...and what does that mean? Double the fun next week, when they eliminate 2 people! Awesome.

That doesn't mean the odds haven't changed, though. Kiki's now down to 12/1, while Blake improved a tiny bit to 9/2. Melinda's still the favorite at 6/5, but Jordin's waiting at even money.

Get the guide and get betting!

And if you wanna talk American Idol with us anytime, join our boards today and let us know who you think is gonna win!

Labels: American Idol, Jordin Sparks, LaKisha Jones, Melinda Dolittle, Pregame Forums

posted by Kari at 1:02 PM

If you haven't yet, you need to get over to the forums and get involved in our American Idol in-show threads, where I'm giving the running commentary during the West Coast broadcast. Last night's recap is here and the thread for tonight's big Charity/Elimination show is here!

If the shocking DialIdol is correct, Melinda will be the bottom 3 for the first time tonight! Phil saved himself this week with a decent vocal, and Chris pulled out a good performance, but he's been so close to the bottom for so long, it's his time to go.

Is it true that it's a Celine Dion/Elvis duet tonight? Yikes.

And our underdog favorite Heather Mills was eliminated from Dancing With The Stars last night, and we're very sad in the office today. We were really rooting for that leg to fall off, especially after last week's spill. Oh well. We still have the possibility of a Playgirl spread with Ian Ziering looming in the background.

Labels: American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, Heather Mills, Paula Abdul, Pregame Forums, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell

posted by Kari at 12:50 PM

I couldn't be more excited about a Monday night! My favorite show of this past season is back for its final 5 episodes, and I'm ready. Are you?

Bodog has a slew of props on the final 5 episodes of the first season of Heroes that you can bet on right now:


Will Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia) die and not come back to life in the final 5 episodes of Heroes season 1? I don't think he's going to die at all, considering he's like Sylar in that he absorbs other people's talents. Bodog has Yes at +120 and No at -160, and I agree with No being the better bet.




Will Sylar (Zachary Quinto) die and not come back to life in the final 5 episodes of Heroes season 1? This one's a little harder, because Sylar's looking for Claire so he can take her healing abilites and try to become immortal, and he's been getting close to that happening. He's been very slick so far in making himself a chameleon, changing to hide himself. But I don't think he'll die. Or even if he does die, he'll find somebody who he can switch bodies with or something. With Yes at -110 and No at -130, it's a tough call, but I'd go with No, even though the Yes is the slightly better prop.

Will Niki Sanders (Ali Larter) overthrow Jessica and regain control of her body in the final 5 episodes of Heroes season 1? This one seems like it's almost too easy, right? Jessica's been in charge for so many episodes, I've been wondering where Niki went, and even in the scenes where she shows up, I kinda want Jessica back. But before the break happened, Niki was starting to sabotage Jessica a little bit. Yes is at -180 and No is at +140, and I would go with the Yes prop on that one.

The final 2 props have to do with a possible Battle Royale against Hiro and Sylar: Will Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) and Sylar (Zachary Quinto) battle to the death in the final 5 episodes of Heroes season 1? It does seem like it's going down that road, doesn't it? They only crossed paths in that diner that one time, and if Sylar ever picked up on Hiro's talent, it'd probably be lights out for everybody, right? Yes is at +150 and No is at -200, and as much as I would like to see it (as well as a bunch of people who watch it, probably) it's not likely to happen. But it's a good hedge bet if you want to do a 2-fer with this next prop:

If Heroes characters Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) and Sylar (Zachary Quinto) battle to the death, who will win? You know, I don't really know who would win this one. If you had asked me this earlier in the season, I probably would've bet on Sylar. But with Hiro already coming back from the future looking all badass and with no Japanese accent, it makes one wonder what happens to him when he finally gets that sword. Watch out, Sylar. With Sylar +300 and Hiro -500, if it does happen, Hiro is your man to beat in this Battle Of The Century.

Labels: Bodog, Heroes, TV

posted by Kari at 1:04 PM

So, the Imus story has somewhat cooled down in the media lately, mostly due to some other very unfortunate events, but BetUS has decided to keep the Imus action rolling by letting you bet on what you think will come of him next! Now, whether or not Don Imus should have been fired is a WHOLE other issue. I don't know if I'm ready to tackle that in a public forum yet, but should I ever reach that point, I'll let it be known here first.

BetUS has posted in their Entertainment odds section some interesting odds. I especially like the prop bet of whether or not Don Imus will be hired by Barak Obama as campaign coordinator! (at +5000) HAHA!! Seriously, if that happened, the entire country would be speechless! Another event BetUS deems equally likely as the previouly mentioned prop bet is that Imus will get a job with the Rutgers basketball program! (at +5000) OMG! I think the only chance of Imus getting a job at Rutgers would be for the sole purpose of letting those girls pull out the nappy hair on Imus's head! Honestly, have you seen HIS hair 'do?!

There are also odds up on whether or not Imus will join his longtime "buddy" Howard Stern at Sirius at +1000. I remember the good ole days when Howard gave Imus so much crap about EVERYTHING he did. I just don't know if I can actually see them working for the same company again. But, who knows?! They both are shock jocks - so I guess we should expect the unexpected!

My pick out of all these prop bets is the one about whether or not Imus will write a bestseller. Not only does this bet have the best odds (+200) but I genuinely feel like he will come out of this whole ordeal with a book - and it will sell like crazy! I mean, if Monica Lewinsky can have a best seller after public humiliation, surely Imus can too! Yep, that's where I'd put my money. Plop down some change at BetUS and wait for Imus to speak his mind on the printed page. Look for it in the Best Sellers aisle at your favorite local bookstore!

Labels: Barak Obama, BetUS, Don Imus, Howard Stern, Monica Lewinsky, Rutgers, Sirius

posted by Bonnie Bentley at 11:02 PM

I mean, what's left now that Sanjaya is gone? WHAT'S LEFT, WE ASK?????

Oh, Melinda is left at less than even money. Lakisha is left with seriously dented odds. Phil Stacey is SOMEHOW still there, and Jordin is worth putting money on at 3 to 1. Click here to see the updated American Idol odds!

Labels: American Idol

posted by pregamejocelyn at 6:18 PM

Last night I live posted on AI on the West Coast at our wonderful forums. Country Night brought out Phil in his niche, and Jordin as a serious contender to take it all.

But the question is: who's going home? Actually very surprisingly Sanjaya is dead last on DialIdol, which actually doesn't mean anything if you take into account Kiki was there last week and somehow she was top 3. Go figure. And Chris. Oy vey. I'm done with him.

But at least there's some controversy over whether or not Simon rolled his eyes when he was talking about the Virginia Tech tragedy:



And there was almost another gay-off with Simon and Ryan, but we won't get into that. Don't be surprised if Justin's going home tonight.

Labels: American Idol, Paula Abdul, Pregame Forums, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell

posted by Kari at 1:03 PM

While the girls in the office like to swoon over the ambiguously sexy Wentworth Miller, his former co-star Lane Garrison pleaded guilty last week to killing someone in a DUI accident.

So, with questionable taste, Bodog offers up odds on how long Lane will be going to jail, or if he's going at all.

Here are your options:
0 - 6 months at 4/1
6 months 1 day - 1 year at 3/2
1 year 1 day - 18 months at 2/5
18 months 1 day - 2 years at 7/2
More than 2 years at 3/1

I guess if he pleaded guilty that means that he's at least trying to get a deal. But not only was it a DUI, plus killing someone, there were drugs also found in his car. All that stuff adds up in the end, and he could be getting up to 2 years for it, which is why the 18 months 1 day - 2 years has the odds that won't be able to make you any money. But that particular time frame is also right in the middle as far as feasible odds in that group, so it's really about what you would think the court would say. They might cut him some slack because he's pleading guilty, but you never know with a drug charge involved.

Labels: Bodog, jail time, Lane Garrison, Prison Break

posted by Kari at 12:47 PM

The big race is Saturday! We've got the exclusive final odds on tomorrow's race!

Dave Mirra
Martina Navratilova
Joshua Morrow
Kelly Hu
John Salley
Emily Procter
Kendra Wilkinson
George Lucas
Aisha Tyler
Kathryn Morris
Robin Quivers

Dave Mirra
Final Odds to Win: 2 to 1 (Favorite to win)
Jocelyn's Future Husband did slightly better in qualifying than he did at practice, but he's still behind his buddy, pro skateboarder Bucky Lasek. The question is whether or not he can psyche himself up enough to take the checkered flag. He's almost a full second ahead of Martina Navratilova, which is even less on the track on race day.

Martina Navratilova
Final Odds to Win: 3 to 1
She moved up one in the standings, which could bode well for her in the race. If she can improve over time, she might be able to sneak in and take Dave Mirra by surprise. She wasn't lying when she said she's been practicing all year.

Joshua Morrow
Final Odds to Win: 3 to 1
His time improved, but his place in the standings didn't, which means that he's going to have to turn up that pretty-boy soap charm around those corners. His best time came in the middle of his total laps, so there's a chance he could "tire out" at the end.

Kelly Hu
Final Odds to Win: 7 to 1
Kelly passed up Emily Procter in the standings during qualifying, so does that mean she'll turn up the heat during the race? Don't be fooled by her looks - if she can get used to the course, she could actually make some drivers sweat. She's been notorious for having the highest learning curve of all the other drivers, so don't keep your eyes off that rear-view!

John Salley
Final Odds to Win: 8 to 1
Despite a lot of trash talking, John Salley is in the middle of the pack - and that's after moving up two spots in qualifying! You would think with all those years of tough basketball, he'd take more risks on the track. But if he's more concerned with being on camera and hamming it up with the media, then we're not worried about his chances.

Emily Procter
Final Odds to Win: 10 to 1
Despite being passed up by Kelly Hu, her time improved between practice and qualifying. But if this cutie actress can't get her little foot on that gas pedal, she's staying in the middle of the pack. And even though we had her with the worst odds, she's been steady so far.

Kendra Wilkinson
Final Odds to Win: 15 to 1
Unfortunately, Kendra's looks weren't distracting enough to the other drivers, because she only moved up two spots in the field. But we've been saying all along that she might just get aggressive on race day, which can still happen! If she gets frustrated about being behind, she could get that pedal to the medal quickly.

George Lucas
Final Odds to Win: 20 to 1
The poor guy crashed his car so badly in practice, they had to give him a new car. But he stood tough and got through the qualifying, getting in his best lap on his last one. He's starting in position 10, and we're not feeling all that great about his chances on Saturday.

Aisha Tyler
Final Odds to Win: 40 to 1
The lovely Aisha Tyler also crashed her car so badly she needed a new car as well. She will start at position 12, even with an improved time.

Kathryn Morris
Final Odds to Win: 60 to 1
We said before that she has a lot of excuses for a lot of things. And as much as we like her, we wonder what her reasons are for being next to last for both practice and qualifying! She says she won't be a loser, but if she stays in the back of the pack, she'll unfortunately end up being one.

Robin Quivers
Final Odds to Win: 100 to 1
We think Robin wants to do so well that she gets ahead of herself, evidenced by her banging up her car during the media practice. She came in dead last for both practice and qualifying. She'd better get something done during Saturday's race, or else all her practice won't mean squat.

Labels: toyota celebrity race

posted by Kari at 7:16 PM

I'm dating again, which is why this is late. I had to recover from my big date night out last night.

We debated in the HollyWagers office if that entry title was too mean, but she did it to herself.

Sanjaya's odds say he could win this. In fact, they say he's more likely to win than Lakisha or Blake. Yep. This is the world we live in. Click here for the updated American Idol odds.

Labels: American Idol

posted by pregamejocelyn at 1:42 PM

HollyWagers has the EXCLUSIVE celeb commentary on this weekend's big race!


Anybody who thinks it's easy to get behind-the-wheel of a race-ready Toyota Scion tC and race at top speeds through the downtown streets of Long Beach, California, on a 1.97-mile street circuit for this year's Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race on Saturday, April 14, can't even comprehend the skills and discipline required. Just ask four celebrities who have done it before: Actor William Shatner, best known for his Emmy-winning role as Denny Crane in Boston Legal and as Star Trek's Captain Kirk; Melissa Joan Hart, star of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer, Dara Torres, and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.

Shatner, who has participated in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race three times - 1978 (the second year of its inception), 2001 and 2006 - offers the perspective of one who has seen the changes over the years. Hart is a three-time participant, too, coming in second in 1999, tangling with George Lucas and Elway in 2000, and competing against Torres in 2004. Torres - who raced against Shatner in 2001, won in 2002 to become the first female ever to win the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, and came back in the Professional Category in 2004 - knows what it takes to be a champion. However, it's Elway who probably knows this year's field better than most, since in 2000 he raced against Lucas and in 2006 he faced off against Bucky Lasek, Martina Navratilova and Dave Mirra.

Here's how they see this year's field stacking up.


Martina Navratilova (HollyWagers odds: 3 to 1)
SHATNER (WS): 1 to 1. She's tough!
MELISSA JOAN HART (MJH): 4 to 1. Athletes know how to play to win, and she's got nothing to lose by lapping Lucas.
TORRES (DT): 2 to 1. I'm picking her to win!!! Competitive, probably likes to beat the boys, used to winning, didn't win last year so she wants it this year!!
ELWAY (JE): 5 to 1. Great competitor! Was just getting the hang of it last year when the race ended!


Dave Mirra (HollyWagers odds: 4 to 1)
WS: 5 to 1. BMX is road racing - just without a motor.
MJH: 2 to 1. The one to beat if his car serves him right!
DT: 4 to 1. Just the fact his car failed last year, he's pissed!!! He's a biker; he's not afraid of speed; he's going for it!
JE: 2 to 1. Was tough last year till engine blew. Can't be too aggressive!


Joshua Morrow (HollyWagers odds: 4 to 1)
WS: 15 to 1. He's young. He's restless.
MJH: 2 to 1. He will be in the front pack, but can he keep his car on the track?
DT: 3 to 1. Don't let anyone tell you second place doesn't SUCK!!! He'll go for the win.
JE: 4 to 1. Won't forget last time he finished second!


Kendra Wilkinson (HollyWagers odds: 7 to 1)
WS: 3 to 1. Who's watching her car?
MJH: 20 to 1. I predict she'll be distracted by all the racers' butts in the race suits and probably won't even make it in the car by the time the green flag drops.
DT: 20 to 1. She's a lover not a fighter, but if she wears something a little sexy before putting on the race suit, she might cause some distractions!!!
JE: 20 to 1. Likes to compete. Could be the sleeper!


Kelly Hu (HollyWagers odds: 10 to 1)
WS: 7 to 1. She knows a thing or two about special effects.
MJH: 5 to 1. Seems to be one of the edgy chicks but she'd best be careful she doesn't get too excited and end up in the wall!
DT: 11 to 1. She plays poker; she's competed in pagents; she knows competition; she won't want to lose.
JE: 14 to 1. My kids love XMen 2!


Aisha Tyler (HollyWagers odds: 15 to 1)
WS: 25 to 1. Her legs won't fit!
MJH: 14 to 1. Played a scientist on Friends but I am not sure that will help her handle a vehicle.
DT: 15 to 1. If she just smiles at the guys while she's racing, those dimples might help her pass them!!!
JE: 20 to 1. Starting position is key!


John Salley (HollyWagers odds: 16 to 1)
WS: 30 to 1. His legs might interfere with his vision.
MJH: 6 to 1. I love this man personally, but everyone knows the bigger you are, the slower the car goes. SO he has to step it up a bit more than the tiny girls.
DT: 10 to 1. He knows competition, but his weight is going to kill him, just like it did to Jim Kelly. If he siphons some of the gas out of his car before he races, he'll be a contender.
JE: 15 to 1. Size will be a factor. Needs a bigger engine!


Robin Quivers (HollyWagers odds: 18 to 1)
WS: 150 to 1. No chance. Stultified by Howard Stern.
MJH: 6 to 1. Sounds like she has something to prove and the know-how to do it. Anyone who comes into this race knowing how to "blip a throttle" has an advantage!
DT: 17 to 1. She's a race car fan, but can she talk a good game or race a good race??
JE: 30 to 1. Better do better than Bubba!


Kathryn Morris (HollyWagers odds: 18 to 1)
WS: 7 to 1. An ace on any case, she might set the pace and win the race, all with a smile on her face.
MJH: 10 to 1. Could be the strong silent type. If she has good lines and is able to stay near the front pack, she may be able to pull ahead when the front pack causes a wreck! (Example: Donny Osmond's mistake in 1999)
DT: 25 to 1. If she's a yogi, then she just might not have the intensity it takes to win; she might be too mellow!!!
JE: 35 to 1. Can she stay ahead of the pros?


George Lucas (HollyWagers odds: 20 to 1)
WS: 100 to 1. He's seven years older [since he last raced]... and much slower.
MJH: 7 to 1. He's one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. No actor in his right mind would try to pass this man if they know what's good for them. I made that mistake in 2000, and he reminds me of it every time I see him - and he still hasn't given me a job!
DT: 12 to 1. Because he's competed before, he'll know the course and what strategies to use, so that's why I put him above the Hollywagers odds
JE: 10 to 1. Experience will help!


Emily Procter (HollyWagers odds: 40 to 1)
WS: 10 to 1. She's a poker player - very sneaky.
MJH: 16 to 1. Tough girls who know their way around a car often get stuck in the middle of the pack.
DT: 14 to 1. If she's an avid poker player she knows odds, so if I put her a little lower than what I think she might be able to do, then it might motivate her!!
JE: 15 to 1. Poker playing will help strategy!


Fans also can log onto Hollywagers.com to see how professional race handicappers think the celebrity drivers stack up. [The odds have been presented solely for entertainment purposes exclusively by Hollywagers.com, powered by Pregame.com, the country's largest bet-centric information site. There will be no actual wagering on the outcome of the race.]

# # #

EDITOR'S NOTE: Celebrity odds are provided for entertainment purposes only. Wagering on the outcome of the race is neither encouraged nor implied.

Labels: toyota celebrity race

posted by Kari at 1:48 PM

I mean, is it really worth doing a recap if it was all about Jennifer Lopez acting nice to these commoners singing Gloria Estefan songs?

You could tell the whole show was a downhill slide when Melinda comes out swinging with the version of "Sway" that I really don't like (for the record: my favorite version is from the soundtrack to Dark City.) When Simon finally finds something wrong with you, Melinda, the show is going to suck.

I really don't have much else to say about the people who either sang Santana songs (I mean, not even the good '70's Santana songs, the annoying overly-played recent crap) or Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine songs (that will always be dated by their '80's-ness.) There's no singing involved, and as the episode with Gwen Stefani showed a couple of weeks ago, none of these people can move.

At least Haley realized that slutting it up was going to work out for her.

Well, you know, except for Blake. And if he and Sanjaya are the only decent performances of the night, well, you know. God bless us, everyone.

I can't even talk about it anymore.

Anyway, DialIdol has-- gasp!-- LaKisha going home. And every week I keep saying Haley. But she's reaching the critical mass point of the show.

Labels: American Idol, Jennifer Lopez, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell

posted by Kari at 12:34 PM

With this last Sundays firing of Heidi & Kristine the Apprentice LA is now down to it's Final Four. Nicole caught a huge break from Kristine's major telephone number screw up. The Donald was sure to point that out several times, and Frank was not going down without a fight! I really don't see Frank or Nicole making it to the final 2. James' and Stefani's presentation was unbeatable and I see one of them being the next apprentice. With only a few episodes left there is still time to place your wager on who you think will win. Bodog has Stefani with the best odds to win at 2/3, and Nicole with the worst odds at 4/1. I think James just might pull it off so I put $50 down and with his odds at 3/1 and he wins I will win $150! If you want to get in on the action, then click here to get to Bodog's TV props page. Shoot me an email if you have any questions on how to place a bet!

posted by Toni Kay at 11:51 AM

Last week Mel B., aka Scary Spice, had a baby girl who is reported to be Eddie Murphy's kid, since he was the last person she dated when she announced she was preggers.

The fine folks over BetUS have a nice little 2-part prop up on whether or not the funny man will be confirmed to be the father and whether or not he'll even accept the paternity of the little girl.

Out of 5 possible fathers including Scary's ex-husband, Eminem (?), Jay-Z, and a test tube, Eddie's odds are at a nice -120, which can get you a couple of bucks if you felt like putting some money down on it.

Now the real question (and harder bet, I think) is whether or not Eddie will accept the paternity of the kid. Both Yes and No are at -120, but with all the gossip around him dating Babyface's ex-wife right after they broke up, and his storming out of the Oscars after he found out he'd lost, it makes me wonder if he'll step up to the plate and accept paternity just he can make himself look better in the media.

Then again, if he's worried about paying money and being a baby daddy, he might not want to say anything at all. Scary Spice has been out of a job for so long, she might be needing some serious cash to take care of both her children.

Labels: babies, BetUS, Eddie Murphy, Scary Spice

posted by Kari at 3:14 PM

Firstly, for those who are paying attention, it's week three and the boyfriend and I are still broken up. By still broken up, I mean that we briefly got back together and then that didn't work. So really, the only thing of meaning in my life right now is American Idol. There. I said it. And I'm really okay with it. Randy Jackson is like my rebound man.

Toni was a Gina fan, and she announced today that she will not watch Amerian Idol again this season or EVER AGAIN. For the record, she also said that last year when Chris Daughtry got voted off. Send her some love, or some encouraging email at catfight@HollyWagers.com. She needs the upper.

In the meantime, all of the Idol odds have shifted. Favorites aren't quite so favored anymore. Click here to see the official HollyWagers American Idol Betting Guide.

Labels: American Idol

posted by pregamejocelyn at 1:07 PM

Drivers, fans and people in the know all think that the 31st annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is going to come down to a three person race between a tennis legend, an extreme athlete and a soap opera star. But in any race, crashes, tire blowouts and weather can change all expectations. The HollyWagers.com staff still thinks there is a lot of room for an underdog to stand in the spotlight on race day.

Martina Navratilova
Dave Mirra
Joshua Morrow
Kendra Wilkinson
Kelly Hu
Aisha Tyler
John Salley
Robin Quivers
Kathryn Morris
George Lucas
Emily Procter

Driver: Martina Navratilova (Car #6)
Updated odds to win: 3 to 1
It's an understatement to say that Martina's "here to win." As Navratilova herself put it, "Who goes on the track saying I want to lose?" The tennis super star thinks her hand-eye coordination will give her an advantage, but at HollyWagers.com we feel it's her desire to win that will give her an advantage. She basically insisted that she be allowed to come back this year for another shot at winning, and she practiced ALL YEAR. We don't think she'll let anything stop her from finishing first. We were a little bit scared even suggesting to her that somebody else may win!

Driver: Dave Mirra (Car #9)
Updated odds to win: 4 to 1
Both Mirra and Joshua Morrow are primed to give Navratilova a run for her money. Mirra has experience, and he's actually Martina's pick to win the race. He's driven well during practice and he likes the fact that he's not the hands-down favorite to win it all. "I like being the underdog," says Mirra. We're not sure if being in a dogfight with two of the most accomplished Toyota Pro/Celebrity drivers ever really makes him an underdog, but whatever motivation works for Mirra... we'll take it. Because we want him to win!!

Driver: Joshua Morrow (Car #3)
Updated odds to win: 4 to 1
Joshua Morrow is another one with a history of driving well in this race, and he has a strong desire to finally take home the crown. Cocky? Maybe a little bit. He's the first person to tell you it's a three person race. But he's also driving fast and tight and he has a real shot at winning this year. When you ask the other drivers who to watch out for, he's the first person on the list.

Driver: Kendra Wilkinson (Car #10)
Updated odds to win: 7 to 1
Ask any driver on the track who the most likely dark horse candidate to pull an upset is, and they'll tell you it's Girls Next Door Kendra Wilkinson. She drives fast and aggressively, and simply has no fear. Kendra tells HollyWagers that she's nervous about the walls and will probably drive like a granny. Apparently, the girl won't even get into the carpool lane on the freeway because she's scared of crashing into a wall. We think she may be trying to pull the wool over our eyes. We also think that girl can't help but put the pedal to the medal when she gets behind the wheel. We're looking for her to finish fast.

Driver: Kelly Hu (Car #11)
Updated odds to win: 10 to 1
We started with Kelly Hu as a HollyWagers' favorite to pull an upset. Then she didn't drive aggressively at the first practice and her odds dropped to 18-1. But in Long Beach, not only did Hu drive well (she felt she could be more aggressive now that she's learned to control the lines of the car), but she also took the learning curve the most seriously. While other celebrity drivers were doing interviews and taking pictures, Kelly was getting even more instruction from her driving coach. Kelly thinks that the experience Martina, Joshua and Dave Mirra all have is an advantage, but she wants to be clear: "It's NOT a three person race." We're back to thinking an aggressive Kelly Hu and a few favorable conditions could lead this beauty queen to take another crown.

Driver: Aisha Tyler (Car #12)
Updated odds to win: 15 to 1
Aisha Tyler is tall, and that's a disadvantage (except, of course, when she's looking glamorous). But she drove well all day, and the other drivers all point to her as a contender. She's playing it close to the vest and not saying much. It's always the quiet, stunning beautiful ones you have to worry about. She may be a surprise later, but it would take a crash or some luck on race day for her to break too far away from the pack.

Driver: John Salley (Car #22)
Updated odds to win: 16 to 1
You know what we saw John Salley doing on practice day? Having fun with the media, busting jokes, talking on his cell phone. We also saw him cram his huge body into a little tiny car, and he looked uncomfortable. That said, you can't take away from the fact that he's a competitor and a professional athlete and he's mentally trained to "show up on game day."

Driver: Robin Quivers (Car #8)
Updated odds to win: 18 to 1
Quivers can drive. She can drive fast. She can drive so fast, in fact, that she was the first of the celebrity racers to bang up her car. We already got warned once that the woman tears it down when she drives in New York City traffic. We just think that she gets a little... too excited behind the wheel. Robin says she's "determined to win," and we know she's a woman who can make things happen. We just think that her odds of crashing or blowing out on race day are probably better than her odds to win.

Driver: Kathryn Morris (Car #5)
Updated odds to win: 18 to 1
We originally didn't give the calm demeanor of Kathryn Morris much chance, but now we think her odds are as good as Quivers. As Morris herself says, she's "not going to be a loser." Morris has been driving at practice without her driving instructor in the car and she's focused on learning the track like the back of her hand. Of course, during the third practice session, she ran into an entire wall of tires and crashed. Kathryn claims she did that just to test the limits of the car. She also claims that the fact that she saw the race odds before she drove jinxed her. We claim that Kathryn has a lot of reasons for a lot of things.

Driver: George Lucas (Car #4)
Updated odds to win: 20 to 1
Experience will count for George Lucas in this race. But he's just so peaceful. So much that you feel peaceful next to him! You can't imagine him displaying the type of road rage he'll need to muster up in order to finish in the top. He's still our hero, though.

Driver: Emily Procter (Car #18)
Updated odds to win: 40 to 1
And Emily Proctor is still cute as a button. She's just not a racecar driver. She does have strategy in place though and is going to try to gain an advantage by aggravating people off the track. If that fails, she may cause a distraction and drive topless (and probably convince John Salley to drive bottomless). Ah, Emily. We watched Rudy once, too. Miracles can happen!

Check back for the next odds:
Pre-Race odds: Coming Friday, April 13, 2007 upon completion of the qualifying session.

Labels: toyota celebrity race

posted by Kari at 1:04 PM

Poor Tony Bennett. All these kids who don't know any of the standards they're singing (except for maybe Blake, but that's because he got to sing the song that was in all those McDonald's commercials in the '80's). Don't get me wrong, I love Tony Bennett, always have, but bring back Rod Stewart for Standards Night. At least he was entertaining in the interviews.

Anyway, off to the races.

Blake kicked if off with "Mack The Knife," and really, you can't top Bobby Darin's version of the classic. As being over his little breakdancing/beatboxing crap, I wasn't surprised he didn't drop down and do The Worm at the end. But the squealing girls love him, so he's not going anywhere.

Phil comes out with some weird version of "Night and Day," and Paula must be back on the sauce after hearing that Frank Sinatra comment. If he was singing to his wife, she must not be a great person to be in love with. I was so bored, I changed the channel for a minute. He'll probably be in the bottom 3 (again), if not flat-out eliminated this week.

We don't really need to talk about Melinda anymore. Seriously. She could sing the ingredients off of a Rice-A-Roni box and make us believe it.

Chris. You are the only Chris left. He kept himself safe this week by not trying all that hard. Nice Justin hat, by the way.

Jordin was decent this week. She's really getting there. But everyone has her in the bottom 3, which I'm not sure I agree with. There may be a bit of a sympathy vote this week, even if she wasn't as phenomenal as she's been.

Somewhere inside me I root for Gina. (Maybe it's a fellow tongue-piercing thing, I'm not sure.) But as much as she tried, her look overshadowed her vocal, which actually was pretty decent. DialIdol has her in the bottom 3, and I wouldn't be surprised.

Okay. I admit it. I was oddly mezmerized by Sanjaya this week. I'm not gonna lie. I mean, not that he's really going to have a career after the show, but at least he's stretching out his 15 minutes. And the hunger striker already started eating again, so all is not completely dead. Yet.

Haley tried to slut it up this week, and it's going to fail on her. It's her critical mass week, I think. She's at the bottom on DialIdol, which she has been for pretty much the past month. It's her time to go.

I think there's starting to be a LaKisha backlash, because she's in the bottom 2 on DialIdol today. I'm not quite sure what that means, though: maybe people are in on her Diva-ness, or they're just done with her phoning it in and being told she's awesome every week. It'll be a shock if she really is in the bottom 3, but she won't be going home. At least she looked decent this week.

Haley and Phil are neck-and-neck to go home this week, but I'd hedge on Chris or Gina.

Labels: American Idol, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell

posted by Kari at 10:33 AM

Finally the peeps at Bodog have put up their odds on the new season of Dancing With The Stars. And oh my, do I love the roster this time around. But you have to admit, getting Heather Mills was pure television genius, people. I applaud the folks at ABC for getting that prosthetic leg!

So who's the favorite? Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno is at 3/1 right now, with former N'Syncer Joey Fatone at 3/2. Heather's relegated to the middle with 7/2 odds, but that could change if she stays in for long enough.

You can bet on Dancing With The Stars at Bodog right now, or check out the changing odds on our Reality Page!

Labels: Apolo Ohno, Bodog, body parts, Dancing With The Stars, Heather Mills, Joey Fatone

posted by Kari at 1:08 PM