SYTYCD LIVE BLOG (now with unlive updates!)
Okay so I guess I’m gonna try my hand at some live blogging here. I figured, why not. I do it on Twitter almost every week. I actually hold back on Twitter for fear of overwhelming everyone’s streams and giving away spoilers.
So this might be just the right venue for my minute to minute thoughts. I’m not sure exactly how it’s gonna work, so bear with me, okay?
I’m gonna be doing it from my iPhone’s WordPress App, so expect poor spelling, bad grammar, and typos like mad.
And I guess you’ll have to refresh the page to see any new updates I make to the post.
So, here we go:
[UPDATE: All of the bolded commentary was added after the liveblogging.]
- Waiting for SYTYCD to start. Who’s stoked? Me for one.
- What can I say, I was stoked. You could also say I was ampped. Jonesin for some dance.
- I haven’t watched The Simpsons in a while. Anyway, it’s about to start.
- Pants on Ashleigh!
- This was in the opening number. Ashleigh was wearing these really big red pants. Now, I know this comment is kind of vague, but it really does sum up perfectly how I felt. I don’t know if I liked the pants. I don’t know if I hated them. I just knew thems were some serious pants worthy of exclamation.
- I have to admit, I’m not seeing the Ellenore appeal.
- I feel like there were a bunch of you who really liked her last week. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it was when she told us we might be witnessing the best dance the show has ever seen.
- I know Cat’s gonna get some crit for the hair, but I’m super into it.
- I wanted to set a drink on top of it.
- What?!!! Murphy!!
- This was in response to Mary saying she might be dancing. Because I’ve been wondering how she dances since first season. Screaming aside, I’m imagining it’s awesome. And I wonder if there are any dances where she incorporates the screams. Food for thought.
- I think dizzyfeet sounds a little too much like a saturday morning cartoon. Am I the only one?
- Every time I hear Nigel say it, I sort of cringe. And I know I shouldn’t, cause it’s a good cause. But I must be remembering some furry sports mascot named Dizzy or something… cause it just sort of doofs it up for me. Yes, I feel the same way about Dizzy Gillespie
- Who’s Kevin?……. Ha! Just kidding Kevin!
- I do feel bad for that guy. It really seems like the judges are purposefully messing with him by gushing over her.
- Hey hey. Not bad. Those death drops or whatever they’re call were decent.
- Okay this comment was in regards to the disco number. And after a night to think it over, I’ve come to the conclusion that “Yes bad”. It was a pretty weak number, and when they showed Kevin’s face during those death drops it all started coming together for me. I do think death drops are pretty cool to look at, so maybe I was just swayed in the moment. Maybe I’m a sucker for death drops. What does that say about me?
- Kevin is happy.
- The judges gave Kevin his first real compliment, and he looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
- “Quiet Fire”
- That’s what they called Karen.
- I’m sorry, Kevin is NOT as “street” as we’re being sold. I don’t buy it.
- K8mclin and I had a little exchange over this bit in the comments below.
- Mmm. Interesting. Jeanine.
- There really is something so insular about this show. It does feel sometimes like the pool of talent they pick from is much smaller than we’re led to believe in the audition phase.
- Yes!
- This was when Jakob and Ashleigh started their piece. It was mostly excitement over the song.
- Aww man, “Relax!” I wasn’t crazy about everything. But there were amazing moments.
- I agree with Table Routine remark.
- Okay, to clarify: Nigel said this was the first routine for Mandy that really came to the level of the Table Routine. And I agree. However, I don’t think it was as good as the Table Routine. But ever since that routine, I haven’t remembered any of Mandy’s stuff. I think we expected her to be a star choreographer on the show after that dance… and she just wasn’t. But I think this one was really solid and stands out for the first time in a while.
- Not sure I agree with the “I’m actually a nerd” remark, though.
- People throw that phrase around too much, I’m sorry. I mean, she probably is a nerd. But it’s still hard to hear a really hot girl say it. My friend Matt Champagne has a stand up bit about that. It’s funny.
- He really does look like Joel Grey.
- Nigel compared Jakob to Joel Grey, and it’s true. I mean, take a look at this.
- Oh, and by the way, if you want to comment on any of this Live Blogging, I have to answer you in the live blog itself. And at the commercial break.
- Unfortunately the way the WordPress iPhone app works, I can only approve comments. So I was reading everyone’s comments and then answering them here in the Live Blog. Then after the show, I went into my WP admin panel and moved all of my replies down into the comment section below.
- That’s awesome, Peter.
- I know showing him working with the disabled is a bit manipulative, but there’s something really genuine about the guy. I’m really liking him a lot.
- I hope that doesn’t give Peter too many votes though. He’s low on my card.
- But I don’t like him enough to lose this Lark. Peter GO HOME!
- Is that awful of me?
- Nah.
- The concept for that was effin brilliant!
- The South Pacific backstory to the Quick Step. A really smart idea.
- Totally agree! I loved the South Pacific story here!
- Lame, Murphy.
- Look, I know she knows what she’s talking about when she says someone “wasn’t gliding”… but compared to others she’s praised even when they weren’t technically perfect, I thought her knock on Peter was off. This may be one of his last decent pieces on the show. She could have celebrated that a bit more. I don’t know, that’s just me.
- I’m expecting Legacy to knock Broadway out of the park.
- Neither of those stories are much of a surprise, are they?
- This was in regards to Kathryn’s mission work and Legacy’s soccer skills. I mean, if we had to match everyone’s ‘what you don’t know about me’ fact without knowing, I’d have gotten those two right, for sure.
- Oh man, this is gonna be good.
- I was wrong. That Broadway number was not as good as I thought it would be.
- Didn’t like the choreo at all.
- That’s the CHOREOGRAPHY, Adam!!
- Adam was saying he thought Kathryn’s performance was too cutesy… but almost all of that was in the choreography– and come on THE COSTUME. That wasn’t a fair critique in my opinion. She was given a cutesy character with not much choreography except shaking her hips, and I think she danced it well.
- I’m starting to get suspicious about Legacy’s training. He did a really good little tap bit in there, didn’t he? Hmm, maybe it’s the soccer.
- Anyone else a conspiracy theorist like me?
- Yes she do.
- Referencing Mary’s “Yes I do!”
- Kathryn’s cutesy movement was dictated in the friggin CHOREOGRAPHY!!!
- Stacey Tookey!!!!!
- I think she’s one of the most gifted choreographer the show has seen. And I’m not just saying that because she’s a friend. But if she does ever suck, I probably won’t say it here.
- A commercial for Der Wienerschnitzel just came on, and I feel like I have to let say it: Schnitzel is a neutral word. It should be Das Wienerschnitzel.
- Yes I originally typed “Die” accidentally. But I caught my mistake fast. That restaurant’s had that name for at least 30 years.
- Wow. That was sort of anti climatic… the Disney World win I mean.
- It was sort of an awkward pause when Channing said she won a trip to Disney for the tractor race, no? It didn’t seem like it was supposed to be funny. It was just a strange edit.
- Already have chills.
- Glassy eyed.
- HEY, I’M A SENSITIVE DUDE, OKAY?!
- Giving these two Stacey Tookey, it’s clear to me that the producers REALLY want them to last in this competition.
- What?!
- I was shocked that the judges were knocking this dance. Am I crazy to think it was really beautiful?
- Booooooooooooo!!!!!
- I can’t STAND when a judge criticizes and in the same sentence calls them “Great”.
- Seriously! Nigel said “it was great, but we expected that.” Huh?!
- Really??!!!! Extreme sports you say? Would have never guessed. Action hero, too??!!! No!
- Ryan dreaming of being an action hero. This is another one I’d have guessed correctly in a ‘What fact about me?’ game.
- Hmmm. Naht suh much.
- I thought the crump was hard to watch. From both of them.
- I thought he was a bit too tight actually. But I guess it’s true… he took a pretty big step with that one.
- Totally agree.
- I can’t remember what I was agreeing with here.
- I’m torn, cause on the one hand I totally agree with Nigel, but on the other hand, it’s hard for me to hear him critique hip hop.
- This is HANDS DOWN my biggest pet peeve of the show.
- Cat, I REALLY love your hair!
- You know, looking at it again, it does seem to be toppling to the side at this point in the show. Maybe setting a glass on it wouldn’t have been the smartest idea.
- That’s not a jet-ski. That’s a wave runner. Very different.
- Nathan says he loves to ride jet-skis, but they showed him on wave runners. Jet-skis are much more difficult to ride than wave runners. So when someone says, “I ride jet-skis” I’m usually very impressed. Until I see that it’s actually a wave runner… that they’ve just rented.
- Whoa!!!
- That whoa was for Mollee’s sexiness at the opening of the piece. She looked good.
- Did she just mess up?
- But then it started going downhill real fast.
- O
- u
- c
- h
- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- That was perhaps one of the worst routines the show has ever seen.
- Okay, last week’s Phillip and Channing number was pretty hard to watch. Those two dances may be the worst the show has ever seen. Wow. In the same season. Back to back. That’s not a good sign, is it?
- He said “Graff-ing”! He totally stopped himself from completing the thought! lol!
- Maybe “Graff-ing” is a term that’s used now. I’ve only ever heard “tagging”. It sounded like he was gonna say he does “Graffiti” and then sort of cut himself off at the “Graff”… so instead it sounded like he enjoys making charts and diagrams.
- I learned some of those steps in theatre school. I did.
- African Dance. K8mclin, Sean Gunn, and Michael Muhney know what I’m talking about.
- What tattoo are they trying to hide on Russel?
- Did you guys notice that Russel has a tattoo over his right chest that was covered by painted writing? I’m wondering what it says. Anyone else?
- I thought it was good. I don’t know if I’d say great. I might have to watch that one again.
- Noelle and Russel’s African Jazz. I don’t love it. Rullman, I know it’s your fav, but I just didn’t think there was a lot going on. What am I missing?
- I still say audiences are not happy about what happened with Noelle. I don’t think she’s totally safe.
- Kevin’s split jeté just makes me think of Jakob’s split jeté. Right?
- I made this comment as I was watching the recap of the dances. In Kevin and Karen’s, they showed that moment when he does the little jeté jump. I think this is the second time we’ve seen Kevin do a jeté… and I guess it’s just so much less impressive than Jakob’s that I wonder why he would want to do it.
- The kids (Mollee and Nathan) are just riding on their cuteness.
- I have a feeling they will ride it far.
- Hmm. What are the judges trying to pull here?
- Maybe I read into their critiques a little too much. It just feels like they’re trying to influence us. Hmm. I still haven’t made my Bonus Picks for tonight. I might have to watch this bit again.
- Live blogging complete. Switching to comment mode.

MarmaLady on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:01 pm #
Well… that was an, umm, “interesting” blog.
Glad you were stoked.
I’m stoked for ya.
=P
Hope there’s more to this… and that I’ll get a chance to read it before you make it private. But it’s 11pm for me, which mean a little Jon S and then bed.
‘Night
=)
k8mclin on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:24 pm #
a. loving the liveblog
b. why are you reading my mind? on so many things, but Kevin has training…c’mon!
John Cabrera on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:25 pm #
Wait, Kate, are you saying Kevin DOESN’T have training? You can’t pirouettes like that without training.
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:33 pm #
I just started watching, but with the DVR I will probably catch up to you and end up watching most of it live. I agree about Cat’s hair. I like it.
k8mclin on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:39 pm #
No, I was agreeing with you. Poor word order on my part. He has a ton of training.
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:40 pm #
You know what’s funny, after Janette and Brandon’s disco routine last year I haven’t been impressed by another disco routine…
John Cabrera on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:41 pm #
Jenn, totally!! That was the best Disco the show has ever seen. No doubt about it. And if you remember Janette even stumbled a bit at the end of it. It was just so fast!
Jules on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:50 pm #
Relax! that was pretty easy to get into.
I am distracted, playing with Google Wave with Jeannie and Itzel. haha.
xoxoxo
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:53 pm #
Yeah, that disco routine was crazy fast.
Haha, Jakob does look like Joel Grey a little. I don’t know that it was up to the standard of the “Table Routine”, but I like them both.
Jules on 10 Nov 2009 at 8:59 pm #
ummmm, is it too early to have a favorite? because I think Legacy is my favorite. xoxoxo
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:01 pm #
I loved the story for the quick step. Usually it’s very standard and not as fun, this was original and fun! I love Adam making fun of Cat accent. ha! I love Mary being nice, but serious. I should have given Peter more credit when I did my picks for FDL.
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:05 pm #
Ok, I know this is your live blog and not mine so I shouldn’t be commenting by stream of thought, but even Kathyrn’s normal voice annoys me.
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:06 pm #
I think they were too harsh on Kathryn. She danced fine… equal to Legacy, I thought. Like you said, it was the choreography. The immaturity? Nigel spoke of… I don’t know… maybe I missed something. I thought she was supposed to be kind of cutesy, no? Come on, the shorts, keds, hairstyle and all. Even if she danced as poorly as they made it seem, I still think the criticism was a little harsh… especially up against all the praise given to Legacy.
John Cabrera on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:07 pm #
Ha! I think Kathryn’s voice is kind of cute actually, Jenn. And yeah, they were way too harsh on her.
k8mclin on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:17 pm #
I really loved that Tookey contemp. Channing and Victor were much better than the critiques.
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:21 pm #
Re Nigel’s critique on Victor and Channing: What an ass!
k8mclin on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:25 pm #
“Swags on the run.” Swag was definitely on the run.
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:25 pm #
I kind of agree with Adam… they were a little too happy. Or, if not happy, just not so much in tough character – Ellenore tried to be sometimes. Also seemed like Ryan was trying to connect more with Ellenore than she was with him. It was almost like she was dancing on her own at times. I like Ellenore a lot, but not so sure if this dance will keep her in the competition. We shall see!
Jules on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:26 pm #
hahaha, Ryan bothers me so much. also, I was not impressed. *shrugs* I don’t like to be harsh, and maybe it doesn’t help that he irritates me to begin with… okay, Mary’s saying pretty much what I’m feeling… you have to judge the dance for itself, not taking into account that he’s a ballroom dancer, you know? I just. that’s it, I guess. xoxoxo
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:31 pm #
Was Nigel criticizing Little C’s choreography? He said they did the steps, but didn’t hit the mark?!?! Sometimes, most of the time, I want to slap Nigel.
John Cabrera on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:32 pm #
Agree with all the previously posted comments.
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:33 pm #
I’ve read two of your comments, JP, on Cat’s hair now, and I can’t even tell you what it looks like! I keep forgetting to pay attention… after the commercial break, I hope I remember to take notice!!
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:34 pm #
Oh, boy. Is Mollee gonna get sympathy votes now… esp. paired with young and cute Nathan?!
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:37 pm #
Mollee and Nathan’s dance… not great, but there were some great moments (or steps) in there. Did they mess up on the ending, or was she supposed to kind of slide/drop like that?
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:37 pm #
I really like Molly and Nathan, but a few parts of that dance were clumsy. (As I typed that Adam said get ready to boo me… so I’m not the only one)
John Cabrera on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:38 pm #
Caryl, I thought this one was worse. But maybe not. They were close.
Jules on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:39 pm #
oh, man, that’s too bad. I love Mollee, and I think America does, too… but, yeah. that was hard to watch. whoa. xoxoxo
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:40 pm #
Man, Adam is being harsh on them! I understand constructive criticism, but, hmm… Now Mary’s saying a lot too. Now I feel bad for them. That’s what the judges do sometimes, don’t they? Like on American Idol… when Simon harshly criticizes someone, to the point of rudeness, America always casts more votes for that person, and saves them. I think “sometimes” it’s manipulated, as so… did that make sense? I’m trying to listen to the show at the same time, lol.
k8mclin on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:42 pm #
I’m shocked. That sucked. I was all ready to make dirty old lady comments about how hot Nathan was, but a. greasy hair and b. where did the awesome talent go?
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:43 pm #
Maybe not the worst (Molle and Nathan) performance ever… what about last week’s with the tapper dude? (I should remember his name, I liked him.) Do you know who I mean? Which couple? Or was this worse, to you?
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:47 pm #
A frog? And, not just a frog, but a spiritual guide? :/
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:48 pm #
Oh! Just noticed Cat’s hair. I like it! Looks Vogue
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:50 pm #
I was gonna say, that skirt hides Noelle’s leg movements too much, then Russell rips it off! Not sure I’m liking this. Oh, it’s over! I didn’t see the “frog” – but, okay. It wasn’t bad, though.
k8mclin on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:53 pm #
…I still have nightmares about African Dance class.
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:54 pm #
Was it really “all that” that Mary’s making it out to be? Watch it turns out to be everyone’s favorite, lol. I don’t they belong in the bottom four (or whatever) but, wow, now Nigel is saying great things… Maybe I just don’t understand dance enough
Jules on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:54 pm #
I LOVE how much fun they were having with that. they were INTO it, and that was awesome. HEARTS, wow. also, I totally missed “graff-ing” and immediately assumed he meant drawing things on graphs. why did that not seem odd to me? oh, my brain. *sigh* xoxoxo
ALSO, I agree with Caryl that the judges sometimes are overly harsh to get sympathy votes when they have to be harsh with people they want to stay. :/ xoxoxo
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 9:55 pm #
I loved how Adam sounded like Rob Schnieder as the copy man on SNL “Noelle kissing the frog” lol
I don’t know that it was hot tamale worthy, but what do I know.
Which steps did you learn in theater school? I don’t think I learned any of those steps in my theater school.
k8mclin on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:00 pm #
Ashleigh and Jakob were my faves I think. Unexpectedly. Must think hard about my bonus picks.
Jules on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:00 pm #
I don’t remember the judges having to talk about who’s in danger… are they trying to tell us who to vote for??!
xoxo
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:01 pm #
I agree with the judges on who is in trouble most… potential bottom four. We’ll see who America votes!
JP, I guess I didn’t think Mollee and Nathan’s dance was quite as bad as the other one I mentioned, because I saw a few moves in the routine that stood out nicely. But, I don’t really remember the other dance to compare fairly. This was fun watching together, sort of, lol.
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:02 pm #
*In case it was misunderstood, I meant ‘sort of’ watching together… not ‘sort of’ fun together!! haha!!!
Jenn on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:11 pm #
This live blogging/live commenting was fun. It was fun watching the show with other people.
Everyone had really good comments and opinions.
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:14 pm #
I thought Karen, Kevin and Ashleigh, Jakob were the best tonight. They obviously choose the order of who they want to stand out. Start off with a top couple, end with one… and put others somewhere in the middle, to muddy it up, so certain dances stand out more. At least it seems that way to me.
Caryl on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:17 pm #
Yes, it was fun, Jenn! I think it makes it more interesting and fun to be able to share comments while watching together. We didn’t do a whole lot of that last time, because we didn’t have the blog to do so in. Hope we can do it again!
John Cabrera on 10 Nov 2009 at 10:39 pm #
Thanks for stopping by for this, you guys. It was fun, for sure. I’m just trying to figure out why that post isn’t excluded from the first page of the blog. Err. I guess the plug-in I’m using to move this type of stuff into the Lark section isn’t compatible with iPhone posts or something.
Anyway, yes, it’s gonna be some difficult deliberation between now and tomorrow’s bonus picks. It’s hard to say what the effects of the judges critiques will be on voting, though.
I don’t buy the crap about these dancers just “happening” to pick their dances. Nigel said that about 4 times tonight. Like he REALLY wanted to make sure we know they don’t have any hand in how things play out. I’m sure the show is trying to do damage control after what were so clearly manipulated first weeks.
Rae on 11 Nov 2009 at 4:55 pm #
So when someone says, “I ride jet-skis” I’m usually very impressed. Until I see that it’s actually a wave runner… that they’ve just rented.
Ha. I actually said “lame” out loud when that was the fact he wanted us to know. Not that he knew he’d be following Peter working with disabled kids but, really, that’s all he’s got? (Not that I can think of an impressive fact about myself either but I’m also not on a national TV show having to talk about my lack of interesting facts.)
I’m not seeing what was so great about the African Jazz either and I really like Russell. The dance and music just didn’t mesh well for me. But maybe it’s because I kept wondering if they were doing some kind of weird marketing thing with Disney given it’s about a frog and an “African” princess. (It’s possible I’m just too exposed to this Disney movie?)
Wish I had been reading this live since you were the only person I saw commenting on Cat’s hair. I don’t agree with you on it (hated it!) but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one thinking about it.
John Cabrera on 14 Nov 2009 at 2:19 am #
Rae, that’s really interesting about the Disney thing. That African dance piece had to have been influenced by it. I don’t know much about the film… is it based on a popular story? If so, I could see it being the inspiration.
Hmm… but now my conspiracy theorist coming out… I’m going with a big Disney domination plot here. They mentioned Mollee’s involvement with High School Musical (Background Dancer)… the Channing tractor win… frogs and African princesses.
I like it. I’m going with this one.
And come on, that hair was awesome… it was like a bicycle helmet. You coulda flicked quarters off of it.