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This is it, the final 4. Is it me or did they drag the season out too long? I was expecting the Grand Finale to be last week but was treated to an Easter Special instead which I thought was a bit of a waste of time. Honestly, I wasn’t too keen on watching the contestants who had been booted out come back for new routines and despite a couple of obvious mistakes in some of them, the judges were spared from critiquing and instead asked the former contestants mundane questions such as how the show had affected them, blah blah blah. Anyway, I digress.

so you think you can dance australia top 4
The top 4


The top 4 are Amy, Ben, Charlie and Talia and I congratulate the voters for getting it right every week. I also have to add that I am loving this season with a new bunch of improved choreographers and much more talented and versatile contestants than we had last year. So who will win?

Amy
Up until the time she made it into the Top 10, Amy had been in the bottom 3 three times and each time, saved by the judges. Yes, she had the technique and she was dubbed ‘the next Kate’ but it was easy to see why Australia or, to be more realistic, Australian teenage girls, didn’t relate to her. She wasn’t attractive enough to stand out and make girls wish they were her; she didn’t have the bubbly personality Penny has that makes girls want to be her friend. Instead, she came across as the mother in the group (being the oldest female dancer in the competition) and seemed a bit too serious and business-like. Partnered with Damien who wasn’t exactly scoring popularity votes either, Amy looked doomed to be the next one voted out once the judges lost their power to save their favourite. But then, during the Top 10 performance, she was lucky enough to get a Lyrical Contemporary piece, dancing to Beyonce’s Halo. This was Amy’s turning point which made the audience sit up and pay attention, I think, and ultimately, saved her from the bottom 3. It certainly caught my eye. And as the female dancers dwindled, Amy’s star continued to shine and she’s now known for having the emotional depth to rake in the audience’s attention everytime she dances, particularly if it’s a Lyrical Contemporary piece.


Ben
If I had to describe Ben in one word, it would be solid. Solid Ben. Solid, sturdy and dependable. Like a rock. With a personality to match. Every week during Ben’s performance, my eyes don’t stray to him, they stray to his partner. Ask me to choose which one was Ben’s performance and I would come up with nothing because I don’t remember any of them. As Bonnie keeps telling the audience, Ben is a great dance partner but that’s it. Have him dance solo and he completely washes out.

Charlie
Technically, Charlie is the weakest dancer of the bunch. He would have been booted out ages ago, I think, if it wasn’t for that charm that would have rivalled Hugh Jackman’s – well, maybe not. But out of all the guys this season, he was the funniest and cheekiest so it’s not hard for some girls to tie up the phone lines, voting to keep him in the competition. To me though, charms can only take you so far and it won’t be as Australia’s Favourite Dancer. Well, I certainly hope not, if Australia keeps voting the way they’ve been voting so far in this competition. Charlie stood out for me as the other half of the dynamic Penny/Charlie duo. Together, they were a delight to watch because they had such great chemistry and made each other look good. But without Penny, Charlie positively flounders like a fish out of water.

Talia
I originally had Talie down as a stuck-up ballerina and couldn’t tell the difference physically between her and Kate, then she danced to Taylor Swift’s A Love Story, a jazz piece with Loredo. From then on, I’ve been a huge fan. She not only has the technique down pat but, like Amy, she’s versatile and she has the unintimidating attractiveness that girls like. You know, the ones whom girls will say ‘she’s pretty’ without feeling threatened. She may not have the emotional range that Amy puts into her routines, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off her when she was partnered with Amy on Monday night’s performance. Unlike last year’s token ballerina, Vanessa, Talia was able to pull off any dance genre tossed her way.

So, who WILL win? If Australia gets it right, the two boys will go first and the girls will battle it out. But Australia’s Favourite Dancer will ultimately be Talia.
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The last performances before the grand finale. Who will make it to the Top 4?

so you think you can dance australia
The Top 6

Favourite routine : Talia & BJ's Lyrical Hip Hop by Tabitha and Napoleon
While I was somewhat disappointed by their choreography with Kat & Charlie's Hip Hop routine, Tabitha and Napoleon (sounds like a hair salon, huh?) showed why they're two of SYTYCD US Dancers' favourite choreographers with this Lyrical Hip Hop routine about alcohol addiction. The moves were simplistic but powerful enough to convey the right emotions from both Talia & BJ, touting this routine as the best this year (by Jason) and the best of the whole series (by Matt) - and a standing ovation to boot.

Worst routine : Talia & BJ's Jazz by Project Moda

Ironically, the couple that gave us the best routine also gave me the worst routine of the night - surprisingly, choreographed by my favourite choreographers, Project Moda. The routine, although wacky, bright and cute, didn't have enough dance elements and relied too much on the comical aspect.

Best partnership : Amy & Ben
Both are amazing technical dancers with the right maturity to tackle the emotion in both their Pasa Doble and Lyrical Contemporary routines. They may not have scored the best routine of the night and Jason might have thought their Pasa Doble was flat but I felt the two had the best chemistry and made each other look good.

Worst partnership : Kat & Charlie
These two are probably the weakest dancers left in the competition for me. While they may feel otherwise, they don't have the same drive and intensity as the others and remind me of two little puppies at play - graceful, but puppies nevertheless.

Best Performer Overall : Amy
I wasn't a big fan of her at the beginning but the girl's grown on me of late. She always makes her partner look good, whomever she's paired with and I can probably watch her twirl in her voluminous skirts all night. And when she does a lyrical contemporary, she's unbeatable.

Worst Performer Overall : Kat
It says something when the judges hailed her Tango routine as her best performance but then spent a good time criticising her for being 'off-centre' and keeping her shoulders down. And Jason's right, the constant, indeliberate it may be, poking out of her tongue during the Hip Hop routine was driving me insane. She says she has the hunger and the drive but she's the weakest of the girls by far.

Best Costume : The boys in Pop by Supple
Their half cop/robber costumes and flipping them deliberately to showcase the dance movements of each character were clever and hilarious.

Worst Costume : Natalie Bassingthwaite
Did I miss something or is she expecting? Because if she's not pregnant, someone should tell her that wearing a tent big enough to hold a circus in isn't attractive.

Who will go? Kat & BJ
The fact that despite her Latin Dance routine with BJ was the audience's favourite routine didn't save Kat from being in the bottom 2 last week, and also because she's been in the bottom for 3 weeks in a row. While I think Charlie is the weakest among the guy, his likable personality will push him through to the final 4 which leaves BJ who was in the bottom 2 last week as well.
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The night proved to be one of the best SYTYCD nights with diverse, exciting routines. And I have to say, 'Thank God' to the new and improved batch of choreographers we have this season. So what were the best & the worst of the night?

so you think you can dance australia
Noo! Penny leaves the competition due to an injury

Most Frustrating Moment – Penny leaving
Argh! The only girl who had never been in the bottom 3 was forced to leave the competition after a rib fracture. She may not have been the best performer but she had such a great, likable personality and she brought energy and commitment to all her performances. Pity – it would have been great to see her reunited with her old partner Charlie, with whom she delivered some of the most memorable performances of the season for me.

Best Performance – Charlie in the Hip Hop routine by Supple
When you’re hip hop routine is choreographed by the very original, somewhat bizarre and complicated style of Supple, you can’t really go wrong. After a lukewarm performance in their previous Disco routine, complete with a cheesy smile, Charlie redeemed himself by pulling off a hot, Edward-Scissorhands-look hip hop routine opposite Gianne, earning him accolades from the judges – especially considering that the couple had less than a day to master their routines than everyone else in the competition.

Worst Performance – Ben (overall).
Not because he was bad but because I kind of forgot that Ben was in the competition. I felt that he was overshadowed by Talia in both routines (Hip Hop & Samba QuickStep) and we all know what it means when you fade into the background on a reality tv show. Bottom 2.

Personal Favourite Routine – Amy & Timomatic in Hip Hop by Project Moda
For the second week in a row, I’m picking the Hip Hop routine by Project Moda with Amy & Timomatic as Dorothy and Michael Jackson’s Scarecrow to ‘Ease down the Road’ from The Wiz soundtrack. It could have been a disaster. A technical dancer paired up with the least technical dancer who had to step into Michael Jackson’s shoes, but the two pulled it off brilliantly and it was the first time I took notice of Timomatic. What he lacks in technique, he makes up for his energy.

Personal Worst Routine – the girls in the Danceall routine by Tiana Joubert
Hmm…I lay the blame on the choreographer for making these girls look like they should be in a rap music video. I have never seen so much derriere-jiggling on a reality show that, like the judges, made me feel a little uncomfortable and I was expecting one of the girls to strip at any moment. The routine seemed to only showcase that the performers were girls who could shake their booties. I agree with Matt hands down that the routine was way too ‘hoochy’.

Most Promising Dancer : BJ
I’ll always be a fan of Talia but tonight, BJ was a standout in all three performances : the Broadway with all the other guys, the Jazz routine by Sue Ellen Shook and best of all, the Foxtrot by Leanne Bampton. I’m not a fan of Foxtrot but BJ, as a member of the mafia who had to kill his girlfriend, was a mesmerizing performer that made my heart go, “hubba hubba”.

Best Costume : Timomatic’s Scarecrow in the Hip Hop routine
High-waisted overalls rolled up to the knees, revealing striped, coloured socks, a beret and hay coming out of your pants would make anyone look daggy but on Timomatic, well, it just looked hot.

Worst Costume : Charlie’s 70s outfit in the Disco routine
A purple sequined shirt, bell-bottomed jeans and a cheesy smile. Need I say more?

Who will go? This is a tough one as I didn’t think there was anyone who performed badly overall. The ones I was ready to call off after their first routine, redeemed themselves with their second. But I have a feeling that Gianne and Timomatic may go. Gianne, simply because she was voted off last week) and Timomatic, because with the exception of his Michael Jackson’s Scarecrow, he had never really stood out as a performer.
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It's crunch time : 20 dancers narrowed down to 10 who had to leave the security of dancing with the same partner for the past several weeks and hope they develop a chemistry with their new partner with two different routines. Their SYTYCD fate will be decided by public vote in tonight's elimination.

so you think you can dance australia
The Top 10

But here are my best & worst of the night :

Best New Partnership – Amy & BJ

I’m not a fan of either of these two but both are great technical dancers who look like they’ve been partners from day one. Their lyrical contemporary routine choreographed by Marko to Beyonce’s Halo, about a boy proposing to a girl who finally lets down her guard, garnered the judges’ favourite routine of the night.

Worst New Partnership – Gianne & Loredo
Their Hip Hop routine by Travers Ross was the worst routine of the night and their contemporary routine by Sarah Boulter failed to impress overall.

Personal Favourite Routine – Kat & Timomatic’s Hip Hop Routine by Project Moda
It wasn’t as polished as it could have been and there were a few slight mistakes – the somersault, as Bonnie pointed out. But the Little Red Riding Hood themed-routine was fun and quirky. It also helped that they threw in a couple of old school dance moves like the running man which catapulted me back to the ‘Pyjama Jam’ dancing days…

Personal Worst Routine
– Gianne & Loredo’s Hip Hop by Travers Ross
This one was tricky for me as I didn’t know where to lay the blame – on the lack of chemistry or on the choreographer. I mean, a hip hop routine to Counting Crows’ Mr Jones??? WTF? The routine was messy, both looked extremely uncomfortable and I had to actually turn away from time to time as it was painful to watch. The judges subtly admitted it wasn’t really hip hop and that the style didn’t fit well with the dancers. Then Loredo might have scored himself a place in the bottom three when he whinged that he wasn’t comfortable with the style either. Sometimes, in cases like these, you just have to shut up.

Best Opening -Talia & Charlie’s Quickstep and Kat & Timomatic’s Hip Hop
Talia & Charlie sat in the audience, holding up fan signs before launching into Jason Gilkinson’s Quickstep (and Charlie proceeding to trip over); Timomatic, the big bad wolf chasing Kat as Little Red Riding Hood, with the camera panning from one to the other – much like those hammy scenes you see in comedies. Bonnie thought it went on too long but Jason disagreed, bless him.

Most Promising Dancer
-Talia
A trained ballerina, this girl seems to do well with every genre given her way. It almost sounds corny, but it’s like watching poetry when Talia dances.

Best Costume - Kat’s tribal costume in the African Samba routine by Sandro
Ok, this sounds mean but the reason why I liked her red wig and painted face was because it effectively concealed Kat who hasn’t been my favourite and whom I thought should have left a while ago. But her cover-up forced me to focus on her dancing ability and I noticed that she’s not as bad as I thought.

Worst Costume
- Gianne’s ruffled blue top and ruffled black skirt in the Hip Hop routine by Travers Ross
Simply because there was nothing in this routine that I liked at all.

Who will go? Gianne & Loredo.

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They say Australian Idol jumped the shark before the 2nd season even began (reality TV haters would say it jumped the shark when the idea was brought up). And save for the second season, and only because I couldn’t believe the final two was between an inaudible girl with no personality and a vertically challenged guy who dreamt of being a Backstreet Boy, I can’t remember other contestants from all the other seasons – only how appalling each of the ‘winner’s single’ had been. We’re in the 21st century but producers of these so-called ‘winning’ singles seem to be permanently stuck in the 80s with their soppy ballads, complete with high notes about ‘the night’ and ‘dreams coming true’.


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Oz Idol 08 Final 6

October 27th 2008 01:21
Australian Idol 2008 Final 6
Final 6
Last night was a tribute to the Rolling Stones and I put my money on Mark and Luke outshining the others with my two gals possibly floundering and Teale boring us yet for another week. Overall, the performances were OK but considering we’re supposed to be left with the six best singers, I found it lacking and a little…Teale-like.

Wes
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REALITY TV NEWS THIS WEEK

August 11th 2008 23:46
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson promises sex on TV
The older, more buxom version of Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, has promised fans there will be ‘lot of gratuitous sex’ on her E! Entertainment reality show, the appropriately named Pam: Girl on the Loose. Why the title automatically makes me think of Debbie Does Dallas, I don’t know. The peroxide mother-of-two isn’t ashamed to admit that she loves gratuitous sex ‘so there will be lots of that’ on the show. Hands up, anyone, who’s even remotely surprised?

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Despite having only 3 years’ culinary experience, 25-year old Christina Machamer beats 47-year old Catering Director Louis Petrozza to become the winner of Hell’s Kitchen Season 4. Unlike previous seasons where the winner nabbed an executive or head chef position in a restaurant, this season’s winner will be a senior sous chef at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant London West Hollywood with a salary of $250,000.
christina machamer
Season 4 winner - Christina Machamer


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This Week's News on Reality TV

July 10th 2008 00:38
DENISE RICHARDS TO SELL REALITY TV HOME
Denise Richards

Residents of posh California neighbourhood Hidden Hills are running the former Bond girl out of her US$4.2m home, sick of the never-ending presence of cameras and constant filming since the premiere of her reality show ‘It’s Complicated’ at the beginning of the year


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Hell's Kitchen Season 1 Awards!

July 4th 2008 01:30
Michael Wray Hell's Kitchen
Season 1 winner - Michael Wray
So the first season of Hell’s Kitchen was won by Michael, a tattooed, skinny guy who pretty much went under the radar for most of the season and whom I remember pacing the backyard at 3 in the morning, talking to no one in particular and referring to himself in the third person.

Picking up the success from Kitchen Nightmares USA, Gordon Ramsay turned up his temper ten notches in Hell’s Kitchen, abusing contestants, smacking plates of food against their chests in disgust, barfing out signature dishes, kicking bins in frustration and gleefully insulting complaining customers. Heh. So much for customer service he raves on so much in Kitchen Nightmares which makes me wonder if these diners get their food for free and I say, ‘Where can I sign up


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