TV Jots

Apolo Anton Ohno/Julianne Hough

• Judge Carrie Ann Inaba: Put her finger right on it when she said that Apolo was “the surprise of the season.” She also liked his footwork and the fact that he and Julianne Hough were “perfectly in synch.”
• Judge Len Goodman: Has no doubt that Apolo is “going to stay for weeks and weeks.”
• Judge Bruno Tonioli: Thought that Apolo’s work was “fresh and uplifting,” like “a dancing tonic.”
• Score: 8 (Carrie Ann), 9 (Len), 9 (Bruno) = 26/30 Points
• Comments: I completely agree with the judges tonight about Apolo’s performance. He really is much better than I anticipated, not just this early in the competition, but period. He and Julianne danced very, very well and in true partnership. My score is an 8, three points better than last week’s 5.

Shandi Finnessey/Brian Fortuna

• Carrie Ann: While she felt Shandi looked beautiful, nothing about Shandi’s performance struck her as special—she didn’t move her hips, looked uncertain on the turns, and lost her spot a lot.
• Len: Liked the footwork and movement, but didn’t believe Shandi sold it [How I wish the judges would stop talking about dancers selling their routine. Find a synonym, please!]
• Bruno: Suggested that Shandi should forget about Barbie and turn into a brat (!).
• Score: 6 (Carrie Ann), 7 (Len), 7 (Bruno) = 20/30 Points
• Comments: Ken and Barbie, live in our living rooms again. Shandi and Brian get my vote for the best looking couple overall, while Shandi’s outfit—a yellow bra top and flouncy skirt with a hem up to there—was definitely the sexiest of all the women’s in the second round. Nevertheless, although Shandi worked hard, she is still much too stiff, especially for someone who’s obviously very fit. Next week, if she’s still in play, she really needs to work on exuding more sex appeal and getting her entire body involved in the movements. I gave her a 6, one more than last week, which acknowledges her general improvement.

Clyde Drexler/Elena Grinenko

• Carrie Ann: Thought Clyde traveled across the floor well and was smooth.
• Len: Acknowledged that Clyde is a crowd favorite and the he has overcome a lot of the disadvantages of being a tall dancer with a much shorter partner.
• Bruno: Accurately observed that Clyde moved so much better this time around, and although he still has a ways to go, he’s heading in the right direction.
• Score: 6 (Carrie Ann), 6 (Len), 6 (Bruno) = 18/30 Points
• Comments: Clyde was indeed much better than last week. He actually appeared to enjoy himself this time, which made his moves look more graceful and natural. The NBA star gets my vote for most dramatic improvement thus far, which translates into a score of 6, three points higher than last week. Carrie Ann was the only judge to give Clyde the same score this week instead of a higher one, apparently indicating that she doesn’t think he has improved at all. Somebody’s asleep at the wheel, then, because nothing could be further from the truth. Clyde was practically a different dancer this week.

Leeza Gibbons/Tony Dovolani

• Carrie Ann: Was afraid that Leeza was going to fall out of the competition after her routine last week and was happy that she performed so well.
• Len: Thought Leeza’s dancing was good, but a bit too precise.
• Bruno: Advised Leeza to let her tramp out (allegedly a compliment, by the way) instead of dancing like a debutante on a first date.
• Score: 7 (Carrie Ann), 7 (Len), 7 (Bruno) = 21/30 Points
• Comments: Leeza turned 50 on the day of the show and looks years younger. She appeared to be having the time of her life during her routine but, like Shandi, needs to loosen up and turn on the sex appeal. Still, she didn’t miss a step, which earned her a 6 in my book, one point higher than her last effort.

Ian Ziering/Cheryl Burke

• Carrie Ann: Thought Ian delivered a solid performance and looked more relaxed this week, and she feels he has much more potential.
• Len: Believed Ian needs to get his frame right but moved around the floor well.
• Bruno: Claimed that Ian’s dancing sometimes seemed like “watching a hare around a field” and was “too skippy” for the Quickstep, but those were minor things.
• Score: 7 (Carrie Ann), 8 (Len), 7 (Bruno) = 22/30 Points
• Comments: You can really tell that Ian puts a lot of effort into his performance, as his partner Cheryl stated during the rehearsal footage, and it shows in how well he dances. I gave him a 7, the equivalent of round one’s score.

Paulina Porizkova/Alec Mazo

• Carrie Ann: Appreciated Paulina’s extension and flexibility.
• Len: Felt the performance was stiff and starchy, not raunchy, but still good.
• Bruno: Thought that Paulina occasionally lost her way to Havana and ended up in Puerto Rico instead (!!!), though she was quite good.
• Score: 7 (Carrie Ann), 7 (Len), 7 (Bruno) = 21/30 Points
• Comments: Paulina was another drastic improvement over the first week, just like Clyde. Unfortunately, however, she’s simply gawky by nature, and a little stoop-shouldered, too. It’s weird how every last single one of the female competitors—with the notable exception of Laila—seems unable to “get into” (or I guess the judges would say “sale”) their performance by using their hips and shoulders more. As with all of the female celebrities save Laila, Paulina had the footwork and her routine down, but she just didn’t look like a dancer. It was a good, fun effort anyway, and I gave her a 6, two points higher than last time. Paulina was really psyched to receive scores of 7 from the judges, despite not having found her inner Latina (she felt more like she “channeled the American tourist in Havana with one Mojito too many”).

Billy Ray Cyrus/Karina Smirnoff

• Carrie Ann: Gave Billy Ray her vote for Most Improved Dancer from last week.
• Len: Felt Billy Ray started out wild, but then thankfully calmed down enough to turn in a good performance.
• Bruno: Acknowledged Billy Ray’s marked improvement—and his impersonation of Riverdance‘s Michael Flatley towards the end of the routine.
• Score: 7 (Carrie Ann), 7 (Len), 7 (Bruno) = 21/30 Points
• Comments: Unlike Clyde, who seemed to get over his unease, Cyrus still looks extremely uncomfortable while dancing, as if he’s embarrassed and must focus all of his attention on getting the steps right. Nevertheless, he put forth a good effort—much better than last week, if only because he stopped lip-synching—which earned him a 5 from me, three whole points higher than my previous score.

Heather Mills/Jonathan Roberts

• Carrie Ann: Was extremely impressed with Heather’s performance, especially the back walkover, because the routine was harder than any other. She thought Heather nailed it.
• Len: Felt Heather was much better than last week and her performance was absolutely great.
• Bruno: Stated that Heather was “Red-Hot Heather.”
• Score: 8 (Carrie Ann), 8 (Len), 8 (Bruno) = 24/30 Points
• Comments: Heather gave the best definition of the Mambo: It’s about bum-wiggling and hip-shaking. She was the best female competitor until Laila hit the dance floor two routines later, and she gets extra brownie points from me for the back walkover. My score is a 7, up two from last week’s 5.

John Ratzenberger/Edyta Sliwinska

• Carrie Ann: Thought John’s performance got off to a slow start, but he wrapped it up with pizazz.
• Len: Overall, felt it was a great performance.
• Bruno: Believed John sold it, particularly for an “old wolf.”
• Score: 7 (Carrie Ann), 7 (Len), 7 (Bruno) = 21/30 Points
• Comments: I agree with Carrie Ann that the beginning of the routine seemed to too slow for a true Quickstep, but John was *sooo* much fun to watch, and he threw in some nice moves, too. I give his excellent performance a 7, two points higher than his prior effort.

Laila Ali/Maksim Chmerkovskiy

• Carrie Ann: Thought Laila was hot, hot, hot and noted how she has strength in both her upper and lower body [whereas all of the other female competitors seem unable to get their darn hips moving].
• Len: Confirmed that in the best Mambo of the night, Laila and Maksim sold it.
• Bruno: Dubbed the “simply irresistible” Laila the Mistress of the Art of Seduction.
• Score: 9 (Carrie Ann), 9 (Len), 9 (Bruno) = 27/30 Points
• Comments: Carrie Ann was right—Laila was hot to the third power. She had no trouble whatsoever being as spicy as she claimed she would be during the rehearsal footage, which is why all of the other female competitors should be forced to watch her performance over and over (and over) again until they can do it, too. My score is another exceptional 9 since Laila was just as spectacular this week as last week.

Joey Fatone/Kym Johnson

• Carrie Ann: Noting Joey’s background in the entertainment field, she observed that he brought the complete package once again.
• Len: Thought Joey’s performance was very, very strong.
• Bruno: Like that Joey sold it [here we go again], but felt he needed to drop the “George Michael” moves [in reality, they were cute and funny, as intended, of course—Bruno just didn't get it].
• Score: 8 (Carrie Ann), 8 (Len), 8 (Bruno) = 24/30 Points
• Comments: Joey and Kym were fantastic together and a lot of fun to watch, just like last week. They weren’t as mesmerizing as Laila and Maksim, however, which is why I gave them an 8, one point less than the 9 from round one.

In Summary

• After Round 2, the judges’ overall Top 2 performers are Laila Ali (27/30 points) and Joey Fatone (24/30 points)
• My Top 3 performers are Laila (9/10) and Apolo Ohno and Joey (both 8/10 points)
• The judges’ overall Bottom 2 performers are Clyde Drexler (18/30 points) and Shandi Finnessey (20/30 points)
• My bottom performers are Billy Ray Cyrus (5/10 points) and the four competitors who earned a score of 6/10, namely Shandi, Clyde Drexler, Leeza Gibbons, and Paulina Porizkova.

Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays at 8pm EST (performance) and Tuesdays at 9pm EST (results) on ABC.
A special, one-hour performance recap show is also scheduled for tonight at 8pm EST on ABC.

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