Well, that answers one question: Cloris Leachman has more fans than Kim Kardashian. To be fair, of course, Cloris has been in 10 zillion movies and television shows, while Kim has only been in one reality series and a sex tape, so I suppose it's only natural that Cloris has more fans. Or maybe the AARP rigged the whole thing.
For this week's filler, Jessica Simpson performed two songs and wore a drapey one-shouldered dress. I hope she feels better off without that John Mayer, particularly after how he acted with Jennifer Aniston. I think the new country style is working well for Jessica, though it isn't my cup of tea. The only song I have room for in my brain is the "DWTS" theme song, which plays incessantly as I try to fall asleep.
The first Macy's Stars of Dance performance this season was a high-energy, high-concept number featuring a former Pussycat Doll and Jenna Dewan. The dancers wore outfits with glow-in-the-dark accessories, and there were some nice lighting effects as well. At the dance's conclusion, I had the urge to cry out, "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto!"
Tonight, we also learned that judges Bruno and Len film two nights of competition and results in the U.S. and then immediately jet off to London, where they do another two nights. And then they fly back to Los Angeles. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. Also, I don't like flying. But I do like going places. You see the conflict inherent in all of this. In addition, it was revealed that the "red room" -- i.e., the backstage area where Samantha Harris conducts her probing interviews -- is where Warren Sapp uses a portable fan to keep cool, Rocco DiSpirito obsessively checks his phone and Cloris keeps everyone on their toes since no one knows what she'll do next. And we get at least one more week of her, so tune in on Monday for the next round of dancing.
“The Biggest Loser” eliminations are always good for at least one lump-in-the-throat moment. But tonight’s was a downright tear-jerker.
Before we get to that, though, Heba and Ed are right, they’d better work hard to stay above that yellow line because they’ve both got bull's-eyes on their backs. The orange team won the temptation -– which earned them the right to stay in a swank, pimped-out RV while the rest of the contestants roughed it in tents and sleeping bags during a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Then, they won a swank, pimped-out RV during the challenge.
According to reports, die-hard "90210" fans can finally expect to see some hair-pulling between Brenda and Kelly. Maybe. Hopefully. Next week.
And, of course, the feud is still about Dylan. (Luke Perry, however, is not scheduled to return.)
Take a look back at some of television's most memorable catfights.
Here's how E!'s Kristin Dos Santos lays out tonight's episode, which will lay the foundation for next week's potential brawl:
We learn that Brenda has been keeping in close contact with twin brother Brandon and ex-boyfriend Dylan. In this ep, Brenda reveals some heretofore unknown details about Brandon's current whereabouts...But that's not all. Next week, that wayward Dylan finally phones home again. (He could learn a thing or two from E.T.) Apparently the call is to Brenda's phone, but both Brenda and Kelly end up talking to him, and after the fact, the two girls get into a "tense" convo (most likely because he calls Brenda's phone). Eek!
"Friday Night Lights"returns on Wednesday -- at least for some of us. The show will air at 9 p.m. on DirecTV's 101 Network, with its 13-episode third season not beginning on NBC until February. But whether you're watching now or are forced to wait until 2009, here's a preseason primer, one that was prepared after viewing Season 3's first two episodes.
1. On the subject of cliffhangers. When "Friday Night Lights" ended last spring, the strike-shortened season was far from resolved.
The basics: Would Tim (Taylor Kitsch) finally wear down Lyla (Minka Kelly)? Was Jason (Scott Porter) going to persuade his one-night-stand to forgo an abortion so he'd become a dad? Would Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) return to his near pro form after his suspension and begin his college football career? Would Landry (Jesse Plemons) and Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) actually last as a couple? Had Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) won back the town of Dillon after bolting -- briefly -- for a university coaching job in Austin? Does Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) have academic ambitions beyond being a guidance counselor and a volleyball coach? The show doesn't make its audience wait long for answers. In fact, most are given within the first 10-20 minutes, so come ready to watch. "Friday Night Lights" is on the offensive when it returns, and the surprises come quick.
2. Newcomers, don't be put off by the above paragraph! Yes, the series has two-seasons of deeply developed back stories for most of its characters, but Season 3 is a fresh start of sorts. Rather than an overwhelming montage of past clips, "Friday Night Lights" eases newcomers into the drama. Past developments are woven right into the narrative via an easy-to-follow news conference with Coach Taylor.
You know things are bad in the world when current events pierce even “DWTS's” pleasantly anodyne bubble. At the outset of this week’s competition, co-host Tom Bergeron referred to the bailout bill’s failure in Washington. What is this, “60 Minutes”? Another noteworthy thing about week two was the bold display of bosoms everywhere you looked -- holy moly. There must be someone in the costume department with a degree in structural engineering. And, finally, it is worth stating that the judges -- even Bruno, who’s usually a bit looser with the compliments, however odd the metaphors may be -- were afflicted by a malaise that caused them to deliver harsh (if not undeserved) feedback and low scores to many of our contestants. Perhaps they’d invested all of their money in Washington Mutual stock. (Speaking of WaMu -- RIP -- it still had commercials running during this episode.)
This week’s dances were the paso doble (yay!) and the rumba (boo!). As you may be aware, I find the paso doble to be enchanting and dramatic, whereas any rumba routine makes me feel as if I am watching a romance montage from a 1970s film. This caused me to wonder whether the rumba was actually invented in the 1970s, perhaps to soothe rattled nerves brought on by stagflation and Watergate. But, no, apparently the American version was developed in the early 20th century. So my impression must come from the fact that the rumba music on “DWTS” is always super-cheesy and the costumes and hair are straight out of “Charlie’s Angels” and “Three’s Company.” All right, I’ve made my point.
After the second week of competition, we now officially have some early leaders, stars who have distinguished themselves in all three dances so far: Brooke Burke, Warren Sapp, and Toni Braxton.
I'd say it's time to make those "Team Serena" and "Team Blair" T-shirts.
Ask any teenage girl -- or grown woman for that matter -- and she will tell you that jealousy is probably the leading cause of conflicts within female friendships (I'm sure there are statistics somewhere). That's why if you strip last night's "Gossip Girl" episode of its glitzy backdrops and dramatic foibles, you will have the makings of the show's most realistic storyline to date.
So much about the gradual dissolution of Blair and Serena's friendship rings true. Blair is the dominant friend for a reason -- she's neck deep in insecurity and exerting power over people gives her a sense of control. When her influence is threatened and her ego is bruised, her inadequacies move closer to the surface. Leighton Meester does such a brilliant job of conveying Blair's complexity; she's so tempered that her triumphant smirks are equally as fleeting as her pouts of powerlessness. Her frequent exhibits of self-absorption are relatable, but her moments of self-doubt are by far the most resonant.
Serena, while fully aware of her potential, was content to remain in the supporting role because she already shined in the eyes of her boyfriend, Dan. Now that Dan is out of the picture, Serena, as an act of self-preservation, must find another way to shine. Can you blame the girl? I cheered when she demanded that Blair "get over it" and be supportive. It's exactly what you'd say to the friend who's being a hater. I also liked the addition of new socialite BFF Poppy Lifton. Serena's single and ready to party -- she'd definitely try to meet more girlfriends to go out with. Poppy also sends that message to Blair that she could be replaced.
Speaking of BFFs, how much did you love the pairing of Chuck and Dan? Encouraged by his editor to live a more reckless life in order to spice up his writing, Dan naturally chose to shadow the guy he despises most. It turns out they actually have some things in common. They both have little to no friends and seemingly clear judgments about each other. They also struggle with similar dichotomies. Dan's actions haven't been as moral as his convictions would imply while Chuck's true motivations aren't as deeply rooted in evil as his actions would suggest. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when Chuck found out Dan's real reasons for befriending him -- I really wanted them to be buds!
And then there was Jenny, who at the end, dropped out of school to pursue a career in fashion. This clearly will not be the best idea for her, and if the producers are denying rumors of a spinoff involving Jenny being sent off to boarding school, then they need to steer this story away from that direction. So far, she's practically asking to be shipped off! Even Marc Jacobs couldn't expect to skip high school and go straight to Bryant Park. Once she's had her rise and her subsequent fall, I wonder if she'll have any other viable options but to move.
So whose side are you on: Team Serena or Team Blair? And do you think Jenny is destined for greatness or failure?
Don Conrad strikes again, leaving the budding romance between Doug and Stephanie in her wake. (It also looks like she's down another pal. The next won't be far behind.)
I still don't get it. Lauren dumped the guy. Which was for the best -- it's well-known that she really does have the worst tastein guys. And Stephanie, Doug was beneath you.
All this fuss. Over Doug. Over Doug-What-are-you-doing-tonight?-Reinhardt.
When all was revealed in last night's episode -- and by all, I mean the fact that Stephanie and Doug are the biggest scaredy cats in Beverly Hills -- one wondered why this was ever a big deal for Don Conrad? Yes, she doesn't like to be crossed. But let's back up a sec: Not only did Lauren dump Doug, she told Whitney that, indeed, he's not worth much. Certainly not her friendship with Stephanie. She's correct -- but then why grill Stephanie at all? (Because she's Don Conrad.)
Strikingly handsome, athletic, and intelligent, Doug Reinhardt is a gentleman with a strong drive for success in all aspects of his life. His sense of humor is contagious and his charm is breathtaking. Doug has always had strong morals and set his goals early in life.
(Yeah, and that's just the intro. There are four more paragraphs and a gallery full of glamour shots where that came from.) That intelligence and strict moral code of his were in fine form Monday night, when he continued to court Stephanie, make fun of her to Brody and deny ever dating her to Lauren -- all in one episode!
Of course, watching both Doug and Stephanie squirm after Lauren inexplicably demanded the truth about their relationship was somewhat understandable -- LC is scary -- but awful to watch. Especially when Stephanie, our favorite pot-stirrer, crumbled. Lauren's one thing, but succumbing to the taunts of Brody? Unacceptable.
(I couldn't tell if Lauren ended things with Steph right then and there, but fingers crossed that that wasn't a break-up stare.)
Speaking of unacceptable, what's up with Heidi's mom letting Spencer push her around?
And with that, Mama Petrelli Cristine Rose (whose sacrifice of poor Bridget was just plain mean) introduces a weird wrinkle into the Petrelli clan and the "Heroes" mythos. A wrinkle named Gabriel Sylar with a "hunger" for power that apparently even he can't control. He, and actor Zach Quinto, have now been set loose. We've never really gotten to see any side of Sylar other than murderous (except maybe with his other mom -- whom he killed), but with his call to duty, Zach can give him a bit more personality. Not sure if the sympathetic path and need for "structure" will work (I'm not buying it), but we'll still get to see more of him -- and that's a plus.
The Haitian's back! The Haitian's back! Love that guy. And that's about all there is to say about the meeting that he, Hiro, Ando and speedster Daphne have in the movie theater. The slapstick music and the line "It's villainy 101" were cool touches, but the scene did not move much story for its length, except to get Hiro and Ando thrown into a Company cell.
All I can say about the rumba is that I'm glad they paired it with the paso doble, since I like the paso doble. After tonight's round of competition and what seemed to be pervasive ill humor on the part of the judges, we again find Brooke Burke, Warren Sapp and Toni Braxton in the lead, with Cloris Leachman, Rocco DiSpirito and Kim Kardashian lagging.
I'll post a full report in the morning, but if you're itching to weigh in with your thoughts already, please do so!
I’d like to take this moment to publicly apologize for all the times I watched the contestants working out on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” and thought: I could do that.
I can’t.
The weight-loss reality show began shooting its seventh season outside Los Angeles last week. After a day-long press junket to introduce the new contestants, the media was invited to work out with the show’s trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels.
I jumped at the chance. I was a little concerned about the heat — it was over 100 degrees — but really, how hard could the workouts be if people who are 300 to 400-plus pounds can do them?
Well, that answers one question: Cloris Leachman has more fans than Kim Kardashian. To be fair, of course, Cloris has been in 10 zillion movies and television shows, while Kim has only been in one reality series and a sex tape, so I suppose it's only natural that Cloris has more fans. Or maybe the AARP rigged the whole thing. 
You know things are bad in the world when current events pierce even “DWTS's” pleasantly anodyne bubble. At the outset of this week’s competition, co-host Tom Bergeron referred to the bailout bill’s failure in Washington. What is this, “60 Minutes”? Another noteworthy thing about week two was the bold display of bosoms everywhere you looked -- holy moly. There must be someone in the costume department with a degree in structural engineering. And, finally, it is worth stating that the judges -- even Bruno, who’s usually a bit looser with the compliments, however odd the metaphors may be -- were afflicted by a malaise that caused them to deliver harsh (if not undeserved) feedback and low scores to many of our contestants. Perhaps they’d invested all of their money in Washington Mutual stock. (Speaking of WaMu -- RIP -- it still had commercials running during this episode.)
I'd say it's time to make those "Team Serena" and "Team Blair" T-shirts.
