An interesting article in The Guide, which states that the judges are the real stars of reality TV shows not the contestants. There is validity in this opinion.
The article has the judges from the major Australian reality TV shows discussing what they think the winning formula for a show is. Considering some judges currently have their heads on the chopping block think Dicko and Marcia if the ratings do not improve for Australian Idol this year getting the formula right is crucial.
Paul Mercurio from Dancing With The Stars is one judge who will be reflective when he reads this article, as he has been dumped from the show. Not that it will be any loss he and Mark basically blended into each other. However lets hope they don't replace him as three judges is enough the show drags on far too long.
Article from The Guide here.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Australian Idol - What happened to last years contestants?
With this years Australian Idol to start on the 24 August, it is time to look at what happened to last years contestants.
TV Week has kindly done the leg work for me:
Natalie Gauci - She won in 2007, however her The Winner's Journey was the first Idol debut not to make the top 10, and her single "Here I Am" was the first not to go to number one. Natalie has been writing songs and recording demo in LA and Europe, and is now back home preparing to record her next album. She remains signed with Sony BMG.
Matt Corby - Last years runner up did not sign on with a record label. Apparently he regrets his decision to even participate in the show, telling a Christian music website that doing Idol was "definitely not" worth the cost. " If you're really good enough.... you get there, " Matt said. His is still keen to chase his music career dreams, playing gigs around Sydney, headlining Christian music festivals, and writing and recording an indie EP.
I suspect he will fade into obscurity once the new heart throb teen comes along. Also really is he as talented as Bobbie Flynn - I think not.
Carl Riseley - He has landed a record deal with Universal Music Australia, his debut album The Rise peaked at number three on the charts, and he embarked on a tour of Australia with his big band. Carl is now living in Melbourne with his girlfriend Rachel, and recently filmed a guest appearance in the Disney Channel's As The Bell Rings.
Marty Simpson - The fourth place getter has been playing gigs and surf festivals along the east coast. Marty also wrote a song with Australian Crawl lead singer James Reyne, and has an album called Roots, Rock, Reggae due for release this summer. Expect to see him play on an elimination night.
Tarisai Vushe - After giving some great reality tv diva performances the Zimbabwean-born singer has returned to her African roots. She toured with the South African band Malaika and now fronts her own band, which was originally called Tarisai And The Tractors, but thankfully has now been renamed The Method.
Daniel Mifsud - He signed with Workstation Records, toured with Ricki-Lee Coulter and is working on an album and a TV pilot, which he's hoping to sell in America. "I actually started thinking about [the show] during Idol last year" he says. "It's reality-based , but not musical."
Mark Da Costa - The Christian rocker says he fell into old hapbits like drinking and partying after Idol. "My life became a bit of a mess, " he admits, "so I went back to church and met the woman of my dreams." Mark has decided to swap music for a career in real estate.
Ben McKenzie - My personal favourite. Ben says "[He] has made a huge transition from the 16 year old who auditioned to an 18 year old doing everything I possibly can,". He has a band called Baudelaire, made a film called Submerged and is now an in-demand photographer, but Ben denies he is a renaissance man. " There are only a few things I can do, everything else I am hopeless at."
Lana Krost - She has not done much since exiting from the show, she has posted her Idol performances on her my space site, and plans to add some original material as well.
Brianna Carpenter - She is back at Uni and has recorded an album called Harlequin, and recently filmed a clip for the single "Jacqueline", which she performed at her first audition.
Holly Weinart - The first to go, Holly sold the car she won on Idol to fund an EP by her band The Sellouts. They've since split up, but Holly has written material for her first solo album, set for release in March.
Jacob Butler - He has quit his job at JB Hi-Fi to sing fulltime. "I've been playing solo acoustic shows in Melbourne, " He also hopes to release an album with his band Betamax, next year.
As can be seen above you don't have to win Idol to further your muscial career. Lets hope this year is a cracker.
TV Week has kindly done the leg work for me:
Natalie Gauci - She won in 2007, however her The Winner's Journey was the first Idol debut not to make the top 10, and her single "Here I Am" was the first not to go to number one. Natalie has been writing songs and recording demo in LA and Europe, and is now back home preparing to record her next album. She remains signed with Sony BMG.
Matt Corby - Last years runner up did not sign on with a record label. Apparently he regrets his decision to even participate in the show, telling a Christian music website that doing Idol was "definitely not" worth the cost. " If you're really good enough.... you get there, " Matt said. His is still keen to chase his music career dreams, playing gigs around Sydney, headlining Christian music festivals, and writing and recording an indie EP.
I suspect he will fade into obscurity once the new heart throb teen comes along. Also really is he as talented as Bobbie Flynn - I think not.
Carl Riseley - He has landed a record deal with Universal Music Australia, his debut album The Rise peaked at number three on the charts, and he embarked on a tour of Australia with his big band. Carl is now living in Melbourne with his girlfriend Rachel, and recently filmed a guest appearance in the Disney Channel's As The Bell Rings.
Marty Simpson - The fourth place getter has been playing gigs and surf festivals along the east coast. Marty also wrote a song with Australian Crawl lead singer James Reyne, and has an album called Roots, Rock, Reggae due for release this summer. Expect to see him play on an elimination night.
Tarisai Vushe - After giving some great reality tv diva performances the Zimbabwean-born singer has returned to her African roots. She toured with the South African band Malaika and now fronts her own band, which was originally called Tarisai And The Tractors, but thankfully has now been renamed The Method.
Daniel Mifsud - He signed with Workstation Records, toured with Ricki-Lee Coulter and is working on an album and a TV pilot, which he's hoping to sell in America. "I actually started thinking about [the show] during Idol last year" he says. "It's reality-based , but not musical."
Mark Da Costa - The Christian rocker says he fell into old hapbits like drinking and partying after Idol. "My life became a bit of a mess, " he admits, "so I went back to church and met the woman of my dreams." Mark has decided to swap music for a career in real estate.
Ben McKenzie - My personal favourite. Ben says "[He] has made a huge transition from the 16 year old who auditioned to an 18 year old doing everything I possibly can,". He has a band called Baudelaire, made a film called Submerged and is now an in-demand photographer, but Ben denies he is a renaissance man. " There are only a few things I can do, everything else I am hopeless at."
Lana Krost - She has not done much since exiting from the show, she has posted her Idol performances on her my space site, and plans to add some original material as well.
Brianna Carpenter - She is back at Uni and has recorded an album called Harlequin, and recently filmed a clip for the single "Jacqueline", which she performed at her first audition.
Holly Weinart - The first to go, Holly sold the car she won on Idol to fund an EP by her band The Sellouts. They've since split up, but Holly has written material for her first solo album, set for release in March.
Jacob Butler - He has quit his job at JB Hi-Fi to sing fulltime. "I've been playing solo acoustic shows in Melbourne, " He also hopes to release an album with his band Betamax, next year.
As can be seen above you don't have to win Idol to further your muscial career. Lets hope this year is a cracker.
Pauline Hanson and reality TV - this is so wrong
I know in previous posts I have mentioned that I have liked it when reality tv and politics mix - however not in this case where it is being mooted that Channel 7 has approached Pauline Hanson to be on a reality tv show as a single women looking for love.
This is just so wrong. First we had Teri on Big Brother who won as a Pauline Hanson accolyte, and now we may have the woman herself on TV.
I have to hand it to Pauline she really can give lessons on how to milk what should have only been 15 minutes of fame.
Link to Daily Tele article here.
This is just so wrong. First we had Teri on Big Brother who won as a Pauline Hanson accolyte, and now we may have the woman herself on TV.
I have to hand it to Pauline she really can give lessons on how to milk what should have only been 15 minutes of fame.
Link to Daily Tele article here.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Project Runway Australia - Petrova needs to get down and kiss Helen Manuells butt in gratitude.
Last nights episode on the fabulously entertaining Project Runway Australia was riveting as the designers had to work with the already eliminated designers as their muses to designer a winter outfit that was white, structured and tailored. The big carrot however was the eliminated designer in the winning team would be allowed back into the competition.
The much maligned Helen Manuell (yes I know she has her painful moments) had to take her partner Petrova to task as she was trying to take over the design by pointing out she was the designer still in the competition and Petrova was to assist her. She quite rightly pointed out she was the designer still in the competition so if she was going to be eliminated it would be her mistake that would do it. Also Petrova got into a funk when Helen unpicked her sewing and redid it. She was right and it was something Julie have heeded to by trying to satisfy the many whims of her partner Deb which almost saw her eliminated.
Anyway Helen designed a funky suit which matched the brief perfectly and Petrova is now back in the competition. I hope she gave Helen a big thank you.
This week TV Week had an interview with Helen Manuell which queried whether she was the new queen of mean taking over from Omarosa from The Apprentice. However Helen strikes back.
She states that she was presented as a diva. "Rightly or wrongly, I don't know, but at the end of the day, if the others can't do their stuff... well, of course they've got to blame someone. They've blamed me and I have to be honest - I'm getting a little sick of it."
On the suggestion she acted like a martyr by helping people finish their pieces she responded "I choose to help people. They can see me however they want. Maybe it's their shortcomings that make them see me as a martyr, but I didn't see myself as one. It's pretty black and white - if I want to help, I will."
Her response to why she rubs people the wrong way. "I'm larger then life and I say it how it is. If people don't like it, well, go and crawl back into bed. I've had a lot of diversity in my life, and if I don't trust my instincts at my age, I may as well not be there. Everyone else is stressing and I don't stress. If they see that as my shortcoming, good luck to them."
She was asked how she felt when people on the show saying they could not stand her. "I was surprised that there was that level of... that people didn't actually like me. And you think, "How much can you help people? Why not like people just because they're good at their job?" I did my job, I did what I was there for."
On the most hurtful things that were said on the show - "I know Leigh said quite a few things, and so did Juli and Brent, but they warned me things had been said. Leigh's "beached whale" comment in the second episode - he was mortified he said it. He told me it was tongue in cheek and I said, "It's OK love - if you didn't say it, I would be the first one to say it."
On the accusations she was a name dropper in the Brownlow Medal challenge - " It's all in the editing. I knew when I started doing the show I would be portrayed as the arrogant bitch, but it's a TV show and I was cast as a character. [The producers] knew my skin would be thick enough to cope with whatever dirt was thrown at me.
Helen is glad she did the show and would do it again but would go harder. "Go hard or go home! I'd be really catty. KNowing what I know now, I would give them so much more."
She will be at the finale and she is looking forward to it. "It'll be interesting. There'll be a few people who are a little sheepish. The fur will fly at the finale."
Villain or victim you decide.
The much maligned Helen Manuell (yes I know she has her painful moments) had to take her partner Petrova to task as she was trying to take over the design by pointing out she was the designer still in the competition and Petrova was to assist her. She quite rightly pointed out she was the designer still in the competition so if she was going to be eliminated it would be her mistake that would do it. Also Petrova got into a funk when Helen unpicked her sewing and redid it. She was right and it was something Julie have heeded to by trying to satisfy the many whims of her partner Deb which almost saw her eliminated.
Anyway Helen designed a funky suit which matched the brief perfectly and Petrova is now back in the competition. I hope she gave Helen a big thank you.
This week TV Week had an interview with Helen Manuell which queried whether she was the new queen of mean taking over from Omarosa from The Apprentice. However Helen strikes back.
She states that she was presented as a diva. "Rightly or wrongly, I don't know, but at the end of the day, if the others can't do their stuff... well, of course they've got to blame someone. They've blamed me and I have to be honest - I'm getting a little sick of it."
On the suggestion she acted like a martyr by helping people finish their pieces she responded "I choose to help people. They can see me however they want. Maybe it's their shortcomings that make them see me as a martyr, but I didn't see myself as one. It's pretty black and white - if I want to help, I will."
Her response to why she rubs people the wrong way. "I'm larger then life and I say it how it is. If people don't like it, well, go and crawl back into bed. I've had a lot of diversity in my life, and if I don't trust my instincts at my age, I may as well not be there. Everyone else is stressing and I don't stress. If they see that as my shortcoming, good luck to them."
She was asked how she felt when people on the show saying they could not stand her. "I was surprised that there was that level of... that people didn't actually like me. And you think, "How much can you help people? Why not like people just because they're good at their job?" I did my job, I did what I was there for."
On the most hurtful things that were said on the show - "I know Leigh said quite a few things, and so did Juli and Brent, but they warned me things had been said. Leigh's "beached whale" comment in the second episode - he was mortified he said it. He told me it was tongue in cheek and I said, "It's OK love - if you didn't say it, I would be the first one to say it."
On the accusations she was a name dropper in the Brownlow Medal challenge - " It's all in the editing. I knew when I started doing the show I would be portrayed as the arrogant bitch, but it's a TV show and I was cast as a character. [The producers] knew my skin would be thick enough to cope with whatever dirt was thrown at me.
Helen is glad she did the show and would do it again but would go harder. "Go hard or go home! I'd be really catty. KNowing what I know now, I would give them so much more."
She will be at the finale and she is looking forward to it. "It'll be interesting. There'll be a few people who are a little sheepish. The fur will fly at the finale."
Villain or victim you decide.
Farmer Wants A Wife Wrap Up
The fallout from Series two of Farmer Wants a Wife continues she with the lethal tongue Stephanie (you remember the stomach churning kiss) who was hoping Brown Brothers farmer Nick would knock her her door, wants an apology from him.
The very eligible bachelor Nick sprung the surprise twist of the series when he picked 19 year Kristy over 22 year old Stephanie who in the previous episodes it had been edited to look like they were developing a romance.
Nick said in an interview that he thought Steph was more after his money rather then him. Stephanie who probably has a bruised ego is insulted by this and is demanding an apology from him. I doubt he will give it - but for the girls out there who liked Nick it is time to go for a wine tasting at the winery, as apparently his relationship with Kristy is now kaput as she is back with her ex. Though Nick has expressed an interest in Natasha one of the girls from the group date.
This years series was successful with Rob and Jo now living together and marriage on the cards. But also Ben and Sarah are just about shacked up and serious and virtually living together down at the Jamberoo dairy farm. Sarah reveals in this week TV Week that she is thinking of moving down there in a couple of months. She did not reveal whether she has been getting up to participate in the early morning milking sessions.
Howie the most boring farmer of the series is still single. The local girl Bron he dated after he told the two girls he picked to go on the farm that he was not interested is now not on. "We sort of cooled things off soon after the final catch-up, "Howie said. Also he said there was an advantage of being on the show as he is now recognised so it's is something to talk about. God knows he needs a good conversation opener as he does lack personality.
Michael the dopey but good looking sheep farmer has kept in contact with Simone since they finished filming, however there is no romance. Simone on the show told him that she was not interested in a relationship with him and he had looked disappointed or maybe embarrassed. As who really wants to be 'dumped' on national tv. He said that he wishes he had spent longer looking through the applications, "maybe taking a bit more time to really think about which girl was going to be more compatible". He is also putting out a call to the women who weren't in his initial top 10. "They can still contact me and we can go from there, hopefully."
Psycho James is still single - surprise surprise. I still don't get why Toni was into him, I suppose a clanging biological clock can do that to you. Apparently she has been phoning him but he has not been answering her calls. He said "I don't really want to listen to the whingeing and whining,"
Since the show James has had one letter from a woman interested in him - is she insane? But he has not followed it up. "The girl that did contact me... oh my god, I must have been a bad man in a previous life, fair dinkum!" I still don't get why he rates himself such a catch. He is a not very good looking egocentric semi-invalid who does not know the meaning of the word compromise. I don't expect him to hear wedding bells anytime soon.
The very eligible bachelor Nick sprung the surprise twist of the series when he picked 19 year Kristy over 22 year old Stephanie who in the previous episodes it had been edited to look like they were developing a romance.
Nick said in an interview that he thought Steph was more after his money rather then him. Stephanie who probably has a bruised ego is insulted by this and is demanding an apology from him. I doubt he will give it - but for the girls out there who liked Nick it is time to go for a wine tasting at the winery, as apparently his relationship with Kristy is now kaput as she is back with her ex. Though Nick has expressed an interest in Natasha one of the girls from the group date.
This years series was successful with Rob and Jo now living together and marriage on the cards. But also Ben and Sarah are just about shacked up and serious and virtually living together down at the Jamberoo dairy farm. Sarah reveals in this week TV Week that she is thinking of moving down there in a couple of months. She did not reveal whether she has been getting up to participate in the early morning milking sessions.
Howie the most boring farmer of the series is still single. The local girl Bron he dated after he told the two girls he picked to go on the farm that he was not interested is now not on. "We sort of cooled things off soon after the final catch-up, "Howie said. Also he said there was an advantage of being on the show as he is now recognised so it's is something to talk about. God knows he needs a good conversation opener as he does lack personality.
Michael the dopey but good looking sheep farmer has kept in contact with Simone since they finished filming, however there is no romance. Simone on the show told him that she was not interested in a relationship with him and he had looked disappointed or maybe embarrassed. As who really wants to be 'dumped' on national tv. He said that he wishes he had spent longer looking through the applications, "maybe taking a bit more time to really think about which girl was going to be more compatible". He is also putting out a call to the women who weren't in his initial top 10. "They can still contact me and we can go from there, hopefully."
Psycho James is still single - surprise surprise. I still don't get why Toni was into him, I suppose a clanging biological clock can do that to you. Apparently she has been phoning him but he has not been answering her calls. He said "I don't really want to listen to the whingeing and whining,"
Since the show James has had one letter from a woman interested in him - is she insane? But he has not followed it up. "The girl that did contact me... oh my god, I must have been a bad man in a previous life, fair dinkum!" I still don't get why he rates himself such a catch. He is a not very good looking egocentric semi-invalid who does not know the meaning of the word compromise. I don't expect him to hear wedding bells anytime soon.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance - And Now There Were 18
Are the Pussycat Dolls the human equivalent of Bratz Dolls? They both a popular and of dubious merit and tweens are there only fans. Any way we are not here to debate popular culture I am sure other blogs do that much more articulately then me.
Tonight the bottom three were Jessica and Will, Courtney, and Matt, and Raven and Jamie.
Nigel was not happy that Jessica and Will were in the bottom three, and castigated the voters.
Raven the eldest of the competitors who said she had never danced professionally was eliminated, as was her partner Jamie.
Tonight the bottom three were Jessica and Will, Courtney, and Matt, and Raven and Jamie.
Nigel was not happy that Jessica and Will were in the bottom three, and castigated the voters.
Raven the eldest of the competitors who said she had never danced professionally was eliminated, as was her partner Jamie.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance - Season 4 - Top 20
To get into this years top 20 in the US version of So You Think You Can Dance you clearly had to have a strange and unusual name - Marquis, Kherington, and Rayven just to name a few, and they weren't even the hip hop dancers.
It was good to see that Nigel had had his haircut for the beginning of the competition as he was looking a little unpolished for the auditions and Las Vegas week. Also he seems to have got his fake tan going. Mary Murphy and Dan Karaty were the other judges, and what a refreshing change they make from the blandness of the Australian judges.
It was time to meet the couples that would be stuck together for the next few weeks, if they weren't eliminated of course.
Rayven and Jamie
Rayven (is this name real?) a 28 year old ballet dancer, and Jamie who is a west coast swing dancer had to tackle hip hop first both outside their genres. How would they cope? It was more a saccharin hip hop routine then the boy in the 'hood style choreographed by two new choreographers to the show Napoleon and Tabitha. It was not the most exciting hip hop routine I have seen, and by the end of the show I suspect I would have forgotten it.
Nigel said that he liked the "soften" up style and he also wondered if the routine would be memorable. Clearly we are on the same wave length which I find vaguely disturbing.
Mary whipped up the crowd up and called it cotton candy hip hop.
Dan Karaty thought it was "not quite there" and "there was no funk" was he being hypercritical because he is a hip hop choreographer who has not been given much choreography gigs on this show?
Susie and Marquis
How did Susie the high school teacher get to the top 20 from her audition I would not have sent her to Vegas. Maybe she is an all rounder as well as a ballroom dancer. Marquis is a contemporary dancer. They were doing a smooth waltz - would this be the kiss of death for them, this is never popular with the voters.
Awkward would be one adjective to describe it - the only excitement was when I thought he was going to drop her. Also not sure the pink hair went with the blue dress. I think we need to see them in another routine to see if they have any charisma.
Nigel (who appears to be going first this year on the judging panel - is there a reason for this?) said it was difficult choreography from Hunter, but yes Nigel the viewers can tell when someone butchers a lift. He said he liked it. Nigel and I are now not on the same wavelength.
Mary thought they pulled it off and they blew her away.
Dan thought he was watching an almost perfect ending to a love story. He loved it.
Kourtni Lynn and Matt
Kourtni a contemporary dancer who I think will easily make it to the top ten, is partnered with Matt another contemporary dancer should be a strong team. They are doing a Mandy Moore jazz routine who I love.
She is so stuck in the eighties which I love - though sometimes I think if I hear Soft Cell's Tainted Love again I am going scream. However this pairing sizzled in their black leather.
Nigel said he needed more personality from Matt and for him to relax a bit more.
Mary thought they did a great job, but not the hot tamale train.
Dan thought it was a so so performance, but loved the choreography.
Chelsea Trail and Thayne
Chelsea T is a contemporary dancer as is her partner Thayne who has only been dancing for 6 year. They were to dance the cha cha to a Tony Meredith routine.
Chelsea showed she is a performer but I felt she could have wiggled her hips a bit more for the cha cha. With this routine they will be safe for another week.
Nigel said thought they were both terrific - he liked the hips and would have liked to have seen more footwork.
Mary gave them two tickets on the hot tamale train.
Dan said they owned the stage.
Chelsie Hightower and Mark
Chelsie and Mark who has a unique style which I liked will be interesting to watch. They were doing Mia Michaels contemporary dance. Mia criticised Mark in rehearsals and said he was not getting it. She was looking dubious about whether he could pull it off.
I loved it and liked Chelsie more then I thought I would and I was surprised she was a ballroomer. He was great, and Mia ended up giving him the thumbs up.
Nigel gushed over Mia, which of course she loved.
Mary thought it was a unbelievable in a good way.
Dan said what an experience it must be to go someplace in Mia Michaels head. He thought it was amazing.
Twitch and Kherington
Twitch is a hip Hopper who got knocked out of Vegas last year by the wonderful Hok is partnering contemporary jazz dancer Kherington. They were doing a Tyce D'Orio broadway routine.
Sensational the only person who would have hated it would be the stage hand who would have to sweep up the red feathers she was shedding all over the stage.
Nigel thought Kherington looked fab and danced well, and he thought Twitch looked like a Broadway dancer.
Mary loved it as did Dan.
Comfort and Chris
Comfort is a hip hop dancer, has a big personality so hopefully will make up for Chris's lack of it. They are doing the jive to be choreographed by Tony Meredith. She is going to be popular.
I loved the beginning of the routine when they did there little solos under spotlights. Comfort was perturbed about dancing in "bra and beads"
Nigel said Chris's technique better and told Comfort needed to bend her knees a bit more, but she needs to get used to heels.
Mary said Comfort had "what it takes", and thought it was "a respectable job"
Dan thought Chris did a wonderful job keeping up with Comfort. They need to develop a chemistry together.
Katee and Joshua
Katee a contemporary dancer and Joshua a hip hop dancer were dancing a hip hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha.
It was meant to be a routine about his last night before he went off to war. Joshua was always going to rock this routine but how good was Katee she was a surprise package for me. I really liked it.
Nigel thought it was really good, and he raved about Napoleon and Tabitha, and he said it was his fave routine of the night.
Mary thought it was tremendous also she loved it as she has a loved one in Iraq. Onto to Dan who also has a brother in the armed forces remember the Wade Robson peace routine which Dan complained about??? No more Wade this year after that (his choice he didn't need that crap). However Dan did not mention it but said he thought they were great.
Jessica and Will
Jessica a contemporary dancer, and Will also a contemporary dancer who was mentored by Denise Allen will be dancing the tango choreographed by Hunter Johnson.
Not the sexiest or sultriest of tango's I have ever seen but I hope they stay on as I would like to see them do something else.
Nigel said thought they looked professional and thought they coped well with the choreography. He told Jessica "she needed to hold position".
Mary said it was "strong, passionate and on fire", and thought "Will owned it", and thought they were the couple to beat. Not sure I agreed with that.
Dan said they were hot like fire.
Courtney Galliano and Gev
Courtney is a contemporary and hip hop dancer Gev were dancing a Doriano Sanchez disco routine. Is she a former Solid Gold dancer? Why don't they show reruns of Solid Gold on pay tv.
Disco can always trip up the unwary. It reminded me of a scene from Saturday Night Fever. It was not perfect but I liked it. Courtney needed to learn to keep her mouth closed.
Nigel however did not like it. He thought there was "no get down and boogie feel". He showed his age when he said Earth, Wind and Fire wants everyone to get up a boogie.
Mary did love it, and said they danced it better then Saturday Night Fever.
Dan enjoyed it, but not the best disco he had seen.
I think the bottom three will be Susie and Marquis, Rayven and Jamie and Will and Jessica.
It was good to see that Nigel had had his haircut for the beginning of the competition as he was looking a little unpolished for the auditions and Las Vegas week. Also he seems to have got his fake tan going. Mary Murphy and Dan Karaty were the other judges, and what a refreshing change they make from the blandness of the Australian judges.
It was time to meet the couples that would be stuck together for the next few weeks, if they weren't eliminated of course.
Rayven and Jamie
Rayven (is this name real?) a 28 year old ballet dancer, and Jamie who is a west coast swing dancer had to tackle hip hop first both outside their genres. How would they cope? It was more a saccharin hip hop routine then the boy in the 'hood style choreographed by two new choreographers to the show Napoleon and Tabitha. It was not the most exciting hip hop routine I have seen, and by the end of the show I suspect I would have forgotten it.
Nigel said that he liked the "soften" up style and he also wondered if the routine would be memorable. Clearly we are on the same wave length which I find vaguely disturbing.
Mary whipped up the crowd up and called it cotton candy hip hop.
Dan Karaty thought it was "not quite there" and "there was no funk" was he being hypercritical because he is a hip hop choreographer who has not been given much choreography gigs on this show?
Susie and Marquis
How did Susie the high school teacher get to the top 20 from her audition I would not have sent her to Vegas. Maybe she is an all rounder as well as a ballroom dancer. Marquis is a contemporary dancer. They were doing a smooth waltz - would this be the kiss of death for them, this is never popular with the voters.
Awkward would be one adjective to describe it - the only excitement was when I thought he was going to drop her. Also not sure the pink hair went with the blue dress. I think we need to see them in another routine to see if they have any charisma.
Nigel (who appears to be going first this year on the judging panel - is there a reason for this?) said it was difficult choreography from Hunter, but yes Nigel the viewers can tell when someone butchers a lift. He said he liked it. Nigel and I are now not on the same wavelength.
Mary thought they pulled it off and they blew her away.
Dan thought he was watching an almost perfect ending to a love story. He loved it.
Kourtni Lynn and Matt
Kourtni a contemporary dancer who I think will easily make it to the top ten, is partnered with Matt another contemporary dancer should be a strong team. They are doing a Mandy Moore jazz routine who I love.
She is so stuck in the eighties which I love - though sometimes I think if I hear Soft Cell's Tainted Love again I am going scream. However this pairing sizzled in their black leather.
Nigel said he needed more personality from Matt and for him to relax a bit more.
Mary thought they did a great job, but not the hot tamale train.
Dan thought it was a so so performance, but loved the choreography.
Chelsea Trail and Thayne
Chelsea T is a contemporary dancer as is her partner Thayne who has only been dancing for 6 year. They were to dance the cha cha to a Tony Meredith routine.
Chelsea showed she is a performer but I felt she could have wiggled her hips a bit more for the cha cha. With this routine they will be safe for another week.
Nigel said thought they were both terrific - he liked the hips and would have liked to have seen more footwork.
Mary gave them two tickets on the hot tamale train.
Dan said they owned the stage.
Chelsie Hightower and Mark
Chelsie and Mark who has a unique style which I liked will be interesting to watch. They were doing Mia Michaels contemporary dance. Mia criticised Mark in rehearsals and said he was not getting it. She was looking dubious about whether he could pull it off.
I loved it and liked Chelsie more then I thought I would and I was surprised she was a ballroomer. He was great, and Mia ended up giving him the thumbs up.
Nigel gushed over Mia, which of course she loved.
Mary thought it was a unbelievable in a good way.
Dan said what an experience it must be to go someplace in Mia Michaels head. He thought it was amazing.
Twitch and Kherington
Twitch is a hip Hopper who got knocked out of Vegas last year by the wonderful Hok is partnering contemporary jazz dancer Kherington. They were doing a Tyce D'Orio broadway routine.
Sensational the only person who would have hated it would be the stage hand who would have to sweep up the red feathers she was shedding all over the stage.
Nigel thought Kherington looked fab and danced well, and he thought Twitch looked like a Broadway dancer.
Mary loved it as did Dan.
Comfort and Chris
Comfort is a hip hop dancer, has a big personality so hopefully will make up for Chris's lack of it. They are doing the jive to be choreographed by Tony Meredith. She is going to be popular.
I loved the beginning of the routine when they did there little solos under spotlights. Comfort was perturbed about dancing in "bra and beads"
Nigel said Chris's technique better and told Comfort needed to bend her knees a bit more, but she needs to get used to heels.
Mary said Comfort had "what it takes", and thought it was "a respectable job"
Dan thought Chris did a wonderful job keeping up with Comfort. They need to develop a chemistry together.
Katee and Joshua
Katee a contemporary dancer and Joshua a hip hop dancer were dancing a hip hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha.
It was meant to be a routine about his last night before he went off to war. Joshua was always going to rock this routine but how good was Katee she was a surprise package for me. I really liked it.
Nigel thought it was really good, and he raved about Napoleon and Tabitha, and he said it was his fave routine of the night.
Mary thought it was tremendous also she loved it as she has a loved one in Iraq. Onto to Dan who also has a brother in the armed forces remember the Wade Robson peace routine which Dan complained about??? No more Wade this year after that (his choice he didn't need that crap). However Dan did not mention it but said he thought they were great.
Jessica and Will
Jessica a contemporary dancer, and Will also a contemporary dancer who was mentored by Denise Allen will be dancing the tango choreographed by Hunter Johnson.
Not the sexiest or sultriest of tango's I have ever seen but I hope they stay on as I would like to see them do something else.
Nigel said thought they looked professional and thought they coped well with the choreography. He told Jessica "she needed to hold position".
Mary said it was "strong, passionate and on fire", and thought "Will owned it", and thought they were the couple to beat. Not sure I agreed with that.
Dan said they were hot like fire.
Courtney Galliano and Gev
Courtney is a contemporary and hip hop dancer Gev were dancing a Doriano Sanchez disco routine. Is she a former Solid Gold dancer? Why don't they show reruns of Solid Gold on pay tv.
Disco can always trip up the unwary. It reminded me of a scene from Saturday Night Fever. It was not perfect but I liked it. Courtney needed to learn to keep her mouth closed.
Nigel however did not like it. He thought there was "no get down and boogie feel". He showed his age when he said Earth, Wind and Fire wants everyone to get up a boogie.
Mary did love it, and said they danced it better then Saturday Night Fever.
Dan enjoyed it, but not the best disco he had seen.
I think the bottom three will be Susie and Marquis, Rayven and Jamie and Will and Jessica.
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