Confessions of a Reality TV Junkie

Reality star peaks in 'Dancing' finals

2011-11-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

Famous for being the only boy in a family of famous sisters, Rob Kardashian has stepped out of his sisters' shadows while competing on "Dancing With the Stars" and joining actress and talk show host Ricki Lake and veteran and actor J.R. Martinez in the finals.

Kardashian and his partner Cheryl Burke finished the first night of the finals at the top of he leaderboard earning 27 points for his Viennese Waltz and his first perfect score of the season earning 30 points for his freestyle.

Lake and partner Derek Hough found themselves tied with Martinez and Karina Smirnoff for second place with 54 points each.

Lake earned 27 points each for her freestyle and Cha Cha Cha and while both were technically goo they seemed to lack intensity and performance value that are worthy of the finals.

Martinez, who has been my favorite since week 1, did not impress with his Cha Cha Cha, which earned him 24 points from the judges. He lost the beat several times and seemed to struggle throughout the routine. He did however redeem himself with the freestyle blending musicality, technique, lifts and entertainment value to present a perfect performance.

This is the first season where I haven't been able to call a winner. As much As I want Martinez to take the mirror ball trophy, all three are worthy to take the title.

Dancing competitor gets two perfect scores

2011-11-07T23:12:00.000-08:00

Week 8 presented a challenge to the five remaining "Dancing With the Stars" contestants. They had to perform two dance, one of which was an Instant Jive that they did not receive the music for until 20 minutes before they had to perform the routine.

The show moved along nicely with Ricki Lake falling two points shy of perfection with her waltz and Hope Sole and Rob Kardashian receiving their highest scores of the season earning 27 points a piece for their quicksteps.

Nancy Grace's positive attitude can only go so far. Her tango technique was sharp, but she is still not at the same level as some of the other contestants. She earned a 24.

The best was definitely saved for last with J.R. Martinez dancing a waltz with his partner Karina Smirnoff. It was flawless and Martinez has a way of drawing people into the performance and making them feel the emotions he is experience. He went into the week wanting to earn the first perfect score and he did just that receiving 10s from each of the judges.

The idea of an Instant Jive completely stresses me out so I can only imagine how stressed the contestants and their partners were. It presented problems for most of the contestants who delivered with minor hiccups throughout their routines, but once again Martinez showed what an Instant Dance could and should be. It was high energy and you could tell Martinez is having the time of his life. If he is not in the finals I may just have to go on strike next season.

While Solo is improving I think she will join Grace in the bottom two, but it will be Grace who is eliminated.

Week 6 Scores
Rob & Cheryl - 27
Hope & Maks - 27
Ricki & Derek - 28
Nancy & Tristan - 24
J.R. & Karina - 30

Instant Dance Scores
Rob & Cheryl - 24
Hope & Maks - 25
Ricki & Derek - 24
Nancy & Tristan - 20
J.R. & Karina - 30

'Dancing With the Stars:' Bring on the Broadway

2011-10-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

Week 6 saw the seven remaining "Dancing With the Stars contestants dancing to Broadway tunes.

Something new to this season is having musical guests performing on Monday's show and the cast of Broadway's "Sister Act" set the mood of the show opening the night with a medley of tunes from their show. The episode also featured a performance of Maybe This Time from Cabaret and I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady from Kristin Chenoweth.

Once again the episode belong to Ricki Lake and J.R. Martinez who tied with a score of 29 for their Quicksteps. Ricki brings elegance and exquisite to the dance floor while J.R. also is a talented dancer draws the audience in with his personality and style that seems to emanate from deep within. I will be shocked if these two don't make it to the finals.

While these two continued their rise to the top 4 out of the remaining 5 contestants saw a drop in scores from last week.

Nancy Grace experienced a 2 point increase from last week with her Foxtrot to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from "Spamalot." For the first time ti looked like she was truly having fun and was throwing herself fully into the routine.

The night took a turn after Hope Solo's Rumba to "Seasons of Love" from "Rent." She received a 20 and it definitely wasn't her best performance and head judge Len Goodman called it her worst of the season. Solo's partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy was not pleased and said “I’m a little tired that we’re being judged some on effort, and some being picked on heel-leads.”

The highlight of the night was the group dance to “Hey, Big Spender” from “Sweet Charity” that featured lifts and highlighted the dynamic and friendships that have formed between the contestants.

Judging by tonight's dances I think Chaz and Hope will be in the bottom two

Week 6 Scores
Rob & Cheryl - 22
Nancy & Tristan - 24
David & Kim - 23
Ricki & Derek - 29
Chaz & Lacy - 19
Hope & Maks - 20
J.R. & Karina - 29

Another one bites the dust on 'Dancing'

2011-10-18T23:11:00.000-07:00

Enthusiasm and entertainment value were not enough to keep Carson Kressley and his partner Anna Trebunskaya in the ballroom and they became the fifth couple to be eliminated in season 13 of "Dancing With the Stars."

Carson's excitement will definitely be missed in the ballroom and I can't wait until the finale when all of the contestant return to dance because I'm sure he will come back and perform something that is sure to out smiles on people's faces.

Theme oriented shows continue next week with the remaining seven contestants dancing to Broadway tunes.

'Dancing With the Stars' goes retro

2011-10-17T20:09:00.000-07:00

Every season DWTS throws in theme nights and Season 13 is no different.

Week 5 saw The Bangles opening the show with "Walk Like and Egyptian" for 80s night.

Hope Solo opened the show with a Tango to "Livin' on a Prayer. The dance lacked strength and at times looked awkward. Judge Len Goodman not impressed and commented that Solo was too willowy and lacked strength. Scores: Carrie Ann 8 + Len 8 + Bruno 8 =24

Carson Kressley has shown week after week that he is the celebrity with the least amount of dancing technique, but definitely makes up for it in entertainment value because it is obvious that he is giving it his all. Kressley's jive was no different filled with high energy and spastic movements Bruno commented that is was "a crowning achievement in madness." Scores: Carrie Ann 6 + Len 6 + Bruno 7 =19

Nancy Grace was next up with a Rumba. DWTS is definitely showing a different side of Grace, but there is often a disconnect in her dancing where the story and the movements don't always seem to connect, but you could tell she was really trying with her Rumba. Carrie Ann urged Grace to focus on finishing her movements and Bruno called it one of her best performances. Scores: Carrie Ann 7+ Len 7 + Bruno 8 =22

J.R. Martinez has hovered in second place the last few weeks and was hoping his Samba would put him back on the top of the leader board. There is something refreshing about watching J.R. dance because you really see that he is giving his all and having the time of his life. After receiving a standing ovation from the audience, J.R. received glowing remarks from the judges with Bruno calling it brilliant. Scores: Carrie Ann 9 + Len 9 + Bruno 10 =28

Rob Kardashian had a visit from friend and Season 12 DWTS alum, Romeo who helped him bring out his sexy side for the Rumba. The lessons with Romeo were evident as Rob moved through his Rumba with confidence and continued his streak of seeing improvements each week. Scores: Carrie Ann 9 + Len 8 + Bruno 8 =25

Chaz Bono was aided by partner Lacey's father renowned dance coach Buddy Schwimmer on how to bring it on the dance floor. Chaz's samba was filled with energy and he had a smile on his face the whole time. Chaz is not one of the best dancers, but he continues to give his all week after week. Scores: Carrie Ann 7 + Len 7 + Bruno 7 =21

David Arquette definitely looked the part has he danced the Tango to "Tainted Love" dressed in all black. There seemed to be a new sense of focus and drive throughout the dance. Len and Bruno thought Arquette's Tango was "fantastic" with Carrie Ann adding that he needs to work on his musicality. Arquette is definitely one of the dancers that his always fun to watch, but even better is the joy and excitement on his daughter, Coco's face everytime he finishes a routine. Scores: Carrie Ann 8 + Len 9 + Bruno 8 =25

Ricki Lake has dominated the competition, earning the season's first 10s in week 4, but in rehearsals it is evident that the pressure is starting to weigh on her. A visit from John Waters lifted the mood, but Ricki's Foxtrot lacked the strength and precision that she has showed in previous routines. Bruno commented that Ricki "can't be a genius every week" while Carrie ann highlighted how great Ricki and her parter Derek Hough always dance as one. Scores: Carrie Ann 8 + Len 8 + Bruno 8 =24

It is hard to predict who will go home especially since two high scorers, Kristin Cavallari and Chynna Phillips, have been eliminated. Since the competition is at the half way point I really like to see strong dancers move on and judging by the scores Carson is the likely one to go, and although I do love his routines I think he along with Chaz or Nancy will be in the bottom two.

'Dancing With the Stars' continues to get better

2011-10-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

I have been in love with "Dancing With the Stars" since it second season and the show has continuously gotten better.

Season 13 debuted on Sept. 19 with 12 celebrity contestants including Ron Artest, Elisabetta Canalis, David Arquette, Chaz Bono, Kristin Cavallari, Nancy Grace, Rob Kardashian, Carson Kressley, Ricki Lake, J.R. Martinez, Chynna Phillips and Hope Solo.

Lakers player Rona Artest was eliminated in week one followed by model Elisabetta Canalis in week 2.

This week contestants were asked to pick a dance that told a story about the most memorable year of their life.

Ricki Lake ended the night with the highest score. She earned 27 for her rumba inspired by 2010, a year where her house burned down and she was able to trust her heart and find love again.

Although Lake received the highest score the standout of the night was actor and Army veteran J.R. Martinez.

Martinez, who most recently starred on "All My Children" chose 2003 because it was the year he was severely injured while serving in Iraq.

Martinez and, his professional partner, Karina Smirnoff danced the rumba to Tim McGraw's "If Your're Reading this" and dedicated it to the soldiers that do not come home. The dance combined with the song was breathtaking and was by far the most moving of the night. It earned a 26 from the judges and showed that he should go far in the competition.

Week 3 Scores

Rob & Cheryl - 24
Chynna & Tony - 26
Chaz & Lacey - 18
Kristin & Mark - 24
Carson & Anna - 23
J.R. & Karina - 26
Nancy & Tristan - 21
Ricki & Derek - 27
Hope & Maks - 24
David & Kym - 24

Suspenseful novel sets readers' hearts racing

2011-08-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

Tragedy and how one event can alter the course of your life, is central to author Heather Gudenkauf’s second novel.

Told from the point of view of four women, "These Things Hidden" explores what happens when people are bound by secrets and how far they will go to keep those secrets hidden to protect those they love.

Allison Glenn, a girl from the small town of Linden Falls, Iowa, was a high school standout destined for great things until one stormy night when she commits a heinous crime and tries to cover it up.

She fails and spends five years in prison leaving behind her family and a town wondering how things went so wrong for its shining star.

At the age of 21, Allison is released from prison. She tries to reconnect with her parents, who want nothing to do with her.

More so than her parents she is eager to speak with her younger sister Brynn. She needs to know how Brynn is doing and is desperate to have her beloved younger sister back in her life.
The shy and fragile Brynn has had to live with the whispers around town regarding her sister and struggles with the secrets of that night that never came out during Allison’s trial. She is striving to forget not only that night, but her sister as well.

The third point of view comes from Claire; a bookstore owner, who with her husband, is happily raising her adopted son Joshua.

The fourth is that of Charm, a young nursing student who abandoned Joshua at a fire station when he was an infant.

Throughout the 337-page novel how the lives of these four women are intertwined is revealed in a slow, suspenseful progression.

The reader becomes instantly enthralled in the story’s intricacies and the revelations about the role little Joshua plays in their lives.

"These Things Hidden" is a powerful and poignant novel dealing with familial relationships, secrets, overwhelming guilt and what happens when you are forced to deal with the consequences of your actions.

It sets readers’ hearts racing as they peel away at the layers of secrets and discover what these women did in the name of love to protect others and themselves.

Reality TV: Why I can’t change the channel

2011-02-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

I don’t even think I could count the number of reality TV shows I watch because as soon as I hear of a new one I like to watch it at least once and there is only a few that I cannot stand.

The thing is, reality TV is completely ridiculous but much like a traffic accident I can’t take my eyes off it.

Three shows I am currently glued to are season 15 of the “The Bachelor” on ABC and “Teen Mom 2” on MTV and “American Idol”
on Fox.

I have been watching “The Bachelor” since it began airing in 2002. Leading up to this season I wasn’t sure if I would be able to watch, especially after it was announced Brad Womack would be returning as the bachelor after he ended the season 11 without proposing to either of the final two contestants.

I am completely cynical and scoff at people who talk about their significant other and describe love at first sight, yet I become invested in a show where people attempt to find love in a matter of weeks.

I have a dinner date every Monday with my sister to watch the show and we pick our favorite bachelorettes at the beginning and spend the rest of the season talking trash about the other’s picks.

It is now down to the final three women and I am proud to say that my pick, Emily, is still in the running. I love this South Carolina native, not only because she has overcome the tragic events of having her fiancé dying in a plane crash and finding out she was pregnant in the same week, but because she has not been involved in the drama with the other girls and has remained classy throughout the entire process.

There is something about watching these people navigate intense emotions that gets me hooked.

Another of my latest obsessions is “Teen Mom 2,” which follows the lives of four teenage mothers. This show has been at the center of controversy with many who say it’s glamorizing teen pregnancy.

When I watch it, I’m not like “how awesome. I wish I had been a teenage mother,” I feel sad for their struggles and wonder what my life would be like if I had become a teenage mother. I am 25 and I cannot even imagine dealing with raising a child.

In addition to reality TV shows, I am also obsessed with anything that involves competition, so, like “The Bachelor,” I have watched “American Idol” from the beginning.

Season 10 of the hit show has undergone major changes most noticeably new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.

I was certain that the show would not work without Simon Cowell, but I actually love the dynamics of Lopez and Tyler with veteran judge Randy Jackson.

The interaction between the three seems extremely natural and like they genuinely enjoy one another’s company.

Reality TV and TV in general is not only a way to be entertained, but also a way to escape the craziness of everyday life. I am not embarrassed to admit that most of what I watch is complete nonsense, but I don’t see myself changing the channel any time soon.

Countdown to Taylor Swift’s new single

2010-07-21T17:34:00.001-07:00

DWTS finale, Erin shines with emotional freestyle

2010-05-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

Since the start of the second season I have not missed an episode of "Dancing with the Stars" and every season my favorite episode is the finale because that is when the celebrities and their partners get to perform a freestyle dance where all previous rules are thrown out the window.

ESPN reporter Erin Andrews and her professional partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy broke away from the traditional in your face freestyle routine, instead performing a contemporary, lyrical dance.

Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya, who have been one of my favorites this season, had a fun freestyle to "Footloose." Although I liked it and it was full of energy there was times when they seemed a bit off.

Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and her pro Derek Hough danced an energetic, lift filled dance to "A Little Less Conversation" that would have earned a perfect score if there had not been a stumble with a lift at the very end.

I liked parts of all of the freestyles, but Erin and Maks' was my favorite because it was different and emotional. You could tell Erin was putting all that she had into the dance

Favorite Super Bowl commercial

2010-02-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

This was the first year that I sat and watched the whole Super Bowl. It was an awesome game and I was so exited when the Saints won, but being the TV/entertainment junkie that I am I had to take note of the commercials. My favorite commercial of the night was Doritos: Play Nice.

Watch Commercial

"The Sing-Off" Night 3: Superstar Medley and Judges' Request

2009-12-16T20:11:00.000-08:00

Superstar Medley

Nota opened the show with a Jackson 5 medley transitioning from " I Want You Back" to "I'll Be There" to "ABC". The group transitioned effortlessly between the three hits proving they deserve a spot on the show.

The Beelzebubs were next with a medley of hits from The Who including "Behind Blue Eyes," "Who Are You" and "Teenage Wasteland." Starting with the more subdued "Behind Blue Eyes" showed a different side of the group before they transitioned to the more upbeat songs.

Maxx Factor took on the harmonies of The Beach Boys singing "God Only Knows," "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Good Vibrations." This group of working mom from Maryland have voices that seem to blend together effortlessly.

The Socals rocked out to Journey with "Anyway You Want It," "Open Arms" and "Small Town Girl" upping their performance level with their continued improvement.

Voices of Lee was the last up in the Superstar Medley taking on the Beatles performing "Paperback Writer," "Oh Darling" and an inspiring rendition of"All You Need is Love."

Maxx Factor was eliminated before the Judges' Request.

Judges' Request
Next the remaining four groups had to perform a song chosen by the judges. The judges choices were:

"Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel for Nota

"Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond for The Beelzebubs

"Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles for The Socals

"Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson for Voices of Lee

My faves of the night were the Jackson 5 Medley by Nota and "Sweet Caroline" by The Beelzebubs.

The three groups advancing to the live finale on Dec. 21 are the Beelzebubs, Nota and Voices of Lee.

Viewers can vote for the winner, who will receive a Sony Music recording contract, by going to www.nbc.com/sing-off/

New obsession = "The Sing-Off"

2009-12-15T22:13:00.000-08:00

I love all times of music, so anytime I hear of a music based show I have to tune in. Tonight marked the premier of "The Sing-Off" on NBC. The competition show pits eight singing groups against each other singing a cappella. The first night of the four-night competition which features judges Ben Folds Five front-man Ben Folds, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and Shawn Stockman of Boys II Men saw two of the eight groups get eliminated.

Night two saw the judges eliminating Noteworthy, a nine-voice female ensemble from Provo, Utah. While all the groups are talented I really thought Noteworthy would make it farther along.

It is hard to pick just one favorite. But there are two groups that I think it is going to come down to: Nota, an all-male sextet from Puerto Rico who have done an amazing job at putting their own spin and adding a little Latin flair to their performances and Beelzebubs, an all-male group of 12 who are by far the most theatrical group.

With a cappella it all comes down to the voice, so it is refreshing to see performances that simply rely on talent.

Awesome new single from an amazing group

2009-11-03T00:58:00.000-08:00

James Franco to Star on 'General Hospital' - ABC News

2009-10-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

James Franco to Star on 'General Hospital' - ABC News
Shared via AddThis

I'm a fan of both, but I still can't get over going from "Milk" to "General Hospital"

Julianne Hough dazzles desert crowd

2009-09-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

This reality TV junkie likes most musical genres, but loves country.

So I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see my new favorite group Gloriana and Dancing With the Stars alum Julianne Hough for $5, even if that meant driving 80 miles to Palmdale.

The show was the last of the Palmdale 2009 Starlight Concert Series.

Lucky for me I got my dad to do the driving, but when we got there it was announced that Gloriana had canceled due to illness. We were bummed, but that disappointment vanished as soon as Hough took the stage.

Not only does she possess a contagious energy, Hough's band was full of energy that only bettered her performance

Hough is an amazing performer and it is evident that she loves doing what she does. I was impressed with the number of times throughout her set that she thanked her fans and told the audience how blessed she feels to have their support

Hough is currently working on her second album. To learn more about this rising country star go to www.juliannehough.com or follower her on Twitter at twitter.com/juliannehough

Let the blogging adventure begin

2009-09-20T01:30:00.000-07:00

I cannot deny the fact that I am addicted to reality TV.

Writing a newspaper column on that topic gave me sixteen opportunities to rant and rave about all things reality TV based, so I'm excited to try something new and blog instead of writing a traditional newspaper column.

Although the name of this blog is Confessions of a Reality TV Junkie, it will also be a place for me to discuss traditional TV shows and whatever books, movies or music that I'm loving at the moment.

Let the blogging adventure begin.