Saturday

TV-Review ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" 2008 Episode 3/31/08 and Elimination; "The Bachelor London" 3/31/08

Here's a review of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" episode aired 3/31/08, who was good, who was bad, brickbats, sarcasm, compliments and gossip. Also who got sent home, who's likely next to go and other tidbits.

Also review of The Bachelor from England looking for an American wife.

All with pics and video you'll find nowhere else on the Internet.


Pic of the Day
my own little world pic of day




Dancing With the Stars logo


Review Episode Aired 3/31/08-Guttenberg Sent Packing

Top 12 Contenders Pic Montages "Dancing With the Stars" 2008

how vote is calculated from the link at ABC

ABC LINK HERE

For example if couple A, B and C receive 38, 26 and 14 points from the judges, we calculate what share these points represent of the total awarded by the judges on the night. In this case the judges gave 78 points in total, and each couples' share of 78 points breaks down as follows: 38= 48.72% of 78, 26= 33.33% of 78, 14= 17.95% of 78. Let's suppose that when the public votes are tallied, each couple has the following shares: A= 20%, B=40%, C=40%. To determine who's eliminated we combine these two shares for the total:

Couple A: 20+48.72%= 68.72%
Couple B: 40+33.33%= 73.33%
Couple C: 40+17.95%= 57.95%

In this case, the bottom two couples would be A and C, and C would be eliminated.

The “Stars” of this series have now danced on live TV twice and the competition is shoring up; who is the dancer to beat comes clearer; the “duds” are ascertained and estimates on how long they last dance around in the TV audience’s collective heads.
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It was Jive and Tango week on the “Dancing With the Stars” episode aired 3/31/08. Marlee Matlin began the competition with a Jive and received a score of 21 points from the Judges.

Marlee, who is deaf, continues to amaze with her fine dancing. Every week I find it difficult to imagine dancing without being able to hear the music.

Next up little Steve Guttenberg and give the guy credit, he has a sense of humor if not any noticeable talent for dancing. Steve and his partner danced a Tango which was nothing to write home about. After finishing the performance, Steve donned a metal pot on his head and thick goggles over his eyes in an humorous attempt to protect himself from the judges’ criticism.

Which was interesting in that judges praised Steve for this performance but, alas, the viewing audience did not agree. Steve and his partner were awarded 21 points. Steve was sent home on 4/1/08, the elimination night following performance night 3/31/08.

Christian de la Fuentes and his partner performed a Jive. When this series first began, Chris’ was immediately pegged as the handsome guy the ladies would surely love but each week Chris dances better and hey, he could be a contender to win this thing.

The judges complained about Chris’ arm during the performance. I taped a snippet of Chris’ dance (included in the Remix below) and his arm does hang at his side for a bit but only a judge would pay it much mind. Chris and his partner received 25 happening points from the judges for their performance.

Mario, who goes by his first name, performed a Tango with his partner. The choreographed footwork looked complicated but Mario look a bit stiff.

The judges weren’t overly impressed with Mario and his partner’s performance. Mario is the youngest dancer in this year’s Dancing With the Stars competition. He’s a singer and by all accounts, Mario should be running away with this thing. The reality is that Mario is mediocre at best. Mario and his partner received 21 points from the judges and Len called the performance “a mess”.

montage from 3/31/08 episode Dancing With Stars


montage form 3/31/08 episode Dancing with Stars


Shannon Elizabeth was up next and she and her partner performed a Jive. Shannon commented about her long legs and indeed she does have long legs and indeed those legs danced a very entertaining Jive.

Shannon and her partner received 24 points for their performance.

Adam Corolla, he of the toothy smile, performed a Tango with his partner. From my vantage point the choreography seemed very simple and the steps suited Adam’s rather awkward self well.

Adam seems to talk about gays a lot when it’s his turn to speak. I don’t know why. I just noted this tidbit this past week and the week prior.

Carrie Ann called Adam “sexy”, an adjective that I’d never give to the fellow although Adam seems nice enough. Adam and his partner received a total of 21 points.

Marissa Winokur came up next and performed a Jive with her partner. I anticipated a good performance as Marissa is the star of Broadway’s “Hairspray” and that musical requires vigorous dancing. I thought Marissa looked good as she jived around that floor albeit with legs that looked a bit stiff.

The judges were hard on Marissa, however, and I was surprised. Carrie Ann called Marissa’s performance “boring”. Marissa and her partner received 19 points for their dance and I think that was unreasonably low.

In fact the following elimination night I was sure Marissa would be sent home with that low score but evidently somebody else in America agreed with me. A whole bunch of somebodys as Marissa was one of the first of the stars deemed as “safe” on elimination night.

Priscilla Presley performed a Tango with her partner and Priscilla has been the subject of many talk shows over her obviously botched plastic surgery. Priscilla does have a rather odd-shaped upper lip and her face appears quite puffy. Of course the Dancing With the Stars makeup people are top notch and the damage does seem minimal on the reality series.

Priscilla is the oldest dancer in this year’s competition and she is doing very, very well. The judges loved her and her partner’s Tango, an “actor’s dance” by the way, and Priscilla was awarded 26 points, the second highest score of the night, exceeded only by the top female dancer this year.

Jason Taylor is still the male to beat this year and as always, Jason is handsome and comes across as very personable. Jason and his partner performed a Jive and I was a bit disappointed.

Jason and his partner received a score of 23 from the judges.

Kristi Yamaguchi has been the stellar competitor right from the start of this series and no doubt she’s the one to beat. I loved Kristi’s hair and makeup as an aside.

The judges declared that Kristi did not display enough anger, anger evidently being a component of her performance of the Tango, oddly. I should think dancing would be a happy thing but I’m no expert on Latin dances.

Kristi and her partner received a score of 27, a score Kristi has been awarded for all three of her dance performances.

Below is a video remix of various dancers on the performance night of 3/31/08. The remix features Steve Guttenberg and his losing dance, Christian de la Fuentes and his arm problem, the Jive from chubby Marissa that the judges disliked so much but which I thought was a pretty good performance and Shannon Elizabeth and her impossibly long legs.




By scores on 3/31/08 Dance Judges Score-Lowest to Highest
Winokur Marissa Jive 19
Guttenberg Steve Tango 21
Carolla Adam Tango 21
Matlin Marlee Jive 21
Mario Tango 21
Taylor Jason Jive 23
Elizabeth Shannon Jive 24
de la Fuente Christian Jive 25
Presley Priscilla Tango 26
Yamaguchi Kristi Tango 27

By total scores through 3/31/08-lowest to highest
Guttenberg Steve 55 sent home 4/1/08
Carolla Adam 55
Winokur Marissa 58
de la Fuente Christian 66
Matlin Marlee 67
Mario 68
Elizabeth Shannon 69
Presley Priscilla 71
Taylor Jason 72
Yamaguchi Kristi 81

Top Twelve Contenders "Dancing With the Stars" 2008

Marlee Matlin (Fabian Sanchez)
Penn Jillette (Kym Johnson)Sent home 3/25/08
Marissa Winokur (Tony Dovolani)
Adam Carolla (Julianne Hough)
Kristi Yamaguchi (Mark Ballis Jr)
Christian De la Fuente (Cheryl Burke)
Monica Seles (Jonathan Roberts)Sent home 3/25/08
Mario (Karina Smirnoff)
Steve Guttenberg (Anna Trebunskaya)Sent home 3/31/08
Jason Taylor (Edyta Sliwinski)
Shannon Elizabeth (Derek Hough)
Priscilla Presley (Louis Van Amstel)

Prior Links to Posts for "Dancing With the Stars" 2008
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Premiere Review 3/17/08
Penn Jillette and Monica Seles Sent Home
Episode aired 3/31/08-Review
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The bachelor London calling logo


To See the Top 15 Chosen by The Bachelor Matthew Grant

Three Sent Home and Some Bachelor Tidbits

Maxine on Bachelors


We begin this week with a True Crime story that would raise eyebrows. I’d covered this story on a True Crime Blog post I made earlier this week but I thought it would be a bit of a hoot to include this story on the review of the reality series “The Bachelor-London Calling” episode aired on 3/31/08.

From USA Today:
BOSTON — Gary Zerola's dark, brooding looks and his work on behalf of foster children helped earn him a spot on People magazine's list of America's "Most Eligible Bachelors" and a tryout for the TV reality show "The Bachelor."

The raping creep in the TRUE story quoted above (go to the link to find out how this guy is a vicious rapist charged with THREE rapes to date) was interviewed, and fortunately as it were disallowed, for this reality series.

Frankly there’s only been one couple in this Bachelor series who’s gotten married, at least according to the pre-season show aired before the weekly series began. They were Tristan and I forget who else as I wasn’t watching this reality show at that time.

That pervert Brad Womack from last year didn’t even choose a girl from the 25 desperate for him. I call him a pervert because a guy who can’t choose a female out of 25 beauties has got to be a pervert.

The navy doctor that was The Bachelor before Brad was a nice guy but from that pre-season show, nothing was mentioned about whether he was even still dating his chosen female.

I suppose there’s got to be criteria for guys on this show, which would include I must consider reasonable looks, a decent job and hey, NOT A RAPIST!

So we have Matthew Grant, a Brit and evidently there’s a shortage of qualified bachelors in America so the show had to go to England to find a guy. Heh.

On the episode aired 3/31/08, two of the females left were sent on a 1 on 1 date while the rest went on a group date.

Much of this show is scripted and formulaic as we all likely know. There has to be some drama to hold the viewers’ interest, there’s always one female who goes off the deep end with her love and devotion to this Bachelor, a fellow she barely knows, there has to be risqué little tidbits but there’s a sexy line that can’t be crossed.

It seems that contender Robin is being coached as some sort of female villain. Hey, all the ladies have to hate one of the contenders and for now, Robin is it.

This past episode, Robin’s “crime” was her audacious move in interrupting Matt and another contender during some one on one time. During these group things, be they group dates or just evening get-togethers, the bachelor will choose a female to go off somewhere on their own for some one on one time. This gives the viewing audience time to get to know the contenders more intimately as well.

So Matt was enjoying this one on one time with an opposing contender when Robin interrupted the two and took Matt away from his current lady. My goodness this made the rest of the contenders angry as wet hens but I figured, couldn’t Matt have just refused to be led away by his hand? Of course not! The show needs conflict and some had to be created and this was an obviously scripted turn of events.

Matt went on a one on one date with contender Holly and Shayne. Holly and Matt attended a premier of a new movie “Made of Honor”, a bit of advertising for the movie as hey, the show has to make money right? Holly and Matt spent time here and there and ended up in a hot tub where they finally kissed. Then Matt used the buzzword “comfortable” with Holly. As in “Maybe I’m too comfortable around you”. This translates as “you don’t turn me on” and the phrase has been used since I’ve been watching this series to indicate that the bachelor to whom this phrase is used just isn’t sexy enough for him. Look for Holly to be sent home soon.

On the one on one dates Matt had a rose and at the end of the date he could give his chosen single date that rose, or not. An odd thing because I think it’s a bit cruel to spend an evening with a gal then refuse to give her a rose, unlikely even I would think. At any rate, both Holly, she with whom Matt says he is too “comfortable” and Shayne got a rose after their respective one on one dates.

Montage of 2008 bachelor kissing episode 3/31/08


Montage of ladies sent home on Bachelor 08 episode 3/31/08


montage of two ladies for one on one dates on bachelor 08 episode 3/31/08


The group date consisted of, intriguingly, an all-female Rugby game. The contenders got all dirty and muddy in their very short shorts and tight tops, heh. I suppose the Rugby match scenario was a bow to Matt’s British heritage.

Now about contender Shayne. Matt seems to have a fondness for her and so far Shayne has been a female featured prominently in the first few episodes. In a prior episode Shayne broke down into sobs such was her love for bachelor Matt and there’s always one such hysterical female in this series.

This episode Matt chose Shayne for a one on one date and even though Matt accused Shayne of “acting” during her earlier emotional breakdowns, he still picked Shayne for his one on one date. I thought the blonde was a bit dramatic but there’s way more to Shayne and it’s interesting.

Shayne was introduced during the initial show as an actress and her upbringing from a family of actors had been softly mentioned a few times. On this past episode’s one on one date, Matt asked Shayne whether she was “high-maintenance” and he dug for information on her family.

“My father was in a show called “The Renegade”, Shayne told Matt. It was obvious she was trying, not so hard, to keep her acting family’s identity a secret and hey, I fell for the bait. Matt declared he’d heard of that TV series although I, an American, hadn’t.

Thanks to the miracle of Wikipedia:
He met a press speaker Michelle Smith in this serial (26 years old at that time) and later married her. They had two children during their short marriage (1983-1985) - the son Alvaro Joshua born in December 1983 and the daughter Shayne born in November 1985. A cause of their divorce was obviously another star of the serial Falcon Crest Daphne Ashbrook who accused Lamas of being a father of her daughter that appeared to be the truth (the daughter Peyton Lee).

So myself, an Internet sleuth, discovered that Shayne’s father is Lorenzo Lamas, himself the son of famous Fernando Lamas, one of my handsome heroes.

Below a pic of Lorenzo Lamas, Shayne's handsome father, and Shayne.

Shayne and father Lorenzo Lamas


I was so full of myself with this discovery until I read the Wikipedia entry a bit more:
Lamas has been married several times. His first was to Victoria Hilbert from 1981-82. His next marriage was to Michele Smith in 1983, resulting in two children: son A.J. Lamas, and daughter Shayne. Shayne can be seen on General Hospital in flashback scenes as a young Carly Corinthos; also appeared in the MTV reality show Twentyfourseven. Shayne is also a contestant on the 2008 version of The Bachelor.

Heh.

So there you have it, on Wikipedia big as day, that Shayne is a contestant on The Bachelor but hey, I was on the job.

Which wouldn’t mean much of anything except I really think Matt was digging to see if Shayne had money with that question about the cost of her “maintenance”. Which, by the way, Shayne has five big passions, one of which is watches and another is handbags but I work from ageing memory here. Know that Shayne didn’t mention championing world peace or feeding orphans as part of the expense of keeping her happy.

Matt sent three ladies home on this episode, Eris S, Kristine, and Amy. Two of these ladies were over 30, a fact I consider not inconsequential, and one was 22. Both ages on the far spectrums of the age ranges for this year’s Bachelor female contenders.

So what’s up with Shayne? She’s only 22 and she’s a dipshit. At least as she’s portrayed in the series and I know much of it is scripted.

At any rate, so far I’m honing in on Shayne as a real possibility thus far for Matt’s heart. I also note that both Holly and Shayne, Matt’s chosen females for his one on one dates, are blondes and look amazingly similar.

Top 15 Females Vying for Matthew Grant-The Bachelor London Calling 2008
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Amanda R, 27-Account Executive-
Kristine, 32, Person Trainer-Sent home 3/31/08
Chelsea, 24, pharmaceutical sales, -Sent home 3/24/08
Erin H, 25, event planner-Sent home 3/24/08
Erin S, 30, hot dog vendor-Sent home 3/31/08
Robin, 22, Advertising coordinator-
Ashlee, 22-singer/songwriter-
Shayne, 22, actress-
Marshanna, 27, fashion designer-
Holly, 25, children's book author-
Carri, 25, church marketing-
Michelle P, 28, Administrative Assistant-Sent Home 3/24/08
Noelle, 26-photographer-
Amy, 22, nanny-Sent Home 3/31/08
Kelly, 24, medical sales-

Links to prior reviews "The Bachelor-London Calling" 2008
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Premiere Review 3/17/08
First Three Bachelor Groupies Sent Home
Review episode aired 3/31/08


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