Down to six couples now

Ultimately, I didn’t agree with two of the three couples who were in the bottom three — I disagreed with America, not the Judges, because the Judges were also shocked.  I did agree with the third couple being there, and felt they deserved to be there.  I also felt they deserved to be the ones going home.  The Judges agreed with my assessment (even if they didn’t know as much!), and tonite we said goodbye to Karla and Vitolio.

Amazingly, Phillip & Jeanine were in the bottom three, as were Kayla & Kupono.  Personally, I would have put both couples in the top half.  The top six couples therefore, are:

And next week we find out who the top ten are!

Hell, he may be “father of the millennium”

At least among those fathers who didn’t kill or beat their children.  You probably remember hearing about this guy:

Gary Staton, 37, became a single father in February 2007 when his wife, RebelJane, died of a cerebral aneurysm shortly after giving birth to the couple’s ninth child. Unable to handle the burden alone, Staton made national news more than a year later on Sept. 24 when he dropped off his children — ages 1 to 17 — at a hospital in Omaha. According to the law at the time, parents could hand children up to age 18 over to state custody without prosecution. Legislators would later amend the law to limit its reach to infants up to 30 days old.

A spokeswoman for Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services, said the Staton family had received more than $995,000 in government aid as of last fall, including an estimated $600,000 in food stamps and more than $100,000 in Medicaid.  His late wife’s parents said Staton never turned to the family for help, which they would have gladly offered in order to keep the children together and safe.   Staton’s seven youngest children are now living with their mother’s aunt, who plans on adopting them. The two oldest boys are staying with a 75-year-old woman in Omaha so they can graduate high school.  Staton visits with the children, who are said to somewhat understand their father’s actions and do not hold any grudges against him for surrendering them.

Well, Gary’s in the news again.  This time, because he’s going to be a father once again.  He’s gotten his girlfriend pregnant — reportedly with twins.

Staton, who could not be reached for comment for this article, declined to discuss his girlfriend’s pregnancy when the Omaha World-Herald reported on Sunday that he would become a father again. Details of a multiple birth and the woman’s name were not included in that report, but in an e-mail to the newspaper, Staton said, “Do you think I’m going to raise this one alone?”

I’m just not sure this guy should be allowed to father more children.   If you surrender nine children to the state like that, shouldn’t mandatory sterilization be a part of the deal or something?

I don’t want to choose which two are going home!

I want them all to stay!

For what I believe was the first time ever, there was not one single routine I did not like last night.  We’re down to seven couples and obviously that means nearly half of them are going to be in the bottom three, but geez, I wouldn’t want to be the one judging the dance offs.

Bottom three … crimoney … I guess probably Vitolio & Karla, Caitlin & Jason and Randi & Evan.  Only because the other four couples were that much better? ::sigh::

Tonight’s results are going to suck.  :P

Died today at the age of 97

According to his daughter, he died at home, of natural causes. His family informed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences of his death; Malden served as the academy’s president from 1989-92.

Karl Malden made his screen debut in the 1940 movie “They Knew What They Wanted.” His career spanned over seven decades and he starred in such classic films as “A Streetcar Named Desire”, “On the Waterfront,” “One-Eyed Jacks,” “Baby Doll,” “How The West Was Won” and “Patton.”

His best-known role was probably as Lt. Mike Stone on the 1970s television crime drama, “The Streets of San Francisco,” with Michael Douglas. The series, which ran from 1972 to 1977, earned Malden four consecutive Emmy nominations as lead actor in a drama series. He was also well known for his years of American Express commercials. Don’t leave home without it!

NOT dead, despite rumors and/or expectations to the contrary: Rick Astley, Patrick Swayze, Jeff Goldblum, Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Brittney Spears and Harrison Ford.

In other news, Michael Jackson’s will was filed today — the one several sources were almost gleefully saying didn’t exist — and he’s left guardianship of his children to his mother with Diana Ross named as backup. His estate goes into a trust. And if you ask me, his doctors and nurses should be brought up on charges for releasing intimate details of his health, death and medical condition without the family’s authorization. Patient confidentiality shouldn’t go out the window just because he died. Leave the man some dignity for God’s sake.

Does Rick Astley make 6?

Conflicting news reports all over the place right now, half of them saying he’s not dead, the other half saying he is.  The report saying he died says he was found dead in a Berlin hotel room.   There’s an iReport on CNN that looks very much like an AP article that says he is dead.   We’ll have to wait and see, I guess.  He’s 43, and I hope it’s just a hoax.

The actress Gale Storm did in fact die, the same day as Billy Mays.  She, at least, was up there a little bit (87) and had a reasonably long life.

Results & Updates all in one!

Missy and I watched the performance and cut shows back to back because we had to know who would be cut.  Toni Basil was the guest judge this week.

Although terribly disappointed, I wasn’t totally surprised by either who left, and I’m not going to bother recapping the show since it’s kind of pointless now.

The two who were cut were Asuka and Jonathan, which leaves Vitolio and Karla as a new couple.

I really, really liked Asuka but she wasn’t growing at all and out of the three girls who were up for elimination, she really was the least impressive on her solo.  If you stacked last night’s solo against any other solo she’s done, it’s all the same.  I hate seeing her go, though, especially because she and Vitolio seemed to FINALLY be clicking.  I was actually surprised they were in the bottom three, as I’d thought they did a decent enough job.

Jonathan was, unfortunately, the worst of the three guys who got nailed into the bottom three.   Like Asuka, I’m sorry to see him go, but out of the six up for elimination, I’d have to agree with the Judges’ decision.

Here’s the top fourteen:

We’re back home!

SimuCon 2009 is now relegated to history. In another day or three I’ll be recovered enough to actually function again. Maybe. In the meantime I have a DVR full of crap I need to watch, not to mention an email box that’s about to explode.

Dance and To-Shin Do resume tomorrow (dance should have resumed today but we got in so late and then were too wired to sleep, so she skipped out this one time).

Oh and fourth of July is rapidly approaching. And fifth of July — which is my wedding anniversary — is right behind it. And then the tenth of July which is normally a sucky day (as it is the anniversary of Sam’s death) but which this year be a somewhat less sucky day because it is the day that Missy’s ban from competition is finally up! Yay!

Under protest, I have finally given in and joined Facebook. I still like Twitter better. I love tweeting. I totally did not need a Facebook but just about everyone I work with is on it, so I finally bit the bullet and did it.

And what the hell is with all the people dying? Good God Gertie. Ed McMahon died right before we left, then while we were at the ‘Con, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died, and then Billy Mays as well. (Rumors that Billy was found dead with a Sham-Wow around his neck are entirely false.)  [Bad Kate!  Bad!] Two more are due now, since Billy pushed it into a new group of three.   And no, I don’t think David Carradine counts in these groups.

Blogging will catch up forthwith. Honest.

Leaving Wednesday, returning very late Sunday …

Missy and I will be out of town for the annual SimuCon convention in St. Louis. Blogging has been sparse of late as I’ve been spending most of my time getting things in order for the trip. Thankfully with Missy’s new dance schedule she won’t miss any dance classes though she is missing a workshop. Her ban is finally going to be up on July 10 and thank God for that, because she’s driving me crazy wanting to get back to Feis’ing!

Her To-Shin Do classes are such that she can go any days, it doesn’t matter which as long as she gets in two classes each week, so instead of Tuesday and Wednesday as she normally goes, she went today and will go Tuesday, thus getting in both classes. While at To-Shin Do today, she earned her training stripe, which means she’s close to her next belt, at which time I owe her tabi. She’s doing so well!

As for the ‘Con, we’re driving (because I sure as hell can’t afford for us to fly!) and the plan is for us to be leaving around 9:00 Wednesday morning. That’s the plan anyhow. Knowing us, we won’t leave till closer to 10:00 and I’ll decide it doesn’t matter because after all we’ll gain an hour of time on the way!

“See” you all on Monday!

Well, this wasn’t expected!

I predicted two of the three bottom couples correctly — Ashley and Kupono along with Caitlin and Jason.  The other couple I expected — Phillip and Jeanine, who I’d put in seventh place — got thru without a hitch.  The third couple America chose was the couple I’d put in sixth place: Kayla and Max.

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After dancing for their lives, Caitlin sailed through with an outstanding solo.  Kayla did a better job than Ashley, whose solo was really disappointing.  There was hardly any actual dancing in it!  Ashley was the girl chosen to leave.

Jason’s solo was so good the Judges just had him leave the stage, leaving Kupono and Max to face the axe.  It was anybody’s guess at that point, both Missy and I figured it would be Kupono and both of us figured wrong.  Max was sent home.

This changes the dynamic a bit for next week, leaving Kayla and Kupono as a new couple.

I watched segments of the show over again to see if I was noticing what I thought I noticed and I have to say I was kind of surprised by Kayla’s reaction to being in the bottom three.  She clearly did not expect to be there, despite it being down to either her and Max or Asuka and Vitolio.  No offense Karla, but geez, that was a real no brainer: Asuka and Vitolio were easily the best couple of the night. In addition to not expecting to be there, she also looked a bit put out by it all. She’s going to have to lose that attitude if she wants to keep America — and the Judges — on her side.

And speaking of Asuka and Vitolio,  his cry of victory coupled with the shock on her face and then her absolute joy were just priceless.  I could watch that over and over again just to enjoy it some more.  :)

After the initial shock, I have to say I agreed with the Judges.

I wish I didn’t like everyone so much!

It’s really hard to pick who should leave when I like them all.

Before I start in on this, let me just toss this in here as an aside: during a commercial break we learned that Hell’s Kitchen is joining the ranks of shows with a summer season this year — So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol both are as well. Nashville Star has been canceled by NBC and I haven’t heard about anyone else picking it up. Thanks, NBC. America’s Best Dance Crew auditions for season 4 (the second show this year) were supposed to begin on June 6, 2009; with the show on the air starting August 6th. Now, back to SYTYCD …

Tonight’s performance show opened with Randi and Evan (below, left) doing a Louie Van Amstel jive. Missy and I loved it. The Judges were a bit hard on them, IMHO, but still all three liked it. I would give them third place for the night.

Second up were Melissa and Ade (right, below) and I’d say their Sonya Tayeh jazz routine was the second best performance of the night. They were absolutely wonderful and the choreography was really amazing.

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Jason and Caitlin (below, left) unfortunately turned in one of the worst performances of the evening — I’d give them seventh out of nine places — with a Shane Sparks Hip Hop routine. I think they will both have to dance for their lives and hope that they’ll be safe.

The fourth performance of the night was by Brandon and Janette, shown below on the right. I’d give them fourth place for an outstanding Disco choreographed by Doriana Sanchez. He’s got some amazing strength and they’ve apparently got a really good bond between them because she lets him fling her all over the place without the slightest bit of fear.

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The best performance of the night was done by Asuka and Vitolio, who danced fifth. They did a waltz choreographed by Louie Van Amstel and it was so beautifully done it made Mary Murphy cry. Even Li’l C and Nigel were moved. I’m SO glad they redeemed themselves after last week’s somewhat less than stellar performance. I predict they’ll be safe from worry. (Below, left.)

The couple on the right below is Kayla and Max, who danced sixth. They performed a pop jazz routine by Brian Friedman whose work I am unfamiliar with. It was kind of freaky, sort of looked like something of a cross between Sonya Tayeh and Mia Michaels. I’d put them in sixth place (though the judges would disagree, I believe, and put them higher).

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The seventh performance of the night was about the fifth best, it was done by Jonathan and Karla (on the left). Their contemporary routine was choreographed by another newcomer to the show, a Canadian named Stacey Tookey.

Phillip and Jeanine danced eighth, they drew a tango choreographed by Tony Meredith. I really like them both a lot, but they really struggled. I guess it’ll all come down to who dances best in the “dance for your life” segment. They were moving way too slow, and concentrating too hard. I felt bad for them, they were both out of their element (him more than her).

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The final performance of the night was by Ashley and Kupono, another hip hop routine by Shane Sparks. All I can say is that if there were no dance off, this couple would be leaving. It was bad, and easily the worst of the night, even worse than Phillip and Jeanine.

So … I predict Jason, Phillip and Kupono, along with Caitlin, Jeanine and Ashley will be dancing for their lives. Going home is up for grabs, they’re all really good. Last week we saw a couple go (Paris and Tony) and I wouldn’t be surprised to see another couple go this week — Ashley and Kupono.

Because of the way they do the results — the bottom three dance off and the Judges vote on which to axe — I really would not want to be a Judge. I’d rather be one on American Idol where you can at least blame America for getting it wrong!