Pop Culture for Moms

SYTYCD- The Finale, Part 2

2009-08-06T20:06:00.003-04:00

This is it! By the end of the night, a new dancer will be crowned "America's Favorite Dancer." And the cool $250,000 won't hurt, either. (I feel bound to point out to the winner that $250,000 isn't what it used to be, especially after half is taken for federal and state taxes! ;>)

We're joined again by Nigel, Mary and Adam Shankman and previous guest judges Lil C, Mia, Tice and Debbie Allen as well as Ms. Cat looking lovely in a draped-style white dress.

They start off with the group number performed to "Brand New Day" from earlier in the season. It was one of my favorites and I was glad to see it again. I also loved catching glimpses of all the eliminated dancers from the season.

Because this is the finale, we're treated to some of our favorite routines of the season. I won't rehash them because I've reviewed them already, but I'll say some were better the second time around and some weren't. But it's always good to see some of our favorites again. I wish the show would put out a DVD of the past five seasons. Nigel, get on that.

An hour into the show, the first of the final four is eliminated: Kayla. I don't think it was a surprise. The judges loved her dancing, but she wasn't always a fan favorite. She will have no problems from this point on.

Fifteen minutes later, we say goodbye to Evan. It looks like the voters listened to what the judges were saying last night.

And finally, we learned who won: Jeanine! Congratulations.

I'd said before that this final four didn't excite me, but if I had to pick a winner, it was Jeanine. I'm glad others agreed with me.

And so ends another season of So You Think You Can Dance. The good news is that we don't have to wait until next summer for new shows. I'll see you here next month.

TNP

SYTYCD- The Finale, Part 1

2009-08-05T20:19:00.004-04:00

Well, it's the finale. It's down to the final four. Blogging this show has been a lot work and I need a break. But I've learned a lot about what to do in the future. Especially when Idol starts.

A moment, for the dearly departed Paula Abdul. Gone from American Idol.

... Okay. Moving on.

Where are they? The place is huge and full of people. Is it the Kodak theatre? Pressure, much?

And so we're introduced to our Top 4: Jeanine, Evan, Kayla & Brandon. And our judges for the finale? Nigel, Mary and Adam Shankman. I like him, so I'm fine with that selection.

We start with a Wade & Amanda Robson group routine. Cute. High school football players and cheerleaders. High energy and perky and totally different from his usual finale numbers.

Evan & Jeanine: A Sonja Tayeh routine. It was okay. But the finale numbers have ROCKED in the past, so this one didn't rise to the level I was expecting.

Brandon's solo: It was all power and strength and I may have enjoyed it more if it wasn't for that godawful music. It made my ears bleed. But there's no doubt he's a powerful dancer.

Kayla & Brandon: Tice for Broadway. There was one moment I liked, when Kayla went into a high kick and Brandon grabbed her and flipped her over. Other than that, it wasn't for me.

Jeanine's solo: Another great solo. There weren't flashy flips, just beautiful control.

Brandon & Evan: LauriAnne Gibson. The routine was awesome, but I had been dreading watching the two guys dance together, because I knew Evan wouldn't stand a chance. And he didn't. Brandon totally controlled that dance. He was hard where Evan was soft. Brandon stomped, Evan toe-shoed.

Kayla & Jeanine: Mia Michaels. It wasn't the best Mama Mia routine, but there were things I really liked about it. I like the shedding of the clothes and I liked the part where they shielded their eyes, showing their focus getting to the finish line. Unlike the B & E routine, I was looking forward to the two ladies dancing. And watching them together, I was finally able to distinguish them. Kayla is perfection technically while Jeanine exudes passion. It was a wonderful routine to watch.

Evan's solo: Charming, as usual. He made me smile. :>

Kayla & Evan: A Jive by Tony & Melanie. It was extremely enjoyable, although Kayla seemed to retract a little vigorously. Also, Evan is smaller than she is and he didn't seem able to handle her full throttle. He did the lifts well, but there were a few times where he appeared to stumble when she twirled around.

Kayla's solo: It was good, but she chose a song from Season 3's finale, the dance with Sabra & Neil. All I could picture was that wonderful Mandy Moore piece. But she is an exquisite dancer and has been all season.

Jeanine & Brandon: Louis Van Amstel. Absolutely ELECTRIC. Now THAT'S what I've been waiting for all night. That was HOT!

What are you thoughts after the first night? Did your favorite perform well? What do you think about the judges' comments? Hit me with your comments. And don't forget to vote!

TNP

SYTYCD- Week 8

2009-07-29T22:13:00.001-04:00

We're down to the Top 6! I don't know about you, but I'm ready to dive in. Let's get to it.

This is an important week, as we'll find out who will make it to the final four and next week's finale. Our guest judge this week was Lil C and I can think of lots of people I'd rather have return as guest judge. He needs to edit his comments; the soliloquies are getting a bit tiresome.

Ms. Cat impressed this week with a violet sheath on Wednesday and an emerald green Oz dress on Thursday. Can't wait to see what she breaks out for the finale next week.

As if learning two dances isn't enough, they also have the group dance. The boys performed a number choreographed by Sonya. She warned them and us that it was frenetic and "Willy Wonk-ish." That may be true, but it was really good! I liked it much better than her routine next week.

Jeanine & Ade: A Louis Van Amstel Samba; I think they looked good together, but the judges gave mixed reviews. It may not have been technically correct, but it was very entertaining. Their second dance was a Nappy Tab Hip Hop; This duo has not lived up to their routines from last season. This was okay, but not my favorite.

Kayla's solo: She's beautiful and the judges love her lines, but after the first couple of weeks, she's left me cold.
Brandon's solo: He came out in the booty shorts. Dude is not afraid to show his body!

Melissa & Evan: Tice & Broadway; it would have been good, but Evan is no where near the caliber of Melissa. Their second dance was a Louis Quick Step. Not the dance to pick this close to the finals. The judges agreed.

Ade's solo: Typical Ade. Hope to see him in the finals.
Jeanine's solo: Good, a little sassy. Some of the moves reminded me of Donielle, from Season 2. And that's a good thing.

Brandon & Kayla: Stacey Tookey Contemporary; Beautifully danced, but I didn't find it passionate. It was very technical. The judges loved it; thought it was intense. Their second dance was a Doriana Sanchez disco routine. She says the routine will be challenging. Aren't they all? Brandon had disco with Janette earlier in the season. Will it live up to that one? No. No sparks.

Melissa's solo: Beautiful and delicate, but the audience seemed to find it boring. Not a good sign.
Evan's solo: The Evan we first met, but I'm really tired of the hands-in-pocket, Charlie Chaplin look. Still, it was charming.

The women's group dance was also choreographed by Sonya. It was about superheroes and it was AWESOME!! Boy, Jeanine has come out of nowhere to become my favorite girl. My eyes were drawn to her during the routine. I hope she makes it to the finale.

On Thursday, things were tense as we realized we'd have the final four by the end of the night. We were treated to live performances of the Emmy-nominated dances from last season. "Bleeding Love" is the prime example of the best of Nappy Tab. "Mercy," another Mia masterpiece.

In the end, we said good-bye to Melissa & Ade. My heart is breaking. They have been my favorite couple of the season and they came so close. I can't believe Evan is still here. I said in my first SYTYCD post that it's not about the best dancer, it's America's favorite dancer. Nigel stressed it last week when Janette was sent home. This is the first season where one of my favorites wasn't in the final four.

Do you guys agree? Did your favorite make it to the final four. Hit me with your comments.
TNP

SYTYCD- Week 7

2009-07-29T20:27:00.007-04:00

This is a special week, as we celebrate 100 shows! Let the Top 8 dance!

Cat looked gorgeous in a Grecian gown on Wednesday and a black and gold tunic on Thursday. As this was a special week, we were treated to a special guest judge in addition to Mia Michaels: Ellen DeGeneres?!?! I like Ellen and I think she's funny. But why is she a guest judge? Sure she busts a move on her show, but does that qualify her? I guess it does. But it's clear from her first critique that she's just going to be comic relief. This week, each couple dances twice, so let's begin.

Evan & Janette: Their first routine was a weird jazz routine by Sonya Tayeh . I usually like her routines but I thought it was boring. The judges gave it positive remarks and Mia said Janette was her favorite this season. Their second routine, the Rumba, was much better, but I credit Janette with that. Evan did his best, but he didn't channel the Latino machismo needed.

Kayla's solo: It was perfectly adequate, but it wouldn't make me vote for her.

Jeanine & Brandon: They performed a waltz that started out a little slow to me, but drew me in by the end. Or maybe it just lulled me into a trance. Either way, Brandon didn't annoy me as he usually does. The judges did not like it. Their second time out they performed a pop-jazz number by LaurieAnn Gibson. Miss Laurie. Love. Her. Fierce. Boom. Kak- Kak. (Inside joke from Making the Band). So glad she's on SYTYCD. I'm excited to see what she will do. Loved the choreography, didn't like how they performed it. There were some synchronization issues. The judges and the audience liked it, but I think they were so disappointed in the other performances that they overpraised this one.

Jason's solo: Boring; I've seen it before. He hasn't impressed me this season.

Melissa & Ade: Reunited and it feels so good!! They drew a Melanie and Tony Cha-Cha. I'm so excited only... what's with this music?!?! I don't like it at all. It's too frenetic for the dance. For the first time M & A can't keep my attention. They pulled mixed reviews from the judges. For their second outing they performed a contemporary by Tice. It was beautiful and what I expect from M & A. The story of a woman struggling with breast cancer mixed with Maxwell's haunting vocals... exceptional.

Janette's solo: She pulled out old school Celine, which I love, but that dance didn't tell me anything about her. She performed a contemporary routine instead of sticking with her strength which is salsa.

Kayla & Jason: Broadway. Tice. Should be great, right? Yawn. Maybe it's just me but the routines so far have been sub-par. The judges loved it, and it was that type of routine that I knew they would love, but it didn't translate to the audience. Their second routine was a Shane Sparks special. It was actually pretty good and they did a good job.

Ade's solo: He's always a joy to watch. Such a mix of power, precision, sensuality and fun.

Melissa's solo: I'm sure everything she did was technically difficult... but I still like her.

Evan's solo: I've seen this schtick for 6 weeks now, and it's getting old.

Jeanine's solo: I love her solos. They are techincal and entertaining. She didn't start out as a favorite, but she's slowly moving up the list.

Brandon's solo: He's done better solos, but it was very athletic.

For the actual 100th show, they pulled out all the stops. It started with a great Chorus Line group number. While still tingly, we were treated to a highlight reel from the past five seasons. There have been so many talented dancers and moments. This show introduced me to new dances and new artists, (Hello, Ne-Yo), and renewed my appreciation for dance. We were also treated to some of our favorite routines from previous seasons. The growth and maturity of the dancers were evident. The dancing was crisper, more textured. Bravo to those dancers who went on from the show and continued doing what they loved.

Katie Holmes tribute to Judy Garland. I thought she looked and sounded great. However, this performance got a lot of buzz and while it was good, I would have paid money to see her doing a Shane Sparks booty-shake routine. I'm just sayin'... that's something that would have killed.

But even though we spent a night celebrating, two dancers had to go home and in the end it was Jason and Janette. The audience was shocked when Janette's name was called and Nigel admitted that America got it wrong. I really thought Janette would make it to the finals, but you guys are never boring. So a big contender was knocked out. What did you guys think? Were you surprised? Hit me with your comments.

TNP

SYTYCD- Week 6

2009-07-24T07:43:00.006-04:00

We're now in the Top 10! From this point on, the judges don't have a say in who stays or who goes home. It's all in the hands of America. Which is a good and bad thing. It's good, because American Idol has proved that audience participation helps invests viewers in your show and that helps with ratings. It's bad because the America that votes on these shows doesn't always do the right thing. That's why the judges do their best to remind people that the eventual winner of the show isn't always the BEST dancer, but America's FAVORITE dancer.

We've also moved on from our couples. That's right, after weeks of investing in a couple, you now vote for individual dancers. Each week dancers will pick new partners from a hat. For those of us who've watched SYTYCD from Season 1, we remember that this is how they used to do it. But in Season 2, they switched to the semi-permanent partners, which I think has helped the dancers because it gives the audience time to get to know them before musical-partnering begins.

On Wednesday, Cat wore a lovely green strapless dress that had this wonderful black piping at the bottom. Brilliant dress. I want one. I think I can wear it to playgroup. :> Thursday, she rocked a short, silver sparkly number. This look wasn't one of my favorites for her, but she still looked better than the average woman.

Our guest judge this week is Debbie Allen. I love when she is on the show because she is such an expert on dance. I love the way she talks about it and she makes sure you know the difficulty and the technique behind the routines. She has such love for dance and that always comes through.

Our top ten dancers are: Janette, Ade, Melissa, Brandon, Jeanine, Kayla, Evan, Jason, Randi & Kupono. Before we learn who will be paired up this week, we are treated to a group Bollywood number featuring all of the women. It was very good. I've enjoyed the new addition of Bollywood dancing to the show. It's exciting to watch.

Now that we're down to the top 10, I will report on each dancer instead of just my favorites.

Kayla & Evan: They performed a Viennese waltz. It was frothy and pretty, but I didn't find it extremely romantic. I still remember Season 2's waltz between Benjy & Donielle. This was better danced, but they didn't have as much chemistry. Kayla looked wonderful, but the judges were mixed in their reviews.

Brandon's solo: Looked like a bunch of turns to me. But I did love hearing "In Your Eyes." Who can hear that song and not picture Jon Cusack holding up his boom box in the rain?

Janette & Ade: They killed a hip-hop routine by Nap & Tab. It was hot and the judges loved it, too. I won't mention the inappropriate Nigel remarks. We've come to expect them but sometimes even I'm shocked by what comes out of his mouth.

Randi's solo: Pretty, but not memorable.

Kupono's solo: Freaky and interesting, like Kupono himself.

Jason & Jeanine: They danced a routine choreographed by Season 2 runner-up Travis Wall. It was wonderful. I love when previous contestants come back and choreograph routines or help out during Vegas week. It's good to see them doing well. The routine was passionate, emotional and technical and just everything you want to see in a SYTYCD routine. The judges agreed and gave the dancers, and Travis, a standing ovation.

Melissa's solo: It was beautiful and technical, but not very sexy. She makes ballet look easy, and it takes exceptional technique to do that, but audiences usually vote for "WOW", and I don't think her solo had enough "WOW" in it.

Evan's solo: Reminds us why we fell in love with him. He was like a broadway Cary Grant: smooth, debonair, and totally engaging. This is a man who should be performing on Broadway after this show.

Kayla's solo: Lots of technique, and she will be remembered, but I didn't go "WOW!"

Randi & Kupono: They picked paso doble. They got the character right, but it wasn't their best work. I liked Randi's wig, though. She looked good as a brunette.

Ade's solo: WOW! That's what I'm talking about. And not just because he was shirtless!

Jeanine's solo: Wonderful. Loved the music and her choreography.

Jason's solo: He definitely worked on his routine, because there was a story to it. But as cute as he is, he just doesn't do it for me. Sorry.

Melissa & Brandon: They performed a hippie, trippy, flower-power routine from Hair. They were so wonderful and took you there. Cue shot of her husband in the audience with a sign. It was a great performance, and my favorite of the night.

Janette's solo: She was a little firecracker dancing to "This is Miami" in her Miami Hurricane colors. And why is Cat a great host? When she comes out she asks Janette, "Where are you from again?" And Janette came back with "New Zealand!" :>

Wednesday show ended with a group african dance with all the guys. It was a pretty good routine and used all of the guys' strength. Loved Evan's comedic flair and what he did with the routine.

On Thursday, the group performed a Japanese-Samurai warrior number choreographed by Wade & Amanda Robeson. Cat came out and announced that SYTYCD had been nominated for four Emmy nominations. The routines nominated were Mia Michaels' Mercy, danced by Twitch & Katie, Tab & Nap's Bleeding Love, danced by Mark & Chelsie, Tyce Diorio's Silence, danced by Will & Jessica and Dmitry Chaplin's A Los Amigos, danced by Joshua & Chelsie. Good job, guys!

After congratulations and speeches we find out that the bottom four dancers are Randi, Melissa, Kupono & Ade. Again, Melissa & Ade in the bottom four! This does not bode well for them and they are my favorites. But before I can be put out of my misery, I am treated to a new misery that is the Black Eyed Peas. Is it me, or are the two new songs from their new album a bit lazy? I loved the last couple of albums, but the songs they have released seem to be full of driving beats and repeated choruses. There used to be stories with words in some of their older stuff.
Go back and listen. It's true.

Whew, we dodged another one. We said goodbye to Randi & Kupono. I will miss Kupono's quirky style and Randi's unitards. Both performed in some of my favorite routines of the season and I hope they go on to do wonderful things.

So, my readers, did you agree with America's decision? What will you miss about Randi & Kupono? Are you nervous for Melissa & Ade? Sound out below.
TNP

SYTYCD- Week 5

2009-07-23T07:51:00.004-04:00

I know I'm way behind in my posts. Life gets in the way sometimes. But I promise I'll make up for it. There will be several new posts over the next few days so watch out for them and prepare to comment. Now, on to the show.

The top 12 dancers performed. By the end of this week, we'll know who will be going on the national tour. (Bear with me, I know this has already happened, but I'll report in real time :>) Cat, as usual, looked lovely on Wednesday in a simple black sheath. On Thursday, she wore a turquoise and gold tunic, that showed miles of leg. She would be so easy to hate, if she wasn't such a wonderful host.

The guest judge this week was Tyce Diorio. I love his choreography, but he can be a bit catty and harsh sometimes. Each couple will dance two routines. Gotta fill up two hours :>

Notable dances:

Melissa & Ade (#1): A broken record, I know, but they are my favorite. They had a disco routine by Doriana Sanchez that was fast and energetic and full of lifts, which were gorgeous. Melissa did an incredible save at the end, where she fell and made a dance move out of it. So cute. As a side note, I wonder if Melissa's husband paid producers to show him every time she's on stage? The camera focuses on him after every routine and any time the judges mention Melissa's body. We get it, she's married to him, not Ade. Her husband gets more screen time than some of the dancers!

Kupono & Kayla (#1): Any time you hear Mia Michaels has choreographed a routine, you know it's going to be good. I had to hold back tears as Kupono explained how this would be a hard routine for him. It's about a person and their addiction and Kupono shared that he almost lost a good friend of his to an addiction. The routine grabs you from the moment the music starts and Kupono stares at us with his black rimmed eyes. He grabs Kayla and with a simple movement, show us the power he (the addiction) has over her. It was chilling. Several times, Kayla tries to get away from him, but he won't let her. The dance is amazing, the story powerful. Masterful Mia Michaels.

Phillip & Jeanine (#1): They had a god-awful Russian folk dance. Everything was bad, from the costumes to the choreography. It was boring and painful to watch. They tried their best, but it was a 2 minute black hole. Even the judges hated it. Nigel said he would never have that type of dance on the show again. I felt sorry for the choreographers. The camera usually pans over to a choreographer after their routine, but not this time. There were no shots of them giving the dancers a thumb-up, no shout-out from the dancers for the wonderful routine. Don't think we'll see them back on the show. This was a bad pick for Phillip. He needed a good routine because the judges have said he needed to show he could dance in other genres. There was nothing for him to show with this one.

Janette & Brandon (#1): Don't like him. Nothing has changed. But the routine was amazing. They performed an argentine tango, which is supposed to be like walking sex. And it was. I give Janette a lot of credit for that, because your eye went to her most (maybe it was because of the sparkly red dress), but each time I looked at Brandon he was strong and commanding. The leg work was phenomenal. It was a great performance and the judges agreed. Nigel gave it a standing ovation and said it was the best ballroom routine ever done on the show.

Time for the second dance and Cat informs the audience that the couples will be split up next week. So sad :<>

In the end, the bottom three couples were Jason & Caitlin, Janette & Phillip and... Melissa & Ade!! What are you thinking, America? This is a travesty! After they dance their solos, it's clear to me who will be sent home. Will the judges agree?

While the judges deliberated, we were treated to a lackluster musical performance by Kelly Rowland and DJ David Guetta. She has a great voice, but does not have Beyonce's stage presence.

When it was all said and done, we said good-bye to Phillip & Caitlin, but the judges decided to let them go on the tour. I think that decision was made so that Phillip could participate in the tour. They couldn't in all conscious let him go through another week, but they knew that fans would revolt if they couldn't see Phillip on the tour.

What did you think? Did you agree with the judges decision? Are you happy with the Top 10? Who are you excited to see paired up?
TNP

We Say Goodbye, Others Say Hello...

2009-07-07T16:13:00.007-04:00

It has been blessedly quiet these past six months! And I didn't even realize it until I turned on the TV this week and saw Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson. I'm sure all of you have experienced this in some form or fashion: You usually don't realize the beauty of silence until it's gone. Now, we've had to deal with the likes of Palin and others, but they don't have the ability to make my skin crawl they way Al & Jesse do. They've been making the rounds of the news circuit since the passing of Michael Jackson and I began to wonder: where have they been?

Normally, they would be everywhere exploiting our current situation: a bad economy, record high unemployment, large numbers of foreclosures. A & J would be shouting that the government doesn't care about the effect the economy is having on black people. They would be on all the news shows as the "unasked for voice" of the African-American community. But one thing changed all that:

OBAMA!!

Most people I know were rejoicing the moment Obama was elected. But Al & Jesse? Outside they looked happy, inside they were crying. What would they do now? How could they be the singular voices of the black community when the president was black? Jesse probably wished he had cut Obama's balls off!! (You remember that quote don't you? In case you don't, or if you want to see it again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQl_6buUggM&NR=1)

But now, they're baaaaack. Jesse has been helping the Jackson family with the funeral arrangements and Al has been uplifting the people and reminding us that if it weren't for Michael Jackson there would be no Obama! WTF??! Seriously? Seriously??

I don't want to go into the spectacle that was the Michael Jackson farewell at the Staples Center, but I don't know how those people sleep at night. It's nice that he influenced a lot of people, but did of these "presenters" and "performers" even know MJ? Personally, I mean? Were they at his house eating dinner and watching videos? Did they have playdates with his kids? Did they share recipes? This past week I've seen interviews with numerous people who say they were MJ's confidante during these past few years and I didn't see any of them up on that stage.

And just when I thought Al & Jesse were bad, along came Hurricane Sheila. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) spent almost 10 minutes talking about her relationship with Michael Jackson. She is known in the media as Hurricane Sheila because of her statements a few years ago that the current names given to hurricanes are too "lily white" and need to be changed to reflect diversity. (Hurricane Jamal, y'all). She's also a known TV hound. Congressional staffers have a drinking game in her honor. (Congresswoman Jackson-Lee is on C-SPAN. Let's do a shot!) She outdid herself this time by telling the attendees that she introduced a House Resolution that, if adopted, would honor Michael Jackson as a great humanitarian by the United States House of Representatives.

Really? [insert skepticism]

He was a wonderful entertainer. But he also died hundreds of millions of dollars in debt because of all the stuff he brought for himself.

I digress.

What I want to know is where were these people a month ago? If you haven't been a constant presence in his life, don't make a name for yourself with his death.

You know who you are and you should be ashamed.

SYTYCD- Week 4

2009-07-02T16:06:00.005-04:00

Hey Guys-
Week 4 of SYTYCD! Let's get on with the recap.

As always, we start with Ms. Cat. I did not love the fuschia dress she wore on Wednesday, but the short, silver number on Thursday was killer.

I don't want to talk about each dancer/couple, because that would take way too long, but I'll mention my thoughts on a few of them.

Brandon still bothers me! I was upset when Mia & Lil C picked on him during Vegas week, but that tide is turning: they're starting to love him as I'm starting to... hate is such a strong word, I'll go with dislike... him. During the opening seconds of his routine this week he does a slow back bend with Janette. He was smirking at the audience throughout the entire move and I just wanted to smack that little smirk of his face. Winning the battle of the sexes, my ass!

Loved Kupono & Kayla together, but the star of their routine for me was the song! Shout out to Twilight Moms-- it was Eyes on Fire from the movie and soundtrack! As soon as I heard the opening chords, I melted into a Twilight puddle. I must admit that while they danced, I just pictured Edward, so I cannot tell you anything about the routine. :>

You know how I feel about Tabitha & Napoleon, (or Tab & Nap, as Mia called them) but I did not dig this routine. It was very intricate and the chain work was so distracting that I spent more time afraid that they would trip on the chain than I did understanding the dance. When I could focus on them and not the chain, I thought they danced well and I'm glad they hit all the moves.

Melissa & Ade continued their streak. They performed a pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet choreographed by Thordel Christensen. I wouldn't call the routine exiciting, but it was beautiful and showed off Melissa's technique. It looked so easy that I thought I could do it; that's when you know a dancer is amazing. I felt the emotion and thought it was a tender, engaging piece. They are still my favorite couple.

The group dance number on Thursday was performed to the Wiz. I loved the costumes and makeup and Diana Ross' voice just filled the stage. Great performances and choreography by Tice Diorio.

The musical guest this week was Kelly Clarkson. She was the first winner of American Idol and you're always reminded why each time she performs. Her voice is incredible. My husband jokes that all of her songs are the same and, for the ones she releases, that's true. There's a similar rock feel to them, but they are so catchy and have great hooks.

The bottom three this week were a bit of a surprise: Jeanine & Phillip, Kupono & Kayla (where were you Twilight fans!!??) and Vitolio & Karla. In the end, we said goodbye to Vitolio & Karla. I think the judges were right with this one. Karla is gorgeous and a great dancer (love her leg extensions), but her personality has not popped. She isn't standing out enough. And while I had high hopes for Vitolio after Vegas week, I don't think he ever danced up to my expectations.

Does anyone else agree that the dancing this season has been stellar? After the first week, I haven't wanted to get rid of anyone. [Except Brandon. But not for his dancing.] Any of these dancers could be in the top 10. Who are your favorites and who do you want to see go next week?
TNP

SYTYCD- Week 3

2009-06-26T20:48:00.002-04:00

Even though Pop Culture is mourning the loss of Michael Jackson this week, other shows do go on. We're down to the Top 16 on SYTYCD, so let's get started.

Apparently, Cat is picking out her wardrobe this season and I must say she is doing a phenomenal job. The Grecian dress on Wednesday was cute, but her ensemble on Thursday? Outstanding. I wonder if it was her ode to Farrah Fawcett? It looked like something she would have worn back in the 70s. Loved it.

The guest judge this week was Toni Basil. Who is that, you ask? She sang the song, "Oh Mickey," from the 80s.
"Oh, Mickey, you're so fine.
You're so fine, you blow my mind.
Hey Mickey!"
She's okay as judge. Don't have too much of an opinion about her one way or another. This apathy doesn't bode well for the show this week.

My favorites? For the third straight week, I loved Ade and Melissa. Ade gets sexier each week to me. And I love him and Melissa. They are so sexy; I don't know how her husband can watch it. They did the rumba, a latin ballroom dance, known for its slow, sexy sway of hips. Cat said it best; I felt like I was intruding on something. It was an amazing performance.

But Evan & Randi stole the show with their Mia Michaels routine. It was sassy, sexy and flaky, like a delicious French tart. (Pastry, not woman.) Randi did a phenomenal job. Imagine learning that you would perform a routine based on the sexiness of your ass! She must have been self-conscious, but she hid it and gave a performance to remember. Brava, Mia!

We had a new couple this week with Kupono and Kayla. They were beautiful together, even though they weren't one of my favorites. I look forward to seeing them next week. I hope they get contemporary or jazz. I think they will do well together.

Brandon still bothers me.

The group performance on Thursday was amazing and was choreographed by Dmitri from Season 2 and my favorites, Tabitha & Napoleon. It was a clever mixture of hip-hop and latin ballroom and was one of the most exciting group dances I've seen in a while. There were so many vignettes to look at, I watched it three times to take in everything.

I couldn't imagine Nigel wouldn't take the time to talk about the passing of Michael Jackson. There would be no SYTYCD without him: he influenced a generation of kids to dance. Nigel's remarks were poignant and heartfelt, but long-winded.

The bottom three couples were not a surprise based on their performances and in the end, Jonathan and Asuka went home. Althought Kayla and Jonathan received bad comments for their routine, it was obvious that Jonathan was the weak link in that coupling. And I thought Asuka should have gone home last week. (Refer to SYTYCD-Week 2 for my reasons.) This week was like a course-correction.

And then there were 14.

TNP

It happens in threes...

2009-06-26T18:53:00.004-04:00

I don't know where I first heard it. I tend to think it's an old wives tale passed on by my grandmother (she's got lots of them.) But I've always believed that celebrity deaths happen in threes. When I hear a famous person has died, I just know that more will follow. So last week, when Ed McMahon passed, I unconsciously started the count. I was saddened by the death of Farrah Fawcett, yesterday, as another human being had passed, but I was not a big fan of hers, so I can't say that I was heartbroken. I was also not surprised, since she had been publicly battling cancer for the past few years. But that afternoon, when my husband and I turned on MSNBC and saw the Breaking News that Michael Jackson had died, I felt lightheaded. I didn't believe it at first. I thought I was reading it wrong or it was another Michael Jackson. It was just... [sigh]

It's been hard to articulate my feelings about his passing. Like most little black girls, I was IN LOVE with Michael Jackson. I had the poster where he was wearing the yellow v-neck sweater and bow-tie. I think he'd had his first nose job by then, but he looked so cute. My friends and I would have singing and dancing contests where we would sing his songs and see who could do the best moonwalk. And don't get me started on the red pleather Thriller jacket and sparkly glove. I begged my parents for that jacket; never got it.

Those are the memories that define MJ for me. And later, I remember sitting in the TV room of my dorm, watching the world premiere of "Remember The Time" with a group of friends. We all loved it, but couldn't help "ewwing" over the part when MJ and Iman kissed! It just was not believable that she would pick him over Eddie Murphy! By this time, he'd had extensive work done on his face and had lightened his skin considerably. But still, it was Michael Jackson!

And then the allegations and jokes. His crazy public feud with Sony. Taking his physical appearance even further. The trial. It became hard to even admit that you were a Michael Jackson fan. He became a joke, good for nothing except a one-liner. The crazy, dirty uncle that everyone talks about at the family reunion, but no one wants to talk to.

Every once in a while, one of his songs would pop up on my ipod and I would stop and appreciate the genius that is Michael Jackson. Some of his songs would be covered by new artists and I would remember his version. Maybe I would put it on and sing or dance to it. Let the memories flow through me. "I used to love me some Michael Jackson."

And so I admit that this news has hit me hard. And even as we mourned his passing there were others who tried to make us feel guilty for missing him. But if he meant to your childhood, what he meant to mine, then you understand. And despite all the bad things he was accused of (and probably did) in his later years, there are moments of intense grief as I realize he is really gone. Like the cool uncle who ended up crazy, but who used to slip you a dollar, or let you eat chocolate cake for dinner.

Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Glad you had an exotic vacay, Mark Sanford!

2009-06-25T07:09:00.004-04:00

"We thought he was on the Appalachian Trail, he was actually in the Argentinian bush." Lotta Crabtree.

Here we go again. Another press conference where a man stands before a bank of microphones and tells us he's having an affair. But what's so amazing about this one is what led to the announcement. Over the weekend it was announced that Mark Sanford, the governor of South Carolina, hope for the Republican Party for 2012, had been missing for five days. He just left, not telling his wife or his children (over Father's Day weekend) where he was going. He told his staff he was going to be hiking the Appalachian Trail. No one believed that story and immediately, theories abounded as to what the truth was. Political news outlets speculated that he might have had a breakdown.

No, he was just off screwing someone else.

It's such a cliche, but sad all the same. We are human and people can develop feelings for others. But you took vows. Put them first. Work on your marriage or get out of your marriage before you go fucking someone else.

Sanford has resigned as head of the Republican Governors Association, but not as Governor. Even though he left his post for five business days without letting anyone know where he was or what he was doing. I hope he doesn't think he can still run on the national ticket. It may have worked for Bill Clinton, but, hopefully, the mold was broken with Big Willie!

But, like Clinton, he lied about it repeatedly, before coming clean. He flew back Wednesday morning into Atlanta, not Columbia, to avoid media scrutiny. One media outlet, The State newspaper, met him on his return and asked him about his trip. He said he needed to get away to somewhere "exotic" after a long and difficult legislative session. "I needed a break." Hours later, we got the real story.

BTW, do you know how his children found out about his "trip?" They watched the news conference. And he had the nerve to blame that on the press. How about staying in the country, keeping it in your pants and spending Father's Day with your children? Then they could have found out about it from you.

News & Views

2009-06-23T17:42:00.003-04:00

Hey Readers-
I'm going to call this one News & Views. It'll just be quick opinions about random items in the news.

Jon & Kate: I really don't want to talk about them, but they will not go away. I just hope it was all worth it for them. The hair plugs, teeth whitening, tummy tuck, vacations, new home; I hope it was worth the stability of their family. But memo to NBC, MSNBC, & ABC: they are NOT news. We're on the verge of a revolution in Iran, 79 people were hurt or killed in a metro accident in the D.C. area, and South Korea is, well, South Korea and yet two major news networks led with the "surprise" announcement Jon & Kate were getting a divorce! Really?! Thanks. Can you tell me about Iran now? I hope no one was shot while I was force-fed J&K foolishness.

Megan Fox: Do you know her? If you are the mother to a teenage boy, I'm pretty sure you've seen her. She was in the first Transformers movie, and based on tight jeans and bending over a car, she's now a star. Which is great. Good for her. But you know what? I wish she would shut up! Just stop talking. You know how some one can be physically attractive, but the moment they open their mouth they become ugly? She's become the poster child of this.

Stephanie Pratt: This is another young woman who has become a celebrity from a reality show. She's known as the sister of Spencer Pratt (Boo!! Hiss!!) from The Hills. Stephanie was on the cover of US Weekly last week proclaiming "The Hills Made Me Bulimic." She talked about how being next to the "tiny" stars of the show made her ashamed of her weight and so she began bingeing and purging. She says she is recovering and is now eating healthy meals. When asked about therapy she said, "[My therapists] advice for me, for a sane mind, is to quit the show. But I won't do it because I love The Hills." [crickets]
[crickets]

Finally, I want to note the passing of Ed McMahon. I was not a watcher of the Tonight Show, with Johnny Carson. I knew Mr. McMahon from Star Search, which, back in the day, was truly a family show. I remember my entire family would sit down and watch it together. We never missed it.

SYTYCD-Week 2

2009-06-22T17:24:00.004-04:00

Hey Readers-
This blog is coming to you a little later than I wanted, but I won't bore you with excuses. Let's get to the show.

Cat's red dress on Wednesday was a little much with the ruffled valance, but the white pantsuit she wore for the results on Thursday was just divine. She glowed like an angel. (Yes, I have a girl crush; she's just so darned cute!) The guest judge this week was Lil C who was a bit verbose. Apparently the producers agreed because after a few critiques, Cat called on him second, instead of first.

A few points:

First, we welcomed back choreographer Shane Sparks. He was conspicuously absent last season, probably because MTV ran their dance show, America's Best Dance Crew, at the same time that SYTYCD was on. While Shane was only a choreographer for SYTYCD, he was a judge over at ABDC. (It's a lot of acronyms, I know. But you just gotta learn them and move on. Only old fogey moms fight the acronyms and we're cool, hip moms. :>) But although we were happy to have him back, the judges weren't happy with his routines. He did both of the hip-hop routines and the judges pretty much said they sucked, without actually using the word "suck." After the first routine, they stopped cutting away to Shane during the remarks. I wondered if he left. :<

Second, the package they showed this week before each performance dealt with what the dancers thought America should know about their partner. I really feel like I shouldn't have to say this, but apparently I do. The point of the show is to become America's favorite dancer. Thus, the audience has to like you. You should be cute; talk about the funny noises they make or the weird shapes they can make with their belly. You do not say bad things about your partner. Two seasons ago, Kameron was paired with Lacey, an early fan favorite who was the sister of season 2 winner, Benjy (loved him, miss him). When Kameron was asked this question he said that America might not know that Lacey wore a weave and that it smelled bad!!! Dude, are you kidding me? What were you thinking? I could hear girls all around the world dropping their phones. They weren't voting for him. He was gone within a few weeks. I'm not saying any names... okay, yes I am. Brandon, don't talk about your partner's teeth. It was not cool!

Third, we've been treated to some great musical performances through the seasons. The Pussycat Dolls and OneRepublic stand out in my mind. Last night wasn't one of them. The song was catchy and the singer,Kristinia DeBarge, was cute. (She is the daughter of James DeBarge, member of the 80s group, DeBarge and... Janet Jackson's first husband!!!) But did she have to lip-synch? Her routine didn't involve heavy dancing; just a lot of hair tossing and hip swiveling. She couldn't carry a tune and slink across the stage at the same time? It was really bad. The lip-synching was so obvious, I wish they would have just played the song and she danced a routine and not pretend she was performing for us. Let's do better next week.

My favorite routines this week were: Melissa & Ade and Karla & Jonathan. M&A's routine was choreographed by Sonja, of the mohawk fame. It was kinetic and sexy and completely Sonja. I'd like to take a moment and talk about how far we've come in our racial relations. My grandmother was visiting me last week and was SHOCKED to see Ade (a black man) and Melissa (a white woman) dancing together in this routine, on national TV. I noticed, but it didn't bother me and I thought that younger people probably didn't notice or think that it was particularly noteworthy. Yay!

Karla & Jonathan danced a routine choreographed by Stacey Tookey, who was new to us, but apparently was on the Canadian version of SYTYCD. She put the routine to the Academy Award-winning song, Falling. It was lush and romantic and totally redeemed the two, who had a hard time last week.

Again, neither duo were in the bottom three this week. After the solos, we said goodbye to Ashley and Max. Ashley, while dancing well, didn't do as many jumps and leg lifts and those are gold when "dancing for your life." And while I loved Max, it's really hard for ballroom dancers to do solos. They end up just flicking their legs for 30 seconds and that doesn't compare to the routines done by contemporary and hip hop dancers. (This is why I thought Asuka should have been sent home last week; her solo was boring and all she did was... leg flicks)

Let's hope next week's show is better. We're down to 16! Are you favorites still in there? Do you agree with the judges' decision? Does Brandon's smile annoy you as much as it does me? Weigh in below.
TNP

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

2009-06-17T07:37:00.003-04:00

Well, they went out with a bang! I found this installment of Bravo's Real Housewives kind of boring. Sure, there were things in every episode that made me roll my eyes, but coming off the exciting New York installment, this was a complete let down. In fact, before this episode, my favorite part of the season was Caroline's intro. It was hilarious, watching her pose with her "family" standing in the background. Classic!

I'd seen the previews for tonight's season finale and the idea of Teresa, wife of "Juicy" Joe, throwing over a table and being restrained from hitting Danielle, was intriguing. Up until this point, Teresa had only been guilty of being a bit of a stage mom, and having questionable taste in designing her home. But I was looking forward to this dinner party and seeing how they got to that point. But first... 25 minutes of boring stuff.

I'm aware of the editing involved in today's "reality" shows and I'm pretty sure the producers "tweak" things to produce maximum drama. Everyone shows up at the same time, mingle and drink and appear to have a good time. After they sit down and order dinner, Danielle and her two daughters stroll in. I'm not saying the producers told them a different time, but... You can feel the tension rise. There is some uncomfortable joking and fake, happy talking, and there's plenty of champagne flowing. Pretty soon, Teresa starts making inappropriate remarks. She's talking about how Juicy Joe wanted to get in her panties the day he brought her home from getting her "bubbies" done. (It's how they refer to their breasts!) Don't get me wrong, it was really funny, but there were children in the room. Not the place. But, her stories seemed to provide much needed comic relief and the tension level in the room receded.

And then this crazy freak, Danielle, reaches down into her bag and slaps a copy of the infamous book on the table. And just like that, I knew, IT WAS ON! For those of you who don't watch the show, Danielle's first husband wrote a book that alleged 25 years ago, Danielle, a stripper using another name, was involved with a drug dealer who kidnapped a kid who owed him money. She was arrested in connection with the kidnapping, although she denied any involvement. She later moved and changed her name. Apparently, no one in her current life was aware of her past and somehow (this becomes an integral point of the fight) the book starts to make the rounds in her community, tarnishing her reputation (so she says) and harming her daughters.

So everyone is staring at the book and I'm sitting in my chair shocked that she's doing it right now. I don't know if this was her idea or the producers, but I thought it was extremely rude but oh so entertaining. Danielle starts talking about how she wants to address what happened and snaps when anyone tries to cut her off. "I have the right to speak on this." Sure, freedom of speech is a right granted by the first amendment, but no one is required to listen to you. I should know. I only have 4 followers on my blog. (Hello? Anybody there?)

Danielle made some good points. She said she didn't feel she knew any of them well enough to tell them about things that happened almost 20 years ago, long before she knew them, before she had children. She understood that they might want to check her out when they began hearing rumors, to see if it was true, but while they may have personally looked into it, she didn't see why they had to bring the book into the public. She has made no secret of the fact that she believes Dina was responsible for this and directs her comments at her enemy.

Dina, who's been held in check until this point, begins arguing with Danielle and Caroline is trying to mediate but at some point, I guess she's had enough, so she steps in with Dina and it's 2-on-1. I know Danielle is crazy and she really brought this on herself by starting this, but I started feeling sorry for her. Like Jacqueline, I thought Caroline should have stayed out of it. Then Caroline dropped the bombshell: she was the one who made the book public! What?!? Caroline started taking it all on herself, saying that her family is thick as thieves (Really unfortunate metaphor, Caroline) and they would always have each others' backs. It was just too convenient and even Dina looked surprised and tried to stop her from talking. It looked to me like Dina had her story and was going to stick to it; Caroline admitting that she brought it all up messed with her plan. Danielle respectfully said she didn't believe it was Caroline. Dina looked at Jacqueline and said, " Why don't you tell her the truth of who it was?" It was like a needle skipping on a record. (If you don't know that sound, you are too young for this blog:>)

And then I got it. The whole season came down to this moment. All footage had been shot before the first episode aired. And after this little gem of a dinner party, the producers looked at the snoozefest they'd collected and decided to edit around this. All season we've seen Jacqueline pulled between Danielle and Dina/Caroline. We've seen Jacqueline be a little wishy-washy with her oldest daughter's discipline. We've seen Dina/Caroline's family and shown their STRONG personalities. And we've seen Jacqueline suffer through the heartache of her miscarriage and need support from her friends and family. All of that culminated in Dina's question to her, pretty much telling Jacqueline she needed to pick a side. What would she do? It would be believable for her to go either way, but I really expected her to decide to stay out of it.

Jacqueline proved me wrong and I was so proud of her for it! She called out Dina and Caroline and called them liars. She said that Dina showed her the book and spread it in the community and she was there when it happened! Caroline continued trying to say she did it, but the damage was done; we know Dina did it. Then Dina turns on Jacqueline and J's husband (also Dina and Caroline's brother) stood up for her. Not only did he tell them to leave Jacqueline alone, he told Danielle that she was welcome in his home and around his children. Oooh, D/C did not like that! Dina stormed off and Caroline left, with one last cheap shot, "You know who you hurt. My parents," she said, glaring at Jacqueline. It ended with Jacqueline hugging her husband who was clearly upset about this but who won major points with me for putting his wife before his sisters. As it should be. The bible says, Leave and Cleave, bitches!

When it looks like it's all over, Teresa begins engaging in the argument and Danielle, a bit condescendingly, asks her to keep up. I don't know what happened next, but Teresa starts cursing up a storm, dropping F bombs, like $100 bills in tacky furniture stores. She lifts the table, throws it and lunges for Danielle. Good Lord, does the government know that tasteful breast implants actually bestow the patient with Hulk-like powers? They probably never knew because no one ever gets normal sized implants. She was like a mad woman and the only thing that calmed her was a luscious kiss from Juicy Joe. God love him.

Ah, another season ending. Even if it wasn't as good as previous installments, the dinner party helped make up for it.
What did you guys think? Do you think there should be another Jersey installment, or should it just end there?
TNP

Comics...Yeah, I know.

2009-06-15T18:38:00.004-04:00

My wonderful husband is into comics. Not just, "Oh, I know who Spiderman is," into comics. I mean "Bag and Board, Steve Rogers is back as Captain America, Grant Morrison is God!" into comics. And if you love your husband as much as I love mine, it means comics enter your psyche, whether you want them to or not, like osmosis.

You may wonder why I'm talking about comics on a pop culture blog. Consider this:
1. They are making movies out of anything that's been drawn and inked for the past 20 years. Mainstream comics like Batman, Spiderman and X-men; graphic novels like Watchmen, 300 and V for Vendetta and indie comics like Wanted, Jonah Hex and Scott Pilgram have all gotten the big screen treatment. (If those last two don't sound familiar to you, talk to me next year.) Instead of coming up with original ideas, movie execs are mining the pages of comics.
2. Hollywood has fully invaded Comic-Con, the largest comic book convention in the world. It's gone from a place where comic book geeks discuss how The Thing has sex to a place where pretty girls show up to hear geeks discuss how The Thing has sex. Television and movie stars flock to San Diego every July to promote their projects. Two words for you: Twi-light!
3. Beloved genre T.V. shows, like Buffy, Angel, Firefly and Pushing Daisies, have found new life in comic form. Even one of my beloved Jane Austen novels, Pride & Prejudice, is currently enjoying a comic resurrection.

Three weeks ago, my husband gives me a comic to read. This is not a new occurrence as he orders several books for me, like the aforementioned Buffy and Pride & Prejudice. But this was a new book. James knows my love for procedural TV shows and crime fiction. In my life BC (Before Children) I was a Public Defender and I really enjoyed my work. Since I don't do it anymore, I love to watch it. Deciphering clues, criminal procedure, I can't get enough. Law & Order, L&O: Criminal Intent, The Closer, The Mentalist, Psych. All have warm and cozy spots on my TiVo Season Pass list.

So he gives me this comic and I absentmindedly put it on my "To Read" pile and quickly forget it. I mean, I'm a wife and mother. I have a household to run, children to nurture, blogs to write. Who knows when I will get a chance to read this comic? In three weeks, as it turns out.

I look at the cover of this book, Chew by John Layman & Rob Guillory, and I'm wondering, "What in the hell is he giving me?" There's an emaciated police officer sitting at a table with a half-eaten chicken carcass dripping blood on a floor strewn with dead bodies. WTF? And then I start reading... It's awesome.

The main character, Tony Chu, is a cop who's cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from what he ingests. Only beets are exempt and so beets are mainly what he eats. Chu lives in a world where the government's "concerns" about bird flu have led them to outlaw the possession and preparation of poultry. This has created a thriving black market for all things "fowl." While on a stake-out, Chu eats a bowl of chicken soup and discovers the chef is a serial killer. He ignores procedures in an effort to apprehend the chef, and as a result, Chu's partner is badly injured. Chu catches the killer, but is also caught red-handed...red-faced, red-mouthed, red everything: he's covered in blood from chewing on the killer's body in an effort to get information on all of his victims. What did I tell you? Does that sound awesome or what? And that's not even the end of the book!

If you love gritty crime procedurals, you would love Chew. Don't hate on the genre; there are some creative things going on in the world of comics. Check them out.
TNP

Reality TV

2009-06-13T07:40:00.004-04:00

Hey Readers-
I've got 3 followers now!! Yay. Remember, tell your friends, and don't forget to comment. Now on to the good stuff.

So I started this blog the day after one of my favorite shows airs. (I love, love, LOVE all installments of Bravo's Real Housewives. I'll talk about it more when I recap next week's episode; it looks like a good one.) But it was just in time for my top show of the summer: So You Think You Can Dance or SYTYCD for those of us in the know. This is one of those shows where the participants have a skill in something other than Botox and choosing inappropriate implant sizes. (Oooh, that was Bitchy) SYTYCD is from the same people who produce American Idol, which is a more popular show, but not as good as SYTYCD, in my opinion. Which is all that matters since this is my Blog. :> It starts with audition rounds that show not only incredible artists but also the sad people who think their proficiency at the cha-cha (nightclub not ballroom) makes them a dancer.

This is a good time to address some of you who audition for talent-based reality shows. Are you so desperate to be on TV that you will stand in line for hours and sign up for a show without knowing what it's about? We've seen you singers and dancers who appear on Idol and SYTYCD and then erupt into a blaze of attitude because the judges say you can't sing or dance. Have you watched the show? Do you really believe you're as good as the people who were on previous seasons? And did you not have a loving family or real friends who cared enough not to let you make a complete ass of yourself? Or, even worse, are you one of those people who know you don't have the talent to get on the show, but do so just so you can appear on television? It's so sad and truly a waste of my time. I'm just waiting for the show that puts all of you in one place. You know, the show for people who believe so little in themselves that they think the only way they will ever get any notice is to lampoon themselves on national television.

But that was a serious digression. Let's get back to SYTYCD. After auditions, the show moves to Vegas, where the best of the audition round are put through a grueling boot camp of different styles, from Broadway to Hip-Hop to Contemporary. Along the way, dancers are cut until the judges have a group of 20- ten guys and ten girls, who will move on to compete on the live show. The 20 are paired up and perform routines from famous choreographers. This show has really made household names of a lot of choreographers. Before the show, I don't know how many non-dancers knew Mia Michaels, Shane Sparks or Tabitha & Napoleon D'Umo. But by the end of the season, you'll probably be able to watch a routine and tell who choreographed it.

One of the things this show gets right, that Idol doesn't, is how much the input from the judges and America counts. Each week after the live show, America votes, just as it does on Idol. Based on votes, the bottom three pairings are chosen. Those six must then perform solo routines or "dance for their lives." The judges then deliberate and THEY decide which girl and guy will be sent home. Later in the season, when it gets to the top 10 dancers, the votes from America make the final decision. I think this allows the most talented to make it to the top 10. Rarely do you have a Sanjaya situation. Those they get far are the truly talented dancers who can excel at more than one genre. So that's the basic premise of the show. Now on to this week's episode.

The judges were Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of this show and Idol; Mary Murphy, a ballroom professional and Adam Shankman, dancer, choreographer and director of such films as "A Walk to Remember" and "Hairspray." Nigel and Mary are always there; Adam was the guest judge. Throughout the season, choreographers rotate through this spot. I find Mary's voice and scream extremely annoying, even more than Paula, which is saying a lot. I can usually overlook Paula's slurred ramblings, but Mary makes it absolutely impossible to ignore her. I had two favorite routines this week. The first was performed by Jeanine and Phillip, who did a hip-hop routine to Ne-Yo's Mad. It was choreographed by the phenomenal Tabitha and Napoleon. I love them and their routines. They've done some of my favorites, like last season's "No Air" with Katie and Joshua (last season's winner) and "Bleeding Love" with Mark and Chelsie (one of the professionals on this years Dancing with the Stars.) Their routine was incredible and I was just happy to finally see Phillip do his thing on the show, instead of just during the auditions.

My other favorite routine was danced by Kupono and Ashley. It was choreographed by Wade Robson and was so quirky and whimsical it made me smile. I was not a big fan of Wade during his pop choreogrpahy days and then, when the rumors started that he was the "him" in Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River," (I'm an unapologetic JT fan), he was ON MY LIST. (I'll explain about my list one day). But since his arrival on SYTYCD a couple of years ago, I've been charmed by his routines. Neither duo was in the bottom two so they didn't have to dance for their lives, but we had to say good-bye to Paris and Tony. The top 20 is now down to 18.

Let me end by mentioning SYTYCD's host, Cat Deeley, who is warm, friendly and encouraging to the dancers. She's never snarky or sarcastic and is a breath of fresh air after the ego that is Ryan Seacrest. I remember one week this past season on Idol when it was reported that Ryan was not feeling well and would not be able to host the show. It was later reported that Cat would be subbing for him. Miraculously, Ryan felt better and decided that he would host after all. I wish we could have gotten Cat on the Idol stage. I believe Ryan would have lost that lucrative gig. And he knew it, too.
'Til next Post (TNP)

Welcome!!

2009-06-10T14:39:00.000-04:00

Time passes so quickly. Not the most original thought, but true. I still remember saving my allowance so I could buy a NKOTB pillowcase and the new Teen Beat magazine proclaiming Malcolm Jamal-Warner’s favorite color.

Now NKOTB is doing a reunion tour! When did they turn into the Rolling Stones?!?!?! And forget about Tiger Beat or Teen. There are at least 10 magazines that report on celebrities. Instead of learning what kind of girl the newest cutie likes, you’re treated to a photo spread of numerous walks of shame, complete with quotes about his stamina! And remember when celebrities did something, like sing, act or dance? Now they just are. One day you wake up and some woman who used her womb as a factory is now famous.

Welcome to Pop Culture for Moms. I will talk about T.V., movies, books, current events, etc. If it’s in US Weekly, I’ll have an opinion about it! Missed this week’s Housewives (BRAVO not Desperate), check in here. Want to know who “Spiedi” is? (BOO! HISS!) I’ll tell you. Team Edward or Team Jacob? Confused? That’s why you need to read my blog!

I know this will start off small, with only my friends reading it, but I hope it will grow. So if you love all things pop culture or are curious about these people taking over your “real” news, (Hello Jon & Kate), then this is the blog for you. Enjoy.