Tuesday, Mar 20, 2012
12 Pairs Hit the Dance Floor
Just a quick recap from March 19th’s Season Premier…
William Levy, a famous Latin star, and Cheryl Burke were met with the audience’s seemingly never ending applause. Apparently, the ladies find this man so gorgeous that his dancing is secondary to the eye-candy. Carrie Ann Inaba and Cheryl Burke both “thanked” ABC for their jobs just for the mere fact that they get to watch William dance. For me, all a bit over-rated. He was fine, but nothing for me to drool over.
Sherri Sheppard and Val Chmerkovskiy had a joyous and fun filled Fox Trot that brought smiles to the judges faces. They scored well for their performance, although I felt their technical skills were lacking. She seems to be a delightful person and I can see her staying around for a few episodes.
My children know who Roshon Fegan is even though I do not. He’s a break-dancing star from The Disney Channel who is obviously is a really great street-dancer. He and Chelsie Hightower did a great job with their Cha Cha Cha and I can see Roshon continuing to do well over the next several episodes.
Gavin DeGraw and Karina Smirnoff had a lovely Fox Trot which obtained minimalist scores with the judges. I think his personality is adorable, but don’t see him as a long-timer on the program.
Jack Wagner and Anna Trebunskaya had a delightful Fox Trot which took us back to the older days. Jack has been a leading man in many shows and soap operas. I can see him sticking around for many episodes and believe that his dancing showed promise last night.
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough started off the show with an average Cha Cha. She seems to have a dynamic personality and is motivated to work hard to remain on the show. They didn’t dazzle me, but their dance hit the middle of the pack.
Melissa Gilbert and Maxim Chmerkovskiy did a great Cha Cha, however were met with lower scores than I believe they deserved. Melissa looked fantastic and I’d like to see her do well this season. She has a lot of fans and hopefully they’ll keep her around for a while!
Gladys Knight and her partner Tristan MacManus did a fantastic job! She’s such an icon! I think that she’ll stay around for a few shows due to her following, yet due to her age, I don’t think she’ll keep up with some of the younger, flashier dancers.
By far, my favorite dance of the night was Katherine Jenkins, a famous English singer, and Mark Ballas. She was absolutely gorgeous on the dance floor and her moves were remeniscent of a professional dancer. I think she’ll go a long way based on her dance skills. Her greatest obstacle is that the American public is not familiar with her.
I believe that Martina Navatrolova will be the first to go. She was quite stiff in her dance and obviously this just isn’t her thing.
Donald Driver did fine, however I think his partner needs to taper her dancing down to match her partner. She overpowered him.
All dancers get another shot next Monday night with eliminations next Tuesday.
|
Posted in entertainment reviews
Wednesday, Mar 14, 2012
The Bachelor – The Final Rose
Ben Flajnik has given the final rose and an $85K engagement ring to Courtney Robertson. There’s a lot of speculation regarding whether or not this romance will last. The day after taping, multiple media sources spotted Robertson sans the engagement ring that was given back to her on The Bachelor – The Final Rose. According to a film taken by TMZ Live, Robertson claims that they are, in fact, a couple and the engagement is on.
Being an avid fan and writing multiple recaps of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette episodes over the past several years, I found this season to be the hardest one to watch. Each season, like sneaking to the last page of a book, I jump over to Reality Steve’s website and review his prediction for the season’s winner. He had this one right. Thinking all season that Ben would pick Courtney made the entire season to watch as one negative scene after another played itself. Courtney did not behave like a gracious woman, nor one who was truly falling in love. And, I think that’s hard for the viewers because they wanted to see a good outcome for Ben after his rejection by Ashley in the last season of The Bachelorette.
Lindzi seems to be handling the rejection beautifully. It’s been reported that she was actually at ABC and behind the scenes at the After the Final Rose taping. However, she felt that Ben had so much to tackle on-stage with Courtney that he didn’t really need more pressure by interfacing with her. She’s also been quoted as saying that she “dodged the Ben Bullet” and that she was just kidding when she told Ben that he could call her if things didn’t work out with Courtney. She would love to be chosen to be the next “Bachelorette” or cast on Bachelor Pad, however nothing has been confirmed at this time. Truthfully, she wasn’t my pick for Ben. I really liked Kacie B. and Nikki. I felt they were both best suited for Ben.
It was nice seeing Ashley and J.P. on After the Final Rose and hear them talk about their upcoming wedding within the next year. They seem very stable and very much a couple in love. My hopes and wishes are there for the both of them.
As for Ben and Courtney… I truthfully hope that they are both able to find a nice way to split away from one another, heal, and move on. The trust issues and perceptions that they have for one another are seemingly too great to hurdle over. I believe in true love, but am just unsure that this was a couple who were destined to be forever… despite the fact that they told one another on that mountain top that they would love each other forever.
Joan Knows Best
Season 2 of this hysterical reality series is my favorite currently airing. Joan Rivers has the perfect one-liners and come-backs for every situation she is presented with. She is absolutely one of the funniest women alive. Viewers can see how much she truly loves her daughter and grandson, yet like a moth to flame she just can’t keep herself out of sticky situations. Her over-mothering antics are over-the-top enjoyable to watch. So far my favorite episode of the season is when Joan smokes marijuana to relieve stress. Unbelievably funny, folks! WE.tv has hit a home-run with this series.
The Real Housewives of Orange County
Being a resident of the O.C., I enjoy watching this show for the sights and sounds of my local stomping grounds. These women, with the exception of the newest housewife, Heather Dubrow, are the most dramatic women around. All they can seem to do is one-up one another and start teenage level fights over who said what about who to whom. It’s a lot of ranting and raving about nothing. What’s nice is to see Heather Dubrow’s view of these women as she’s getting to know them. She has a much more conservative approach to the entire situation and is well cast for the season. An interesting fact… with a few degrees of separation, I actually am professionally linked to her husband Dr. Dubrow (who is the same reality television plastic surgeon from The Swan and Bridalplasty) and spoke with him personally about the season before it started. He was quite proud of his wife and her accomplishments with the show. This show is a like watching a train wreck ready to happen with the gossip storms brewing up each episode. It’s like a grown-up popularity contest. It’s a guilty pleasure, I must admit. (Watch on Bravo-TV)
Ice Loves Coco
E!’s follow up to Khloe and Lamar is Ice Loves Coco. Rapper and actor Ice-T (Law & Order SVU) is married to this blonde-bombshell model, Coco (Nicole Austin). She is delightfully naive and silly, with a heart of gold. With measurements of 39″ 23″ 40″, she is the real life Jessica Rabbit. This season, Coco is faced with health problems surrounding her blood pressure and tries to get Ice to trade cheeseburgers for kale chips. They talk about starting a family, Coco teaches her gay BFF how to drive, and start to build a new house together. Coco and her dog Spartacus steal the show (sorry, Ice) and we are transported into this NY’s couple’s quirky, cool, and fabulous life. I love to watch the way that Ice truly loves Coco.
The Dead Files
Amy Allan and Steve Di Schiavi star in this unique show about validating the existence of the paranormal. They visit reported haunted locations across America and perform two separate investigations. Steve is a retired NYPD homicide detective and Amy is a paranormal researcher and physical medium. Steve interviews the residents of the haunted locations and performs a full investigation as to its history. He researches deaths or any reportable incidents which occurred there. On a separate night, Amy Allan walks the location and channels on camera the dead spirits whom she is communicating with. Most episodes, she follows up with a professional sketch artist to create a depiction of the spirit she dealt with. At the end of each episode, Amy and Steve meet up with the residents of the location to reveal what they’ve learned. Often times, Steve has photographs, articles and pictures of the deceased associated with the property. They compare these to the sketches that Amy had made to see if their stories coincide. Their combination of their unique skills creates an intriguing and compelling show which makes the viewers question the validity of spirits amongst us. (Travel Channel – Friday Nights)
So… Reality TV Fans…
Tune into my recommendations if you are so inclined. I look forward to writing some upcoming recaps for the new Dancing With the Stars season and keeping tabs on American Idol. Stay tuned.
|
Posted in entertainment reviews
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2012
The new contestants for Dancing With The Stars were announced this morning:
Jack Wagner, star of “Melrose Place” and “The Bold & The Beautiful” (pro partner: Anna Trebunskaya)
Melissa Gilbert, star of “Little House on the Prairie” (pro partner: Maksim Chmerkovskiy)
Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers all-time leading receiver (pro partner: Peta Murgatroyd)
William Levy, telenovela star (pro partner: Cheryl Burke)
Sherri Shepherd, co-host of “The View” (pro partner: Valentin Chmerkovskiy)
Katherine Jenkins, opera star (pro partner: Mark Ballas)
Gavin DeGraw, singer (pro partner: Karina Smirnoff)
Martina Navratilova, tennis star (pro partner: Tony Dovolani)
Roshon Fegan, Disney star (pro partner: Chelsie Hightower)
Maria Menounos, TV host (pro partner: Derek Hough)
Jaleel White, URKEL! Star of “Family Matters” (pro partner: Kym Johnson)
Gladys Knight, music legend (pro partner: (pro partner: Tristan MacManus)
Source: The Huffington Post
My initial favorites:
Jack Wagner, Melissa Gilbert and Gladys Knight. I’m not too thrilled to hear about “Urkel!”
I just cannot imagine Martina Navratilova dancing. That should be interesting.
|
Posted in entertainment reviews
Tuesday, Jan 17, 2012
The Bachelor… January 16, 2012
After believing that Sonoma was Ben’s home town, we learn that his true home and heart are in San Francisco. He travels with his bevy of beauties to The City by the Bay. His first one-on-one date was with Emily.
Ben takes this wonderfully intelligent gal to the Oakland Bay Bridge to climb it on cables to the top. Unfortunately, she’s terrified of heights. Being that I, too, am acrophobic, if Ben took me on this excursion, I would simply dump the guy. I mean, who does this to a gal unless he knows that she’s an adventuresome climber? Oh, Shame Shame… Tisk Tisk Ben and ABC! In any event, she eventually makes it to the top of the bridge after suffering a panic attack… all in the name of potential love. At least the girl gets a nice dinner, the rose and a gorgeous display of fireworks to kiss Ben under.
Ben meets with his sister for an iced tea and discusses some of the standouts. Thereafter, he takes the girls out on a group date of snow skiing down a street in San Francisco. The twist is, it’s 85 degrees outside so Ben and the girls strip down into bikinis before heading down the slope.
Kacie B. ends up skiing backwards, tush-up down the hill while others navigate it with ease. They are joined with a rather large group of on-lookers (neighbors and lookie-loos alike). This date just came across as so contrived and not as a fun, exciting outing. Again, I believe that it’s ABC finding any excuse to get the girls in bikinis. Later that night, they go to a nice restaurant where they are able to mingle and get some one-on-one time with Ben. Meanwhile, Brittney is given the date card for the next one-on-one date. (Recall, she’s the one with the Grandma who set her up for the show).
While she contemplates going on this date with Ben, she decides that he is not the one for her. To spare him his time and feelings, as well as to give another gal an opportunity, she gracefully bows out of the competition and says “good-bye” to Ben. Although the viewers are not privy to the details change in his date choice, Ben elects to take out Miss First Impression Rose, Lindzi C.
Their less than exciting date includes a trip to Swensen’s Ice Cream Parlor, a private concert at City Hall, and an intimate dinner in an old San Francisican speak-easy bar/restaurant. They are both quite enamored with one another and she scores the rose.
During the rose ceremony, the pot gets stirred upon the arrival of Shawntel (a front-runner from Brad Womak’s season). She apparently has had several telephone calls with Ben and felt that they had a connection that she needed to explore. If this was the case, why wasn’t she one of the original 25?
The ladies are visibly upset with her entrance and interruption into their quest for love. None is more upset than Courtney, whose eyebrows are really starting to irritate me to death (it’s nearly a unibrow). She claims that if he gives Shawntel a rose, then she will give hers back and leave the show (oh, we can only hope!). I think she’s just insanely jealous of Shawntel’s looks and intelligence. Her holier-than-thou attitude is really starting to annoy the heck out of me!
During the elimination, Erika passes out. Unfortunately, she is one of the three to be eliminated, including the rejected Shawntel.
Until next week…
|
Posted in entertainment reviews
Saturday, Jan 14, 2012
Owen Thornton and Bob Chatt Star in the Premier of Combat Cash
Discovery Channel has produced such a unique and refreshing new reality series in COMBAT CASH. On January 11th, I had the opportunity to attend the premier party and view two back-to-back episodes, which were a roaring success with the crowd. Nearly immediately after it aired, Bob and Owen were met with emails from fans and collectors alike wanting to know and see more about this great, history-based reality show.
The first episode was about Bob and Owen’s quest to locate a rare and unique World War II Japanese Hago Tank for a tank collector. Later, they purchase Sadaam Hussein progranda banner which was retrieved from Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition, Owen’s passion for paratrooping collectibles led them to a seller of a rare BSA 1942 foldout paratrooper bicycle. However, this was not the easiest purchase of the show. Owen was forced to prove his love for the paratroopers by jumping out of an airplane.
Viewers learned about about the amphibious “DUCK” vehicles which were used in D-Day to take soldiers from ship to shore in the second episode. Bob and Owen participate in an annual D-Day live re-enactment in Ohio which included these DUCKs, planes, and thousands of enthusiasts bounding the shores of Lake Erie. We also got an insight into a rare collection of WWII guns as Bob and Owen get to fire away in attempts to create actual sound recordings of these guns being shot for the sound effects of a video game.
Of all the subjects I took in school, history was the one which I struggled the most with. All of the dates and facts were hard for me to memorize. In COMBAT CASH, I am given a reminder of what our veterans experienced in our war-time history. What is surprising to me is the number of military and historical enthusiasts not only throughout our country, but also throughout the world. With my never-ending love for good reality shows, this show is a rare one which I can not only get good laughs from, but also learn from. If history isn’t your cup of tea… I would still highly recommend this show to friends, “hubbies”, and anybody who loves The History Channel.
Kudos to The Discovery Channel for discovering such an interesting aspect of American culture and bringing us into the world of militaria collecting.
For more information on buying or selling militaria and great military vintage clothing, visit VintageProductions.Com, Southern California’s premier military collectibles company.
|
Posted in entertainment reviews
« Previous Entries Next Page »
