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

Added December 22, 2010:
EXCLUSIVE: Inside Bethenny’s Blowup To Skating Judge Johnny Weir

Bethenny Vs. Johnny!

Added December 9, 2010:

Skating With the Stars Episode 3! Slicing and Puking! (by OlympianUncut)

PUKE AND BLOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Skating with the Stars Recap (by peron75)
With Michael Buckley and Olympians Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov!

Added December 8, 2010:

SWTS Haiku II: This Time It's Personal (Misfit Mimes Blog with an update of the Bethenny Frankel saga along with other things)

Here is a People.com article that makes the off stage drama seem a little more benign that it actually was (according to another source who described it as Bethenny 'verbally abusing' Johnny Weir): Bethenny Frankel Confronts Skating Judge Johnny Weir

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There was, once again, a lot of off stage drama associated with Week Three of 'Skating With the Stars'. I decided prior to the show I would not dignify the haters with more attention for their hate Tweets and posts to Johnny Weir. When I heard about and read a few things being said Sunday afternoon I was tempted to change my mind; however I held fast to my determination to not give these less then exemplary examples of human beings any more of a forum than they already had. My disappointment was heightened when Bethenny's partner Ethan Burgess retweeted a Tweet regarding Bethenny's feelings about the judging. I felt, and still feel, he should know better, just as he should know what it is about her skating that is drawing the scores she is getting from the judges.

My determination was sorely tested again Monday evening when we heard even more, not only from a segment of Bethenny Frankel's fandom, but from Bethenny herself, and from others who had observed less than stellar behavior from her backstage at the show. I have a friend (and links to her Blogs are provided below) who handles this sort of thing much better than I do, because she does it with a sense of humor I do not always show when I am irritated about something. I will leave the subject here with this wonderful Tweet sent by Johnny Weir at around 11:25 pm EST Tuesday, December 7, 2010:

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Week Three Recap:

Skating turned serious this week with some nailbiting injuries.

The pairs this week each had to perform a particular love story for their Artistic Impression score.

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 there was a tough one:

Required Element: The jump. The stars are required to leap off the ice and land on one foot. The judges looked for height, distance, and level of difficulty.

We knew things weren't good from the beginning of the episode, when Keauna McLaughlin skated onto the ice by herself during the opening introductions. Her partner, Brandon Mychal Smith, had taken ill earlier in the day. In fact, when Keauna showed up at the studio, she saw Brandon on a stretcher being put into an ambulance by paramedics. A shaken Keauna, along with the rest of us, hoped that Brandon would be better and could return to compete in tonight's show, but that didn't happen. We all hope that Brandon gets well soon.

According to the rules, Brandon & Keauna were scored based on video of their last complete rehearsal, which was taken on Sunday.

Brooke Castile was at the hospital earlier today as well. During rehearsal, her partner Jonny Moseley accidentally tripped her, and inadvertently "bladed" her — cutting her finger with the tip of his blade. The cut was deep — to the bone, and, according to Jonny, it was quite bloody. Brooke received stitches and a finger splint at the hospital, and performed with her bandaged hand, still in pain. Jonny himself fell quite a few times during rehearsal throughout the week, some pretty painful, and in fact had never completed their performance without a fall at any time during rehearsal.

Over the weekend, Rebecca Budig went to the emergency room after a fall from a difficult lift with partner Fred Palascak. She landed hard on her wrist, which hurt and swelled. Luckily it turned out not to be broken.

And Vince Neil had a fall earlier in the week of rehearsal, injuring his back. He spent a few grueling days working through it.

Luckily, no one got hurt during tonight's competition, and there were some impressive performances and improvements throughout.

But after the judges' scores were combined with last week's viewers' votes, rocker Vince Neil was eliminated.

The Scores:

Rebecca & Fred skated a love story about "Tumultuous Love"

Technique: 25 points (9/8/8)
Artistic Impression: 25 points (9/8/8)
Total: 50 points

Bethenny & Ethan skated a love story about "Trust"

Technique: 17 points (6/6/5)
Artistic Impression: 19 points (7/6/6)
Total: 36 points

Vince & Jennifer skated a love story about "Romantic Love"

Technique: 16 (6/5/5)
Artistic Impression: 20 (7/6/7)
Total: 36 points

Jonny & Brooke skated a love story about "Star Crossed Lovers"

Technique: 24 (8/9/7)
Artistic Impression: 27 (9/9/9)
Total: 51 points

Brandon & Keauna skated a love story about "Healing Love"

Technique: 18 (8/5/5)
Artistic Impression: 21 (9/6/6)
Total: 39 points

The Standings (Week Three):

Jonny & Brooke - 51 Points
Rebecca & Fred - 50 Points
Brandon & Keauna - 39 Points
Bethenny & Ethan - 36 Points
Vince & Jennifer - 36 Points (eliminated)

The Judges:

Dick Button
Johnny Weir
Laurieann Gibson

The Hosts:

Vernon Kay
Tanith Belbin

As a special treat during this week's episode, host Tanith Belbin and her long-time ice dance partner Ben Agosto skated a beautiful new number to the song 'There's a Place for Us' from the new motion picture The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Official 'Skating With the Stars' Photo Gallery
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Week Three 'Skating With the Stars' Full Episode

Week Three 'Skating With the Stars' Full Episode (Secondary Source):