SYTYCD: The Yak’s Chat With America’s Favorite Dancer, Melanie

 

Just days ago, the So You Think You Can Dance champ was named. America chose their Favorite Dancer and that dancer was 19 year old Melanie Moore of Marietta, Georgia. The Yak had the chance to sit down with Melanie after she claimed victory alongside fellow Top 4 contestants Sasha Mallory, Marko Germar, and Tadd Gadduang. Not long after the confetti fell and the parties waned, we got a better look into the life of winner Melanie Moore. Keep reading on below to find out details like what was her major in school (hint: not dance), how she plans on spending her $250,000, and just what exactly does she attribute to her success on the show. All that and more below. We hope you fans have enjoyed this season as much as we have and that you’ll be back next summer when the Yak will have MORE surprises up our sleeve for SYTYCD.

On Her TV Personality
Melanie was actually homecoming queen in high school. She believes that she was able to show America who she really was without holding back parts of her personality. “I feel like on TV I’m that bubbly person that you guys see, but I am a lot more talkative and chatty.” She was, however, very focused throughout the competition and America may not have seen entirely how outgoing she is. Clearly that didn’t stop America from the votes, as she won by 47% of the popular 4-way vote. More on that below…

Plans During Time Off Before Tour
Melanie has 10 days off between the finale festivities and the SYTYCD tour (coming to a city near you). During her time off, she plans on being at the studio and taking classes because she admits she can’t sit still for too long. She also plans on helping her boyfriend, Mitchell, move to Athens for the upcoming semester at school. She claims to want to “…make stuff about him instead of me for a little bit.”

On Career Offers From The Show
Sprinkled throughout the season, Melanie received a few offers from the guest judges for things to do post-SYTYCD. From touring with Lady Gaga, to participating in the remake of Dirty Dancing with Kenny Ortega, Melanie was getting offers from the big leagues. It has always been her dream to be in a company, as she feels she would be more suited in that atmosphere. She always wants to be dancing, no matter what. She wants to be able to sustain a living dancing, and that’s what she’s hoping to do. She would, however, be interested in touring with Gaga and would be “more than happy and overjoyed to work with her.” No other real offers have come in yet after the show. Presently, she’s more excited about the tour and keeping the routines in her head until then.

On Being Touted “Frontrunner”
Leading up to the finale, Melanie had always thought that she had a chance to win. “I couldn’t pick a favorite,” she says in regards to sitting on stage with the other three finalists. Melanie doesn’t know how America picked because everyone this season was so brilliant. She felt confident and focused on the dances every week, kept her head in the game, and didn’t wanna put any extra pressure by thinking she had an amazing shot to win. She admits to always reminding herself that she had a shot at this competition and it was worth going for, but that she worked to balance staying grounded about it without adding extra pressure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLsCY-FPFMI

On The “Big Leap”
After re-watching that video, you know the question on everyone’s mind when we were first introduced to this piece was on the issue of trust. Melanie said that she and Neil clicked from the beginning. She wasn’t too nervous for the leap because she knew Neil and his muscle could handle it. During rehearsal, they started out practicing the leap a couple of steps away and progressively moved back. Within a few tries, they were across the room and practicing the real deal. She usually has trust in whoever she’s paired with because she wants them to have complete trust in her too. That mindset made working with Neil on such a big move a lot easier, in her eyes.

On Where Her Success Came From
“The reason why I did so well was probably because of my partnership. Marko was so strong, we really carried each other and fed off of each other. Marko and I put so much hard work in the beginning. We were the only couple who rented studio space outside of rehearsal time.” Melanie and Marko actually went to rehearse at night after the hours allotted by SYTYCD. Melanie seemed to pride herself in being nit picky. Marko thought everything will come together on stage, but Melanie wanted it to come together before going on stage so they’re not thinking about stuff coming together while dancing live. With that much preparation, “You can just live in that moment [while dancing on that stage].” Their partnership worked out well and she attributes her success to both Marko and his work ethic.

On Thinking Sasha Will Win
Melanie knows that being called “The Favorite” or “The Frontrunner” never works in favor of the contestant on shows like this. She didn’t expect to win and believes Sasha has improved so much and has grown on people throughout the season. “I have nothing but love for her. I was so ready to be second place and tell her how amazing of a job she did.”

On Which Routine She Was Most Proud Of
Out of the many routines Melanie received praise on throughout the season, she was most proud of her Tango routine with Marko. It was their first ballroom style on the show and they got the standard American Tango. She went to explain how the hardest part was keeping connection the whole time. “When I tell you in rehearsals, we kept working at it and working at it. We were rehearsing till 11:45 at night and pounding it into the ground with that number.” To get positive comments was a relief for the two of them. They wanted their first ballroom number to come out well, and she is definitely most proud of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0WI4H2J8dA

On Being an Art Major
Melanie realizes dancing is a hard industry to break into. Her and he mother felt it was smarter to have a backup plan to go off of. Art is her second love and it was her decision to major in art and study it in school. The decision to go to NYC for art revolved around the fact that she could take classes in the city. Her specialty in the arts is oil painting. She enjoys to do portraits. There is nothing yet online to see, but she’ll think about throwing some up there for us to see!

On Winning With 47% of the Vote
Melanie was very surprised on winning by such a large margin considering it was a 4-way vote. “I tried to make sure my personality came through in everything I was saying. I definitely think it had. I always laugh at myself. I hope that I’m relateable to people and they see something in me that inspired them to get up and do something.”

On Critiques From The Judges
Nothing the judges told her throughout the season stuck out in her mind in particular. What they say meant a lot, but “how I felt about the dance is really what’s important to me. Going out and doing the best that I can is what really mattered to me. At the end of the day, it really mattered how I felt and how America felt. I didn’t want to consider myself a frontrunner.” As mentioned earlier, she didn’t wanna add more stress and feel like she had to measure up. “I put enough pressure on as it was, I tried to stay away from thinking that.”

Plans for the Prize Money
Well, what do you know? Melanie wants to use part of her prize money for … wait for it … a really nice carry-on luggage, to feel cool when she travels. Of course, she also plans on putting some money aside for savings.

On Finding Difficulty During Season
Melanie hadn’t been trained in ballroom prior to this show. In fact, ballroom and disco were the two styles she hadn’t taken a class in. They were definitely struggles for her this season. The hip-hop routine with Twitch was also a struggle. “I don’t move so hard and quick. It was so fast and they knew I could do it but it was extremely challenging and I couldn’t have done it without Twitch.” Regardless, we found that Melanie puts her all into challenging and not-so-challenging pieces of work and that it shines in what she brings to the stage.

On Future Plans Post-Tour
After the tour ends this winter, Melanie plans on going back to school and majoring in dance. People have asked her about choreography, but she doesn’t consider herself to be a choreographer. She’s firstly a dancer and looks up to Stacey Tookey and Sonya Tayeh. She’d like to learn how to choreograph and “grow up” and be able to further herself in that.

On Being an All-Star Next Season
“I told them that from the minute I got into the Top 10. Here’s the thing, I got into the Top 10 so I have to be an all-star next year.” She really wants to be an all-star or maybe even an assistant for the choreographers next season … and fans, for one, want that too! Hear that, Mr. Lythgoe?

On Learning From Choreographers
The one choreographer that challenged her the most was Sonya Tayeh. That seems to be a recurring theme with the dancers this season. Sonya appears to be such a huge asset for the show. “I didn’t get to work with her until the end with my dance with Sasha. She pushed me so hard, knew “Game On” would be tough because of the dynamics. She really cares about each and every one of us and has been life changing and inspiring to all of us. I could not have asked for somebody better to work with. She took it to a more of a relationship level, rather than a choreographers stance. Her choreography is ridiculous. When you’re in a piece with her she’s really intimidating and scary. When you dance you know that she’s really watching, caring, and pushing through it with you.”

The Yak would like to thank Melanie for her time and wishes her the best of luck in her future endeavors. It’s been a great season with SYTYCD and chatting with many of the dancers. For those of you going to check them out on tour, enjoy it and let us know how the show goes!

 

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‘SYTYCD’ Q&A With Eliminated Dancers Caitlynn & Ricky

So You Think You Can Dance sent home two more dancers this week, narrowing the field down to four leading up to next week’s finale. Caitlynn Lawson and Ricky Jaime might no longer be in contention for the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer” but they’re not letting that bring them down. They are rooting for their fellow dancers Melanie Moore, Marko Germar, Tadd Gadduang and Sasha Mallory. Caitlynn and Ricky chatted with members of the media after their elimination and we’re bringing you the details. Keep reading to hear what they have to say. Don’t miss them as they return to the SYTYCD stage next week for a celebration of dance during the SYTYCD finale (airing Wednesday & Thursday at 8/7c).

On Waacking
Ricky is very “excited for waacking to be a part of the SYTYCD family now.” He wasn’t particularly worried that it would send him home. He believes it’s important to keep an open mind on the show, no matter which dance style you get.

Most Memorable Pieces
When asked what her most memorable pieces were this season, Caitlynn couldn’t pick just one. In fact, she wanted to list her Top 3 for us. Mandy Moore’s “To Love You More” with Mitchell and Sonya Tayeh’s “Heavy In Your Arms” with Marko made the top 2. “It’s always nice to get good response from the judges and audience. The tango with Pasha was probably my third favorite.”

On Growing Throughout the Competition
Both Ricky and Caitlynn agreed that they learned so much from this competition. The reason Caitlynn initially auditioned for the show was to be around amazing dancers and learn as much as she could. “Coming of age,” as Nigel Lythgoe described it was her whole goal. “Hearing that from them, I couldn’t feel any more accomplished that I had reached the goal I set out to accomplish.”

Future Plans
Ricky plans on moving out to LA with Clarice. As of now, he is up for anything and excited to hopefully get into the acting business and dance more. He hopes to keep teaching, specifically to show what he’s learned in terms of quality of movement. He’s excited to show his students how others grow. Caitlynn is looking to broaden her horizons and get into more singing, acting, and modeling. She wants to continue to learn and grow and would especially love to come back as an all-star on the show.

On Celebrity Guest Judges
Caitlynn and Ricky loved all the celebrity guest judges this season. They both agree that there was not one where they were confused with the critiques and wondering what credentials they had to be sitting there judging them. “It’s nice to hear critiques from someone who’s a different type of performer,” Ricky said. He went on to say that “They see what America sees, but even in a better light. They know what to tell us to keep us going in the competition. Hopefully they remember us.” They thought it was amazing to hear what Gaga especially has to say.

Forming Bonds With Contestants
This show automatically brings the contestants close. Caitlynn and Ricky were inspired by them all and feel as if they are all inseparable now. Caitlynn is especially “grateful to be in this group and have had the most wonderful time getting to know them.” Ricky and Clarice seemed to form a special bond throughout this season. They have plans to move in together in LA after the tour is over.

On Being Eliminated
Caitlynn sees a silver lining. It’s a sad feeling, but she’s happy she’s been able to grow and get better. They are both happy with the whole experience. Getting cut before finale is sad because you wanna compete for the last show. “The good thing is we don’t have to go home, we’re in rehearsal now and get to participate in the show next week.” Ricky didn’t even believe he’d make Top 20 because of his age, so he’s very grateful to have made it this far – to the Top 3 guys.

Routine They Are Most Proud Of
This past week was the toughest for Caitlynn. The Samba was really fast and the Sonya piece was hard emotionally, tough to dive into the character. “Seeing the judges stand up was an amazing moment,” she went on to say regarding her piece with Marko. Ricky is mostly proud of his ballroom routines, especially the Cha-Cha with Ryan. The show was the first time they actually got the choreography right. Production wouldn’t slow down the music for them to get their steps down, so he’s proud of that moment.

Getting Into Dance
Ricky surprised his mom at her wedding. He came up with choreography and performed for her that day. He then got into studios and went from there. Caitlynn has always been into dance. Being from a small town, she’s always wanted to progress to this point and be a part of something this big. It’s refreshing that they are both fans of the show and have been watching for many seasons. They feel so privileged to have been able to learn from and dance with the dancers they watched and idolized growing up.

Favorite Choreographers
Both Caitlynn and Ricky share an affection for Sonya Tayeh. Caitlynn “learned so much from her. She’s an amazing person.” Sonya seems to push the contestants beyond what they believe they can do and makes them dive head first into the dance. She hopes to work with her again some day. As for Ricky, he really wanted to work with Travis. He thinks his work is incredible, but he didn’t get a chance to work with him. You never know what the future may hold…

Dances They Want To Perform On Tour
Caitlynn: Argentine Tango (if Pasha makes the tour) and Sonya routine with Marko
Ricky: Contemporary routine with Ryan (the fabric piece) and his ballroom pieces

On Dance Style To Further Study
Ricky wants to go straight into the ballroom world, to “take it under his belt.” He went on to say that “It’s a different dynamic than contemporary and any other technical dance I’m trained in.” As for Caitlynn, “ballroom has always been something I’ve always been interested in.” She has loved getting to experience it; she wants to continue with hip-hop, too, if she gets a chance. Hip-Hop has always been a style she’s enjoyed performing.

Advice For Dancers Looking to Audition
From long time fans of the show to soon-to-be-alumni, Ricky and Caitlynn are great people to ask for advice for future SYTYCD hopefuls. They stress to not be afraid to push yourself. “The show isn’t expecting you to be a perfect dancer. They want to see you grow and get better. It’s all about having confidence in yourself. Work your butt off and push yourself. Never give up and don’t compare yourself to other people.”

On Being in the Bottom Multiple Times
Ricky Jaime is grateful to have made it this far with the help of the judges, saving him after being sent to the bottom by America’s votes. He believes that making it this far “helped show America why I’m here and driven sometimes. I don’t think it was anything bad, I took it as a good thing.”

We want to thank both Caitlynn and Ricky for their time. Good luck on the finale and on the tour! Looking forward to seeing you back on stage next week performing some of our favorites!

The Yak Chats with Brendon Villegas from Big Brother 13!

The Yak got a chance to chat with the latest evicted Houseguest from Big Brother 13, Brendon Villegas this morning. See below to read what he had to say!

The Yak, from Forum Member SassyGal: When you first came into this game, you and Rachel had said that you were going to play a different game this season. What exactly was your strategy this time around, and how did it change from last season?

Brendon: Last season we just had a straight up fight every single week to stay together and remain in the game. But this season, we wanted to work with other players and play a much better social game and take advantage of the fact that we weren’t going to have to play alone.

The Yak, from Forum Member kmteach: What was your strategy behind using the veto on Rachel, and how did you think it would further you in the game?

Brendon: By using the veto on Rachel, I figured I might stand a slightly better chance of staying in the game. And if not, at least Rachel would have a chance to stay in the game and play in the jury and I could protect her one last time.

The Yak, from Forum Member KaysarRocks: You and Rachel are great competitors as far as competitions go, but is it a good strategy to go in the game needing to win everything in order to stay?

Brendon: No, because Rachel and I realized, especially this season, that you’re better off being a floater and not winning anything and flying under the radar b/c nobody wants to take you out. But unfortunately, neither she nor I will ever be able to play in Big Brother with that strategy.

The Yak, from Forum Member Knucklehead: Out of the two seasons you have been on, which cast did you feel like you connected with the most?

Brendon: I definitely connected with more people from this cast and enjoyed it more.

The Yak, from Forum Member KaysarRocks: Do you believe that any of the fights that happened in the house were the fault of you and/or Rachel, or were all of them the fault of the other Houseguests?

Brendon: I think all of the fights somehow boil down to something Daniele has done or said in the game, even the latest one when Rachel approached her about what she said to Shelly, Daniele ran downstairs to turn it into a public fight essentially.

The Yak, from Forum Member Cappiesux: You and Rachel went into the house wanting to be different people this year then last year, do you feel you accomplished that despite getting into multiple fights with people and once again being the center of much of the drama?

Brendon: I do, because I think we had a much more relaxed time in the house and definitely showed to everyone that we are a real couple and are still very much in love and that we mean the world to each other.

The Yak, from Forum Member Sandy: What exactly was the strategy behind lying to everyone about who you were using the veto on?

Brendon: Because I wanted to really throw off Daniele’s plan. I know Daniele and I knew she would start making preparations on who she was going to put up as the replacement nominee and she would start making deals in the house and reassuring people they were safe, and if that changed, it would further people’s ideas about her as a manipulator and a liar.

The Yak, from Forum Member 19wingz: What’s different about your approach to the game this time around knowing what America thinks about you and knowing that you’re not being introduced to us on TV for the first time? How does that affect how you act in the house and how you make game decisions, if at all?

Brendon: I know that everybody in the house is going to have a preconceived notion of who I am as a person and who I am in the game makes me realize that I am never going to fly under the radar to the new people in the game.

The Yak: Us fans can see what a pressure cooker the Big Brother House truly is, but we never had the chance to experience it. Can you tell us, first hand, how it feels to be trapped in the house with strangers, and how stressful it really was?

Brendon: The boredom factor really plays a huge role in it, because there is not a lot to do in the house. You often begin to stress about the game way more than you should.

The Yak: If you stayed in the game last night and won HOH, who would you have put up? If who you put up won the veto, who would you have put in their place?

Brendon: I would have put up Daniele and Kalia, if someone won POV I would have put up Lawon as a replacement nominee.

The Yak: Who would you like to see make final two?

Brendon: Rachel, of course.
And besides her, I think I would enjoy seeing Adam go far in the game because he is a sweetheart and is also a huge fan of the game which to me, means a lot more than someone just wanting to win half a million dollars. Of course we are going to be inviting Jeff and Jordan to our wedding, especially since Jeff has that $10,000!

The Yak: What would you say is the best thing you experienced while being in the house? What was your worst experience (other than being evicted of course.)?

Brendon: The best thing was the mock wedding Rachel and I got to have in the house. It was a very special moment for me and I do believe it helped with me leaving the house. The worst thing was having Daniele, who I considered a friend, turning on Rachel and I early on in the game

Thank you Brendon!

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So, what do you think of Brendon had to say this morning? Let us know below, then come on into the forum HERE for all Big Brother Discussion!

The Storybook Wedding in the Big Brother House

It was a wedding to rival that of Luke and Laura (for those old enough to remember). A Page out of Prince William and Kate, complete with a designer dress and specialty made rings. Love was in the air tonight, and we Big Brother aficionados got a chance to indulge and completely immerse in it. The bride blushing, the groom like a Prince awaiting his Princess, gushing with pride. Yes, a fairytale to be treasured for Big Brother seasons to come. Surely it tops Mike “Uncle Jerry” Malin proposing to the love of his life season 2, and all love birds to come in future season. It was a site to behold, and behold we all did.

[singlepic id=586 w=200 h=140 float=left]We all held our breath as the bride readied herself in the Parlor on this August night, with onlookers adoring her every ruby red hair and lips. The Bridesmaids shined in their chosen gowns, but paled in comparison to the bride to be. We rushed in excitement to the live feeds, 10:30pm Pacific we were told to converge. The storybook wedding did get off to a bit of a late start, but we minded naught.

[singlepic id=599 w=200 h=140 float=right]Amidst a beautiful ambient bubble wand goddess, adorned in all white, she emerged. Rachel Reilly was a site to behold. The dress made of a shimmering pliant, yet resilient sheath, was crafted by hand by none other than the world renowned fashion designer Hefty, beating out top designers Glad and Ziploc. Putting the final touches on the gown was none other than the derrière bonded Shelly Moore, who also happens to be the world’s premier matriarch and knowledge of all circumstance. The Grooms attire, fit for a King, was also designed with great effort by Hefty to adhere to the gowns conception.

[singlepic id=591 w=200 h=140 float=left]The ring bearer, clad in Elf wear reminiscent of our childhood October celebrations, carefully and steadfast balanced the ring on the luxurious Ikea pillow made of a beautiful faux chenille. Those Swedes sure know how to rest their heads!

[singlepic id=600 w=200 h=140 float=right]Out of the house came the beautiful bridesmaids, all stunning in their own right. Posche Briggs, Jordan Lloyd and Kalia Booker, with naught a bite to be had, led the precession amidst thundering applause resembling music, making way for the bride to gracefully float to the groom. The bouquet was adorned with fresh plastic flowers, and a peacocks tail feather borrowed from the mystical fortune teller of the Parlor. Awaiting the elegant bride was the swelling groom, Brendon Villegas and his Best Man, Jeff Schroeder, all dressed up in his mid century blue blazer and top hat.

[singlepic id=596 w=200 h=140 float=left]The preacher, Rev. Lawon Exum, gleefully yet calmly awaited to give the last rights to the delighted couple. His presentation of the vows rang like a melody, enchanting the crowd gathered. Even the happy couple was heard singing his praise. Nothing like it has ever been heard, and could only be challenged by the great Rev. Jesse Jackson.

[singlepic id=601 w=200 h=140 float=right]The two wrote their own vows, the bride’s in limerick, ending with a beautiful rendition of her reality television trademark “No one comes between me and my man” as the goddess in white waved her bubble want magically in the air. The couple said their “I do’s” and marched their way down the aisle to a sea of gatherers awaiting their congratulations.

[singlepic id=606 w=200 h=140 float=left]The night that followed was simply fairy tail. The Bride’s bouquet was caught by Jordan, the garter by her soul mate Jeff, young lovers on a path to happiness. Nothing could have ended this magical evening better. [singlepic id=608 w=200 h=140 float=right]

Big Brother behind the walls of the castle were also cast under the bewitching spell of the evening, prompting them to provide the entire party with Dom Ralph’s Champaigne. All toasted to a wonderful evening of elegance and romance. We hope you didn’t miss this exquisite and once in a lifetime experience. If you have, the night was surely recorded, and can be found as a marvelous flashback to August 2, 2011 at approximately 10:30pm. We hope you don’t become one who cheats ones soul of this glorious event.[singlepic id=604 w=200 h=140 float=left]

[singlepic id=603 w=200 h=140 float=right]To the couple, the Yak would like to extend his cup and make a toast; May you both be happy with one another always, love one another always, respect one another always, and keep your parcels off the Twitter.

To see more pictures of this stunning evening, take a look at the slideshow below. To read more about it, and to see the Yaks reactions, come join us in the forum HERE.

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Mike “Boogie” Malin and The Crazy Lawsuit

Maybe this is why we didn’t see a return of Will and Boogie this year on Big Brother. Apparently, Mike “Boogie” Malin is too busy being “tied up” (pun intended) in lawsuit fantasy land. (pun intended again. This is way too easy.)

Attorney Martin Singer, whose clients include the tiger blood drinking superstar himself, Charlie Sheen, has found himself named in quite a crazy lawsuit filed by none other than Big Brother All-Star Winner Mike “Boogie” Malin. The particulars of the case are, well, insane, but not too far fetched in our opinion for the former reality “star”.

In the complaint filed in a Los Angeles Court, Malin accuses Singer and his client, Geisha House promoter Shereene Arazm (a former partner of Malin’s), of extortion, violation of civil rights, and infliction of emotional distress. Mike is claiming that Singer and Arazm hired someone to hack into his e-mails and tap his phone. Apparently, Mike thinks the world is just that interested in his goings on.

Mike says the pair sent him a letter back at the end of July threatening a lawsuit, which would expose Boogie “to public embarrassment and humiliation” in “an effort to obtain property by a wrongful use of force or fear.” The letter also states that Malin has “misappropriated more than a million dollars from my client.”

If that were the end of this story, that would be not so surprising… but that isn’t near the end of it.

In that same letter, Singer included a copy of the lawsuit yet to be filed, referencing Malin’s alleged Craigslist based sexual escapades. The lawsuit by Singer was filed today. The lawsuit accuses Mr. Malin of using embezzled Geisha House resources to set up “multiple sexual encounters with various older men, during which Malin would live out fetish role play fantasies … playing out Malin’s versions of a father/son and uncle/nephew relationship.” It even includes Mr. Malin’s nicknames for his older partners, including “Uncle Jerry” and “Dad,” according to the suit.

Former partner Arazm’s lawsuit, which speaks of Malin as a “washed-up reality star” and Moore (Malin’s other partner) as an “accused rapist,” lists many other ways the pair has allegedly diverted money and resources from Geisha House for their own personal use, including striking exclusive deals with vendors, diverting the rebated into “2Hype”, Malin’s privately held company.  The lawsuit is seeking more than $1,000,000 in damages.

Singer released a statement saying Malin’s suit is a “preemptive strike” and “desperate attempt” to divert attention from the claims against him and Moore, and he fully expects that the suit will be thrown out.

Singer also goes on to say that the allegations in Malin’s suit of e-mail hacking and phone tapping are “ridiculous; they have no facts on their claim.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Malin’s attorney has not yet responded for comment.

Oh Boogie, Who’s your daddy? Maybe that’s why Erika could get no where with him in Season 7 eh, and Krista must be thanking her lucky stars!

The Yak Sits Down with Dominic from Big Brother 13!

The Yak got a chance to sit down this morning with the latest evicted Houseguest from Big Brother 13, Dominic! Check out what he had to say below!

The Yak: Us fans can see what a pressure cooker the Big Brother House truly is, but we never had the chance to experience it. Can you tell us now, first hand, how it felt to be trapped in the house with strangers, and how stressful it really was?

Dominic: Its extremely stressful being trapped in one place and not having anywhere to go. It was even more stressful being thrown into a house with complete strangers and having to adapt to their living conditions and lifestyles. The hardest part about the whole thing was not having an escape.

The Yak, from Forum Member Kristin: Do you think that spending so much time isolated in a room with Daniele instead of going out and socializing more hurt your game?

Dominic: No, because I actually spent a lot of time with everyone in the house and everyone in the house genuinely had a good relationship with me. But I think perception is everything in the Big Brother house, and no matter who I was with or where I was going people always made assumptions. Per everyone’s assumptions, at one point I was dating Porsche, Daniele and Cassi all at the same time!

The Yak, from Forum Member KaysarRocks: Do you think that if Daniele had not been pushing Brendon and Rachel so hard about backdooring Jeff that you would still be in the house?

Dominic: Absolutely. If Dani didn’t push so hard for the deal to go through and put so much pressure on Brendon and Rachel it wouldn’t have made Brendon go back on the deal and I’d be sitting pretty right now. Dani herself has admitted that she is the sole reason I am out of the house.

The Yak, from Forum Member Mystycl: Did you trust Daniele 100%?

Dominic: Yes, absolutely. She always had my best interest in mind and even in the end, the backdoor plan would have greatly benefitted both of us together.

The Yak, from Forum Member SassyGal: You told the Houseguests that you lived with your mom and that you were home-schooled. Do you think some may have viewed you differently if you hadn’t told them that information? If so, do you think it would have hurt or helped your game?

Dominic: I don’t think it made anyone view me differently because at that point I already had great relationships and friendships with everyone. And if anything, it gave everyone an opportunity to joke around me and make fun of the fact that I am “15” – it made for easy, light hearted joking and conversation. I also think the fact that I was honest about my home life made people comfortable around me.

The Yak, from Forum Member kmteach: Do you regret not campaigning harder for Cassi to stay in the game?

Dominic: No, Cassi had no chance and everyone knew she was gone. And although she was part of the regulators, I knew at that point she hurt my game way more than helped it. And she was the one thing standing in the way of Daniele really making a push to play with me.

The Yak: One of our members, kmteach, would like to know why in the world would you sleep in the Have-Not room, when you could have slept in a real bed?

Dominic: I didn’t think it was right to take a bed from a woman. I think it is disrespectful for any guy to not put a lady first. So in order for Shelly, Dani, Kalia and Porsche, I was forced to sleep in the have not and I was the only one that was willing to give up a real bed.

The Yak: If you could rewind and change who you teamed up with on the first night, who would it be and why?

Dominic: I wouldn’t have changed who I was teamed up with. I think Adam never hurt my chances of getting voted out and I shot myself in the foot with the backdoor plan, but until that point I was safe with Adam and he was just as much of a target as I was.

The Yak: If you stayed in the game last night and won HOH, who would you have put up? If who you put up won the veto, who would you have put in their place?

Dominic: I would have put up Brendon and Rachel, told them that no matter who wins the veto they can pick who goes home because its one of them. Jordan would have gone up as the alternate and no one would have kept them over Jordan.

The reason being that they committed to the backdoor plan for Jeff, and backed out last minute and they didn’t need to go exposing their plan to Jeff, throwing Dani under the bus.

The Yak: Who would you like to see make final two? Who do you think deserves final two?

Dominic: I think Rachel will go far – I think they are targeting Brendon so I think Rachel will get by since she isn’t target #1.
I think Jordan will go far, for the same, they will target Jeff before they target her. And she is much smarter than she appears.
I think Kalia will go far because she is a floater and plays both sides of the house, right now she is flying under the radar and isn’t a threat in competitions.
I think Dani will go far because she is the best player in the house in my opinion. She knows how to manipulate and compete and she isn’t afraid of anyone in there.

Thank you Dominic for your time!

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What do you think about Dominic’s answers? Let us know below, then come join us in the forum HERE to spend your BB Summer!

The Yak’s Interview with Cassi from Big Brother 13!

The Yak recently had the wonderful opportunity to yak with the latest evictee from Big Brother 13, Cassi. Check out what she had to say below!

The Yak: Us fans can see what a pressure cooker the Big Brother House truly is, but we never had the chance to experience it. Can you tell us now, first hand, how it felt to be trapped in the house with strangers, and how stressful it really was?

Cassi: Believe it or not, it truly is like a family in there, a very very dysfunctional one! I think this season in particular everyone generally liked one another and you have to remember competitions and game play aside, people don’t realize how much down time there is. The experience as a whole is unforgettable and definitely one that you can only fully comprehend when living it. I called it “adult summer camp on steroids”!

The Yak, from Forum Member 19Wingz: What do you think was your biggest downfall in the game, leading to your eviction?

Cassi: Although I didn’t begin to have the time to play the game that I had conceived in my head I wouldn’t say that I played a bad game or that I would do anything differently. I think my eviction was purely from circumstance and unfortunately personal issues within the house. I would have shaken things up if I had more time.

The Yak, from Forum Member Kristin: Knowing what you do now, who would you have teamed up with on the first night so that you wouldn’t feel bad campaigning against them to stay in the house?

Cassi: For several reasons, probably Dominic. He’s a strong competitor athletically so I probably would have spared myself the 15 days of slop and as a duo, our friendship wouldn’t have been seen as such a threat. Also, because he’s the only other person besides Shelly that I really trusted in the house and had it come down to him and I on the block – although we are great friends – for the sake of the game I would have been able to in good conscious been able to promote myself and had reasons as to why I was a safer pick to keep over him and afterwards, he wouldn’t have held me at fault knowing that that is what I had to do.

The Yak, from Forum Member Krazyvickay: Do you regret being so vocal about your plans and your fight with Rachel?

Cassi: Week one – I definitely was campaigning amongst all of the newbies why it was advantageous to keep Keith not only for myself but for everyone. I certainly would have been more tightlipped had I known that the newbies were going to cower to the veterans so quickly and in such mass, however, I think my campaigning was justified and not necessarily something I tried to keep a secret. I actually volunteered that information to Jeff and Jordan and explained my reasons for it. From a game standpoint, no one can knock that that keeping Keith was a smart move for myself and the other newbies. It was simply that I was so outspoken and independent with my own mind that the rest of the newbies used me as a scapegoat for what we were all feeling to stay in the good graces of the veterans – I was their safety net.

As far as Rachel is concerned, it was a very one sided fight.

The Yak, from Forum Member kmteach: Do you feel you defended yourself enough against the people that were coming after you in jealousy of your looks?

Cassi: Outside of the house, the issue would never have even gone as far as it did because I would have been indifferent to their feelings and walked away. I have too many good people in my life to be affected by the few bad. But in these close living quarters, I felt I took the high road and tried to approach the animosity as an adult and at least get to the point of cordial co-existence – but Rachel was having none of that. I certainly wouldn’t say that I backed down to her, which only added more fuel to the fire.

The Yak, from Forum Member knucklehead: Who of all the Houseguests do you think you will remain friends with outside the Big Brother House? Who would you prefer to never see again?

Cassi: I know without a doubt that I will remain in touch with Shelly and Dominic. I have it in good faith that I will still care for Lawon when its all said and done! It is a game, and should never become personal, however, in or out of the house I  have no respect for Brendon and Rachel so that is one friendship that you can expect will never happen.

The Yak, from Forum Member SassyGal: Do you regret going back on the deal the vets offered you before Keith was evicted?

Cassi: The deal was simply that Shelly and I wouldn’t put them up, and vice versa, until the final 7. I had no intention on going back from that deal until then unless they strayed first. I did, however, encourage the other newbies to keep Keith because he may have been one to have the audacity to nominate Brendon and Rachel. I don’t feel bad in having done that because our deal is that I wouldn’t personally do it, not that I couldn’t encourage others because, let’s face it, it needed to be done for any newbie to have a fighting chance in the end against the veterans.

The Yak, from Forum Member terpkings: Do you think being on Big Brother will help in any way to advance your career in modeling?

Cassi: Going into this, I didn’t realize how big it could be. I simply thought I would do the show and return to my life. So, I don’t really know what to expect or that I’ll even be remembered after two weeks!

The Yak, from Forum Member Hapyhouswf: You remained pretty honest in the house, but did misrepresent what you do for a living going in. Do you feel, now, that was a contradiction to your convictions?

Cassi: Absolutely not. I wasn’t forth coming about my career in hopes to prevent exactly what ended up happening anyhow, however, withholding that information wasn’t something that hurt anyone or diminished my character.

The Yak: Who would you like to go far in the competition?

Cassi: First and foremost, I would love for Shelly to win the whole thing, I think at this point she is greatly under estimated which is going to carry her far. Obviously next, Dominic. He’s a big heart and a sweet, gentle person and he absolutely deserves to be there. Adam’s another player I am rooting for – his vast knowledge of Big Brother and his mind could certainly work in his favor if he could just tame the enthusiasm a bit because that is casting a target on him that he may know too much.

The Yak: If you stayed in the game last night and won HOH, who would you have put up? If who you put up won the veto, who would you have put in their place?

Cassi: After it became clear that our deal was not one Brendon and Rachel had any intention of keeping, I would have absolutely nominated the two of them had I stayed in the game and one HOH last night. On the chance they won veto, I would have put up Kalia and Lawon in their place and rallied for Lawon to have the votes. If not, I would hope he could forgive me and realize it is a game and that was the smartest choice for me.

The Yak: What would you say is the best thing you experienced while being in the house? What was your worst experience (other than being evicted of course.)?

Cassi: Best: Honestly, it was a blessing just to have been there at all, and being one of eight new players for the year.  Obviously I am leaving with a couple of really strong friendships that will last beyond the house. And it was very validating to me that I could exit the house knowing that I portrayed myself exactly as I am and have nothing that I said or did to be shameful or regrettable – that is an incredible feeling.
Worst: I am a really honest person and my integrity is everything and to be looked at every day with distrusting eyes and for my name to be associated with “liar” is a hard pill to swallow, but I knew that coming in this was all part of the game.

The Yak: Thank you so much Cassi, we wish you all the luck in the world!

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So, what do you think? For those Jeff and Jordan fans, how does it feel to know she would have kept the duo safe? If there is a returning Houseguest this season, does that make you more likely to vote her back in? Let us know what you think!

***Also, if you would like your question asked of the upcoming evicted Houseguest, join us in the Forum HERE and post your question! We also have lots going on for Big Brother… It is the place to hang this summer! Come join us!

The Yak’s Interview with Keith, the First Evictee of Big Brother 13

The Yak had the wonderful opportunity to ask Keith a few question on his game play and experience being in the Big Brother House and being the first evictee of season 13! Continue reading below to see what he had to say!

The Yak: Us fans can see what a pressure cooker the Big Brother House truly is, but we never had the chance to experience it. Can you tell us now, first hand, how it felt to be trapped in the house with strangers, and how stressful it really was?

Keith: Being trapped in the house with strangers, that wasn’t stressful. I deal with strangers all the time with my regular job and I am a people person. The only stressful part would be missing my family back home, but playing the game wasn’t stressful at all.

The Yak (from Forum members KaysarRocks and kmteach): Throwing the POV… As you can see now, unfortunately, nothing is ever set in stone in the Big Brother house. Looking back, do you regret throwing the Veto competition?

Keith: Yes, I regret throwing the Veto comp because my newbie alliance didn’t back me up they way they said they would.

The Yak (from Forum member hevnlee): You were pretty blatant about your love for the ladies and willingness to lie in the Big Brother house. How do you reconcile this with your position as a Deacon to young people?

Keith: My Youth group knows and understands how I feel about the ladies, and I didn’t say or do anything outside the lines of god when it came to the women. As far as lying, it’s a game and they know and understand that.

The Yak (from Forum member CR): Do you think that the returning HGs have an unfair advantage due to their previous time in the house?

Keith: No, I don’t think its an unfair advantage. They just know how to work the system and they know who they can use. Its sad that there are newbies that don’t mind being strung along like puppets.

The Yak (from Forum member Knucklehead): Do you think that you would still be in the house had Porsche not been your partner? If so, and you can rewind and change it up, who would you have picked?

Keith: Yes, I probably still could have been in the house if I had picked Kalia or Adam as my partner. But I still wouldn’t change it up. I do not regret picking Porsche as a partner, my strategy was just wrong.

The Yak (from Forum member SassyGal): You joined a “secret” alliance with Dominic, Cassie and Lawon, but yet you went out of your way to try and set Lawon up to take a fall. Did you think that would help your game at the time, and if so, how?

Keith: Yeah, I did think it would help my game cuz I was thinking if they thought Lawon was playing both sides it would take the heat off of me.

The Yak: If you had stayed and won HOH last night, who do you think you would have nominated? Who would you have wanted to see leave the house?

Keith: I would have nominated Brendon and Rachel, and I could care less – either could have left. I guess if Brendon left, it would be better because I have a better shot of beating Rachel in the competitions.

The Yak: What would you say is the best thing you experienced while being in the house? What was your worst experience (other than being evicted of course.)?

Keith: Best thing was the conversations by the pool, the dinners with all of us, the games we played like a family.
The worst thing – none of the newbies stepped up and told the veterans where to go. We had the numbers! No one lead the charge out of the newbies to take control.

The Yak: Now that you are out of the house, who are you rooting for to be final two? Who would you like to win?

Keith: Of the newbies, I would say Porsche. Out of the vets, Dani.

The Yak: Thank you so much Keith. It was a pleasure.

So what do you think of Keith’s answers? Do you think he was able to see his mistakes, or do you think he would have made the same mistakes over again? How do you feel about him being okay with how the youth at his church would feel? What do you think about who he would like to win the game? Let us know below, then come on in and register in the Forum! We have everything you need for a GREAT season of Big Brother, plus, come get your questions ready for the next evictee!

Will Kirby Says “No” to Big Brother 13

According to the Official Site of Will Kirby, a post was posted by an admin there stating it was from Will Kirby himself. I’m guessing it probably really was him, however can we trust what he says? Take a look and make your own decision:

Life is often confusing but once you have a child you can more easily discern important items from the superfluous. My focus these days is my family, my friends and my profession. While I sincerely appreciate the enthusiasm of reality television fans I have other priorities that supersede any possible participation in non-scripted programming this summer. Moreover, I absolutely enjoy public speaking and the occasional television appearance but I have officially retired from competition based shows – There is simply nothing left for me to accomplish in this genre. Now please don’t take this as a statement of arrogance; If you truly contemplate my current situation as well as my past history I’m sure you’ll agree with this decision.

That said, I wish nothing but the best to Robyn Kass, Allison Grodner, Rich Meehan, Les Moonves, Julie Chen and the entire CBS family. Will I watch Big Brother? Honestly, I don’t watch much TV these days. I also don’t think anyone was ever lying on his or her deathbed and said, “Now that my life is about to end I have one major regret: I sure wished I had spent more time watching Big Brother”! Point being, I’m a little preoccupied these days but I’m confident that the contestants this summer will provide the fans with minutes of entertainment.

Moving forward, my good friend, Mike Malin, has a new show, Famous Food, premiering on Vh1 on July 10th at 10:00 pm so you’ll be able to see him all summer and I have a number of scheduled appearances on QVC where I educate consumers about anti-aging products. I’m also in the process of expanding my laser tattoo removal clinics. In addition to the four Southern California locations we just opened in Dallas, Texas and are in the process of a multi-city expansion that will take place through 2013 so we can offer tattoo removal nationwide. I also co-authored two medical text book chapters and solely authored a third that will be published late this summer. Additionally, with serving as an associate clinical professor of dermatology at two medical schools I find very little free time. That said, I always find time to spend outdoors but and having had skin cancer myself, I always remind everyone to use sun avoidance measures and always wear sunscreen .

Ten years ago, to the day, I moved to Los Angles to create the life I always dreamed of and to fulfill my destiny… and you all helped me accomplish exactly that. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Now it is time for you to fulfill your destiny – which path will you choose?

Have a healthy and happy summer.

Love,

Dr. WILL KIRBY

What do you think? Real? To be believed? Did you want to see them back in the house, again? Let us know below, then come on into the FORUM where we are discussing all thing Big Brother!

Jackass Star Ryan Dunn Dies in Car Crash

AP – PHILADELPHIA – “Jackass” cast member Ryan Dunn died early Monday of injuries sustained in a fiery car crash, and speed may have been a factor, police said.

Dunn and a passenger in his 2007 Porsche died after the car left the roadway and burst into flames, West Goshen Township police said. The crash occurred near the Philadelphia suburb of West Chester.

The 34-year-old Dunn appeared on MTV shows “Jackass” and “Viva La Bam” and the three “Jackass” big-screen adaptations. He also was the star of his own MTV show, “Homewrecker,” and hosted “Proving Ground” on the G4 cable network.

According to a biography posted on his website, Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at age 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Bam Margera on his first day of high school.

Dunn, Margera, Christopher Raab (known as Raab Himself) and Brandon DiCamillo, under the moniker CKY for “Camp Kill Yourself,” started making videos that featured them skateboarding and performing stunts.

Dunn was working as a welder and at a gas station when Johnny Knoxville, a friend of Margera’s through the skateboarding circuit, asked the crew to allow their videos to be part of the series “Jackass,” which became a hit on MTV and ran from 2000 to 2002.

A phone message left for Dunn’s manager wasn’t immediately returned.

The passenger who died in the crash had not yet been identified, police said.