AfterBuzz TV DWTS, Week 6 Preview

This is when it gets tougher and tougher to book guests because the rehearsals become more demanding with group dances and the competition gets even stiffer. Everyone wants to win.

We had two great guests for you, but they had to pull out late last night due to rehearsal. We are hoping to have them on later in the season.

However, we still have the amazing Anna Trebunskaya with us this week and she choreographed two numbers while Stevie Wonder sang live.  I have to admit, I am pretty jealous because it was an incredible opportunity for the pros and celebs to work with a living legend.

So, here's the week to ask Anna your questions about choreography, about how the show is run, how the contestants feel at this stage of the game, etc.  Ask away! Use the comments section below to ask your questions. The comments section will be the ONLY place I will take questions for tonight's show.

A couple of things I want to note:
   1. Voting:  We talked a lot about it this week on Twitter. Some of you are having issues, but this is probably not a topic we will address on AfterBuzz since there are so many dance topics to discuss. Technology is not perfect, so there are often glitches in the online voting system. As @DWTSGossip pointed out, voting is NOT run by ABC. It is run by an outside firm to adhere to broadcast standards and practices.  If you have complaints about the system, contact ABC here. There is also a People magazine article about it here. (If there is time, we will try to address Twitter voting tonight. That topic makes more sense for this week's team dances/results.)

2.  Autograph Requests:  Thanks for watching the show and supporting us, we really appreciate it. Many of you have asked for photos/autographs from the AfterBuzz crew. We are happy to do it, but here's the process:

A. Print up a photo of your choice at this Pinterest page.
B. Send a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope and Photo to:
   Kristyn Burtt
   c/o M4PR
   11684 Ventura Blvd.
   Suite 213
   Studio City, CA 91604
   USA

Let me know if you have any questions. You can always find the contact information here, too. 

See you tonight at 9pm PT on AfterBuzz TV! Watch here.

Baby Bump Watch 2012: Megan Fox

UPDATED:  See the confirmation of Megan Fox's pregnancy here.

Well, our first Baby Bump Watch of 2012 has come and gone with a confirmed pregnancy for Reese Witherspoon.  Lately, there are rumblings that another Hollywood baby is on its way.  Who is the alleged mama? Megan Fox.  Should we start another Baby Bump alert?  Sure, why not?  Let's see if David Silver....uh, I mean, Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox are going to grace the pages of People over the next nine months with baby shower news, pregnancy cravings, and the ultimate Hollywood introduction......the cover of the magazine.  Here is a photo taken of her yesterday (or see below) looking her usual svelte self, however, she has not denied any of the pregnancy rumors as of yet.  What do you think pregnant or not?  Let me know in the comments below.

Hhhmmmm, let the rumor mill begin....

Should Celebrities Give Great Customer Service?

On my flight to Chicago yesterday, I picked up a People magazine to bide my time on the three and a half hour trip.  I am actually one of those crazy people who reads a magazine cover to cover including the MailBag section.  A letter to the editor caught my eye, so here is the letter in full:

"Thank you for your usual fine coverage of the Oscar celebrations.  This year I had the good fortune 
to be in the red carpet bleachers, and I must report that absolutely the most generous and kind celebrity in terms of fan interactions was George Clooney.  He was clearly having a great time and was the only star I saw who came over to the velvet ropes to sign autographs and allow fans to take photos.  As an expert in customer service, I applaud George Clooney for great service to his customer at the 84th Annual Academy Awards." 

Donna Cutting Asheville, N.C.

Most people might read a letter like that and pass it off as a fan letter to George Clooney, but what struck me was her comment about customer service to his fans.  After going through two Oscar cycles and interviewing more celebrities as a result, it is important for actors to understand that giving great customer service is a part of their job.  Now, I'm not talking about jumping up to greet fans at every meal or while on vacation, but making an effort to walk over to fans at premieres, red carpets, and public press events goes a long way with the people who are essentially paying the stars' salary with each film that is released.  George is a master at this, but the man who wrote the book on fan customer service is Tom Cruise.  Whether you like him or not, he is one of the kindest celebrities who always says "yes" to his fans.  Why?  He "gets" it.  He knows that these are the people that created his career, that bought tickets to Top Gun and stayed with him through his latest Mission Impossible film, and he knows that one small interaction with him will make a great impression.....and keep that fan buying tickets to his movies.  

When I do radio appearance like here or here, I often get asked who my favorite celebrities are to interview.  My favorites celebrities are usually the ones you don't expect because often times the bigger names have a tendency to disappoint me in interviews.  They hate to do press, they don't want to be in the room, and they don't try to hide it.  I totally understand that the questions can be inane and repetitive, but sitting through eight hours of a press junket at a five star hotel is way better than being a coal miner, right?  I have repeated it over and over, but it's a part of their job.  It may not be their favorite part of the job, but it comes with the territory of fame, money, and celebrity.  So, I would love to see some stars embrace this part of their job and enjoy the process because it is the press and the fans who make sure your next ten million dollar paycheck clears.  Sadly, the George Clooneys and Tom Cruises in the industry are pretty rare, but that quality is also what makes them huge A-List stars.  They just "get" it.  

If you want to read more on press and the entertainment industry, see my other articles here and here.  

To continue the conversation, join me on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus.

Clearing Out the Clutter, Rediscovering My 15 Minutes of Fame.

Since I am home for much of the summer versus hitting the road like I do the rest of the year, I am cleaning out the clutter.  I am posting clothes on Ebay and Smashion, I had a yard sale over the weekend, and I purging the junk drawer, closet, box....wherever I can clean, I will!  While cleaning out one of my end tables, I can across some great entertainment memorabilia.  Much of it was from the 2007 Academy Awards, the program, ticket, and a few of the entertainment magazines from the event when I was on the red carpet versus covering the red carpet.  I also came across a July 25, 2007 People magazine and I couldn't remember why I held on to it, but here's what was happening just four years ago:

1.  Eva Longoria and Tony Parker got married in France on 7.7.07.  I guess that wasn't their lucky number.

2.  The MailBag featured letters from readers who were thrilled that Billy Ray Cyrus was "Raising a Teen Star (The Right Way!)".  Sure, dating men in their 20's, taking half-nude photos on your iPhone, and grinding against a pole at the MTV Music Awards is definitely a great way to raise your Disney kid.

3.  Lindsay Lohan was partying.  Oh wait, that hasn't changed.

4.  Charlie Sheen got engaged to Brooke Mueller.  I wish I could tell the girl, "Run for your life!"  Oh well, we all know how that one turned out.

5.  The main article focused on rich teens like Hilary Duff, Daniel Radcliffe, and the High School Musical kids who are now officially.....rich adults.

Finally, I came across an article and I knew why I had kept the magazine.  Take a look at this photo.  Look carefully.  Maybe you see someone familiar?

 Leave it to me to have my 15 minutes in People magazine with a drug possession/arrest article.