To kick off 2012, one of the brilliant groups from NBC’s The Sing-Off recently released their debut album after making it to the Top 3 teams of the show’s second season. The jubilant harmonies you heard in season 2 were products of the first time the men and women of the Backbeats had ever made music together – and what glorious music it was. The self-titled debut album features a variety of honest, wholesome, and explosive covers of some of today’s most popular hits. The emotion the group put forth in crafting the album is clearly displayed through the tones and energy emitted in each track. The texture of songs like “Firework” and “Need You Now” demonstrates the group’s devotion to making music they love and making it their own. Staying true but unique to the sounds of Adele, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and more, The Backbeats work to expand the art that is a cappella. With the help Sing-Off judge Sara Bareilles, the Backbeats also tackle “Uncharted,” the latest hit from the a cappella queen, in true a cappella form.

Bringing together all of their unique harmonies, tones, energies, and passion for music, The Backbeats use the camaraderie they developed throughout their season of The Sing-Off to spring forth a collection of unique and one-of-a-kind covers that can only be a promising preview of tunes to come from this colorful bunch.

The Yak recently had the opportunity to pick the brains of members of the Backbeats and we want to share with you the thoughts directly from the artists themselves. The depth behind the answers they provided further demonstrate their passion to make music that not only entertains but also speaks. Also hidden below is a way for YOU to win a FREE copy of this album – one we guarantee you’ll listen to over and over.

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What was the group’s inspiration in choosing which songs made the album cut?
KENTON: To be honest, it was an incredibly hard decision. We ran ideas past each other for weeks before recording, and even while we were recording one song, we were wrestling with the next song to pick! On the show, we were best known as the group who rocked the powerhouse ballad – and we wanted to pay homage to that, but we also wanted to showcase all the different styles and voices that really makes The Backbeats what we are. With Turning Tables and Need You Now, I think we really got to the emotional songs, but Born This Way and Cry Me A River really let us have fun!

Funny story about our title track, Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’ – our “inspiration” came from seeing one of our friend’s posts on our Facebook News Feed! We all watched the music video together and fell in love with the song. And who knew Hanson was still around, making really good music??

Now that you’ve been off of the Sing-Off for about a year, how has life changed for the Backbeats? Other than making music in the studio, what have been the new challenges to adapt to?
KELLEY: Our biggest challenge as a group is coordinating our busy schedules. While on the Sing-Off, we had time set aside for rehearsing and performing, but now that we are back to our “real” lives, it’s hard to come together sometimes. Some of us work 9-5 jobs and some of us travel for work, and often we don’t know what the future holds.

How much did talk for original music come up in recording this album and can we expect original music in the future?
JORDAN: We thought about it and talked it over but I think for this album we wanted to give our fans a similar taste of what they saw from us on the show with some new songs to switch it up a bit. Original music in the future is definitely a possibility and something I think we would love to also share with our fans, so we will see what the future holds.

What are the Backbeats plans for 2012?
RACHEL: We’re going to continue riding the wave in 2012! There is a lot of excitement circling the release of our album, so we’re busing marketing and promoting it with online campaigns and various appearances. We’re elated with the amount of support we’ve received from our family, friends and fans who’ve purchased the album and our listening to our music. We’re also continuing to gig here and there– we’re traveling to New York and Florida in the month of February!! So 2012 is off to a good start! We’re hoping to make some more great music and memories this year!

We know the Backbeats formed for the Sing-Off last year and we also know that many of the members went back to their respective schools after the show was over. How has it been adapting to being in different parts of the country, especially while recording an album and making plans for 2012?
COURTNEY: It was definitely an adventure for me to be in a different state than most of the group after the show was through. I basically just learned how to pack a suitcase really well! When it came to making the album, we were really good about communicating about mixes and things via the internet, and I was able to record all of my percussion up here in Oregon with Peter Hollens, so it worked out really nicely. Overall, I feel like I get the best of both worlds with this deal, because I get to perform with some of my best friends all around the country, but I still call Oregon home.

How was it recording with Sara Bareilles, a seasoned performer and recording artist?
TODD: As mind-blowingly unreal as you’d think it would be. We had the good fortune of getting to share the stage with Sara in the finale of Season 2 for “King of Anything.” Getting to do it all over with “Uncharted” was a dream come true… for a second time. I remember when the idea came up during album discussions, we all thought there wasn’t a chance it would actually happen, but it was worth a shot to ask. Then it happened. And then Sara was chosen as Nicole’s successor for the open judge’s chair. Then we were invited back for the finale… Soon, it was like old times, which is weird to say. At the stage we’re at, you never really get used to people like Sara, Shawn and Ben being a part of your lives.

For a chance to win a FREE copy of The Backbeats debut self-titled album, tweet your favorite BackBeats performance to @yakkityyaks with #YakWithTheBackBeats. One randomly selected fan will be chosen as our winner!

Amusing anecdote: During choreo rehearsals for our “King of Anything” performance on Season 2, Sara was touring and unavailable to rehearse until the day of the show (!). So in her place sat a chair that we all danced and sang around, acting as if it were her. We called this lucky seat “Chair-a Bareilles.” Needless to say, the real Sara was a much more pleasing upgrade from hotel furniture.

How about the group’s inspiration in choosing which voice to showcase on a particular song?
EITAN : As a group, we have always felt that The Backbeats represents a group of eight lead vocalists – never one soloist with seven back-up singers. Because of that, it was important to us that each member in the group was able to contribute his/her unique vocal style and interpretation as a soloist to at least one track on the album. It’s what keeps the album fresh and gives it “repeat listenability.”

To directly answer the question, song selections for the album went hand in hand with the selection of the soloists. We always chose a song with a soloist in mind.

What has been the moment you feel like you’ll cherish the most since finishing The Sing-Off? Just something you never thought you’d experience at this stage in your life?
KENTON: Probably the greatest moment I remember is the moment we all (the contestants) met each other for the first time in the hotel. Before all the glitz and all the production, we were, at the very basis, musicians and friends. There were 90 or some odd number of us, and our first rehearsal of the opening number was quite hectic – but when it locked! The harmonies, the dynamics, the vocal talent; we knew we were in for something amazing.

I never thought I’d be able to say at this age that I can go almost anywhere across the country and call up someone to stay with or hang out. It’s a great feeling, to have family all across America!

RACHEL: I could honestly answer this question in about a hundred different ways because there have been so many moments that I’ve cherished since finishing our run on The Sing-Off. We have had the incredible opportunity to do some amazing amazing gigs that I will never forget– the NBA All-Star game, gigs in Vegas, Christmas Tree lighting television specials, etc. We’ve also created friendships that will last a lifetime, with each other as a group, and with our friends from the show. And probably the cherry on top is that we’ve been able to make an album of our music with a record label and a major distributor… that’s something that doesn’t just come about every day of someone’s life. We’ve been blessed and lucky to have experienced all of these things this year, it’s really just incredible!

The Backbeats Complete Track Listing:
01. THINKING ‘BOUT SOMETHIN’
02. BORN THIS WAY
03. EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL
04. TURNING TABLES
05. ‘TILL THE WORLD ENDS
06. FIREWORK
07. CRY ME A RIVER
08. NEED YOU NOW
09. WHO YOU ARE
10. IF I WERE A BOY
11. MONSTER
12. UNCHARTED (Feat. Sara Bareilles)

As you may have already heard, there has been a huge shake up at the already shaky X-Factor. First we heard about host Steve Jones not coming back. Apparently, he was let go after a dismal season as he tweeted that he was disappointed by the news calling his departure a “shame” but adding that he couldn’t complain, that he “had a great time.” Mr. Jones, although probably a lovely person, didn’t really set the bar real high on the high drama impact the show was looking for and he paid the price for it. I guess Ryan Seacrest has trail blazed the role of host at this point that everyone must meet. I for one thought Mr. Jones was a bit boring myself.

Then came the news that Nicole Scherzinger wasn’t coming back as well. According to Nicole, not coming back was her choice. Nicole was originally cast as a duel host with Jones, but took the judges seat when Simon Cowell decided to axe Cheryl Cole as judge. (Many saw this as mistake number one.) Nicole quit the show (with Cowell’s blessing) to focus more on her music career. She says that the X Factor took much more time than she thought it would, filming 6 days a week, which didn’t leave room for her own career. It does make me wonder if she was asked to leave and was given the opportunity to do it gracefully. It’s all very coincidentally, everyone at once. There are sources that say she wasn’t renewed either, so I guess this is her excuse. For those of us who watched the show, it’s not hard to remember her being “boo’d” off the stage for her decision on Rachel Crowe, paving the way for Crowe’s departure. Scherzinger “couldn’t make up her mind” and because of that, Crowe departed that night amongst jeers and tears. As a judge, you should be able to, number one, make up your mind, and number two, make the right choice, even if you really like the other contestant. Crowe killed the competition that night and everyone knew it… even Nicole I think.

Also leaving, Paula Abdul. Sources are saying that Simon wanted to “clean house” and well, it looks like he is doing it. The X Factor received pretty good ratings but not nearly what Cowell was expecting. Sources claim that Abdul was not renewed as well and that this isn’t just some negotiating or ratings ploy. Simon wanted a makeover (or shall we say do-over) and a makeover he is getting.

So, in the coming weeks, I guess we will start hearing who will be stepping into to these positions left empty by the above three. I guess L.A. Reid is here to stay awhile as well, although I didn’t see him as all that great either. The X-Factor is set to debut it’s second season later in the year. Personally, I would like to see some tougher judges join the panel. My problem now with American Idol is the lack of tough judges. Yes, Randy has tried to fill that role but it hasn’t worked that well.

What do you think? Who would you like to see come aboard as judges and host? Let us know below, then come on in and join us in the forum!

In Storybrooke, the battle between Emma and Regina continues. This week, Mr. Glass gets involved. He claims to have something on the mayor. At first Emma is skeptical to trust him, but after the mayor tears down the castle park where she and Henry would meet, she gives in. Mr. Glass has information that the mayor has set aside city funds of several thousands of dollars.

Emma doesn’t want to stoop low on her quest to out Regina, but after some nudging from Mr. Glass she bugs the mayor’s office and learns of a rendezvous she’s having to exchange payment. Driving to the location, they discover her brakes were cut and they have a small crash. But then they find Mr. Gold who informs them that he met the mayor to exchange his land for cash. But he tells them he doesn’t ask questions because that’s how business goes.

Emma and Mr. Glass break into Regina’s office and find blueprints for a lavish home. Thinking they finally have enough dirt, they announce the mayor’s secret plans at a town meeting. But Regina reveals that the plans were for a new playground to be built, replacing the old torn down one. Well played madam mayor, well played. So Emma and Mr. Glass look pretty silly. And Regina threatens Emma with a restraining order to stay away from Henry.

In the end, we find out that Mr. Glass has actually still been conspiring with Regina all along. He’s even the one that cut the brakes. They revel in the fact that they now have Emma in their pocket and will know her every move.

A couple of tidbits from Storybrooke…David and Mary Margaret have a secret little rendezvous in the woods. It’s a cute little picnic that he set up for them. Also, the stranger that arrived in Storybrooke approached Henry again discussing the book. And in the end, he’s the one who took Henry’s book, not Regina. I’m still thinking he has something to do with writing the book.

Meanwhile, in Fairytale Land we learn the origins of the Magic Mirror. The king, Snow’s father, discovers a lamp on the shores and rubs it to reveal a genie…from Agrabah. (Could it be that this is Aladdin’s genie?! Was the Magic Mirror really Aladdin’s genie before he became a mirror?!) The king asks for happiness in his kingdom and then wishes for the Genie to be set free…leaving one wish remaining.

The genie joins the king in his courts as great friends and meets his daughter, Snow, and wife, Regina. Before long, the genie realizes Regina is unhappy and falls in love with her. However, the king discovers the existence of a love affair in her journal and locks her away in her chambers. Regina’s father brings a box to the genie to give to Regina to help her escape. The contents are two vipers from Agrabah that she will let bite her and allow her to die. But the genie can’t allow this and he uses the vipers to kill the king. (We finally learn how the king died!)

Regina tells him the guards have found the vipers and traced their origins to Agrabah, thus he is known to be the culprit and is in danger. She tells him to flee, but he realizes it was all just a set up for him to kill the king for her. She tells him she does not love him, but it is clear that he still has love for her. He uses the last wish to wish that he’ll always be by her side…and thus he becomes trapped in the mirror.

I thought the writers did a phenomenal job with the Magic Mirror’s backstory. I love that he was a genie from Agrabah. I feel like he HAS to be Aladdin’s genie because that’s just too much of a coincidence! I love how the writers are meshing all of these fairytales together and how they do it so perfectly!

The jury is still out on the stranger in town. But I really do believe he has something to do with writing the book. Maybe if he didn’t pen the book himself, then he comes from an ancestry line of fairytale writers. It has potential.

Anyway, what did you think? Did you love the Magic Mirror’s backstory as much as I did? Leave your thoughts and comments!

Aside from what we have speculated when The Amazing Race began filming late last year, CBS has now confirmed that Big Brother’s power couple Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas have been cast as part of the Amazing Race 20. The rest of the cast, listed below, includes dating divorcees, male twins, and more! Check out the cast vid below and let us know what you think of the new cast! Be sure to check our forums later today for full cast bios and pics!

The Amazing Race 20 airs February 19 at 8/7c on CBS!

Dave Brown Jr., 33, U.S. Army officer and Rachel Brown, 30, project manager; married

William “Bopper” Minton, 41, motorcycle mechanic and Mark Jackson, 45, former state inspector; best friends

Nary Ebeid, 32, federal agent and Jamie Graetz, 33, federal agent; friends

Brendon Villegas, 31, PhD Student and Rachel Reilly, 27, Event Hostess; engaged

Joey “Fitness” Lasalla, 29, trainer/supplement company owner and Danny Horal, 27, nightclub promoter; friends

Misa Tanaka, 27, car buyer and Maiya Tanaka, 25, professional golfer; sisters

Dave Gregg, 44, clown and Cherie Gregg, 44, clown; married

Elliot Weber, 28, musician and Andrew Weber, 28, professional soccer player; twins

Kerri Paul, 30, program coordinator and Stacy Bowers, 30, self employed / “basketball” wife; cousins

Vanessa Macias, 31, freelance writer and Ralph Kelley, 36, bar owner; dating divorcees

Art Velez, 43, border patrol agent and J.J. Carrell, 42, border patrol agent; friends

This week Once takes us back to the central love story of Snow White and Prince James. It’s not am episode rich in suspense and revelations, but rather an emotional appeal to the story of Snow and her love.

Little happens in Storybrooke. Mary Margaret and David are both still pining for one another, to the point that they intentionally show up at the same places, at the same time (not knowing the other intended to do the same). It’s very cute to see their relationship grow. But there’s a pregnancy scare for Kathryn, which ends up being nothing. David feels drawn to both, but it’s obvious his love for Mary Margaret is true and his love for Kathryn is out of compulsion.

The magic moment for the two comes at the end. They both seemingly decide to part ways and do not show up at the diner at their usual time. However, both happen to show up later. That’s it, it’s fate! They embrace and kiss! And of course, Regina spots them and scowls from her car.

Additionally, Regina pressures Emma to investigate the new stranger in town that arrived in last week’s episode. All we really learn is that he has a box that contains a typewriter. Oh, and Emma now owes having a drink with him. New love interest? Possibly.

Meanwhile in Fairytale Land, Prince James’ wedding to Abigail is quickly approaching and he writes to Snow to come and give him reason to leave. Snow receives the letter and goes to him but is caught and imprisoned by the guards. It is here that she meets Grumpy, a dwarf. They both talk about their lost loves. And then Stealthy, apparent dwarf number eight, arrives to save Grumpy. Grumpy, with his new bond to Snow, also helps her to escape.

During the escape, Stealthy is shot…and that’s how they became seven. The king threatens to kill Prince James if Snow doesn’t cut it off; so in a tearful exchange, they part ways. Snow meets up with the dwarves and agrees to live with them. In the end, Prince James cannot bear to marry Abigail and goes in search of Snow. Unfortunately, against Grumpy’s advice, she drank a potion from Rumpelstiltskin to rid herself of the pain and no longer remembers him.

The episode was rich in storytelling this week. It continued building the background for Snow White and Prince James, and I loved the addition of the dwarves! Unfortunately, I was holding out for some more info on this stranger that arrived in Storybrooke! My interest is already piqued! You don’t have to build anymore!

Anyway, what did you think? Good episode? Were you bored with the story-telling/love story, or did it hit that warm-spot in your heart? Leave us your thoughts!

The Yak may be a small site, but we too are very much in agreement with the damage that the bills currently running through the Senate and House can do to the Internet and free speech. We are an Entertainment site for goodness sake! So to honor our Internet comrades in this fight against censorship, we too shall be going dark tomorrow in protest. If you come to our front page tomorrow, you will be automatically re-directed to a site where you can contact your Congressmen and let them know how you feel about these bills. There is strength in numbers and although me may be small, every person counts.

If you are still in the dark about these bills, or think SOPA and PIPA are cool new names for cocktails, here is some reading on what they are, what they can do, and who is for and against them.

Thank you to your continued loyalty to the Yak and we will see you on the other side of the 18th!

YakkityYaks is looking for DEVOTED and EXCITED fans of TV, Movies, Music and Entertainment to join our team! As shows like American Idol, The Voice, and more are around the corner, we want to extend an invitation to our readers to join our writing team. Our only requirement is that you love entertainment and love the Yak! If there is a television show or themed column you’d like to helm, please Contact Us or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter to let us know of your interest!

We promise … you’ll love what you do. Just talk to our newest contributor, PJ Williamson (@pj_williamson), who is currently our Once Upon a Time correspondent with more plans for his Yak future! Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions.

Ready … Set … YAK!

This week in Fairytale Land the story revolves around Hansel and Gretel. In a twist on the classic story, the lost children are found by the Evil Queen and sent to the Blind Witch’s gingerbread cottage to retrieve a satchel. They’re told not to eat anything.

But of course Hansel couldn’t avoid temptation and ate a cupcake, awakening the Blind Witch who then imprisons them with plans to eat them. However, the children outwit her, lock her in the oven and escape with the satchel.

When the children return with the satchel, we discover its contents to be the poison apple. She offers to keep the children, but they just want to return to their father, who we discover is also captured by the Queen. Ultimately she casts them all back into the woods to roam and try to find one another.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Henry meets Ava and Nicholas Zimmer who use him to try to shoplift. However, they are caught and it is revealed that Ava and Nicholas have no parents. Emma immediately has a connection and fights to prevent them from being place in fostering. She tracks down their father but he denies the possibility of the children being his.

Regina pressures Emma to take action with the children and eventually Emma must oblige, loading the children up and driving them out of town. But like Henry said, you can’t leave Storybrooke without something bad happening and Emma’s car breaks down. The mechanic she calls to come fix it is the children’s father and another happy ending is found when he decides to keep them! Hooray for Emma!

Henry actually asks Emma about his father, too. Emma shares that he was a firefighter and they met in a cute little diner. She became pregnant and when she searched for him, she discovered he had died saving a family in a fire. I was very pleased to hear this and totally believed it…but no, it was all a story she just told to give Henry a hero to look to.

The last scene shows a man on a motorcycle arriving in Storybrooke. Emma and Henry are both a little stunned. Strangers aren’t supposed to stop in Storybrooke. No one ever does. Yet, here he is.

Phenomenal episode. I wasn’t expecting much with a Hansel and Gretel episode, but there were so many great parts. Even though Fairytale Land revolved around Hansel and Gretel, I loved seeing the Evil Queen playing a big part. And I loved seeing her take some magic action…she is fierce!

The whole “who’s the daddy” plot had to come up at some point, and they revealed just enough to make me want more. He’s not the hero Emma told Henry he was, so who is he? I’m certainly curious. And how will he be integrated into Storybrooke and the fairytales.

Finally…that man?! Who is he? Is he fairytale or is he just a real-world man? Such a tease. My initial thought was maybe he’s Henry’s father, but surely Emma would recognize him. And if he’s arriving in Storybrooke, then doesn’t that mean he’s from elsewhere thus not a fairytale character? This one man has left me with so many questions!

Anyway, what did you think? Like the episode? And what are your thoughts on the mysterious man? Comment your thoughts!

At the start of the new year, we got word that Fox had axed the Results show portion of So You Think You Can Dance US. While that angered many fans, including this one here at the Yak, it now appears that this may be a blessing in disguise. While it doesn’t appear official yet by any stretch of the imagination, and while this still might eliminate some of the greatest and more artistic and inspiring group performances on television, it looks like SYTYCD might get an oversized season this summer!

The previous Dance format, after the initial audition and Vegas episodes, included a 2 hours performance show on Wednesday with a one hour Results show on Thursday. Now that the results show has been axed, which we have options for fans to counter it if they so choose, it appears that SYTYCD will air more 2 hour episodes during the summer, carrying the show through to the start of the fall season. Previously, Dance had been known to end sometime in August, about a month before Fall TV, leaving Fox with some “dead weeks.”

At the Television Critics Association press event, President Kevin Reilly added “We wanted to get a few more shows on over the summer. We also wanted to smooth out our summer so we don’t stop early and then have these dead weeks leading up to the season.”

Initially, fans were concerned that the axing of the results shows meant Fox wanted to air more programming over the summer. While that might be true, this may not spell doom for the under-appreciated, highly-talented dance show. “The total number of hours that we committed to Dance, it’s a couple hours less. It wasn’t really like we wanted to reduce the total number of hours. In fact, we wanted to figure out how to spread it out over the summer, which is now what we’re doing,” Reilly said. It appears that the results show might very well be built into the new format, possibly a la The Voice or The Sing-Off?

In other dance news, the developer and producer of Strictly Come Dancing, which came to be known as Dancing With the Stars in the United States, has died. Richard Hopkins, 47, died from a brain tumor. He initially pitched the idea to BBC in the UK before working on the current US hit. Our thoughts and prayers go to the Hopkins family and friends.

Previously on Once, we were all starting to warm up to Sheriff Graham, even Emma Swan. In fact, the closer Sheriff Graham got to Emma, the more he remembered Fairytale Land. But Mayor Regina could not take that and she killed him. Apparently no one is safe.

You’d think the entire town would be torn up over the death of their Sheriff, but really the only one to show any emotion is Emma. Mr. Gold gives her the nudge to seek the office of sheriff, but Regina throws her support behind Sydney Glass, reporter for The Daily Mirror. Henry warns Emma to stop because of Sheriff Graham’s death and how good can’t compete with evil because good doesn’t play dirty.

Emma saves Regina from a fire but then decides to stop campaigning since she didn’t want to stoop to the level of smear campaigning. This ultimately leads to her winning the election as most townspeople saw her stance as standing up to Mr. Gold. As Regina put it, the only thing people like better than a strong ally is someone standing up to a formidable enemy.

Well, YakkityYaks is kicking off 2012 by taking a stand. We recently published an Open Letter to the network executives of Fox regarding the cancellation of the Results Shows for upcoming Season 9 of So You Think You Can Dance. In our efforts to spread the word and garner support from SYTYCD fans around America, we have come up with a few simple ways to have our voices heard. If you support our movement, please pass on the word to your friends and family.

1. Talk about the show with others – at school, at work, online, or wherever. As auditions kick off January 5 in Atlanta, we can work to create a buzz. We understand the upcoming season does not premiere until the end of May 2012, but demonstrating strong investment in the show cannot hurt.

2. Sign the petition below and encourage others to do so as well.

3. Write to the network. Please be respectful and logical in your arguments. Threats will not strengthen your argument, but rather weaken it. Explain to the network how much you enjoy the Results Shows portion of SYTYCD and how it enhances your experience when watching the show on Fox. You can mention that you’ve signed the petition, and that you want to see the Results Shows make a return to the show’s format. Visit Fox.com and contact the network through their online rom or you can write via “snail-mail” to: Mr. Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, FOX, P.O. Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213-0900, RE: So You Think You Can Dance

4. Take note of the products that have been advertised in season’s past. You can write the advertisers and tell them that you notice their products during telecasts of SYTYCD and that you appreciate their sponsorship of the performance and results shows.

If anyone has any other ideas, please feel free to post them below. Together our voices can be heard. Thanks in advance to our supporters!

An Open Letter to Executives of the Fox Television Network

Not long after the world celebrated the onset of 2012, So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) Executive Producer and Judge, Nigel Lythgoe, posted a message on his @dizzyfeet Twitter account regarding upcoming Season 9 of SYTYCD. “#FOX have cancelled the results show so I will have to change the format of #SYTYCD. At least we have another season at the end of MAY.”

In a world where social media is prevalent, the news was not taken lightly by fans of the Emmy nominated reality series. Rumors have already started spreading as to possible changes the show will have to undergo without a results show. Worries that the title “America’s Favorite Dancer” would have to be tweaked have begun to spread like wildfire.

In a world where reality or alternative programming to scripted television is prevalent and enjoyed by fans across the country, cancelling the Results Show portion of a program is, putting it bluntly, a terrible and miscalculated mistake. SYTYCD has become a summer staple program in many houses across America. In a world where wholesome family programming is hard to find, SYTYCD offered such an option for families to get together and enjoy true talent showcased on television for 3 hours a week (with a 2 hour performance show and a one hour results telecast). During the latter telecast where America’s votes are revealed, some of the best SYTYCD dances – including some of the Emmy award nominated pieces – were performed as the contestants joined forces in powerful and moving group numbers.

Many Results telecasts of similar programs have been touted by fans and critics to be filled with “filler.” While shows like The Voice and The Sing-Off have televised seasons without Results Shows, SYTYCD Results Shows offer something extra for fans. From group numbers choreographed and performed with such passion and fluid movement to some breathtaking “Dance For Your Life” moments, SYTYCD Results Shows are not filled with overblown recaps and guest performance after guest performance like some other shows. While that format may suffice other reality programs, the format that Lythgoe and SYTYCD producers have adopted for SYTYCD has been all about showcasing the talent. After all, isn’t the talent what it’s all about? Isn’t showcasing the art of choreography and dance without gimmicks what the show is about?

In 2007, SYTYCD was critically recognized when it took home it’s first 2 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography. In 2008, SYTYCD was nominated three times – for three different choreographers – and took home another Emmy for Outstanding Choreography. The streak continued with 23 more nominations by the industry for Outstanding Choreography from 2009 to the present day. Of those 23 nominations, the show took home 10 more Emmys. We can’t forget the nominations of 2011 when host Cat Deeley was nominated for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program – a long overdue recognition. SYTYCD also touted a nomination in this little award category of Outstanding Reality-Competition Program. Not to mention, countless of entertainment sites around the web have named SYTYCD in their “Best Of 2011″ features, including YakkityYaks.

While we understand this move by the Network does not guarantee that Season 9 is indeed the show’s final season, we fans know and understand that such a move unfortunately does not bode well for this under-rated and under-appreciated network gem.

To all SYTYCD fans, if you agree with the thoughts noted above, please do your part in sharing this open letter and let the network executives of Fox know that we do not appreciate this move and we hope that they reconsider – even if it means a 30 minute Results telecast versus the usual hour. We here at the Yak do not support this decision by the powers that be with Fox.

This writer can say that the Fox network will be boycotted during the hour originally intended for the SYTYCD Results telecast for any non-SYTYCD related programming.

Thank you for reading.

Kasey Olmstead and JD Montgomery
YakkityYaks.com

Christmas music is no longer on repeat, holiday programming comes to an end, and people begin to reflect on one year as they prepare for the next. As the holiday season comes to an end and we enter a new chapter in television, we here at the Yak decided it was finally time to preview the new fare that the major networks will be offering us this winter and spring. In addition to our Winter Midseason Television Preview, be sure to check the calendar on the right side of this very page for all winter premiere dates for the month of January! We’ll work on getting February dates up there, as well, but until then, be reminded of when your favorite shows return! We’ve got a lot of fun things planned in the winter with upcoming reality shows, the awards season and more, so stay tuned!

Click here for Fox’s Midseason Schedule

Alcatraz, January 16 @ 8/7c on Fox!

When San Francisco Police Department DET. REBECCA MADSEN is assigned to a grisly homicide case, a fingerprint leads her to a shocking suspect: JACK SYLVANE, a former Alcatraz inmate who died decades ago. Given her family history – both her grandfather and surrogate uncle, RAY ARCHER, were guards at the prison – Madsen’s interest is immediately piqued, and once the enigmatic, knows-everything-but-tells-nothing government agent EMERSON HAUSER tries to impede her investigation, she’s doggedly committed. Madsen turns to Alcatraz expert and comic book enthusiast, DR. DIEGO “DOC” SOTO, to piece together the inexplicable sequence of events. The twosome discovers that Sylvane is not only alive, but he’s loose on the streets of San Francisco, leaving bodies in his wake. And strangely, he hasn’t aged a day since he was in Alcatraz, when the prison was ruled by the iron-fisted WARDEN EDWIN JAMES and the merciless ASSOCIATE WARDEN E.B. TILLER.

Madsen and Soto reluctantly team with Agent Hauser and his technician, LUCY BANERJEE, to stop Sylvane’s vengeful killing spree. By delving into Alcatraz history, government cover-ups and Rebecca’s own heritage, the team will ultimately discover that Sylvane is only a small part of a much larger, more sinister present-day threat. For while he may be the first, it quickly becomes clear that Sylvane won’t be the last prisoner to reappear from Alcatraz.

Through the course of the investigation, Madsen and Soto will learn that Agent Hauser has known about the prison’s secret history and has been awaiting the prisoners’ return. Soto will witness his life’s work – the history of Alcatraz – come alive. Madsen will be forced to keep her supportive San Francisco cop fiancé, JIMMY DICKENS, at arm’s length from the highly classified assignment as she sees everything she thought she knew about her family’s past shattered, all while fighting to keep the country safe from history’s most dangerous criminals.

Next Up: Are You There, Chelsea

Other sites have been making lists based on their preference, telling you who they believe was the best of 2011. We here at the Yak like to do it another way … put you in command. You nominated, you voted, and now it’s time to reveal who YOU chose as the Best of 2011. As 2011 comes to a close in just a few days, we figured it’s time to take you down memory lane as we reminisce about what made these people, TV shows, songs, albums, and celebrities the best (or in some cases the worst) of 2011. There were some EXTREMELY tight races this year, but fans came out in full force to make sure their favorites got to the top. No more yakking, let’s just get right to it. Click on a pic below to see what they won – or just click on the first pic and scroll through to see who and what made YOUR list of favorites in television, music, movies and more in 2011.

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Song of the Year:

Favorite Live Performance of the Year:

Most Viral Video of the Year:

You may remember back in September, many Netflix members were complaining about a new error code they were receiving, N8107-154-5006, which apparently is the error code for too many streams running at a time. (Which for subscribers of the “unlimited” streaming plan, says 1.) I say apparently because to put that code into Netflix.com help, you get no answer other than them telling you that you must have entered the code incorrectly. Back in September, amidst a customer uproar, Netflix responded that it was a mistake, that they do allow concurrent streams, and it was just an error on their part.

Not anymore.

Netflix in the last couple days has now decided the one single stream at the $7.99 price was a good idea. I had been receiving the error for the last two nights, and decided to call them up and ask if it’s an error again. A very nice gentleman named Thomas at their customer service desk tells me no, that the limit is now one stream at a time. I asked if there was another streaming plan that I could upgrade to that would allow me to have streaming on 2 or 3 devices at a time and was told that they do not have that option, however if I wanted to add a DVD plan, I could get more streams. Hence 2 DVDs at a time would give me two streams. 3 DVDs out, 3 streams… you get the picture.

Really Netflix? Is this a wise decision on your part? I personally think not. Type in Netflix in Google News and all you see nowadays is “Netflix drops in Customer satisfaction” and “Netflix paying for it’s mistakes” and “Netflix losing customers” and so on. So… were they sitting in the board room thinking “Hey, I know! Let’s limit the streams our customers get! That ought to raise the satisfaction levels!” Or were they thinking this move might get people back to pay their DVD subscriptions, just to get more streams? I have no idea what exactly they were thinking, but it seems they were more likely NOT thinking. Hey, maybe the CEO just doesn’t want the hassles of the daily grind anymore and is ready to run the business into the ground. Who knows. Maybe he is being bought off by the big boys to kill his own creation.

Whatever the case may be, doubling the price for the streaming/DVD plan, separating the streaming and DVD service, changing their mind on that separation, then limiting the streaming to one stream at a time pretty much killed it for me. Amazon has many of the same movies on their Prime Membership already, so I guess Netflix can do without my $7.99 per month.

What do you think about the new “One stream at a time” service? For those of you on just the streaming plan, will you keep Netflix?