Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Dancing with the Stars - Day Deux (9/23/08)

Kim Reis

Three days of DWTS.  OUCH!  Too much.  But, being the reality show buff that I am - I can’t resist watching it.  Although, I have to confess that I did a lot of fast forwarding through it because three nights of dancing is just too darn much!

Lance Bass (from NSync)
He went first with the quick step.  I think he’ll be one of the ones to beat this year.  He’ll keep going through without fear. Nice job!  Final score - 21.

Misty May-Treanor (Beach Volleyball Olympian)
She was called out second and did the fox trot.  She’s a tad bit manly, but she will also go far in this competition.  She really is a great dancer and this was a very fast paced dance. Final score - 21.

Maurice Greene (track Olympian)
Next out of the shute - Maurice & Cheryl. He sure is an entertainer and makes the audience feel like they are having fun.  I think his lack of stardom will hurt him.  Because people at home really don’t know who he is, someone else might win because they are more well known.  But we’ll see.  His breakdance move - THE WORM - was awesome!  Straight from the 80s!  Final score - 21.  THREE WAY TIE!!  What the???

Brooke Burke (host and model)
She’s extremely graceful and did a gorgeous dance.  She looked like she has been a dancer all her life - very smooth.  I liked the dance a lot.  She’s very talented, but I fear she will have the same problem that Maurice will have.  No one knows who the heck she is.  the judges loved her!  Final score - 26.  WHOA!  This early in the competition!!

Cloris Leachman (actress)
I think the producers of DWTS wished she was voted out for sure.  She is a spit-fire and very unpredictable.  And, with live TV, I’m sure the directors and producers don’t like that very much.  Plus, she has a dirty mouth!    She is doing the Mambo tonight and her age will definitely get in the way.  Her dance was cute, but it looked like my grandmother was trying to be sexy.  ICK!  And then they tried to do a comedy routine.  I don’t think it worked.  But, if the American voters are older - that will help her.  Again, she was walking up to the judging table and the camera crew had no idea what to do with her.  I think the judges were way too easy on her.  Final score - 16.

Toni Braxton (a singer/performer)
She did the quick step tonight and she’s afraid that her heart disease will leave her winded.  She was so gorgeous during this dance and really looked like a pro.  She’s going far in this competition and the fact that she’s more well known will help her with voters.  The judges were a bit hard on her and that’s not fair.  They laugh and joke with Cloris and then they come down hard on the ones that really do a good job.  Final score - 23.

Warren Sapp (football player on Tampa Bay)
He’s doing the quick step - and that’s tough for a big guy like Warren.  Although he looked a tad bit clunky at times, he really pulled it off.  He moved around the floor like he’s done this a million times.  Wait!  Who am I kidding?  He has done this dance a million times.  They have been practicing this dance for months.  The judges were really harsh and said that he didn’t follow the technique, although he was entertaining.  Give me a break!  It was fun!  Final score - 22.

Then - there was a commercial where David Blaine is hanging from his feet in NYC and will catch a bullet in his mouth tomorrow night after Dancing with the Stars.  WHAT???!!

OK - back to the dances.

Ted McGinley (actor - “Married with Children”)
He did the Mambo and said that he will be the king on the floor.  He was actually the court jester if I’m going to be honest.  The dance was rather silly and he won’t go very far in this competition.  The judges were spot on with the word “awkward”.  Final score - 19.

Cody Linley (actor - “Hannah Montana”)
He’s so darn cute!  And his teacher is also the youngest on the show.  He did a very nice job and I think he’ll keep going through because America loves cute kids.  Just look at America’s Got Talent.  The 4 year old went all the way to the top 10.  I’m glad that the judges commented on his maturity because it was really a controlled dance and well done.  Final score - 23.

Rocco DiSpirito (a chef)
He was on two shows tonight!  Biggest Loser AND DWTS!  WOW!  He’s a supuh stah!  Rocco did the Mambo tonight and looked so sexy.  He’s pretty HOT!  Made me want to go back to Spain for sure.  I think he was tight and, being someone who doesn’t know how to do any dance other than country line dancing, he was really, really good from my point of view.  The judges thought so too.  Final score - 21.

Susan Lucci (actress - All My Children)
She is SO LUCKY to be going to the next round.  She was really, really bad last night.  I hope she does better tonight because I really love her!  Erica Kane rocks!  She was much more graceful tonight than she was last night.  WHEW!  I hope that helps her!  Maybe it took her 20 years to win an Emmy, but maybe the DWTS trophy is in her sights?  I can’t judge solely on this performance because last night was so bad, but this quick step was really good.  Final score - 22.

Jeffrey Ross, a standup comedian, was voted off.

Kim Kardashian (reality TV star)
She was in the bottom two and really needs to BRING IT with the Mambo if she wants to make it beyond tomorrow night.  She really had trouble shaking her can.  For a woman with such a nice body, she really has trouble shaking that stuff.  No junk in the trunk.  It should have been sexier and it was really blah.  So, they were in the bottom two and they will probably find themselves in the bottom two tomorrow night too.  The judges were kind and should have torn into her.  Final score - 18.

My call - Cloris & Kim in the bottom two with Kim going home.

Til tomorrow!!  WOW!  The TiVo is on FIRE!

Dancing with the Stars

Kim Reis

Reality TV this Fall is starting off with a BANG!!  Monday was the kickoff of Dancing with the Stars.  Can someone say OVERKILL?  Three nights of Dancing with the Stars (Monday, Tuesday AND Wednesday)??  That’s a bit much.  I mean, I like the show - but 3 nights will burn me out.

Anyway - Tuesday night is Biggest Loser on NBC at 8pm!  YAHOO!  Wednesday is America’s Got Talent on NBC at 9pm where the top five finalists perform. Can’t wait for that!  And America’s Next Top Model is also on at 8pm on Wednesday.  Survivor Gabon starts this Thursday at 8pm on CBS.  And then Friday, Gone Country & Outsider’s Inn round out the week.  Amazing Race 13 starts on Sunday and, although this is not reality TV - I’m so psyched that Desperate Housewives starts up again on Sunday too!  Thank GOODNESS for my new dual channel TiVo!! 

Now - back to Dancing with the Stars.  First off - too many nights.  The contestants are:

Cody Linley (had no idea who he is - but they said he’s a “Hannah Montana Star”.  On her show.)
Youngest dancer on the show and he was more interested in checking out his teacher than focusing on the dance.  HA!  Young hormones! He’s cute and sure can move.  He did a nice job for his first week.  Judges said he has huge potential, but they only gave them an 18. 

Rocco DiSpirito (a chef)
His teacher sprained her ankle during rehearsal and was taken to the hospital, but she will dance tonight.  EEK!  I was on the edge of my seat for their entire performance, but they did fine.  Judges gave them a 14 for their first time out.

Toni Braxton (a singer/performer)
I had no idea that she has heart disease.  She’s nervous about her health and I hope voters don’t choose based on sympathy.  Although I’m impressed that she’s overcoming her health issue, I want her to be judged solely on her dancing ability.  The judges loved her.  I think she did OK.  I wasn’t in awe, but she has a cute body.  They got a score of 22, best score of the night.  I think Cody did better.

Maurice Greene (track Olympian)
He’s paired with Cheryl Burke who has won the title twice for DWTS.  They danced to such an upbeat song and, at the beginning, they were waltzing around the floor like they were a prince and princess dancing to a slow song.  Looked weird.  But he did OK.  He was a little heavy on his feet.  The judges didn’t rip him apart like I thought they would.  They got an 18.

Brooke Burke (didn’t know who she is, but they said she’s a host and model)
She’s very beautiful but she has a lot of trouble remembering her steps.  What hips!  WOW!  She should do a Hawaiian luau dance.  She can really shake those things! They did a lot of shaking, but didn’t move around the dance floor very much.  They really stayed in once place for a long time.  It was sexy and hot.  The judges loved her.  They gave her a score of 23.  That became the highest of the night.

Ted McGinley (actor - I couldn’t remember what he was in, but I recognized him.  AHA!  He was in “Married with Children”)
Ted is paired with a teacher who is in DWTS for the first time.  That already puts him at a disadvantage.  He’s going to take a lot of work to be graceful.  He’s rather clunky, but he tried so hard.  I like him and I would love to see him progress through the competition.  I like to see the underdogs do well - and he’s starting as the underdog for sure.  The judges could have been worse on him, but they were kind.  They gave him a score of 18 (which I think was generous).

Lance Bass (from one of those boy bands - NSync)
He says he was the worst dancer in the band but I wonder if he’s trying to convince the voters that he doesn’t know how to dance but he really does.  He didn’t look like someone who can’t dance.  They are trying to be the wild duo with their black sequin outfits and their biker dude look.  We’ll see if that pays off or not.  Len Goodman doesn’t like that look and he likes traditional dances.  So, he was obviously tough on them.  They got a 22.  Nice score.  I think Lance will go far in the competition.

Cloris Leachman (actress, much older than the rest of the group.  She could barely walk down the stairs when they introduced her.  We’ll see how that goes)
She’s so cute!  She’ll do OK for a few weeks, but I don’t think she’ll win.  But I sure do give her credit for being out there - that’s for sure!  She kept going up to the judges to look them in the eye - it was so funny.  The director & producers were probably freaking out that she was fluttering about during the judges comments.  They had to reel her in!  Was she drunk??  She got a score of 16 and they had to mute her microphone because she swore twice.  HAAAA!

Jeffrey Ross (I had no idea who he was - he’s a comedian)
He injured himself during rehearsal when he was poked in the eye.  He scratched his cornea and docs recommended that he shouldn’t perform.  But he’s going to perform anyway.  He’s definitely not graceful and he will need a ton of work.  He’s clunky on the floor.  Funny guy, but he’ll be going home soon for sure.  The judges tore him apart!  WOW!  He got a score of 12 - OUCH!

Kim Kardashian (they called her a reality TV star?  Huh?)
She is paired with last season’s DWTS title winner as her teacher.  They danced the fox trot which is very elegant.  They danced to the Pink Panther theme.  WOW!  Hot!  They looked great.  She did a great job and the judges were a bit hard on her.  She got a score of 19, not so bad.

Susan Lucci (My FAVORITE this season.  I’m a big All My Children fan!!!)
I couldn’t wait to see her perform!!!!  She is so tiny and that will most likely work to her advantage.  She’s with a veteran teacher of DWTS and I’m so glad he’s with her.  I hope she wins!!!  They danced to “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”.  And - when they started - SHE STUNK!!!  Darn it all!!!  She was so stiff and couldn’t keep a beat to save her life.  She was just as clunky as the comedian.  DAMN!!  The judges tore her apart - rightfully so.  She got a score of 15.

Misty May-Treanor (Beach Volleyball Olympian)
She’s not graceful enough for a woman and she was rather stiff. It almost looked like she wanted to lead - HA!  Len was too easy on her.  And, of course, he gave her an 8.  WHAT?  They ended with a score of 21 - but I think that was too high.

Warren Sapp (football player on Tampa Bay)
For a big guy - he’s pretty light on his feet.  You can see in his facial expressions that he wants to win so bad!  He’ll do OK for a while, but I don’t think he’ll take the prize.  His vest kept riding up on his body and that was mighty distracting for me.  The judges loved him and gave him a score of 21.

So - from that lineup, I hardly know any of them.  I hope Susan Lucci goes far because I love her, but it doesn’t look promising.  All 13 of the contestants will perform two dances this week.  One Monday and one Tuesday.  At first glance, I think this will be a man’s year to win.  The women are rather weak.  Cody & Lance are pretty good. Long week of TiVo for sure!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Got Talent - Final FIVE!

Kim Reis

YUP!  I called it right!  The final five!  I was so right!  It’s going to be really tough to find the winner in this group.  They are all really, really, really great!  And here they are…

Nuttin But Strinz
AWESOME energy!  Very unique.  And definitely could do a 90 minute show in Vegas. 

Donald Braswell
I don’t care for this guy at all.  I don’t know why, but I think he’s so creepy.  He’s an OK singer, but I don’t think he’ll win it.  At least - I hope not!

Eli Mattson
WHAT A TALENT!  Quiet guy, unique sound.  Definitely could entertain a crowd for 90 minutes in Vegas.

Neal E. Boyd
I love his heart because he wears it on his sleeve.  He seems so genuine to me.  Such a sweety - and not a bad singer either.  Could be the next Pavarotti for all we know.

Queen Emily
And - I - Am - Tellin’ You ...  She’s not goin’....ANYWHERE!  She has the “IT” factor - and she knows it.  What a voice!  Holy cow!

Who went home and why?  Here ya go:

Jessica Price
Country singer.  Very beautiful.  Voice was good, but just not strong enough.

Joseph Hall
Our resident ELVIS.  Yes, he could have definitely entertained a crowd in Vegas for 90 minutes.  But each week differed so much for him.  One week, he came out very strong and then the next week he tanked.  He wasn’t sold week after week and I think that’s part of the reason he didn’t go to the top 5.

Kaitlyn Maher
Oh my gosh!  SO DARN CUTE!!  And, for 4-years-old, she was so smart.  But, as it got down the finals, I was so scared for her.  This competition was just too big for her.  I hope someone scoops her up for a movie or sitcom deal.  She has such a wonderful memory and I hope this is not the end of her journey.

Paul Salos
Frank Sinatra.  So sweet.  Again, just like “Elvis” - I think he had “off” weeks and that was what hurt him.  When you get down to the finals, you really need to “bring it” every single week.  There’s no time for less. 

The Wright Kids
What can I say?  They were cute, but this stage was just too big for them.  I felt so bad for the “main” Wright kid.  You could tell he wanted it so, so badly.  He was crying and my heart went out to him.  They need a few more years under their belt and, sadly, I think they need to dump the sister.

So - you ask - “Kim, who will win? Nuttin But Strinz, Donald Braswell, Eli Mattson, Neal E. Boyd, Queen Emily?“  OUCH!  That is so darn tough!!  My pick is…

Nuttin But Strinz (with Queen Emily coming in second and hot on their heels).  And - the only reason I’m picking them is because they are up against ALL singers and I think America will vote purely on how unique they are.  Donald Braswell doesn’t have a chance.  Eli Mattson doesn’t have the “cocky” factor and, when you don’t think you can win, you don’t.  Neal E. Boyd is very sweet, but I fear that America will see through that and either think that he is fake or they will get sick of him “doing it for mama”.  This will totally depend on how they do their last week.  So, this is my pick BEFORE seeing their final performances. 

Til next time - Keep it REAL!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

It’s BAAAACK!  Biggest Loser!

Kim Reis

It’s like a drug!  Biggest Loser is back on TV!!!  YAHOO!  I freakin’ LOVE this show!  I don’t know what it is!  My daughter and I were waiting for 8 o’clock.  We were pacing like children at 7:45pm and we were ready to watch with snacks and smiles.  It’s too early to pick a front runner - but rest assured that I will have my picks next week!

Hey - wanna know what I just learned.  Mark (or should I say MAAAHK) & Jay Kruger from last season work at Howland Place Fitness in New Bedford.  Mark teaches a spinning class.  I’m not sure what Jay does.  Isn’t that cool???  I almost want to take a class just to say I took a spinning class with Mark from Biggest Loser.  HA!

Til next week BLOGGERS!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

America’s Got Talent - Securing the Top 10

Kim Reis

America’s Got Talent is nearing the end and they are securing the top 10.  These were ten of America’s top 20 and 5 of them will go home tonight.  I have put a star (*) next to the ones that I think will go bye-bye after tonight’s performance.

Terry Fator opened the show and WOW!  He sure is talented as a ventriliquist.  He’s so talented, he’s funny and he sings wonderfully without moving his freakin mouth!!

(*) Sick Step
Danger zone.  They can dance and they are talented - but they just don’t have the wow factor.  They definitely worked hard on the lighting and set, but the dancing was weak.  They really didn’t stay together like they should have.  They are most likely going home.

Donald Braswell
I don’t know why, but I really don’t like this guy.  He’ll sail through to the next round, but I just find him to be so creepy.  So fake.  He sang Phantom and it was so cliche.

Joseph Hall
Elvis was good, but the funny thing is that he can’t seem to keep a beat.  He was wiggling and was way off the music.  The only time he got screams was when he was shaking his bottom.  I think he’ll go on to the next round, but I’m not sure why.

(*) Taubl Family
The song opened beautifully when one of the girls was singing along.  But, when the harmonies started, the dogs started howling outside my bedroom.  I liked their performance last week, but this week the song choice was too slow and old fashioned.  They needed to do something with a faster tempo.  They’re definitely in a danger zone and are very likely going home.

(*) Sarah Lenore
She sang a pop song “Keep bleeding, keep bleeding”.  Song started HOT, middle got a little weak.  Definitely showed her range.  I liked how she picked a song from today to show she has the “IT” factor.  I hope she goes on to the next round, but I think the judges killed it for her.  She looked confident and she’s gorgeous.  I think the judges were really hard on her.  I think they’ll change their mind when they watch it back on TV.  I agreed with Pierce when he said she shines with country music.  But I understand why she tried this kind of song.

Nuttin But Stringz
Rapping and hip hop violinists - very different, very unique.  The performance was hot but I don’t think I agree with Pierce when he says they are his favorite act in the competition.  They are talented but I don’t think I could listen to this for 90 minutes in a Vegas show.  I think it would get old real quick.  These guys will get discovered and they are worthy of a spot in the top 20.  Great, great, great!

(*) Kaitlyn Maher
She is so DARN CUTE!!!  4-years-old - I can’t take it!  She says that she feels so good when she is on that big stage and says she’s never nervous.  She says that sheis having fun.  I am just so scared for her.  I will lose it if she doesn’t go through because I can’t stand to see that little girl cry.  She sang “Beauty & the Beast” and I think the microphone was bigger than she was.  It wasn’t her best performance and the beginning was a little off tune.  But she is still just as cute and ended perfectly.  It’s also amazing that she remember every single word in these songs.  I hope we see her in movies!!!

(*) Tapping Dads
These dads definitely have heart and have worked hard on their dance routines to make it this far.  But, I don’t think it will be enough and they will be going home.  They are find of all over the place and, as a viewer, you’re not really sure where to look on the stage.  Pierce changed his tune and seemed to like them tonight, which was odd.

Eli Mattson
I have LOVED this “shy guy” since the first time I saw him!  What a unique voice and so much talent as a pianist.  I think he will sail through to the next round.  The beginning of his song started a bit rough.  I know he was trying to make the song his own, but I’m not sure it really worked at the beginning.  But as the song went on, he definitely made it his own and it worked.

Jonathan Burkin
The baton twirler!  He hasn’t dropped the baton yet since the competition started and everyone is just waiting for him to drop it this week.  I like this guy a lot.  He was the kid in high school that everyone made fun of and I want him to stick it to them all!  Last week’s performance was much better and had a major wow factor.  More energy last week.  This week was much slower and didn’t have that wow factor.  Last week we saw tricks that we had never seen before from Jonathan.  This week, he repeated them.  He also looked much more nervous this week.  Oh - and by the way - he didn’t drop the baton.

It was tough to pick five to go home.  WOW!  It was a great night!!!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

America’s Got Talent - Nearing the Finals

Kim Reis

The beginning of the show saw more contestants eliminated.  The littlest contestant, Kaitlyn Maher was spared (see photo attached).  But she looked so darn scared.  I felt so bad for her.  She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  Poor baby.  So cute though.

Tonight’s acts were really good!

The Cadence - like Blue Man Group and Stomp rolled into one.  Banged on cans, high energy.  They’ll go through to the next round.  I could see them with their own show.  But it’s a show that’s definitely been done before.  They’re going to need to do something unique.

Queen Emily - sang “Hero” by Mariah Carey.  Big song for a big voice.  Great singer, needs work.  Definitely moving on to tomorrow night.

The Wright Kids - Sang “Rockin’ Robin”.  Cute kids, voices are rather weak.  I think they have a shot to move on to the next round, but they won’t go all the way.  The girl in the group never speaks.  I’m not sure what her deal is.  It’s almost like someone said, “You’re doing this with your brothers whether you like it or not.“  One of the boys is very well spoken and carries the group.

The James Gang - Going home.  ‘Nuff said.  Cute concept of swing and R&B, but their voices are just bad, bad, bad.

Daniel Jens - Sang a country song “I’m Already There”.  A military guy, so you’ve gotta love him.  But the voice just can’t cut it.  Not with all of the great acts his competing against.  I think this was his last moment in the sun.

The ZOOperstars - Their video BEFORE they performed so so freakin funny!!  They really have a funny edge and I think they could do some really funny Candid Camera style videos for YouTube.  But their act was definitely lame.  How do you do a 90 minute show in Vegas with a bunch of sports mascots dressed as crazy animals?  I did like how they changed it up a bit and made it look like they were singing.  But there are too many other great acts to see them move on.

Neal E. Boyd - Definitely sang his heart out for mama.  The guy can sing and he grows week after week.  He also pulls at the heart strings of America because you can see how he genuinely adores his mother - who was lucky enough to be in the audience this week. 

Jessica Price - Sang a Colbie Caillat song - crinkle my nose, down to my toes.  You know the one.  Anyway - she’s trying to be another Taylor Swift and it just aint happenin’.  She’s very pretty, but just doesn’t have that “IT” factor.  She’ll be going home, but she did an OK job.

Extreme Dance FX - A dance group that pairs hip hop with Lord of the Dance.  They basically do Irish step dancing to a pop beat.  I love how they stay together in perfect alignment.  And, their front girl is fantastic.  It’s hard to decide on this one.  I think this will be one of the swing votes. 

Paul Salos - Frank Sinatra wanna be.  Cute grandpa!  His singing wasn’t great this week and Pierce called him on it.  He said he was having trouble hearing his music through the monitor.  Did he have his hearing aid in?  But seriously - not his best week.  Again, I think he’ll also be one of the swing votes where the three judges decide if goes through.

Weds is another episode (I know, I’m behind on my TiVo).  I’ll blog tomorrow too!

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

America’s Got NO Talent!

Kim Reis

OK - so Tuesday night’s “America’s Got Talent” was a bit of a flop.  The first 5 or 6 acts completed bombed.

Michael Strelo-Smith - Tried to sing opera.  Sounded more like he was yelling at the audience.  Thought he was on Broadway and was doing a bad acting job.

Bruce Block - Had a bunch of little people walking around the stage.  Not sure why.  He brought a fake horse into a box (two people dressed up as a horse with a front and a back).  Spun the box and a real live pony walked out.  DUMB!  Been there, done that.

Shequida - Cross dresser who shrieked like someone was killing him - I mean her.  I had to fast forward on my TiVo because the dogs in the neighborhood began howling.

The Taulb Family - Cute Partridge Family style family who will probably go pretty far.  But I don’t think they’ll go all the way.  They sang Umbrella (ella, ella, ella).  When they first started, I thought it would sound bizarre as they are very Amish looking and they’d be singing a hip hop style song.  But, they pulled it off.

Sarah Lenore - Cute singer, very American Idol.  If she continues to stand in the middle of the stage singing ballads and holding a guitar, it will get boring real quick. 

SickStep - Cool dance troupe.  But I couldn’t quite understand why some of them were dressed as basketball players and some weren’t.  But they all played basketball, while dancing, while jumping.  It was a lot of action but got a bit confusing. 

Matthew Piazzi - He does impersonations of lots of people.  Last night he did Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, etc.  I think he did an OK job.  He sang as himself and occasionally one of his impersonating voices shined through.  He’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.  If he just stood there an did impersonations, the judges would have said he was boring.  He sang and almost acted like he had 4-5 different personalities and they said it was dumb.  Poor guy. . I think he has some talent but I’m not sure it would sustain as a Vegas act all on its own.

Joseph Hall - Bad, bad, bad Elvis impersonator.  Singing was horrid.  Dancing was cute, but the singing caused a huge distraction.

Out of this list, most of these people will never make it to the final round.  But, since some of them have to move on, the top 5 will be The Taulb Family, Sarah Lenore, SickStep, Michael Strelo-Smith and Matthew Piazzi.  Some of my top 5 picks are the best of the worst.

We’ll see if I’m right tonight (9/3) at 8pm on NBC10!

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Road Trip!

Kim Reis

The weather has been so nice and the reality TV show season has been a bust!  So, instead of writing about a reality TV show, I’m going to write about a REAL road trip that I went on with my 10-year-old daughter this weekend.

So, Madison & I went on a road trip yesterday to see her friend in Athol, MA.  Now, being a Rhode Island-uh, when I am preparing to drive 2.5 hours in one direction, I get a little freaked out.  That’s a really long way!  So we packed snacks, lots of music CD’s, the GPS, printed directions and games for Madison to play in the car.

Anyway, we were cruising down Rte. 495 singing “MAMMA MIA” when all of a sudden a huge bird flew right into the front of my car.  We heard the loud THUD and we made a loud EWWWW noise.  I looked in my rearview mirror and didn’t see the bird rolling around on the highway - in which I figured was not a good thing. There was really no safe place to pull over, so we kept driving for about an hour, not knowing if the little birdie had left any damage.

We took our exit and found a safe parking lot to survey the damage.  When I walked around to the front of the car, I shrieked because the damn bird was sticking out of the grill!!!!  It was lodged into the friggin grill!!!  And this was not some tiny sparrow.  This bird was at least 10” long.  It wasn’t a crow or seagull, but it was freakin’ huge!!

I was so freaked out and couldn’t even look at it, nevermind pull it out!!  We got back in the car and we were laughing, crying and throwing up in our mouths all at the same time.  I called my husband and we were talking so loud and so fast that he could barely understand us.  All he could say is, “Are you OK?“  I knew I had to get rid of the bird, but I really couldn’t do it.  I couldn’t even LOOK at it for goodness sake!

We started to drive down these rural roadways when we came upon a roadside vegetable stand.  I figured a brave farmer would have seen dead birds before and would be able to help me.

Behind the counter was a rugged guy in his late 20s.  I asked him to help and said this was an “odd request” to which his response was, “I’ve seen everything.“  He walked outside and, when he saw the thing sticking out of the front end of my car he screamed like a woman and ran away from the car.  I begged him to help me.

The nice farmer grabbed a hooded sweatshirt, wrapped the bird and plucked it out of my grill.  Thankfully, no damage.

Of course I gave him a nice fat tip!

What did I learn from this experience?  No more road trips alone with Madison!  HA!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Talent is BACK!

Kim Reis

America’s Got Talent is back with a vengeance!!!  Tuesday night was fierce with cloggers, singers, impersonators, and some really weird guy who dances at bus stops.  Here’s how I see it:

Little Derrick Barry (AKA Brittany Spears).  Great impersonator - not worth a million.  And what was up with the Hoff’s rear end.  He stitched his name on the butt of his jeans??

Little Jessica Price sang “Time After Time”.  She’s beautiful, but flat as a pancake.

The drummers - trying to copy Blue Man Group.  Not worth a cool mill.

I think the best performance of the night was Neil Boyd.  That boy can SING!!!!

So glad AGT is back!!!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Reality is Dead this Summer

Kim Reis

Sorry that it’s been so long since I’ve written.  Reality TV really hasn’t been all that inspiring this summer.  I know, I know.  Everyone keeps telling me - “What’s more of a reality than the Olympics??!!“  But I don’t know, I’m just not into it.  I like the reality TV with the crazy people acting like idiots, trying to become famous.  I watched a little bit of the Olympics and they really are amazing athletes.  But I can only watch for so long and then my ADD gets the best of me.  I was watching one day when a girl running the hurdles misstepped and fell on her head.  I know this sounds awful, but I laughed.  And then they kept showing the replay over and over.  And I kept laughing.  I’m the person who laughs when someone falls and I’m not sure why.  It’s horrible!  I try to control it and can’t help it.  I felt so bad for her and yet, I kept laughing.  Oh well.  What’re ya gonna do?

The only show that I have kept up with is Big Brother 10.  Michelle (the real estate agent from RI) is doing pretty well.  A few weeks ago, she lost it when she found out she had to wear a red, skin-tight leotard for a week and I was afraid she put a huge nail in her coffin.  But so far, she has redeemed herself.

The showmance between April & Ollie is over.  April went buh-bye.  So dumb!!!  Showmances kill ya every time.  But Ollie is such a GREAT GUY!!!!  I hope he does well.

The show ended last night with the remaining contestants swinging on a vine, suspended in mid-air.  Who ever can last the longest will become Head of Household.  When the show ended, the vines started swinging and started banging them into a soft wall.  OUCH!  Can’t wait to see who becomes HOH.  This will really disrupt the entire house.

I watched a few episodes of The Mole.  Didn’t do much for me.  I have the final episode on my TiVo.  Wonder who the Mole was?

I cannot WAIT for America’s Got Talent to come back on.  And - Biggest Loser starts in 9/16!!!!

Monday, July 21, 2008

Big Bruthuh has a Rhode Island-uh!!

Kim Reis

Hey - not for nuttin’, but Big Brother 10 has a Rhode Islander in the house!  I had no idea there would be someone from little ole Rhody on the show!  And, to top it off, she’s Portuguese (my husband is a “Manny”).  Her name is Michelle and she’s a 28-year-old real estate agent from Cumberland.  So far, she’s been lying kind of low on the show.  No real conflicts.  I think she’s playing it right. 

Renny is way too loud.
Libra is too bossy.
Keesha and April are too “cutesy”.
Dan, Jessie & Brian are too “in your face” and really aren’t hiding their coniving ways.
Gerry, Michelle and Ollie are playing it smart.

In order to win in this game, you have to try and keep the bullseye off your head.  At the beginning, you really need to ride the wave without making waves.  You can’t be a wall flower, but you can’t go in with guns drawn.  If you are too “wishy-washy”, you’ll get voted out for flying under the radar.  I think Michelle is doing a great job.

To learn a little bit about Michelle, Click here.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Summer is a Belly Flop So Far

Kim Reis

So far, summer has been a bit of a belly flop for reality TV.  I had really high hopes for Nashville Star and it has been such a disappointment for me.  It’s like watching very bad karaoke.

Hell’s Kitchen has been “OK”.  But the final two contestants are so boring.  Blah!

America’s Got Talent has been fun - but the 2-hour episodes are really, really long.  I’ve laughed!  I’ve jumped out of my seat and said WOW!  And I’ve cried for some of the touching and cute performances (the 3-year-old little girl who sang “Somewhere Out There” was so freakin cute I couldn’t stand it!)

Last Comic Standing has been fun, but no real front-runners.

I had really hoped to watch The Mole, but it conflicted with some of my other shows, so I let it lapse in my TiVo.  (I really need a dual channel TiVo - hint hint to the hubby). 

Celebrity Circus is also kind of boring.  Some D-List stars spin around in circles in the air.  Although I realize that they need unbelievable body strength to do that, it’s just so boring to watch on TV.

Jon & Kate Plus Eight is the big buzz right now.  My 10-year-old is addicted to the marathons on TLC.  And, although I’ve never seen an episode - the concept sounds neat.  So I’m going to set some of those shows to record to see if I get the buzz.

SuperNanny - still aggravating that these parents let their children act so horribly.  Last week was the Moy family and those daughters were so RUDE!  UGH!

I’m so bored with reality TV right now that I’m watching re-runs of “Real Housewives of New York City”.  I’ve also started renting episodes of “LOST” from Netflix.

So - as I wait for some more compelling reality shows - I enjoy the beautiful weather and get away from the remote! 

Monday, June 09, 2008

Nashville Star Debuts

Kim Reis

Tonight was the debut of “Nashville Star” on NBC10.  I’m so hopeful that this will fill the void I’m feeling now that Idol is over.  Host: Billy Ray Cyrus.  Judges: John Rich, Jewel and Jeffrey Steele.  I love John Rich’s attitude.  He was awesome on “Gone Country” earlier this year and I’m glad he’s back on the air.

Some people might get upset that it’s somewhat a copy-cat of Idol with the bad singers and horrible try-outs from people who really think they can sing.  But I don’t care.  I love Idol and I’m hoping to love Nashville just as much.  I love country music, so this is a great combo for me.  I like the way Idol introduces you to the 12 contestants over the course of a few weeks.  “Nashville Star” gave us a tiny taste of their auditions and then threw them on the stage.  I didn’t have time to connect with any of them.

The opening song sounded like they were all screeching.  John Rich has a TON of work to do.  These singers are amateur with a capital AMATEUR!!  I sure do hope they get better as the weeks go on.

I was kind of hoping that John Rich would be the Simon Cowell of “Nashville Star”.  Not so much.  Sometimes he says they sound good when it’s not.  Idol is so popular because Simon is brutally honest and he says what others are thinking.

This show really had a chance to be big, but it didn’t really deliver all that well in week #1.  Hopefully week #2 will be better.

At the end of the show, they brought out two singers that the judges thought were the weakest.  The two male judges voted opposite and really wimped out by making Jewel break the tie.  To be honest, they were the best of the worst because, so far, no one really stood out for me DAWG.  (Couldn’t help it!)

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Realistic Summer

Kim Reis

I know I haven’t blogged in a while.  There really hasn’t been much for good reality TV since Idol ended and Cook took the title.  Believe it or not, I’ve been watching episodes of Big Brother 9 because I had TiVo’d the entire season and hadn’t had a chance to watch it.  To put it into perspective for you - the final episode of Big Brother aired on 4/27 and I’m still on the episode from 3/23.  Yeah - I fell behind on that one.  Not really a good idea to blog about something that happened two months ago.

Hell’s Kitchen hasn’t been all that crazy this year.  I think the newness of Ramsey’s “SHUT HER DOWN” has worn off a bit.  Although, I still like the show - it hasn’t given me the OOMPH to want to blog.

Although not reality shows, I finished the season of ER (lame season finale), Grey’s Anatomy (lamer season finale), and Desperate Housewives (pretty cool season finale).  I watch “All My Children” everyday (Greenleigh, Kendall, Ryan, Angie, Jesse, Tad and the gang).  I’m hoping that Rescue Me and Big Love start new seasons soon.  Those are two KILLER shows. 

OK - as I prepare for the summer of reality shows, here is my TiVo Season Pass Manager list.  America’s Got Talent, Hell’s Kitchen, Nashville Star (really looking forward to this because I love American Idol and country music), Last Comic Standing (so far, slow season kickoff), The Mole and Celebrity Circus.  I’m hoping that one of these shows gives me a passion to write because, so far, Hell’s Kitchen aint doin’ it for me.

My husband loves all of those “Do It Yourself” shows.  And he’s really hooked on “Deadliest Catch”.  I’ve watched it a few times.  Doesn’t do much for me.

I’m also hoping that Scott Baio and Christopher Knight come back to VH1 with their reality shows.  Baio left us after he got married and Christopher and Adrian left us after she found out she was pregnant.  Hmmm?  Scott - baby then married.  Brady’s - married then baby. 

So, hopefully the summer will bring me back to reality.

P.S. I went to the dress rehearsal for the “True Colors” tour at the Bank of America Pavilion over the weekend.  The lineup for the tour is Cyndi Lauper, The Cliks, B52s, Cat DeLuna, Regina Spector, Carson Kressley from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” AND…....Rosie O’Donnell!!!  I had a rare opportunity to watch the concert’s dress rehearsal from the front row with only 12 people in the audience!!!!  Holy macaroni!!!  It was nuts!!!  It was like a private concert from some unbelievable performers.  It was so awesome!  Words can’t describe.  This is how I would imagine a queen who ordered a private concert for her birthday.  It was so wonderful!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

David vs. David - The Showdown

Kim Reis

It’s been all over the entertainment shows.  It’s been all over the radio.  And now, the moment is here.  David vs. David.  Talk about a distracting day as I wondered who would be this season’s winner.  I flop back and forth.  Archuleta has been getting tons of press (well, actually, his father has been getting tons of press).  Simon Cowell was on Ellen and talked about him.  They talked about “daddy” on “Extra” tonight.  It almost seems like the media is trying to help him win because I haven’t seen hardly anything about Cook.

So, as I sit here on my bed with my laptop on my lap and my cat purring at my side, I think about how all of these contestants’ lives have changed since January.  Amanda Overmyer and her white patch of hair.  Brooke White and her constant tears. Carly Smithson and her big voice. Chikezi and his very sweet smile.  David Hernandez and his strip tease controversy.  Jason Castro and his weird Hawaiian versions of songs.  Kristy Lee Cook who stayed on the show longer than she should have.  Michael Johns and his gorgeous accent.  Ramiele Maluby - the tiny singer with the big voice.  And Syesha Mercado, who grew more than anyone.  Most of them will have some sort of career in the future.  And, both David’s have no reason to fear.  Whether they win or lose - their lives will change forever.

I loved the “LET’S GET READY TO RUMMMMMBLE” beginning.  The David vs. David Smackdown!  That was a great way to start the night!  And, all of the stars in the audience with their kids.  I think I saw a “has been” from “90210”.  His kids probably think he’s the coolest dad ever. 

Each contestant will sing 3 songs.  I couldn’t believe it was scheduled to be an hour instead of a 3 hours marathon.  Idol usually stretches the thing on and on and on.  Trust me, an hour is plenty.  But Idol usually drags it on.

I had no idea that neither one of them was ever in the bottom three.  They are both undefeated.  WOW!  Should make for an awesome night.  After a coin toss, Archuleta decided to sing second.  When he started talking, he oddly sounded like Michael Jackson.  He’s a little odd.  And, wasn’t Michael Jackson’s dad a crazy stage father?  Hmmm? 

It was so funny when Simon Cowell told them that they have to bring out strong and hate their opponent.  Archuleta went on to basically say, “I love you man.“  I was so hoping that Cook would tell Archuleta to screw!  HA HA HA HA HA!  But, the love was flowing and they both took the safe road.  They told each other how great they are, blah, blah, blah.

Cook opened the show with “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2, chosen by Clive Davis.  Good song for Cook’s big voice.  He definitely made it his own and controlled his voice before he rocked it out at the end.  At the beginning of the song, he focused on the vocals to show the world that he could really sing.  Nice way to open the show, but he has to make sure this was his low point.  He has to ramp up with each song.  Cook set the pace, now let’s see if Archuleta can keep up.

Clive chose “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John for Archuleta.  Good song for David who does much better with slower ballads.  And, this song has some big notes.  He did a nice job and, after round one, I think Archuleta won by a nose.  Although they both sounded great, Archuleta definitely took round one.

Andrew Lloyd Weber chose the songs for round 2.  Cook will sing “Dream Big” and Archuleta will sing “In This Moment” - two unknown songs.  Weber said that a true performer will be able to get the audience to love a song, even if they’ve never heard it before.

Cook - going for the gold - started off slow.  It almost sounded like he couldn’t find the right note until the mid-way point where he rocked it out.  Not his best performance by far.  I think he’ll look back at this song and wish he could dream bigger by singing a little better.  Randy loved it, but I think he’ll disagree when he listens to it back after the show.  Cook really never found the note. 

Archuleta came up next.  He was very emotional after the last song, so I hope he’s backstage pulling himself together.  I’m guessing by the title that “In This Moment” will be very ballad-like.  Sounds like a Whitney Houston title.  Yup - another ballad.  Started off slow and ended a little better.  Round 2 goes to “Archie” again - but barely.  (Ryan Seacrest called him “ARCHIE” - what was that all about?)  I didn’t think either one of them had a stud performance in Round 2.  But Archuleta’s words really matched what he was probably thinking in his mind.  “No one can take away this moment from me.“  He sang those words straight from the heart.

As I take a quick intermission - may I just say that Simon is the only one who is honest.  Randy and Paula play paddy-cake with the contestants.  You might not like Simon on a personal level, but at least he’s honest.

OK - so Round 3.  The final round.  Their last chance to wow America.  This last round was the contestant’s choice.  This choice could be the biggest decision they ever make.  They could sing any song they wanted.  Cook chose “The World I Know” by Collective Soul.  Archuleta chose “Imagine” by John Lennon. 

Cook took a song that I know pretty well and made it sound like a totally different song.  I do like how he takes songs and really owns them.  Just like he took Billie Jean and made it sound so different.  I think he did a very nice job and just focused on his voice instead of trying to scream through a rock song.  He’s got such a unique sound and he really did a nice job.  I didn’t like Cook’s tears at the end.  I felt like he was just turning on the waterworks to compete.  Archuleta has true emotion after he sings.  Simon called him “nice and sincere”.  As a viewer, he doesn’t come across that way.  Simon said, “wrong song”.  Either way, it doesn’t matter.  David Cook will have a successful career.

Sidebar - Simon winked at Cook.  What was that all about???

Archuleta - “Imagine”.  He sang the song once before in a previous round.  Not sure if that was a good idea because some viewers might consider it a cop-out since he already sang that song once.  He did a very nice job - just like his first time.  The kid can sing, that’s for sure.  I just hope he can handle the kind of fame that will be thrown at him in the next few years.  David -  keep your feet on the ground, kid.  Keep your feet on the ground.

After Round 3 - Archuleta will be the next American Idol.  And, his career will follow a path like Clay Aiken.  He will do just fine and I’m sure he’ll be touring with a Christmas concert to theatres like PPAC in the coming years.

Til tomorrow Idol fans.  We’ll all be sitting close to our TV’s waiting for the final announcement.