Monday, January 16, 2006

Dancing with the Stars 2006


The first edition of Dancing with the Stars was a guilty pleasure of sorts…engaging enough as these “reality” show things go…but after the suspect awarding of the championship at the end of the series I wasn’t sure if I would bother with the new edition.

But I decided to give it a chance and, thus far, it’s a harmlessly entertaining way to spend an hour or so on Thursday nights. The same hypercritical (they don’t seem to understand that they are watching novices who have had a week to learn a routine and not seasoned professional dancers who will hit every move with perfection), pompous judges are back …but this year their votes are only half on the competitors’ scores (the public gets to vote to make the other half of the score.) The unctuous Tom Bergeron is back as co-host (with a different giggly co-host whose name escapes me.)

But then there are the dancers. The celebrities are mostly from the C-list again (though future Pro Football Hall of Fame member Jerry Rice and Academy Award winner Tatum O’Neal…yeah she won it when she was 12 but she won it just the same…lift the caliber of the group a bit) but they are, for the most part, quite game.

The most pleasant surprise is the incredibly graceful Stacy Keibler (above with her professional dance partner Dovolani.) Keibler is a professional wrestler (the 2004 “WWE Babe of the Year” who is, quite aptly, nicknamed “the Legs of the WWE”) and she is a wonder to behold.

Rice, Drew Lachey (late of the “boy band” 98 Degrees and brother of Jessica Simpson’s soon-to-be ex-husband, Nick…who has attended the shows to cheer his bro on), and TV reporter Giselle Fernandez are also among those who have worked hard not to embarrass themselves during the dancing.

And then there’s Master P (below with his professional dance partner Ashly DelGrosso.)

Rapper/Athlete (he played semi-pro Basketball last year)/Businessman P (for Percy) Miller gets props for stepping into the breach when his son, rapper/actor Romeo, got hurt and had to drop out. That gets him points as a good Dad but as a ballroom dancer…? Well, he’s a good Dad…

(I guess there must be some kind of campaign among the phone voters to keep P in the competition because his lead-footed performances and headstrong behavior certainly haven’t merited him making the cut during the first two weeks of the show.)

Dancing with the Stars was such a hit for ABC last summer that it has spawned its own Fox-TV rip off, Skating with Celebrities, which debuts this week. I guess these things are good for keeping C (and D list “stars” out of rehab and away from other unsavory ways of trying to get back into the spotlight if for nothing else.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know if it has the same spark this time around. I don't know, I'm not into the Bachelor this time around.

Tatum wasn't good but Master P didn't get the boot before her?

Seems fixed

Anonymous said...

Hi

Series four of the Australian Dancing With The Stars starts up again soon. I have to agree it is a passable way to spend an hour and I admire the contestants after watching the grueling workouts.

Here are two urls of our Dancing with the Stars if you are interested.

The below url brings up the page of the winning couple of the third series, who were also the winning couple of the Champion of Champions competition. There is also a photo of the couple who won the second series.

http://www.newidea.com.au/display.cfm?ObjectID=492AE684-1EAD-44BA-8898E8DADF1C9937

http://www.newidea.com.au/display.cfm?objectid=2771A4E6-B75A-4351-A164292DF34B685F&navid=A422F8EC-A40F-493F-835F3C2C9665D4C5

The above url brings up the page for whos competing for the fourth series.

Nice blog that you have there.

Amber :o)

Carolyn said...

Hi Michael :)

We've been watching this and I totally agree about Master P. Seems too odd he's still in there when the ones voted out are better. I'm kind of liking George Hamilton right now. He reminds of a 1940's character in his artistry. I hated Giselle was voted off last week. She was very good! :(

P.S. I still miss your writing but am linking here so I can find you faster :)

Carolyn said...

And finally.... Master P was dumped, lol!!

Unknown said...

Hurray!