AfterBuzz TV's DWTS: Henry Byalikov

This was such a fun show. I'm so glad we had Henry Byalikov back on this season for a second time so he was able to give us the inside scoop on his work with Baz Lurhmann on Gatsby.  He's always a great guest and we all know his fans are legendary.

Catch our pre-show Vine video here.

It was our last show with Anna Trebunskaya and we are going to miss her next week. She's been a great addition to the show this season on AfterBuzz TV. However, we do have two pros currently confirmed for next week's show. Be sure to come back here on Tuesday to find out who it is. I am really excited to end the season in a big way. It will be an awesome finish to a fascinating season.

I wanted to list everyone's Top 4 predictions for next week. I think our answers shocked a few of you and none of us had the same answer. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments below. See you all next week!

Predictions:

Suri                        Anna
1st: Jacoby              1st/2nd: Kellie/Jacoby (She couldn't decide.)
2nd:  Kellie              3rd: Aly
3rd: Zendaya           4th: Zendaya
4th: Aly

Henry                     Jake:
1st: Kellie                1st: Kellie
2nd: Jacoby            2nd: Zendaya
3rd:  Aly                  3rd: Jacoby
4th: Zendaya           4th: Aly

Kristyn
1st: Kellie
2nd: Jacoby
3rd: Zendaya
4th: Aly

If you missed the show, you can watch below.

DWTS: It's Time To End The Zendaya Debate

Enough with Zendaya.

She's not a ringer, she's a girl who has had Hip Hop classes. I might take this debate more seriously if she were a trained ballet dancer or ballroom dancer, but it's time to stop.  Here are my reasons for ending the Zendaya discussion on DWTS:

1. It's a TV show: Having great dancers and bad dancers all lumped into one variety show is fun. I cheered on Andy Dick as much as I have cheered Zendaya and Kellie Pickler this season.  I did make fun of Sean Lowe's dancing a bit, but it made for some interesting topics of discussion on our AfterBuzz TV show.
    And guess what? By constantly debating that "Zendaya is a ringer" and "Kellie is being underscored"(Although the "7" from Len was ridiculous, it also made for good TV.) topics, you are playing into exactly what ABC wants...controversy.  It makes for good television and it gets us all watching each week.
    One other argument is that ABC wants to promote its own network stars. If you look at the statistics, this is a bad argument.  Let's look at the ABC stars who have won DWTS:  Season 1 Kelly Monaco, General Hospital. That's it, kids.  You could argue Melissa Rycroft from Season 15 as she is a former ABC employee with The Bachelor franchise/former GMA & Bachelor Pad host, but ABC has not used her in that capacity since April 2012. If there were a series of ABC winners, I would agree with you. 1 winner out of 15 does not make for an ABC push for a winner.
 
Supplemental reading: Carrie Ann Inaba talks Kellie Pickler 

2.  Zendaya Hears You:  If you think this 16-year-old doesn't hear your criticism, she does...and she takes it personally.  If you read her Access Hollywood blog, she knows exactly what is going on in the forums.  I feel badly for her because I remember being 16 and we don't need to help anyone's teen insecurities along.

Supplemental reading: Zendaya's blog

Even with dance training, Zendaya doesn't have lines like Kellie does. Beautiful!

3.  Twitter followers:  Yep, Zendaya has more followers than anyone, but she's also of a generation that is more tuned into social media than say...Wynonna's fans.  Different generations, different demographics, different use of social media.
      I know many of you are upset that Zendaya got Hip Hop this week. She asked for it, the fans gave it to her. Aly asked for Afro-Jazz, Kellie asked for Flamenco, everyone got the exact dance they wanted. While Flamenco might be harder for Kellie than Hip Hop is for Zendaya, it is Derek who wanted this dance. He has something in mind choreographically just the same way Mark wanted to try Afro-Jazz on Aly.  They know their partner's strengths.
      Also, ABC is trying to keep up with the times and keep this show as interactive as possible for all of the fans.  Twitter is social media site that keeps growing while Facebook's growth has stagnated over the last two years, that's why they are using it for voting.  While not every experiment on DWTS works, I like that they are trying to keep current and relevant.

Supplemental reading: Carrie Ann Inaba names best DWTS dancer ever

Honestly, I would rather talk about the great dancing we are seeing from Zendaya and Kellie this season and how much I've enjoyed watching them each week.  Val and Derek have both stepped up their game choreographically and it's been a treat for the viewers.  With two weeks left, let's end the debate and see who's going to come out on top.  Remember last year, we all thought Shawn Johnson was going to win.

Let's end the debate. You are missing some good dancing.

Okay, your turn to comment. Please post in the comments below...

UPDATE:  Thanks for all of your responses so far. While some of you agree with me, I want to address those that don't agree with me...of course, I respect your opinion. However, hurling insults my way weakens your case. Instead, why don't you comment below and give me some facts to back up your argument.  I am totally up for rational discussions. It's refreshing to hear a different perspective when it's done with respect.  

The other thing you must remember is that I compliment both Zendaya and Kellie in this post. I like them both. I haven't chosen sides.  

I also want to disclose I have interviewed Zendaya many times, so I was very familiar with her work pre-DWTS. If you want to see some of that coverage, go here and here. 

Anyway, thanks for all of your feedback. I appreciate it!   

AfterBuzz TV's DWTS, Week 5: Witney Carson

I personally had more fun on this show versus any other episode we have done so far. Anna and our awesome guest, Witney Carson, did a great job of giving us more inside information than we have ever seen. From learning about Anna's time spent with Zendaya to get her ready for the Tango to Aly's mindset after hearing about the tragic Boston events earlier in the day, Witney and Anna both delivered.

The other thing that has been fun guessing is where Witney will turn up this summer. Most of you seem to think she will be a SYTYCD All-Star on Fox. It's a great guess and it makes a lot of sense.

Finally, we addressed the Zendaya "ringer" comment that has been coming up so much. We discussed it at length. You are welcome to add your thoughts in the comments below and I will definitely respond if you have more to add to the discussion.  Otherwise, I think we have exhausted the topic on the show, but let me know if you think we missed something during our debate.

Thank you all for your fan questions. We are trying to incorporate them as much as possible into the show whether it is on the red carpet, via a phone call, or from my blog, I think you all have added so much to our show.  It's really amazing!

If you missed the show, you can download it here on iTunes or watch it below.

See you next week!

Dancing with the Stars, Season 16: Confirmations and Rumors

With the Season 16 announcements for Dancing with the Stars just three days away, I thought I would compile a list of who is rumored or confirmed to be hitting the dance floor. Make sure to add your confirmed or rumored celebs and pros in the comments below, on Twitter, or Facebook.

Note:  I am covering the Oscars on Sunday, so I probably won't have time to update this page on Sunday. I will be back on Monday.  Thanks for understanding!

Confirmed Pros:
Derek Hough--confirmed via Twitter
Sharna Burgess--confirmed via Twitter
Cheryl Burke--confirmed via Twitter
Val Chmerkovskiy--confirmed via Twitter
Lindsay Arnold--confirmed via Twitter
Mark Ballas???--he tweeted this
Tony Dovolani--confirmed via Twitter


Pros Not Doing This Season:
Maks Chmerkovskiy--confirmed via Twitter and TMZ
Chelsie Hightower--confirmed via Twitter
Ana Trebunskaya--Has this been confirmed?


Rumored Celebs:
Aly Raisman--Fierce Five member
She tweeted this on Friday.  

J.J. Wyatt--NFL player for the Houston Texans

Tito Ortiz--former UFC champion

DWTS Season 16: Who's In? Who's Out?

Okay, we are getting closer and closer to that March 18 premiere date for Season 16 of Dancing with the Stars. The rumors are out there, let's see who is definitely out and who might be in. Remember, we don't have any confirmations yet.

NO:
Lindsay Lohan:  While this gal could use the money and she surely could use the career boost, Lindsay won't be stepping on any dance floor any time soon.  If you have been following her recent court case, Lindsay will begin her next trial on March 18th.  Oh, guess what show premieres that day?

Lance Armstrong:  I believe this is a name ABC pursued pretty heavily.  His story is legendary in a not-so-good way, but DWTS might be a good place to start his comeback.  However, I think Armstrong has said his peace to Oprah and he is now going to step away from the media for a time.  Remember, he has a lot of personal relationships to heal before he ever steps back into the public arena.

MAYBE:
Emily Maynard:  ABC is very loyal to their reality stars and they have utilized Maynard for two rounds of the The Bachelor franchise.  Don't doubt for a minute that they are at least thinking about using her for DWTS.  She is a polarizing figure, but people would tune into watch her.

Katherine Webb:  She's the hottest pop culture figure these days thanks to Brent Musburger and the BCS championship game.  We will see her reporting for Inside Edition at Super Bowl LXVII and in the swimsuit issue for Sports Illustrated plus she's starring in ABC's new celebrity diving show called Splash.  Webb has made no secret about the fact that she wants to hit DWTS next....stay tuned.

The Fierce Five:  A few of the team members talked about wanting to star on the show after their appearance on the Season 15 finale.  We chatted with Jordyn Wieber on Afterbuzz TV's DWTS after show and she mentioned how much she would love to do the show. Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, and McKayla Maroney also expressed interest in the show.  If I was going to pick one from the gold medal-winning team, my money is on Maroney for a few reasons.  One, she's focusing on an acting career.  Two, she's local to the Southern California area.

Things we know for sure:

1.  The show will be back for two seasons per year.

That's it!  We need to know more.  If you have any insider scoop, send your tips here.

Who do you think will be on the show?  Any other rumors?  Where are all of the men--no rumors yet?
Chime in the comments below.

If you missed my fan chat with Henry Byalikov, you can check it out below.  I will have Henry back on along with Teagan Lowe on Tuesday, February 26 at 5pm PT/8pm ET, so mark your calendars!