Posted by Dustin on 08.30.2010 at 10:42 pm

I’ve become increasingly disinterested with “Dancing With The Stars” the past few seasons. Having other shows I watch up against it didn’t help, and neither does the fact that a lot of the time the people I really like get the boot early on. Still, the new season starts September 23rd, and I’m sure I’ll tune in off and on at least. Maybe I’ll get sucked in to some drama?

There are a few stars in this new season I’m interested in seeing, like Margaret Cho, Jennifer Grey and Flo Henderson. A lot of the others on this list . . . I don’t know . . . I really don’t think reality stars should be on a reality show about stars . . . there is something odd about that.

MICHAEL BOLTON – Michael Bolton has sold more than 53 million records, released 18 studio albums, won multiple Grammys® for Best Male Vocalist and countless other honors, all while selling out arenas worldwide. In 2002 the singer-songwriter earned a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. He has sung with Luciano Pavarotti and Ray Charles, written songs with Bob Dylan, Ne-Yo and Lady Gaga, penned hits for a diverse range of artists, including Barbra Streisand and KISS, played guitar with B.B. King and had his music recorded on a track by hip-hop superstar Kanye West (featuring megastar Jay-Z). Earlier this year Bolton released his latest album, “One World One Love,” featuring his current single, “Murder My Heart,” which he co-wrote with Lady Gaga, and is currently on a worldwide concert tour. Of all that he has accomplished, perhaps nothing is more important to Bolton than the foundation he founded in1993, The Michael Bolton Charities, Inc. Based in his home state of Connecticut, the major focus of The MBC is the critical issue of violence against women. Since its inception, The MBC has dispersed over $6 million in grants to various organizations that support children and women at risk of poverty, abuse, neglect, homelessness and domestic violence.

BRANDY – Brandy is a platinum-selling R&B and pop singer, actress, songwriter and record/television producer. In 1994, at the age of 15, Brandy released her eponymous debut album, selling over 6 million copies. Following a major success with “The Boy Is Mine,” a duet with singer Monica, which spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, she won a Grammy® Award for Best R&B performance by a duo or group. The accompanying album “Never Say Never” in 1998 sold over 16 million copies worldwide. A series of hit CD’s followed, including “Full Moon,” “Afrodisiac” and “Human,” bringing the star’s sales to over 30 million records to date. While maintaining a recording career, Brandy also gained fame as an actress, starring in several film and TV projects, including the popular UPN sitcom, “Moesha” (1996-2001), the 1997 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella, Double Platinum,” a miniseries co-starring Diana Ross, and the movie “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.” Brandy has also been spokesmodel for Cover Girl, Candies Shoes, DKNY, Sketchers Shoes and Ultima/Kaneka brand by Brandy. Her civic and charity interests include the Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Norwood Kids Foundation, which supports music and the performing arts in public schools. She is currently filming Season 2 of the hit VH1 reality show “Brandy and Ray J: a Family Business,” in which she stars and on which she’s executive producer. She is also in studio recording a new CD for release in 2011.

MARGARET CHO – One of the most successful stand-up comediennes of today, Margaret Cho’s performances have been seen by millions around the world. Having first performed stand-up in her native San Francisco at the age of 16, Cho’s best-selling tours include the off-Broadway hit/concert film “I’m the One That I Want,” “Notorious C.H.O.,” “Revolution” and “Beautiful.” She is also a regular cast member of the hit Lifetime series “Drop Dead Diva.” Other acting work includes her starring role in the sitcom, “All-American Girl,” “Face/Off” and several guest star appearances, including “Sex and the City” and “Ghost Whisperer.” Cho is also a best-selling author whose work includes the book I’m the One That I Want and a collection of essays entitled I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight. A passionate advocate for equal rights, she has received honors from GLAAD, the National Gay and Lesbian task Force, National Organization for Women, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Victory Fund and many others. Cho is currently touring with “Cho Dependent,” which features both stand-up and songs from her new music comedy album of the same name.

RICK FOX – Three-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, actor and producer Rick Fox has appeared in a number of film and television projects, sharing the screen with actors ranging from Whoopi Goldberg to Henry Winkler, Angela Bassett and Shia LeBeouf. Fox’s acting debut came in 1994 in William Friedkin’s “Blue Chips.” Similar roles followed in 1996’s “Eddie” and 1998’s critically acclaimed “He Got Game” (directed by Spike Lee), before Fox’s breakout role on the hit HBO series “Oz.” Since then he has appeared in over a dozen network shows, including “Ugly Betty,” “One Tree Hill,” “The Game” and “Dirt.” In addition he has appeared in such diverse films as “Resurrection,” “Holes,” “Mini’s First Time” and Tyler Perry’s “Meet The Browns.” While Fox continues to strengthen his craft, he’s just as busy behind the camera developing his own film and television projects for his production company, 1744 Entertainment. As a star basketball athlete, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was coached by the legendary Dean Smith. He began his pro basketball career when he was drafted into the NBA by the Boston Celtics as a first round pick. He went on to be the captain of both the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers while being coached by 11-time champion Phil Jackson. Fox is a father of two and currently resides in Los Angeles.

JENNIFER GREY – A beloved actress of both film and television, Jennifer Grey is best known for her starring roles in the iconic movies “Dirty Dancing” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Grey starred as Frances “Baby” Houseman in the award-winning box office hit, “Dirty Dancing,” which is widely considered one of the best dance movies of all time. Some of her other films include the Ben Affleck movie “Bounce,” “Red Dawn” and “The Cotton Club.” She starred in the television sitcom “It’s Like, You Know…” and has made memorable television appearances on such shows as “Friends,” “John from Cincinnati,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and an upcoming episode of the medical drama, “House”. Grey has also starred in various television movies, including “A Case for Murder,” CBS’s “The West Side Waltz” and the Lifetime original movie “Road to Christmas.” The daughter of Tony® and Academy Award® winner Joel Grey, she resides in Los Angeles with her family, actor/director Clark Gregg and daughter.

DAVID HASSELHOFF – Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as “The Most Watched TV Star in the World,” David Hasselhoff is an international superstar across all genres of music, television and film. Hasselhoff got his start in entertainment on the popular soap opera, “The Young and the Restless,” and was quickly pursued to play the lead role of the 1980’s cult favorite, “Knight Rider.” But hi fame was really catapulted when he starred in the television phenomenon “Baywatch.” The series ran for 11 years and is still viewed in 140 countries by over one billion viewers every week. Throughout his extraordinary television career, Hasselhoff has also appeared in such feature films as “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” and Adam Sandler’s “Click.” Off screen he has recorded multiple albums — one that has gone triple platinum — starred in the Broadway musical “Jekyll & Hyde,” in London’s West End production of “Chicago” and in “The Producers” in Las Vegas. Most recently he was honored by Comedy Central with “The Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff,” which premiered as one of the top-rated comedy roasts on the network. Not only is Hasselhoff a multi-faceted talent but he is also a writer of an autobiography, Don’t Hassel The Hoff, which made the UK Bestseller list re-titled as Making Waves and debuted at No. 8 in Austria on the non-fiction charts. Beyond his entertainment contributions, Hasselhoff is the co-founder of Race for Life and an active participant in Wounded Warriors and Wheels for Humanity.

FLORENCE HENDERSON – Florence Henderson is a multi-talented actress, talk show host, recording artist, author, Broadway veteran and philanthropist. Her career is as active today as when she first appeared as the “Today Girl” on “NBC’s Today Show,” and as the first woman to host “The Tonight Show.” Henderson has appeared on such popular primetime programs and made for television specials as the critically acclaimed movie of the week for Hallmark entitled “Ladies of the House” and the popular RLTV Network’s “Florence Henderson Show.” She will always be best known in syndication worldwide as “America’s Favorite Mom” and matriarch Carol Brady on the classic hit TV series “The Brady Bunch,” which aired for five seasons (1969-1974), has never been off the air in this country, and currently airs in 122 countries around the world. Acknowledged as one of the top leading spokespersons in the U.S., Henderson has been a celebrity spokeswoman for Oldsmobile, Tang, Polident, Rain Soft, Pepsi Light and Wesson Oil. She maintains a busy schedule as one of the country’s most popular and sought after motivational speakers, as well as performing her one-woman show, “All the Lives of Me… A Musical Journey.” Her first role on stage was in Joshua Logan’s musical, “Wish You Were Here,” and shortly thereafter she was cast in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s last national tour of “Oklahoma!.” Her long list of stage credits includes the starring role in “The Great Waltz” for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, the starring role of “Fanny,” the lead role of Maria in “The Sound of Music,” the lead in “The Girl Who Came to Supper” the role of Nellie Forbush in Noel Coward’s “South Pacific” and the starring role of Anna, opposite Ricardo Montalban, in “The King and I.” Her first feature film credit was in “The Song of Norway.” As a producer and a talk-show host, her credits also include The Nashville Network’s cooking and comedy series, “Country Kitchen.” The experiences inspired her to write a cookbook, A Little Cooking, a Little Talking and a Whole Lot of Fun.

KYLE MASSEY – Kyle Orlando Massey stars as Cory Baxter in Disney Channel’s No. 1 hit sitcom, “Cory in the House,” Disney Channel’s first-ever spin-off. He originated the role of Cory in Disney’s “That’s So Raven,” the first show in Disney’s history to produce over 100 episodes. For his work on “That’s So Raven” and “Cory in the House,” Massey received an NAACP Image Award nomination. In addition to appearing in numerous commercials, he starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie “Life is Ruff.” He has a recurring role on the animated series “American Dragon: Jake Long” and sings the main title theme songs on “Cory In The House,” “Yin! Yang! Yo!” and performed the title track for Walt Disney Picture’s “Underdog.” Currently Massey is starring as the voice of Milo on the Disney Channel’s upcoming animated , “Fish Hooks.” For his prowess in golf, he won first place in the National Minority Junior Golf Tournament in 2003. He has participated in several celebrity golf tournaments, placing 3rd in a recent White House Golf Tournament. Together with brother Christopher, he has worked on projects to benefit the charity organization Feed the Children and traveled to Africa for the network primetime television special, “Eyes on Kenya.” They have also performed their rap music in “Heroes Among Us: The 2009 Hero Awards” and in MyNetworkTV’s “The Spirit of Christmas.” Currently they are co-hosting and starring in the comedy series “World’s Funniest Moments.”

BRISTOL PALIN – Bristol Palin, former first daughter of Alaska, first entered the national spotlight when her mother, former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, was selected to be John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 Presidential election. Bristol traveled the country, alongside her mother, father and siblings on the campaign trail. After giving birth to her son, Tripp, and becoming a single teen mother in 2008, she became a spokesperson for the prevention of teen pregnancy and for other teen issues. As an advocate for the protection of life, Palin wanted to share her story with other teens who may one day face a similar situation. She also acts as Teen Ambassador for The Candie’s Foundation to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancies. As part of her campaign, Palin recently guest starred as herself on an episode of ABC Family’s teenage drama, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” She resides in Alaska with her son and family.

AUDRINA PATRIDGE – After starring in six seasons of the hit series “The Hills,” Audrina Patridge has joined the ranks of young Hollywood as one of the most sought-after and talked about talents on television. Patridge, who aspired to become an actress from a very early age, has been honing her skills with regarded coaches and private acting classes. She made her debut on the big screen last fall in the thriller “Sorority Row.” Other film credits include the action-adventure film “Into the Blue 2” and “Honey 2.” She has also tested her hand at comedy, appearing on an episode of the sitcom “Do Not Disturb” and in a hilarious skit for “MAD TV.” Last summer Patridge made headlines steaming up TV screens in a commercial for Carl’s Jr. This July she became the latest Bongo girl, shooting the fall advertising campaign with famed photographer Tony Duran.

MIKE “THE SITUATION” SORRENTINO – Mike Sorrentino has become one of Hollywood’s emerging talents. Born in Staten Island, New York and raised in Manalapan, New Jersey, Sorrentino is most known for starring on the hit show “The Jersey Shore,” now in its second season on MTV. He graduated from Manalapan High School and went on to college in NJ. After graduation in 2004, he tried his hand at personal training, fitness modeling and soon after was scouted for an upcoming reality show which would eventually become “The Jersey Shore.” The show caught fire, becoming one of the highest rated shows in MTV history, and propelled “The Situation” into pop culture phenomenon. As “The Jersey Shore” continues in its unrivaled success, Sorrentino also continues to gain in popularity nationally and internationally. He was nominated this year at the Teen Choice Awards for Choice TV: Male Reality Star. Upcoming projects include a book, Here’s the Situation, which will be out in stores on November 2, a vitamin line with nationwide store GNC that will launch in the fall and a fitness DVD which will be out in December.

KURT WARNER – Kurt Warner is the first quarterback ever to participate in “Dancing with the Stars.” In 1999 he emerged from obscurity to lead the St. Louis Rams to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. In that same year, Warner was named the NFL and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. As the ringleader of the “Greatest Show on Turf,” he led the Rams to two additional playoff appearances – including another Super Bowl — and received Pro Bowl honors for three consecutive years (1999-2001). He also earned his second NFL MVP in 2001. Injuries led Warner to move from the Rams to the Giants, and finally the Arizona Cardinals in 2005. In 2007 he led the Cardinals to their first ever Super Bowl berth, was voted to his fourth Pro Bowl and surpassed several Cardinals franchise records, including touchdowns, attempts, completions, completion percentage and passer rating. Warner’s gridiron accomplishments pale in comparison to the dedication he shows to the community. In 2001 he and his wife, Brenda, established the First Things First Foundation, a non-profit public charity dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values, sharing experiences and providing opportunities to encourage everyone to believe that all things are possible when people seek to put first things first. Warner was born and raised in Iowa and played college football at the University of Northern Iowa. He lives in Arizona with his wife and seven children.

Posted by Dustin on 07.08.2010 at 3:54 pm

ABC ANNOUNCES FALL SERIES PREMIERE DATES

ABC announced the following Fall premiere dates for the 2010-2011 season today. All times listed are ET.

Premiere dates for Fall series “Body of Proof” and “Secret Millionaire” will be announced at a later time. As previously announced, Saturday Night Football premieres Saturday, September 4 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Monday, September 20
8:00-10:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Castle”

Tuesday, September 21
8:00-10:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars” (special performance show night and time)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Detroit 1-8-7″

Wednesday, September 22
8:00-8:30 p.m. “The Middle”
8:30-9:00 p.m. “Better With You” (formerly titled “Better Together”)
9:00-9:30 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30-10:00 p.m. “Cougar Town”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “The Whole Truth”

Thursday, September 23
8:00-9:00 p.m. “My Generation”
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Private Practice”

Friday, September 24
10:00 p.m. 20/20

Sunday, September 26
7:00-8:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00-9:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Brothers & Sisters”

Tuesday, September 28
8:00-9:00 p.m. “No Ordinary Family”
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars The Results Show”

Posted by Dustin on 03.23.2010 at 7:13 pm

Well last night “DWTS” got some of it’s biggest ratings ever. Did you tune in? Do you have a favorite yet? Is someone already clearly the winner?

I did watch and look forward to being able to watch this season without “Heroes” interfering. The last few seasons that’s been some big competition. Though I will admit, I ended up turning it off near the end to watch “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” That show is like crack, bitchy snarky crack!

As for my quick thoughts though, I enjoyed it. I at least know most of the contestants this time around. The last few seasons I felt they were really reaching. I am guessing Buzz will go home this week, but he’s such an American hero that the votes might save him. The same with Jake the Bachelor, I think girl will vote to keep him on cause they think he’s all that (even if they hate the woman he chose).

I really liked seeing Shannan, I’ve always loved her as an actress. Neicy Nash was fun as well, love her too. The Pussycat Doll I guess I have my normal issues with, but even more so here. Before they hit it as a music act they were a dance/burlesque act in Vegas. I think that’s a bit unfair!

Posted by Dustin on 03.03.2010 at 9:41 pm

ABC ANNOUNCES THE CELEBRITY AND PROFESSIONAL PAIRINGS FOR “DANCING WITH THE STARS,” PREMIERING MARCH 22 ON ABC

The “Dancing with the Stars” Pros Begin Training Their New Celebrity Partners, As the Couples Get Set to Showcase Their Fancy Footwork

One New Professional Ballroom Dancer Joins the Show, Damian Whitewood
An all-new cast of celebrities and their professional partners hit the dance floor on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” with the highly anticipated two-hour season premiere, MONDAY, MARCH 22 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

In alphabetical order, and with their professional partners, the 11 stars making their ballroom dancing debut are:

* BUZZ ALDRIN, legendary astronaut, partners up with ASHLY COSTA (formerly DelGrosso), who returns for her fourth season.

* PAMELA ANDERSON, actress and model, joins professional dancer DAMIAN WHITEWOOD, who makes his “Dancing with the Stars” debut this season.

* ERIN ANDREWS, ESPN host, teams with MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY, who returns for his eighth season.

* SHANNEN DOHERTY, actress, teams up with two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champ MARK BALLAS, who returns for his sixth season.

* KATE GOSSELIN, TLC star, teams with TONY DOVOLANI, who returns for his ninth season.

* EVAN LYSACEK, Olympic figure skating champion, teams with ANNA TREBUNSKAYA, who returns for her fifth season.

* NIECY NASH, comedienne and host, teams up with LOUIS VAN AMSTEL, who returns for his sixth season

* CHAD OCHOCINCO, NFL Star, teams up with two-time champion CHERYL BURKE, who returns for her ninth season.

* JAKE PAVELKA, “The Bachelor” star, joins CHELSIE HIGHTOWER, who returns for her third season.

* NICOLE SCHERZINGER, pop star, teams with Season 7 champ DEREK HOUGH, who returns for his sixth season.

* AIDEN TURNER, soap star, teams with EDYTA SLIWINSKA, who is the only pro to compete in all 10 seasons of “Dancing with the Stars.”

All 11 teams will showcase their fancy footwork for the first time on MONDAY, MARCH 22 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET), with no eliminations in first week of the competition. In week two, all of the couples will return and try to outshine each other once again in a two-hour show, MONDAY, MARCH 29 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET). The couple with the lowest combined judges’ scores and public votes for both performances will be sent home on TUESDAY, MARCH 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) in the season premiere of “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show.”

Viewers may cast their votes for their favorite teams via phone on Monday night during and up to 30 minutes after the “Dancing with the Stars” performance shows. AT&T customers may also text message their votes by texting the word “VOTE” and entering the number that corresponds to the team they want to support (message and data rates may apply). Viewers may also vote online at www.abc.com starting from the opening of each episode on the East Coast and until 12:00 Noon, ET the following day.

Hosted by Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”), the celebrities perform choreographed dance routines which will be judged by renowned Ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba, who all return for their tenth season together.

Posted by Dustin on 03.01.2010 at 10:56 pm

During the finale of “The Bachelor” the new cast of “Dancing With The Stars” was announced. With so many of my shows off the air, here is hoping I’ll get to keep up with the show this time around! “Heroes” was always the main competition with the show and it’s gone for the season. “Parenthood” could be a problem as I really want to watch it, but it looks like it’s now scheduled for Tuesdays rather than Mondays.

Here is the cast they announced. There are some misspellings I’m sure. I was trying to keep up as they went through them fast. A formal release will probably be out in an hour anyway.

Pamela Anderson – TV/Baywatch

Chad Ochocinco – Football

Aiden Turner – TV/Soaps

Erin Andrews – ESPN

Shannen Doherty – TV/90210

Buzz Aldrin – Astronaut

Neicy Nash – TV/Reno 911/Insider

Nicole Cherziendger – Pussycat Dolls

Evan Lyscech – Olympic Gold Medalist

Kate Gosselin – TV Reality Star

Jake Pavelcka – The Bachelor!

Kate Gosselin? Nooooooooooo! I think she might make a lot of people who might have watched tune out.

Posted by Dustin on 08.17.2009 at 11:35 am

THE STAGE IS SET FOR 16 NEW STARS TO SHOWCASE THEIR FANCY FOOTWORK AS “DANCING WITH THE STARS” RETURNS FOR ITS NINTH SEASON, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 ON ABC

Three-Night Premiere Event Begins Monday, September 21

Two Celebrities Eliminated on Wednesday, September 23

“Dancing with the Stars the Results Show” Premieres in Regular Timeslot on Tuesday, September 29

Pro Dancer Competition Returns

An all new cast of celebrities hits the dance floor on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” with the highly anticipated two-hour season premiere, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on ABC. With its biggest season yet, “Dancing with the Stars” Season Nine introduces us to 16 new stars, including an Osmond and an Osbourne, two Grammy Award® winning artists, a Cowboy, a model CEO and a former House Majority Leader.

Eight teams will strut their stuff on Monday night, while the other eight teams will show off their moves on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET). On a special night and time, two couples will learn their fate and be sent home on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET).

Following is the schedule for Season Nine (dates and times subject to change):
“Dancing with the Stars,” two-hour performance show, MONDAYS beginning, SEPTEMBER 21 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) through NOVEMBER 16

“Dancing with the Stars the Results Show,” one-hour, TUESDAYS beginning, SEPTEMBER 29 (9:00 -10:00 p.m., ET) through NOVEMBER 25

“Dancing with the Stars,” 90-minute performance show, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (8:30-10:00 p.m., ET)

Season Finale, two-hours, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET)

“Dancing with the Stars” returns with new surprises and all the elements viewers have come to know and love, including the Pro Dancer Competition, where world class professional dancers have the opportunity to compete live on the “Results Show” for a guaranteed spot on next season’s show. “Macy’s Stars of Dance,” which features some of the most renowned dancers and choreographers of our time, will also be back on “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show.” One of the Macy’s Stars of Dance performances will be the hugely popular “Design-a-Dance,” where fans have the chance to select their favorite professional dancers, dance styles and wardrobe at www.abc.com. In addition, couples will once again take part in a team formation dance, and a variety of new elements will be incorporated into routines involving all couples. Four new dance styles — the Bolero, the Charleston, the Two Step and the Lambada — are also going to be introduced. The middle stages of the competition feature the return of the “Dance Off,” where contestants will perform a dance style of their choosing to fight for their spot in the competition, and three consecutive double eliminations promise the most dramatic period of “Dancing with the Stars.”

As announced this morning on “Good Morning America,” the 16 stars making their ballroom dancing debut are:

AARON CARTER — Triple platinum selling music artist/songwriter, producer, actor and younger brother of Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, Aaron Carter has established himself worldwide as a pop and teen sensation. Beginning his career at the age of eight, he is currently the youngest solo artist to have four Top 40 singles. He has released four studio albums since 1997, two of which have been certified platinum, and has appeared on several television series, including “Lizzie McGuire” and “7th Heaven,” as well as making his Broadway debut playing JoJo the Who in “Seussical the Musical” in 2001. He sang vocals on soundtracks for Disneymania (“The Lion King”), “Ella Enchanted,” “Pokemon” and “Rugrats the Movie.” In 2006 Carter starred in the E! reality show, “House of Carters,” which featured all five of the Carter siblings living in the same house.

NATALIE COUGHLIN — Olympic swimming gold medalist Natalie Coughlin is the most decorated female athlete of both the 2008 Beijing and 2004 Athens Games. Coughlin has won a medal in every single Olympic event that she has ever entered, for a total of 11 Olympic medals. In 2008 she became the first American female athlete to win six medals in one Olympiad, in addition to becoming the first woman to win consecutive individual Olympic gold medals in the 100m backstroke. She is also the most decorated female swimmer in World Championship history, with 16 medals. Born and raised in northern California, Coughlin attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a BA in psychology in 2005.

MARK DACASCOS — Famously known as “The Chairman” and host of Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” Mark Dacascos is also a trained martial artist and an actor. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, his passion for martial arts began at an early age under the tutelage of his parents, who are both former national champions and teachers. After being discovered in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Dacascos began to establish a film and television career playing not only martial artists but a wide arrangement of other characters before joining “Iron Chef America” in 2005. He has appeared in several feature films, including the internationally acclaimed French epic, “Brotherhood of the Wolf,” the cult classic “Only the Strong,” “Cradle to the Grave”, opposite Jet Li, “Only the Brave,” “Nomad” and “The Lost Medallion,” to be released later this year.

TOM DELAY — The former House Majority Leader is a prominent Republican and conservative firebrand. He was first elected to Congress in 1984, and when Republicans took control of the House, his colleagues elected him Majority Whip, and later Majority Leader. His leadership was characterized by his aggressive “Grow the Vote” method of party discipline, where he never lost a vote, leading the Washington Post to nickname him “The Hammer.” He and his wife, Christine, also served as foster parents and founded a community in Texas that serves as a safe, permanent home for abused and neglected children. DeLay is currently president of First Principles LLC, a strategic political consulting firm based in Washington DC and Houston, Texas.

MACY GRAY — Macy Gray first burst onto the music scene with her debut album, “On How Life Is,” and the hit single “I Try,” both of which went to number one. She has gone on to sell more than 20,000,000 albums worldwide and has won and been nominated for five Grammy Awards and six MTV Video Music Awards. She has collaborated on stage and in the recording studio with some of music’s greatest artists, including Justin Timberlake, Carlos Santana, Erykah Badu, Fergie, will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) Nas and Natalie Cole. Gray has also appeared in numerous films, including “Spider Man,” “Training Day,” “Idlewild” (with Outkast) and the award-winning HBO Film, “Lackawanna Blues.”

ASHLEY HAMILTON — Actor, songwriter, comedian and son of former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant George Hamilton, Ashley is a multi-talented, multi-hyphenate with experience in film, comedy and television. An accomplished singer, Ashley had a 2003 top 20 single released by Sony, and as a songwriter co-wrote the top 10 Robbie Williams hit entitled “Come Undone.” He has writing credits for Hillary Duff among other top acts. Hamilton has made various television and film appearances in his career, including a starring role in “Sunset Beach.” Since 2007 he has been performing stand-up comedy at the Laugh Factory, the Hollywood Improv, the Comedy Store and Room 5 in Los Angeles.

MELISSA JOAN HART — Known for her starring roles in the television series “Clarissa Explains It All” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” Melissa Joan Hart began her career at the early age of four with television commercials and various television appearances. She starred in the film “Drive Me Crazy” alongside “Entourage’s” Adrian Grenier, as well as the ABC Family Original Movie “Holiday in Handcuffs,” opposite “Dancing with the Stars” alumnus Mario Lopez, which was the highest rated program in the history of the network. In 2009 Hart starred in another ABC Family Original Movie, “My Fake Fiancé” that also garnered huge ratings. In 1993 she started her own production company, Hartbreak Films, and is set to release her first thriller film, “Nine Dead,” to DVD in January 2010. Hart and husband Mark Wilkerson are the proud parents of two sons, Mason, age three, and Braydon, 17 months.

KATHY IRELAND — Kathy Ireland the super model is now wife, mother of three, author, Sunday school teacher and fashion CEO of kathy ireland Worldwide® (KIWW)®. Forbes, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal celebrate KIWW® as a $1.4 billion design empire. Ireland powerfully supports many non-profits, including the Elizabeth Taylor HIV/AIDS Foundation, Feed the Children and the Alliance for Christian Education. UCLA has named her as one of the Top Ten Women’s Health Advocates in America.

MICHAEL IRVIN — Regarded as one of the most successful wide receivers in the history of the NFL, former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin is a three-time Super Bowl champion and former broadcaster for ESPN’s “NFL Countdown.” Known as “The Playmaker” and one of “The Triplets” alongside fellow Cowboys Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, Irvin was a recipient of the Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor in 2005. In 2007 he was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame and has appeared in various television shows, as well as co-starring in “The Longest Yard” with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock. Last fall Irvin executive-produced/hosted the reality TV series “4th and Long” for Spike TV, in which one football hopeful was given a shot at making the Dallas Cowboys roster. Most recently he appeared on the Hall of Fame inductions on the NFL Network, and he hosts his own radio show in Dallas for ESPN Radio.

JOANNA KRUPA — Polish-born Joanna Krupa was born in Warsaw and raised in Chicago. After high school she moved to LA to pursue a career in modeling and acting. Her hard work and positive spirit led her to become one of the most requested models/covergirls in the world. PETA’s “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign featuring Krupa became a phenomenon. She’s been featured in E!’s The Sexiest as one of the sexiest women in the world. In 2009 she was selected as the cover model for Ocean Drive magazine, and Maxim voted her among their TOP 100 women in the world. Film and TV credits include “Six Days in Paradise,” due in the fall, “Ripple Effect,” “Las Vegas” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Most recently she competed in ABC’s “The Superstars,” teaming with Buffalo Bills NFL star Terrell Owens.

CHUCK LIDDELL — Chuck Liddell is the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the icon of Mixed Martial Arts — the fastest growing sport in America. In 1998 he won his first UFC Mixed Martial Arts fight. Soon after, Liddell rose through the ranks to become the light-heavyweight champion of the world. In July of 2009, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. He is tied for the most wins by a UFC fighter, with 16, and also holds the most knockout wins with 10. In 2008 Liddell penned his autobiography, Iceman: My Fighting Life, which quickly became a New York Times bestseller. He has a BA in Business/Accounting from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he also wrestled.

DEBI MAZAR — Debi Mazar’s feature film debut in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” set the stage for an extensive career in both television and film. She has consistently worked with notable directors — including Oliver Stone, Spike Lee, Woody Allen, Michael Mann and Joel Schumacher — often portraying a sharp-tongued New Yorker in both dramas and comedy. Her television credits include “Friends,” “Ugly Betty” and her own sitcom, CBS’ “Temporarily Yours.” Mazar presently stars as publicist Shauna on HBO’s hit series “Entourage.” She also co-hosts “Under the Tuscan Gun,” a successful internet show focused on Tuscan cuisine, with her husband. The couple have two young daughters and presently reside in both Los Angeles and Tuscany, Italy.

MYA — Grammy Award® winning multi-platinum artist Mya, became a star at the age of 18 with her eponymous debut album which yielded three Top 10 singles. In addition to releasing five full length albums, one of which went platinum and another gold, she starred in the acclaimed film “Chicago.” Since then Mya has appeared in several other movies and signed a modeling contract. Her fourth and fifth studio albums, “Liberation” and “Sugar & Spice,” respectively, have been released in Japan, and her sixth studio album is due to be released on her independent label. A longtime advocate for young women, Mya founded The Mya Arts & Tech Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing disadvantaged youth growth and opportunity through arts & technology education, where she serves as both executive director and teacher.

KELLY OSBOURNE — A singer, actress and media personality, Kelly Osbourne’s father is rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, and her mother is well-known TV personality Sharon Osbourne. Kelly got her start at the age of 16 in the first-ever “celebrity reality” TV show, “The Osbournes,” with her famous family, which garnered an Emmy Award® for Outstanding Reality Program in 2002. That same year, Kelly released her debut music album, “Shut Up!,” which included a cover of Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach.” Her second album, “Sleeping in Nothing,” was released in 2005 with its first single, “One Word,” hitting No. 1 on all three Billboard Dance charts simultaneously. She made her dramatic acting debut in a starring role on the ABC series “Life As We Know It”. In recent years Osbourne has worked primarily in the UK, where she’s done theatre (including a successful run in “Chicago” in London’s West End in 2007), hosted her own weekly radio show on BBC Radio and presented numerous UK TV projects, including “Project Catwalk,” the UK’s version of “Project Runway.”

DONNY OSMOND — Donny Osmond won the hearts of millions as both a member of the Osmonds and, with his sister (and “Dancing with the Stars” alumna) Marie, as the youngest co-hosts in primetime history on the iconic ABC variety series, “The Donny & Marie Show.” He and Marie are currently performing at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel through 2012. For nearly five decades, Donny has been a singer, musician, Broadway and film actor, talk show and game show host, bestselling author, and even a champion race car driver.

LOUIE VITO — Professional snowboarder Louie Vito is among the U.S.’ elite snowboarders favored to make the 2010 Olympic team. Competing in both the Pipe and Slopestyle disciplines, Vito continues to train for the Grand Prix qualifying. The 21 year-old native of Bellefontaine, OH turned pro in 2006 and has competed in multiple Winter X-Games competitions. He is also a two-time winner of the USSA Grand Prix Halfpipe Series.

Viewers may cast their votes for their favorite teams via phone on Monday and Tuesday night during and up to 30 minutes after the “Dancing with the Stars” performance shows. AT&T subscribers may also text message their votes by texting the word “VOTE” and entering the number that corresponds to the team they want to support (standard text message rates apply). Viewers may also vote online at www.abc.com starting from the opening of each episode on the East Coast and until 12:00 Noon, ET the following day.

Hosted by Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”) and Samantha Harris (“The Insider”) the celebrities will perform choreographed dance routines which will be judged by renowned Ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

“Dancing with the Stars” is the U.S. version of the international smash hit series, “Strictly Come Dancing.” This version is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Conrad Green serves as executive producer and Rob Wade is co-executive producer. Alex Rudzinski directs. “Dancing with the Stars” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound and Spanish audio via SAP.

Posted by Dustin on 05.07.2009 at 1:24 pm

On “Dancing” it came down to Ty and Little Kim. In a shocking elimination, it was Little Kim who went home! I really thought she’d be a contender for the finals.

On “Idol” they wouldn’t reveal who was in the bottom this week, only that it was Allison who was sent home. I think we’ve know for awhile it was going to come down to Danny and Adam in the finale, and Danny is going to win this thing.

Posted by Dustin on 04.24.2009 at 1:55 am

ABC ANNOUNCES EARLY PICK-UPS FOR NEXT SEASON

Series “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Bachelor,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Private Practice,” “Supernanny,” “Ugly Betty” and “Wife Swap” Receive Early Pick-ups for the 09-10 Season

ABC has announced early pick-ups for the 09-10 season of “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Bachelor,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Private Practice,” “Supernanny,” “Ugly Betty” and “Wife Swap.”

Season to date, ABC claims 4 of the Top 10 highest-rated TV series in Adults 18-49, including the Top 2 scripted shows with “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” During the fall, the Net finished No. 1 in the November Sweep among Adults 18-49 for the fourth year in a row. Most recently ABC is generating mid-season momentum in 2009, delivering across-the-board gains over the same point last year: Total Viewers +6%, Adults 18-34 +14%, Adults 18-49 +8% and Adults 25-54 +6%.

The rest of the release is a listing and description of all the shows . . .
Read More »

Posted by Dustin on 04.09.2009 at 4:46 pm

So this week on “American Idol” was songs from the year you were born, which mostly amounted to 80s week. What should have been a great show, well mostly wasn’t. I thought so many people did horrible in this one. Scott was ultimately sent home. I expect Anoop and shockingly Lil to go next. Lil has to find her groove again, otherwise she’s gone.

Over on “Dancing With The Stars” it was David Alan Grier sent home, which I was surprised by. I expected Steve O or Lawrence the football guy to go first. I accpect them to be the next ones to go though. At this point we can all guess it will be Giles, Lil Kim and Shawn Johnson in the finals probably, though Melissa might be there over one of the other women.

Posted by Dustin on 04.02.2009 at 6:45 pm

“Dancing With The Stars” had a double elimination this week, with both Holly and Steve Wozniak going home. Next week I think Steve O will be sent packing, the following week it will be the football guy or David Alan Grier most likely. The show will start getting down to an hour now, so I’ll finally be able to see it all without “Heroes” interrupting.

On “Idol,” Megan Joy finally got kicked off the show. Was she a bit nutso this week flapping around like a bird or what! Next week I imagine Anoop or Scott will go. Also I cannot believe Allison keeps ending up in the bottom three. What show are people watching? Clearly not the same show I am!