Well kids, this is it! It's been just over two months since this crazy season started and now it's all coming to an end. Who would be taking home the crown and who would go home in utter defeat? More importantly, who is being booted right away and settling for third place? I'm anticipating an interesting (yet long!) night ahead, so let's dive into it one last time!After a short interview with our finalists, Usher entered the ballroom and I shouted with glee. He's sexy and talented and he really hasn't had a song I haven't liked. Despite having a headset, I definitely think he wasn't singing his new hit song "Love in This Club" but that's really fine with me. It's a dancing show and if singing live would have made it hard for him to break it down at the end then he shouldn't have sang. I also think every performer on this show has lip-synched so this isn't abnormal. We've had some pretty great performances this year. Which was your favorite? Then the first big moment of the night arr...
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Monica Seles and Jonathan Roberts by Kelsey McNeal/ABC
He predicted it even before the dancing started. Magician Penn Jillette said that if you looked at the big picture, booking him for the show — and then booting him out first — wouldn't be a bad move for the producers of Dancing with the Stars. "I like a little bit of game theory," Jillette said in his first interview about the show. "The producers could have me on and say: 'We're booking Sasquatch and isn't that funny? And then when he loses, it'll be funny, too.'" But once he signed on the dotted line, Jillette committed himself fully. He got a trainer in Las Vegas that he calls "the Nazi. He's a very, very bad man." He dropped an astonishing 48 pounds before the show went on the air. He got special orthopedic shoes for feet that have been battered by his more than three decades in show business, starting with circus training. "The producers made me promise that I would try as hard as I could," he says.And he did. "He did his best," said his wife, Emily, after Tuesday...
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All the magic in the world couldn't keep Penn Jillette and Monica Seles in the competition. Good job, America. I wonder how long Adam Carolla will hang on? Marissa and him may be hanging on by the skin of their teeth. In the midst of the hour-long fluff that is the results show, I started thinking about what a colossal waste of time it is. Do I need two performances by the Jonas Brothers? Do I need to see people flying in mid-air? No, I don't. With the sixth installment under way, I must say this show is in need of a makeover. So let's get a discussion started: What do you want to see changed for next season of Dancing with the Stars? Maybe if we make enough noise, ABC will listen. Mmmm…not bloody likely. But at least we can say we tried! Here are a few of my suggestions:• Enough with the fluffThose two hour shows could easily be 90 or 60 minutes if they cut out the intro pieces before the contestants dance. Another option would be to considerably shorten them (do I need...
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Phew! Tonight was a marathon, not a sprint. As much as I love this show, 2 hours and all 12 competitors was a bit much for me. Luckily, there was nothing a good mambo couldn't fix. Raise your hand if you totally fantasize about being a competitor on this show. I do, I do! I always have the coolest dress, the best technique and a song that doesn't stink! Oh, and Maksim is my partner every time. Yeah, you know it!But enough about my delusions of grandeur, it's D-List casserole time. So get yourself a plate and I'll serve up some recap for ya! Mahoney — Could he be any cuter? Despite some major stiffness (hehe), he seemed to be enjoying himself. I hope he sticks around long enough to revive his career. ABC — get this man a pilot! Mambo 16Cristián — The military bit was ridiculous but his dancing was not. Thankfully, Cheryl has someone who can keep up with her this year.Quickstep 20Monica — It wasn't as big of a disaster as I thought, but it wasn't pretty eith...
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Heya, Matt here. The latest edition of the increasingly prolific Mitovich Mega Minute features my video Q&A with Dancing stars Steve Guttenberg and Monica Seles. Is Steve at an unfair advantage because of his past "experience" with the Village People? Will Monica's trademark grunts make their way onto the dance floor? And why are they picking on my dancing skills?! It's all in here. Enjoy! — Matt Webb Mitovich
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Bruno Tonioli by Kelsey McNeal/ABC
Judge Bruno Tonioli was in rare form Tuesday night. In an interview with TV Guide just moments after the show, he let loose on the male stars of Season 6, calling them "lazy bastards." Apart from R&B star Mario, Tonioli says he was not impressed by the quality of dancing on the season-opener. "I'm so relieved seeing the girls," says Tonioli, "because the boys needed a kick in the ass. Mario was the only one who really sparkled. The others? They were lazy bastards. Sorry, but it's true. They did the dances, but not enough. You're not going to get away with that on Dancing with the Stars. And if you try, we're going to go after you."This isn't the first time, of course, that the first dances of the season have been less than stellar.... The efforts of Master P., Kenny Mayne and Billy Ray Cyrus come to mind. So why is Tonioli so wound up this time? Maybe because now, Dancing is the No. 2 show in the land and we've grown to expect more. Maybe it's because on Tuesday night, the show ...
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Upon some reflection, I'd say the odds were in the women's favor tonight. With the exception of Mario, I didn't see a stand-out last night. Who would step-up? I wasn't so sure anyone would. Luckily, the ballroom gods had some surprises in store.Shannon Elizabeth — She has never-ending legs so she should continue to work that for some of the male vote because unless she improves, she may not be around long. Did anyone else know she's going to be 35 this year? So is Monica Seles! She looks so much younger than Monica. That's a darn shame. Cha-cha 21Monica Seles — She said she's best known for her power shot. The only thing I remember about her was the look on her face when some crazy person stabbed her in the back. Can you imagine? Literally stabbed in the back! Ok, it was the shoulder — but close enough! That must have been painful. You know what else was painful — that Pepto-Bismol pink dress she had on. Don't get me started on her dancing. All I'll say is she n...
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Monica Seles and Cristian de la Fuente by Bob D'Amico/ABC
As Dancing with the Stars' newbies get ready to dazzle on the dance floor — the hit reality competition returns Monday, March 17 — we've got a week-long guide to who's hoofing for Season 7. Check back each day for our profiles of more pairings. — Deborah Starr SeibelMonica SelesAge 34Best Known For Her nine Grand Slam tennis titles between 1990 and 1996 Lives In Sarasota, Florida Partner Jonathan Roberts Advantages During her career, Seles' extraordinary speed, footwork and stamina helped her become the No. 1 player in the world. Disadvantages "Monica is one of our more nervous contestants this year," says DWTS executive producer Conrad Green. "This is a huge departure for her." And she's got a bad left foot that effectively sidelined her tennis career. "I've had numerous injuries to that foot," she says. "That was one of my biggest worries."Cristián de la FuenteAge 34Best Known For Being a telenovela heartthrob who has also appeared on Ugly Betty and CSI: Miami ...
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Maksim Chmerkovskiy by John Sciulli/WireImage.com, Cristian de la Fuente by Bob D'Amico/ABC, Cheryl Burke by Craig Sjodin/ABC
He may be sitting on the sidelines this time around, but Maksim Chmerkovskiy hasn't removed himself entirely from the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars. Shortly after the new celebrity-pro pairings were revealed, the handsome hoofer shared with us his more-than-qualified take on some of the contenders. — Deborah Starr SeibelCristián de la Fuente and Cheryl BurkeWill things look pretty for the Ugly Betty star? "He’s a good-looking dude, and Latin, and has that swagger," says Maksim. "And [two-time champion] Cheryl knows how to do her thing, getting people to the finals." Jason Taylor and Edyta SliwinskaTackling the ballroom floor is nothing new for a Dancing star (see: Rice, Jerry and Smith, Emmett). "I really like Jason," says Maksim. "He and Edyta are going to do great together and make a beautiful couple."Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark BallasThe Olympic gold-medalist very well could have the mettle to go far in the competition. "This pairing is one of the bette...
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There's a Broadway star. An NFL bruiser. Elvis' ex. An Olympic gold medalist. And an Academy Award-winning actress who happens to be deaf. Oscar winner Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God) tops the list of names on the new dance card for ABC's Dancing with the Stars, and in doing so takes over from Heather Mills (an amputee) to become the most unlikely person ever to compete on the runaway hit series. Here is the rest of the lineup of hoofers. Season 6 kicks off March 17. — Deborah Starr Seibel Adam Carolla, 43, comedian/syndicated DJ | Pro partner: Julianne HoughCristian de la Fuente, 33, actor (Ugly Betty) | Pro partner: Cheryl BurkeShannon Elizabeth, 34, actress (American Pie) | Pro partner: Derek HoughSteve Guttenberg, 49, actor (Three Men and a Baby) | Pro partner: Anna TrebunskayaPenn Jillette, 52, illusionist | Pro partner: Kym JohnsonMario, 21, R&B singer | Pro partner: Karina SmirnoffMarlee Matlin, 42, actress | Pro partner: Newcomer Fabian SanchezPriscilla Pr...
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