DWTS Results -- The Real Life Couple goes back to Real Life

Ty is safe another week!

Oh, wait, this is supposed to be about the couple who left the show this week. Chuck and Julianne have danced their last (liiiiive) dance.

A few weeks ago, I would have been indifferent to seeing Chuck go. I was tired of watching his threatened masculinity and the constant over-effort to prove that DWTS's first "real life couple" had real chemistry.

But in the last two weeks, Chuck had really begun to win me over. He finally seemed to be relaxing and having fun with the dancing. So it was sad to see him go.

Of course, those wily producers set up the elimination for optimum drama. Melissa's injury meant that she and Tony were judged on their rehearsal video and that left them 5 points below the next lowest couple (Chuck and Julianne) on the leaderboard. Quite a drop from having the top spot last week.

As soon as it was announced that Ty was safe, I was fairly certain that Chuck was going home. But the producers staged it so that the last two couples were Chuck and Julianne and Melissa and Tony. As Len said, based on this week's dance, Chuck should have stayed. But based on seven weeks of performances, Melissa was the better dancer by far.

The elimination brought most of the excitement in this week's result show. The pro dancer competition is down to four, but I'm having trouble seeing how to choose between any of them. They are all wonderful dancers and they are collaborating on their choreography. It's hard to see individual strengths or how they would teach - which is key for DWTS pros.

Two potentials will make it to next week and we will see them dance with former DWTS contestents. That should be a better judge of how they relate to the celebrities, but I'm still not overly excited by the choose your pro contest.

Some of the faux-commercials were entertaining though! People for the Ethical Treatment of Dancers. Cute.

Dancing With the Stars 8 -- Week 8

Six couples are left and tonight brought back the popular team dance portion of the competition. Two teams of three couples compete and each team’s score is added to each individual couple’s total score.

Tonight we have Team Mambo: Melissa and Tony, Shawn and Mark, and Chuck and Julianne.

And Team Tango: Gilles and Cheryl, Lil’ Kim and Derek, and Ty and Chelsie.

Unfortunately, Melissa’s rib injury kept her from competing tonight, though she is expected to be able to return next week if the fans bring her back. In place of their live performance, we were shown Melissa and Tony’s recorded rehearsal from this morning. In the team dance, Melissa was replaced by Lacey, though she and Tony were excluded from the judges scoring for the team. (Melissa and Tony will still share the score for their team.)

With the combined scores from tonight’s team dances and Melissa’s injury, we could be in for an upset on tomorrow’s result show.

* Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
Lindy Hop: 27

Who knew Gilles could pull off comedy? Actually, over the weeks, I’ve begun to suspect he could bring the funny, especially after he walked out in that Victorian bathing suit last week. I wish their jive had taken this wacky approach, but they were limited by the music. As Tom said, Gilles hair gel gets an unofficial 10!

* Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough
Paso Doble: 28

I thought this paso might pull off a perfect score, but not quite. Lil’ Kim is winning me over more each week and this dance was wonderful. She had some great paso arms and really worked that skirt. At first I wasn’t sure that Lil’ Kim’s dress did justice to her hourglass curves, but the cut out back was gorgeous in motion. Derek may have a shot at another mirror ball trophy.

* Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough
Cha Cha Cha: 26

Purple sleeveless pajamas. Chuck is really getting into the power of the silk shirt and matching satin pants! Whatever is going on, Chuck does seem to be having more fun and I like when it feels like he’s enjoying himself instead of trying so hard to impress Julianne and the rest of us.

* Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
Samba: 27

Good dance, not so good samba song. I love the DWTS band, but this felt like it was playing on slow motion. They were dancing in time with the music, but it felt like they weren’t. Almost as if they had to contain their energy to keep from racing ahead of the lagging music.

* Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Jive: 21

This looks like it could have been a great jive, unfortunately Melissa’s injury meant we were stuck watching (and judging) their morning rehearsal footage. I doubt Melissa will go home over this, but you never know how the fan vote turn out. I hope she’s able to continue.

* Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower
Salsa: 24

I love Ty! I know he’s the weakest dancer left, but I’m not ready to see him go yet! He brought so much power to this salsa. (and those arms!) Ty’s shy boyish smile, genuinely nice personality, great sense of humor and actual dancing improvement have led me to have quite a crush on this cowboy. He and Chelsie are adorable together. Two of my favorite moments of the night: Ty explaining Len’s comment to Chelsie (Ewww!) and Ty’s tolerant expression while submitting to a spray tan.

* Team Mambo -- 25

Wow -- I did not see those manly leotards coming. (I guess Chuck really is over his fear of losing his man card!) I admit, that ending had me laughing out loud. Literally. The rest of the dance was good. It was fun to watch, there were no obvious mistakes, but it didn’t really reach out and grab me. Until the end. I may dream about those white leggings and sparkly black leotards. But will I wake up laughing or screaming?

* Team Tango -- 28

Team Tango takes it! They really did attack this tango and the unison at the end was fabulous. My only wish was that the solos had been a tad shorter so we could have seen some more team dancing. I’m not sure that any of the couples stood out over the others. They all kept up the intensity throughout the routine. I loved the dresses and watching Ty and Gilles busily untangling Chelsie and Lil’ Kim during the voting.

Leaderboard:
56 -- Lil’ Kim and Derek (28 + 28)
55 -- Gilles and Cheryl (27 + 28)
52 -- Shawn and Mark (27 + 25)
52 -- Ty and Chelsie (24 + 28)
51 -- Chuck and Julianne (26 + 25)
46 -- Melissa and Tony (21 + 25)

It’s getting to the point where it’s difficult to know who should go home next. Chuck is a better dancer than Ty, but I’ve liked Ty from the beginning (who wouldn’t?) and I’ve only really started enjoying Chuck in the last two weeks.

Melissa’s injury left her so far below the others that she will need the fan votes to bring her back. But if fans throw all their votes to Melissa (or Ty), it could leave one of the top contenders without enough votes to stay in the competition.

It should be an interesting elimination. And isn’t it about time for Dance Center to make an appearance?

Castle: Why You Should be Watching

I know television is subjective. Everyone has their own preferences and not everyone enjoys the same shows. But I can think of at least 6 reasons why you should give Castle a chance.

1. Nathan Fillion -- You might know Nathan from Desperate Housewives, or from Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, or as Captain Malcom Reynolds from Firefly (the best TV show to ever be canceled after only one season). Nathan Fillion is one of the most charismatic actors on TV and Rick Castle, the loveable playboy, is the ideal role for Nathan's gleaming eyes and devilish humor.

2. The Chemistry -- Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) kindle heat with witty byplay reminscent of David and Maddie in the early years of Moonlighting, but theirs isn't the only chemistry among the cast. Castle's daughter and mother (Susan Sullivan) are delightfully charming, even if they are a bit too-cliched-to-be-true (in a comfortable, entertaining way).

3. The Premise -- Castle is not your regular cop show. You may have to suspend belief a little and not worry about those pesky details about police procedures for things like calling for backup or not questioning a suspect after they ask for a lawyer. (I'm not a cop, but they do things on Castle that wouldn't exactly fly on Law & Order!) But, it isn't supposed to be that kind of show. The idea is that Castle, a famous mystery writer, has gotten permission to tag along because he wants to base his next main character on Detective Beckett. He thinks of himself as Beckett's partner, while she tolerates being stuck with him. Of course, his fresh way of looking at a case compliments her style, which makes them an effective team. Pure fantasy, but highly entertaining!

4. The Writing -- Nearly every conversation has witty one-liners, double entendres, and clever little comments that can slip by unnoticed if you're not paying attention. The storylines often revolve around grusome murders, but the show manages to keep its humor (though sometimes dark) throughout.

5. The Unreality -- Real life is gritty and jarring, ugly, awkward, and emotionally wearing. Castle is fantasy with beautiful people who say all the right things, wear flattering clothes, and still manage to seem like real people with depth and complete backstories. Even the murders are over the top, often with strangely arranged corpses or odd twists that keep them from feeling too realistic. The clues are easy to follow, though twisted enough to be interesting. All that leads to a surprisingly lighthearted and entertaining show about grisly homicides.

6. The Free Episodes -- Castle airs on ABC at 10pm on Monday nights, but if that doesn't work and your DVR is full, you can catch the last few episodes at Castle's website. You do have to install a plug-in to use ABC's free episode player, but it's quick and easy. (The episodes are also at Hulu, but they link you back to ABCs player.)

If you haven't watched it yet, tune in tomorrow night, visit Castle's website, or set your DVR. There's a good chance you won't be disappointed.

DWTS Results - LT Can Finally Tee Off

It seems no one is happier to see Lawrence Taylor leave Dancing With the Stars than LT himself. Yes, now LT can get back to the golf course and start working on erasing dance terminology from his memory.

But for the rest of us who happily chasse our way to the TV every Monday and Tuesday night, week seven's result show was stuffed with ballroom goodness.

The show kicked off with an encore of Monday's group dance. All the stars and pros were back in their mod 60s togs (minus Chuck's shaggy blond wig). The dance was as fun the second time around, even with some minor changes, like Shawn's dance turned upside-down.

Next up was Natasha Bedingfield singing 'Soulmate' with Lacey and Dmitry performing a lovely dance that has since been swept from my mind by the following non-Macy's sponsored performance by Burn the Floor. That dance troupe may just be my favorite result show dance yet. Certainly my favorite of Season 8. Great music (History Repeating), gorgeous costumes, and amazing dancing.

And the dancing doesn't stop there. It turns out there will be at least one new pro in Season 9 and he or she will be chosen by America's votes!

Six wanna-be-DWTS-pros took to the floor in three separate dance routines. (Coupled up) Each dance segment introduced the competitors and showed some rehearsal footage before actually getting to the Liiiiiiive performance.

It's a tough call based on one dance and a few minutes of footage, but fans' votes will determine who will go on to the next round in their quest to go from plain old pro to DWTS-pro. See their bios and more info: DWTS pro-dancer competition.

That was about it for our chalk-full-of-dance results show, except for the filler piece with medical correspondents (the stars burn enough calories practicing each week to eat lots of junk food without gaining weight -- shocking!) and, of, course for the actual elimination.

At least it was a feel-good, no-hard-feelings elimination and that's kind of nice for a change.



Given his enormous smile of relief when his name was called under those evil red lights, I doubt LT will be showing up at the club house with sequined and fringed covers on his golf clubs, and he probably pitched his real dance shoes in Jimmy Kimmel's fire.

Dancing With the Stars 8 -- Week 7

The big group dance and costumes designed by the stars?!? It’s almost too much excitement for one DWTS night. Will the stars’ costumes be laughable or lauded? Could the group dance possibly be worse than last year’s hip hop number?

Actually, the costumes didn’t seem all that different than when the pros design them. Except that Edyta was far from naked, and wearing clothes apparently takes some dancing adjustment. However, since DWTS made such a fuss over letting the stars have some design input, tonight’s reviews include my non-fashion-expert thoughts on their costumes. Bonus!

Last season’s hip hop routine set the group dance bar pretty low, but I still breathed a sigh of relief when tonight's dance was over and I had no (additional) reason to be ashamed of my DWTS addiction. The mod 60s style made it easy for them to have fun, but more on that after the individual dances.

Bonus costume-added reviews:

* Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Argentine Tango: 29

Melissa and Tony have made the Argentine tango my new favorite dance. I didn’t see the “tiny blunder” that made Len give them a 9. Sure, he’s the actual ballroom expert, but I thought that dance should have been a perfect 30. The choreography was amazing and I could hardly take my eyes off Melissa’s legs!

Costumes: There was plenty of sparkle under the lights and red is a safe bet for a tango. Though, I wasn’t sure about that boldly trimmed split up Melissa’s backside.

* Lawrence Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska
Waltz: 21

There were some lovely moments, but enough mistakes to show LT’s dancing weaknesses. Some were costume malfunctions -- like the dress getting caught over Edyta’s face -- but most were due to LT’s missteps. I think he’s more than ready to get back to golfing.

Costumes: I either loved or hated that plum and periwinkle color combo. The floaty dress under that coat was pretty, but those criss-crossing fabric bits tangled up Edyta’s arms and my eyes!

* Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough
Rhumba: 26

I wanted to love this rhumba more than I did. Lil’ Kim had sexier hip motion in her rehearsal footage than on the dance floor. The whole routine felt restrained, but it was still lovely to watch. I can see why the judges complained, but then gave them great scores.

Costumes: What is it about the rhumba that leads to sparkly bikinis draped in a loose swath of sheer fabric? The idea of Derek’s pink bow tie was fine, but it was oddly wide and unusual.

* Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough
Samba: 27

This was Chuck and and Julianne’s best dance and the first of their dances that I’ve really enjoyed watching. Maybe his costume designing brought out some of Chuck’s latent creativity. He finally seemed more connected to the dance and less afraid of shaking his hips.

Costumes: Chuck’s pink-red shirt and orange-red pants were clashingly garish and Julianne’s fringe baby-doll covered a sparkly, sequined one-piece. For all his manly protests, Chuck has ballroom flare.

* Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower
Waltz: 24

Ty shines in the ballroom dances. He and Chelsie had lovely lines throughout their waltz. There was nothing theatrical about it. It was just a simple, beautiful dance. I will be so upset if Ty and Chelsie go home before LT and Edyta. (Quick group dance preview: We need to see Ty in more short sleeves. That cowboy is muscled!)

Costumes: Simple, elegant, pleasing to the eye. Outfits you might see at a non-ballroom formal event. They were completely in line with Ty’s down-to-earth charm.

* Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
Cha Cha Cha: 28

It’s the classic DWTS on-the-road fake-out. It’s almost a given that when the rehearsal footage focuses on lack of practice time and shows more training angst than upcoming steps, we’re going to be wowed. Shawn and Mark were great tonight, but the best part was Shawn’s confident performance.

Costumes: I think Mark had a hand in these outfits. Either that or Shawn really knows his taste. The costumes were cute and fit the music well. Plus, Mark looked a touch silly, which he seems to love.

* Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
Viennese Waltz: 27

Any excuse to show Gilles in a bathing suit. (Not that I’m complaining.) I do not like those hand grasping head-roll things. Not when anyone does them. Other than that, it was a gorgeous dance. Their chemistry was good, their extensions were lovely. Not much else to say.

Costumes: These outfits were classically elegant and flawlessly beautiful. I imagine Gilles and his wife make a stunningly stylish couple when they go out in his real non-ballroom life.

* The Group Dance -- 60s Style

I’m so glad they chose mod 60s over hippie 60s. It’s not that I dislike the flower children, I just prefer the mod style. This group dance was fun to watch-- I loved, loved, loved the costumes and the overall style of dance. It was such an improvement over last year’s hip hop mess that it was hard to tell if it was a great dance or just a great relief.

It was also fun to see each couple create their own "signature move". Ty and Chelsie’s was different, and Mark and Shawn’s was pure gymnastics, but it all felt right. I like seeing the couples interact and dance when they know they won’t be scored.

Side note: The group dance gave me a Sweet Charity craving, so I had to go re-watch the Rich Man’s Frug before posting. (And The Rhythm of Life, and Big Spender... Man, I love Fosse!)


Leaderboard:
29 -- Melissa and Tony
28 -- Shawn and Mark
27 -- Gilles and Cheryl
27 -- Chuck and Julianne
26 -- Lil’ Kim and Derek
24 -- Ty and Chelsie
21 -- Lawrence and Edyta

It will be interesting to see if tomorrow night’s elimination is based on dancing talent or fan base. And if they have another dance off, will it finally make a difference?

DWTS -- Steve-O Rhumbas Out of the Competition

Waiting for those red lights on elimination night makes me realize who I want to see stick around. I cringed at the idea of Ty and Chelsie leaving, and even though I was pretty sure it wouldn't happen, Tom's ominous tone toward Melissa and Tony had me scared for a split second.

I didn't worry so much at the idea of LT and Edyta going home, despite his improved performance last night, and I was surprisingly unmoved at the idea of Chuck and Julianne taking their last bow. I've loved Julianne in the past, but this season is making me think that having a real life couple on the show is not such a great idea.

Ultimately, it was Steve-O and Lacey sharing a last dance and I was a little sad to see them go. I thought Steve-O might last another week, but I'm glad Ty and Chelsie are still around.

The rest of the result show featured a department store sponsored cabaret starring Carmen Electra, performances by Rascal Flatts, and Tony tossing Julianne around like a fluttery rag doll. (All right, many of those lifts were lovely, but I got a little bored with the liftapalooza and would have liked a little more dance in that dance.)

To start though, I was happy when some of the cast from Broadway's West Side Story Revival performed America. I saw the West Side Story Revival when it opened at National Theatre and loved it. Though I think America should have been at least half in Spanish like so many other sections and songs from the revival.

One of tonight's filler segments featured an odd interview with a body language expert. Really. That was probably one of those seemed-like-a-good-idea things that just didn't quite pan out.

The other filler news was that next week the stars, instead of the pros, will design each couple's outfits. Hmmm. That should be... interesting.

So, Steve-O won't be in the group dance. But if you happened to watch him on Jimmy Kimmel, you got to see the way he had wanted to end the dance with the infamous mic-pack injury. Here's a hint, it involved a kick and Steve dropping his pants to prove he wasn't wearing a cup.

Don't worry, I'm sure it will be on YouTube.

Dancing With the Stars 8 -- Week 6

A bit of an upset tonight, with Gilles and Cheryl slipping all the way down to third place. Still, the same four strong couples are shifting around in the top spots.

Tonight’s jive and rhumba dances are an interesting mix of fun and romance. At least, that’s the theory.

I thought it was kind of a weak night overall. There were a few standout performances, but the rest were just all right.

I’m ready to narrow down the contestants a bit more and get on to the two dances a night per couple phase.

My take on tonight's dances:

* Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower
Jive: 18

I’m not a country fan, but these outfits coupled with the line dancing worked really well. Except for the fact that there was a bit too much line dancing and not enough jive, especially in the beginning. Ty’s timing was off and his technique wasn’t so great, but he’s still so sweet to watch. I know I should judge on dancing, but I just like Ty and Chelsie.

* Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
Rhumba: 26

An “age appropriate” rhumba. (Think the producers have warned Mark about Shawn being under age?) I actually thought this was the sexiest rhumba of the night. Their sustained gazes, the intense expressions with the small, secret smiles teasing through, and those sensual holds -- what prompted Carrie Ann and Bruno to call this innocent?

* Lawrence Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska
Jive: 22

The jive was a great dance for LT and I didn’t see that coming! He had fun with the dance and that makes such a difference! The last few weeks it was obvious that he wasn’t enjoying himself and that just made me want to see him go home. But this was enjoyable. Except for that same sliding through the legs move from last week. That just bugged me.

* Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Rhumba: 27

What an odd song. I know they don’t pick their music, but those lyrics were terribly distracting, even on the second watching. There were a few great moves, but some odd ones too. I liked where Melissa’s slow vertical split ended up, but until Tony stepped in to catch her it looked awkward. Otherwise, this rhumba seemed much more light and innocent than Shawn and Mark’s dance. There was an airy, floaty feel to most of it that I didn’t particularly like.

* Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough
Jive: 28

DWTS would give Lil’ Kim Jailhouse Rock for her jive! It was theatrical. It was over the top. And it was the best dance of the night. I’m not surprised that Len wanted more jive content, but it was so fun to watch, that I just didn’t care about what was missing. Plus, Derek’s jive hair is always fun.

* Steve-O and Lacey Schwimmer
Rhumba: 16

Why is it that the nice/funny/timid guys try to show passion with immobile angry face? Or in Steve-O’s case, immobile angry but struggling to hold back a laugh face? Carrie Ann connected to the emotion of this rhumba, but I didn’t. Steve-O is endearing though and Len’s 4 was harsh. I’d have gone with a 6.

* Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
Jive: 26

For awhile now, I’ve been wondering how Gilles would handle a jive and it was so much better than I expected! The edgy (for ballroom) pleather outfits and bad-boy of jive style was a good call. It did come off a bit hectic, but it was also powerful, which Gilles can pull off, instead of 50s sock hop, which might not have been as sexy on him.

* Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough
Rhumba: 23

What was with that lacy sequined shirt, on Chuck? Actually, with both of their outfits and the red lighting it sort of had a metro-sexual hires a hooker vibe. Or ice-dancer hires a hooker? I guess Bruno and Carrie Ann were happy with the “raunch factor” but I agreed with Len. I like rhumbas that are romantic and sensual, sexy but not sex.


Leaderboard:
28 -- Lil’ Kim and Derek
27 -- Melissa and Tony
26 -- Gilles and Cheryl
26 -- Shawn and Mark
23 -- Chuck and Julianne
22 -- Lawrence and Edyta
18 -- Ty and Chelsie
16 -- Steve-O and Lacey

Tomorrow night we’ll see who goes home and who gets to stick around for next week’s big 60s group dance-- which has to be better than last season’s hip hop number!

Chez Superman?

My youngest son, a.k.a. Pancake, loves to cook and his favorite food is... any guesses?... that's right, pancakes. He would eat them for breakfast lunch and dinner if we let him.

We joke that when he goes off to college, he'll be the hit of his dorm, serving up pancakes in his room at all hours. That's right, we won't get called for any trouble with his grades or fraternity pranks, it will be about the illegal hotplate and his late night pancake dealing.

Pancake and I, at his request, have started making the family a pancake breakfast on Sunday mornings. We make both chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes (from scratch), plus turkey sausage patties, and fruit on the side.

The great thing about cooking with Pancake -- besides the chance to teach him how to cook, clean up, etc. -- is the conversations we have while flipping pancakes side by side. (We each man a skillet for efficient pancake production.)

Yesterday, he had an interesting observation: Superman would be an excellent cook. He could use his x-ray vision to see if the food was cooked through. In fact, he could use his heat vision to cook the food faster than an oven. (If Superman has heat vision?)

Just think about it... Superman could fly around the world to bring in the freshest produce. He could use his speed to cook and plate the meals faster than a kitchen full of Gordon Ramseys, and his super strength would let him carry massive trays of plates around the dining room.

Plus, it's Superman. Who wouldn't want to stop in for a meal made by Superman? Although... super powers don't necessarily equal super culinary skills.... Still, I'd wager that a restaurant run by Superman would be better than one run by Popeye. Imagine nothing on the menu but canned spinach and hamburgers that you could only pay for on Tuesdays. It would go under in a week!

(P.S. That's a picture of Pancake from many years ago. I bet he'll love that I posted it here!)

My New Blog

This blog, with my random rambles and rants, is not going anywhere, but I have created a new blog as well. Perhaps I don't think I'm busy enough or maybe I subconsciously long to be a plate-spinner in a traveling carnival and instead satisfy the urge with multiple hobbies and projects.

Actually, I've started my new blog because it is a subject that is important to me and seems to be underrepresented in our society. The subject, and title, of my new blog is Moral Secularism.

Secularism refers to the idea that government and society should be based on a structure free of religion. Secularism does not necessarily argue against religion, only against religion in government and public society (such as public schools).

In general, secularists believe in the separation of church and state and in keeping religion out of public schools-- particularly in keeping faith (e.g. Creationism, Intelligent Design) separate from science (e.g. Evolution, Astronomy, Paleontology, Geology, etc.).

Moral secularism becomes a subject when some religions preach that it is not possible for a secularist to also be moral or ethical. They teach that morality comes from God and therefore, those who do not believe cannot be moral. It also is behind the common myth that atheists must be sinful, immoral people. In reality, crimes are committed by both religious and non-religious people, just as churchgoers and atheists alike can be ethical, caring citizens.

If you'd like to learn more, visit my new blog: Moral Secularism.

Classic TV Intros

You have to love YouTube. Okay, you don't have to love the 10 zillion fan video montages, bad lip-syncers, teenagers doing stupid things, or silly pet tricks, but you have to admit there's something incredibly cool about having a video trove of random sharing.

At YouTube, it's possible to stumble onto video clips that you never expected to see again, like classic TV show intros. These are just a few of the shows that I loved to watch when I was little. Take a look and you can probably see the Nick-at-Nite influence.

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

Dobie Gillis was a particular fave and I haven't met a person yet (other than my dad) who even remembers the show. The show followed Dobie and friends through high school, into the Army, and on through college. I adored Dobie's beatnik friend, Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver before he was Gilligan) and always thought Dobie went for the wrong girls. He was rather stupid for not falling for Zelda.


The Patty Duke Show

A show about identical cousins! Yes, identical cousins! Exactly alike, except for the accent and entire basic personality. What a wacky, fun idea. At least I thought so when I was a kid. Maybe it's because I knew I didn't have a twin sister, but the idea of an identical cousin magically appearing from some distant relatives in another country seemed like something that could actually happen someday, and then, oh, what wacky hijinx would ensue! (kids are kind of dumb) ;-)


The Addams Family

Morticia Addams. For awhile there, I wanted to grow up to be just like her. (See, kids are kind of dumb.) She was just so much cooler than the other TV moms. Okay, yes, a bit demented and negligent (she let her kids play with explosives and what not), but I loved her unflappable cool in the midst of Gomez and the rest. Plus, she could fence and snipped the blossoms off her roses to better admire the thorny stems. That was so cool.

Mr. Ed

The cheesiest show ever. Well, wait, maybe not. There were a lot of cheesy shows during that era. I did love Mr. Ed. He was the smartest horse I ever saw, much smarter than poor Wilbur who could never get Mr. Ed to talk in front of anyone else. And certainly much smarter than all the other people on the show who thought Wilbur said the things they heard Mr. Ed say when their voices were nothing alike.

Bewitched

I'm probably not the only little girl who grew up trying to wiggle her nose like Samantha. But if I did get it down and tap into my hidden witchiness, would I try to be "normal" like Samantha? Pfffhhh -- who wants to be normal!?! Besides Darren(s), of course. I could understand his wanting to earn promotions and the like on his own, but, Dude, your wife's a witch! Teleport to Paris, freeze time so you can sleep in, or at least stop doing the dishes by hand!

I Dream of Jeannie

The Bewitched/I Dream of Jeannie hour - the best magical hour on TV. Except that one was enslaved to a man and the other wore a skimpy genie costume and lived to serve her master. Hmmm, looking back it wasn't the most feminist of magical TV time. It may have been more of a 'hide your talents to seem inferior or you will lose the man you love' hour. Fortunately, I only remember seeing it as a 'wow, women are cool and have magical powers' hour.

The downside to YouTube is that you have a video trove at your fingertips. It leads to late nights surfing through old TV show intros and blogging when you should be sleeping. After all, being excited about shows that originally aired 40-some years ago is a clear sign of not being as young as you used to be.

DWTS Results -- DAG Improves, But Still Goes Home

We're back to one elimination which means the dance off has returned. The last one had two of the ladies facing off and tonight it ended up being a contest between two of the gents, David and Lawrence. But even after a much improved performance, it was David and Kym who ended up saying goodbye.

Lil' Kim and Derek kicked off the night with an encore of their Viennese waltz -- which made it no surprise when they were one of the first couples to be announced safe. But still, I was glad to have a return of the encore dance.

Tonight's special performances included Etta James singing At Last with Maks and Karina taking to the dance floor, an exhilarating acrobatic dance routine by Las Vegas' Le Reve, and a performance by Disney's Demi Lovato. And then it was time for the dance off.

David and Kym were first up and David's Viennese waltz was greatly improved. He cut out the little leg kicks and, more importantly, showed a commanding presence. -- Maybe he read my blog last night. -- The judges gave him a 24 tonight, two points higher than last night.

Lawrence and Edyta did not do as well in their Paso. It wasn't bad, but it hadn't improved and the judges reflected that by giving them a 20, the same score as last night. Yet the judges score is only half the equation and LT's fans saved him another week.

This is where the dance off idea breaks down. The judges have a chance to change their scores based on the new performance, but the audience does not. I don't think the audience vote should be completely ignored, but maybe the judges' scores should count for more than half of the dance off scores.

Next week, we move on to the jive and rhumba!

Dancing With the Stars 8 -- Week 5

Tonight was the Viennese waltz and the paso doble, two dances that couldn’t be more different. The Viennese waltz is light, airy, and romantic. The paso doble is passionate and powerful, the dance of bullfighters. (I think I channeled Len for that description.)

The different dances made for an interesting night, but I was left with one thought... Why can’t laryngitis last more than a week?

Samantha Harris has her voice back. I try not to join in the Samantha bashing, but tonight she had some really uncomfortable ad libs that had me missing her feeble croaking of last week. I wonder which the couples dread more, waiting for their scores or having to endure Samantha’s questions before getting them.

How did they do this week?

* Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough
Viennese Waltz: 23

The night was off to a sweet start with this pretty in pink waltz. A little too sweet for my taste. Like a Disney Princess dancing with the butler. I didn’t like those sweeping arms when they were out of hold. Chuck did an admirable job of pretending to be comfortable with those big fluid motions, but they felt too theatrical to me. I did like his firm but simple “no” when Samantha asked her tacky question about whether there was more to his ending the dance on bended knee.

* Lawrence Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska
Paso Doble: 20

This was a difficult song, but the beginning was painful to watch. Not having a steady beat left LT so out of sync that I didn’t think he’d ever get back in time. Once the music kicked in, he found the beat they had some impressive moments. Edyta should spend some time counting out the rhythms of the songs with him before teaching the dance.

* Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
Viennese Waltz: 26

Lightness and grace. This felt like a Viennese waltz. Shawn’s arms were lovely, well controlled but still showing a natural fluidity. She and Mark moved together beautifully. I wonder sometimes if their height difference makes it more difficult to dance in hold, but it doesn’t seem to bother them. I think Shawn and Lil’ Kim will be jockeying for a shot at the finals over the next few weeks.

* Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Paso Doble: 25

Tony may have pushed Melissa just a bit beyond her ability with this Paso, but it was still wildly entertaining. This wasn’t a song I’d have pegged for a Paso, but it worked. I would love to see this dance again when it wasn’t being judged because I think Melissa was nervous and it threw her concentration. But not in a dance off! I’ll take it as the encore dance, please.

* David Allan Greer and Kym Johnson
Viennese Waltz: 22

Poor David. His frustration at being in the middle of the pack is building and I can’t figure out what is holding him back either. He clearly has rhythm and agility. I think it’s a matter of presence and a disconnect from the character of his dance. This was a sexy song that needed a strong male figure. All those leg extensions just didn’t feel manly. Kym had a lot of power in this dance and DAG wasn’t able to match it.

* Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
Paso Doble: 29

Another perfect performance -- or just about. You practically need to light up a cigarette when this man takes the floor! Gilles is passionate about each dance he performs. (I’m a bit passionate about liking him in those bullfighting pants) Cheryl’s choreography cuts to the emotion at the heart of each dance style and the two of them together are breathtaking.

* Steve-O and Lacey Schwimmer
Viennese Waltz: 18

There was something delightfully demented about this Viennese waltz. I loved the music, the purple, and the Marcel Marceau nod. The whole routine could have been pulled from a silent movie. In fact, I would love to see a clip of this with a scratchy black and white treatment (though it would lose the purple). Steve-O’s expression throughout the judges’ comments was worth watching twice.

* Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower
Paso Doble: 21

Beneath that shy smile I’m sure Ty is all sinew and strength, but his dancing-timidity kept him from having a powerful Paso. The judges said he was stiff, but I think that was his attempt at getting into the Paso character. It’s hard for someone so naturally sweet. Then, Samantha’s stupidity struck again. At least Ty had a great comeback when she asked him if his bull riding helped him in a dance inspired by bull fighting. Oh, Samantha.

* Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough
Viennese Waltz: 26

Like Shawn and Mark’s earlier performance, this felt like a true Viennese waltz. This dance, with its simple beauty, had me smiling throughout. Lil’ Kim and Derek move together so effortlessly that they are a joy to watch. And if you’re still confused about her comment to Carrie Ann, Lil’ Kim said she’d been drawing on her Buddha board -- it’s a Zen thing, a small board that you draw on with water then let the design fade and draw again.

Leaderboard:
29 -- Gilles and Cheryl
26 -- Shawn and Mark
26 -- Lil’ Kim and Derek
25 -- Melissa and Tony
23 -- Chuck and Julianne
22 -- David and Kym
21 -- Ty and Chelsie
20 -- Lawrence and Edyta
18 -- Steve-O and Lacey

Depending on how the fan votes factor in, the next two eliminations may not be too surprising. Although you never can tell. Tomorrow night we’ll see if the dance off returns and whose dancing shows will be burned by Jimmy Kimmel.

DWTS Results -- Double Elimination

Tonight's double elimination meant no dance off, but it was also the return of the Judges' encore dance! Which, of course, meant seeing Gilles and Cheryl steam up the floor with their Argentine tango again!

The music guests this week were Kevin Rudolf and Boys II Men. If the name Kevin Rudolf doesn't ring any bells, he's the artist behind Let It Rock, you know, "when I arrive, I, I bring the fire, make you come alive, I can take you higher.... let it rock, let it rock, let it rock..."

Great, now that will be stuck in my head the rest of the night! That and the image of Julianne, Lacey, and Chelsie whipping their hair and dancing in all their barefoot, pleather-clad glory. It was a tad disappointing that their male counterparts weren't pleathered-up to match.

The rest of the show was filled with Boys II Men, a lovely Viennese waltz, some filler spots -- including a good description of how the judges and viewers votes are totaled -- and the usual stalling under the red lights of doom.

It was all fine and good, but I was more intrigued by what the judges might have been doing off camera to prompt Tom to tell them to knock it off. And what did make Gilles late to the stage? Ah, the joys of live TV.

In the end it was an expected result: Holly and one of the Steves went home.

I think it was best that Woz left before Steve-O, but after last night's performances, I didn't care all that much which one of them went first. I'm pretty sure the other will follow soon, but I'd love to see Steve-O pull out his pre-injury style before he goes.

Okay, dance fans, stop back next Monday for week 5 -- or during the week for non-dance randomness!