American Idol's Top 10 girls were doing it for themselves!
I can't read the Idol boards anymore. Either people are bitching about Alaina doing the Dixie Chicks or about Antonella and her pictures and how bad she was the past 2 weeks. She's going to be staying on anyway because she's getting the sympathy vote, and people need to just deal with that.
What was up with people doing Whitney tonight? I'm done with Haley after she decided to yell out "Queen of the Night." Done. I was ready to really like her, and now I'm over it.
Sabrina's version of "All the Man That I Need" was good. I liked it, but it just didn't wow me like I wanted. And I'm a fan of Whitney's 80's pop.
I can understand Alaina's Dixie Chick affection because she's struggling to stay in there, but come on girl, you really messed your chances up of staying another week, especially when you sing that on the FOX network!
I don't even want to talk about Antonella. I didn't like her in the audition process, I certainly didn't like her in Boot Camp after the Bailie Brown incident, and I still don't like her now, Photoshopped porn pictures or half-naked drunk college pictures or not.
I'm also done with Leslie. She's cute, but her voice is just weird. And she did the same song that AJ did last night? WTF? I love Nina Simone, too, but I would've picked a different song.
I'm slowly becoming a fan of Team Lakisha. "Midnight Train to Georgia" was just awesome. And as much as I didn't like Simon picking on her fashion sense, he was kinda right about that. Her outfit just wasn't right for her.
Jordin sang Christina Aguilera's song from Mulan, which was good. She's just so damn cute, even if she was getting pitchy because she was getting emotional, I think we can cut her some slack.
You know, I liked Gina's version of Heart's "Alone." I thought it was a perfect song for her to sing because it's on the edge of pop but also on the edge of being rock. And forget Simon, I liked the dress. It was hawt.
I wasn't a big fan on Stephanie's "Dangerously In Love," mainly because she did the same vibrato work that Beyonce did for that song, and really, I was over Bey after the Oscars, so I didn't need to see or hear any more of her for awhile. But the judges seemed to like her.
My favorite of the night by far was Melinda doing "My Funny Valentine." She sang it perfectly, had just the right amount of confidence, and she didn't look as freaky as she did last week. I still contend that she has no neck, which is a little weird, but I think I can get over it.
So who's going home tomorrow? DialIdol says Stephanie and Gina, I say Alaina and Leslie.
Well, it's about time! Finally, the boys stepped up and showed us what they're made of! I thought tonight's episode of American Idol was a nice way for us to get to know the contestants we'll be voting on for the next 3+ months. Tonight, they dedicated their songs to what inspires them. Phil Stacey, the bald guy who won "Military Idol" sang "I ain't missing you." The judges commented on his likeability, but I agree with them when they said his voice is just average. What I'm really wondering when I watch him is "just exactly how far back would his receding hair line go if he let his hair grow out?" Jared Cotter is my favorite! - for now anyway. He is super cute and has a smooth, sexy, seductive tone, especially when he laid it down to the melody of Marvin's "Let's Get It On." I didn't want it to end. Shocker of the night!: Chris Sligh, aka Shirley Temple's hair on 'roids, is MARRIED?! Wow. I was surprised to find that out! He's a lucky guy with a beautiful wife. The judges loved his version of "Trouble" and I am pretty sure he is a shoe-in for many weeks to come. Another of my favorites tonight was Blake Lewis and his rendition of Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity." He is so talented when it comes to producing any kind of sounds from his mouth! His song selections thus far are my favorite. I hope the public can see his talent and appreciate his unique style. Finally, Sundance Head pulled through and reminded us why we fell in love with him at the auditions. He brought the house to their feet in his finale performance of "Mustang Sally." Some of the let downs of the night were Sanjaya Malakar. I mean, really. What was he thinking with the whole Billy Jean outfit and the gross pony tail? I love this kid, but I think someone was playing a joke on him when they let him go on stage. Nick Pedro sang "Fever" for his girlfriend. But how much originality can you really add to that song? The judges said he lacked charisma. I agree. My one pick for as to who I think will be voted off this week is Brandon Rogers. This guy sang one of the most covered songs of all time: "Time After Time" and he interjected absolutely NO personality into it. He lost big points with the judges and, I'm pretty sure, with America. We will find out Thursday!
There were definitely some real shockers and shoe-ins last night. We laughed, we cried, we watched Jennifer Hudson out-sing Beyonce onstage. Here's your wrap-up of the winners and how you would've done last night:
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role-- Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland: This was pretty much a lock from the beginning. He won every major award he could for this role, and the acting community just loves him. Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role-- Helen Mirren, The Queen: I mean, betting on her would've been silly at 1/25, but a little bit of money is better than losing it, I suppose. Best Animated Feature Film of the Year-- Happy Feet: This was actually a shock, considering the love that Pixar gets for its films. And with 5/2 odds, you would've done pretty well for yourself here.
Best Achievement in Directing-- Martin Scorsese, The Departed: Did you really think he wasn't going to win it? They seriously had Francis For Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas give him the award. It was a lockdown.
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year-- The Lives of Others: Now this was the biggest shocker this year, because Pan's Labyrinth got all the attention during the press time leading up to the awards. At 4/1, not a huge cleanup, but pretty damn good.
Best Motion Picture of the Year-- The Departed: This had slightly better odds than Babel, so it really was a neck-and-neck race with these two films. And if you look back at the history of the Oscars, about 90% of the time the Best Director will also get Best Picture. Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role-- Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine: Another shocker last night. He was at 7/2, which were okay odds-- better odds than the favorite Eddie Murphy. But like I'd said in the guide, he's so underrated that he deserved it.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role-- Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls: Come on now, people. Like you seriously think this wasn't going to happen.
And I've been bragging about it ever since. I put early money on "Crash" and bought myself a lovely Coach bag and some hot Jimmy Choo shoes afterwards. You really, really can win money on this stuff. And most of the odds are long so you can win big money. If you've never bet the Oscars before...
You can read our Oscar's betting guide. Click here. You can see all the current odds at Bodog. Click here. You can email us with questions on how to deposit or bet on the big star's night. Click here. You can not bet, but still enter to win free prizes in our free pick'em contest. Click here.
Have a hot Oscar's weekend. I think they roll Joan Rivers out around 2pm, which means they'll start layering her makeup on around 11pm the night before. Have a shot in her honor then!
I really have nothing to say about it, 'cause it was boring. Look, I know everybody's nervous and excited and this is the first time they're performing in front a bunch of people and the judges and cameras, and the lights and cheering. It sucks.
That being said, based on last night's performances, anybody could be going home. I mean, really. Guys, where you at this year? I mean, even the guys that were good-- like Blake, Brandon, and Phil Stacey-- were just okay. I mean, these people really need to step up in order to represent this season.
My predictions for who's going home tomorrow? Sundance (what was with the hands, dude?) and Sunjaya (love him to death, but doing Stevie was not a good idea).
Yeah. While I had just as much fun as you did mocking Britney's new Sinead O'Connor look, she will never be as hot as Natalie Portman with the baldness, people!
And only the people at BetUS have up props on what will become of Miss Britney now that she's had 24 hours in rehab, a new haircut, and new tattoos (and possibly no children, at the rate she's going):
She will come out as a Lesbian (+200): I wouldn't want to see this, and you probably wouldn't want to see this either. I mean, unless you're one of those people who really likes beer bongs.
She will request Asylum on Hollywood Squares (+10000): Is this show still on? I mean, I still catch it on GSN every so often, but I thought it was cancelled after Whoopi left. Make Brit the middle square!
She will join a Christian cult (+2000): If she does that, her tattoo would have to be "Skanking it up for Jesus." Or even better: "I'm Bringing JesusBack, y'all!"
She will get dropped by her label (+300): Now, realistically, this is probably your best bet. 'Cause the thing is, her work on the new album is rumored to be so horrible that there's nothing that could save it. And if that falls apart, there's really going to be nothing for her to fall back on. And that's where the real drama goes down, people, and we get to watch all of it.
Last night, Katrina survivor Erica got bumped out because her tribe thought she was too overbearing. Sylvia almost got voted out because her leadership was put in question after she returned from Exile Island to a more bonded team. Will she make through next week?
Either you love or you hate them, but this is the group that's going to be cut in half for the next 3 weeks. Here's my little take on the group this year.
Alaina: She's trying to look all coy in her pictures, but we know she'll say something mean at some point, right? Amy: The unfortunate thing is that when you look at her eyes, she looks kinda lost sometimes. AJ: He's a real likeable dude, but we don't know him yet. Blake: He's getting all the love on the boards, which could be a good indicator for him. Antonella: The more I see her on camera, the less I like her. I wouldn't be surprised if she's gone next week. Gina: I get that she's trying to be alternative rocker chick. I get that she's pushy. But can she be diverse? Brandon: I have to say I like him. We really need to see him sing an entire song, but I like him. Chris: I don't know, there's something I don't like about him. Like he's a punkass or something. Haley: I still contend that I like her. She stepped it up and here she is. Jordin: Love love love her. She's my "rooting for the kid" pick this season. Chris: I'm not sure how I feel about him. His voice is good, but I'm not sure America is ready for his look. Jared: He's been pretty quiet, too, so we have to see how he does next week. Lakisha: I'm a firm believer that she's the Mandisa of Season 6. She'll be spouting Jesus next week, for sure. Leslie: You know, she looks a little plain for me, but she loves Nina Simone, which I respect. Nicholas: You know, I don't know about him either. Watching him in Boot Camp, I really didn't get any nice vibes from him. Paul: Is it me, or does nobody seem to like this guy? Like, at all? Melinda: I have to say I like her. She's got the kind of overall personality that the people eat up. Nicole: Again, someone who looks plain to me. I just don't see anything spectacular right now. Phil: I'm not sure his hippie vibe will get past the first couple of weeks. And add to that he's the oldest of the group, which could be a disadvantage. Rudy: He's likeable, and he's got a decent voice. I think he'll make it, personally. Sabrina: I can say this: even if she didn't have a voice, she definitely has a look. Stephanie: She's got a little of a Fantasia look to her. But girl, just don't go crazy. Sanjaya: Look, he's cute, and he sings great, but homeslice needs a new hairstyle, y'all. Sundance: Here's why Sundance is getting in (psst, it's his Dad):
The Oscars are almost a week away, can you believe it? Seriously. And you can win free DVDs of all the winning movies in our Oscar Pick 'Em Contest!
Check out our handy betting guide to get all the odds on the major categories, then head over to the forums to place your picks for the winners of the night!
Well, another year has come and gone, and more Grammy performances have been etched into the books. At least, I make it sound like it was that much of a momentus occasion, but really, we all just wanted to see The Police, right? You're going to see them when they come to town, right? I know I am when they come to Vegas.
The Dixie Chicks pulled out a sweep this year. Like, wow.
Anyway, here's your wrap up on the winners. How did you do this year?
Album of the Year Taking The Long Way - Dixie Chicks (7/3): You know, with these odds, you could've done pretty well for yourself. A lot of talk today is about whether their win was because the voters thought they deserved it, or if it really was a giant political statement from the record industry. I think it was a little bit of both.
Best Alternative Music Album St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley (11/9): While I personally thought Thom Yorke was more deserving, they took the award. Even if the industry hated what Dangermouse did with The Gray Album. Was is deserved? If you look at it from the prospective that it's a reall eclectic album that doesn't really have a niche, then yes.
Best Country Album Taking The Long Way - Dixie Chicks (11/9): I said they might take it because of infamy, and they did. Maybe the voters were put off by Willie Nelson's drug bust last year and didn't vote for him?
Best Pop Vocal Album Continuum - John Mayer (7/3): Despite his crappy odds, and being up against powerhouse pop albums, he quietly took the award, and dodged the Jessica Simpson question by speaking Japanese. Well played, sir. Well played.
Best Rap Album Release Therapy - Ludacris (7/3): Now the question is: was this vote also a political statement? Do you seriously think the industry was really out to stick a big finger up to Bill O'Reilly and Oprah?
Best R&B Album The Breakthrough - Mary J. Blige (11/9): I read a comment the other day that was something along the lines of "We know you've been messed up, and I think we're over it now. Can we move on?" Which I kinda agree with. I mean, I love me some Mary, but I think we're ready to move on.
Best Rock Album Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers (11/9): I said it before, and I'll say it again: thank God it wasn't U2. Seriously.
You may or may not believe this, but I never travel without my entrouage. When I roll out of my pad in the morning, at a MINIMUM I have my stylist ('cause somebody needs to tell me how to match my jeans and t-shirt), two "bodyguards" and at least three hangers-on for appearance. Sometimes my "business manager" rolls with me, too. It makes me feel important and it lets the world know that I'm worthy of having people follow me for no reason other than that I'm really super cool.
I might consider letting you join my posse if you ask nicely. For real.
Anyway, you know who else never travels without a posse? Musicians. And you know where they like to bring their posse? To the Grammy Awards. And then, when those musicians win a Grammy Award, they like to invite their entire posse on stage to accept the award with them. That posse may or may not have had anything to do with the actual success of the record that just won the Grammy, but they make that artist look really cool. I mean, that musician MUST be popular if all of those people want to ride in his limo to the Grammy's and hang with him all night, right?
At Bodog right now, you can actually throw money down on how many people will be on stage at one time when the largest posse of the night cruises up to accept an award. You can get over 11.5 people at -120 and under 11.5 people at -120. And no, I don't know what a half person is, unless we're counting Mini Me.
Tonight's episode of American Idol wasn't monumental by any means, but it gave us insight into what we can expect next week - in HOLLYWOOD!! Oh yeh! I am thrilled! I can't wait to see all those kids go through show business boot camp. It's always funny to actually witness people realizing they've just undergone a reality check. Really, it's priceless! I'm not saying that I could make it through their rigorous program by any means, but then again, I didn't sign up to even try.
One of the first "best" contestants of the episode was pedicab driver Tami Gosnell from Colorado. She reminded the judges of a female musician from the '60s, which meant her voice was strong and confident, but I'm guesing she may encounter difficulty when it comes to exhibiting versatility in the competition. Next, we saw Paul Kim who was out to prove that not all Asians sing like William Hung. Whew, glad to get that one finally cleared up! His voice was nice and expressive, but he seems to be a little afraid to fully come out of his shell. The 3 girls on roller skates were a little bit cheesy mixed with a tad of tacky, but I have to admit, I liked them! They were cute and all gave the audition their best effort. I'm pulling for Ebony to make it through Hollywood!
Out of "the rest" of the contestants, we had the usual fans of the show who were willing to mutter some words and tones and call it a song just to get a hug and/or a handshake from the judges. My favorite had to be W.E.S. who sang a song he composed...and proceeded to stomp randomly throughout its "performance." Now, I did hear that there will be a songwriting contest on American Idol this season, but I don't think W.E.S.'s was the type of entry they are looking for. You know, just FYI!
I noticed that Paula seems to be a bit more animated and participative than a few weeks ago. I hope she's keeping herself together because I do worry sometimes. I am absolutely thrilled to say: See ya next week in Hollywood!
American Idol Week 4: The final audition show in San Antonio, finally!
We're finally down to the last audition show before Boot Camp in Hollywood! Would Simon, Randy and Paula find talent deep in the heart of Texas? They actually did!
Don't get me wrong, what was with the dude dressed up like Alvin from Alvin & The Chipmunks doing some kind of metal version of the Alvin & The Chipmunks Theme? Dude? At least this time around, they weren't as freaky as they've been in other shows. Must be something about Texas. I dunno.
Anyway, highlights: Haley. You know what? I like her. She's got a look, and her voice is great. I know they were talking about how she wasn't that unique, but I think she might be able to step it up. I have a feeling about her-- that is, if she can work with other people and learn some songs really fast in Boot Camp. If she can't, forget about it.
Baylie Brown-- you know, I wasn't wowed by her because I'm not a country music person and I'm not a big fan of the average white chicks. But I agree that she looks perfect for pop or country pop.
Can I just say I loved Akron and William, the cousins who auditioned together? It showed a lot of love by Akron to just go in there, sing really badly knowing he was just doing it for his cousin, and then asked if he could act like he was going to hurt the judges on the way out? Brilliant strategy: come in, sing like crap, and then your cousin comes in and blows you out of the water so he can get a golden ticket? Nice.
And to see Ashlyn get a second chance was really cool. She has a really good voice and I think could work on her weird facial expressions before Hollywood. She's a good looking girl who took her rejection in stride and then came back and did a great second audition. That's good TV, people!
So there's this little award show happening on Sunday, right? Maybe you've heard of it, the Grammys? Maybe we put up a little betting guide on it, and we might be a little excited about the Police reunion. Okay, in reality, it's the only reason I'm watching it. But hey.
Our odds for Best Album of the Year got picked up by a new online magazine called TheMagazine for their Grammy issue. Click on "read the latest issue" to check it out!
And don't forget to get your Grammy bets in by Sunday!
Big movies coming this summer - Which ones will be on top?
Did you see Prince at the Super Bowl? Did you love him? I loved him. He may only be, like 5 feet tall, but the man is still super hot.
We're low key in the office today, you know, with all the hangovers we're nursing, but we'll power through it. There's stuff to bet on out there.
This summer is the best time to see all the latest blockbuster movies in a nice, air-conditioned room, right? This summer a bunch of highly-anticipated movies are coming out in May and July. Which ones will gross higher at the box office? BetUS has some odds up on which of these big movies will gross higher:
One prop has Shrek the Third (-140) vs. Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix (EV): As much as Shrek is loved, Harry Potter is a freaking monster. If Shrek ended up making more money, I'd be frankly shocked.
The other prop is Spider-Man 3 (-145) vs. Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (+105): This one's a little trickier, but consider these tidbits: some people (including me) consider Spider Man 2 to be a better movie than the first, and there was a really lukewarm reaction after people saw the last Pirates of the Carribean movie.
Something to bet on before the weather gets warmer. Of course, here in Vegas, it's a nice 71 degrees, so we're ready for the summer!
If you're like me at all, a deer-in-the-headlights look comes over your face when people start talking about making bets on the actual ACTION of the Super Bowl! I mean, how am I supposed to know what rushing yards or a coffin corner punt are? I've been watching football for my whole life, and still have NO clue! Maybe my eyes are focused more on the pizza and the candy jar! Or maybe I just watch the game with guys who are too drunk to explain rules and regulations. Yeh, that must be it! Anyway, I saw some cool prop bets on the Super Bowl listed on BetUS that require absolutely NO understanding of the game! (Well, very very little!) Betting on props makes watching the game even more fun and exciting, and the handicappers are usually less experienced at setting these types of lines, which makes the odds of YOU winning even more favorable!
How will the coin land in the INFAMOUS coin toss? Heads is at -110 Tails is at -110. See, this is EASY! Just pick one!
Which team will score the first touchdown of the game? The Colts are favored at -160and The Bears are the underdog at +120. And if you don't know how to identify when a team scores a touchdown, just wait until there's a lot of yelling and/or chest bumping!
Will the first team to score win the game? This one requires your attention from the beginning until the end! But, it's definitely a no-brainer! Betting on this one will at least keep you in the action and make everyone think you really care more about the game than the commercials! BetUS has Yes at -200and No at +150.
Now go and have fun! Enjoy the game and let me know if you get lucky!
Oh boo freaking hoo! Tyra Bank's feelings are hurt. Everyone is calling her Tyra "porkchop" and Thigh-ra! What did she think was going to happen. Everyone knows the tabloids and paparatzi are brutal. If they all follow Kirstie Alley around trying to catch her drinking a frappacino & a scone why would she think they would leave an ex-super model alone. What did she think was going to happen when she started eating more than just a tic-tac for dinner? I'm torn though because I absolutely despise Tyra Banks, but at the same time I think it's ridiculous that there is so much pressure on women to be so thin. You can find some pretty funny props about Tyra Banks at BetUS. Like will she be featured on Biggest Loser at +2000 or will she posse nude in Playboy at +4000, or my favorite will she start the Subway diet at +400! If you haven't seen or heard her latest fat ass rant check it out!
Can I just say how excited I am that Prince is playing the halftime show? I just want him to say, just once, "You guys want some pancakes?" Just once.
Like in the past couple of years, you can bet on the halftime show and what kind of crazy antics you think Prince will do during the show. BetUS has a bunch of crazy props on what they think Prince might include in his performance. Which one of these do you think he'll do?
Michael Jackson will sing a duet with Prince (+10000): I would die if this happened. Look, 2 creepy 80's icons onstage is classic, people. I'd like to hear them duet on "Purple Rain." What song would you want to hear? A performer will suffer a wardrobe malfunction (+200): Sexy dancing, yes, probably, but another wardrobe malfunction? For real? Do we need to see some random dancer's boobs? How about an ass cheek or something? Prince will come out of the closet during the show (+150): Now, why would this even have lower odds than the rest of the props? Is he really that in denial at this point? I mean, the creepy factor has grown over the years, but I don't think it's because he likes dudes.
Prince will announce he plans to run for president (+3000 ): Prince for President! "Let's Go Crazy" would be the national anthem. Fuck Hilary and Rudy and McCain. Purple Rain for everyone!
Prince's pants will rip during the performance (+1000): Seriously? If his pants ripped during the show, it wouldn't be an accident. As evidence, I give you this from 1991:
I would love to see props on what would be the first song he'll do during the performance. My boyfriend and I think it's going to be "Let's Go Crazy," although I think he should go a little more current and do "Black Sweat," but that probably won't happen.
(To bet on these, click on the link, then click on "Future/Props," then click "Super Bowl XLI Game Props," then click on "Super Bowl XLI - Entertainment Props.")
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