American Idol Season 11 Episode 26

The top 8 performed in American Idol Season 11 Episode 25. Tonight 1 will be sent home.

With results by duets, Jessica Sanchez and Joshua Ledet are the first pair. Joshua is safe. So is Jessica.

Skylar Laine and Colton Dixon are up next. Because they were both so good, they are joined by Hollie and Deandre. Now we’re seeing some people who will be in danger. Jimmy calls out the judges for their silly feedback of Deandre in which they said he was amazing. Deandre is in the bottom three. Colton is safe. Skylar redeemed herself this week, but Hollie returns to the bottom three.

That brings us down to Elise Testone and Phillip Phillips. Clearly Elise is the one in danger here, though I don’t think she’s going home just yet. Then again, given her lack of support, all it could take is one bad week.

That leaves us with a bottom three of Hollie, Deandre, and Elise. Hollie returns to the couches. The right choice. She’s certainly the best singer of the three, despite some hiccups.

Steven does not think America got this right. Jennifer thinks America got it half right. Randy agrees.

Deandre has been eliminated. Or has he? Please don’t waste the save on him. They do not, as Jennifer is overruled.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of American Idol Season 11 Episode 27, which airs Wednesday at 8/7c on Fox.

American Idol Season 11 Episode 25

The night he followed Steven Tyler’s bad advice of not being funny any more was his last, as Heejun Han was eliminated in American Idol Season 11 Episode 24. Tonight the top 8 perform songs from the 80s.

Deandre Brackensick
Song: I Like It by Debarge
Jennifer: Felt super comfortable. Very natural.
Steven: You’ve become who you are. (Whatever that means.)
Randy: Used more of your natural voice, not just the falsetto. One of your best.

Elise Testone
Song: I Wanna Know What Love Is by Foreigner (after being badgered by the mentors to change)
Steven: Not sure that was the right song for you.
Jennifer: Not totally right.
Randy: Pitchy the whole song.

Phillip Phillips
Song: That’s All by Genesis
Steven: Love your individuality.
Jennifer: Not in your comfort zone at the beginning.
Randy: Great song choice.

Joshua Ledet
Song: If You Don’t Know Me by Now by Simply Red
Jennifer: We asked for a powerhouse performance, and that’s what we got.
Steven: Over the top. (Very.)
Randy: Wanted to stand up from beginning to end.

Jessica Sanchez
Song: How Will I Know by Whitney Houston
Jennifer: Such a natural performer.
Steven: So fantastic.
Randy: Whitney sings so effortlessly, but that’s what you just did.

Hollie Cavanagh
Song: What a Feeling from Flashdance
Steven: A little slow getting there. Pitch all over the place.
Jennifer: Forget what everybody tells you. Just feel it.
Randy: Stop thinking.

Colton Dixon
Song: Time after Time by Cyndi Lauper
Steven: So good you could do a record right now.
Jennifer: In sync with the band.
Randy: Made it your own. So current.

Skylar Laine
Song: Wind beneath My Wings by Bette Midler
Randy: Wow. Your best performance.
Jennifer: You just said do not count me out.
Steven: Best song for your voice. Beginning of a great career.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of American Idol Season 11 Episode 26, which airs Thursday at 8/7c on Fox.

Survivor: One World Episode 8

With the women voting against the men and the men following suit in Survivor: One World Episode 7, Jonas was eliminated because apparently he was a threat.

Jay and Troyzan have decided that the next vote needs to be a girl. They are worried about giving up the power. It’s a little late for that.

At the reward challenge, they will race down a waterslide, gather puzzle crates from the water, and solve those puzzles. The winning team will get a BBQ and some uncola. Jay, Troyzan, Kat, Alicia, and Chelsea go against Michael, Kim, Sabrina, Christina, and Leif. Tarzan is not chosen in the schoolyard picks, so he will not participate, to the disappointment of none. Jay and his team have a 1 piece lead as Christina heads back to work on the puzzle, not helping at all while the rest of her team carries their final piece. She nominates herself supervisor of puzzle building. This could have ended badly for her, but in the end they win as the other team squanders their lead and falls apart.

While the guys and Christina continue pigging out, Sabrina and Kim start talking strategy. They want to push the girls to the top and get rid of Mike.

Back at the beach, the losing team openly discuss their options. The men suggest Christina. The women here want to get rid of Mike, too.

As the wind picks up, Tarzan removes part of their bamboo wall to use for firewood. Here comes more yelling. He asks Chelsea if she’s happy with her breasts, since she seems to have a problem with plastic surgeons like himself.

Kim tells Troyzan that Mike wants to get rid of him. Doesn’t seem like it takes very much to get Troyzan upset or to buy a lie without questioning it.

At the immunity challenge, they will race across a bridge while maneuvering bags of puzzle pieces along a rope. The first four will move on to the puzzle stage of the challenge. Jay finishes first. Kim is second. Troyzan comes third. Mike was in it but blows it, and Alicia is the fourth to finish the first stage. This could take some time. I’m not sensing the smartest people have made it this far after what had been a largely physical start. The trick in this puzzle is that it can look right until the very last piece, which Alicia and Kim both find out the hard way. His slow and methodical approach pays off, and Jay wins immunity.

Chelsea asks Jay, right in front of Christina and Alicia, who supposedly are the enemy, what he thinks about getting rid of Mike. He responds that he’s scared of the girls. If they get rid of Mike, they’ll get rid of him next. Makes sense.

Mike tells us that he’d like to see a blindside because that’s always kind of fun. Good luck with that.

Jeff asks who is worried. Nobody raises their hand.

Votes
Christina
Christina
Tarzan
Tarzan
Mike
Mike
Mike
Mike
Mike

With 5 votes, Mike has been voted off the island. In a tribe divided, stray votes go to Christina (Tarzan and Mike) and Tarzan (Alicia and Christina).

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of Survivor: One World Episode 9, which airs Wednesday at 8/7c on CBS.

The Biggest Loser Season 13 Episode 14

Returning below the yellow line for another week in The Biggest Loser Season 13 Episode 13, Megan was voted out.

If you’re tired of the growing oversaturation of singing competitions on TV, NBC has one word for you: tough. Tonight begins the 1 hour The Biggest Loser phase, as what was once viewed as NBC’s shining star gets sidelined in favor of The Voice. Apparently, we need another night dedicated to yet another American Idol clone (and a filler results show at that… great) instead of The Biggest Loser, which while admittedly dragging at times with the longer time frame is at least original.

Each person is greeted at the challenge with a window that has a picture of their former self. They will have to climb a cargo net, grab a ball, and use a slingshot to break both panes of glass in their picture. Reward is a 1 pound advantage. Punishment for placing last is a 1 pound disadvantage. On her first shot, Kim makes contact. Chris also strikes. Buddy hits twice to win the challenge. Everybody else remains to compete for the disadvantage. Mark scores and then scores again to make himself safe. Conda scores her first hit. Jeremy follows. Kim is safe. Jeremy is safe, so he can’t hand the challenge to his sister for a change. Chris is safe. Conda loses.

It’s makeover week with Jeannie Mai, plus Jessica Simpson’s hairdresser Ken Paves. They also get to hear from Michelle Obama, which we are told is a great honor, and she invites them to the White House.

Kim’s wearing a size 6, and we’re still a long ways away from the finale.

They can’t do much with Mark’s hair, but what they can do is shave off the facial hair that’s hiding his face and making him look older.

Chris has gotten rid of all her grey, removing the Mrs. Claus look. Now she looks her age, which I hadn’t realized is just 42.

Buddy is clean cut and without glasses.

With everything they had planned for this week, I wondered how they would squeeze everything in. The answer is simple. They won’t. The weigh in will wait until next week, and so will the workout with Michelle Obama.

Stay tuned to dinguRUE for another live recap of The Biggest Loser Season 13 Episode 15, which airs Tuesday at 8/7c on NBC.

The Celebrity Apprentice 5 Episode 7

After Aubrey and Lisa’s bad ideas once again sent their team to the boardroom, Trump needed a convenient scapegoat in The Celebrity Apprentice 5 Episode 6, and he got one in the form of Patricia Valasquez.

So apparently with no The Amazing Race this week, this is a three hour episode.

We pick up after 1 hour. The women, led by Teresa, find themselves back in the boardroom after a fundraising task. If Patricia were still around, perhaps they would have won this task, rather than losing by $14.

Aubrey raised the least money. Teresa says she had to babysit Debbie and Dayana.

Debbie would fire Teresa due to her lack of fundraising and disorganization. However, Dayana is the weakest link.

Dayana tries to explain herself, and asks Lisa to be professional for once and let her speak. Good luck with that. Her point remains the same as it has: they keep following Lisa and Aubrey at the expense of everybody else’s ideas, and they keep losing. Her bottom line is she would fire the person who brought in the least money, Aubrey.

Dayana and Debbie will be returning with Teresa to the boardroom, as Aubrey gets a pass yet again.

What’s up with this receptionist who can barely get through her script of two sentences?

Dayana says what she has to say about how she raised funds for both Teresa and Patricia. Then she sits back and lets Debbie and Teresa go at each other.

Debbie says that, if this is about fundraising, Dayana should not be in the boardroom with them. Instead, Aubrey should be. Trump agrees.

Rather than firing Teresa for playing bad politics or for not raising much money in spite of it being her charity that was on the line, Trump fires Debbie for raising the least amount of money of the three people sitting at the table.

Upon returning to the suite, Aubrey picks a fight with the men, getting wind of the fact that they believe that Teresa should have been fired because she didn’t bring her back. They can’t just bicker within their own team. Now they have to try to spread their bad attitudes.

As the winning project manager, Dee Snider brings a check for $325,000 to March of Dimes.

The women have lost 5 out of 7 tasks. Because of that, the teams will be switched. Lisa and Aubrey’s clique is being broken up, so for a change one of them will actually win. Teresa and Aubrey head to the opposite team, while Lou, Penn, and Dee also switch.

Arsenio’s stuck with Aubrey. He ain’t happy. Dayana, however, is happy with her new team, even though she knows Lisa is miserable.

Their task is to create a live, interactive health segment to promote the benefits of walking, plus a new design for the Walk with Walgreens membership kit. They will be judged on brand messaging, kit design, and overall presentation.

Lou is the project manager for Forte. Arsenio is the project manager for Unanimous.

When the executives arrive, Aubrey tells them what they want. Sure, she poses it in the form of a question, but Arsenio would like her to listen.

Penn comes up with the idea of talking about all the things you can do while walking. Perhaps if they can incorporate all these different things, it would make walking more fun.

Dayana has an idea. Typically it would be glossed over, which seems to be a risk here, but Dee interjects to make sure she is heard. He has decided to be a protective father figure of her, and both he and Penn say they are impressed by her.

As project manager, Lou will be the host, over Penn’s objections. What he does have at least is a great story about how he had to get both knees and both hips replaced, which gave him a new appreciation for walking.

On the other team, they will be doing a game show. Arsenio is the host, Clay is the announcer, and the others are contestants.

Aubrey has a suggestion for Arsenio: he could be the person who took a walk away from the industry for a while. He’s going to slap her before the day’s over. Insults aside, she does come with a concept to put all their faces on the box. Some of them are actually recognizeable.

Penn’s done a great job at getting the ball rolling, but now he has to take a flight so he can go do a gig in Canada.

Dee takes a very conservative approach with the kit. His concept is to not screw with what they already have too much.

During their meeting with Eric, the observation that everybody else has made finally dawns on Aubrey: she’s trying to take over Arsenio’s task.

While Aubrey takes control of her team, Lisa has her own team to try to take control over. Once she’s done running the rehearsal, she wants to get Dayana out of there. First, she wants to make sure she is not wearing a bikini (Trump will not be happy), and second, she wants to talk bad about her to Dee, who refuses to join her in her belief that Dayana is an idiot.

Penn’s back the next morning, ready to give a presentation on an hour’s sleep. Have to give him credit. There are many who simply would have bowed out for the task. He’s doing great, aside from calling it walk with Walmart. Oops.

Like Lou, Paul really believes in the benefits of walking. He’s lost 65 pounds in the last 4 years, and he considers walking to be an important factor in that.

Lisa thought Lou was just alright.

Clay thinks Arsenio is great. He says Aubrey is an idea person, but Teresa is a better team player.

When they look at the other team’s boxes, Clay and Aubrey call Forte boring. Lisa, however, is quite impressed with what her opponents have done. Aubrey asks if she’s proud that she wrote the quotes. Arsenio’s been trying to bite his tongue, but here we go. He wants her to acknowledge she did not write his quote, and to stop thinking about the I in team.

The executives felt Unanimous’ presentation was full of energy, loved the theme (face reality), but they thought the game show was just too informational, rather than encouraging people to get out there and sign up. Before we can find out what they thought of the other team, Arsenio continues his anti-Aubrey rant, and Clay agrees, albeit less forcefully.

Arsenio would fire Aubrey. Paul agrees. So does Clay.

Back to Forte. They loved Lou’s story. However, Penn mentioned a competitor, and they didn’t like the use of negative words in their walking kit. Dee thought it would be funny to put random words on the box, which Lisa agreed with, but Dayana’s opposition to it was disregarded.

Arsenio’s team won, and he will receive $50,000 for his charity, Magic Johnson Foundation. In addition, his charity has teamed up with Walgreens to create a bracelet, with $2 from the sale of each going to them.

In spite of the win, good luck to this team going forward. As the rest of the team goes back to the suite, Aubrey goes off in her own direction as they are used to her doing. Her direction is down, in the elevator.

Penn thinks the project manager should be fired. Dee agrees. So does Dayana.

Lou thinks Dee should be fired. Broken record Lisa would bring back Dayana, plus Lou, both of whom she considers limited.

Dee and Dayana will be going back to the boardroom.

Back in the suite, Arsenio’s positive emotions for what just happened to his charity have now faded back to an outburst about Aubrey, whose fate is unknown to them.

Dee comes to Dayana’s defense, saying that perhaps she didn’t do anything specific, but she helped out in every area. He then asks why Lou let everybody take something over, without seemingly leaving anything for himself.

Taking into account Lou’s presentation and Dee’s box design, Dee has been fired. Fair decision, though I’m not sure how Lou’s still around.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of The Celebrity Apprentice 5 Episode 8, which airs Sunday at 9/8c on NBC.

American Idol Season 11 Episode 24

The top 9 performed in American Idol Season 11 Episode 23 in what turned out to be the most overrated by the judges night ever. Tonight 1 will be sent home.

Elise Testone, Phillip Phillips, and Hollie Cavanagh are the first group. Hollie’s been a frontrunner, but she has finally landed in the bottom three. Elise and Phillip are safe.

Joshua Ledet, Heejun Han, and Colton Dixon are the second trio. Of them, Colton’s the only one who did not receive a standing ovation last night, which was just a ridiculous night of the judges eventually fawning over every performance whether it deserved it or not (odds are: it did not). In spite of that, he is safe. Joshua joins him. The unfunny version of Heejun is in danger, perhaps more danger than a funny Heejun would have been.

Skylar Laine, Deandre Brackensick, and Jessica Sanchez are the last group. Jessica is safe. Deandre is safe, meaning we need to continue living with his excessive and annoying falsetto. Skylar joins the bottom three.

That brings us to a battle between Hollie, Heejun, and Skylar. An unexpected bottom three, but at the same time, not entirely so. The judges were handing out standing ovations like candy, and in doing so, they seem to have completely shaken up the standings, giving rise to those who would otherwise be bottom dwellers.

Skylar returns to safety.

Heejun’s luck has finally come to an end, and he will not be saved.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of American Idol Season 11 Episode 25, which airs Wednesday at 8/7c on Fox.

American Idol Season 11 Episode 23

Unable to connect with viewers, Erika van Pelt was eliminated in American Idol Season 11 Episode 22. Tonight the top 9 perform. It’s idols week.

Colton Dixon
Song: Everything by Lifehouse
Steven: Dream come true.
Jennifer: Really moved.
Randy: Believability. Could be looking at a contender.

Skylar Laine
Song: Gunpowder and Lead by Miranda Lambert
Jennifer: Unbridled energy.
Steven: Over the top.
Randy: You are a powerhouse singer.

It ain’t Thursday, but there’s enough filler time with only 9 left that we can get multiple group sings.

Heejun Han
Song: A Song for You by Donny Hathaway
Steven: You turned it around.
Jennifer: Most beautiful tone, most beautiful vibrato.
Randy: Not perfect, but the Heejun we selected came back to us.

Hollie Cavanagh
Song: Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood
Randy: Really good job. Couple pitchy moments, mostly in your lower range.
Jennifer: One of your best. Connected with the song.
Steven: Wish you sang a different song. Just okay. Didn’t hear the full range of your voice.

Deandre Brackensick
Song: Sometimes I Cry by Eric Benet
Steven: What your voice was made to do.
Jennifer: Something you do not hear every day.
Randy: Happy to see you come back to who you are.

Jessica Sanchez
Song: Sweet Dreams by Beyonce
Jennifer: Really really beautiful rendition.
Steven: Star no matter what. Not quite to your limit tonight.
Randy: Inately have an unbelievable talent. This girl wants it, too.

Deandre, Heejun, and Joshua in a trio? No thank you. My ears are still recovering from earlier, whether the judges pretended to like what they heard or not.

Phillip Phillips
Song: Still Rainin’ by Jonny Lang
Jennifer: You make the music come first.
Randy: Love the artist you are and the individuality.

Joshua Ledet
Song: Without You by Mariah Carey
Randy: Flawless.
Steven: Pushed beyond your own limits.
Jennifer: Phenom. Angel from heaven.

Elise Testone
Song: Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin
Steven: You made Robert Plant proud.
Jennifer: Real rock star… stuff.

5 standing ovations tonight? Really? What is up with these judges giving out standing ovations so willy nilly, primarily for those who are most in danger? This is one thing I like about Simon. He doesn’t care if everybody else in the building wants to stand. He ain’t doing it unless it’s awesome. These three just follow each other’s lead, and it’s lost its meaning.

None of the judges will name any names who is either in danger or safe.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of American Idol Season 11 Episode 24, which airs Thursday at 8/7c on Fox.

Survivor: One World Episode 7

In an anticlimactic end to one less funny than he thought castaway, Colton was eliminated for medical reasons in Survivor: One World Episode 6. Then the tribes merged.

Another night, another opportunity for us to hear about how Christina’s going home.

The new tribe name is Tikiano, a combination of tiki (god) and ano (year).

Tarzan wants to get the guys to stick together and join Alicia for the majority. Jay and Mike are not happy to be back in league with him, but they’re okay with having the numbers.

The challenge is to race through obstacles, dig for puzzle pieces, then solve the puzzle. Reward is pizza and beer, plus a secret note. They divide into two teams: Alicia, Jay, Sabrina, Chelsea, Christina, and Troyzan against Leif, Kat, Michael, Kim, Jonas, and Tarzan. Sending the biggest guy to dig proves to be better than sending the smallest guy. Kim continues her team’s struggle. The last person to go for her team, Sabrina, squanders the majority of their lead, leading to them being just about tied as they head into the puzzle. With Tarzan and Jonas struggling to communicate, their opponents win reward.

Heading into commercial, we take a look back at Parvati’s double hidden idol play and JT blindside. (Just had to Youtube it.) Parvati kicks ass. It would be nice if we had some players like that this season. Or last.

The secret note tells this random new team that there’s another new idol hidden at camp. I am sure they are all shocked. I bet it’s in a tree.

Jonas finds out about Tarzan’s plan of the guys sticking together. Somehow, this ends up with the two of them arguing and deciding they hate each other. And here I was worried we would be stuck with a lack of random excessive bitterness and hatred.

Troyzan wakes up early and begins his idol search. He is successful and finds himself a hidden immunity idol. Wait for it. In a tree.

The first individual immunity challenge is one of endurance. They will stand on a log while balancing balls. I await the double entendre. With just one ball on his disc, Tarzan is the first one to be eliminated. With two balls, Christina is out. Michael follows her. Then Chelsea and Kim. Those who remain will continue with three balls. Alicia is quickly out. Jay drops next. Jonas is out. Then Sabrina. Leif is out. Neither Troyzan nor Kat would seem to be in any danger regardless, but Troyzan outlasts Kat to win immunity.

Chelsea and Jay discuss an alternative to men vs. women. They talk about sticking to their tribes rather than genders, and Jay suggests voting out Jonas.

Learning that he’s on the chopping block leads Jonas to apologize to Tarzan for their earlier argument. They decide to vote for Kat. Not sure why.

In perhaps the most ridiculous Survivor argument yet, Tarzan’s shorts in the laundry become a big problem for some of the girls. He insists he knows a lot about microbiology, so whether his pants are soiled or not does not matter.

At tribal, Jonas makes an obvious point. Mike’s a bigger threat for immunity than he is. That said, he’s voting for him, in spite of Tarzan’s plan to get rid of Kat, as they don’t have the votes to accomplish that. In turn, Tarzan wants to get rid of Jonas again. That didn’t last.

Votes
Jonas
Mike
Mike
Jonas
Jonas
Jonas
Jonas
Jonas
Jonas

In a tribe divided, the only thing they can seem to agree about is that the women need to have a numbers advantage. With 7 votes, Jonas has been voted off the island. As the provider, he wishes them good luck with their food situation. In addition to Jonas, the other vote in Mike’s direction is Leif.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of Survivor: One World Episode 8, which airs Wednesday at 8/7c on CBS.