TV Guide Author: deborah.starr.seibel

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Lisa Rinna Brings Sexy Back!

It was one raunchy results night. Returning celeb Lisa Rinna, wearing a cut-down-to-there black sequined minidress, was about to perform a song-and-dance number from her upcoming Broadway stint as Roxie Hart in Chicago. In the commercial break, host Tom Bergeron turned to her and warned that she'd better keep her dress on. Rinna shot back, "Unless you want better ratings…. "  The crowd ate it up. And besides, it's hard to argue with Dancing's runaway sex appeal. Comedian Kathy Griffin, sitting ringside, was smitten with the show's new golden boy, Apolo Anton Ohno, who performed an encore of his pe

Wed, Apr 18, 2007

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Lisa Rinna Brings Sexy Back!

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Clyde Says, "I'm Out!"

Clyde Drexler thinks he's toast. "I'm out," says the NBA Hall of Famer, looking into his crystal ball and seeing his own elimination on Tuesday night's Dancing with the Stars results show. "I'm off the show. And if this isn't it, I'm gonna break a leg or something." One week after head judge Len Goodman read the celebrities the riot act about not practicing long enough and hard enough, the DWTS judges seemed in a lighter, more forgiving mood. But Drexler still managed to take significant body blows. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called him flat out, "the worst dancer in the competition." As a group, the judges seem dismayed that he's not improving and not more like a couple of supe

Tue, Apr 17, 2007

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Clyde Says, "I'm Out!"

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Drew Returns!

Surprise! Tuesday night was the first time that a former Dancing with the Stars champion returned to the parquet floor. When Drew Lachey suddenly leaped off the stage in the midst of the pro's country-western dance number, the crowd went crazy. There he was, picking up his freestyle routine and throwing Cheryl Burke around as if they'd never stopped the kind of shake-your-tail-feather moves that won them the Season 2 crown. Insiders say it's tough to get past winners like Kelly Monaco or Emmitt Smith back in their dance shoes because once a few weeks have passed — to say nothing of a few months or years — the flexibility, coordination and strength required to do these complicated dance routines is all but gone. The difference with Lachey is that he just came off the Dancing with the Stars national tour, so his conditioning hadn't slipped. But Lachey aside, all the talk this night was about the women and how they're dropping like flies. Tal

Wed, Apr 11, 2007

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Drew Returns!

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Was Len Too Harsh?

If you thought head judge Len Goodman's tongue-lashing of the celebrity dancers tonight was scripted, think again. When he told them that they weren't rehearsing long or hard enough, it was his own opinion, something that had been building up in his mind since the performances last week. And it came from a place of genuine disappointment and frustration. "I just had a bad feeling," said Goodman right after the show. "So I looked at the DVD of last season, the fourth week. And then I looked at the DVD of this group three weeks in. And there was no comparison. There was no Emmitt Smith. There was no Joey Lawrence. No Mario Lopez. And I couldn't [figure] out why — because these people all hav

Tue, Apr 10, 2007

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Was Len Too Harsh?

Dancing with the Stars: The Results-show Backstage Recap

It's a shame the cameras weren't rolling: During one commercial break for Tuesday night's Dancing with the Stars, Billy Ray Cyrus bounded up into the bleachers to sing to a lovely, gray-haired lady from Scotland who has a thing for the "Achy Breaky" star. Branded "most improved dancer" by judge Carrie Ann Inaba, it's as though Cyrus has finally dropped the shackles of his "two left feet" mentality and is ready to cut loose.    He's not the only one. What the television audience doesn't get to see is that members of the studio audience are asked — before the show and during commercial breaks — to get up and shake their groove thing. Doesn't matter if you're 18 or 88, any kind of movement goes. And with the sound system blasting bass-hea

Wed, Apr 4, 2007

Dancing with the Stars: The Results-show Backstage Recap

Dancing with the Stars: All the Latest Backstage Buzz!

It was a night of such passion and enthusiasm at this Monday's Dancing with the Stars that women were losing their jewels. In the audience, a woman named Becky from Fillmore, California, was clapping so hard that her $30,000 diamond solitaire flew out of its setting — a scary moment until another audience member retrieved the precious stone. On the dance floor, fiery pro Eydta Sliwinska felt jewelry coming loose, too. As she snapped her head sharply back and forth doing the tango with John Ratzenberger, the fake diamonds adorning the back of her bun became more like dangling earrings, flying around her head as they separated from her hair. Tango, it seems, can make everything — and everyone — bust loose, bringing out th

Tue, Apr 3, 2007

Dancing with the Stars: All the Latest Backstage Buzz!

Dancing with the Stars: This Week's Backstage Buzz!

At Monday night's Dancing with the Stars, the fun began even before the big band blasted its first notes. But to get the whole picture, you need to understand a few logistics: ABC's Dancing is shot live at CBS Television City (which rents out its popular Los Angeles sound studios) and in the very same building as Fox's American Idol. What that means is that in the corridors, washrooms and elevators, stars can collide.  Which they did, tonight, when Idol's beat-boxing contestant Blake Lewis stepped out of an elevator, only to be greeted by Dancing pro Tony Dovolani. "Hey, man, how're you doing?" asked Dovolani. Dovolani congratulated Lewis on la

Tue, Mar 27, 2007

Dancing with the Stars: This Week's Backstage Buzz!

Dancing with the Stars: Your Inside Guide to Season 4!

Who's the youngest? The most surprisingly fit? The tallest toe-tapper in the show's history? As the Monday, 8 pm/ET premiere of the new season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars nears, TV Guide invites you to step right up and meet the new line of celebrity hoofers. Billy Ray Cyrus, 45Best known for: His country-music career and playing Dad on Disney's Hannah MontanaLives in: Los Angeles and NashvilleDancing for: daughter Noah, who told her first-grade teacher that Daddy was "scared" to sign on for DWTS. "The teacher told my little girl to go home and tell me, ‘Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game,'" he says.Partner: Last season's runner-up,

Fri, Mar 16, 2007

Dancing with the Stars: Your Inside Guide to Season 4!

Idol Alum Katharine McPhee: "I Have a Bit of a Wild Streak"

In a candid Q&A, American Idol sweetheart Katharine McPhee opens up to TV Guide about her surprising debut CD, her battle with bulimia and what Simon said to make her cry. TV Guide: How did being on American Idol change you? Katharine McPhee: When you're in that [competitive] place, everything you hear affects you because you're already so sensitive and stressed and tired and overworked. When people ask me, "How was the experience?" my first reaction is always negative, which is not right of me. I think I'll look back at this 40 or 50 years from now, and it'll be like, "Wow, I was part of history." TV Guide: What was the hardest part? McPhee: I think those Idol forums — like A

Wed, Feb 7, 2007

Idol Alum Katharine McPhee: "I Have a Bit of a Wild Streak"

Why Paget Brewster Simply Had to Join Criminal Minds

As Gideon's squad of serial crime fighters adds sexy Paget Brewster to their ranks, TV Guide debriefs the former Mrs. Huff on what exactly her Criminal Minds (Wednesdays at 9 pm/ET) mission entails. (Psst... it apparently involves "fancy footwork" with the boss.) TV Guide: What convinced you to sign up for Criminal Minds?Paget Brewster: I was in New Orleans shooting a movie, and I called my agent and said, "I've been doing my laundry in hotel bathtubs for three months, and I'm lonely. I haven't seen my family or friends. I want to be on a TV show — I want to be home at five." He called a week later and said, "Would you meet with Criminal Minds?" TV Guide: So it must have gone well.B

Wed, Dec 20, 2006

Why Paget Brewster Simply Had to Join Criminal Minds

Mario Lopez Discusses Dancing with the Stars, Eva and More!

In this candid TV Guide Q&A, Super Mario — Dancing with the Stars stud Mario Lopez, that is — sounds off about the judges, his "relationship" with Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria, and... Oprah? (ABC's Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 pm/ET.) TV Guide: You turned down the show last season. What changed your mind? Lopez: My mom kept bugging me to do it, and I wanted to make her happy. When she found out that I was going to be on, she freaked out. And when I found out what it entailed, I freaked out! [Laug

Wed, Nov 1, 2006

Mario Lopez Discusses Dancing with the Stars, Eva and More!

Criminal Minds: Burning Questions Answered!

Call it Stealth Television. Last season, CBS' Criminal Minds (Wednesdays at 9 pm/ET) simmered just below pop culture's boiling point. Now a solid hit, the show's true-to-life stories of the FBI's hunt for serial killers, rapists, arsonists and terrorists frighten — and fascinate — millions of loyal fans. Many of whom may be harboring such questions as: Is there a real Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) at the FBI? Yes, it is considered an elite team of agent profilers. "Of the 12,000 FBI agents," says star Mandy Patinkin, "only 26 are in the BAU." What led series creator Ed Bernero to want to write about this subject? He's a former Chicago cop whose 10 years

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

Criminal Minds: Burning Questions Answered!

Think You Can Dance: Burning Questions!

What makes So You Think You Can Dance's Nigel Lythgoe so mean? Why can't a break-dancer catch a break? TV Guide presents a step-by-step guide to American Idol's sister show. Fox's So You Think You Can Dance (Wednesdays at 8 pm/ET and Thursdays at 9 pm/ET) started the day after American Idol ended. Why the rush? Producers wanted to capitalize on Idol's tidal wave of momentum to launch Dance's second season. A solid performer in Season 1, Dance's summer audience — eight million last season, 10 million now — still doesn't compare with the 30-plus million who regularly watched Idol. Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of b

Thu, Jul 6, 2006

Think You Can Dance: Burning Questions!

What makes So You Think You Can Dance's Nigel Lythgoe so mean? Why can't a break-dancer catch a break? TV Guide presents a step-by-step guide to American Idol's sister show. Fox's So You Think You Can Dance (Wednesdays at 8 pm/ET and Thursdays at 9 pm/ET) started the day after American Idol ended. Why the rush? Producers wanted to capitalize on Idol's tidal wave of momentum to launch Dance's second season. A solid performer in Season 1, Dance's summer audience — eight million last season, 10 million now — still doesn't compare with the 30-plus million who regularly watched Idol. Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of b

Wed, Jul 5, 2006

Survivor: Panama's Secrets Revealed!

Are the exiled really alone on CBS' Survivor: Panama — Exile Island? And how much does host Jeff Probst know before tribal council? TV Guide scavenges for the answers to those questions and more, unearthing along the way an immunity-idol twist that you did not see coming. A big deal was made in the promotion of the banishment to Exile Island as this season's new twist. Why do they show so little of what happens there?"The notion of Exile Island was to remove someone socially as well as physically from the game," says Probst. "But there's simply not enough time, and you would see the same thing over and over: People hungry, sitting in the rain and trying to figure out how many more hours

Wed, Apr 26, 2006

You Gotta Love Chris' Rockin' Parents

Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold are as funny and direct with each other as their characters Julius and Rochelle are on UPN's Everybody Hates Chris (Thursdays at 8 pm/ET). While the first-year comedy was filming the spring's final episodes, the actors sat for a playful, and sometimes painfully honest, chat about the intersection of their real and TV lives. TV Guide: Has success changed things for you?Terry Crews: I literally don't go anywhere without someone knowing who I am, loving the show. I have to think about whether I can go to the mall. TV Guide: Did you anticipate it being a hit?Tichina Arnold: The show just felt right, even before it aired. When we did the pilot, going up the

Thu, Mar 23, 2006

Which Dancing Stars Are Hot... and Not?

Last week's second-season premiere of ABC's Dancing with the Stars (Thursdays at 8 pm/ET; results show on Friday at 8 pm/ET) saw a record number of viewers tune in — and ESPN talking head Kenny Mayne ushered out. Who of this year's remaining hoofers has what it takes to waltz their way to the top? TV Guide offers a roundup. Lisa Rinna & Louis van Amstel Ignoring her gut instinct, Rinna, 42, turned down the first season of Dancing with the Stars. Her agents — and hubby Harry Hamlin — worried that it was just another cheesy reality show. But when it debuted last June, "I wanted to kill myself! I thought it was brilliant," Rinna says. Now the self-professed "workout fiend" is getting a second chance. "My body is ready for this, but I'm tired mentally," she says. "The mental part is very hard

Thu, Jan 12, 2006

Which Dancing Stars Are Hot... and Not?

Last week's second-season premiere of ABC's Dancing with the Stars (Thursdays at 8 pm/ET; results show on Friday at 8 pm/ET) saw a record number of viewers tune in — and ESPN talking head Kenny Mayne ushered out. Who of this year's remaining hoofers has what it takes to waltz their way to the top? TV Guide offers a roundup. Lisa Rinna & Louis van Amstel Ignoring her gut instinct, Rinna, 42, turned down the first season of Dancing with the Stars. Her agents — and hubby Harry Hamlin — worried that it was just another cheesy reality show. But when it debuted last June, "I wanted to kill myself! I thought it was brilliant," Rinna says. Now the self-professed "workout fiend" is getting a second chance. "My body is ready for this, but I'm tired mentally," she says. "The mental part is very hard

Wed, Jan 11, 2006

Las Vegas Bets on "Golden" Guests

NBC's Las Vegas is coming down with Olympic fever. For tonight's episode (airing at 9 pm/ET), three top U.S. snowboarders — two of them 2002 gold medalists — will be the reigning celebrities at the show's Montecito Resort & Casino and star in a two-and-a-half-minute "minimovie" to promote the 2006 Winter Games at the end of the show. According to Olympics host NBC, the strategy of embedding hopefuls in a prime-time drama before the games is unprecedented. The idea came from Las Vegas creator and executive producer Gary Scott Thompson, who says he wanted to take advantage of his network's preparations for broadcasting the 2006 Games in Torino, Italy, beginning Feb. 10. "If NBC has the Olympics, then why can't we get some Olympians?" Thompson says.  

Mon, Jan 9, 2006

American Idol's Gender War

American Idol is getting older and wiser. For Season 4 of Fox's monster hit, some of the "kids" waiting in line to audition may be pushing 30. "We felt the process could withstand widening the age range," says executive producer Ken Warwick, who added four years to the previous upper limit of 24. After five weeks of audition shows in such cities as San Francisco, New Orleans and St. Louis, there will be three weeks of elimination rounds. But instead of what we've seen before — 32 finalists competing in four groups of eight — the producers have decided to cull 12 men and 12 women from the hundreds invited to Hollywood. For three weeks running, the women compete against each other one night and the men slug it out the other, with a results show the third night. In the end, the show is left with 12 finalists: six men and six women. Why? "Last year," Warwick says, "we were a bit embarrassed. We had loads of girls go through [remember t

Wed, Jan 5, 2005