SYTYCD Blew It Big Time

I am extremely disappointed with SYTYCD last night. The judges treatment and subsequent dismissal of Anthony Bryant is absolutely inexcusable and has really cost me some interest in this program. The kid graduated from Juliard in three years for Christ sakes! To not put him through to Vegas is a travesty, and frankly I feel it undermines their contention that they are looking for exceptional dancers. I understand not wanting to make the competition all about technique - that would really punish all of the street dancers who are genuinely talented but haven't had formal training. But to then ignore someone who is pretty much technically perfect because he lacks a "spark" of performance is offensive. I agree that Anthony was not the most dynamic in terms of performance quality - I would most likely not advance him into the top twenty. But to not even let him get past the first round - and in fact to force him to participate in the choreography part - was ridiculous, and I have to believe that there is some other prejudice working against him. I get that dancing with the ribbon season one was a mistake. I was a rhythmic gymnast for 10 years and even I wouldn't use a ribbon in an audtion of this type. But the judges immediate reaction to him was completely disrespectful and indicative of a complete refusal to give him a chance. Immediately Mary was pointing out his outfit and not even watching him, and Nigel rected to a small loss of balance on his somersault with the same disgust typically reserved for the total losers who can't do anything at all. As someone with a background in dance, I can usually see the judges points on most dancers, and agree with them. But this was a huge mistake. They were rude and innappropriate towards this dancer, and failed in their jobs to select dancers who are the most talented and versatile. If they are willing to cut slack for b boys who don't know a rond de jamabe from a grand jete, then they should also allow the people who do a little leeway on performance characterization. I will most likely continue to watch this show because I do love dance, but I will do so with great distaste for the judges who no longer deserve my respect.

Lincoln "Needs To Join The 21st Century" Tech

I must be watching some really bad daytime television because I have just seen a commercial for Lincoln Technical Institute. Or, to be more specific I should say I have just seen THE commercial for Lincoln Tech. This is the exact same ad that has been airing for the past twenty years at least - probably quite a bit more. Is it to much to ask that we get a new ad? These students have got to be nearing retirement by now. You can keep the same format, but at least film new people with modern haircuts and clothing on - it is hard to find much confidence for a school that says it can teach me about PC Systems and Support when no one in their commercial has even seen a cell phone, much less and ipod. And I get that the people featured are supposed to be the ones in need of the school, and so maybe looking out of touch with the times is actually a clever way of demonstrating that Lincoln Tech is what they need to bring them into the present, but really get a new ad. Any ad that used to run during afternoon reruns of Gilligan's Island has been on way too long.

Mentos Are Stomach Turning

I have seen a new commercial for Mentos claiming that they are mouthwatering, and it is completely disgusting. A guy is sitting next to a watercooler eating mentos. A girl comes up and, ignoring that watercooler, drinks right out of his mouth. It is totally gross, and more than that, it doesn't even make sense. Maybe if she put on of those little paper cups in front of his mouth and tweaked his nose to get some water it would be slightly amusing and I could perhaps overlook the whole drinking saliva factor. But are we supposed to believe that if he hadn't been sitting there she would have drunk directly from the nozzle on the watercooler? Who does that? Weird and gross and stupid, and I like mentos a little less now. Especially since they used to have such weird (in a good way) foreign commercials from somwhere like Sweden or something that were amusing and oddly pleasing. And of course there is that whole mentos in soda fountain thing - that is cool too. But this ad is definitely not.

addition: I have seen this ad again, and it is for Mentos gum, thus relieving me of the pressure of not wanting to buy a candy I enjoy because the ads are so bad. I could care less about gum. it also leaves the Mentos candy legacy of humorous ads intact. Phew

Smile, Everyone Say Blink

Nikon coolpix camera is apparently the “ only camera smart enough to tell you if the subject has blinked.” Okay. Is this a feature we really need? I get that this would have been a useful feaeture back in the ye olde days of film, when you couldn’t review your pictures immediately after taking them, but in this, the digital area I’m pretty sure I don’t need anything to tell me the person in the picture has blinked. That is what my eyes (and the preview feature) are for. Maybe it has a voice feature for all of the blind photographers out there? Of course, they probably don’t care what their pictures look like.

So You Think You Can Dance

Hip Hip Hooray - three cheers for my favorite summer show!! I love dancing, I like when reality shows involve actual talent, and this show has both - along with typically sweet choreography and judges/ host. cast appearances that are more charming than annoying. I don't even really mind Mary's scream any more - although I don't think I would ewver want to sit right next to her. One criticism - the results shows always feature guest performances by... singers. How about some guest dancers or dance companies? Attention producers: you are a program that showcases dancers - why not give us some professionals and let people see how it is really done? That seems more in keeping with the theme of the show. And this actually matters to me because unlike most results shows which have nothing of value and therefore I don't even bother to watch, this one has fresh. new dances by the contestants in danger of leaving so I have to watch and therefore suffer through terrible perfomances by iffy popstars. Last year Savion Glover did a performance one week and it was awesome - here's hoping they make a slight format tweak and have more guest dancing rather than random bad singing. Or at least make the singers have back up dancers - anything. Seriously. Think about it.

American Idol Finale

Yay, David Cook won. I think he really has a good chance of being the first male Idol to actually be successful. But the real question of the night was "what is up with Carrie Underwood's sleeves?" When did ruffled sleeves that attached to each other become a good idea? I would imagine it must be kind of hard to get that thing out of the way when you visit the restroom, among other issues. It was so weird and distracting that it took me three verses to realize how amusing the lyrics were to the song she was singing. See the video here

in a related note: apparently sleeves are attaching themsleves randomly all over country music - here is another example of this freakish phenomenon.

Uno Electric Bike

And I thought Segways were cool.

get more information here or Google uno electric bike