after the Results Show.
Talking to E! after Monday night's DwtS Performance Show, Rocco described his frilly white outfit as "Venetian gondolier/ice cream man."
Two ousted dancers are still keeping up with DwtS 7. Maksim Chmerkovskiy called EW last night to report that Misty is doing well after surgery. He said he'd love to finish the season as a fourth judge alongside Len, Carrie Ann and Bruno. And Kim Kardashian blogged for MSN that she loved every performance on Monday night.
Though it's safe to safe that Kim and partner Mark Ballas won't be taking over the spot vacated by Misty & Maks, I like what Corky Ballas told OK! about his son's possible return: "Mark would come back like a tiger. With a vengeance!"
In the event of another serious rehearsal injury this season in which the celebrity was fit to continue with the show but not able to perform on a Monday night (e.g., Jeff Ross suffering a scratched cornea hours before showtime), TV Guide learned that the producers are going to allow couples to submit their dress rehearsal footage for broadcast and review by the judges in lieu of dancing live. The pairs run through their full routines at least three times on the stage before the show, and all of the run-throughs are recorded.
Derek Hough told People that he shares a home with Shannon Elizabeth and three of his Almost Amy bandmates, but that he still has a room in an apartment he shared with Mark Ballas for those times that he needs a little privacy. Great, but what does Shannon do when she wants to get away from the three twenty-something musicians you moved into her house, Derek?
Maureen Ryan of The Chicago Tribune's blog The Watcher writes that she's abandoning NBC's increasingly convoluted Heroes. I did the same last year, and now I feel even better about the decision.
The lawsuit between NBC Universal and the Weinstein Co. could delay the premiere of Project Runway 6 until Summer 2009. Part one of the Season 5 finale airs tonight on Bravo at 9 ET.
All of the drama occurred off the dance floor on the latest episode of Dancing with the Stars 7.
Tonight's dances weren't quite as dramatic as Misty May-Treanor's departure from the show due to injury. Brooke gave another dominating performance, while all of the other stars just tried to keep up.
I'm on vacation at the moment, hence the abbreviated recap. YouTube recently purged its site of most DwtS videos, soI'm not sure when (or if) videos of this evening's performance will be available. I'll post them here if I can. Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani -- Jive Judges' Scores: Carrie Ann...7, Len...7, Bruno...7 = 21/30 Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer -- Viennese Waltz Judges' Scores: Carrie Ann...8, Len...7, Bruno...7 = 22/30 Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke -- Jive Judges' Scores: Carrie Ann...8, Len...8, Bruno...8 = 24/30
Maurice had the most dramatic improvement of the week, although he's still not in a position to threaten Brooke's lead. All of my votes went to her.
Rocco also had a good week, although not much changed for him, either. He and Cloris will likely be the next two celebrities sent home, but not necessarily in that order.
Perhaps Kim Kardashian suspected that Tuesday night's episode of Dancing with the Stars 7 would be her last, because she told essentially the same thing to every media outlet she talked to, including Us, OK!, TV Guide, and ET: she's a shy person who's proud of what she did on DwtS.
E! got reactions from Kim's family regarding her ouster, and Kim's DwtS partner, Mark Ballas, told People: "I will always be so proud that I was the one holding her hand up there."
Mel B elicited some very kind comments about Kim from her Dancing with the Stars castmates for this Access Hollywood video, but Mel's massive cleavage upstaged everyone she interviewed.
Kim posted some backstage photos to her MSN blog the day before she got the boot. Julianne Hough wrote about Monday night's Performance Show on her Fancast blog, and E! caught up with Rocco DiSpirito to talk about his low-scoring Rumba.
The CW is working on a new series called The Graysons about the life Batman's sidekick, Robin, before he donned the tights.
I'll be out of town for several days and plan to return with Ox Notes next Wednesday. The MOIB Dancing with the Stars Chat Room will be open on Monday and Tuesday night, and I hope to join you there.
