It came down to Joanna Krupa and Kelly Osbourne, and when the creepy elimination music stopped, it was Ozzie's little girl Kelly who will continue on to the finals next week on "Dancing with the Stars." Osbourne joins the previously revealed Mya and Donny Osmond in the quest for the mirrorball trophy.
Again, it's the popularity contest syndrome that plagues many a reality show, because there's no way Donny danced better than Joanna all season. And while I have cheered on Kelly all season, she too did not dance as well as Joanna most weeks. Which is not to say that I was championing Joanna, either. I was just pretty sure that the finals would have included Kelly, Joanna and Mya, given Donny's crummy performances on Monday night. But viewers' votes trumped all reason and all reality.
It's pretty clear Mya should walk away with the whole shebang next week, unless Osmond's fans REALLY pull an upset. He is a very good entertainer, but he is not a dancer in the same league as Mya, or even for that matter Kelly, who has simply gotten better each week. But the voting all season long has been all over the map, so even a seemingly sure thing like Mya winning it all is anybody's guess at this point.
So there you have it. The trophy is completely up for grabs next week, and don't be surprised if there's a stunning upset when the confetti settles.
P.S. And a really big shout-out to my co-worker Chris W. who called it (tonight's results) early this afternoon!!
Okay, so it's 8:43 and at this moment, it's official: Mya and her partner Dmitri Chaplin and Donny Osmond and his partner Kym Johnson have made it to the finals in "Dancing with the Stars." One couple is still awaiting their fate.
What a horrible results show this has been.
Let's call it what it was---- a musical variety hour with a little bit of "Dancing" thrown in here and there. In fact, I can't remember a more ridiculous results show in the history of the show. Don't get me wrong, it was amazing to see Alicia Keys, and Leona Lewis perform, preceded by a scene from the upcoming film "Nine" and followed by a performance by the remaining Bee Gees ---- Barry and Robin --- turning in a fine rendition of "You Should Be Dancing." (Sadness at the loss of Maurice was obvious.) And did I mention that there was something about figuring out who's going to the "DWTS" finals peppered in?
How ridiculous it was to parade the four remaining couples out onto the dance floor REPEATEDLY and then cut away to a commercial or to another musical guest before any finalists were revealed? Make that annoying. And cruel.
And then there were two.... and again, ABC had to take care of business, leaving Joanna Krupa and partner Derek Hough, and Kelly Osbourne and partner Louis Van Amstel dangling in the wind, so we could be treated to 6 minutes (or thereabouts) of commercials.
Okay, so the semi-finals tonight really proved why these four celebs are still in the running for the mirrorball trophy:
Mya, because she's a professional dancer (dancing since she was a tot);
Joanna, because she has proven that even someone who gave up on a dream of dance as a little girl, could rekindle that dream so many years later in such an amazing way;
Kelly, because the "wild child" --- as she has been affectionately dubbed in this season's lineup -- proved that everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt (she has truly blossomed into an elegant dancing lady, who can still swear like a sailor but that's neither here nor there);
Donny, because, well, he had more fans than Aaron Carter. Osmond is a true entertainer, but he is not of the dancing caliber of the three ladies who faced off against him tonight.
And what an amazing night it was. Kym Johnson (who borrowed Edyta Slywinska's VERY revealing wardrobe for the night) and Donny Osmond just completely fell apart during their first dance (each couple had three tonight) turning a tango into a tang-not. Not even the super-sexy king of "Dancing" Gilles Marini could make Donny see what it takes to deliver the most passionate of all dances. And what was with Donny's swipe at his sister Marie (seated next to Mary Hart, who might just be eyeing a spot in next seaons's DWTS?). Remarking everything was great until he "saw Marie" wasn't funny. He was a little better in round two with a samba that Carrie Ann described as "sloppy." Not an adjective you want to hear in the semi-finals. But it still earned him a 26.
Kelly came out with guns blazing, doing a decent rhumba on her first try and then knocking it out of the park in round two. Her scores of 24 and 27 were nice, but at this stage of the game, she really needed a pair of 27s, or more.
Joanna also came to do battle with a positively gorgeous Viennese waltz that truly deserved 10s from the judges, but alas, she had to settle for a trio of 9s. In round two, her cha cha cha was again, positively sizzling, and yet, the judges couldn't bring themselves to raise the "10" paddles, sending her to the dressing rooms with another round of 9s.
Mya, the pro dancer/singer, of course took home the night's highest scores, first with a 28 for her waltz followed by a perfect score of 30 for her salsa --- a dance that led judge Len Goodman to remark "I was mesmerized by your buttocks." Nice Len, real nice.
Then it was off to the homestretch is the "knockout dance" round, wherein each couple got to do their 60-second "dance-off" routine. Donny's jitterbug pleased the judges, , earning him a generous 27. Joanna did a perfect salsa, but again, the judges couldn't find their 10 paddles, instead showering her with a round of 9s (the same score they gave Donny's jitterbug). Kelly really came out swinging, or more to the point, cha cha cha-ing and earned a 27 for her efforts. And then Mya, who was poised to nab another perfect 30 came out and did the unthinkable: she earned a 9 from Carrie Ann who remarked she just wasn't too crazy about the routine. Still she walked away with a 29.
In the end, it was Mya atop the leaderboard, with Joanna in second, Kelly in third and Donny in 4th. Tomorrow night, one couple will be sent packing, setting the stage for the finals next week. Who will that be?
I can tell you it SHOULD be Donny, but it will probably be Kelly as tonight, more than ever, the fan clubs of the world will determine who stays and who goes and Donny's fan base is astronomical. So the finals will more than likely feature Mya, Joanna and if viewer voting stays the course, Donny. Sorry, but he doesn't stand a chance next to the ladies when it comes time for the presentation of the trophy.
Of course, anything can happen.
Stay tuned.
P.S. Another great reason for tuning in Tuesday is to catch the Bee Gees --- Robin and Barry Gibb ---- who are slated to perform!
It was perhaps the most emotional night in the history of "Dancing with the Stars." And in the end Aaron Carter went home. But what a night it was.
Where to begin? How 'bout with the triumphant return of Sabrina Bryan and her former pro partner Mark Ballas, paired for the "Stars of Dance" performance. What an incredible paso doble, and how marvelous to see the two of them light up the dance floor like nobody's business.
Peppered in between was the slow elimination process, that soon found Mya and Joanna Krupa headed toward the semi-finals next week. There they stood, Donny Osmond, Aaron Carter and Kelly Osbourne fighting for their dancing lives, and the two remaining slots in the semi-finals.
But the emotions grew as Michael Buble turned in a stylish performance with his hit single "Haven't Met You Yet" (and later he returned for his signature smokin' rendition of "I'm Feelin' Good" made even hotter by the dance routine of two pro dancers... I must get their names!! Yowza what a combination of Buble and dancing!).
Then it was on to Susan Boyle, who sparkled both in couture and voice on what's become her signature tune, "I Dreamed a Dream." It was not the bombastic, go-for-broke, positively enchanting version she wowed the world with on "Britain's Got Talent," (thanks to a smart blogger out there for correcting me!) but it worked. It did show how much Boyle has adapted to the music biz; she's a bit more polished in presentation and tone, a bit more reserved; that can be both good and bad. Or maybe it was just nerves. Here's hoping she isn't get lost in the hype of Hollywood and superstardom. Of course, the accompanying dance routine by Tony Dovolani and Chelsie Hightower was just gorgeous, powerful and provocative. Bravo!
Then just when emotions couldn't get any higher, it came down to the final two, Aaron and Kelly, standing in those red lights and listening to the spooky "elimination" music. In the end it was Aaron that was sent packing, much to the shock of many in the ballroom and especially the judges. Carrie Ann Inaba couldn't even applaud Kelly's good fortune (though I don't think she was ready to see Kelly leave either), and for the first time judge Len Goodman asked to say a few words.
It was those words to Carter, most notably the passage that went something along the lines of: "If you were my son I would be so proud of you. But more important, you be proud of yourself, because you've been great." Carter, completely shocked and overcome with emotion almost lost his footing (and his composure) as he stepped over to shake Goodman's hand.
There were very few dry eyes in the house!
Of course, the best and most lighthearted moments came courtesy of Kenny Mayne, Jerry Rice and Len Goodman with their "Dance Center" analysis of the competitors. This stuff is priceless! The show could use more bits like this to keep it interesting and amp up the fun quotient.
So the finals will find Osmond, Osbourne, Krupa and Mya competing for the mirrorball trophy. Alas, I'm thinking Osbourne will most likely be the next to go, unless Krupa really screws up next week during competition (like she did last night in her ballroom dance). Donny and Mya will most likely make it to the finals, folks; Mya because she really can dance, and Donny because he has the biggest fan base on the show.
Susan Boyle will perform the title track off her forthcoming album 'I Dreamed a Dream' (Columbia) tonight on "Dancing with the Stars." The album is slated for release on Nov. 23. To coincide with the release, Boyle will make her live morning TV debut on "The Today Show" on the 23rd.
Produced by Steve Mac (Leona Lewis, Kelly Clarkson), the 12-track collection features the title track (natch) as well as Boyle's take on "Cry Me A River," the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses," Madonna's "You'll See," The Monkees' "Daydream Believer," and "Who I Was Born To Be," an original recording written especially for Boyle.
Worldwide singing sensation Susan Boyle will guest-star tonight on "Dancing with the Stars: The Results Show."AP
So it took me oh, 14 hours or so to get over Monday night's "Dancing with the Stars" Donny Osmond HIGHlarity! I couldn't help but guffaw out loud at Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba's totally genuine reactions/laughter following Osmond's 80s' inspired passo. The darling pop star received average votes from the judges who seem just a wee bit anxious to have him exit the ballroom. No matter how they couch it, they're just not as enchanted by Osmond's antics anymore. You can see it on their faces. Have you noticed all they ever say is how "entertaining" he is? Okay, but this is not "Entertaining with the Stars."
Are the judges right? We're headed to the semi-finals folks, and frankly, there wasn't much about last night save for Derek and Joanna's marvy futuristic paso doble (and Mya's killer 70s routine) that screamed out: "I'm a semi-finalist!"
Donny may have a super-huge fan base, but will it be enough to keep him around? Even if the other dancers are better? That's how it goes on "DWTS." When it comes down to the semi-finals, it's the better dancers that often pay the price for fan bases. Is Donny dancing as well as Mya? Not really. Is Kelly dancing as well as Mya. Nope. Is Joanna dancing better than Donny? Yep. Is Aaron dancing better than Donny? Uh-huh. Was Kelly's eye-shadow better than Donny's. Yes! Confused? Me too.
If I had to predict tonight's departure, I would say it's a toss-up between Donny and Kelly Osbourne, with Donny getting a slight edge based on his goofy performance last night. But does Kelly have a strong enough following to edge him out? It's anybody's guess. I will be positively stunned if Aaron is sent packing. He has come so far over the past few weeks and is dancing beyond anything I could have imagined at the onset of the season. But he may the sacrificial fan-base lamb.
Of special note: hot, hot Michael Buble and darling of the world Susan Boyle are on the docket for tonight's guest star spots. Should be a very, very exciting evening of song.
No surprise, Michael Irvin and Mark Dacascos were sent packing from "Dancing with the Stars" tonight. It's unfortunate because Irvin had been steadily improving as the weeks went on; Dacascos on the other hand seemed to lose his footing in the past few competitions regardless of his partner (Lacey Schwimmer came down with a miserable case of the flu and did not dance Monday night with Dacascos). But both celebs have been consistently toward the middle or bottom of the pack, and as we head into week 8, it's dog-eat-dog out on that dance floor and this is where it comes down absolutely to fan base. Regardless of the judges' scores we're down to a pack of scoring leaders --- there really isn't a weak link left --- so it will be up to the fans to pour on the votes.
In a rather stunning turn of events tonight, Aaron Carter found himself in the bottom three after earning his highest score of the season, a 29, on Monday night. While Irvin learned his fate early on in the proceedings, Carter and Dacascos faced off in the dance-off until only one was left standing. It wasn't even close. No matter how much the judges praised Dacascos for his cha cha, it couldn't hold a candle to the fiery jive delivered by Carter and his partner Karina Smirnoff.
On the entertainment side of things: Colbie Caillat turned in a lovely performance. Note to Derek Hough and Mark Ballas aka Ballas Hough: If you want to make your lip synching even slightly believable please dump the hand mikes for headsets. Nothing is more ridiculous than watching, uhm, singer-dancers forget to hold their mikes up to their mouths while concentrating on the dance moves---- and by gosh, don't their vocals just keep on going!
Of course, special guest star Rod Stewart showed the youngun's how it's done with a marvy rendtion of the Four Tops classic "It's the Same Old Song." Not a synching lip in sight!
On to week 8.. I'm thinking Aaron and Kelly are the weakest of the strongest links right now. But Mya has been known to displease the judges (Okay, Len Goodman) with her penchant for "gimmicks" in her dance routines. That's a slippery slope to be on this late in the game. And Donny Osmond needs to start relying more on his footwork and less on showmanship if he wants to be the one holding the mirrorball trophy at season's end. Joanna Krupa has managed to enchant the judging panel, but does she have enough of a fan base to hold up against the rest, including Aaron Carter and Kelly Osbourne who could come on like gangbusters.
Week 7 of "Dancing with the Stars" was one of the most odd if my memory serves me right... and it does.
There was judge Bruno Tonioli awarding a crummy "7" to Michael Irvin, talking about how much the former pro footballer has improved!! Moments later, after loudly pointing out to Donny Osmond that his performance was just riddled with mistakes, Bruno promptly awarded the popster an "8"! I'm sure there's a logical explanation. I'm waiting, Bruno. Still waiting.
Kudos to Aaron Carter for finally picking up a personality at the mall over the weekend. He and Karina finally clicked in their fiery jive!
It was also a night filled with snotty noses... literally. There was Lacey Schwimmer looking like the flu had completely taken over every inch of her being, until Mark smartly told her to JUST GO HOME. Alas, poor Mark had only two days to work with substitute partner Anna Trebunskya and the result was a samba that the judges said was akin to "a mess," or as Bruno so eloquently put it: "It was like Kung-Fu Panda does the samba on Planet of the Apes." Just sit back and let that comment waft over you.
In the team competition, Team paso doble (Mark, Mya, Aaron and Michael) did their stomping best but just couldn't put the sync into their in-sync dancing. The final score: 24. Did you get a look at Michael Irvin's six-pack abs?
And now back to our program....
Over on Team tango, Kelly, Donny and Joanna were just too hot and too coordinated, and their tango was a sizzling success wtih the judges. Score: 29.
Back to runny noses... there was Donny in rehearsal footage going on and on and on and on about how sick he felt. There's something nasty going around the halls of the ballroom.
It's a double-elimination Tuesday night, and I'm thinking Mark and Michael will probably be hitting the road. I for one will be sad to see Michael leaving as his scores have steadily climbed and his dancing really has improved. Mark just hasn't been able to find his stride as the weeks went on. The stunning upset might be Kelly, who has been (up until tonight's solo samba and group tango) just a bit lackluster.(She was my early pick to make it to the finals, btw).
In week seven producers added a new task for the stars: Design their partner's costumes.
The results ranged from trashy to tacky, but it was a welcome distraction from watching the judges contradict each other.
Here's the breakdown.
MICHAEL IRVIN
The lovable football player earned a season high 23 for a fox trot that Len Goodman called "brilliant." Design: He confessed that he was inspired by Barney purple.
DONNY OSMOND
He made a few missteps during his quick step, but sold it to the judges, who awarded him a 24. Design: Equal parts car wash, Las Vegas, and Carrie Fisher in "The Empire Strikes Back."
MARK DECASCOS
Plagued by a missing partner and changing choreography, the chef's samba was awarded a disappointing 19. Design: Victoria's Secret Dream Bra + a teal chiffon scarf.
MYA
Despite criticism from Len that she's too gimmicky, the singer started her fox trot behind a screen. Len's 7 dragged her score down to 25. Design: A John Travolta white suit. Yawn.
AARON CARTER
His energetic, precise jive pleased all the judges. He scored 29. Design: It looked like a feather duster collided with a gay lamp shade.
KELLY OSBOURNE
Still bristling from being called "beige" last week, Kelly's salsa was "flirty and a little dirty," said Bruno. She earned a 24. Design: Four words: Electric blue tassel pants.
JOANNA KRUPA
She built on her momentum with a dramatic rhumba, and a score of 27. Design: A white shirt that looked like it was coming apart at the seams. Call it "albino Hulk."
Tomorrow night: Another dance-off, and double elimination.
Okay, so I was half-right.... Melissa Joan Hart did indeed exit the ballroom Tuesday night on "Dancing With the Stars," as I predicted Monday. I had also predicted that Michael Irvin would be heading for the locker room because he is saddled with a partner who cannot choreograph (Anna Demidova is a good dancer, but she cannot conceptualize fun, exciting, challenging choreography).
In the end, it was Irvin in the bottom two dance-off against Louis Vito, the snowboarder who thought his dancing skills were a wee bit better than they actually were. The judges voted to keep Irvin on for another week.
I think they made the right choice, but as we head into week 7, Irvin doesn't stand a chance against the more powerful performers ahead of him on the leaderboard. In better pro hands, Irvin might be a stronger contender. He's got the heart and the dedication, but Demidova's choreography can't hold a candle to that of Derek Hough or Louis Van Amstel. Still, anything can happen this season, with scoring completely out of the realm of sensibility.
So it's week six in the ballroom and things couldn't be more boring. What has happened to this gem of a reality show? Where has all the fun gone? Most of the contestants look tired; the pros just look bored. There's very little chemistry out there on the floor this season, and for some reason Samantha Harris' inane backstage chatter has become interesting. No, not really.
But it was a boring Monday night in the ballroom, despite Len Goodman's continuing firing off some very tough criticism--- and for once, all of it very much deserved. Some of the toughness has rubbed off on Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Toniolo who were both extremely critical on this night.
The highlight of the night was the mambo danceoff, which played out like a real dance competition with all the couples out on the dance floor. Mya and Joanna were the last two standing and alas, it was the swimsuit model (Bruno's personal fave this season) who walked away with the full 10 extra points from the judges. Gotta admit she fought very hard to win that dance.
Overall, it was a night of humdrum Viennese waltzes and not too exciting jitterbugs, save for Donny and Kym, who were not technically perfect, but who, at least in their jitterbug, managed to make it look like it was fun.
Can't say the same for pro Chelsie Hightower who was dropped not once, but twice by her partner snowboarder Louis Vito. NOTE TO LOUIS: Dude, she fell so hard on her behind toward the end of the routine you could hear the thud over the music. Making it all worse was the fact that he was so absorbed in his own awkward dancing that he didn't even realize it.
Two people are going home tonight. I have to admit it's a hard one to predict. Michael Irvin could be dancing a lot better if his pro partner Anna Demidova would actually choreograph something halfway interesting. Melissa Joan Hart has a great partner in Mark Ballas but she is just not improving as the weeks go by. I dunno. Right now, it's all about fan base because other than Joanna, Mya, Donny and Kelly, the dancing is so even keel this time out it and the judges' marks so "all over the map" that it wouldn't be suprising if one of the better dancers gets the boot before the dancers at the bottom of the leaderboard.
But based on the performances last night, I'm thinking either Michael or Melissa Joan will be hanging up their dancing shoes tonight.
Obviously, I think we're all upset to see Chuck Liddell go -- although I bet he's wishing it had happened BEFORE we got the image of him ripping off ruffled sleeves in our head forever.
Best parting words ever? ''You are a bear and you are my hippo."
Any conspiracy theories as to why Karina and Aaron Carter were in the bottom two? Don't tell me Aaron no longer has a tween following. Can't the cougar demographic make up for the slack?
"Dancing With the Stars," though still one of TV's top shows, is stumbling in the ratings. The competition episodes are averaging 17.1 million viewers, down 11 percent from last fall's first four episodes, and 15 percent lower than the 2007 fall shows. Last week's results episode pulled in just 12.4 million.
And last night, desperation was in the air.
No less than three dance teams incorporated the judges' table into the choreography, with Lacey Schwimmer actually running sideways alongside it.
And then there were the props. On a night that introduced four new dances - the Charleston, the Bolero, the Lambada and the Country Two Step - the dancers relied on canes, lassos, drink trays, hay, and toxic levels of glitter to distract from any missteps.
Derek Hough went so far as to dance shirtless, and darned if it didn't work. His partner, model Joanna Krupa, kicked off her lambada by molesting judge Len Goodman before grinding her way into Hough's crotch. Bruno Tonioli praised their sexual energy, saying, "I have enough now for the next six months." Total score: 26 out of 30.
Aaron Carter disappointed with a cartoonish lambada that was "not raunchy enough," according to Goodman. Adding to the pressure, Gilles Marini - who pretty much embodies the lambada - was watching from the audience.
But Melissa Joan Hart improved her chances with a Betty Boopish Charleston that the judges raved over, awarding her her first 10, for a total of 28. They're the experts, of course. But from here, it looked as though Hart was nearly grunting with the effort.
Front-runner Mya proved that hips don't lie, with a lambada that Tonioli called "an exotic, erotic roller coaster you would want to ride over and over and over again until you are left exhausted and exhilarated." Then he collapsed with ecstasy. Mya earned two 10s, with just an 8 from tough-love Goodman to bring her down.
The redundant quote of the night came from Bruno Tonioli: "I love Liza Minnelli," he gushed.
Flappers ruled the night on "Dancing with the Stars" as Kelly Osbourne, Melissa Joan Hart and Donny Osmond paid homage to the frolicky and fun dance from those roarin' 20s. Osbourne's was by far the best, as she as partner Louis Van Amstel did their utmost in tribute to the musicals "Chicago" and "Cabaret" and the legendary Emcee himself, Joel Grey. Hart actually went out there and for the first time really cut loose, once she realized her, uhm, acting skills would definitely carry her through one of the most "performance"-driven dances. Osmond gave it his best shot, but it wasn't as crisp and "silly" as the Charleston of the two ladies who danced ahead of him. But at least he too, like Melissa, finally cut loose and just had some fun.
When it came to the lambada, nobody was going to hold a candle to Joanna Krupa, who was positively smokin' on the dance floor with partner Derek Hough. It wasn't the best lambada in the world, but it was pretty steamy at every turn.
Poor Michael Irvin. He did his best to inject some sexiness into the bolero, but then again, he's saddled with the horrible choreography of Anna Demidova, who "won" the right last year to be this year's new pro. She may be a good dancer, but she hasn't a clue how to choreograph, and more importantly, how to choreograph a dance that on some layer gives Irvin a fighting chance. Seems Anna is spending a lot of time in New York concentrating on some sort of modeling career. Nothing like a wee bit of exposure on a hit ABC show to get the modeling agents calling, hey Anna?
And then there was this year's ballroom darling, the impish snowboarder Louis Vito, who, along with pro partner Chelsea Hightower, proved that there's more to dancing the "country" 2-step than walking around the dancefloor while your pretty girl of a partner is trying her best to camouflage the fact that you're walking around the dance floor ... and walking.... and walking.... Hey Louis, the show is not called "Walking with the Stars." He still managed a 16 for a pretty pathetic routine, despite even the judges' less-than-flattering comments.
And Mya, who's tan glow was oilier than Michael Flatley's in his "Lord of the Dance" heydey, could do no wrong with her lambada... except for judge Len Goodman who just didn't think she danced up to her potential. She had to settle for a 28 on this night.
To nobody's surprise, Tom De Lay announced he's done with "Dancing with the Stars" due to stress fractures in both feet.
Of course, he made the announcement AFTER dancing last night and AFTER amassing the judges' scores and who knows how many viewers' votes that COULD have gone to one of the other contestants tonight who at this writing are "in jeopardy" of leaving the ballroom (De Lay was "saved" by the votes tallied).
There should be a new rule on dancing: You get seriously injured (and I'm talking the kind of injuries such as stress fractures in BOTH feet that can leave you recouperating for a long, LONG time), you leave the show. It's not fair to the rest of the pack who are fighting for every single viewer vote.
Whoever is eliminated tonight can thank Tom De Lay on the way out of the ballroom.
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