Wednesday
Tuesday
True Crime-Bell Verdict, Boy Murders Family, Maddie McCann's Parents to Write a Book
Couple of big crimes recently as well as resolutions to some ongoing crimes.
There is a verdict on the Bell shooting and there were no riots. The FLDS cult filled with underage adolescent girls who are pregnant or have children. The subway pervert has a twin brother who is also a pervert, updates on the anthrax case, and this past weekend a boy killed his entire family, including his 14-year old brother who hid behind a clothes dryer to no avail.
Much more.
Mother Found Dead, Three Children Missing
Her body was discovered on Monday, 4/21/08 but she hadn’t been seen since that prior Friday. Her children were all missing.
From Suntimes.coml.
The suspect is the dead woman’s husband or boyfriend, the relationship is not clear. The dead woman is Sophia Garcia and the father of the children is Benito Casanova. It’s not clear how or why, but the article linked above indicates that the children had been “released” from school early. The children’s father probably came to the school and picked up the children. Meanwhile their mother lay dead, likely from Benito’s hand, and no one was the wiser.
============================================
Sean Bell Verdict Acquits All 3 Detectives
Sean Bell was a young man who hung out with the wrong fellows. Indeed Sean Bell had criminal intents his own self, which came to the fore the night before his wedding when he and a few of his homies went to a local club and at four in AM Sean was killed by a hail of bullets.
This story was covered on this Blog when it happened at note how fair and square the fine, fine Mayor Bloomberg was. Again it was covered on this Blog and here the prosecutors have their fine and fair say.
From the NYTIMES:
See folks, Sean Bell was not a hero no matter what Al Sharpton would tell you. Although not to worry, there were no promised riots. Which is likely because there is a civil suit in this matter ongoing and believe that there will probably be a settlement and that Sharpton will probably get his share.
All last week Curtis Sliwa, the founder of that famous group that fights crime, “The Guardian Angels” and now talk show host for WABC in New York, has been describing how this whole Bell thing came down. If Sliwa knows nothing else, he knows New York and he knows its underbelly.
According to Sliwa, Bell and his bros were partying at a strip club the night before Bell’s wedding. The strip club had been in a heap of trouble in the past as many of the strippers are also prostitutes and the place was considered a haven for illegal guns and drugs. Three undercover detectives were at this club the night of Sean Bell’s fine bachelor party. The detectives were there looking for evidence of prostitution and illegal guns in order to gain a foothold in getting this club’s liquor license removed.
Sean Bell and his friends went outside late into the night and were negotiating for a stripper/prostitute to service all four of the fellows. The stripper refused to do four of the bros but agreed to do two. These fellows had been drinking all night, tempers were short and lust was high. At some point the stripper’s pimp got worried enough to go for his “gat”, slang, evidently, for gun. Sean Bell panicked and floored the car he was driving.
Meanwhile the undercover detectives had been alerted to something going down outside and since they were on the lookout for prostitution and guns at this club they followed Bell and his friends for their suspicious behavior. Once Bell floored the car in what we must assume was an attempt to get away from the scene with the gun-toting pimp ready to fire, the detectives surrounded Bell’s vehicle and told him to stop and put up all hands. Instead Bell intentionally aimed his car at a detective, floored it, and hit the detective in front of the car. Chaos ensued with the other detectives seeing one of Bell’s passengers jump out of the vehicle and other passengers appeared to be going for guns. Many shots were fired and Sean Bell ended up dead.
Sean Bell intentionally hit an undercover detective that night, although he had been told to stop and raise his hands. Sean’s passengers had been engaging in all sorts of mayhem, including reaching into places dark when they should have putting their hands in the air.
The whole thing was tragedy but those undercover detectives were doing their job and it was Sean Bell and his homie friends that were looking for trouble that night and found it. Further, TWO of those undercover detectives were black so Sharpton’s cries of racism fall on deaf ears.
All three of the undercover cops were found not guilty of the trumped up charges of manslaughter. Meanwhile, fine law-abiding congressional Democrats, including the dumbest of the dumb, John Conyers, vow to have a federal investigation into the matter.
Folks, every other day John Conyers swears he’s going to investigate something or another. He never does. He’s chairman of the Judiciary committee in the Senate. Conyers is a pathetic of the most pathetic.
Do not hold your breath waiting for Conyers to investigate anything. Not to mention that the federal government has absolutely nothing to do with this case.
============================================
18 Year Old Murders His Entire Family
What would possess a young person to kill his entire family? Does he, or at times SHE, think they’ll get away with it? Was life in that home so unbearable as to make the future so bleak that a life in jail is preferable? Is there no other way to escape but by killing everyone?
It was in the news all this past weekend and as of yet there’s been no motive given for Nathaniel Dickson. Dickson was arrested for the murder of his family, which included his father, his stepmother, his stepsister and his brother. Nathan’s brother was shot behind the clothes drier, indicating that the kid was probably hiding there to escape his brother’s bullets. It didn’t work.
From Foxcarolina.comL
We’ll be following this case closely.
============================================
Over Half FLDS Cult Teenaged Girls Have Children/Are Pregnant
Information on the status of that raid in Texas continues to come out in dribs and drabs. I’d expressed concern about the raid on this cult in that, as of this date, 4/29/08, absolutely NO ONE’s been arrested.
But when you have a pregnant 15-year-old and a 17 year old with a 5-year old child, something is amiss.
From Charter.net:
The United States of America can’t have a group of people living a life of wanton violation of the country’s laws and this group of a rogue branch of the Morman religion cannot continue to “marry” young adolescent girls to dirty old men in front of society’s shocked eyes.
Of course we don’t want our government raiding private homes and separating children from parents either.
I believe that this country can maintain a dedication to our constitution AND handle what is essentially a sexual perversion under the guise of religion. A 14-year old girl should NOT be forced to marry a 50-year old man, not in any decent society which claims to protect the young.
So while this humble Blogger has been wary of this government action, I’m willing to wait for the results. With all those pregnant young adolescent females, it doesn’t look good.
============================================
Subway Serial Groper Has Twin Guilty of Same Crime
I covered the story of Freddie Johnson on this Blog HERE.
For Freddie Johnson had been arrested so many times for groping females in the subway that prosecutors are considering trying to put him away for life.
Now we discover that Freddie has a twin brother who ALSO is a subway groper. Freddie’s brother, Rodney Johnson, tends to dress a bit more dapper than his brother but they’re BOTH perverts, make no mistake.
From the NY Dailynews:
============================================
Remember the Anthrax Attacks?
I’ve not covered the anthrax murders on this Blog as the crime happened before I did any True Crime blogging.
And with an upcoming trial scheduled by the initial suspect, one Steven Hatfill, the story’s been in the news.
Hatfill was followed and investigated by the FBI and evidently there was never found enough evidence to arrest the man. Plenty of stuff was found about Hatfill and by me, he’s still the guy who I’d like to look in the eyeball and ask a few questions.
The really sad thing is that five people died by this deed, a deed done by some slightly nutzoid “scientist” who felt the need to teach America a lesson as to its vulnerability after the attacks of 9/11/01. I’m thinking a nutzoid scientist like one who faked his diploma and hey, how about a fellow who’d been heard mentioning that American needed a lesson? Hatfill comes to mind.
But folks, this Steven Hatfill, a fine, fine man who faked his diploma and has plenty of stuff in his past to link him to the anthrax murders, has a cadre of defenders in this country that will rip your head off and spit down your bloody neck in defense of their hero.
I say I’m still allowed to be suspicious even if the FBI can’t get enough on this guy to convict him. I also say that if there’s not enough evidence out there to hone in on a suspect that would get a conviction, then by all means don’t do it. Someday more information will come out about the crimes or the perp will make a mistake, maybe tell someone about the deed.
It’s really sad though that one of the greatest federal crimes committed this century has left the mighty FBI looking totally impotent.
From Foxnews.com:
============================================
Missing Utah Woman Complained About Boyfriend
Deborah Marie Jones had complained about a former boyfriend who had been harassing her after their breakup. Now Jones is missing.
And no one can find that ex-boyfriend either.
From the Sltrib.com:
We’re following this case.
============================================
Maddie McCann’s Parents to Write a Book About Missing Daughter
I truly believe that the parents of pretty Madeleine McCann are responsible for the untimely death of their child, yes I do.
And each passing day that Maddie remains missing tends to affirm my belief. For surely there were plenty of other children at that Portuguese resort when Maddie went missing. There were plenty of other children before the McCanns came to visit and likely since the McCanns came to visit.
NONE of them has turned up missing save Maddie McCann. Plus Maddie had been left alone in the suite rented by the McCanns but also left in that suite were Maddies twin toddler brother and sister. For someone to go into that apartment and abscond with what would have to be a squirming, fighting child would certainly risk waking the twins. Further, why didn’t the abductor bother with the twins? Why would an abductor risk such an action with all those children in the apartment, a fact probably known as an abductor would likely have been watching the McCanns else why pick Maddie’s apartment at all?
From the Dailymail.com:
Now the McCanns are writing a book.
I am sure that Maddie’s death was accidental. I am sure that the McCanns mourn and miss their daughter.
But the both of them are now making a real nice monetary profit on their daughter’s death, never mind walking completely free.
============================================
Toddler Recovering From Abuse by Babysitter
What makes this story so tragic, the parents of the boy are members of the military, as is the accused babysitter’s husband.
Wyatt Coker was put in the care of a well-recommended babysitter. This same babysitter struck Wyatt so hard on his skull that he suffered a three inch fracture that penetrated his brain. The babysitter, Melissa Chavez, is due to be tried for the crime in June 2008.
From WRAL.com:
============================================
Fellow Goes on Joy Ride in Ambulance
Sometimes you gotta wonder what goes through their minds.
This fellow leaves the hospital one fine afternoon. He sees an ambulance parked nearby, as ambulances often are around a hospital. The keys were left hanging in the ignition. So the fellow steals the ambulance and leads the police on a wild ride.
From the Denverpost.com:
============================================
FOCUS ON MADDIE MCCANN
===================
Her family was on holiday at an exclusive Portuguese resort. Madeleine McCann's parents were both physicians and in addition, they have two twins younger than Madeleine.
While Maddie's parents dined out at a nearby resort restaurant, with children believed to be soundly asleep, Madeleine McCann somehow disappeared. She was discovered missing upon a routine check of the McCann suite by her parents.
It took a few months but eventually the suspicion that Madeleine's parents might have had something to do with her disappearance was leaked by both the Portuguese and British police.
First report on this Blog of the Maddie McCann case
More info on Maddie's disappearance with my fine analysis
Announcement that McCanns might be responsible for Maddie's death
McCanns refuse to answer questions about Madeleine's disappearance
With little info known, my analysis of the McCann case. Or did the maid do it?
Maddie's Mother Claims Her Small Boobs Are to Blame.
What are the McCanns doing with the money collected to find Madeleine?
New info on original suspect in McCann case
Madeleine's parents release an alleged drawing of bushy haired stranger.
There is a verdict on the Bell shooting and there were no riots. The FLDS cult filled with underage adolescent girls who are pregnant or have children. The subway pervert has a twin brother who is also a pervert, updates on the anthrax case, and this past weekend a boy killed his entire family, including his 14-year old brother who hid behind a clothes dryer to no avail.
Much more.
| Web Site Worth the Visit An IQ Test A real IQ Test. Are you smart or stupid? FIND OUT HERE  |
Mother Found Dead, Three Children Missing
Her body was discovered on Monday, 4/21/08 but she hadn’t been seen since that prior Friday. Her children were all missing.
From Suntimes.coml.
Chicago Police have issued an Amber Alert Monday afternoon for three children and their alleged abductor after the children’s mother was found dead Monday with a plastic bag over her head in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
The suspect is the dead woman’s husband or boyfriend, the relationship is not clear. The dead woman is Sophia Garcia and the father of the children is Benito Casanova. It’s not clear how or why, but the article linked above indicates that the children had been “released” from school early. The children’s father probably came to the school and picked up the children. Meanwhile their mother lay dead, likely from Benito’s hand, and no one was the wiser.
============================================
Sean Bell Verdict Acquits All 3 Detectives
Sean Bell was a young man who hung out with the wrong fellows. Indeed Sean Bell had criminal intents his own self, which came to the fore the night before his wedding when he and a few of his homies went to a local club and at four in AM Sean was killed by a hail of bullets.
This story was covered on this Blog when it happened at note how fair and square the fine, fine Mayor Bloomberg was. Again it was covered on this Blog and here the prosecutors have their fine and fair say.
From the NYTIMES:
Three detectives were found not guilty Friday on all charges in the shooting death of Sean Bell, who died in a hail of 50 police bullets outside a club in Jamaica, Queens, in November 2006. The verdict prompted calls for calm from the mayor, angry promises of protests by those speaking for the Bell family and expressions of relief by the detectives.
See folks, Sean Bell was not a hero no matter what Al Sharpton would tell you. Although not to worry, there were no promised riots. Which is likely because there is a civil suit in this matter ongoing and believe that there will probably be a settlement and that Sharpton will probably get his share.
All last week Curtis Sliwa, the founder of that famous group that fights crime, “The Guardian Angels” and now talk show host for WABC in New York, has been describing how this whole Bell thing came down. If Sliwa knows nothing else, he knows New York and he knows its underbelly.
According to Sliwa, Bell and his bros were partying at a strip club the night before Bell’s wedding. The strip club had been in a heap of trouble in the past as many of the strippers are also prostitutes and the place was considered a haven for illegal guns and drugs. Three undercover detectives were at this club the night of Sean Bell’s fine bachelor party. The detectives were there looking for evidence of prostitution and illegal guns in order to gain a foothold in getting this club’s liquor license removed.
Sean Bell and his friends went outside late into the night and were negotiating for a stripper/prostitute to service all four of the fellows. The stripper refused to do four of the bros but agreed to do two. These fellows had been drinking all night, tempers were short and lust was high. At some point the stripper’s pimp got worried enough to go for his “gat”, slang, evidently, for gun. Sean Bell panicked and floored the car he was driving.
Meanwhile the undercover detectives had been alerted to something going down outside and since they were on the lookout for prostitution and guns at this club they followed Bell and his friends for their suspicious behavior. Once Bell floored the car in what we must assume was an attempt to get away from the scene with the gun-toting pimp ready to fire, the detectives surrounded Bell’s vehicle and told him to stop and put up all hands. Instead Bell intentionally aimed his car at a detective, floored it, and hit the detective in front of the car. Chaos ensued with the other detectives seeing one of Bell’s passengers jump out of the vehicle and other passengers appeared to be going for guns. Many shots were fired and Sean Bell ended up dead.
Sean Bell intentionally hit an undercover detective that night, although he had been told to stop and raise his hands. Sean’s passengers had been engaging in all sorts of mayhem, including reaching into places dark when they should have putting their hands in the air.
The whole thing was tragedy but those undercover detectives were doing their job and it was Sean Bell and his homie friends that were looking for trouble that night and found it. Further, TWO of those undercover detectives were black so Sharpton’s cries of racism fall on deaf ears.
All three of the undercover cops were found not guilty of the trumped up charges of manslaughter. Meanwhile, fine law-abiding congressional Democrats, including the dumbest of the dumb, John Conyers, vow to have a federal investigation into the matter.
Folks, every other day John Conyers swears he’s going to investigate something or another. He never does. He’s chairman of the Judiciary committee in the Senate. Conyers is a pathetic of the most pathetic.
Do not hold your breath waiting for Conyers to investigate anything. Not to mention that the federal government has absolutely nothing to do with this case.
============================================
18 Year Old Murders His Entire Family
What would possess a young person to kill his entire family? Does he, or at times SHE, think they’ll get away with it? Was life in that home so unbearable as to make the future so bleak that a life in jail is preferable? Is there no other way to escape but by killing everyone?
It was in the news all this past weekend and as of yet there’s been no motive given for Nathaniel Dickson. Dickson was arrested for the murder of his family, which included his father, his stepmother, his stepsister and his brother. Nathan’s brother was shot behind the clothes drier, indicating that the kid was probably hiding there to escape his brother’s bullets. It didn’t work.
From Foxcarolina.comL
EASLEY, S.C. -- The teenaged son of one of the victims of a quadruple homicide on Saturday was arrested and charged in connection with the crime, deputies said.
We’ll be following this case closely.
============================================
Over Half FLDS Cult Teenaged Girls Have Children/Are Pregnant
Information on the status of that raid in Texas continues to come out in dribs and drabs. I’d expressed concern about the raid on this cult in that, as of this date, 4/29/08, absolutely NO ONE’s been arrested.
But when you have a pregnant 15-year-old and a 17 year old with a 5-year old child, something is amiss.
From Charter.net:
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — More than half the teenage girls taken from a polygamist compound in west Texas have children or are pregnant, state officials said Monday.
A total of 53 girls between the ages of 14 and 17 are in state custody after a raid 3 1/2 weeks ago at the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado. Of those girls, 31 either have children or are pregnant, said Child Protective Services spokesman Darrell Azar. He didn't specify how many are pregnant.
The United States of America can’t have a group of people living a life of wanton violation of the country’s laws and this group of a rogue branch of the Morman religion cannot continue to “marry” young adolescent girls to dirty old men in front of society’s shocked eyes.
Of course we don’t want our government raiding private homes and separating children from parents either.
I believe that this country can maintain a dedication to our constitution AND handle what is essentially a sexual perversion under the guise of religion. A 14-year old girl should NOT be forced to marry a 50-year old man, not in any decent society which claims to protect the young.
So while this humble Blogger has been wary of this government action, I’m willing to wait for the results. With all those pregnant young adolescent females, it doesn’t look good.
============================================
Subway Serial Groper Has Twin Guilty of Same Crime
I covered the story of Freddie Johnson on this Blog HERE.
For Freddie Johnson had been arrested so many times for groping females in the subway that prosecutors are considering trying to put him away for life.
Now we discover that Freddie has a twin brother who ALSO is a subway groper. Freddie’s brother, Rodney Johnson, tends to dress a bit more dapper than his brother but they’re BOTH perverts, make no mistake.
From the NY Dailynews:
Perversion runs in Freddie Johnson's family.
============================================
Remember the Anthrax Attacks?
I’ve not covered the anthrax murders on this Blog as the crime happened before I did any True Crime blogging.
And with an upcoming trial scheduled by the initial suspect, one Steven Hatfill, the story’s been in the news.
Hatfill was followed and investigated by the FBI and evidently there was never found enough evidence to arrest the man. Plenty of stuff was found about Hatfill and by me, he’s still the guy who I’d like to look in the eyeball and ask a few questions.
The really sad thing is that five people died by this deed, a deed done by some slightly nutzoid “scientist” who felt the need to teach America a lesson as to its vulnerability after the attacks of 9/11/01. I’m thinking a nutzoid scientist like one who faked his diploma and hey, how about a fellow who’d been heard mentioning that American needed a lesson? Hatfill comes to mind.
But folks, this Steven Hatfill, a fine, fine man who faked his diploma and has plenty of stuff in his past to link him to the anthrax murders, has a cadre of defenders in this country that will rip your head off and spit down your bloody neck in defense of their hero.
I say I’m still allowed to be suspicious even if the FBI can’t get enough on this guy to convict him. I also say that if there’s not enough evidence out there to hone in on a suspect that would get a conviction, then by all means don’t do it. Someday more information will come out about the crimes or the perp will make a mistake, maybe tell someone about the deed.
It’s really sad though that one of the greatest federal crimes committed this century has left the mighty FBI looking totally impotent.
From Foxnews.com:
WASHINGTON — The FBI has narrowed its focus to "about four" suspects in the 6 1/2-year investigation of the deadly anthrax attacks of 2001, and at least three of those suspects are linked to the Army’s bioweapons research facility at Fort Detrick in Maryland, FOX News has learned.
============================================
Missing Utah Woman Complained About Boyfriend
Deborah Marie Jones had complained about a former boyfriend who had been harassing her after their breakup. Now Jones is missing.
And no one can find that ex-boyfriend either.
From the Sltrib.com:
Police are trying to find a Salt Lake City woman who disappeared Thursday after recently complaining to authorities about ongoing problems with an ex-boyfriend.
An endangered person advisory has been issued for 50-year-old Deborah Marie Jones. She was last heard from Friday when she contacted an acquaintance by cell phone, police said.
We’re following this case.
============================================
Maddie McCann’s Parents to Write a Book About Missing Daughter
I truly believe that the parents of pretty Madeleine McCann are responsible for the untimely death of their child, yes I do.
And each passing day that Maddie remains missing tends to affirm my belief. For surely there were plenty of other children at that Portuguese resort when Maddie went missing. There were plenty of other children before the McCanns came to visit and likely since the McCanns came to visit.
NONE of them has turned up missing save Maddie McCann. Plus Maddie had been left alone in the suite rented by the McCanns but also left in that suite were Maddies twin toddler brother and sister. For someone to go into that apartment and abscond with what would have to be a squirming, fighting child would certainly risk waking the twins. Further, why didn’t the abductor bother with the twins? Why would an abductor risk such an action with all those children in the apartment, a fact probably known as an abductor would likely have been watching the McCanns else why pick Maddie’s apartment at all?
From the Dailymail.com:
Her comments came as it emerged the McCanns are planning to write a book about their 'year of hell' without their daughter.
Publishing sources say they could be paid up to £1million.
The couple's spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, stressed they wanted to raise money for the dwindling Find Madeleine appeal and to counter a campaign of smears by Portuguese police.
Now the McCanns are writing a book.
I am sure that Maddie’s death was accidental. I am sure that the McCanns mourn and miss their daughter.
But the both of them are now making a real nice monetary profit on their daughter’s death, never mind walking completely free.
============================================
Toddler Recovering From Abuse by Babysitter
What makes this story so tragic, the parents of the boy are members of the military, as is the accused babysitter’s husband.
Wyatt Coker was put in the care of a well-recommended babysitter. This same babysitter struck Wyatt so hard on his skull that he suffered a three inch fracture that penetrated his brain. The babysitter, Melissa Chavez, is due to be tried for the crime in June 2008.
From WRAL.com:
Fayetteville, N.C. — An infant severely beaten last fall continues to recover as his parents await a court date for the babysitter accused of abusing the child.
Wyatt Coker was 7 months old in November when he suffered a 3-inch fracture that penetrated his skull, causing a traumatic brain injury. Physicians said someone had beaten the child.
============================================
Fellow Goes on Joy Ride in Ambulance
Sometimes you gotta wonder what goes through their minds.
This fellow leaves the hospital one fine afternoon. He sees an ambulance parked nearby, as ambulances often are around a hospital. The keys were left hanging in the ignition. So the fellow steals the ambulance and leads the police on a wild ride.
From the Denverpost.com:
Police say a man leaving a Lafayette hospital stole an ambulance and led officers on a high-speed chase Tuesday before rear-ending a parked car, tearing up a traffic signal and fleeing on foot.
Mickey Terry, 36, was arrested a short distance from the wrecked ambulance in Longmont, about 13 miles from where the vehicle was stolen.
============================================
FOCUS ON MADDIE MCCANN
===================
Her family was on holiday at an exclusive Portuguese resort. Madeleine McCann's parents were both physicians and in addition, they have two twins younger than Madeleine.
While Maddie's parents dined out at a nearby resort restaurant, with children believed to be soundly asleep, Madeleine McCann somehow disappeared. She was discovered missing upon a routine check of the McCann suite by her parents.
It took a few months but eventually the suspicion that Madeleine's parents might have had something to do with her disappearance was leaked by both the Portuguese and British police.
First report on this Blog of the Maddie McCann case
More info on Maddie's disappearance with my fine analysis
Announcement that McCanns might be responsible for Maddie's death
McCanns refuse to answer questions about Madeleine's disappearance
With little info known, my analysis of the McCann case. Or did the maid do it?
Maddie's Mother Claims Her Small Boobs Are to Blame.
What are the McCanns doing with the money collected to find Madeleine?
New info on original suspect in McCann case
Madeleine's parents release an alleged drawing of bushy haired stranger.
Monday
TV-Hell's Kitchen Review Episode aired 4/22/08 and Top Chef Episode aired 4/23/08
It's time for Cooking Reality and on Hell's Kitchen we've got Family night and Chef Ramsey mad at one contender for no discernible reason.
In Top Chef-it's yellow, turned-on asparagus and a Polish sausage dish with no polish sausage.
A review of the episodes aired on this cooking show the week of 4/25/08.
Pic of the Day
Pics of Top 15 Contenders in Hell's Kitchen 08
The Pasta Challenge and Hell’s Kitchen Family Night
If ever there were a restaurant less suitable for children it has to be Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen. For while the menu of Chef Gordon Ramsey’s famous eatery of TV fame is vague to even the most dedicated viewer of the reality series with the same name as the restaurant, I do know that Risotto is one popular dish served and I don’t know a child in my surround that likes Risotto.
But not to fear for Chef Ramsey not only altered the menu to include such family favorites as hamburgers and chicken, he brought in a small circus type of affair for this gala event.
Thus the contenders to win a top chef position at Ramsey’s restaurant to open in California were charged with not only offering up a full service on Hell’s Kitchen family night but also, in some cases, had to clean up the pony poop.
The show began with a pasta challenge. The chef contenders were to make their own pasta, in blue and red teams as is the norm…blue being male and red being female, and in a short period of time would be judged by which team produced the most pasta acceptable to Chef Ramsey.
Each team first designated their strongest team member. The red team appointed Jennifer with that honor and the blue team chose contender Ben.
When all was over but the shouting and a few contenders stood with pasta draped over their extended arms, the female team won the pasta challenge.
After the pasta challenge and after the female team enjoyed a day at an amusement park, Family Night at Hell’s Kitchen premiered, so to speak, and the service completed.
As always, there was chaos, yelling, cussing, contenders shouting “Yes, Chef”. Again, as always, some contender made a big cooking boo-boo and this time it was Matt, who served up raw chicken wings to the little children.
Well seriously, any so-called cook who can’t even cook chicken thoroughly should be fired right on the spot so far as I am concerned and yet, Chef Ramsey goes after the blue team’s designated leader, Ben, and I was not at all sure why.
The blue team, the males, lost the challenge of Hell’s Kitchen Family night. Bobby, the self-proclaimed black Chef Ramsey was appointed by Ramsey with the task of nominating two of his teammates for elimination. Bobby chose, rightfully, Matt of the raw chicken and contender Craig, who managed to serve no purpose on this episode save get in everyone’s way the whole night.
Then, oddly, Chef Ramsey nominates another fellow for elimination, blue team leader Ben.
It was never at all clear to me why Chef Ramsey had a bug up his ass about Ben. I heard vague references to leadership issues and hey, Ben was the leader of the blue team and this team DID lose the challenge. But if Ramsey’s going to start eliminating contenders on the basis of their leadership style then ALL of the contenders should be on the block. So far as I recall, this was the first time this year that Ramsey had team leaders appointed.
It’s not all firm and official, this team leader thing, as it is in, say, Trump’s Apprentice series.
Further, I think Ben did an okay job as his team leader, even volunteering to do an unknown job which turned out to be shoveling horse poop. Yes, Ben’s team lost the Family Night challenge but again, it isn’t as if appointing a hastily assigned leader is part of this reality show’s modus operandi.
At any rate, despite Ramsey’s odd chastisement of Ben, Craig, he with the two left thumbs, was sent packing.
I still say the contender who can’t even cook chicken should have been shown the door.
But what do I know about running a restaurant? Except I know that the food should be properly cooked.
Heh.
Contenders, 2008 "Hell's Kitchen"
======================
Vanessa, 31,Line Cook-
RosAnn, 33,Receptionist/Former cook-
Craig, 30,Sous Chef-Sent Home 4/22/08
Bobby, 37, Executive Chef-
Louross, 24,Hotel cook-
Dominic,43,Stay at Home Dad-Sent Home 4/1/08
Jen, 24,Line Cook-
Corey,25,Private Chef-
Jason,29,Sous Chef-Sent Home 4/15/08
Shayna ,28,Owner, catering company-
Matt35,Sous Chef-
Petrozza,47,Catering Director-
Sharon, 31,Room Service Chef-Sent Home 4/8/08
Ben, 29, Electricia/former chef-
Christina, 25,culinary student-
Top Chef Creates Food from Laughter
Click to View All Top Chef Chicago 08 Contenders
It began with a dessert challenge. Each Top Chef Chicago contender had to create a splendid dessert for the judges, including the guest judge from an area restaurant-QUICKFIRE.
I suppose that these finalists in the Top Chef Chicago 2008 series have their own desserts that they make readily and with much practice. If I were to be given that same challenge, a not unreasonable possibility for even a humble home chef, frankly I don’t know what I’d make. I assume that the Top Chef kitchen has all manner of ingredients at the ready so it isn’t like I’d be hampered by lack of ingredients, often the case with us humble home chefs.
I do have a few desserts that turn out quite well. Well hey, chocolate chip cookies is something I dish up often and they are beloved by all who eat. Kaitlyn will eat the dough with great relish and she also helps me make the cookies from time to time.
But chocolate chip cookies is hardly gourmet and the stuff of Top Chefs.
The desserts as prepared by the would-be Top Chefs were, as I expected, much more elaborate than my chocolate chip cookies. The winner of this challenge would be the only one to have that recipe in a Top Chef cookbook.
Contender Richard had quite the night on this episode of Top Chef Chicago 2008. He not only won this dessert challenge, he also, along with his teammate Dale, won the big challenge of the night.
The contenders went to a Second City comedy show. As viewers learned, Second City is the wellspring of many famous comedians as well as many more up and comers. Steve Carrell, the 40 year old virgin, is one such Second City graduate.
At some point during the comedy show, a chart was brought onstage and the audience was asked for colors, emotions and a food. A table of these items was created on the chart, resulting in a strange list such as:
Yellow Love Vanilla
Magenta Drunk Polish Sausage
Orange Turned-on Asparagus
Purple Depressed Bacon
Green Perplexed Tofu
Some of those emotions are weird, yes. Is “turned-on” really an emotion and is “vanilla” really a foodstuff?
Whatever the case, the remaining contenders, ten at the episodic date of this review, were split into teams of two each and given one item from the above list. Spike and Andrew had the yellow,love,vanilla list; Antonia and Lisa had the magenta,drunk,polish sausage; Stephanie and Jennifer had orange,turned-on asparagus; Mark and Nikki had purple, depressed bacon; Dale and Richard had green,perplexed tofu.
The dishes as concocted based on this odd challenge were, well creative, as the kind would say. Or horrible as the truthful might assert.
The submissions considered as the worst of the offerings included Antonia and Lisa’s “magenta, drunk, polish sausage” challenge. This was mostly because this female duo did NOT have one milligram of polish sausage in their submission, how dumb is this?
Antonia and Lisa argued that a bunch of drunks in a comedy audience shouldn’t be dictating the sorts of food they cook for the challenge but hey, as the judges shrugged, THAT WAS THE CHALLENGE!
Duh. So to willy-nilly ignore the rules of the challenge, no matter how dumb it might seem, is not the way to win the hearts and minds of the judges.
Stephanie and Jennifer was the second team nominated as the worst of the worst for their entrée “orange, turned-on asparagus”. Well hey, that was a weird combination of foods too but Stephanie and Jennifer came up with something they called “ménage a trois” which was supposed to have a sexy inference re the word “turned-on” of their challenge. The dish included lots of oranges, a stale bread of some kind, and yes, they did at least include asparagus in their dish.
However, the judges deemed Stephanie and Jennifer’s dish the worst and the judges sent Jennifer home based on her role in the cooking disaster.
The two teams who submitted the judge’s favorite dishes were Dale and Richard and Andrew and Spike.
Spike and Andrew created some sort of soup type of affair accented with vanilla crème fraiche. Their words were “yellow,love,vanilla”. The soup was created with squash which gave it a mellow yellow color.
Dale and Richard really did create quite the dish although I didn’t taste that tofu and I’d have to so test because the judges declared the tofu was delicious and I have never tasted delicious tofu.
Richard and Dale were charged with creating a dish based on the three words “Green, perplexed, tofu”. In a stroke of genius Richard came up with the idea of soaking tofu in beef fat and like I said, the judges thought the tofu really tasted like steak!
Again, I’m skeptical but hey, I’m no judge in Top Chef Chicago 2008 and I suppose they know what steak tastes like and what tofu tastes like and one tasting like the other stretches my credibility.
Whatever the case, Richard and Dale’s Steak Tofu won the prize of the Second City challenge, with Dale and Richard winning $2,500 worth of kitchenware as a prize.
Actually I thought the challenge was a bit dumb but a few of those contenders used their noggin to come up with dishes that met the criteria of the challenge and featured their own special dish as well. Spike was quite confident in his squash soup and Richard knew that soak anything in beef fat and it will end up tasting like steak.
Top 12 Contenders Top Chef Chicago 2008
====================
Nikki Cascone, 35-
Mark Simmons, 29-Sent Home 4/16/08
Staphanie Izard, 31-Chef/Chicago-
Dale Talde, 29, Sous Chef/Buddakan-
Richard Blais, 35, Chef/Trail-Blais-
Spike Mendelsohn, 27-
Antonia, 31, Executive Chef/Foxtail-
Zoi Antonitsas,30, Chef/Consultant-Sent home 4/9/08
Jennifer Biesty, 35, Exec. Chef/Coco500-Sent Home 4/23/08
Ryan Scott, 28, Chef/Mgr/Café Myth-
Lisa Fernandes, 27, Sous Chef-NY-
Andrew Dambrosi, 30, Sous Chef, Le Cirque-
Prior Links to Hell's Kitchen and Top Chef Chicago 2008 Episodes
===================
Premiere Episode
Episode aired 4/8/08
Episode aired 4/15/08
Hell’s Kitchen Family Night, Top Chef and Second City
In Top Chef-it's yellow, turned-on asparagus and a Polish sausage dish with no polish sausage.
A review of the episodes aired on this cooking show the week of 4/25/08.
Pic of the Day
Pics of Top 15 Contenders in Hell's Kitchen 08
The Pasta Challenge and Hell’s Kitchen Family Night
If ever there were a restaurant less suitable for children it has to be Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen. For while the menu of Chef Gordon Ramsey’s famous eatery of TV fame is vague to even the most dedicated viewer of the reality series with the same name as the restaurant, I do know that Risotto is one popular dish served and I don’t know a child in my surround that likes Risotto.
But not to fear for Chef Ramsey not only altered the menu to include such family favorites as hamburgers and chicken, he brought in a small circus type of affair for this gala event.
Thus the contenders to win a top chef position at Ramsey’s restaurant to open in California were charged with not only offering up a full service on Hell’s Kitchen family night but also, in some cases, had to clean up the pony poop.
The show began with a pasta challenge. The chef contenders were to make their own pasta, in blue and red teams as is the norm…blue being male and red being female, and in a short period of time would be judged by which team produced the most pasta acceptable to Chef Ramsey.
Each team first designated their strongest team member. The red team appointed Jennifer with that honor and the blue team chose contender Ben.
When all was over but the shouting and a few contenders stood with pasta draped over their extended arms, the female team won the pasta challenge.
After the pasta challenge and after the female team enjoyed a day at an amusement park, Family Night at Hell’s Kitchen premiered, so to speak, and the service completed.
As always, there was chaos, yelling, cussing, contenders shouting “Yes, Chef”. Again, as always, some contender made a big cooking boo-boo and this time it was Matt, who served up raw chicken wings to the little children.
Well seriously, any so-called cook who can’t even cook chicken thoroughly should be fired right on the spot so far as I am concerned and yet, Chef Ramsey goes after the blue team’s designated leader, Ben, and I was not at all sure why.
The blue team, the males, lost the challenge of Hell’s Kitchen Family night. Bobby, the self-proclaimed black Chef Ramsey was appointed by Ramsey with the task of nominating two of his teammates for elimination. Bobby chose, rightfully, Matt of the raw chicken and contender Craig, who managed to serve no purpose on this episode save get in everyone’s way the whole night.
Then, oddly, Chef Ramsey nominates another fellow for elimination, blue team leader Ben.
It was never at all clear to me why Chef Ramsey had a bug up his ass about Ben. I heard vague references to leadership issues and hey, Ben was the leader of the blue team and this team DID lose the challenge. But if Ramsey’s going to start eliminating contenders on the basis of their leadership style then ALL of the contenders should be on the block. So far as I recall, this was the first time this year that Ramsey had team leaders appointed.
It’s not all firm and official, this team leader thing, as it is in, say, Trump’s Apprentice series.
Further, I think Ben did an okay job as his team leader, even volunteering to do an unknown job which turned out to be shoveling horse poop. Yes, Ben’s team lost the Family Night challenge but again, it isn’t as if appointing a hastily assigned leader is part of this reality show’s modus operandi.
At any rate, despite Ramsey’s odd chastisement of Ben, Craig, he with the two left thumbs, was sent packing.
I still say the contender who can’t even cook chicken should have been shown the door.
But what do I know about running a restaurant? Except I know that the food should be properly cooked.
Heh.
Contenders, 2008 "Hell's Kitchen"
======================
Vanessa, 31,Line Cook-
RosAnn, 33,Receptionist/Former cook-
Craig, 30,Sous Chef-Sent Home 4/22/08
Bobby, 37, Executive Chef-
Louross, 24,Hotel cook-
Dominic,43,Stay at Home Dad-Sent Home 4/1/08
Jen, 24,Line Cook-
Corey,25,Private Chef-
Jason,29,Sous Chef-Sent Home 4/15/08
Shayna ,28,Owner, catering company-
Matt35,Sous Chef-
Petrozza,47,Catering Director-
Sharon, 31,Room Service Chef-Sent Home 4/8/08
Ben, 29, Electricia/former chef-
Christina, 25,culinary student-
Top Chef Creates Food from Laughter
Click to View All Top Chef Chicago 08 Contenders
It began with a dessert challenge. Each Top Chef Chicago contender had to create a splendid dessert for the judges, including the guest judge from an area restaurant-QUICKFIRE.
I suppose that these finalists in the Top Chef Chicago 2008 series have their own desserts that they make readily and with much practice. If I were to be given that same challenge, a not unreasonable possibility for even a humble home chef, frankly I don’t know what I’d make. I assume that the Top Chef kitchen has all manner of ingredients at the ready so it isn’t like I’d be hampered by lack of ingredients, often the case with us humble home chefs.
I do have a few desserts that turn out quite well. Well hey, chocolate chip cookies is something I dish up often and they are beloved by all who eat. Kaitlyn will eat the dough with great relish and she also helps me make the cookies from time to time.
But chocolate chip cookies is hardly gourmet and the stuff of Top Chefs.
The desserts as prepared by the would-be Top Chefs were, as I expected, much more elaborate than my chocolate chip cookies. The winner of this challenge would be the only one to have that recipe in a Top Chef cookbook.
Contender Richard had quite the night on this episode of Top Chef Chicago 2008. He not only won this dessert challenge, he also, along with his teammate Dale, won the big challenge of the night.
The contenders went to a Second City comedy show. As viewers learned, Second City is the wellspring of many famous comedians as well as many more up and comers. Steve Carrell, the 40 year old virgin, is one such Second City graduate.
At some point during the comedy show, a chart was brought onstage and the audience was asked for colors, emotions and a food. A table of these items was created on the chart, resulting in a strange list such as:
Yellow Love Vanilla
Magenta Drunk Polish Sausage
Orange Turned-on Asparagus
Purple Depressed Bacon
Green Perplexed Tofu
Some of those emotions are weird, yes. Is “turned-on” really an emotion and is “vanilla” really a foodstuff?
Whatever the case, the remaining contenders, ten at the episodic date of this review, were split into teams of two each and given one item from the above list. Spike and Andrew had the yellow,love,vanilla list; Antonia and Lisa had the magenta,drunk,polish sausage; Stephanie and Jennifer had orange,turned-on asparagus; Mark and Nikki had purple, depressed bacon; Dale and Richard had green,perplexed tofu.
The dishes as concocted based on this odd challenge were, well creative, as the kind would say. Or horrible as the truthful might assert.
The submissions considered as the worst of the offerings included Antonia and Lisa’s “magenta, drunk, polish sausage” challenge. This was mostly because this female duo did NOT have one milligram of polish sausage in their submission, how dumb is this?
Antonia and Lisa argued that a bunch of drunks in a comedy audience shouldn’t be dictating the sorts of food they cook for the challenge but hey, as the judges shrugged, THAT WAS THE CHALLENGE!
Duh. So to willy-nilly ignore the rules of the challenge, no matter how dumb it might seem, is not the way to win the hearts and minds of the judges.
Stephanie and Jennifer was the second team nominated as the worst of the worst for their entrée “orange, turned-on asparagus”. Well hey, that was a weird combination of foods too but Stephanie and Jennifer came up with something they called “ménage a trois” which was supposed to have a sexy inference re the word “turned-on” of their challenge. The dish included lots of oranges, a stale bread of some kind, and yes, they did at least include asparagus in their dish.
However, the judges deemed Stephanie and Jennifer’s dish the worst and the judges sent Jennifer home based on her role in the cooking disaster.
The two teams who submitted the judge’s favorite dishes were Dale and Richard and Andrew and Spike.
Spike and Andrew created some sort of soup type of affair accented with vanilla crème fraiche. Their words were “yellow,love,vanilla”. The soup was created with squash which gave it a mellow yellow color.
Dale and Richard really did create quite the dish although I didn’t taste that tofu and I’d have to so test because the judges declared the tofu was delicious and I have never tasted delicious tofu.
Richard and Dale were charged with creating a dish based on the three words “Green, perplexed, tofu”. In a stroke of genius Richard came up with the idea of soaking tofu in beef fat and like I said, the judges thought the tofu really tasted like steak!
Again, I’m skeptical but hey, I’m no judge in Top Chef Chicago 2008 and I suppose they know what steak tastes like and what tofu tastes like and one tasting like the other stretches my credibility.
Whatever the case, Richard and Dale’s Steak Tofu won the prize of the Second City challenge, with Dale and Richard winning $2,500 worth of kitchenware as a prize.
Actually I thought the challenge was a bit dumb but a few of those contenders used their noggin to come up with dishes that met the criteria of the challenge and featured their own special dish as well. Spike was quite confident in his squash soup and Richard knew that soak anything in beef fat and it will end up tasting like steak.
Top 12 Contenders Top Chef Chicago 2008
====================
Nikki Cascone, 35-
Mark Simmons, 29-Sent Home 4/16/08
Staphanie Izard, 31-Chef/Chicago-
Dale Talde, 29, Sous Chef/Buddakan-
Richard Blais, 35, Chef/Trail-Blais-
Spike Mendelsohn, 27-
Antonia, 31, Executive Chef/Foxtail-
Zoi Antonitsas,30, Chef/Consultant-Sent home 4/9/08
Jennifer Biesty, 35, Exec. Chef/Coco500-Sent Home 4/23/08
Ryan Scott, 28, Chef/Mgr/Café Myth-
Lisa Fernandes, 27, Sous Chef-NY-
Andrew Dambrosi, 30, Sous Chef, Le Cirque-
Prior Links to Hell's Kitchen and Top Chef Chicago 2008 Episodes
===================
Premiere Episode
Episode aired 4/8/08
Episode aired 4/15/08
Hell’s Kitchen Family Night, Top Chef and Second City
Thursday
TV-Review "Dancing With the Stars" 08 Performance Episode Aired 4/21/08 and "The Bachelor London Calling"
Here's a review of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" for the performance night of 4/21/08. We'll have reviews of the dances from the night, who got elimination and who might be next.
Also we'll have a review of "The Bachelor London Calling" and Matt Grant's quest to find an American bridge.
Matt's going to be visiting his top four choices' home towns and families and we'll have all the scoop.
All with pics and video you'll find nowhere else on the Internet.
Top 12 Contenders Pic Montages "Dancing With the Stars" 2008
Shannon and Derek Lose Their Cool-Marlee Matlin Sent Home
First, as we understand it, the next performance round will have the contenders of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" 2008 dancing TWICE with each dance judged by a judge. This would be the coming episode to be aired on Monday 4/28/08.
On the performance round aired Monday 4/21/08, there were no two dances singled out as in the past. Instead, the dance as would be performed was announced at the time of the dance.
First up was Jason Taylor, whose partner, Edyta, had a costume that was barely there. Jason danced a cha-cha and as always, Jason looked limber and fluid on the dance floor. Although judge Carrie complained that Jason seemed to have problems with his arms.
Jason and his partner received a score of 24.
Shannon Elizabeth and her partner Derek performed a Rumba. My notes, taken as the dances were being performed on 4/21/08, specifically state that I thought the judges were pretty hard on Shannon.
My notes also state that Shannon made some pretty spectacular moves doing that Rumba.
Still judge Carrie Ann said, and my notes indicate this, that Shannon was “not a natural”.
Now the reason this is significant is that on the elimination round of 4/22/08 a video of Shannon and Derek was shown. They both complained about how they thought the judges were very mean to Shannon and how referring to Shannon as not being a natural dancer served to pick her out even though, in theory and by the show’s very nature, NONE of the contenders were “naturals” in terms of the dance.
Which is actually very true. This is why I bothered to write down that rather condescending comment by judge Carrie Ann. Shannon Elizabeth has all the potential of most any former contender on that series to grow with practice and training. When I think of a Dance With the Star’s contender who is “not a natural” for the dance and will likely never be, I’m thinking Penn Jillette with the size 14 shoe. Of course Carrie Ann might lump Shannon in with the likes of Jillette and Adam Corolla and goodness knows Carrie Ann knows more about the dance than this humble Blogger. I disagree is all and I think labeling Shannon like that can damage her in terms of how the voting audience views her.
Later in the elimination round, Shannon and Derek apologized for their moment of anger. They said that it was the pressure of the moment which caused their rant. I think it was probably the pressure of the judges, frankly, as I think Shannon was very justified in her anger.
Anyway, Shannon and her partner received a score of 24 for that notorious Rumba.
Next up was Marlee Matlin and it was to be Marlee’s last dance on the Dancing With the Stars 2008 series, which I could not know at the time.
Marlee performed a Mambo and she too wore a skimpy but sexy outfit.
Marlee dances even though she can’t hear the music being played. Perhaps I was paying closer attention, but as she and her partner danced the Mambo I could see Marlee plainly taking cues from her partner. Which is fine please understand except that after the dance the judges all said that Marlee looked uncomfortable during the performance.
I’m not sure she looked uncomfortable, at least from the vantage point of the TV viewing audience but as I’ve stated, the cues given by Marlee’s partner were evident during this dance and it certainly was awkward to say the least.
Carrie Ann was kind of tough on Marlee and the following night Marlee was, indeed, eliminated. Which I’d offer as proof that the judges comments are critical and affect public perceptions of a performance.
During the pre-dance vignette Marlee brought in nobody less than “Da Fonz”, Henry Winkler. She introduced him as her “special friend” and, indeed, when Marlee was eliminated, she again paid a verbal tribute to her friend Winkler.
So are Marlee and the Fonz an item?
I’m just askin’ …
Marlee and her partner received a score of 21 points for their performance.
Christian de la Fuentes ended up in the bottom two last week and he vowed to try even harder this week that this not happen again. Christian danced a Foxtrot to the tune “Come Fly With Me”. I thought Christian looked excellent and elegant during the dance. The judges all liked and pronounced the performance was the best ever for de la Fuentes. Bruno said Christian demonstrated “excellent footwork”.
The judges awarded Christian and his partner a nice total of 27 points.
Marissa Winokur danced a Viennese Waltz. Marissa, as do most contenders, has lost some weight during this series. So with that pretty long dress hiding Marissa’s somewhat chunky legs, Winokur looked stunning as she moved about the dance floor to the tune made famous by Tom Jones-“Delilah”.
The judges were kind to Marissa and awarded her and her partner a respectable 26 points for the performance.
Next up the lady that no one can keep up with, Kristi Yamaguchi.
If anyone other than Kristi wins this thing I will be surprised.
Speaking of surprise, I was very surprised to learn that Kristi had been born with club feet! Sometimes coincidences happen I must suppose. But who would think a baby with club feet requiring casts through toddler-hood would grow up to be an Olympic gold medallist skater and now, likely the winner of the 2008 “Dancing With the Stars” series?
Kristi danced a jive and it was great to watch. The judges agreed in that they awarded Kristi and her partner the first perfect score of this year’s series…30 points to be exact.
Mario was up next and he danced an almost x-rated Rumba. The judges liked Mario’s performance although Len groused that the dance was almost too raunchy for television. Heh.
Mario was docked for a lift that shouldn’t have happened per the rules for the Rumba and Mario got a bit of an attitude about it.
Still, Mario and his partner received a total of 28 points from the judges, the second highest score of the night!
Below is a short remix of the performances on 4/21/08, including Jason’s cha-cha and the problem with his arms, Christian’s best dance to date, Mario’s steamy Rumba and a little bit of that group dance in which one strong male dancer picked up Marissa!
That group dance looked great, by the way, with Kristi and her closes competitor, Jason, as team leaders.
Also we'll have a review of "The Bachelor London Calling" and Matt Grant's quest to find an American bridge.
Matt's going to be visiting his top four choices' home towns and families and we'll have all the scoop.
All with pics and video you'll find nowhere else on the Internet.
Quote of the Day
 |
Top 12 Contenders Pic Montages "Dancing With the Stars" 2008
Shannon and Derek Lose Their Cool-Marlee Matlin Sent Home
First, as we understand it, the next performance round will have the contenders of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" 2008 dancing TWICE with each dance judged by a judge. This would be the coming episode to be aired on Monday 4/28/08.
On the performance round aired Monday 4/21/08, there were no two dances singled out as in the past. Instead, the dance as would be performed was announced at the time of the dance.
First up was Jason Taylor, whose partner, Edyta, had a costume that was barely there. Jason danced a cha-cha and as always, Jason looked limber and fluid on the dance floor. Although judge Carrie complained that Jason seemed to have problems with his arms.
Jason and his partner received a score of 24.
Shannon Elizabeth and her partner Derek performed a Rumba. My notes, taken as the dances were being performed on 4/21/08, specifically state that I thought the judges were pretty hard on Shannon.
My notes also state that Shannon made some pretty spectacular moves doing that Rumba.
Still judge Carrie Ann said, and my notes indicate this, that Shannon was “not a natural”.
Now the reason this is significant is that on the elimination round of 4/22/08 a video of Shannon and Derek was shown. They both complained about how they thought the judges were very mean to Shannon and how referring to Shannon as not being a natural dancer served to pick her out even though, in theory and by the show’s very nature, NONE of the contenders were “naturals” in terms of the dance.
Which is actually very true. This is why I bothered to write down that rather condescending comment by judge Carrie Ann. Shannon Elizabeth has all the potential of most any former contender on that series to grow with practice and training. When I think of a Dance With the Star’s contender who is “not a natural” for the dance and will likely never be, I’m thinking Penn Jillette with the size 14 shoe. Of course Carrie Ann might lump Shannon in with the likes of Jillette and Adam Corolla and goodness knows Carrie Ann knows more about the dance than this humble Blogger. I disagree is all and I think labeling Shannon like that can damage her in terms of how the voting audience views her.
Later in the elimination round, Shannon and Derek apologized for their moment of anger. They said that it was the pressure of the moment which caused their rant. I think it was probably the pressure of the judges, frankly, as I think Shannon was very justified in her anger.
Anyway, Shannon and her partner received a score of 24 for that notorious Rumba.
Next up was Marlee Matlin and it was to be Marlee’s last dance on the Dancing With the Stars 2008 series, which I could not know at the time.
Marlee performed a Mambo and she too wore a skimpy but sexy outfit.
Marlee dances even though she can’t hear the music being played. Perhaps I was paying closer attention, but as she and her partner danced the Mambo I could see Marlee plainly taking cues from her partner. Which is fine please understand except that after the dance the judges all said that Marlee looked uncomfortable during the performance.
I’m not sure she looked uncomfortable, at least from the vantage point of the TV viewing audience but as I’ve stated, the cues given by Marlee’s partner were evident during this dance and it certainly was awkward to say the least.
Carrie Ann was kind of tough on Marlee and the following night Marlee was, indeed, eliminated. Which I’d offer as proof that the judges comments are critical and affect public perceptions of a performance.
During the pre-dance vignette Marlee brought in nobody less than “Da Fonz”, Henry Winkler. She introduced him as her “special friend” and, indeed, when Marlee was eliminated, she again paid a verbal tribute to her friend Winkler.
So are Marlee and the Fonz an item?
I’m just askin’ …
Marlee and her partner received a score of 21 points for their performance.
Christian de la Fuentes ended up in the bottom two last week and he vowed to try even harder this week that this not happen again. Christian danced a Foxtrot to the tune “Come Fly With Me”. I thought Christian looked excellent and elegant during the dance. The judges all liked and pronounced the performance was the best ever for de la Fuentes. Bruno said Christian demonstrated “excellent footwork”.
The judges awarded Christian and his partner a nice total of 27 points.
Marissa Winokur danced a Viennese Waltz. Marissa, as do most contenders, has lost some weight during this series. So with that pretty long dress hiding Marissa’s somewhat chunky legs, Winokur looked stunning as she moved about the dance floor to the tune made famous by Tom Jones-“Delilah”.
The judges were kind to Marissa and awarded her and her partner a respectable 26 points for the performance.
Next up the lady that no one can keep up with, Kristi Yamaguchi.
If anyone other than Kristi wins this thing I will be surprised.
Speaking of surprise, I was very surprised to learn that Kristi had been born with club feet! Sometimes coincidences happen I must suppose. But who would think a baby with club feet requiring casts through toddler-hood would grow up to be an Olympic gold medallist skater and now, likely the winner of the 2008 “Dancing With the Stars” series?
Kristi danced a jive and it was great to watch. The judges agreed in that they awarded Kristi and her partner the first perfect score of this year’s series…30 points to be exact.
Mario was up next and he danced an almost x-rated Rumba. The judges liked Mario’s performance although Len groused that the dance was almost too raunchy for television. Heh.
Mario was docked for a lift that shouldn’t have happened per the rules for the Rumba and Mario got a bit of an attitude about it.
Still, Mario and his partner received a total of 28 points from the judges, the second highest score of the night!
Below is a short remix of the performances on 4/21/08, including Jason’s cha-cha and the problem with his arms, Christian’s best dance to date, Mario’s steamy Rumba and a little bit of that group dance in which one strong male dancer picked up Marissa!
That group dance looked great, by the way, with Kristi and her closes competitor, Jason, as team leaders.
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