Idol Thoughts: 6/1/08

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Ranking the SYTYCD Top 16: Crushes, Tears and Bleeding Love

I adore the moment on So You Think You Can Dance where a performance makes you sit up straight, then lean in, and finally wipe away a tear. Tonight, Chelsie and Mark (and Tabitha and Napoleon) made me feel that. It reminded me of why I love the show.

Unfortunately, five of the performances brought up some difficult questions -- will Kourtni meet the high expectations I have of her? Is Kherington all-charm and not enough substance? Will Jessica get kicked off so Will can have a decent partner?

It wasn't all bad -- aside from Chelsie and Mark, Joshua and Katee and Gev and Courtney also stood out. Here's my rankings of the top 10:

1. Chelsie and Mark
This routine combined several of my favorite things: (a)the song "Bleeding Love" (which I can, and have, listened to on repeat for hours. Love.); (b) Napoleon and Tabitha's choreography (but only when they do "lyrical hip hop" -- there "real" hip-hop is just plain boring); and Chelsie and Mark. Oh, Chelsie and Mark, how I love thee! Mark is so original and compelling (not to mention gorgeous), and Chelsie was feeling the music. An all around triumph.

2. Joshua and Katee
I don't know which is more remarkable -- Joshua's ability to samba, or his booty! Though I loved their first two performances, I wasn't convinced they were going to pull this one off, but it was hot hot hot. Once again, their chemistry and connection transcended all else. I can't wait to see what they do next week.

3. Courtney and Gev
I don't know what it is about these two that I love so much -- maybe it's that Courtney reminds me uncannily of The OC's Rachel Bilson; maybe it's Gev's adorable crush; maybe it's the fact that they seem really genuinely connected to each other. Who cares when the dance is this sexy? Her dress was so striking it only highlighted the beauty of her dancing. And Gev, once again, danced like a real man. Love 'em.

4. Kourtni and Matt
I really wanted to love this new choreographer, as we can never have enough good choreographers on this show, but this piece didn't quite work for me. Kourtni and Matt danced it well, and I actually saw some personality in Matt for the first time, but I just wasn't buying what she is selling. More than anything it made me miss Mia Michaels.

5. Kherington and Twitch
As I said above, when Napoleon and Tabitha add some lyrical to their hip-hop, it's genius (think Joshua and Katee's week one "No Air"), but their straight-up hip-hop is pretty uninspiring. Unfortunately, neither Kherington, or, surprisingly, Twitch, really elevated the choreography beyond the "ordinary." And does anyone else think it's weird that Adam Shankman, the director of "Hairspray," didn't acknowledge that Twitch had been in his film (see my post Dancing on Broadway Indeed: Twitch Was in the Movie Version of Hairspray). Do I sense a cover-up here?

6. Jessica and Will
Will was adorable right from the get-go, and Jessica held her own for about 60% of the dance, but when it comes down to it, this dance was a big hot mess. There were three different occasions where they appeared to have no idea what they were doing, to the point that I wondered if something had been screwed up in the music. Unfortunately, those screw-ups are the moments I most remember.

7. Chelsea and Thayne
I have no comment -- I'm still scared by their perma-smiles (and Nigel's impression of them).

8. Comfort and Chris
Nigel was right -- there was no animalistic sensibility in this dance. I didn't buy either of them -- they weren't grounded in anything. My favorite part of the whole thing, however, is when Nigel basically called Tyce out on his crappy choreography. I know there's some hardcore Tyce fans out there, but I just don't see it. This, to me, was a poseur mess.

And there you have it. Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on who will go home. Hint: Chelsie and Mark have nothing to worry about.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

SYTYCD Madness: Preliminary Voting Results

The results from the preliminary round of voting for SYTYCD Madness are in!

Season 2 contestant Allison Holker was the clear favorite, garnering 77.6% of the votes. She will be joined in the Top 16 by fellow Season 2 dancers Natalie Fotopoulos and Ivan Koumaev, as well as Season 3 contestant Pasha Kovalev.

The first round match-ups will be posted later today. For more information on SYTYCD Madness, click here.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Dancing on Broadway Indeed: SYTYCD's Twitch Was in the Movie Version of Hairspray

I sat down to watch the film version of Hairspray last night, and what do you know -- So You Think You Can Dance's Twitch is in it!

Yep, Stephen Boss, aka Twitch, appears in the background, singing and dancing, at several points during the movie.

Kinda makes you go hmmmm...especially when Nigel Lythgoe, after Twitch and Kherington's fantastic Broadway-themed performance during the Top 20 show, said "If you had been asked if you would be performing on Broadway, people would have probably thought you were talking about the street!"

Not so much.

Now, most of the dancers on SYTYCD have at one point danced professionally, but Twitch, in particular, has been painted primarily (if not exclusively) as a street dancer. Does it make you a little less excited about him now that you know he already has experience working in other genres? Or do you love him and Kherington so much that you don't really care?

Sound off in the comments section below.

SYTYCD Spoilers: Dance Styles and Choreographers for the Top 16

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

DON'T READ IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED!!

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

Here are the dance styles and choreographers for the So You Think You Can Dance Top 16:

Kherington & Twitch: Hip Hop (Napoleon & Tabitha)

Courtney & Gev: Rumba (Tony Meredith)

Comfort & Chris: Jazz (Tyce Diorio)

Jessica & Will: Disco (Doriana Sanchez)

Chelsea & Thayne: Quickstep (Heather Smith)

Kourtni & Matt: Contemporary (Sonya Tayeh)

Chelsie & Mark: Hip Hop (Napoleon & Tabitha)

Katee & Joshua: Samba (Tony Meredith)

I'm guessing Kherington and Twitch will have another strong week, Kourtni and Matt will get to show off their contemporary skills, and Chelsie and Mark will be surprisingly adept at hip hop. I'm looking forward to Courtney and Gev's rumba -- if they can really connect, it could be something special. Then there's Katee and Joshua -- if they can pull off the samba there's no reason to think there's anything they can't do. Comfort and Chris should make an interesting pair doing a Tyce Diorio jazz routine, but I'm skeptical of Will and Jessica's disco and Chelsea and Thayne's quickstep.

All in all it should be a good week. Thoughts?

Who's your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time? Play SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Mario Lopez Poses Half-Naked as Marky Mark, Brad Pitt, Burt Reynolds and Chis Atkins in People's Hottest Bachelor Issue

Mario Lopez takes on some of the more famous half-naked poses of the last several decades, including Marky Mark's Calvin Klein underwear ad and Brad Pitt's shirtless scene in Thelma and Louise, in the new issue of People magazine. Lopez has been named 2008's Hottest Bachelor.

To see Mario with NO clothes on from his appearance on Nip/Tuck, CLICK HERE.

Enjoy the pics!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

So You Think You Can Dance Top 18 Results..

First, a note to whoever is dressing Cat Deeley this season -- good work!

Tonight's results were not particularly surprising -- as I predicted in my post SYTYCD Top 18 Elimination Prediction, Susie and Marquis were eliminated from the competition. I can't say I'm sorry to see them go -- I never saw Susie's appeal, and Marquis came off a bit too young and eager for my taste. Still, seeing his sweet face try to hold off tears tugged at the heartstrings a bit, I'm not gonna lie.

I also wasn't shocked by Susie and Marquis' companions in the Bottom 3 -- Comfort/Chris and Chelsea/Thayne. The latter four are lucky to still be around -- I wasn't impressed by any of their solos. If I had to determine a best-to-worst, here's what it would look like:

1. Chelsea
2. Comfort
3. Thayne
4. Chris
5. Marquis
6. Susie

But I reiterate -- none of them were good.

As for the rest of the show, I was excited to see Idina Menzel's song "Brave" used for the goodbye montage, but who was that flamenco fool? And if he has auditioned for the show twice and not made it on, why should we care about him as a "special guest."

Perhaps I just don't appreciate the art of flamenco.

Flo Rida -- yeah.

Shane Sparks routine, however, was excellent -- and Comfort should be very grateful. Apparently, according to Nigel, it's what saved her from elimination. Is that fair? It's not considered a "judged performance," though, of course, the judges do watch it. What do you think?

And did the right two go home? Leave a comment below and let me know.

David Cook Named to People Magazine's "Hottest Bachelor" List

Winning American Idol is nothing to sneeze at, sure, but it's nothing like being named to People magazine's Hottest Bachelor list!

Uh huh.

David Cook made the cut this year, joining other luminaries like cover-boy Mario Lopez (check out Mario's pics from the magazine here), The Hills' Brody Jenner, Terrence Howard, Gerard Butler, the Gossip Girl guys, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, and tennis player James Blake.

Here's what David, who is rumored to be dating Season 2 Idol contestant Kimberly Caldwell, has to say about his flirting technique: ple, but the 25-year-old American Idol winner admits that his stage bravado doesn't always carry over into his personal life. "Looking a pretty woman in the eye and convincing her I'm worth taking a chance on is different. It takes a specific brand of guts, and it's not the kind I have."

Awwwww -- hottest bachelor, indeed!

SYTYCD Top 18 Elimination Prediction: Jessica and Will Back in the Danger Zone

Choose your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time -- play SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME!

Read: Ranking the SYTYCD Top 18

Predicting who will be going home on So You Think You Can Dance requires a multi-tiered thought process. First you've got to guess which three couples will have received the least amount of votes for America. Then you have to imagine how the dancers from those three couples will fare individually. Finally, you've got to put yourself into the minds of Nigel, Mary (eek!) and the glorious Mia Michaels to figure out who's gonna get the boot.

Yeah, not so simple.

But here goes...

Bottom 3 Couples

Susie and Marquis
I didn't have high expectations for Marquis, since salsa is distinctly out of his comfort zone, but Susie's inability to believably deliver this dance's intricate choreography might spell her (and Marquis') ouster.

William and Jessica
After his killer solo last week I would have predicted that Will would have had no problem cruising into the Top 16, but ho-hum choreography and a partner who just couldn't deliver means he'll likely experience a return trip to dance-for-your-life land.

Kourtni and Matt
While Cheslea/Thayne dropped the ball and Comfort/Chris couldn't pull of krumping, I think Kourtni and Matt are the last couple in danger this evening. Though they are both technically gifted dancers, their fox trot never really took off.

Eliminated Boy: Marquis
Having seen William's solo last week, it's safe to say that even if he lands in the Bottom 3 zone, he'll be able to impress the judges enough to buy him another week. Matt, too, will strangely benefit from having a repeat appearance in the Bottom 3 -- the judges complain that he doesn't have enough personality, but having yet another chance to do his thing should win him some points.

Which leaves Marquis -- sweet, spastic Marquis. Unless he pulls out all the stops in his solo, I do believe he'll be the one leaving us tonight.

Eliminated Girl: Susie
The judges love Kourtni, although Mia leveled the same complaint at her last night that she used to level at Melody -- stop dancin' with your leg up in the air! Still, she's clearly got more potential than either Jessica or Susie, so don't expect her to be leaving anytime soon. Jessica, meanwhile, will surely be in danger after bringing down Will in their hip hop dance, but Nigel seems to be a fan, which may save her for another week. That leaves Susie, who's never impressed me -- will she impress Mary, Mia and Nigel enough to keep her around? I'm guessing no.

So there it is -- I think Susie and Marquis will be the first two dancers eliminated this season. (Sound familiar? I picked the same two last week!

Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Read: Ranking the SYTYCD Top 18

Choose your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time -- play SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME!

ANOTHER New David Beckham Underwear Ad -- Even Hotter!

I mean!!

Click here to see all the Beckham underwear pictures in one place

Click here to see all the Beckham underwear pictures in one place

Ranking the SYTYCD Top 18 -- Courtney and Gev on Top

Choose your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time -- play SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME!

Read SYTYCD Top 18 Elimination Prediction

Before I get to the Top 18 dancers on So You Think You Can Dance, attention must be paid to the judges -- because they demand it!

Mia -- love the hair. Love it.

Nigel -- sit down! Has anyone else noticed that krumping always seems to get Nigel out of his seat? What's that about?

Mary -- lay off the tanning salon girl, you're lookin a bit tangerine in color. And what was that outfit? I'm just saying.

Kat -- you looked gorgeous, as always. Love you.

Ok -- on to the dancers. For the second straight week, I was impressed with the base level of talent, but blown away by only a couple of performances. Here's how I'd rank the Top 9:

1. Courtney and Gev
This is officially my favorite performance of the season so far. Courtney was simply gorgeous -- I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Except, of course, when I was looking at Gev, who totally captured me with his emotional investment. (And it must be said that he's getting more and more adorable each week). To me, he gave a performance on par with Ivan's Season 2 contemporary dance to "Why" with Allison. Mandy Moore is sometimes hit-and-miss for me, but this dance was an unqualified success.

2. Kherington and Twitch
This couple is a favorite of mine, and they danced Jean Mark Generaux's choreography quite beautifully. On top of that, they are gorgeous! Both of them! Still -- let's be honest -- it was not a Vienesse waltz. It was a contemporary dance! I mean, they weren't in hold for more than 15 seconds throughout the whole routine! They can't be held accountable for the choreography, however, so I still give the pair props for emotionally dazzling execution.

3. Katee and Joshua
While I can't say I was quite as excited by this performance as Nigel was, I will say that these two make quite a lovely couple. They are totally in tune with each other, and, to paraphrase Mary, their individual spirits really do bounce off of each other. I found the execution of the choreography a bit sloppy, but their innate charm (and Joshua's acrobatics) qualifies it as a winner.

4. Chelsie and Mark
What to comment on first? The fact that Cat Deeley got down on her knees to put Chelsie's pinkie toe back in her shoe, or Chelsie's mesmerizing legs? Those gams are AMAZE! Featuring incredibly intricate footwork, this dance was SO much better than I imagined it would be, and not just because of Chelsie -- Mark was sensational! Sexy, strong, passionate -- who knew he had that in him? Kudos all around.

5. Chelsea and Thayne
This dance looked like it was happening in slow-mo -- and that's not a good thing! I kept wishing Neil Haskell or Danny Tidwell was dancing Thayne's part, and I just didn't buy Chelsea as the sexpot this week. Hot tamale? Try wet lettuce.

6. Jessica and Will
After seeing inventive hip hop dances over the past few years like Lacey and Pasha's manequin dance, or sexy ones like Sabra and Dominic's, the viewers are expecting to be entertained. Thus, if you're going to perform straight-up hip hop, you better bring it. Will did -- Jessica did not. Not much else to say.

7. Kourtni and Matt
I agree with Mia on this one -- Kourtni has not "owned her size and space." For me, she just wasn't light enough on her feet to make this dance work. As for Matt -- he's cardboard. Technically gifted cardboard, sure, but cardboard nonetheless. All in all, this dance wasn't workin' for me.

8. Comfort and Chris
I'm not really sure what to say about this one -- they pulled it off, sure, but I can't say it was very fun to watch. Comfort was, as expected, the more authentic of the pair, and Chris pulled off the choreography with surprising aplomb. Still -- I just wasn't feelin' the krump.

9. Susie and Marquis
This was a trainwreck! Susie looked like Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing -- before she got good. And Marquis was all over the place -- up, down, left, right -- well, not exactly "right." Yes, the choreography was difficult, but that's no excuse for stumbling over the stage. Ick.

Click here for individual rankings of the Top 18

Read SYTYCD Top 18 Elimination Prediction

Choose your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time -- play SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME Is Here!

Click here to vote in the preliminary round

The Contest

Who is the best finalist to ever compete on So You Think You Can Dance? Who is your all-time favorite dancer? More importantly, how could you decide? The answer is finally here in SYTYCD: The Game.

Starting next week, we will bring you 1-on-1 match-ups of the Top 16 So You Think You Can Dance finalists from the first 3 seasons of the show. In every match-up, you will choose only 1 of the 2 contestants to move on to the next round of the competition until we are left with only 1, the ULTIMATE Dancer!

The Finalists
All 12 of the Top 4 finalists from the first 3 seasons of the show are automatically into the final 16-Dancer field (that's Nick, Melody, Jamile, Ashley, Benji, Travis, Donyelle, Heidi, Sabra, Danny, Neil and Lacey). I have selected 10 dancers who will face off in a preliminary round to decide which 4 of them should complete the final field. You can vote in that preliminary round here.

Once the field is set, we will release the tournament brackets and begin the head-to-head face-offs -- the Sweet 16, the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and the Ultimate Dancer! Only your votes decide who moves on!

Preliminary voting starts TODAY! Click to vote NOW!

Post any questions in the comments section below.

New David Beckham Armani Underwear Ad -- Yum!!

All of the David Beckham underwear photos to date in large, high quality versions

David Beckham.

New Emporio Armani Underwear Ad.

No more words need be said.

Except...

YUM!!!!

All of the David Beckham underwear photos to date in large, high quality versions

Spoiler: Set List for Madonna's Tour

SPOILER! Do not read if you do not want to know the songs that Madonna will be performing on her upcoming tour.

SPOILER -- You've been warned!

"Heartbeat"
"Candy Shop"/"I Want Candy"
"Open Your Heart"
"Borderline"
"Miles Away"
"Dance Tonight"
"Everybody"
"Vogue"
"Beat Goes On"
"Spanish Lesson"
"You'll See"
"La Isla Bonita"/"Open Your Heart"
"Dress You Up"
"Rain"
"Devil Wouldn't Recognize You"
"She's Not Me"
"Hung Up"
"Music"
"4 Minutes"
"Holiday"
"Give It To Me"

Quite a list, eh?

Source: Perez Hilton

Big Brother 10 Will Have Live Eviction Audience

It looks like Big Brother is changing things up a bit this summer -- by featuring a live audience for the eviction episodes!

The website AudienceUnlimited.com is now offering tickets to the live eviction episodes of Big Brother on July 16, 23, 30 and August 6, 13, and 20. It is unclear what role the audience will play in these eviction episodes -- will they ask questions? Simply cheer and boo? The answer remains to be seen.

It's not surprising that CBS is trying to shake things up a bit, though -- the winter edition of the show tanked in the ratings, and may have diluted a bit of interest in the show. Will featuing a live audience for evictions shake things up?

The instructions to those inquiring about tickets are the following:
The studio audience at this show may appear on camera and appropriate dress is required. Business/Casual - no shorts, tshirts, ballcaps, etc. and please do not wear any clothing with large words, photographs or logos that may show up on camera. This is a LIVE show and ticketholders should plan on checking in at CBS no less than 90 minutes prior to show time. Guests will be asked to sign a 'waiver' prior to admission giving the production company permission to use your likeness on camera and also acknowledging that you are aware of and agree to comply with the specific rules and regulations of this show.

Click here to try and get free tickets for these episodes, and let me know what you think about the new plan in the comment section below.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Idol Thoughts Scours the Web -- Tuesday June 17

Updated throughout the day

Articles posted today on Idol Thoughts...

SPOILER: So You Think Can Dance Top 18 -- Dance Styles and Choreographers

American Idol Winners Cook, Underwood and Sparks Nominated for Teen Choice Awards

Dancing with the Stars Karina Smirnoff Talks About Mario Lopez' Cheating Ways

Eight Former American Idol Contestants Currently on the Radio Charts

Video: David Cook on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Articles of interest from around the web...

TV Guide Names Omarosa the #1 reality TV villain; The Hills' Spencer comes in at #7

Variety reviews the new Mike Myers/Jessica Alba/Justin Timberlake film Love Guru

The New York Times reports on same-sex marriages beginning in California

William Hurt to join the cast of FX's Damages

If you would like to receive a daily version of this post e-mailed to you, please write idolthoughts2007@gmail.com with the subject line SUBSCRIBE

Cook, Sparks and Underwood Nominated for Teen Choice Awards

It ain't exactly the Grammy's, but a Teen Choice Award is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you consider the list of nominees includes such varied personalities as Mark Wahlberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Harrison Ford, Robert Downey Jr and David Beckham.

Oh yeah -- Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron are on the list as well.

American Idol winner David Cook picked up a nomination for "Choice TV: Male Reality/Variety Star" -- he'll compete with Brody Jenner (The Hills), Rob Dyrdek and Christopher Boykin (Rob & Big ),
Ryan Scheckler (Life of Ryan) and The Jabbawockeez (America's Best Dance Crew).

Jordin Sparks, meanwhile, is up for "Choice Music: Single") against such stiff competition as Madonna, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Flo Rida, Lil' Mama, Nelly and duet partner Chris Brown. Jordin is also nominated for "Choice Music: Breakout Artist" and "Choice Music: Love Song" (for "No Air).

And don't forget awards favorite Carrie Underwood -- though her songs didn't pick up any nods, she grabbed a nomination for "Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon Female."

American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, Survivor and The Amazing Race also picked up nominations in the multitude of Reality TV categories.

For the full list of nominees, click here.

SPOILER: Dance Styles and Choreographers for So You Think You Can Dance Top 18

Once again, as I always do I'm going to caution against believing internet spoilers 100%, but it is my duty as a journalist to report them.

Or something like that.

Anyways, here's the rumored dance styles and choreographers for tomorrow night's So You Think You Can Dance. As you'll see, some of the dancers were likely very happy with their selections -- others, not so much.

Read at your own discretion.

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

Thayne & Chelsea T. -- Jazz (Mandy Moore)

William & Jessica -- Hip Hop (Cicily & Olisa)

Mark & Chelsie -- Argentine Tango (Alex de Silva)

Matt & Kourtni -- Fox Trot (Jean Marc Generaux)

Gev & Courtney -- Contemporary (Mandy Moore)

Joshua & Katee -- Broadway (Tyce Diorio)

Marquis & Susie -- Salsa (Alex de Silva)

Twitch & Kherington -- Viennese Waltz (Jean Marc Generaux)

Chris & Comfort -- Crump (Lil C)

Looks like Comfort, Susie, Joshua, Chelsie and Courtney are gonna be psyched this week -- they each chose a style pretty in line with their own genre. This is also the week we'll get to see if Twitch has the versatility to make it in this competition -- he's forced to take on the ever-challenging Viennese Waltz. Kourtni and Matt have an uphill battle after last week's Bottom 3 showing -- they've got to tacklet the Fox Trot. My guess for the biggest disaster of the week? Mark in the Argentine Tango.

Guess we'll see!

Eight Former American Idol Contestants on Radio Charts -- Jordin Sparks Appears on Five!

The names may change, but there always seems to be at least a handful of former American Idol contestants on the radio charts. Case in point -- as of this morning, a whopping EIGHT former Idols have a song on one of the charts.

Season 6 champ Jordin Sparks is leading the way, with three songs ("Tatoo," "One Step at a Time," and "No Air") appearing on five different charts. Carrie Underwood has a #2 Country hit in "Last Name," while Season 7 winner David Cook has taken his debut single "Time of My Life" onto the Pop, Hot AC and AC charts. Other Idols with successful current singles include Kimberley Locke, Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson, Josh Gracin and Chris Daughtry.

Here is a summary of how the Idols are currently faring:

Pop
#10 Jordin Sparks "No Air"
#41 David Cook "Time of My Life"
#48 Jordin Sparks "One Step at a Time"

Hot AC
#2 Daughtry "Feels Like Tonight"
#12 Jordin Sparks "No Air"
#20 David Cook "Time of My Life"

Mainstream AC
#7 Jordin Sparks "Tattoo"
#10 Daughtry "Feels Like Tonight"
#12 David Cook "Time of My Life"
#17 Kimberley Locke "Fall"
#18 Jordin Sparks "No Air"
#28 Clay Aiken "On My Way Here"

Country
#2 Carrie Underwood "Last Name"
#18 Josh Gracin "We Weren't Crazy"

Urban AC
#27 Jennifer Hudson "Spotlight"
#28 Jordin Sparks "No Air"

Urban
#20 Jordin Sparks "No Air"

Source: Mediabase

Monday, June 16, 2008

Video: Dancing with the Stars Karina Smirnoff Talks About Being Cheated on by Mario Lopez

It has not been a good month for Mario Lopez.

First, news hit the internet that he and A Chorus Line co-star Nick Adams have been feuding over costumes and who has the bigger biceps. According to Page Six, 2xist Underwear was thinking of using Lopez for their new campaign, but elected to go with Adams instead.

As if the great Underwear/Biceps Scandal of '08 wasn't enough, now former girlfriend and Dancing with the Stars partner Karinna Smirnoff is going public regarding Lopez' cheating ways. Apparently he was screwing around while they were living together! AC Slater, no!!

Watch what Karina had to say in the interview she gave to Chelsea Lately below.

Who's going to turn on him next? Mark Paul Gosselaar? Elizabeth Berkeley?

Watch the video and let me know what you think.

Video: David Cook on Jimmy Kimmel Live

He sure is charming, isn't he?

Here's a video of David Cook on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week. Enjoy!

2008 Tony Awards Nielsen Ratings -- Down From Last Year

In the Heights and August Osage may have won -- but not the Tony's themselves!

The 62nd Annual Tony Awards snagged a typically bland 6.19 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m.

This is a drop from last year -- the 61st Annual Tony Awards received a 1.2 rating/3 share in adults 18-49 and about 6.3 million viewers overall.

Keep in mind -- last night's show was competing with an NBA Finals game and the completion of the US Open.

But still...

WATCH VIDEOS FROM THE TONY AWARDS -- In the Heights, Gypsy, Passing Strange and more

BEST AND WORST OF THE TONY'S

Source: Mediaweek

Trailer: MTV's American Mall, Starring So You Think You Can Dance's Neil Haskell

If you're still jonesing for a High School Musical fix and the new Jonas Brothers movie isn't your cup of tea, perhaps you'll enjoy American Mall, an original musical on MTV starring, among others, So You Think You Can Dance's Neil Haskell. The film premieres on MTV August 11.

Here's a trailer for the film:

And here's a video of Neil discussing his role in the film:

READ -- THEATER REVIEW: Neil Haskell in Off-Broadway's Altar Boyz

The Best and Worst of the 2008 Tony Awards

VIDEOS OF ALL TONY AWARD MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

Every year I look forward to the Tony Awards, and every year I'm just a bit disappointed. Sure, there were some deserving winners (In the Heights, August Osage County, South Pacific, Patti Lupone, Laura Benanti, Paulo Szot, Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed), but there were also some ho-hum performances, a no-show from Stephen Sondheim and a disappointing Rent reunion.

Well, you win some, you lose some.

Here's my take on the Best and Worst of the 2008 Tony Awards:

The Best
1. In the Heights performs "$96,000" and wins best musical
Easily the most spirited and well-produced number of the evening, In the Heights likely sold a lot of tickets with this performance, not to mention Lyn Manuel Miranda's charming acceptance speech for Best Score. Oh yeah -- that top musical prize won't hurt the Box Office either.

2. South Pacific takes home the most awards, and beautifully represents itself with a medley
Definitely the classiest performance, South Pacific got to show off it's Tony nominees Paulo Szot, Kelli O'Hara and Danny Burstein in a mostly well put-together number (the transition from "Some Enchanted Evening" to "Wonderful Guy" seemed a bit rushed to me). Kudos to the stellar Lincoln Center Theater production for taking home all of the Design Awards, as well as trophies for director Bart Sher, leading man Szot and Best Revival. And didn't you just love Andre Bishop's speech?

3. Gypsy brings down the house, and picks up three acting prizes
I probably would have given the Featured Actor award to Passing Strange's Daniel Breaker over Boyd Gaines, but other than that I can't quibble with the prizes for Patti Lupone and Laura Benanti. And how about "Everything's Coming Up Roses"? While I would have prefered "Rose's Turn," there's no denying La Lupone -- and her speech was fabulously over-the-top. Loved it.

4. Stew and Passing Strange give the Tony's a jolt
Passing Strange doesn't easily lend itself to an out-of-context production number, but they got to show off the unique energy of the show, as well as the stellar performances of Breaker, Stew and the rest of the cast. And though Strange didn't take home any major awards (and will likely announce a closing date soon), I was happy to see Stew pick up the prize for Best Book.

5. Xanadu brings a light kick to the proceedings
There one shot at taking home a Tony disappeared early in the evening after Douglas Carter Beane's book lost out to Stew, but their production number was easily the most lighthearted fun of the whole proceedings. And don't even get me started on Cheyenne Jackson in those short-shorts!

Honorable Mentions:
-August Osage County's wins for Rondi Reed, Deanna Dunagan and Best Play
-Boeing Boeing taking out Macbeth for the Best Revival of a Play trophy
-Liza Minelli. Just 'cause.

Coming soon...the WORST of this years's Tony's. Stay tuned!

VIDEOS OF ALL TONY AWARD MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

Videos: 2008 Tony Award Performances From Best Musical Nominees

Best and Worst Moments of the 2008 Tony Awards

Videos from Best Musical Revival Nominees

Videos of the original cast of Rent, Along with Little Mermaid, A Catered Affair and Young Frankenstein

In the Heights

Passing Strange

Xanadu

Cry Baby

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Who is the Best So You Think You Can Dance Choreographer?

When it was announced that Tyce Diorio would be choreographing Kherington and Twitch's Broadway routine on this past week of So You Think You Can Dance, my significant other groaned. Literally groaned.

It got me thinking -- how much do the choreographers end up influencing how we feel about the contesants? When the dance (and the music) are spot-on, the contestants benefit. When they don't (as was the case with Jamie and Rayven's routine this week), they suffer. Consider that on last year's Top 20 show Lacey and Kameron were given a dance by the genius Mia Michaels -- and as a result, Kameron lasted longer in the competition than he probably otherwise would have, and Lacey was immediately something other than "Benji's sister."

So -- who are the best choreographers? And whose work could mean you're doomed? Taking into account three years worth of performances, here's my ranking of the top SYTYCD choreographers -- take the poll and let me know who you think deserves the top spot.

1. Mia Michaels
2. Wade Robson
3. Mandy Moore
4. Tony Meredith
5. Brian Friedman
6. Shane Sparks
7. Jean Mark Generaux
8. Doriana Sanchez
9. Dan Karaty
10. Napoleon and Tabitha

POLL: Who is your favorite SYTYCD choreographer?

Friday, June 13, 2008

So You Think You Can Dance Top 20 Results: Rayven and Jamie Eliminated, While Will and Kourtni Get to Shine

Dancing with the Stars could learn a few things from tonight's episode of So You Think You Can Dance when it comes to how to put on a results show. Sure, we still had to sit through the Pussycat Dolls, but there was more dancing tonight than on six Dancing with the Stars results shows combined. It was jam packed!

Oh yeah -- there was a really weird group number by Wade Robson that had Nigel tied up in a rope. Disturbing. And yet -- less disturbing than most American Idol results shows. Go figure.

As for the results themselves (Will/Jessica, Jamie/Rayven, Kourtni/Matt in the Bottom 3), America got it mostly right -- in fact, trade Will and Jessica for Marquis and Susie, and it was pretty much spot-on. How Marquis and Susie managed to escape having to dance for their lives is beyond me, but there time will come. Oh yes it will.

The solos were, for the most part, uninspiring, with the exception of Kourtni and Will, who both conveyed much more emotion than they had during last night's performances. They both showed extraordinary technique, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them both sail into the Top 10.

Jamie, Rayven, Jessica and Matt, however, were totally unexceptional -- as Nigel indicated, Matt was clearly the better technician, and Jamie had much more personality. Although I think the judges ultimately made the right choice in keeping Matt, Jamie was pretty much the only male ballroom dancer, which means it's going to get pretty interesting when the quick step and paso doble roll around.

While I don't know the difference between "pointe" and "demipointe," apparently Rayven's use of the latter was cause for dismissal. Jessica is thanking her lucky stars Rayven didn't get up on her tippy-toes because her solo was flat out awful. I'm not sure what they saw in Jessica's tango performance last night, but I have a feeling the sheen isn't going to stay on for much longer with this one.

All in all, an hour well spent. Can't wait 'til next week!

EXCLUSIVE! Video of Cheyenne Jackson and Kerry Butler Performing from Xanadu on "Live with Regis and Kelly"

This is my first foray into making a video -- if it's a success there may be more in the future.

Here's Cheyenne Jackson (he's the one in the short shorts) and Kerry Butler performing from the Tony nominated musical Xanadu this morning on Live with Regis and Kelly).

Enjoy!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

SYTYCD Top 20 Elimination Prediction: Susie and Marquis in the Danger Zone

Read: Ranking the SYTYCD Top 20 -- Chelsea and Thayne On Top

Watch Videos of SYTYCD's Top 20

POLL: Who Was Your Favorite Couple? Who's Going Home?

Predicting who will be going home on So You Think You Can Dance requires a multi-tiered thought process. First you've got to guess which three couples will have received the least amount of votes for America. Then you have to imagine how the dancers from those three couples will fare individually. Finally, you've got to put yourself into the minds of Nigel, Mary (eek!) and Dan Karaty to figure out who's gonna get the boot.

Yeah, not so simple.

But here goes...

Bottom 3 Couples

Raven and Jamie
Performing first did them absolutely no favors, especially considering their performance wasn't even that strong. A shoo-in for the Bottom 3.

Susie and Marquis
The waltz is a killer first dance, and unfortunately these two didn't kill it. Also a shoo-in.

William and Jessica
Courtney/Gev and Kourtni/Matt probably performed worse, but this boring Tango from two contestants who have not received much screen time may prove to be deadly.

Eliminated Boy: Marquis
Since William is Debbie Allen's protege, I'm guessing he's going to have a pretty solid solo up his sleeve, so he should live to see another week. Jamie's performance was weaker than Marquis' last night, but he's more likely to come out with a spirited swing-dancin' solo, so I'm thinking Marquis, one of many contemporary dancers in the competition, will be the first to go.

Eliminated Girl: Susie
If it does, in fact, come down to Susie, Raven or Jessica, any of the three could go home and I wouldn't be surprised. Susie, however, is the least substantial of the dancers to me -- I find her fake and annoying to watch. Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but I'm guessing the judges will agree.

So there it is -- I think Susie and Marquis will be the first two dancers eliminated this season.

Agree? Disagree? Take the poll!

POLL: Who Was Your Favorite Couple? Who's Going Home?

Read: Ranking the SYTYCD Top 20 -- Chelsea and Thayne On Top

Watch Videos of SYTYCD's Top 20

So You Think You Can Dance: Ranking the Top 20

POLL: Who was your favorite couple? Who's going home?

Top 20 Individual Rankings

Top 20 Videos

Considering how eagerly anticipated tonight's Top 20 So You Think You Can Dance was, I'd say it wasn't a bad show.

It also, unfortunately, wasn't a great show.

Don't get me wrong -- there was no clunker in the bunch. Almost all of the dancers appear to be very versatile, and none looked totally out of their element (a la last year's Cedric).

However, none of them were instant stand-outs. There was no Nick Lazarrini or Travis Wall or Benji Shwimmer in the house. True, Chelsie, Chelsea, Jason, Joshua, Kherington, Thayne and Twitch were all great, but none of them screamed "next winner of So You Think You Can Dance."

Not to be too much of a Debbie Downer, but I also really wasn't into a lot of the choreography. Mia Michaels can do no wrong for me, but what was that Mandy Moore concoction? Disappointing, considering I was really looking forward to seeing what Kourtni had to offer. And Raven and Jamie's hip-hop routine? Blah central. Unfortunately for them I wasn't able to tell if they were any good or not, and going first in the show will do them no favors tomorrow night. Also in the blah central zone are Susie and Marquis.

Getting back to the positive, I loved Chelsea and Thayne's cha cha (that girl is smokin!), Joshua and Katee's hip-hop (this guy's really got the goods), Kherington and Twitch's Broadway (she lit up that stage), Comfort and Chris' jive (this girl has personality in bucket-loads, though I'm not totally sold on him), and Chelsie and Mark's contemporary (though I wish she wasn't wearing that fluff ball of a dress). I was disappointed in William and Jessica (I thought training with Debbie Allen meant he'd be a bit more interesting to watch) and Gev and Courtney (I love the personality of these two -- too bad their spark didn't carry over to the dance floor).

Having said all that, here's how I'd rank the couples...check back tomorrow morning for my thoughts on who will end up going home.

1. Chelsea and Thayne
2. Joshua and Katee
3. Chelsie and Mark
4. Kherington and Twitch
5. Comfort and Chris
6. William and Jessica
7. Courtney and Gev
8. Kourtni and Mark
9. Raven and Jamie
10. Susie and Marquis

Top 20 Individual Rankings

Top 20 Videos

Agree? Disagree?

POLL: Who was your favorite couple? Who's going home?

So You Think You Can Dance Top 20 Videos

Here are some videos of my favorite performances from last night's Top 20 episode of So You Think You Can Dance:

Chelsea Hightower and Mark

Katee and Joshua

Kherington and Twitch

Chelse and Thayne

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Phew, It's Not Lisa! Stephanie Takes Home the Prize on Top Chef

This is what was going through my mind during the last 5 minutes of the Top Chef finale:

"Please don't let it be Lisa. Oh my god, is it going to be Lisa? Please don't let it be Lisa."

Can you tell I'm not scary-face's biggest fan?

Stephanie, on the other hand, I love. In fact, when it was announced that she was the winner of this season, my significant other and I literally high fived.

We were psyched.

Yes, the humble culinary genius became the first female winner of the show, and I couldn't be happier. I thought (along with everyone else) that it would come down to Stephanie and Richard, but who could have forseen Lisa's strong final performance? Or Richard's judge's table meltdown?

So another season of Top Chef comes to an end -- certainly not the best of the series so far, but a satisfying end leaves, appropriately, a good taste in my mouth.

Theater Review: So You Think You Can Dance's Neil Haskell in Altar Boyz

Theater and reality TV is sometimes a delicious mix (Fantasia in The Color Purple, MTV's current Legally Blonde: The Search For Elle Woods) and other times a total disaster (Grease: You're the One That I Want). So I went into last night's performance of the long-running Off-Broadway hit Altar Boyz, now starring So You Think You Can Dance finalist Neil Haskell, both excited and with a healthy bit of skepticism.

Well, I'll be...it was great!

I had seen the show several years ago when it first opened, then starring Friday Night Lights' Scott Porter, Legally Blonde: The Musical's Andy Karl, and the comic genius Tyler Maynard (now starring in Broadway's The Little Mermaid), and I'm happy to report that it was just as funny last night as it was back then. Much of that credit must go to Ryan Ratliff, who had me (and my friends) in stitches as Mark, the obviously gay member of the group in love with his fellow Altar Boy Matthew. With his physical and vocal tics and spot-on timing, he slayed me over and over and over again.

But what about Neil?

Clearly his dancing was fabulous -- he was effortlessly sexy in the group numbers, and totally shone in his solo moments. His singing, which I had been most concerned about, was actually better than expected -- not quite up to the level of his fellow castmembers, but certainly not an embarrassment. And though he was probably miscast as the tough, thuggish Luke, he acted the part with aplomb, landing lots of laughs with his deadpan delivery.

But let's be honest -- aside from his dancing, Neil's greatest strength is his smile. Oh -- that smile! Those dimples! He is truly one fine specimen of a man. And don't even get me started on that body...

I'm just saying. (Click here for some lovely [and revealing] photos of Neil)

Yep, I'd chalk this one up to another hit for the theater/reality TV connection. Between the laughs, the dancing, and the eye candy, Neil and the rest of the Boyz definitely merit a trip to New World Stages.

To purchase tickets to Altar Boyz, visit http://www.telecharge.com/.

So You Think You Can Dance Top 20: Individual Rankings

1. Chelsea
2. Joshua
3. Kherington
4. Chelsie
5. Twitch
6. Comfort
7. Thayne
8. Katee
9. Chris
10. Mark
11. William
12. Courtney
13. Kourtni
14. Matt
15. Gev
16. Jessica
17. Marquis
18. Raven
19. Jamie
20. Susie

POLL: Who Will Be The First Eliminated SYTYCD Contestants? Which Couple Was Your Favorite?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Jennifer Hudson's Debut CD Will Be Released September 30, Featuring Songs By Ne-Yo, Timbaland, Robin Thicke

Well it's about damn time!

According to the Chicago Sun Times, Oscar winner and former American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson will release her debut CD on September 30. Holla!

The singing actress, currently onscreen in the Sex and the City movie, has released the song "Spotlight" as the lead-off single. The track, written by Ne-Yo, is now available for download on itunes. It is currently #51 on the R&B chart.

Listen to "Spotlight" here

The self-titled album will also feature tracks by Timbaland, Robin Thicke, the Underdogs, Diane Warren, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Jack Splash, R Kelly and Akon.

In addition to the album, Hudson will also be featured in the upcoming movies Secret Lives of Bees and Winged Creatures.

SYTYCD's Allison (Season 2) Had a Baby!

Well color me shocked -- So You Think You Can Dance Season 2 finalist Allison had a baby!

Don't believe me? Check out the picture below.

Who knew??

Video: David Cook Singing the National Anthem at the NBA Finals

Like former American Idol winners Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks before him, David Cook sang the national anthem at the NBA Finals game last night -- and sounded great!

The guy's gotta be exhausted -- he's been performing non-stop since he won the show, and the American Idol tour is just gearing up, but he still managed to give the Anthem his patented rocker spin.

Watch the video below and enjoy!

SPOILER! Brothers and Sisters Plot For First Five Episodes of Next Season

Thanks to the writer's strike, spoilers for next season's shows are starting to infiltrate the web. Case in point -- Brothers and Sisters!

The show's outstanding last two episodes are still firmly present in my memory (Kevin's proposal to Scotty -- amazing!!), but it's time now to turn to next season's plot points.

STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

(Spoilers courtesy of televisionista.com)

Season Premiere
"Glass House"
Kevin meets with the man from his flashback in an attempt to uncover the mystery of Ryan, the illegitimate Walker sibling. Meanwhile, Tommy makes an executive decision that angers Kevin.

Episode 2
"Book Burning"
Nora argues with Kevin over Ryan; Rebecca becomes a millionaire; Kitty and Robert begin adoption process and Holly tries to track someone from Rebecca's past down.

Episode 3
"Tug of War"
Uncle Saul resigns from Ojai which is now essentially run by Tommy and Holly; Tommy is shocked to learn Sarah is also leaving the family business; Rebecca is concerned about Justin's sobriety and Kevin may have to keep his marriage to Scotty a secret.

Episode 4
"Everything Must Go"
Nora organizes a garage sale trying to get rid of '30 years of living' and come up with start-up money for her charity foundation; Julia confronts Sarah and defends her husband Tommy; and Kevin is stunned by Robert's offer to become his Communications Director.

Episode 5
"You Get What You Need"
Kevin is devastated when the board of his law firm rejects the proposal to make him a partner - will he accept Robert's offer? Scotty's parents come for a visit; Sarah goes on a job hunt and Justin and Rebecca become intimate.

Thoughts?

SPOILER: So You Think You Can Dance's Couples and Dance Styles

SPOILER!!!

As always, take internet spoilers with a grain of salt -- they've definitely been proven wrong in the past.

Having said that, here are the rumored pairings for the Top 20 So You Think You Can Dance contestants, along with the style of dance they will be performing this evening.

Rayven Armijo & Jamie Bayard: Hip Hop
Susie Garcia & Marquis Cunningham: Waltz
Kourtni Lind & Matt Dorame: Jazz
Chelsea Traille & Thayne Jasperson: Cha Cha
Chelsie Hightower & Mark Kanemura: Contemporary
Kherington Payne & Twitch: Broadway
Comfort Fedoke & Chris Jarosz: Jive
Katee Shean & Joshua Allen: Hip Hop
Jessica King & William Wingfield: Tango
Courtney Galiano & Gev Manoukian: Disco

Spoilers courtesy of DanceOutlook.com

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

So You Think You Can Dance Top 20 -- Bring. It. On.

Finally!

After weeks of horribly bad auditions, we've finally arrived at the live performance phase of So You Think You Can Dance, and I couldn't be happier. Remember the Top 20 week last year? Kameron and Lacey's contemporary dance to Mia Michaels' choreography? Ooh, I got goosebumps just thinking about it!

(Click here to view a video of that sensational performance).

(And click here to view my list of the Top 12 SYTYCD performances of all time.)

Excited as I am for tomorrow night's show, I do have a confession -- no one has blown me away so far. Sure, there's some talented folks, but I'd be hard pressed to name one or two folks that I think will really knock it out of the park week-after-week. The reason for this, I'd argue, is that the producers have spent so much time giving backstory and showing us contestants who did not end up making the Top 20 cut that they've robbed us the chance to get to know the real contenders. I mean, the two dancers I felt most strongly about (Kelly Baker, the daughter of Bonnie Story, and Gene Kelly-esque Evan) are already gone!

Instead of lamenting that fact further, however, I'm going to choose to be positive, and look forward to being surprised by the level of talent this year's show has in store for us. I feel like I'm coming in with a clean slate -- and I'm ready to be impressed!

How about you -- are you excited about tomorrow's show? Do you have a favorite picked out already? Lemme know!

Broadway Video: South Pacific on The View

Here's a video of Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot performing "Some Enchanted Evening" from Lincoln Center Theater's production of South Pacific on yesterday's The View.

Could they be more gorgeous??

Click here for a video of Kelli and the girls singing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man" on Letterman.

Click here for Tony Award predictions in the musical categories

Photo: Taylor Hicks in Grease

I wasn't sure anything was going to be scarier than those first shots of Clay Aiken in Spamalot, but lo and behold, I was wrong.

Here is a photo of American Idol winner Taylor Hicks in the Broadway revival of Grease.

Wowza.

Thoughts?

Monday, June 09, 2008

Twelve Best So You Think You Can Dance Performances of All Time (With Video!)

As we gear up for this year's Top 20, here's my list of the 12 best So You Think You Can Dance performances of all time. Click on any dance to watch the video and see my thoughts on why it made the cut.

And click here to read So You Think You Can Dance Top 20: Bring. It. On.

Viva la dance!

See all of today's Idol Thoughts Headlines

Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL

American Idol Best-Of Lists

News, Recaps, Rankings and Commentary

News on Former Contestants

IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Video: South Pacific Performs "I'm Gonna Wash That Man" on David Letterman

Here's a video of Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara and the company of South Pacific performing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man" on David Letterman.

Here's hoping the Lincoln Center Theater production takes home the Best Musical Revival Tony Award next Sunday!

Click here for my Tony Award Predictions in the musical categories

Sex and the City Movie Has Made More Than $5 Million For the Last Three Weekdays

I saw the Sex and the City movie -- liked it, didn't love it. But I'm hard to please -- I've seen every episode of the series multiple times, and went in with impossibly high hopes. I will say, however, that Kristin Davis blew me away. Best Supporting Actress anyone?

Audiences, however, continue to eat the film up! According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, the film has earned more than $5 million every day this week. Yep -- more than $5 million a day on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday! That brings the film's total domestic gross to more than $73 million, and it's only been open for one week.

You go girls!

Is It Just Me, Or Was That Travis Wall Drag Show on So You Think You Can Dance a Liittle Weird?

Um, is it just me, or was that Travis Wall drag show on tonight's So You Think You Can Dance really weird?

Click here to view the video

Now, I love Travis. Love, love, love. Like, went to the concert and screamed his name like a 13-year old girl (and let me be clear -- I am not a 13-year old girl). In fact, I was eating lunch last month at Vintage in New York City and was seated about 10 feet away from him, and seriously had to restrain myself from just gawking at him while he ate.

Yeah, I love him.

I don't really know what to say about that performance, however. He was convincing, sure. He was a great dancer, as always. He shaved his legs.

Yeah.

I'm just not sure what the purpose of it was, except to show off Travis' drag skills. Maybe it just wasn't funny enough -- just awkward, because he was so damn good at dancing like a woman. (I found the aerial particularly impressive)

Yeah, I don't know what to say about it. Anyone else have a thought? Please share in the comments below.

Video: Travis Wall's Drag Show to "It's Raining Men" on So You Think You Can Dance

Enjoy!

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

SYTYCD Top 18 -- Individual Rankings

Who's your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time? Play SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME!

1. Courtney
2. Kherington
3. Gev
4. Joshua
5. Twitch
6. Mark
7. Chelsie
8. Will
9. Katee
10. Chelsea
11. Comfort
12. Thayne
13. Kourtni
14. Matt
15. Chris
16. Jessica
17. Marquis
18. Susie

Who's your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time? Play SYTYCD MADNESS: THE GAME!

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Holy Gene Kelly! Video of Evan Kasprzak's Initial So You Think You Can Dance Audition

He didn't make it to the live performance round, but Gene Kelly-esque Evan Kasprzak still seems to have quite a following.

Here's a video of his initial audition:

SYTYCD Top 14: Individual Rankings

Here's how I'd rank the So You Think You Can Dance Top 14, indiviudally:

1. Kherington
2. Will
3. Twitch
4. Katee
5. Joshua
6. Chelsie
7. Mark
8. Courtney
9. Comfort
10. Jessica
11. Matt
12. Gev
13. Thayne
14. Kourtni

Who's your favorite SYTYCD dancer of all time? Vote in Round 1 of SYTYCD Madness NOW!

Monday, June 02, 2008

Listen to Jessica Simpson's Country Song Before You Judge

I know, I know -- when I first heard that Jessica Simpson was recording a country album, I almost threw up in my mouth too. But then I listened to "Come On Over," her new single, and...

I really liked it!!

She sounds great, without all the crazy riffs she's best known for, and the song was a totally infectious, flirty country tune.

Kudos Simpson.

Click here to listen to the song, and let me know what you think.