'Dancing With the Stars': The Julianne Hough Future Edition
Yes! Adam Carolla has been canned. Booted. He and the unicycle he rode in on. At last: justice!
Not only that, but in the usual one-hour elimination episode that is fat with a bazillion minutes of nothingness, we have the dancing kids this week (and Sheryl Crow -- talk about a class act).
May I say I love the kids? You have the teensy Julianne wannabes lining up with the sheepish boys, who are clearly already train-wrecked by their female partners dancing something like the paso doble. At EIGHT! It's spectacular. And watching Len and Carrie Ann (Bruno, please, was born for this) do some "judging" was pretty spectacular as well. The only hideous moment was watching the girl not paired with an Aaron who lost as she tried to follow her parents'/coaches' instructions backstage and plaster that smile on her face and never let go even when they not picked. Ouchy-ouch.
So on to the grown-ups. The judges ask Adam and Julianne to do that unicycle nightmare routine again for the encore. (And we're thinking: Um, are you too scared to see whether Jason can actually do his "10-worthy" dance without a mistake? That's what we wanted to see. What are they thinking, torturing us like this two nights in a row?)
In the first week of a real Bottom Two, the first top two IN are Kristi and Jason, which is a total yawn. These are our 10 people. But first, Jason has to upset the Powers That Be the Producers by saying -- again -- that Kristi is leading a "one horse race" in which he's just getting around to being able to view the horse's hind quarters. Note to producers: Verse Jason in some less icky comparisons. (And let's just note that his own partner, Edyta, seems a bit taken aback by getting 10s for a dance of imperfection and is already trying to spur Jason on to a wee bit of more work this week. Love it when one of the dancers seems overly rewarded by the scores).
The Bottom Two includes Adam (shocker) and Priscilla, who had the second-worst score. Priscilla was near the top of the heap last week, so the first-of-the-season "bottom two" revelation seems revealing. Unlike Marissa, who's now become a fan favorite, Priscilla appears to have little support to buoy her along. Of course, that could be because that no matter how much she "acts" the part in the performances, she is like a freakish empty slate the rest of the time. Really, it's as if she were afraid to try to show emotion this week because she didn't know how her face would respond. Very scary.
As for Adam, he finally tries to be a nice guy -- and leaves poor Julianne in a puddle, alas.
(Aside: early possible relationship rumor alert -- they don't even need the tabloids. The show itself is floating the Shannon-and-Derek thing, complete with backstage chants of "Kiss Her!" from the other contestants. We shall keep you posted).
Meanwhile, up next week: reality junkies unite! Let us discuss the "DWTS" judging panel in comparison with the others out there. I'm thinking they deserve the 10s, but I'm embarking on some mind-refreshing research ("Idol," "Runway," "Top Chef" ... would you all like to recommend a favorite?) Which judges' table holds its own across the board? All input welcome.
-- JENNIFER FREY
Jennifer Frey
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April 9, 2008; 8:35 AM ET
Dancing With the Stars
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Posted by: Jane | April 9, 2008 9:31 AM
Its a shame that Carolla got voted out. He brought some fun to the show, however he was not a good dancer. He should have used the "dead grandfather (or some other relative) he never met" dedication to get some extra votes, as some contestants have no problem using.
Posted by: Irish_Ed | April 9, 2008 9:38 AM
I just wanted Adam to last one more week so Julianne could dance on Latin night.
Posted by: Chris | April 9, 2008 10:45 AM
I realize they do compete, but I somewhat disliked the fact that the amazing little children had to do so on this show. Why not just invite them on as guests - give them positive feedback - and let that, be that. Don't make a "Mini Me" DWTS out of it - unless you do a separate show over on Disney.
And Sheryl Crow was by far the very best live performance they have had!
Posted by: Jean | April 9, 2008 11:33 AM
I missed Monday's show when I unexpectedly had to work late, so I was grateful for your wonderful writeup, Jennifer. Thanks.
I'm not sorry Adam is gone, but I'm glad he showed some class with his nice comments about Julianne. Also, he DID try to dance and entertain, even if he was a bad dancer. He didn't pull one of those loser Master P or Tucker Carlson routines where he acted like he just couldn't be bothered.
I think I saw tears in Priscilla's eyes when she found out she was in the bottom two. She seemed truly devastated, like she was barely holding it together. I felt terrible for her.
Posted by: alex | April 9, 2008 2:10 PM
I love Bruno as a judge. His enthusiasm is wonderful to behold. Adam should have gone. Funny but a total klutz on the floor. Priscilla Presley should be called Plastic Priscilla. She has no charisma in my book. Look at her face. It always looks blank and frozen. Too much plastic surgery.
Posted by: Mel | April 10, 2008 12:08 PM
I'm sorry that Adam was voted off--not that he can dance, because, clearly, he can't! But I love Julianne. She brings so much talent, charisma, and enthusiasm to DWTS, that it's worth watching just to see her. I hope she will return next season, even though I'm afraid she may not if her country music career takes off.
Posted by: Betty | April 10, 2008 1:37 PM
Jennifer, as a first-time poster, just want to say I appreciate your comments.
Glad to see Adam go. His dancing was so far below the others, it was annoying to think he could stay another week. Though I think he is occasionally funny and did show class (finally) last night. I can't figure out his success. For every good line, he lets loose with ten bad ones, some absolutely tasteless.
Love Julianne, but I think producers are smart enough to bring her back for the results show special dances which actually will showcase her better. It's also possible she wanted to be paired with someone weak so she could get off the rat race and work on her record promotion - certainly understandable. She is a star and certainly helped to improve the show with her dancing and personality (and fresh looks - not overly made-up or harsh like Karinna).
I do think judges will try to be tough on Kristi/Mark as noted by others, and overly generous to others. I admire Jason, and think he is the best male, but he didn't deserve tens last night. Marlee deserved better than 8's. I think the judges were off base with her, too.
Marlee is one of my favorites - she can dance, is hilarious, and I think beautiful. What a contrast with Plastic Priscilla.
PP was given too high of scores, I think out of pity - not for her age, but for her botched face lifts. I have heard that too much Botox and silicone in face, interferes with facial expression. Well that certainly looks case in her face. She was never much of an actress, and I think judges are trying to be positive with her by complimenting her "acting." Hello, the only expressions I see on her face are fear and anxiety. Sexual passion? What a joke!
I feel sorry for her. She has a shyness and fragility, which really showed up on the results show. I think it was a mistake to bring her on show - her personality is poorly suited to the quick repartee. She seems humorless. She is no Jane Seymour - that's for sure.
She should be voted off next.
Posted by: Holly | April 10, 2008 4:22 PM
The music for Kristi's Paso Doble was so ridiculous. It ruined it for me and made the whole thing laughable. The dance looks like a parody of itself as she danced to a nonexistant rythym while it droaned a melencholy hustle melody.
Yuck.. stupid.. bad for ballroom dancing somebody shold be fired
Posted by: David | April 10, 2008 7:49 PM
I don`t think Adam should have gone he`s funny and he`s cool YEY ADAM!
Posted by: Georgia | April 12, 2008 3:49 AM
We knew that Julianne would have a hard time this season when they named who her partner would be. It's fine though because she's going after a career that she truly has wanted, and good for her. No 3peat if it can't be her, we'll wait until next season. Kristi and Shannon fans VOTE each week, don't allow someone to win that shouldn't...
Posted by: filipinos4houghs | April 14, 2008 1:13 AM
Does anyone think that Julianne voters will start supporting Shannon/Derek now that J. is gone?
Posted by: Nadia | April 14, 2008 2:57 PM
YES we will and also KRISTI....will you?
Posted by: filipinos4houghs | April 14, 2008 4:31 PM
How do we communicate to this show that the music they are dancing to is not correct? The Mambo, Rumba and Cha Cha should be done to proper music. Not to the Jitter-Bug or a slow dance, modern dance. Marilee got it right tonight. They need to perform to the real stuff. Fast, excitng Latin beats.
Posted by: joe | April 21, 2008 8:34 PM
We need more older women in the competition. How about someone like Goldie Hawn or Leslie Ann Warren? They are both in the "senior" category and would bring a whole new dimension to the competition.
Posted by: sandy in AZ | May 4, 2008 8:26 AM
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I have issues with Tom as the judge on Top Chef - I don't like that he gets a chance to interview the chefs in advance in the Tim Gunn type role, and then also be their judge. It is a conflict of interest, I also think he judges them on personality instead of the food. And the mushroom fiasco a few weeks ago was just ridiculous. they didn't serve them, he insisted on trying them anyway, and then docked them for it.