Rosie Exits The View

Posted Apr 25, 2007 by Walt Belcher

Updated Apr 25, 2007 at 12:08 PM

  Rosie O’Donnell told viewers today that she couldn’t come to terms with ABC Daytime over a contract extension so she won’t be a part of “The View.”

  She was vague about the details.  But there have been rumors that O’Donnell’s days were numbered on the ABC morning show because she has been a lightning rod for controversy. She told viewers that she would come back as a guest.

“I love you guys. I’m not going away I just won’t be here everyday,” O’Donnell said this morning.

  O’Donnell joked that Donald Trump is really broken up about her leaving. “He’s on a ledge right now saying, ‘How can I resuscitate ‘The Apprentice’ ?”

  O’Donnell and Trump have been feuding and exchanging insults after remarks O’Donnell made about Trump’s Miss USA pageant. O’Donnell called Trump a snake-oil salesman after he let troubled Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner keep her crown.

  Trump made a very public decision to give Conner a second chance following allegations of underage drinking and other misconduct. She entered a rehabilitation program.

O’Donnell accused Trump of milking it for publicity. O’Donnell also has accused “American Idol” of being racist and compared President Bush to Tony Soprano. O’Donnell also has attacked Kelly Ripa and Paula Abdul.

The ratings for the show have gone up since O’Donnell joined but Barbara Walters, who produces and co-hosts “The View,”  was put on the defensive when Trump predicted O’Donnell would be fired and that privately Walters was embarrassed by O’Donnell.

ABC says that there are no immediate plans to announce a new co-host.

O’Donnell, who has offended many with her blunt opinions, said she had only signed on for one season.
She joined the show last fall after Meredith Vieira and Star Jones left.

O’Donnell will leave “The View” at the end of June, she said.

  Walters told viewers that she had nothing to do with O’Donnell’s negotiations with ABC. She said she was “sad” to see O’Donnell leave and noted “it certainly has been an interesting year.”

In a statement issued to the media, Walters said: “I induced Rosie to come back to television on ‘The View’ even for just one year. She has given the program new vigor, new excitement and wonderful hours of television. I can only be grateful to her for this year. I am very sad that ABC Daytime could not reach an agreement with her for a second year. We will all miss Rosie on ‘The View,’ and hope she will be back with us often next season. She remains for me a cherished friend and colleague.”

  O’Donnell said she kicked “The View” up a notch.  “I was home and I never thought of coming back to daytime,” she said. “Barbara, this living legend, asked me and I had a good time.”

Walters noted it is better to be a living legend than a dead one.

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Dancing with the Stars: The Results—- 04.24.07

Posted Apr 25, 2007 by Chris Kuhn

Updated Apr 25, 2007 at 06:42 AM

Seven celebrities are awaiting their fate in the ballroom on Dancing with the Stars (ABC/Tuesdays) but only one will go home. Who will it be this week? I can only hope that singer Billy Ray Cyrus goes home. Come on, people… the man is making up his own dance moves and they’re not all that good.

After a recap of last night’s moves, it’s time for the judges to pick their favorite to see again. I predict it will be boxer Laila Ali and Maks. But once again, it shows what I don’t know. Judge Len Goodman selects the group swing, because he can’t pick just one couple. It definitely is the most exuberant display of ballroom ballyhoo from the night, so it’s a good call and the dancers give it their all once again.

For no particular reason, singer Joss Stone is in the ballroom tonight. I love her sound but it seems a bit out of place for this show. Four of the pros show their stuff on the dance floor while Joss tells us she’s digging on us. The studio audience gives their take on last night and there’s a consensus that the judges should lay off actors Ian Ziering and John Ratzenberger. They’re not in agreement on who was the best. Some loved Laila the most, others actor Joey Fatone. But goofy hosts Tom Bergeron and slurring Samanatha Harris are ready to tell us two of the couples who are safe from elimination and they are…Olympic speedskater Apolo Ohno and partner Julianne as well as Laila and Maks. Hurrah! Just one more favorite team to save and then it simply won’t matter to me.

The choreographers and cast of DreamGirls step onto the floor to dazzle us. It’s impressive but as always I’m bored and waiting for results. But on to some serious dance lessons, from Jimmy Kimmel, of course. He and his parking lot attendant Guillermo dressed in beautiful drag as always to demonstrate the foxtrot. They crack me up every week. They serve no real purpose but it’s the one amusing part of this results show, so for that, I applaud them.

Joss returns to the stage and now she’s no longer digging on us but wants to tell us that she is feeling real and wants to seal the deal. Okay, thanks, Joss, but can we just find out which other couples are safe. That would more than seal the deal. We get a montage of the celebrities goofing off on their dance coaches. Joey plays with everything in the studio, and charity campaigner Heather Mill just giggles. Apolo does gag falls, Ian gets confused and John tells jokes. Laila acts silly, and Billy Ray does anything BUT dance – answering phones, eating nuts, you name it!

Finally, we get to hear more results. That was what we showed up for in the first place, right? I can no longer remember. Joey and Kym are safe (yea!) but John and Edyta are not so safe. After a meaningless montage on celebrity show rituals, it’s time to return to the matter of hand – who’s going home. Ian and Cheryl are safe (amazing). Billy Ray and Karina stay in the competition (so wrong) but Heather and Jonathan join John and Edyta in the bottom two. And the couple leaving tonight is…Heather and Jonathan. This is clearly a case of the least popular celebrity hitting the road. She says her final thanks, makes her last pitch for the animals and going veggie (gotcha, done that) and takes to the floor for her last spin with partner Jonathan. Bye, bye, Heather. Now you can return to your role as that Beatle ex-wife we all love to hate.

What did you think of Heather getting knocked out of the competition over clumsy and clunky foot-shufflers Billy Ray and John? At this point, it’s like Idol for me. As long as my main favorites make it to the end, it really doesn’t matter what order the others fall.

Next week, couples will tackle two dances and I can’t imagine Billy Ray and John surviving this athletic challenge. And Ian will have two reasons to be far too tense in the ballroom (double your pleasure, double your pain). Stay tuned…

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American Idol—- 04.24.07

Posted Apr 24, 2007 by Chris Kuhn

Updated Apr 25, 2007 at 06:44 AM

Yeah, yeah, yeah, American Idol Gives Back, I get it. We’ve been beat over the head with this self-congratulatory message of generosity for weeks now and tonight it happens. Well, part one does. All votes will earn ten cents each and that money goes right to the cause courtesy of their sponsors. We see more sad footage of the squalor and it breaks my heart. But groaning and grumpiness aside, this is a really nice thing they’re doing so, everybody, be sure to vote. And I’ll stop complaining about Ryan and Simon patting each other on the back.

As usual, I’ll be blogging away and offering my take on the performances as well as the goofy observations by judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell. Please jump in with your comments here or at the American Idol Forum. I love hearing from everybody!

Tonight it’s all about inspirational songs, so let’s get inspired, shall we?
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Chris Richardson
“If I Could Change the World”

I Say – He’s really trying to stay out of his nose, you can just sense it. It sounds a little flat but he adds a little energy to the ending but I don’t think it’s enough. Chris, you’re going to be in the bottom three tomorrow.

Randy – Tells him that Chris is in it to win it. Hmm…
Paula – Says it was well-done.
Simon – Calls it a good vocal and says he agrees with Randy that he sees the original potential from his audition.
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Melinda Doolittle
“There Will Come A Day”

I Say – The song really highlights the quality of our voice. She’s dressed age-appropriately tonight but looks younger than ever (maybe it’s the hair). It’s a very strong performance and the crowd loves it.

Randy – Says our resident pro is here and he doesn’t even know what to say anymore..
Paula – Calls her magical and tells her there’s no one else like her.
Simon – Tells her he loved it because it wasn’t a copycat performance and calls it a master vocal class.
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Blake Lewis
“Imagine”

I Say – He’s singing one of my favorite songs of all time. He adds a tenderness to it and does a nice job treating it with respect. I’m just not sure that he really gets across the weight of those tremendous words with his rendition. Bu

Randy – Tells him it was just okay and didn’t really do anything for him.
Paula – Says it’s the first emotional, sensitive performance from him and she enjoyed it.
Simon – Calls it sincere but tells him it didn’t really go anywhere, but he liked his sincerity. 
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LaKisha Jones
“I Believe”

I Say – I didn’t like this song when Fantasia sang it (but I did enjoy Diana DeGarmo’s version!) and I’m underwhelmed as always with LaKisha. She carries herself like someone who can deliver a big sound but always disappoints.

Randy – Tells her it had some pitchy parts but he did like it and as expected compares it to Fantasia.
Paula – Says that Fantasia is just so unique…and so again, hints that she’s not as good as Fantasia and shouldn’t go near the song.
Simon – Says he had an issue with the shouting and gets cut off by the booing fans who never let the guy finish giving his feedback.
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Phil Stacey
“The Change”

I Say – Smart move, Phil, going country after last week. I’m not all that knocked out by this Garth Brooks song I do not know. He starts off quite low but as he gets louder, we hear those big melodic notes he does so well. He isn’t quite emitting the “creep vibe” as much as usual. A little too much shouting, if you ask me, and quite pitchy. Phil, get ready to join LaKisha and Chris in the bottom three.

Randy – Says he followed up last week’s strong vocal with another strong performance.
Paula – Calls it his best performance this season.
Simon – Tells him it was a good song choice and advises him to connect to the country side of him and he’ll do really well.
*******************
Jordin Sparks
“You’ll Never Walk Alone”

I Say – She picks the most ambitious song tonight. It’s not her greatest vocal of the season, but she puts so much heart into the performance and gives me goosebumps once again. She’s incredible and I really think she could be something special in the industry. I’d buy her album in a heartbeat.

Randy –  Calls it one of the best performances ever on the show in six seasons.
Paula – Says only someone with great vocals could do it and that she’s glorious.
Simon – Tells her it was fantastic and that he thinks she’d have a hit record with that song. 
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Jordin once again stole the show because that’s what she does. Save us all a lot of time and give this young woman the title.

What did you think of tonight’s performances and who’s going home? I predict Chris, LaKisha and Phil will hit the bottom three with LaKisha going home. I think the Blake fans will spring into action to save their favorite this week after the close call last Wednesday.

Tomorrow night, we’ll have plenty of music, with big names including Bono, Celine and others. Oh, and there’s the minor detail of eliminating someone, too. That ought to bring down the mood of the night, don’t you think? Should be a hoot. Stay tuned…

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Dancing with the Stars—- 04.23.07

Posted Apr 23, 2007 by Chris Kuhn

Updated Apr 24, 2007 at 12:44 AM

The seven remaining celebrities are duking it out on Dancing with the Stars (ABC/Mondays) and tonight they’ll even go toe-to-toe dancing a group swing dance, which I usually find thoroughly boring and meaningless when they’re doing the waltz, but swing might be fun. I’ll be blogging as I watch and sharing my thoughts about the judges’ ludicrous feedback and bizarre remarks. Be sure to jump in and share your thoughts here whenever you like. So in the immortal words of David/Ziggy/Major Tom Bowie, “Let’s dance!”

First on to the dance floor…

————————————————————————-
Joey Fatone & partner Kym Johnson
Samba

The singer/actor has danced strongly the past few weeks, but Len gave Joey such a hard time about being too feminine. So Kym’s former partner Jerry Springer stops in to show him a few manly moves. Please put your shirt back on, Jerry. Pretty please?

I Say:
How amusing. Joey’s worried about being more manly this week and gay duo Erasure’s “A Little Respect” is their song tonight. He’s definitely aiming for a more macho performance and I think some of his fluidity on the dance floor may be suffering a little for it. But as always, he’s still by far the most exciting male celb on the dance floor. I really like it. I give them an 8.

The Judges Say:
Len – Calls him a big swashbuckling guy and tells him he sold it. 
Bruno – Tells him he ran for it like randy fighting cockerel (huh??)
Carrie – Says it was one of his best performances and compliments him by telling him he’s insane and that’s what works.

Scores:
27 (9 across the board)

The Last Word:
I guess his moves were fluid enough for them. I like this guy. I think it’s his horrid disco ball trophy to lose this season.
————————————————————————-
Heather Mills & partner Jonathan Roberts
Paso Doble

The charity campaigner must bounce back this week after last week’s fall into the bottom two (and on to the dance floor). She’s travelling a lot this week and this means she and partner Jonathan must practice any place they can – on the plane even. And Heather’s inspiration for the dance? Evita Peron. Let’s hope she doesn’t have the same untimely ending.

I Say:
Their Paso Dobe starts off very choppy. She seems to really struggle with this one. It’s their worst performance so far and I’m not a big fan of this pop version of “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” which sound more like something from if “Oklahoma” crashed into “West Side Story.” The audience likes it but I’m not all that impressed. He whirls her around but I’m not sure it comes off all that graceful. I give them a 5.

The Judges Say:
Bruno –  Says some of it felt like an opera and he knows she knows a few things about drama (Wait a minute! Was that our first McCartney divorce joke of the season? Did it really take that long?!)
Carrie – Tells her it was fantastic but that she needs to watch her hands.
Len – Says he loved the opening but she agrees with Carrie about the upper body improvements needed.

Scores:
23 (Len and Bruno – 8, Carrie – 7)

The Last Word:
You are one lucky woman but I don’t think the dance or scores were good enough to stick around. But there’s always Billy Ray and John who might steal your title of worst of the night.
————————————————————————-
John Ratzenberger & partner Edyta Sliwinska
Mambo

Like Heather, the actor is pretty overbooked this week as he never anticipated he’d make it this far in the competition. He’s giving the dance rehearsals as much time as he can, but I smell a stinker. I sure hope not. I really like this guy.

I Say:
As always, Edyta does her best to spice up the dance and she has a way of making you forget about her partner. He appears a little stiff tonight but he’s doing a nice job keeping up with her. I’m just not sure that the judges will be all that knocked out by his footwork. I give them a 6.

The Judges Say:
Carrie – Calls him a dancing teddy bear but points out the problem footwork. 
Len – Says he can tell John’s enjoying himself now but calls the routine awful. 
Bruno – Tells them they were more like the owl and the pussycat tonight (huh, what?)

Scores:
19 (Len and Bruno – 6, Carrie – 7)

The Last Word:
Yeah, I’m not surprised with that low number. That’s about right unfortunately.
————————————————————————-
Laila Ali & partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Cha-Cha-Cha

The boxer and her sexy partner Maks are the hottest couples on the dance floor when they put their mind to it. They’re a hoot to listen to during rehearsal and are determined to bring da funk to da ballroom tonight.

I Say:
Laila really knows how to bring attitude, spark and sultriness to the dance and it doesn’t hurt that she moves well, too. The two have fun and the audience responds positively to it. I’m not sure if this is a true cha-cha-cha, but I like it. It has more time with the two dancers separated from each other than I would have expected, but it’s energetic and sexy. I give them an 8.

The Judges Say:
Len – Calls it pure gold but tells Laila that he didn’t like her funky ending.
Bruno –  Says she’s turning into a magnificent obsession and loved her Tina Turner.
Carrie –  Tells them it was fantastic and wants Laila to keep her eyes looking up and out.

Scores:
28 (Len and Carrie – 9, Bruno – 10)

The Last Word:
I guess they’re safe this week, and they should be.
————————————————————————-
Billy Ray Cyrus & partner Karina Smirnoff
The Jive

The singer is in awe of his partner and he should be. She’s doing everything she can to save him, picking dance moves that she think he’ll enjoy and excel at. She should win a special award for patience this season. Last year, Kym Johnsson got stuck with Jerry Springer but has been rewarded with Joey Fatone this season. Karina had magical mover and delicously dimpled Mario Lopez (sigh) and I guess Billy Ray is her punishment for having such a dream (and dreamy) dance partner.

I Say:
There’s more theatrics than dancing in this number, but I don’t blame Karina for pulling out all the stops. If this doesn’t send this schmoe home, I don’t know what will. Sure, it’s a fun, cutesy performance but it really doesn’t showcase any dancing skills on Billy Ray’s part. It’s just awful and lifeless. I give it a 4.

The Judges Say:
Bruno –  Says something about a crazy bell and cheerleaders (what is he talking about?)
Carrie – Tells him she’s not sure what he was doing but says she appreciates his focus.
Len – Says he loves to watch him because he’s always entertaining (um, is that really a compliment?) 

Scores:
21 (7 across the board)

The Last Word:
I have no idea what these judges see in this guy. He is just pitiful on the dance floor.
————————————————————————-
Apolo Ohno & partner Julianne Hough
Rumba

Last week, the Olympic speedskater and his cute partner earned a perfect 30. They have a new challenge this week – well, two actually. Julianne is nursing a cold and the couple who refer to their relationship as a brother/sister-like vibe have to get romantic for the rumba. So what better person to offer advice but Julianne’s dancer pro brother who has danced the rumba before with – gulp – his own sister. He gives Apolo some pointers and tells him to bite the bullet. Come on, Apolo. You can do it.

I Say:
They look so cute together when they perform and manage to pull off the romantic mood though it’s not nearly as passionate as other dance routines I’ve watched. I enjoyed last week’s dance more but I still love watching these two. I don’t think any of my three favorites (Laila, Joey and Apolo) stood out from the others. So like the others, I give them an 8.

The Judges Say:
Carrie – Says it was beautiful and creative.
Len –  Complains that he wanted to see more dancing on Apolo’s two feet than on the chair’s four feet. (Len, you’re just never happy, are you?)
Bruno –  Calls it a choreographed poem and something fresh and new, and he loved it!

Scores:
28 (Len and Carrie – 9, Bruno – 10)

The Last Word:
Bruno is quite the generous man tonight, isn’t he? Cool…
————————————————————————-
Ian Ziering & partner Cheryl Burke
Paso Doble

The actor is excited that this week he’ll finally get the chance to play a character. He knows that the judges were right in their criticism when they told him to enjoy the dance and have fun. He plans to be a real showman tonight. I’ll believe it when I see it. This guy is just far too intense for his own good.

I Say:
Is this a mean thing to say… this guy just looks creepy when he dances? It always feels so forced and phony. His moves also seem a bit clunky and sloppy. I don’t like it one bit. If Kramer from Seinfeld performed a paso doble, it would look and feel like this. I give them a 5.

The Judges Say:
Len –  Says he expected this would be right up his alley and he was disappointed.
Bruno –  Agrees with Len that the posture was off and he’s getting frustrated that he’s not quite getting there.
Carrie –  Tells him he has moments of brilliance but he needs to watch Billy Ray to get a lesson on how to be exuberant while he dances. (Or appear half in the bag, however you wish to see Billy Ray’s horrible moves.)

Scores:
24 (8 across the board)

The Last Word:
Wow, their comments and scores didn’t really match up. They sure caught a break.
————————————————————————-
It’s time for our seven couples to take part in the group swing dance. We get to see their earlier practices, but Heather and Brian are nowhere to be found (they must be on that plane dancing), so not sure how they’’ll take part in the group performance. Maks is trying to figure out how he’ll lift his pro boxer partner. Apolo is being dragged by the ear by partner Julianne. Joey is making jokes as always. Tense Ian is crashing to the ground with his buddy Cheryl And John and Billy Ray looked scared to death about the whole thing. It doesn’t look promising. So let’s see how they do…

The gang actually does a pretty good job and has fun with the dance. Highlights include when Chery dumps loser partner Ian for Joey (love it!) and Apolo jumps into Laila’s arms. It’s bizarre, energetic and fun. And I’m very happy the judges are assigning numbers to this crazy mess of moves. It’s a wild and wacky whirlwind but I like it.

Tomorrow night, we’ll find out who goes home. Who did you like tonight? I think Laila, Joey and Apolo stole the show as always. And I see a bottom two of John and Heather, but I’m really tired of Ian and wouldn’t mind him hitting the road. We’ll just have to see if Billy Ray’s Hannah Montana fans can keep him in yet another week, in spite of absolutely no dancing talent whatsoever. Stay tuned…

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American Idol Trivia Question

Posted Apr 23, 2007 by Walt Belcher

Updated Apr 23, 2007 at 02:06 PM

  Due to unforeseen circumstances - like I got wrapped up in a story and forgot about the time - this question is late.

  First person to e-mail me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with the answer to the following question wins all five “American Idol” toys that are being given away with Happy Meals.

  Which two “Idol” cast-offs from the first season appeared on Bravo’s “Battle of the Network Reality Stars.”

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