The Best of 2013: DWTS, SYTYCD & The Oscars

It's that time of year when I look back to see what you were clicking on this year. It was no surprise that  my top post was related to Dancing With the Stars, but my top photo on Twitter was related to the Oscars. It's fascinating to see what you retweet, comment and like on social media.

Here are some of my Best Of Photos & Articles of 2013:

This photo has made the rounds several times on Twitter thanks to Kristen Stewart and Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars.

Top Posts:

1. It's Time to End the Zendaya Debate:  Fans argued that she was a ringer on DWTS. Guess what? She didn't win the show, Kellie Pickler did. The most trained dancer usually doesn't win…just ask Corbin Bleu.

2. AfterBuzz TV: Chehon Wespi-Tschopp: I love that So You Think You Can Dance snuck in here. Fans of the Fox show tend to be a lot less vocal than the DWTS fans, but the dancers on this show are phenomenal. Chehon is a fan favorite and I know many of you came here to see who he was dating. I'll never tell…

3. VIDEO: 2013 Emmy Nominees: Outstanding Choreography: This post obviously did well in September. I posted all of the videos of the nominees in the choreography category. It was a tough category, but the right person won. Congrats, Derek Hough!

4. SPOILER ALERT: DWT Season 17 Updated Pro List: I honestly thought this would wind up as the top post of the year, but the other Top 3 held strong. I want to thank my source for slipping me the information and for being accurate. That is really important to me. The biggest surprise for Season 17 was the addition of Tyne Stecklein whom we interviewed on AfterBuzz TV this season. She's a doll…count me as a fan.

Mollee Grey at the Dizzy Feet Foundation red carpet. This is was the second most popular photo on my Twitter feed this year. 

Top Searched Celebs:

1. Zendaya

2. Megan Fox

3. Susan Lucci

Most popular photo on my Facebook page was from the 1st Annual Geekie Awards of me interviewing  Stan Lee and Seth Green. The Geeks shall inherit the Earth.

PHOTOS: Anna Trebunskaya's Baby Shower

Anna and her gorgeous mom Irina.

If you missed Anna Trebunskaya's big news, make sure to head over to Life & Style to hear whether she is having a boy or girl. 

Here are a few personal photos from her baby shower on Wednesday. We can't wait to have Baby Trebunskaya join the AfterBuzz team. 

Congratulations, Anna! You are going to be a great momma!

Oscar Nominations Dress Challenge 2014

Red Carpet Closet because it is so much fun! I need help finding a dress for Oscar Nominations morning on January 16, 2014.  It's early again this year and we are going to have to do this over the Christmas break. Remember though, the winner gets a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice. For those of you that are new to this challenge, YOU get to chose the dress that I wear for a one of Hollywood's biggest events. 

Can you believe it's that time of year again?  This is one of my favorite events that I run over here on

Here are some guidelines:

1.  It is not a red carpet event.  So, I am looking for a dress that is simple, classic and understated.  Think of a DVF wrap dress or a Jackie O. sheath.  I am short (5'3"), so I want to show off my legs versus lots of cleavage (which I don't have anyway) to give the illusion of height.  I love shoes, so I want to pick something hot and sassy from my shoe wardrobe.  One note:  Even though I want a dress to show off my legs, please no so-short-I-can-see-your-hoo-ha dresses.  The Oscar Nominations are a very conservative event, so I'd like to keep it that way.

2.  I will be working at 5AM PT that day.  I want a dress that is easy, comfortable, and not fussy.  I hate pulling and tugging at my dress while I am working.

3.  I like color.  It looks great on camera and adds brightness to my face.  Please avoid red or crazy patterns because they have a tendency to moray on camera. I've done blue and two purples, so maybe a green, pink or yellow this year?

4.  The budget is important.  Let's keep the dress under $250 and it has to be available online in sizes  2 or 4.

Here are the winners from 2011-2013 to give you an idea of what has won in the past:

For more information on the winning dresses from 2011-2013, click here, here and here.

2011:  Dress by Banana Republic

2012:  Dress by Aqua

2013: Dress by ModCloth

Are you up for the challenge?

The Rules:

1. Find me a dress by Monday, January 6 at 11:59 p.m. PST. It must be available online. So post the link in the comments below with your contact info.

2.  The dress must be available in the U.S., but international contestants are welcome to join us for this contest.

3.  Two finalists will be announced on Thursday, January 9 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, January 16.

4.  Winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice.


If you have any questions, post in the comments below.  Ready, get set, shop!

DWTS Season 18: Cody Simpson

I cannot believe I am even writing about Season 18 for Dancing With the Stars here on my blog since we just wrapped Season 17, but it looks like inquiries are starting to go out to some celebs. Cody Simpson started the rumor mill churning big time on Friday with a series of tweets:

so, I just received an offer to be on Dancing With The Stars in March. what do you all think? do you want to see me on TV every week?
— Cody Simpson (@CodySimpson) December 14, 2013

it's during the time I'll be in LA recording my next album, so it wouldn't prevent me from touring and seeing all of you. tweet me thoughts.
— Cody Simpson (@CodySimpson) December 14, 2013

wow, looks like you all think I should do this. definitely helps me when thinking about my decision. I'll let you know after the holidays.
— Cody Simpson (@CodySimpson) December 14, 2013

A few of you asked me who Cody was. Yes, he's part of the Disney chain. He actually comes from the Disney Radio side and did some mentoring work on Disney's Next Big Thing. I have interviewed him three or four times and he's a doll. He really blew up this year because he was the opening act for Justin Bieber. Yeah, no big deal.

Here are some of my Cody Simpson interviews:
Next Big Thing
Let It Shine premiere 
The Biggest Loser appearance

If Cody does decide to do the show, I'm thinking Witney Carson or Lindsay Arnold would be a great partner for him since they both fit into the right age demographic. Witney and Cody? Lindsay and Cody? Which one would you prefer?

What I can tell you is that Cody has a rabid fan base of teen girls. ABC would love to have him and it sounds like he wants to do it. It would also be a big "get" for the show.

Let me know what you think about Cody Simpson on DWTS in comments below. 

Photo courtesy of Mingle Media TV

Saving Mr. Banks: Is Tom Hanks the Greatest Storyteller Ever?

Last month, I had the privilege of attending the press conference for the AFI Film Festival presentation of Saving Mr. Banks. The entire cast was there: Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell, Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak. They talked about P.L. Travers, Walt Disney and the making of Mary Poppins. If you want to read the highlights, click here to go to my article for Press Pass LA.

However, I am sharing my entire audio for you to take a listen to. Tom Hanks proves why he is an A-list star with one story that begins around the 20:00-minute mark. An Italian reporter asks him about his grandkids and Disneyland. The story is hilarious, engaging and makes Hanks perhaps one of the greatest storytellers around. He had the press eating out of his hand. I've often given red carpet tips for actors, but this is the most perfect lesson of all…THIS is how you handle an interview.

The entire 25-minute press conference is archived below. The actual audio begins around the 4:00-minute mark. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think of the movie and Tom Hanks' story in the comments below.

TRAILER: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Awards season has already kicked into high gear and I am completely immersed in screeners and nominees. I will be back working for Starpulse for Oscars season starting with nominations on Jan. 16, 2014. I will be posting about my annual Oscar Nomination Dress Challenge next week, so stay tuned for details.

In the meantime, here's a film that I cannot wait to see: The Grand Budapest Hotel. The film is directed by one of my favorite filmmakers, Wes Anderson. I couldn't get enough of Moonrise Kingdom in 2012, so I expect the same in 2014 when this film is released. With whimsy and wacky characters, this is a sure bet for those of you with a quirky sense of humor.

Fox Searchlight Pictures sent me a fun interactive holiday card that I thought I would share with you. Check it out and be sure to watch the trailer below with Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman. The movies opens March 7, 2014.

Perlier Imperial Honey Body Butter Review

It's another beauty review for you! This time, it's Perlier's Imperial Honey Body Butter that was given to me by iFabbo to test drive. I've really enjoyed Perlier's product line this year, it's been one of my favorite beauty discoveries. Did I like this product, too? Find out…

Description of the Product via HSN:
Luxuriate in pure bliss. Perlier's imported beauty treatment makes you feel like you've spent the day at the spa!

Key Benefits:

• Formulated with the honey of black bees and royal jelly
• Nourishes skin with moisture
• Leaves skin pleasantly scented with the sensual notes of honey and oriental woods
• Perfect for year-round use
• Made in Italy

Ingredients: 

AQUA (WATER), BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER (BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER), THEOBROMA CACAO BUTTER (THEOBROMA CACAO (COCOA) SEED BUTTER), ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL (PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL), BEHENYL ALCOHOL, PEG-40 STEARATE, STEARYL ALCOHOL, DIMETHICONE, GLYCERYL STEARATE SE, PENTAERYTHRITYL DISTEARATE, STEARIC ACID, MEL (HONEY), SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS OIL (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL), CETYL ALCOHOL, ROYAL JELLY, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), PHENOXYETHANOL, CARBOMER, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, BHT, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, COUMARIN.

Does It Work?: 

I found this product to be extremely hydrating especially on my troubled areas like my elbows which are very dry all throughout the year. It made them soft and smooth, so I love that aspect of the product. One caveat, I hated the smell. I think they were going for a honey fragrance, but it just smelled off to me. Since I am sensitive to smells, I wouldn't use this product again.

Cost: $40

Where Is It Sold?: You can find it at the HSN website. Note: It is currently sold out, but they should have it back in stock soon. There's a $5 off coupon, too. Use iFabbo5 as your promo code.

Connect:
If you want to learn more about Perlier, visit their social media pages--
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

Visit some of my other reviews for iFabbo:
Hydroxatone Anti-Aging BB Cream
Own Firming Silk Concentrate
Perlier Shower & Bath Cream Kit

Disclosure:  I was given a complimentary sample by Perlier and iFabbo in exchange for a review. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are my own.