Wheres My Koppy's Blog: Skating With the Stars, Week Four Recap and Standings

Added Thursday December 16, 2010:

This Week in Reality TV: EXCLUSIVE: Skating With the Stars Interviews

****

Added Wednesday December 15, 2010:
"Skating With The Stars" News: Bethenny Frankel Calls for End To Gay Slurs on Johnny Weir

****

I'll See Your "I Don't Care" & I'll Raise You a #CuttabitchOnNationalTelevisionFTW (Misfit Mimes' Blog on Week Four of 'Skating With the Stars')

The show recap below is partly my own, and partly information from the ABC.com 'Skating With the Stars' website. I felt they glossed over the Bethenny Frankel situation more than they should have, so I posted the response directly below on the website:

****

My Response:

It's too bad Brandon had to leave like that; but if he is too ill to continue, there isn't much that can be done about it. We'll miss him!

I think Johnny Weir was right to call Bethenny Frankel out the way he did. A lot of fans don't know about all her behavior. Not only did she say 'F+uck Johnny Weir' during her Week 2 segment, she also said flat out in an interview he wanted to be a woman (this from a woman who hosted a GLAAD event which Weir attended), and last week she verbally abused him backstage after the show. There were witnesses. She has not taken any criticism or suggestions from the judges seriously at all, and when she was called on it her reaction was to say she doesn't care what the judges think, and to suggest she would put a skate blade up the judges' butts, and she would like to slap Laurieann aside the face, and so on. And a segment of her fandom has been even worse; hurling gay slurs at Weir, attacking him verbally, calling him names, attacking his fans and so on. They've been mean to Laurieann and Dick as well, but nothing like the attacks on Weir; though this week I saw some very mean things said about Dick Button on Facebook. Given Bethenny's deplorable attitude she is lucky she isn't being graded on that attitude, because if she were, every score would be a minus ten. Based on what he has endured from her and her fans, Weir is restraining himself.

And I despise how ABC is milking this. They mention what Weir said, and gloss over what Bethenny has said, and complete forget to mention her slurs against him. Shame on ABC for allowing this to continue the way they have. She is lucky she didn't get booted off last week for confronting Weir, which is against the show's rules!

****

Former United States pairs champion and world medalist (with Kyoko Ina) and U.S. bronze medalist (with Stephanie Stiegler) John Zimmerman appeared in this episode to assist the skaters and celebrities with learning their pairs moves. In 2006 John appeared on the hit FOX show 'Skating with Celebrities', partnering television host Jillian Barberie to a second-place finish. Zimmerman also joined the cast of Russia's version of Skating With the Stars.

ABC Recap:
Week 4 - Thrill Week

You thought last week was thrilling, with multiple trips to the hospital and blood on the ice? Now get ready for "Thrill Week!" This week our stars had to further temp fate by performing some difficult and dangerous moves: lifts, throws, and the morbidly-named "death spiral."

Unfortunately, Brandon Mychal Smith didn't perform tonight. His illness, a debilitating stomach virus that has kept him very weak, has made it impossible for Brandon to rehears and perform, and because of this he has been eliminated from competition.

Brandon appeared on the show tonight to share his regrets, and it's clear that he and his partner Keauna McLaughlin are heartbroken about not being able to move forward in the competition.

Because of this unexpected twist, no teams were eliminated tonight. The vote opened as usual, however, and the viewer votes from last week and tonight will be combined with the judges' votes from tonight and next week to determine who gets eliminated next week and makes it to the finals.

Required Elements:

Each week, there will be precise figure skating rules the Stars must follow. Throughout the competition, they'll need to perform specific "Required Elements" in their routine. This week, stars had to perform two of the following three stunts — some of the most thrilling moves in figure skating:

Required Element: The death spiral. The female is spun around by her partner using only one arm, her head barely inches from the ice. It's a feat of precision, tension, and balance for both partners.

Required Element: The throw. The man must lift and propel his partner while speeding along the ice, and she has only one razor-sharp blade to rely on for a safe landing.

Required Element: The overhead lift. A breathtaking show of strength by both partners. For the woman, it's all about core strength, poise and balance. For the man, explosive lifting power and stability on the ice.

Tonight's performances were exemplary. Jonny & Brooke held onto first place in the judges' scores with a solid performance earning all 9s in technique and artistry. Brooke was particularly worried about the lift in this routine — Jonny had dropped her in rehearsal, shaking her nerves for what could be a very dangerous move. But they nailed it.

Rebecca Budig continued to demonstrate grace and skill on the ice with partner Fred Palascak. The judges wanted to see more individual presence from her out there, and Dick Button almost gave her extra points for her butt. (Do they score that way in the Olympics, Dick?)

But the drama on the ice tonight was between Bethenny Frankel and judge Johnny Weir. Last week, Bethenny was fed up with the judges' criticism and critiques and suggestions, and said she doesn't care what the judges think. (She just cares about what the fans and viewers think!) And that hit a nerve with Johnny: "To me it's very clear, you don't care what we think, and I don't really care to watch you actually perform anymore because you aren't listening to our critiques."

In the end, Bethenny thinks the whole thing is about having a good time:

"This is so much fun! I man, I'm wearing a sequined costume! It's supposed to be fun - it's ice skating! We're having the best time, it's all kind of idiotic, isn't it? ... I rocked out. I feel it, I know it, I give it all."

At the end of the show, Keauna McLaughlin was joined by Denis Petukhov to perform the routine she would have done with Brandon tonight.

The Scores:

Bethenny & Ethan's routine included a forward inside death spiral and a Detroiter lift

Technique: 18 points (6/6/6)
Artistic Impression: 20 points (7/6/7)
Total: 38 points

Jonny & Brooke's routine included a platter lift and a throw double salchow

Technique: 27 (9/9/9)
Artistic Impression: 27 (9/9/9)
Total: 54 points

Rebecca & Fred's routine included some impressive overhead lifts and a death spiral

Technique: 26 points (9/8/9)
Artistic Impression: 27 (9/9/9)
Total: 53 points
Music for Week Four

Pair                           Song                           Artist

Pro Opening Number         Baby It's Cold Outside   Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews
Bethenny & Ethan       Superstition                  Stevie Wonder
Jonny & Brooke         Take On Me                  A-Ha
Rebecca & Fred          December '63 (Oh What A Night)    The Four Seasons
Keauna & Denis          Stronger                      Kanye West

The Standings (Week Four):

Jonny Moseley & Brooke Castile 54 Points
Rebecca Budig & Fred Palascak 53 Points
Bethenny Frankel & Ethan Burgess

The Judges:

Laurieann Gibson
Dick Button
Johnny Weir

The Hosts:

Vernon Kay
Tanith Belbin

****

Going the distance on 'Skating with the Stars': 'Dancing on Ice' champion offers some words of wisdom (IceNetwork.com article with a British champion's take on 'SWTS')

Skating With The Stars is More Painful than a Root Canal Without Drugs (Not as bad as the title makes it sound, the author is very fond of Johnny Weir.)

"Skating With the Stars" Week 4 Recap: Vanilla Thrilla (Reality Zen With Jenn Blog)

****