So You Think You Can Dance Thank...

So You Think You Can Dance
Thank the lord of the dance that they decided to condense the sentimental farewell to Allan and Snow into 15 minutes. Especially tonight, when I really just wanted to be watching the footwork over at Arthur Ashe stadium. But some of these couples made me totally forget I was missing the U.S. Open. Big Poppa's parting words put these competitions back into perspective: "There's so much tragedy in the world, at least I have a home to go back to." So let's get on with it:
Melissa and Artem: Artem's chest almost distracted from the fact that little Melissa did most of the work and rocked that pop routine. Then they both finally showed us what the quickstep is supposed to look like, and the Enrique Iglesias look-alike made us think he was Fred Astaire.
Kamilah and Nick: Sex bomb Kamilah was made for the tango. Nick was downright athletic in the pop dance. He'd totally beat Blake in a dance-off. (Um, why did Mia's puppy suddenly make a guest appearance?)
Melody and Ryan: Couldn't agree with Mia more: enough of Melody and that silly leg move where she shows us her crotch; she can do better! Ryan, meanwhile, showed that he's got no training beyond his (incredible) break moves, and he knows his minutes on the stage are numbered.
Jamile and Destini: Jamile's fourth time doing ballroom and second doing the impossible quickstep! The cards were stacked against them, even though that poppin'-and-lockin' second dance would have landed them a job on a video tomorrow. (And maybe it did?) After her solo, Destini's raw anger was kind of scary.
Ashle and Blake: I have a question for any ballroom experts out there: How was that samba? I didn't see a single shake of the hip. I'd like to see that lyrical dance again to something that doesn't include the words "Richard" and "Marx." But whatever, the judges are right, these are the dancers to beat.  Sabrina Rojas Weiss

Rock Star: INXS
I had a pretty random INXS moment yesterday afternoon when I was driving back from picking up the new Stones CD. Stopped at a light in front of me was a car with the following vanity plate: INXS-1. That is some serious devotion, isn't it? I wondered what they thought of the show and who was their favorite rocker. And I wondered if they were reading these recaps. I contemplated pulling up alongside them and yelling the Watercooler web address into their window, but realized that probably wouldn't be the best way to foster a writer-reader relationship.

Anyway, wasn't it wild finally to see INXS take the stage? Yes, they jammed a bit in the first episode, but this was a full-on performance of a new song called "Us." They even called up Dave Navarro to play with them. Sure, we all knew Dave would sit in, but it was still fun. Like when Alice Cooper used to lop off his head in a guillotine on stage. You knew it was preplanned, but it made you smile nonetheless. I'm not sure if enlisting the entire final five to sing with them was a good idea, though. To me, it sounded a bit disjointed unlike J.D.'s encore of his incredibly catchy original, "Pretty Vegas." Man, did he upstage his hosts or what? But apparently it wasn't enough to keep him out of the bottom three, where he joined Suzie and Jordis. Given J.D.'s ego, I don't think he was worried. And given Jordis' lack of one, he had no need to. Ultimately her missing confidence confirmed her departure leaving Suzie the last woman standing. And with that powerful voice and those vixen looks, I bet she has the final three guys shaking in their motorcycle boots. Joseph Hudak