DWTS Media Thread

[Love_Me]

Kirstie Alley: There's a "Conspiracy" Against Me on DWTS

Is something rotten in the state of Dancing with the Stars?

Kirstie Alley suffered yet another mishap during Monday's routine -- her shoe fell off in the middle of her waltz -- and now she's wondering whether someone's trying to sabotage her.

PHOTOS: Sneak a peek inside DWTS rehearsals

"I think it's a conspiracy! I think the other girls cut my shoe!" Alley, 60, joked to UsMagazine.com after the blunder.

"I don't know if I handled it well or not well!" she added of the dropped shoe. "When your shoe comes off, you either put it back on or you take it off, one or the other."

VIDEO: Kirstie's shoe falls off!

But seriously, the star (who wasn't sure why her shoe fell off) says she's tired of being so accident-prone. "I don't want to be that girl!" the star, who was nearly dropped by partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy during last week's routine.

PHOTOS: Amazing DWTS body makeovers!

But Alley's still confident about Tuesday's results show. "I want to win. And I want to win by being the best! I got an 8 -- but I can't help but think if I did the dance correctly, we could have gotten some 9s. I really do want to be a good dancer and I'm working on it."

She added that she doesn't want to "become the mercy f***", garnering sympathy votes from fans. "I want people to vote for me because I'm good. I really do!"

Kirstie Alley: There's a "Conspiracy" Against Me on DWTS - Movies, TV & Music - UsMagazine.com

[nikkij_26]

Dancing's Kendra: "The Mental Part Hurts More Than the Physical"



Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett isn't happy today.

She was at the bottom of the leaderboard on last night's Dancing With the Stars after she and Louis Van Amstel waltzed away with three 6's from the judges,

She wants to do better. Turns out Ms. Kendra is quite the competitior.

Read on to find out what she just told me about being a perfectionist, what she and Louis have planned for next week and what's up with the icepack on her knee…


How you feeling today?

I'm good. I'm doing good.

So last night wasn't your best night but there's always next week.

I've come to realize I wasn't born a dancer. You know, it's a lot of pressure. Maybe a little too much pressure for me to handle. To be perfect in four days isn't my thing. So I'm just trying to have fun with it even if I'm not perfect. I'm trying to have a good time along the way, along the journey. But it's hard. I've never in my life put on heels and glided across a dancefloor. Maybe walking around a stripper pole a couple of times, but I wasn't doing splits or any of that. This is way more serious than I thought it was. Maybe I'm just taking it that way.

Yeah, I can't imagine Louis is berating you.

You know, I'm a very a very competitive person. I've always been competitive. It's in my blood to be competitive. Everybody I turn to is like, "You're too hard on yourself." I think people need to stop saying that to me. I'm not too hard. It's because I care. It's because I want to do good...One day I can have a perfect day of golf and have a beer afterwards to celebrate. But the next day I'll go out and golf and I won't hit a shot on the green and that will haunt me for the rest of the day.

But did you ever think just three weeks ago you'd be doing what you're doing on the dancefloor now?

No. I definitely thought it was going to be a lot easier than it is. I've come to realize it's a lot harder than it looked.

So how's that knee? We keep seeing you with an icepack on it.

Oh, my body is fine. I can take a hit. I'm not in pain. It's just very mental. The mental part hurts more than the physical.

What's it like seeing Hank standing up and cheering for you every week?

Hank is my biggest supporter. When the show ends, I run into his arms and I hold him and I don't want to let go. That's where I feel most beautiful, the most comfortable. At the end of the day, I'm doing this for him and my son. What matters to me is making my husband and son proud.

What's up for next week?

If I survive tonight, we have the fox trot. Our song is pretty interesting. I don't know how we couldn't have fun with this song.



Dancing's Kendra: "The Mental Part Hurts More Than the Physical" - E! Online

[karalott]

'DWTS': Voting for your fave pro (and why it's not always such a bad idea) | Inside TV | EW.com

'Dancing With the Stars' CentralApr 13

'DWTS': Voting for your fave pro (and why it's not always such a bad idea)
by Lynette Rice

Anyone who considers themselves a real fan of Dancing With the Stars should have been disappointed to see Wendy Williams leave the competition — not because she was a decent dancer, but because it meant Tony Dovolani lost another chance at winning the mirror ball trophy. At least he’s not alone. Other fan favorites like Maksim Chmerkovkiy, Edyta Sliwinska, Anna Trebunskaya and Lacey Schwimmer have yet to join the winner’s circle during the show’s 10-year history — though the Ukrainian hoofer might have a chance to finally prevail this spring (as long he and partner Kirstie Alley avoid any more mishaps).

So would it be wrong for viewers to cast their votes based solely on the pros? Mark Ballas thinks so. “It’s a team,” he said this week. “They vote for a team, how we get along together. It’s not about each individual.” Then again, it’s easy for him to say: He’s won two times. Ask the others who haven’t waltzed away with a win, and the answers are very different. “At the end of the day, this show has become not just about the celebrities, but people who are falling in love with the pros,” said Chelsie Hightower, who has only gone as far as the semi-finals with partner Ty Murray. “I think they should be voting for whoever they want to vote for.”

In fact, Trebunskaya thinks it’s entirely reasonable for viewers to vote only for their favorite pros — even if their celebrity partners are burdened with two left feet. (After all, the repeat wins by Derek Hough and his sister Julianne have been credited, in part, to their huge popularity.) “The beauty of this competition is to see the celebrity growing and changing too,” said Trebunskaya, who made it to the finals with Jerry Rice and Evan Lysacek. “But the viewers are getting to know the pros, too. At the end of the day, a good performance is a good performance. If it’s exciting, they’ll vote for us.”

It always helps when the pros are paired with drama-free dancers who know how to move. Before he had Williams, Dovolani was stuck with Kate Gosselin and the awkward Kathy Ireland, while Derek Hough was blessed with the agile Brooke Burke, Nicole Scherzinger and Jennifer Grey. Then again, both of the Houghs have a real knack for choreography that showcases their celeb partners — which is why EW’s Annie Barrett thinks the pros should ultimately dictate how the public votes.

“I’m not a voting girl, but if I were, I’d definitely vote for my favorite pro as long as his or her partner wasn’t blatantly phoning it in,” Barrett told ITV. “I think a lot of the good vibes viewers get out of DWTS isn’t necessarily the 90-second dash of glitter you see on the floor, but the glimpses of the actual star-pro relationships that build (and sometimes break!) throughout the season. After about week 4 or 5, you’re rooting for the couple and not just the star. It’s really all about our pros, anyway — we all know it! Just admit it!”

[nanarama]

Other fan favorites like Maksim Chmerkovkiy, Edyta Sliwinska, Anna Trebunskaya and Lacey Schwimmer have yet to join the winner’s circle during the show’s 10-year history — though the Ukrainian hoofer might have a chance to finally prevail this spring (as long he and partner Kirstie Alley avoid any more mishaps).

Wow. I never knew Lacey was a "fan favorite." I've yet to hear of anyone I know who actually likes her! Other than that, the article makes some good points. I know it isn't popular to admit it on Fort, but the pro is often a big factor in deciding whom will get my votes.
Example: Karina bothers me less this season than she used to, and her sour face has been absent recently, but I haven't been able to bring myself to vote for Ralph because of her. Right now I'm voting mostly for Romeo who is with Chelsie (whom I really like.) If Romeo were to be partnered by Lacey, I doubt he's get my votes. Sorry if others wouldn't do the same, but that's the way I feel.
And, as someone who doesn't follow much sports, often the dancing pros are more well known to me than the "stars!"

[Florimel]

I can speak only for myself, but I like Lacey and I've liked her since she was on So You Think You Can Dance. Sometimes I like her choreography, sometimes I don't, but I always like her when she exhibition dances with another pro. Several of my friends and other fans of the show have also said they like her, so I guess I'll just represent those who do.

[Miss_Griss]

I can speak only for myself, but I like Lacey and I've liked her since she was on So You Think You Can Dance. Sometimes I like her choreography, sometimes I don't, but I always like her when she exhibition dances with another pro. Several of my friends and other fans of the show have also said they like her, so I guess I'll just represent those who do.

I like her, too.

I wouldn't have guessed that she fell into the category of "fan favorite," though. She does seem to have a polarizing effect where people either really like her or really don't.

[karalott]

I've never been a fan of Lacey, partly due to her dancing and choreography (although the one season I actually warmed up to her was, of all seasons, the one where she was partnered with Steve-O). I also don't care much for her attitude or the rebel schtick. I think she's gotten over that, or the show has gotten over labeling her a ballroom rebel. Anyway, it appears Mark is taking the trophy for most OTT outdancing his partner, showboating, mugging, breaking the rules but not being able to handle the criticism.

I do think the pros can play a big role in how well a celebrity does. The one thing that may keep Petra around longer is Dmitry's fans who are happy he's back (and want to ensure he's back in the future). I doubt Chelsea would be getting so much fanatical support if she wasn't paired with Mark. I'll openly admit if I find my favorite pros celeb a decent dancer, or just plain likeable, even if I knew nothing about them, I'll give them a chance and vote for them. I won't not vote for one of my favorite celebs because they're paired with a pro that I don't like, but it'd be really hard to do that with Lacey, Mark, and Derek (to a lesser extent with him). It does make me wonder if this is why the show hasn't been as quick to add pros like they were in the early season, and why they probably pick and choose carefully which pros they exclude. It surprised me for season 10 that Lacey and Dmitry weren't included, but even with my favorites gone, I don't think the show loses much. Who they add is another story.

[nanarama]

To clarify my post above, I know that there are some people who like Lacey - just not those in my circle. I still have a hard time believing that she would be considered a "fan favorite." In my opinion, I would reserve that distinction for pros like Derek, Maks, Edyta, Tony and Kym and a few others who are more universally appealing. Perhaps with Lacey they feel they reach a younger demographic? I don't know, but, though I was prepared to like her when she first came on, she grates on my nerves. (I do agree with Kara that she was almost bearable with Steve-O.)

[Tobi]

In the article it say through the show's 10 year history. Has the show been on for 10 years? Time flies!!!

[Rattus]

I can speak only for myself, but I like Lacey and I've liked her since she was on So You Think You Can Dance. Sometimes I like her choreography, sometimes I don't, but I always like her when she exhibition dances with another pro. Several of my friends and other fans of the show have also said they like her, so I guess I'll just represent those who do.

I like her too, though I've never seen SYTYCD. Taste is obviously subjective since I've never understood the Tony love, though he is apparently very popular. I also don't love Chelsea or Juliana, though in all honesty when they were both on I couldn't tell them apart. It's a lot easier now that one of them has finally left the building. But, both of them have huge fanbases.