Category: reality tv

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Big Brother 9 Episode 2

Big Brother 9 Episode 1 introduced us to a new cast with a new twist, teams of two. Sheila, the oldest member of the cast by 16 years, proved to be the least mature, while her partner Adam didn’t do himself any favors either (her shallowness/negativity is matched by his abrasiveness). Meanwhile, ex-couple Jacob and Sharon, who apparently dated since elementary school, were clearly not getting along well. Ultimately, Parker & Jen won power couple and $10,000, which will allow them to make quick work of one of the opposing teams.

Immediately after the power couple competition, Adam makes an off color and easily offensive comment, and Sheila jumps all over it, taking more offense to it than she would if somebody she actually liked said it. I would say she’s looking for reasons to hate him, but they’re so far beyond hate within the first two hours they’ve known each other that it’s just silly.

Jen’s already finding it difficult to pretend Ryan’s not her boyfriend. Great couple you picked to keep things a secret, CBS.

Alex and Amanda are both open to the idea that each of them could be the other’s soulmate.

Jacob tells the guys that Parker’s a snake. Then he takes it a step further and tells Jen this information. Dumb dumb dumb. She quickly runs inside and tells Parker, her partner. They walk back outside to confront him, but Jacob refuses to answer the question. So Parker wakes up everybody in the house in an effort to prove a point, and he calls a meeting to yell at people for calling him a snake. If people weren’t pissed off at him before, he’s giving them a really good reason to be now. Jen’s proud that Parker handled it by overreacting. Obviously, nobody fesses up, nor should they, as the target lies squarely on Jacob now.

Sharon tells Parker she promised she wouldn’t say who it was, but if he just stops and thinks, he’ll figure it out. She spins it so that Ryan’s got a finger pointing at him now, but that’s problematic since Ryan is Jen’s boyfriend. That leads her to tell him that Ryan is her boyfriend. Way to go. You managed to keep the secret for a matter of hours. So now Ryan has to tell his partner Allison as well. She’s not happy and doesn’t like or trust Jen, but all of the others admit they don’t trust anybody either.

Now Sheila hates Adam because he snores. She seems to be making an effort to get everybody else to hate him, too, which doesn’t make any sense since if they turn on him, they’ll turn on her, too.

Unlike HOH, with the power couple, there is no nomination. It’s just a straight up eviction decision. Parker & Jen decide to evict Jacob & Sharon. He really screwed over her game.

Sheila & Adam realize they got lucky. Now it’s just a question of whether they take that information and actually start behaving like partners.

HOH is up for grabs. The backyard has been turned into a tunnel of love. Eric & Jessica are here to host the competition. They’re still together, and were basically the only two somewhat likeable people we got stuck with in Big Brother 8. The teams have to match each other’s answers. This is an effort to prove how much they know about each other. Apparently. It’s obvious that the goal here is to make people find it amusing, as I have no idea what the heck is actually happening here. Natalie & Matt take the lead with 6 hearts. Allison & Ryan, Amanda & Alex, and James & Chelsia are in second with four. After James & Chelsia get the next question wrong, they’re unable to win, leaving it down to the other three teams. Amanda matches Alex to take the lead. Allison gets it wrong and is out, and Natalie follows. Amanda & Alex are HOH.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of Big Brother 9 Episode 3, which airs Sunday at 8/7c on CBS.

Big Brother 9 Episode 1

It’s a new season of Big Brother, and thank God for that because Big Brother 8 sucked pretty bad. The story line (“estranged” 40-year-old father with the mind of a two-year-old and his self centered brat of a daughter who thought everything was nooottt faiirrrrr allegedly got over their own egos and became very close… yeah, I threw up a little bit instead of saying “awww…”) and associated blatant rigging tainted what could have been a good season but just simply was never allowed to get off the ground on its own merits because the producers were just way too in love with the power the America’s Player twist gave them to care about anything else.

Thanks to the writers strike, Big Brother is being given the best time slot it’s ever had. While going up against American Idol the next few weeks isn’t particularly a good thing, this does mark the first time the summer staple has premiered during the regular season. Here’s what we do know. There will be no America’s Player twist this year (yay), and players will be combined into teams with their soulmates (as if) and will do everything together. Beyond that, it’s anybody’s guess. We don’t even know how long the season will run, as that’s something that will probably be decided as time goes by, perhaps dependent upon how well the show does in the ratings. They could rush it and have it done before April, or they could opt to keep it on through mid-May, with twists in the game from double elimination weeks to having the pairs split up after a month.

This is what I’d like to see this year. When the producers rig the show (and they will), I want it to be less obvious. How long do you give me before I’m disappointed?

Julie Chenbot is back with a cast of 16 in Big Brother 9: ‘Til Death Do You Part. All the cast members are allegedly single and looking for love, which they’re apparently going to find on a reality show. It could happen. The houseguests will be combined in teams of two with their Big Brother appointed soulmates, with whom they will do everything together, from voting to sleeping to being evicted.

Everybody’s allowed to enter the house like any other season, but the bedrooms are locked. The seven girls are the first ones to enter, and they’re waiting for the nine guys (one’s gay, one says he’s bi but seems to lean more toward the guys). Sharon and Jacob, who dated on and off for 12 years (uh, he’s 23 now) until he cheated on her, are about to be reunited. Hey, I saw this twist already in season 4. Jen and her boyfriend Ryan are the other twist that we’ve seen already in season 6. They will work together as a team and try to get through undiscovered, and if they do, they win half a million dollars.

Sharon immediately begins telling the women she’s pissed off that her ex is there. If she’s smart, she’ll use it to her advantage. Then again, CBS may just force them to work together.

Matt already wants to sleep with every woman in the house, and probably some of the guys as well. It’s just a question of whether he’s more in love with himself than any of them.

Alex takes a page out of Kail’s book, pretending he doesn’t own a company.

Julie breaks the news to the houseguests, telling them they each have a “perfect match” sitting in the room with them. Then she tells them they’re going to play as teams.

The pairs are:

Alex & Amanda (he’s happy about this)
James & Chelsia (she likes motorbikes, not one being pedaled across country)
Natalie & Matt (he’s happy she’s… breathing)
Jen & Parker (not her boyfriend Ryan)
Joshuah & Neil (there’s a surprise)
Jacob & Sharon (she’s not happy, but he seems okay)

The last two couples are stuck in sleeping bags.

Ryan & Allison
Sheila & Adam (he calls her ma, and she can’t stand him)

Some of the partners are stupid idiots and are immediately trying to put a wedge between themselves and their partners. They better get over it, or their time in the house will be short lived. Sheila says she’s too shallow to be with Adam (at least she’s honest). Sharon’s ready to punch something.

Now that they’ve got the teams, power couple is up for grabs. One member of the couple will be suspended in the air and lowered on the other partner, then they’ll both be hoisted back up. The last ones standing will win power couple. Allison’s not impressed with Ryan’s profuse sweating but doesn’t care and wants to be a team. Sheila quits at 5 minutes because she hates Adam. This is just pathetic. Can’t they just be thrown off the show for being babies? Neil and Joshuah are out at 9 minutes. Amanda and Alex are out at 28 minutes. Sharon and Jacob give up knowing they can’t win, but they worked together pretty well all things considered.

Now that half the teams are out, Julie makes an offer: whoever can bend down and grab a pillow will get $10,000 if they win, a big risk to take. Matt & Natalie aren’t interested, but the others try for it. Not worth the risk because not only will you possibly fall or at least strain yourself, but you also get people thinking “They already have $10,000, so they don’t need to win.” Jen grabs the pillow, as does Chelsia. Allison falls in the process, eliminating her and Ryan. Likewise, Chelsia falls in this effort. Parker & Jen negotiate with Matt & Natalie, promising them safety for the week. Since they have a pillow, Parker & Jen also win $10,000, in addition to being the power couple.

Adam’s hoping he and Sheila get kicked out. I can echo that sentiment.

Parker’s thinking of targeting Ryan & Alison… good luck getting that past Jen.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of Big Brother 9 Episode 2, which airs Wednesday at 8/7c on CBS.

The Biggest Loser 6 Casting Call

Producers are looking for couples for the sixth season of NBC’s The Biggest Loser and will be doing a casting call in 13 cities across the country.

With the exception of Miami’s casting call, which will be held from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., all casting calls will be held at the following locations from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.:

FEBRUARY 16
BOSTON, MA
FELT
533 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111

DALLAS, TX
UPTOWN BAR & GRILL
2523 McKinney Avenue
Dallas, TX 75201

CHICAGO
CHICAGO HOME FITNESS
1555 N. Halsted
Chicago, IL 60622

ATLANTA, GA
WILD BILLS
2075 Market Street
Duluth, GA 30096

FEBRUARY 23
NEW YORK CITY, NY
NBC EXPERIENCE STORE
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

NASHVILLE, TN
THE WILD HORSE SALOON
120 2nd Avenue N
Nashville, TN 37201

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
BRICKTOWN BREWERY
1 N. Oklahoma Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73104

MIAMI
FESTIVAL FLEA MARKET MALL
2900 West Sample Road
Pompano Beach, FL 33073
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

MARCH 1
COLUMBUS, OHIO
BUCKEYE HALL OF FAME CAFÉ
1421 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, OH 43212

SUFFOLK, VA
SUFFOLK FAMILY YMCA
2769 Godwin Blvd.
Suffolk, VA 23434

MARCH 8
LAS VEGAS, NV
Location TBA

MESA
SUPERSTITIONS SPRINGS MALL
6555 E. Southern Avenue
Mesa, AZ 85206

LOS ANGELES
Location TBA

The Biggest Loser 6 Announced

NBC has announced that The Biggest Loser will be returning for its sixth season, and it will again be a couples edition. Producers will search for contestants in America’s fattest cities.

Even with competition from American Idol, in no small part due to the now over (pending tomorrow’s vote, which is just a formality) writers’ strike, The Biggest Loser Couples has been one of most successful editions of the franchise.

The Amazing Race Asia 2 Episode 12

With the aid of a fast forward, Adrian & Collin retained their lead in The Amazing Race Asia 2 Episode 11. Paula & Natasha, however, pretty much had no shot at catching up to the rest of the pack following their non-elimination last time, and they were eliminated.

Teams depart in the order in which they arrived.

First: Adrian & Collin (8:10pm)
Second: Rovilson & Marc (10:37pm)
Third: Pamela & Vanessa (10:56pm)
Fourth: Ann & Diane (11:24pm)

Teams must fly to Cape Town, South Africa. Adrian & Collin immediately try to get some Internet access, and the strange thing is that Rovilson & Marc know this strategy yet don’t appear to use it.

First flight (10,700km via London, arriving at 7:50am): Ann & Diane
Second flight (to Frankfurt, where they hope to be able to find a flight): Adrian & Collin, Rovilson & Marc, Pamela & Vanessa

Adrian & Collin were trying too hard to get a better flight instead of taking the sure thing, but in the end, after getting on standby, they are able to get on the same flight as the other teams who are in Frankfurt, which arrives at 5:00am, three hours ahead of Ann & Diane. So it becomes a question of what the hours of operation of the first task are. While it worked out well for the teams who took the gamble, it was a huge risk to take.

When they arrive in Cape Town, teams must travel by taxi to Signal Hill. Rovilson & Marc use one of the best strategies I’ve seen to get a map book: they buy it from the cab driver. Adrian & Collin come up with the same plan. They arrive at 6:13 and have to kill time until the place opens at 8:30. Once it opens, they must drive to the summit of Signal Hill, where they’ll need to search through a bunch of clue boxes until they find the right one, which is made more difficult by being in the foggiest place on earth. For Adrian & Collin and Pamela & Vanessa, though, they must first figure out how to start their cars. Adrian & Collin particularly struggle and eventually have to get assistance from a local. Ann & Diane, likewise, have difficulty. Rovilson & Marc think this is all quite amusing.

From there, teams will head to Killarney Motor Racing Circuit. The team member who performs the road block must race 8 laps around the Killarney race track. The first 4 laps must be done in less than 7.5 minutes, or the team will get a 5 minute penalty.

Road block (in order of arrival): Vanessa, Marc, Collin, Ann

Vanessa and Collin receive a penalty, but Marc does not. There are a few minutes between the teams in the lead. As they’re leaving, Collin & Adrian again need to figure out how to start their car. They’re leaving just as Ann & Diane arrive. All the other teams were smart enough to have the people who normally do the driving drive, but Ann & Diane let Ann drive, who doesn’t drive a manual well. At 9 minutes 18 seconds, she actually does better than Vanessa did, and right around the same time as Collin. With that, it’s safe to assume Ann & Diane are about half an hour behind.

Teams must drive to the township and then go to the Intyatyambo Community Project and paint a marked section of the center, which cares for children age 1-6 living with AIDS, many of whom are orphans or HIV+ themselves. Contained in the clues is a check from Standard Chartered Bank for $5,000, which teams will deliver to the caregivers of the project.

Now that all the signs are in English… the teams are even more lost than they were in places where the signs weren’t in English. Rovilson & Marc miss having an excuse.

It’s a lengthy trek from there. They will take a two hour drive north to the Aquila Park Private Game Reserve. If you get lost going 15 minutes, it’s not such a big deal, but if you get lost going two hours, it could be huge. The next clue is located in the cheetah enclosure.

The detour is a choice between in one end or out the other (yeah, it’s as bad as it sounds, but it provides an opportunity for a lot of puns). In in one end, teams must prepare 100kg of food and feed it to the elephants, meaning they may need to wait because it could take a while to digest. In out the other, teams must clean elephant dung and deliver it to the marked area, which sounds messy but should be quicker.

Out the other: Rovilson & Marc, Collin & Adrian, Pamela & Vanessa, Ann & Diane

Rovilson & Marc know this show. They’ve got nose plugs with them.

Aquila Park Reserve, situated on 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres) of landscape, is the pitstop for this leg of the race.

First: Rovilson & Marc (win a trip back to South Africa)
Second: Adrian & Collin
Third: Pamela & Vanessa
Fourth: Ann & Diane (eliminated)

It’s back to normal, with Marc & Ro back on top. Wasn’t even dramatic, though, as Ann & Diane, despite having just half an hour gap, had no chance of catching up. The other three teams lucked out it wasn’t one of them after the airport situation. It’s too bad because they are a better team than Pamela & Vanessa. Not that it much matters, since it’s been a two team race all along.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another recap of The Amazing Race Asia 2 episode 13, where we will find out who the winner is.

The Celebrity Apprentice Episode 6

The Celebrity Apprentice Episode 5 turned out to be one of the more entertaining episodes we’ve seen in a while, with Vinny Pastore pissing off everybody by turning on the guys then turning on the girls then turning on the guys then forming his own large circle of one before finally leaving the show by his own request.

Omarosa takes the first opportunity she can to attack the returning team, and she continues to believe she’s the best candidate for the job.

Stephen Baldwin tells Piers Morgan he can’t work with him, despite the fact that the two of them have performed quite well together throughout the entire time (even if they’ve been insulting each other all along). He heads to the boardroom to have a meeting with Donald Trump. Instead of resigning, he takes Trump’s offer to go to the other side. Bad move, Baldwin. The men hate him, and the women aren’t particularly thrilled either. Then he breaks the news that he has a previous engagement and will not be available for the task that day. This makes the women even less happy with him.

When Trump tells the women Stephen’s on their team, Omarosa declines. Trump tells her tough, and they will live with it.

The task is to create a living window featuring Serta mattresses designed by Vera Wang, to be judged on creativity, brand imaging, and entertainment value. Needless to say, Trace Adkins is scared.

Omarosa decides to be the project manager. Unlike the men, they know who the heck Vera Wang is, so they go with a wedding theme. They’re happy Stephen will be on their team now because they need a guy on their team for the wedding theme.

Piers researches that Vera started with bridal success, but has since begun branching out.

The guys go to Vera Wang without any already formed ideas. She tells them her brand has grown to be more than just bridal. She emphasizes romance and says she spends most of her free time on her bed. Trace suggests one of the greatest romances in history where the woman was strong, going back in time to Cleopatra.

The women go in already convinced by a bridal theme, so they don’t really get into other possibilities like the men. They ask a smart question, though, and find out that of the three things, creativity is the most important.

The men’s project manager, Lennox Lewis, insists on having a vote on everything. Piers is unimpressed (and annoyed) by this leadership style.

Marilu is in charge of construction, and the women are upset by how she’s handling it. She does seem a bit more high strung than usual.

Baldwin’s keeping the women waiting.

Nely Galan trusts Omarosa. She can’t believe it either.

Originally, Piers was the one who was vocal about the fact that Lennox isn’t making any decisions. Now, Tito Ortiz and Trace are getting in on the act as well.

Stephen’s back after being gone for the day because he had to speak at a church (you didn’t think he wouldn’t throw that in, did you?). They still want him to get lost.

Vera’s stunned by both displays. It’s unclear which she actually liked best.

Omarosa tells Trump Piers isn’t good at working with people. Pot. Kettle.

The women created the better looking display, and probably one more likely to sell mattresses to women. The men, however, got the idea of creativity and better understood what Vera’s branding goals are. With that, Hydra won the task.

Empresario believe they asked the same question the guys did and got a different response. The judges suggest the wedding theme was way too simple (obvious), not creative, and without entertainment value.

Stephen’s complimentary of the women but says Marilu’s the most questionable. Omarosa agrees, claiming she has difficulty communicating with her.

Omarosa tells Trump she’s bringing Stephen back because he wasn’t there all day. He tells her not to be like Gene. So then she tries to be a chicken and not choose anybody. George doesn’t want to hear it. Listening to Trump, Omarosa brings back Marilu and Nely.

Omarosa blames Nely for not giving her the creative feedback she needed and Marilu for being unable to clearly communicate her thoughts and doesn’t listen.

None of this really matters. Trump’s been dying to fire Nely, and now he’s got his chance. She doesn’t know why he hasn’t gotten over the task where Gene Simmons jumped off a cliff. He doesn’t care. Nely’s fired.

One final note: bring George back. He’s better than the Trump kids.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of The Celebrity Apprentice Episode 7, which airs Thursday at 9/8c on NBC.

Survivor: Micronesia Episode 1

Jeff Probst recently said that Survivor: China was the season that saved the series and allowed it to continue beyond this season, and I’ll have to agree. They seriously botched the few seasons before that with bad casting and lame twists (just to get it out of my system now, the following twists still suck always have sucked: exile island, hidden immunity idol, final three instead of final two), and acknowledging that is hopefully a good sign. Given what they’ve put together this year, I think it’s pretty safe to assume we’re still on the right track. While some of the people cast as favorites are questionable at best, I like the fans vs. favorites concept because it ensures that not only do we get people who have seen the show and thorougly enjoy it, but we also get some good quality former contestants as well.

Before getting into the first live blog of the season, in case you missed it, check out the Survivor: Micronesia cast. I’m most looking forward to Eliza, Amanda, and James, although I don’t expect much out of James, despite the fact that he’s likeable. I’ll be interested in seeing what new lie Jonny Fairplay tells to top the dead grandmother. Hate him or hate him, you can’t do this season without Fairplay. Parvati’s very dangerous, and so is Ami if she doesn’t get ahead of herself. I hope Ozzy’s looked up “strategy” in the dictionary before embarking on this season, and Jonathan’s hopefully looked up “good strategy” or at least “strategy that doesn’t suck”. Cirie’s a non-entity but may go far as a result. I could go either way on Yau Man. What are your thoughts on the returning favorites?

The fans are completely unaware they’re playing against the favorites. When they do find out, they run the risk of being star struck or having preconceived opinions. That definitely helped Stephenie the second time she played, even though Bobby Jon couldn’t get his two brain cells to cooperate to get him further than being the first member of the jury.

Erik thinks he’s the new Ozzy. Joel thinks he’s the new James, except bigger. Kathy loves Yau Man. Tracy wants to kick Jonny Fairplay (who’s wearing a “Will Lie 4 Food” hat), but she’ll have to get in line behind Jeff Probst.

There are two hidden individual immunity idols, one for each tribe, which can only be played the first time they go to tribal council. If only these were the last hidden idols, I’d be good with them. It’s a race across the water. Jonny Fairplay gets there first but grabs the wrong one. Yau Man tackles him into the side of the boat to get the right one. Fairplay’s probably going to sue. Then Yau Man points out the other idol to Kathy, allowing her to get her team’s idol.

The fans tribe is named Airai. They’re looking forward to playing against their favorite players, particularly since they know their game, or so they think.

Kathy’s confused by the concept of gay people, which may not bode well for her relationship with Chet. She’s also quick to tell Tracy she’s never seen implants. Nobody’s happy Kathy’s immune.

The favorites tribe is named Malakal. They believe they have an advantage since they know how the game works. Jonny Fairplay wants to bring home the bacon for his pregnant girlfriend. James is pleased because this time he’s actually got people pitching in, since they know what they’re doing this time. Parvati’s still a flirt but says she plans to form good alliances as well. James likes her because she’s one of those sex kitten type girls. This combined with Amanda and Ozzy getting along well has Eliza concerned.

Unlike the favorites, who seem to be progressing well, the fans take too long getting their shelter up, and they pay the price for it when the rain starts.

Eliza, Ami, Yau Man, and Jonathan decide to form a group, in an effort to fend off the couples. I’d expect some bad blood between Eliza and Ami after last time, and I think we all know Jonathan can’t be trusted. The choice for a fifth comes down to Fairplay or Cirie. Jonathan wants Fairplay, but Fairplay is approached by Ozzy and Parvati first. Granted, it’s Jonny Fairplay. Jonathan wants Parvati out before Ozzy, while the other group wants Eliza out first. Then the other alliance approaches Fairplay, too. Hard to tell what he’ll do. And Cirie? Apparently, nobody wants to be bothered with her. Don’t know why. She’s a vote with the ability to be loyal.

Yau Man learned from Michelle in Fiji that his glasses could start a fire, and he uses that same technique this time to get something going for the favorites.

At the challenge, the favorites don’t hesistate rubbing their success in the faces of the fans, who don’t buy it, or at least don’t want to buy it. It’s a combination between a puzzle challenge and a lot of physical work. First, they must assemble four wheels and put them on a cart. Fans get their cart together first. The favorites are disastrous, and even after they get their cart together, they wipe out, taking Eliza down (she’ll have a bump on her head, but she should be okay). After their cart’s ready, they need to get it through an obstacle, which is followed by a bridge they must build with planks. The next test is to finish a turnstyle with the wheel pieces. It’s never even close, and the fans win immunity and flint.

Cirie doesn’t have a plan, and for that matter has no idea that everybody else has allies. Whoever tries to pull in Cirie is smart because she’ll go with whatever plan will save her.

Parvati and Fairplay come up with a plan to pretend Fairplay’s going home. He tells Ami, but she doesn’t trust him. Now might be a good time to remember that Cirie’s on the island.

The favorites believe they were too overconfident, and that’s why they lost the challenge.

Fairplay’s using the Dr. Will strategy. Go ahead. Vote me out. I dare you. But is it strategy, or does he really want to go home because he’s having a baby?

With his idol, Yau Man’s safe. Not that he was in danger.

Votes:
Fairplay
Fairplay
Fairplay
Fairplay
Fairplay
Fairplay

Now that Jonny Fairplay’s the first person out (damn, what a waste of a spot), I’ve got just one word for the rest of the tribe: Cirie.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of Survivor: Micronesia Episode 2 The Sounds of Jungle Love, which airs Thursday at 8/7c on CBS.

American Idol 7 Episode 8

The auditions wrapped up with a stop in Atlanta last night in American Idol 7 Episode 7. We were treated to perky Miss South Florida Fair Brooke Helvie and 16-year-old Alexandrea Lushington. Fairly uneventful, but still one of the better showings we’ve seen recently.

Tonight it’s a mix of auditions from all the cities, before we head to Hollywood next week. They’ve saved some of the best and probably about 45 minutes worth of the worst.

Amy Davis grew up lower than lower middle class, which I’m not sure exactly what that means. She sings Blue Bayou. Decent voice. The judges think she can learn to get better once she gets over her nerves.

Ryan Seacrest tells us Tiffany McCambell has a voice that’s a gift from God. He didn’t say which one, though. Simon wants to know if he has a return policy.

Twins Cory and Chris Lang say they have pretty much the same girlfriend, Ashley Lawing, a blonde with a purse dog. She believes she knows which one she’s in love with. They, meanwhile, believe they’re hiphop artists. Then it’s her turn to audition with her pomeranian Panda. I bet the dog’s the most talented one of the four. The dog gets through to Hollywood.

Carden Lee McKinney sings One Night Only. Good voice, but Simon’s afraid she’s too theatrical. She gets two yes votes (as usual, not Simon).

Plus size model JoAnne Borgella sang the national anthem at the college basketball championships at Madison Square Garden, so the judges expect her to be a good singer, and she delivers, if not overly convincingly (Simon says no, though the other two put her through).

Alesha has been singing since she was 8, and she sounds the same now as she did then. They dismiss her so she can go learn Dolly Parton and come back. She learns Islands in the Stream. Actually, she does sound okay with this song. Simon refuses to vote, but the other two let her through. This is the first time they’ve sent someone off to learn a new song that it actually worked out.

Jay Smoove (seriously?) thinks he’s an R&B recording artist. He sings an original song, Beautiful Lady. After hearing his nickname, I wasn’t expecting much, but he’s surprisingly actually not bad. Not quite good enough, though.

Chikezie Eze was cut last year. Not real clear why. Unlike the people who get rejected for having no talent at all who just can’t take the hint, this guy’s got a good voice.

Danny Noriega is another returning reject. He sings Proud Mary. He’s one of those guys with a voice that doesn’t sound like it’s actually coming from him. I was surprised that he sounds good.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of American Idol 7 episode 9, which airs Tuesday at 8/7c on Fox.